Deniz Babies

We know it's summer when...

2010-07-28T21:50:00.001+03:00

We hang in the trees like monkeys...

We blow out our birthday candles... (Lina's 2!)

And we climb the walls because we're bored at home...

Hope you are having a great summer, too!

Little Red Riding Hood(s)

2010-05-19T12:22:00.000+03:00

What could be better than wearing mommy's scarves?

Couch stories

2010-05-12T12:22:00.000+03:00

Time capsule

2010-02-26T00:01:00.002+02:00

Sometimes I feel trapped in my own home video, like I'm peering at these photos of my children as if it were my childhood I was looking back on, not theirs. These four photos make me think 1980, not 2010. Maybe it's the tank tops, the tights, and the boots?

View from here

2010-02-18T23:56:00.000+02:00

I awoke one morning to the sound of my three-year old taking pictures, flipping on and off the flash on my Canon SX10IS, the camera I bought for work (yeah right), the one I don't share with anybody, not even Devrim who helped pay for it. This is the second time I must have left my 2nd favorite technological distraction in harm's way (the first being my computer, of course), followed by a Palm Pilot I use almost exclusively for Scrabble. Topi is adept though, if I may say so myself, at getting the camera to focus and not dropping it. Not dropping it while taking photos is a remarkable miracle considering he likes to drop things for fun (like Lina's toys) from high places to watch them break.

I'm not fond of Topi's portrait of me (hello, morning face even though it was like 8 at night), but other than that, I think I'm ready to let him start taking the annual family photo that I never get around to.

Winter frolics....

2010-01-17T12:14:00.003+02:00

...at home in tank tops and corduroys. Topi made a caterpillar out of a green paper chain at school, also called 'tırtıl' in Turkish, which sounds exactly like 'turtle,' so I envision lots of confusing fun as we try to sort that one out.

Topi at the helm of my camera, catches Lina bleary-eyed in the morning w/our laundry basket somehow in her bed:

History repeating itself: Rose used to look over Tony's shoulder whenever he was opening his presents, and now Lina and Topi get to do the same! That's Topi ripping open Lina's Christmas present from Grammy and Mark Dede. He's just helping her, of course, and she doesn't mind.

Kitchen pictures

2009-11-16T23:38:00.001+02:00

My monthly (gasp!) photo round up. Lina devouring her yogurt:

And Topi and Mommy hanging out in the kitchen. I think this was while preparing brunch two weeks ago. If there is food, Topi and Lina follow. Ignore the messy counter!

Holes in the wall

2009-10-26T15:08:00.000+02:00

Seeing the door to our balcony getting taken out a few weeks ago inspired some staring and pondering. My little guy is 3 years old as of Oct 20. Full of mischief and mayhem, no warning would have prepared me. He has now claimed my pillow as his, and won't fall asleep without it. Before I go to bed, I have to take it away from him and replace mine with his. In the morning, he comes to take it back from me. xoxo

The Halley's Comet of naps... four hours, once every 75 years

2009-09-18T16:52:00.001+03:00

Garden Fresh

2009-09-03T15:17:00.003+03:00

There's a little corn on the cob fanatic in our house, and who wouldn't be when the corn tastes so good this year? It's even straight from our garden. Topi and Lina's grandfather, Dursun Dede (Dede means Grandfather in Turkish) bought farmland last year and already we are reaping the benefits of living two blocks away from them so we can pick through the goods. So far we've gotten tomatoes, squash, eggplant, green beans, and green peppers. I brought back some seeds from the US so we can add some variety with mesculin greens, and pumpkins.

Topi and Devrim go to the farmland nearly every weekend to water the plants and pick veggies. We have so many we started selling to the neighbors. Anybody want some veggies?

Shhh..... Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T21:17:00.003+03:00

After walking to the bazaar this morning, sampling everything from olives to pears and walking home in the heat, Topi and Lina enjoyed their fruit and then took long naps. Shhh... Devrim and Lina are sleeping. Happy Father's Day!

Awoken

2009-06-19T17:38:00.003+03:00

Lina's afternoon nap on June 15 was interrupted by her naughty big brother, Topi.

