Jeanie, Jesse & Maddie's Page

About My Family

Jeanie's a library assistant and student (working on MLIS), Jesse's a junior high school teacher, and Maddie's a very active one year old.

What are your children's names and birth dates?

Maddie was born on 2/11/08

Are you considering having more?

Probably not

How would you describe your parenting philosophy?

A work in progress

What are your family’s favorite books and toys?

Maddie loves books ... Going on a Bear Hunt and Barnyard Dance are a couple of her current favorites. She also loves her stacking cups, and has recently become absolutely obsessed with tricycles.

We love David Sedaris and our laptop.

What are your family’s favorite TV shows or movies?

No TV for Maddie right now.

But we watch the Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Lost, the Simpsons, and lots of PBS stuff online.

What are your family's favorite foods?

Maddie: Trader Joe's Os, raisins, salmon, pita bread, oatmeal, sweet potato soup, channa masala.

Us: well, these days it's a whole lotta frozen stuff from Trader Joe's and the occasional Indian takeout (hence Maddie's love of channa masala). We used to eat out a lot, and still take Maddie out sometimes to the Counter or Poquito Mas or other easy kid-friendly places.

What are your family's favorite places to hang out?

Maddie: Douglas Park and Trader Joe's are Maddie's favorite destinations. Trader Joe's has free samples and balloons (enough said), and Douglas Park has delicious sand (sigh), and other children ... but best of all, other children's tricycles!

Us: Well, we rarely have anyone to watch Maddie so we can go somewhere just the two of us. So we all hang out together. Lotsa Douglas Park, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Santa Monica farmer's markets, 3rd Street Promenade, and Westside Pavilion.

Describe your most humbling parenting moment.

It's all pretty humbling!