our trip to Australia

As I had mentioned, we recently flew to Australia. Why? you may be wondering. Actually, you probably already know - we went for Kristin and Simon's wedding (hooray!). It was a beautiful day - Kristin looked every bit the beaming bride and Simon looked rather chuffed too. It made us all very happy to see them getting hitched, especially knowing how happy we are to be hitched. The wedding and reception was held at Narrapumelap (where our Wicky wedding reception was held last year). It was fun to re-visit, this time with Paloma on the outside.

I would love to show you some photos of the big day, but we ummmm... forgot the camera. Seriously. In all of the haste of getting out the door, having Paloma in her special dress, making sure that Mum had her corsage pinned on correctly, remembering all of the other little bits and pieces - we forgot our camera. I stole Kristin's camera for the night, so hopefully she will send me some photos soon. Otherwise, go and check out her facebook page. ;)

In lieu of wedding photos, we have some pre-wedding photos. I know it's not quite the same, but it's all part of the occasion. So here they are:

Paloma taking charge of table layout in the reception marquee. (Note that the Shakespeare Festival t-shirt that I am wearing is just as cool today as it was when I first wore it at high school.)

And didn't she do a nice job? Kristin, Simon and Dad all attempted to tie bows, but it was disastrous. Now I know why Dad always wears Blundstones (no shoelaces!).

Simon creatively responded to the fly problem. Howard is amazed and astounded by the sheer number of flies and their persistence.

Thankfully, we did manage to do a few other things while we were Down Under. For the first time, we got to see Paloma hang out without being bundled up. We had never really seen her arms and legs before, except in the bath. She coped pretty well with the heat, and we enjoyed dressing her in cute summer clothes (thanks Abby!).

Of course, being responsible parents, we were very wary of the harsh Aussie sun on new baby skin. Paloma seems to have inherited my fair complexion, so we slathered her in sunscreen. I think she kind of liked it.

The other good part about being in Australia, was meeting more special friends and family. We managed to snap a few pics with some people, but often got caught up in the moment and didn't pull out the camera. So, don't be offended if your photo isn't up here - we were just too busy enjoying your company.

By the way, did anyone manage to get a good photo of Nana T (Big Lois) with Paloma (Little LoLo)? I would love to have it!

Here is Paloma with her good friend Deana, and the very special Yuri. Yuri is very good at giving hugs when you need them. Actually, Deana is too!

Stuey, demonstrating the Bachelor Hold. He came down to visit us for an afternoon on the farm! Great to see you, Stuey-oh.

Stuey also caught up with us in Melbourne, the night before flying out, bringing Dean with him. Paloma really enjoyed getting to know Dean - I think she looks cranky because she wanted to stay and get to know him better. Hopefully, next time our visit will last a bit longer so we can spend some more time with everyone!

Elyjah, making sure that Paloma is sun-smart. This is the morning after the wedding, during breakfast at the footy shed. (Many thanks to Howard for cooking the bacon and eggs!) Elyjah sang at the wedding - wonderful!

Not surprisingly, Auntie Hel was found cuddling with Paloma. She had cuddles on the wedding night too - when I pointed out to her that there was a little bit of baby drool/puke on her shoulder, it made her even happier. Good on ya, Auntie Hel.

Grandma managed to squeeze in a few cuddles with Paloma too, even when busy in the garden. Paloma looks tuckered out - maybe jetlag?

And Grandpa enjoyed spending some time with Paloma too, even when making important business calls. Good multitasking skills, Dad!

Now that I have been through all of our photos, I suddenly realise that there are no photos of Paloma with Auntie Kristin or Uncle Simon. Egad?! How can this be? Can someone please email me some more photos???

FINALLY, did I mention that it was really hot (like, really REALLY hot) and we were all jetlagged for a couple of days?

It was lovely to see everyone, and we can't wait to see you all again! Come and visit, or find us on skype and you can check out Paloma (and the rest of the Brandenburdetts) in real life.

Paloma loves to fly!

When people hear that we have been to Australia, we are inevitably asked how Paloma was on the plane. It seems as though everyone has been on a plane with a screaming child at some stage. Well, I'm proud to say that wasn't our child - in fact, we actually got lots of compliments from other passengers about how quiet she was! Some people didn't even know that there was a baby on the plane - hooray! And word got around about how cool our baby girl was in the air. At LAX, one of the customs officials came through the line to find us because she had heard about this amazing baby that didn't cry on the plane. Wow.

See how easy this is?

[The truth is, she did cry a couple of times. Fortunately, the plane is loud and the crying is easy to fix right now - either change her nappy/diaper or feed her. And then she's happy for another couple of hours.]

We had a couple of layovers on the way to Melbourne - first in Los Angeles and then in Sydney. We had some time to kill in LAX, which is the busiest, boringest, yuckiest airport that I have frequented. Really, there are a couple of duty free shops, some very ordinary restaurants, and not a whole lot else. Oh, except long and crowded lines to get through security (at least we get shuffled through the short lines with Paloma!). Fortunately, we found a quiet spot in the corner and spent some time playing and stretching and getting ready for the big flight.