Apron Strings

2009-06-19T17:36:00.002+03:00

A Delightful Sunday Afternoon

2009-06-10T11:26:00.006+03:00

A gorgeous, blooming bush... anyone know its name?

In the pasture

Topi herding

Farm hand

Waiting at the gate

The weather has taken a very warm turn, here, and while we are enjoying it, we're bracing ourselves for humidity that won't quit and nights that may not cool down. We don't have an air conditioner, and while this may bother some, we love to open up the windows and night and seal in the cool air during the day. This past Sunday we ventured out in the heat to visit our friends Sevinc Hanim and Husseyin Bey at their farm. They have goats and chickens and cats and dogs and turkeys! I think the pictures tell a better story than words can!

An 'American' Turkey, according to Husseyin Bey

Lina petting the turkey

A Little Late

2009-05-28T18:28:00.004+03:00

These photos are from March, and it is May 28th today. I had put them somewhere special on my computer and couldn't find them. Lina and Topi at the park on a sunny March day. This is the park right in front of our new apartment, and it is a convenient bribery tool when we need to get Topi out of the house. "Want go to the park?" "If you put on your shoes/jacket/stop throwing things at your sister we'll go to the park!" We can see it from our window and sometimes we watch other kids play and swing. Now the leaves have filled in densely on the trees, though, and we can't see it as well.

Cute, and helpful

2009-05-20T12:00:00.004+03:00

The camera comes out again, every time they start acting this cute. We had such a rough month of April what with colds, fevers, tonsillitis, etc etc and somehow in between that all we had a little fun. Ahem, check out my clean kitchen floor, and it's not because Lina picked every little crumb of bread off of it. We actually vacuumed together, Topi and Lina trailing behind like the vacuum cleaner is their pet, taking turns patting it and trying to push it. The mysterious drip on Topi's chin is chocolate, of course, his reward for letting Lina touch the vacuum cleaner once in a while, too.

Lina in the kitchen

2009-04-24T11:34:00.004+03:00

Just seconds before I took these pictures, Lina was standing up holding onto the dishwasher, watching Devrim clean the fish he made for dinner last night. Two seconds too late, she plopped on the floor once she noticed the camera. While I am used to dressing Lina in Topi's hand-me-down's, including a mix 'n match of girl and boy clothes, I realize now those boy-like stripes might be the reason I get asked frequently if Lina is a boy. Of course, everyone thought Topi was a girl, so what does it really matter? My favorite thing in the world these days is to watch her toss her head side to side whenever someone starts to sing or music is playing. She's got her own beat.

Flowers from Topi

2009-03-21T16:28:00.004+02:00

Yesterday Topi can trudging in the door with dirty boots and a huge grin, clutching these lovely blossoms in his hand. I took them to put them in a glass of water, and he threw a fit, however, insisting they didn't need water. It took some distraction and explanation that flowers - water = no more flowers, but eventually he agreed.

We also have been enjoying the first spring-like days with sunshine, so it made me especially happy to top my kitchen table with a little bit of pink and purple.

Up on elbows - Topi the baby

2009-03-08T23:29:00.001+02:00

This photo makes me miss Topi the baby so much. I mean, he still looks exactly the same, just bigger. But I can't believe that he is now 2.5 years old. I'm having a nostalgic day, I guess. Sometimes the best Sunday afternoon can make me that way.

Up on elbows

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Lina's first haircut

2009-02-27T18:50:00.002+02:00

We went to a real salon where the ladies giggled over her curiosity and open-mouthed look. Not one tear, but it was sad to see her wavy (albeit sparsly) hair on the floor.

Detroit

2009-02-26T09:51:00.003+02:00

More photos from our trip to Detroit to visit Barbara and Glen in December. We went to the Henry Ford museum, and braved the cold to do so. It was really fun to see my in-laws so comfortable everywhere we went! We stopped at Value Pizza, where Devrim had worked his way through school, feeding hundreds of hungry pizza fans. Devrim said it felt like he had never left... if only he felt that way in our kitchen!! Thanks, Barbara, for the photos.

Sitting up

2009-02-26T09:31:00.002+02:00

This photo is a little dated, from December, but I couldn't resist how cute Lina looks sitting like a little grownup. We were visiting Barbara and Glen in Detroit, and Barbara had knitted the little pink dress for Lina. Thank you, Barbara!

Sunday Dusk

2009-01-04T16:45:00.005+02:00

A gloomy, dull Sunday in January is interrupted by the bright red hat knitted by Great-Grandma Schueller, and our festively off-season pumpkin blanket draping Topi. Off to visit Babaanne (Grandma Deniz) so I can work, Topi and Devrim brave the gloom to walk the 2 blocks to her house, leaving me to my writing for Dilko, a cup of coffee, and a teeny bit of silence while Lina sleeps.

At home on a Tuesday morning

2008-12-30T17:39:00.003+02:00

I snapped a few pictures of the kids at home this morning. I hope they bring a little pre-New Year's cheer! Topi looks so brooding and thoughtful. Must be because he wanted to watch Cars for the umpteenth time and I said no. :)

2008-12-30T03:07:00.004+02:00

Lina has been lifting herself up for two months, now. Even looking at these photos just a month ago (Nov 08) she seems so big. While home in the US she started making attempts at crawling, which sent her backwards. I'll post photos of our trip soon!

October 1, 2008

2008-10-10T23:59:00.002+03:00

Lina can lift her head!

Pink Sweater

2008-09-17T14:30:00.001+03:00

Lina in her pretty pink sweater from Auntie/Cousin Barbara.

Devrim and Lina

2008-09-15T17:59:00.002+03:00

September 12, 2008

2 months old

2008-09-14T23:26:00.004+03:00

Little Lina Joan is now 2 months old!

2008-09-08T09:36:00.004+03:00

Lina has started to smile! It's hard to get a wiggly baby to stop moving to capture it, though, so we did the best we could. It is so exciting to see her take in her world more and more each day.

And here she is enjoying her orange towel after a bath. It seems just like yesterday that she was born, and now she's just about two months old on the 13th!

Recent videos

2008-08-28T09:42:00.005+03:00

Here are a couple recent videos of Topi and Lina. One is from our trip to Kerpe a couple weeks ago where he chased a bottle cap around in the water. The other is of Lina at 10 days old.

Kerpe

2008-08-22T13:50:00.003+03:00

After posting about Christmas in Germany, here are some pictures from our week in Kerpe on the Black Sea. It's only an hour away from home, and though we stayed a week, we'd recommend day trips or staying at the Nicomedia hotel. We weren't happy with our rental apartments (two because we left the first one after a night). But we weren't there to sleep, we were there to beach! And Topi had the most fun, though Lina was a close second who slept through it all. The rest are on Flickr.

Wishful thinking

2008-08-19T15:47:00.003+03:00

A little late, but these photos from our trip to Germany during Christmas are so cute that I have to post them now. Hard for me to believe Topi was that small just a few months ago! He's all legs and arms, now! Clara took us on a tour of her 'backyard', which was crystallized with ice. Sounds fabulous right now in this August heat.

3 weeks

2008-08-18T13:22:00.003+03:00

Today on a scorching hot day I'm posting pictures of Lina at 3 weeks. She's now 35 days old, and weighed in this morning at 5.5 kg (12.125 lbs) and 57 cm (22.44"). We enjoyed a visit from our friends Karrie and Burcak, who took these photos of us. More photos coming of Topi and Lina "hugging"... stay tuned.

Lina Joan's Birth Announcement

2008-08-02T14:49:00.004+03:00

I want to have it printed - need to check out foto.com's options for printing and shipping - and then will try to mail out copies!

Topi hugging Lina

2008-08-02T14:47:00.004+03:00

(In a rare moment when he's not trying to grab her feet or whap her on the head. Sigh.)