Paloma listening intently as Daddypapa explains about metal birds in the sky.

In some ways, I think she held up better than Howard and I from the long flight. She got to lay down in her own bed. LUCKY! She really liked the bassinet - it gave her room to move, she could play with a toy or watch the hostesses go by, or simply fall asleep. And we loved it too - I think I slept more on this flight with Paloma than I have ever slept before on a long flight. The seats we had with the bassinet had an extra couple of precious inches to stretch out our legs (AMAZING!). Plus, I didn't try to cram in watching ten billion movies like I usually do because I wanted to be able to hear Paloma if she did start to cry.

Her new favourite toy - Taggie Doll (thanks Auntie Rose!)

The domestic flights were not quite as luxurious - no bassinet for Paloma, so she ended up sitting on my lap. I'm still not quite over the shock that the American airlines don't provide seatbelts for infants, whereas the safety-conscious Australian ones do. However, it didn't seem to bother out little girl. She slept through most of the last leg, and didn't wake up until we were on the ground.

Check out the beautiful handmade bib - thanks Jill!

I hear that flying with kids becomes trickier once they get older and their legs start to work. That will be our next trip to Australia... Oh, well, I guess we'll just bask in the glory of this one until then!

back in Burque

We're back in Albuquerque after a lightning fast two weeks in Australia. It was wonderful to see everyone, especially those people who made huge efforts to find us in Wickliffe or Melbourne (you know who you are).

We flew back in yesterday and had a monster sleep last night (we were only going to have an afternoon nap, but didn't get up until the next morning...). Paloma was amazing on the plane - we received lots of compliments from other passengers. We are still recovering and getting used to the cold and lack of humidity, and none of us are looking forward to going back to work on Monday. Being on holiday is much more fun...

We will have more once the camera has been downloaded.

the update about not having an update

I was planning on updating the blog on the weekend - to let you know about Paloma's first day at 'school', getting back to work, and being so busy and worn out (which is why I haven't written in a while).

I sat down at the computer with the intent of downloading photos from the camera and uploading them onto the blog. But, alas, our computer has come down with a virus (or got worms, or something) so we had to take it to the doctor.

And now we're offline at home for a few days...

...but we will be back soon!!

the latest trick

We like to make Paloma smile, and she seems to like these sound effects (yes, that's me making those noises, not her!).


New crocheted outfit comes from Aussie Grandma - very cute!

By the way, we would love to hear from you! Please comment on our posts so that we know that somebody out there in internet land is listening to us... {Click below where it (probably) says "0 comments" and then type in the box that pops up - thanks!}

The close of another field season

As there remains only a few days left in the year, I thought it would be good to combine some of the best photos from this years field work and post it on the blog.  I would have included some of Ayesha's field work too but she does not have any photos on this computer.  The majority of the field work I did this year was on the San Juan River which meanders through the Northwest corner of New Mexico into Colorado and then approximately 120 miles into Utah before becoming a part of Lake Powell.  We survey 140 miles of river via raft to see if two endangered species of fish (razorback sucker, Xyrauchen texanus, and Colorado pikeminnow, Ptychocheilus lucius) are reproducing.  Our evenings are often spent hiking or playing horseshoes or sitting on our ass recouping, and drinking beer.  The photos that follow are some of those hikes, no need to see pictures of us drinking beer around a campfire.

These are some views from an area around Aneth Utah during the April survey.  April is often cold and windy and few of the trees along the river corador have leaves.

In the distance beyond the San Juan River is Ute Mountain.  When the mountain is visible I get cell phone coverage and am able to talk to Ayesha.  I give cheer aloud to the mountain when I see it.

Spring finally arrives in May.  You can see leaves on the cottonwoods along the floodplain.

This is a facinating area surounding in the river on the Navajo Reservation.  In this one particular area there are Anasazi ruins, petrogyphs, dinosaur bones, and strange geologic formations.  The mountains in the background are the Carrizo Mountains in Arizona.

To give some scale to this landscape is my compadre, Adam, making his way to the top of the hill.

Back down along the flood planes are some very old large cottonwood trees, I wish I had Adam as scale for this photo as these trees are massive.

Farther downstream and yet another month (June) the San Juan River flows into a very different landscape.  The San Juan River has carved a meandering path through towering limestone cliffs as it makes its way to the Colorado River (currently Lake Powell). 

Although the lake has swallowed much of the amazing landscapes and canyons of the Colorado River there is a facinating website in which you can see these places pre-Glen Canyon Dam.  As one gets closer to the Colorado River the limestone cliffs are replaced with monolithic sandstone cliffs.  One of the highlights of this years field surveys was to see the aftermath of two huge rockslide which occurred in late May in the lower canyon.  Below you can see the fan of rubble and boulders that have extended out from this canyon (yes, all that material used to not be there!).  If you look hard enough you can see our raft parked along the newly deposited debris

                                                                             

Farther up the canyon was a train of huge boulders all new additions from the rock slide.  Again, Adam is good scale to the size of material that was moved by this event.