Lina Joan

2008-07-17T22:19:00.004+03:00

On Sunday, July 13, 2008 we welcomed Lina Joan into the world. She weighed 4.25 kg (9.3lbs), and was 54cm (21 1/4") long. I am happy to say I had another natural delivery in Turkey, and labored at home before going to the hospital. I wouldn't say the second one was easier, but I did have more focus and patience, and less stress because I stayed home as long as I could. By the time we got to the hospital (5 minutes away), I delivered Lina Joan within an hour of checking in. Happy daddy Devrim was able to attend the birth again, and I had the angelic assistance of Damaris at the end while I was in transition and tolerating hospital protocol. So now there are two TWO babies we can call our own -- Evren Toprak is 21 months and transitioning into being a big brother really well... he is fascinated by Lina Joan.

Lina's name comes from two places. The first is from a dream I had when I was 3 months pregnant and the baby told me her name, Ina. Inspired by the name and the significance of being spoken to in the dream, I wrote a story called Ina is Born. After working on the story, I felt I couldn't name the baby Ina because I had created a character that took on a life of its own. After some thought, Lina became our name of choice because of its simplicity, and relation to the dream. Lina, according to several sources, comes from Spanish, Italian, and Arabic, where in Arabic it means tender and light. Joan was my mother's first name, and I feel so proud that I can name my daughter after her. I appreciate my family being open to the use of her name -- it is very special to me and I wouldn't have named her that if I felt anyone would be uncomfortable by it. It is just one of many ways to pass on family history, especially because as a baby girl, she has roots in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

Thanks to everyone for the nice email -- hopefully I'll be able to reply to everyone soon!

new haircut

2008-06-12T15:01:00.006+03:00

{Before}

{After}

After months of not doing anything with it, I chopped my hair off today, courtesy of the first female hairstylist I've been to in Turkey. I tried not to express my surprise that the woman who did my brows was also cutting my hair, but in Turkey it is so so rare to have a female hairstylist. For reasons I can't understand, they are not trusted and reputably bad here. Regardless of what Turkish people think, I liked having her because we TALKED about my haircut as she was doing it... she asked my opinion and allowed me to look in the mirror several times to see the back and sides as she was cutting. Rather than the machismo male hairdresser who hardly looks at the hair he is cutting, ensuring that nearly all women have the same haircut everywhere, she was chatty and great. This was my treat pre-baby, to have my hair cut, and with less than a month to go, I went to the nearest salon in the neighborhood. Lucky me to also get a haircut I like! Good thing I brought a picture, though... when you tell a hairdresser here you want short hair, you never know what you might get. I kept getting asked if I was sure I wanted it that short. Yes, indeed. Thank you very much.

Erdek

2008-05-22T13:21:00.006+03:00

The Deniz family escaped for a long weekend to Erdek, a seaside town about two hours away from Bursa. It was quiet, not crowded, and warm. Topi got his first taste of the sea (his first dip into water was Lake Michigan), and was able to run around freely because there was very limited car traffic. We came back very relaxed, and just in time for Devrim to go to Koln, Germany for three weeks starting next Tuesday. Let's hope Topi's little sister doesn't want to show up early! The little girl with Topi is Lal, the daughter of our friends Koksal and Semra, and after some encouragement, they became friends. :)

the stare

2008-05-22T13:15:00.003+03:00

hugging curious george (sort of) below!

Sunday afternoon

2008-05-09T11:49:00.003+03:00

Our friends Koksal and Semra came from Istanbul a few weeks ago and we went out for a barbecue, where they took some pictures of Topi. I can't believe he's 19 months old!

Sitting still....

2008-05-06T17:09:00.004+03:00

.... is impossible for little monkey boys. But here I was able to convince Topi to sit next to me by intriguing him with the camera. He laughed as he looked at mommy's face through the window. By the way, I'm 32 weeks along with his baby sister, which kind of took me by surprise because I swear it just sunk in that I'm pregnant. :)

it's a girl!

2008-03-27T09:25:00.002+02:00

We found out last night that we're having a girl! I'm very happy and excited. That explains my dreams, my attraction to pinks + yellows, and all sorts of other things. I'm 26 weeks, 6 months pregnant, with a healthy little one on the way. It looks like my due date will be the 7th or 8th of July, but of course could be up to a week earlier or later. In light of this news, I found one of my favorite Etsy sellers, Bobishi, who makes these lovely booties.

5.5 months and home with Topi

2008-03-10T15:25:00.005+02:00

A couple pictures from this weekend -- mama making cookies in the kitchen at 5.5 months pregnant with Topi's little brother or sister. Topi in his squirrel shirt and mama's feet.

Topi's first haircut

2008-03-03T11:19:00.004+02:00

At nearly 18 months old, Topi had his first "real" haircut at the barber! It was a traditional Turkish barber salon, and Topi was fascinated by the man next to us getting his hair cut! That explains why he is always off looking to the right. He sat in my lap and I nearly got a haircut too by the flying scissors and hair everywhere, but he didn't cry or get scared at all. It was over in ten mintues and I have a new little boy now!

Later at home we lounged around and posed for the camera, though Topi rarely stays still these days, so most of them are blurry. Topi really looks a lot like Dad in the first left photo at home, and Tony, too, but I see so much of Devrim in his face!

Finished Sampler

2008-02-29T13:05:00.002+02:00

Topi's birth announcement sampler is finally finished! I haven't framed it yet - it is still in it's embroidery hoop. Now onto No. 2's!

19 weeks

2008-02-20T16:25:00.002+02:00

2nd trimester

2008-02-15T15:40:00.003+02:00

Just a quick update to say that I'm nearly 18 weeks now, and no.2 is going along much better than before. The placenta previa has improved and moved enough that I am out of a dangerous phase. I'm walking a lot more, have a lot more energy and nearly able to keep up with Topi! At the moment he is trying to type on the keyboard at the same time as me.... I know I need to post pregnancy photos, but so far haven't gotten around to it. Soon!

Trains

2008-01-21T16:14:00.001+02:00

Topi and Devrim went around and around on a little train at the mall yesterday. Who looks like they are having more fun, Topi or Devrim? I'm not sure how Devrim fit in the train car, but I know he gets bonus points for being the kind of dad who won't hesitate to do that kind of stuff.

Ahem.

2008-01-10T19:39:00.000+02:00

Announcing No.2, coming early July to the Schueller-Deniz family. Keep posted for pregnancy photos.

Right now I'm 14 weeks, so we're moving along. And for those interested, I've got a little thing called placenta previa keeping me hanging out on the couch playing Scrabble on my Palm and reading books. The best of which has been Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, and the History of Love, by Nicole Krauss. Topi is spending time with Grandma + Grandpa Deniz, and Great-Grandma Yilanci, who arrived from Giresun to play silly games with Topi and impress us with her nimbleness at 84. I swear, that lady can get around faster than me these days.

Thanks to everyone's kind thoughts and love.

Christmas in Germany

2007-12-29T21:41:00.000+02:00

We just got back from a wonderful Christmas in Freiburg, Germany, where we spent a week with my sister Jeanne, brother-in-law Mark, and my niece Clara (4.5 years old). Here are a few highlights: salted pretzels, sugar-coated pretzels, Christmas lights everywhere, the streetcar in Freiburg, a cable car ride up the mountain, gingerbread cookies, and daily cappuccino courtesy of Mark. Topi met Clara for the first time, and they enjoyed dancing together, reading books together, and Clara tolerated Topi following her around everywhere saying "an-ne" to everyone for everything. We miss them already but are so happy we were able to spend Christmas together.

We went to Colmar, France, for a day just by taking a streetcar, regional train, and short bus ride. The whole trip took less than an hour, and when we got there, we were greeted by a Christmas market in full swing. People milled about drinking mulled wine and hot chocolate while munching on pretzels or pastries. Clara rode the ferris wheel four times, and we all enjoyed exploring the little side streets and peering into shops.

Topi is walking!

2007-11-23T11:56:00.000+02:00

Happy Hat

2007-11-20T18:03:00.000+02:00

Today was a frustrating work day for me... stalled projects, unfinished things, deadlines, so I'm throwing a little happy boy in a hat on my blog today to change my mood. Happy hat with pom-poms.

And then, for a little elfish fun, I turned us all into elves!