Father up the canyon still we went.  Adam is located a little left of center.

The view from the portion of the canyon where we had become cliffed out and had to turn around.

back downstream the next morning to continue our work...

The July trip started out with strong upstream winds and rain.  It seems like many of our field days were overcast or rainy this year!

This area is just upstream of the Four Corners.  It is one of my favorite camps in this area as the canyons and bluffs provides lots to explore...

such as petroglyphs!  This design was etched into the sandstone above the remains of an Anasazi dwelling.

Here are images of what I think are big horn sheep and bear prints, a dogs paw print and other shapes and figures...

...turn around and see the view over looking the river valley and the Carrizo Mountains

The veiw from the top of the bluff, there are so many moments that are absolutely breath taking.  It is now time to get back to camp, cook a lot of food and drink some beer!

Further downstream we came across this large ruin set upon a bluff over looking the San Juan River, upstream of the town Aneth, Utah.

Sunset that night at camp.

In August I found myself back in the canyon bound reaches of the San Juan River.

We saw a herd of big horn sheep, some of which have radio collars.

Here is a picture of our trusty raft.  It has been through over ten years of river work, a couple pins on rapids and trips through Russian olives, it is still holding strong.  On the back of the boat is our firewood for the night.

Now an introduction to the fish we are studing, in their adult form!  In their larval form I would need a microscope to show you what they look like.  Viola, the razorback sucker!

In September we were helping some agencies out with their non-native removal efforts on the San Juan River, attempting to rid the river of channel catfish and common carp.  Rafts are equipped with generators and raft-mounted electrofishers.  Yep we shock em'!

 

This is a photo of the other endangered species Colorado pikeminnow.  This is only a young fish, like the razorback sucker these fish get really big and live up to forty years.

 

All the shocking boats await departure in the morning.

 

Lastly, my last trip down the San Juan River in September, the last larval survey of 2009.  The view from above our camp downstream of Mexican Hat, Utah.  Our raft is located in the lower right corner.

 

We took another evening hike up Trimble Canyon, the site of the second of the rock slides that occurred in May.  Prior to the rock slide there was a beautiful spring located up the canyon.  We hiked up to see if it still remained.

 

The source of the spring was unaltered however to pool which held water was completly scoured out.  There was still a pool and tadpoles and invertebrates swimming around.

One more storm cell to move over our camp on the last night out on the San Juan River.

Christmas time with Paloma

Christmas means a lot of different things to different people. This is what our Christmas means:

Christmas time is family time
Even though we made a huuuuuge effort to decorate our house in Albuquerque, we headed north to Taos to spend a few quality days with Howard's family. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of Paloma in front of Claire's magnificent tree, so I guess we will have to leave that page blank in the Baby Book. It wasn't as snowy as last year, so there was no opportunity to build a snowman, and Semilla didn't get to chase snowballs. Still, we had a perfectly wonderful Christmas. I think that Paloma may have been everyone's favourite Christmas present...

Here is Aunt Cathy, getting in her share of cuddles. Who wouldn't want to cuddle such a cute baby?

Thanks to Megan for the wonderful cardigan that almost fits our teeny-weeny girl. 

 

Grandmommy Claire certainly wanted to cuddle that cute baby! Here they are, snuggled up to keep warm (after something went awry with the furnace).

 Aunt Cathy's rug made by Aunt Shari. 

Of course, Daddypapa can't keep his hands off the cute baby either. He wants to hold and play and cuddle and kiss and play and cuddle and feed and play and cuddle all day long. Here he is, with Paloma dressed as a Christmas elf.

 Thanks to Lorraine in Wickliffe for sending us this beautiful hat! (And a matching jumper.)

Christmas time is friend time

While we were in Taos, we took the opportunity to visit our good friends, Ben and Angela, and their sons, Enzo and Max. Max was born in July, and he seemed to be very interested in Paloma. It looks as though Paloma already has her prom date set! (Unless Alexander or James or Boo or one of the Davenborne twins gets in first.) It also looks as though she has a lot of growing to do in the next three months!

 And thanks to Helen K for the wonderful new hat!

Enzo wasn't all that interested in the babies - he was much more interested in being a shark attack with a light sabre - a frightening prospect...

 

 Note the yummy mummies in the background.

Christmas time is play time!!

As Enzo was keen to demonstrate, Christmas is all about playing. Paloma was pretty happy to oblige. Her playing is not quite as energetic as is Enzo's, but it's still a lot of fun. It's amazing how much joy watching Paloma laying on her mat and smiling brought to all of us.

 

 Playmat made by Grandmommy Claire. 

One of Howard's Christmas highlights was that we finally had toys again! Paloma slept through most of the unwrapping in the morning, and Daddypapa was more than happy to open all of her gifts on her behalf. Later on in the day, he encouraged her to play with some of her toys. I wonder who had more fun?

 

 Nesting set from Brian, Sarah and Abby - thank you!

Sometimes, the simplest games are the most fun. Paloma is now old enough to enjoy a game of peek-a-boo with Daddypapa.

 

 Cute baby made by Brandenburdett - good work!