Hey, I just made a total elf of myself. Check it out by clicking the link below.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9556424811

Duomo, Milano Italy, November 2005

2007-11-11T16:39:00.000+02:00

A nostolgic visit to a time before Topi, Devrim and I went to Milano in November 2005 with a legion of Turkish Jinlun motorcyle dealers and their wives. Devrim just returned late last night from the same fair that we attended in 2005, and it made me think to hunt for these pictures. My sister Terri is now proud owner of the Milano tote I made by hand for that weekend and am wearing in the picture.

Happy Birthday, Topi!

2007-11-05T13:05:00.000+02:00

Topi is one year old! We celebrated his birthday October 20, 2007, in the company of friends in Izmit.

Oh, Where does the time go?

2007-11-05T12:13:00.001+02:00

My last post was August 2, and today is.... ? November 5th. A month-long trip to the US has passed, and a 1-year birthday! Rather than try to scramble to upload hundreds of pictures, here is a photo from an unseasonably warm October day, when Grammy Judy, Topi and I went to Chicago and found a warm little beach for Topi to play on.

And I must post a little video of Topi walking with his favorite toy, a firetruck. (I'd recommend watching it with the sound off, unless you want to hear me sing the Firetruck song!)

A few more moments from our trip:

In the Chrysler 300F

Comet with Uncle Tony

Tractor ride at the farm with: left front (Johanna, Uncle Gary, Rose, Uncle Tony) right front (Topi!, Grammy Judy, Auntie Lois, Jordan)

Meeting Great-Grandma Jeannette was very special and we had a great time!

On the tractor with Dede (Grandpa Mark)!

Here's a link to all the rest on my Walgreen's page.

Topi in the dictionary

2007-08-02T08:35:00.000+03:00

My sister Jeanne just sent me a great link to the Free Dictionary, which has a definition for Topi! I particularly like the reference to an antelope. That explains Topi's speed!

Noun	1.	topi - a light-weight hat worn in tropical countries for protection from the sun pith hat, pith helmet, sun helmet, topee chapeau, hat, lid - headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim shade - protective covering that protects something from direct sunlight; "they used umbrellas as shades"; "as the sun moved he readjusted the shade"
	2.	topi - a large South African antelope; considered the swiftest hoofed mammal Damaliscus lunatus, sassaby antelope - graceful Old World ruminant with long legs and horns directed upward and backward; includes gazelles; springboks; impalas; addax; gerenuks; blackbucks; dik-diks Damaliscus, genus Damaliscus - African antelopes: sassabies

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/topi

Mama + Baby

2007-07-31T16:44:00.001+03:00

At home on a very hot July day in Turkey.

Cherries

2007-07-31T16:37:00.001+03:00

Topi has teeth! And other curious habits like opening doors, pulling drawers, getting fingers stuck, toddling about (by holding on to people and furniture), and saying ma-ma, ba-ba, de-de, na-na... He also really likes cherries!

Shorter hair, two new paintings, and... a pink scarf?

2007-06-18T16:54:00.000+03:00

At home...

2007-06-18T16:50:00.001+03:00

Great Grandma Yilanci and Topi

2007-06-18T16:44:00.001+03:00

Rose and Devrim out for dinner

2007-06-18T16:41:00.001+03:00

to celebrate Devrim's birthday (April 12), our anniversary (May 21), Mother's Day and Father's Day all in one! :) Izmit finally has a great restaurant... it is next to the train station (used to be the old train station) and there is a nice restaurant, outdoor seating, a bar lounge, and a wagon cafe and bar.

On the way to a wedding, bored in the back of the car

2007-06-18T16:37:00.000+03:00

pretzel legs

2007-06-18T16:25:00.000+03:00

Table-gripper

2007-05-28T20:45:00.001+03:00

Yes, I know we should go buy one of those things like a high-chair, but it is so much more fun to sit like a grown up!

Toys!

2007-05-28T20:41:00.001+03:00

And some fast-action arm and leg movement... Topi is officially crawling, climbing, and standing... walking with us... so much fun!

Hanging out at home with Mom...

2007-05-28T20:38:00.000+03:00

with a strawberry-face.

Friday Morning, Zeytinburnu, Istanbul

2007-05-11T09:00:00.000+03:00

Thank you, Jenny, for this photo:) We had a fun night in Istanbul playing with Jenny and Samet. When we woke up, there was even more playing and even some taxi rides, boat rides and a bus ride! What a day!

Bath in the blue tub

2007-05-04T23:13:00.000+03:00

Water pouring out the tap is the greatest of inventions. So is splashing and trying to grab the water.

Sunny day trip to the beach

2007-05-04T23:10:00.000+03:00

On a warm April Sunday we went to Ulasli, a small seaside town on the Izmit Gulf. Evren loved the sound of the water, but found the glaring sun a bit much. We had fun listening to the waves and drinking tea at a little cafe.

Fun pijamas/pyjamas

2007-05-04T23:08:00.000+03:00

Yogurt-Face

2007-05-04T23:03:00.000+03:00

We are exploring new foods these days. If we can stick our hands in it and put it all over our face, even better.

Orange t-shirt

2007-05-04T22:59:00.000+03:00

6 months old and loving orange, sitting up nearly unassisted and grabbing everything possible.

From Here to There

2007-03-19T16:58:00.000+02:00

Sometimes we all need to go backwards in order to go forwards. Here Evren Toprak displays his ability to move in reverse. After taking this photo, he managed to move around the blanket to the other side, and oddly had followed the edge of the blanket, making a 90 degree angle.

Boy in tights

2007-03-19T16:46:00.000+02:00

In Turkey, boy babies (and girls) wear tights under their clothes to protect them from cold and drafts. I know I wore tights when I was in school, but only when I was wearing a dress. The multi-layered clothing thing is a new concept for me and rather cumbersome when changing a diaper, though it is found to be very practical by most people with babies that I meet. Here we have Topi wearing his Winnie the Pooh kulotlu çorap from Grandma Deniz very happily on a sunny afternoon.

Le Pain, Kanyon Mall, Istanbul, Turkey

2007-03-12T17:56:00.000+02:00

Funny faces, Mr.Topi! But Mommy is happy because she is drinking yummy organic coffee and having a real adult conversation with her lovely friend Ilknur!!

with Auntie Ilknur!!!

Crazy daddy

2007-03-12T17:54:00.000+02:00

Waiting in the car with a blue scarf on

2007-03-12T17:46:00.000+02:00

I cut my hair

2007-03-04T17:59:00.000+02:00

Push ups!

2007-03-02T10:59:00.000+02:00

I know a couple of these are blurry, but I think you can get an idea of the joy Evren gets from doing his push-ups. We all clap and cheer when he does it so he's getting really good at them. :)

More January pictures...

2007-02-05T13:43:00.000+02:00

January pictures

2007-02-05T13:37:00.000+02:00

It is already February 5, so these pictures are a little bit late. We have had a pretty mild winter so far, with only a little snow now and then. I am hoping for a great big snowstorm so we can stay home and snuggle under blankets... these days I am teaching English several days a week, so getting snowed in doesn't sound so bad.

January milestones:

1. Topi discovered his hands!
2. He can sit up propped and loves to sit on our lap.
3. Impressed us by rolling from his back to his side while changing his diaper.
4. Can prop himself up on his arms and give us cute flirty smiles.

Blue coat

2007-01-08T13:08:00.000+02:00

Thank you, Auntie Stacey for the blue coat you gave me for Christmas! My Baba loves how sporty it is, and Mama loves how it coordinates with her couch!

Cozy at home

2007-01-08T13:03:00.000+02:00

Lots of learning and smiling lead to lots of sleepy time. For all of us!

Rahmi M. Koc Museum

2007-01-08T12:55:00.000+02:00

On New Year's weekend, we took a trip to Istanbul to go to the Rahmi M. Koc Museum. Intending to see the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit displaying his machinery, flight experiments, and drawings, we ended up enjoying the rest of the museum more! Rahmi M. Koc collected vintage cars, carriages, engines, ships, computers, and other technological devices. His museum is split into two buildings, with a waterside location on the Golden Horn. We climbed aboard a small display airplane for Topi's first mock plane ride, and I posed in a vintage Turkish streetcar.

Christmas 2006 in Turkey

2007-01-08T12:47:00.000+02:00

I know this Christmas post is oh, about 2 weeks late. But we've had a busy couple of weeks, lots of local visitors and two from far away! My brother Matt and his girlfriend Brooke stayed with us in Izmit for over a week and we had a lot of fun together. They helped watch Topi while I made a Christmas dinner of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, Dad's broccoli and cauliflower bake (minus the Cheez Wiz), and homemade pumpkin pie. In Turkey, you can't buy pumpkin pie in a can, so I roasted the pumpkin and then pureed it myself. Topi wore his Christmas outfit from Judy and managed to snatch an ornament off the tree all by himself! At the end of the night, he was pretty tired, as you can see. Lots of excitement for a 2 month old! I hope everyone had a good Christmas!

Smiles!

2006-12-14T17:57:00.000+02:00

Evren's smile caught on camera for the first time. Devrim and I have spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to procure his smiles and I found out yesterday that tickling helps!

Active listening...

2006-12-14T17:53:00.000+02:00

....with Sammy the dog and a musical bear. This is what Evren looks like while listening to music - happy, calm and thoughtfully staring into the depths of space.

Bears are a boy's best friend

2006-12-14T17:48:00.000+02:00

Topi LOVES his new bears! One is perfect for snuggling (thank you Great Grandma Schueller!) and the other plays music that he loves to listen to all the time (thank you Frank and Carolien!).

Carseat

2006-12-14T17:45:00.000+02:00

One morning Evren lounged in his carseat while mama prepared lunch.

Munchkin

2006-12-14T17:39:00.000+02:00

Turkish mothers layer their babies in tons of clothing, but I resist this swaddling technique. How can you see chubby arms and legs if too much is covered?

The various expressions and emotions of Evren Toprak Deniz

2006-12-14T17:27:00.000+02:00

amazementexcitement

boredom

Hours of fun (or rather seconds with a short attention span baby) playing guess that expression! Who says babies can't communicate?

concern

confidence

disbelief

nonchalance

Likenesses

2006-12-01T13:17:00.000+02:00

All parents must seek their own likenesses is the face of their child, and we are no exception. Here is Evren wrapped in the same blanket worn by his father 31 years ago. Proof of my own resemblance is a little more blurry, but there nevertheless... bath time with Evren just days ago, and picture of me at 6 months holding, no surprise, a rose!

First stroller ride

2006-11-28T17:08:00.000+02:00

Today we ran some errands with Gunes, Evren's auntie. We took turns pushing the stroller which turned out to be so much fun. Evren has been out and about in his sling/carrier, but we hadn't tried the stroller yet. Now that he has wheels, watch out. One of the errands was not such a fun one, Hepatitis B shot for Evren, but he handled it well and went back to sleep in his comfy stroller. We also picked up a package from Great Grandma Schueller! Thank you for the teddy bear! We love it and I'll take a picture of Topi with it and post it here!!

Sweet cheeks

2006-11-28T17:02:00.000+02:00

They make me melt. Look at that little hand near his mouth. Only he is not so little anymore! At six weeks old he weighed in at 5.9 kilos (13 lbs) and 57 cm (22.5 inches). The nurse said he's in the weight/length range of a four-month old! Good 'ol mother's milk.

One month old!

2006-11-20T21:56:00.000+02:00

Today marks a momentous moment in young Evren Toprak's life.... he is officially one month old! Here are some pictures of Topi with his Baba. Topi had lots of fun practicing how to stand, until the crying started, of course. :)

Birth Announcement

2006-11-20T14:07:00.000+02:00

I will be adding more photos to my Flikr account, so take a look soon!

Blue-eyed boy

2006-11-20T14:02:00.000+02:00

Devrim and I both have brown eyes, but it seems like our little Topi is going to have blue! His hair has lightened considerably since he was born, but his eyes have continued to deepen into a lovely blue.

Family Portrait

2006-11-20T13:58:00.000+02:00

I love this photo, but where is Topi looking?