Is it Because They're Two? Or am I Doing Something Wrong?
A minute-by-minute play of the whining we deal with:
6:27 AM: "I want my paci!"
6:30 AM: "I peed on the floor by mistake!"
6:34 AM: "I want milk."
6:45 AM: "I don't want Daddy. I want Mommy!."
6:54 AM: Crying because of spilled milk.
7:00 AM: "I want a Kleenex!"
7:24 AM: Crying because I don't want both kids to come upstairs with me while I make an espresso. (I will be right back down.)
7:27 AM: "I want a paci!"
7:28 AM: "I want the music box so I can throw it!"
7:29 AM: "I want the (play) broom that Sissy has!"
7:35 AM: Time out for throwing milk.
7:45 AM: "I don't WANT scrambled eggs!"
7:46 AM: "I want to crack the eggs BY MYSELF!"
7:52 AM: "I want apples!" (Which we don't have.)
7:53 AM: "I want you to lift me up so I can see the stovetop!"
7:54 AM: Had to stop documenting this because otherwise I will not make it through the day...
Pajama Hike
Kids up just after 6 AM (not unusual these days), shoes and coats on over pajamas (I was already dressed from the gym), into the car, a coffee for me and plain bagel with cream cheese for them (Satellite Coffee drive-thru), cool walk as the sun was coming up over the mountains, a couple bridges (which the twins insist have trolls under them...I named the trolls Alfonzo and Raphel), exclamations over (the many) cacti ("A cactus! Don't touch...it will hurt me!"), a duck pond with no ducks (but some frenzied hummingbirds and a very relaxed bunny), playing in the rocks, kids didn't want to go back to the car so some cajoling and bribery at the end, smelling of rain from the night before, the slapping of their feet on the pavement as they ran to catch up with me...
New Mexico Morning
At the "Wild Duck Pond." (As opposed to the "City Duck Pond," which we also frequent.)
Ellen Gallegos Open Space, Albuquerque, NM.
Library Books We're Loving, Vol. 1
Some books we've been loving, from the bottom of the pile up:
- Young Frank Architect--A book about a boy and his grandfather, who isn't so sure about the things his grandson is creating. A trip to the museum changes everyone's perspective. I want to live in their NYC apartment...everything in it is so cool
- Moo!--A cow goes on a joyride in a stolen car. Except for the last word every word in this book is "Moo." It's so clever the way it's written, though...every emotion gets across. Sis laughs hysterically when I read this. I read it over and over just for that
- A Ball for Daisy--Pictures only (which I like when done well). So much emotion in this little dog when something happens to her favorite ball...
- Mr. Tiger Goes Wild--Good story but the pictures are what are really special here
- Zoom--Pictures only as well...here you zoom out and out and keep discovering where you really are...and it's always a surprise...
- Lottie's New Beach Towel and Lottie's New Friend--We got the "Beach Towel" book first...it was written by a friend of a friend and it's very quiet, I wasn't sure I liked it at first but the pictures are so great (they look like the Oregon coast) and the story is so sweet and after I took the first book back to the library the kids went around the house quoting lines from it so I knew I had to get it back (plus others)
XO
"No Mommy, Both Hands!"
I love that Luke loves to be held. (Most of the time.) And sweeping him up onto my hip with one arm around him is not enough.
"No Mommy, both hands!" he says.
And when I've got both arms wrapped around him and both hands on him, he's happy.
This time is exhausting and trying and all-consuming, but still, things like this, make me feel like I never want it to end.
XO
Presido + Santa Barbara Friends + An A+ Wedding
A special day with breakfast and a walk in the Presidio, a visit with some lovely Santa Barbara friends who now live in the East Bay, and the wedding...I wish I had a picture from the wedding but wanted to be in the moment, not holding up my iPhone. The bride wore three gorgeous dresses in a row. The groom could not stop smiling. White lights were strung in their green backyard and sparklers lit up the night. There were quotes from The Princess Bride. I caught up with so many friends--some of whom I hadn't seen in years. Pretty much perfect.
XO
Ocean Beach, San Francisco
A very California-y afternoon/evening yesterday with tea and conversation with an old friend, a (freezing) walk on the beach, yoga class, sushi...
12 Pairs of Underwear. (Each.)
Sometimes the kids nap, sometimes they don't.
Yesterday they refused...and I yelled...and they refused...and I yelled...until about an hour and a half into it when it got quiet...but not quiet enough that they would be sleeping...suspiciously quiet...I should have known better and investigated earlier but when I finally went in all the clothes were out of the dresser and each kid had on 12 pairs of underwear...boy underwear, girl underwear, it didn't matter. And pants on over that.
I wish I'd taken pictures, but I was too busy saying, "What are you doing!?!" and, "Why?!?" (And then laughing with my husband about it.)
Instead, here's a picture of Sis playing with giant blue blocks at Explora! the other day. We do something like this most days...so why sometimes aren't the kids tired enough to nap? I know they need it because last night without one was meltdown central around here...
XO
Rainbow-Related Cuteness X 2
- After leaving Satellite Coffee yesterday morning (a crumbly orange-cranberry scone split for the kids--you can see some evidence here on Luke's face--hot black coffee in a white ceramic mug for mom) to head to playgroup, Luke sang beautifully to me from the back seat. The song? "Rainbow Horse Connection," which is like "Rainbow Connection" but with a horse thrown in. "Someday we'll find it, the rainbow horse connection, the lovers, the dreamers, and me!"
- I have a little coloring station set up in my home office, and the rule is if the kid who's there can color quietly and let me work, they can stay. (No one stays very long, to be honest, but I'm hoping as they get older that will change.) Luke came in to color yesterday afternoon, drawing different colored crayon lines across the paper. "Don't bother me!" he said. "I'm busy making rainbows while you work!"
XO
Twins and Their Super Dog-Dogs
On our way to Marvel Story Hour this past Saturday with Dog-Dogs (kids both have one) clad in their superhero capes and masks...
XO
"Tackle Tackle Yes!" + "We're Best Friends."
Luke likes to tackle his Sis.
We've taught her to say, "Tackle Tackle No" when she doesn't want to be tackled.
Sometimes she says, "Tackle Tackle Yes!" though. (As does Bubs.)
And how much do I love the part in this video where Zo says, "We're best friends"?
Happy Sunday!
XO
La Paloma Park
La Paloma Park is one of our favorite places these days. The playground is great for the kids (some day I'll show you pictures of "swing mushrooms" and "monkeys,") it's shady and cool, it's uncrowded, it's down away from a dead-end street so safe (and pretty easy to take them by myself).
We usually go in the mornings, but last night I brought the kids, who were full of it. They got a lot of energy out and went to sleep great. (Although they were up at the crack of dawn this morning...)
XO
"Where's Mommy Going Next Week?"
I'm going to San Francisco late next week. (For work and pleasure...two of my favorite people ever are getting married next Saturday.)
I'm trying to get the kids used to the idea. I did this in January when I went to Boston, and it seemed to make my being gone easier.
There are books about airplanes checked out from the library.
A US map with Albuquerque and San Francisco identified with orange colored pencil dots.
And today, a morning trip to the airport with Bubs. (Sis stayed home for some Daddy time.)
There are two airport viewing sites, and I've always gone to the one to the south because that's the one I tried first and I generally hate doing new things. But I went to the one to the north today and it is SO much cooler. So much closer to the airport. So much more to see. They even have a shaded picnic table shaped like an airplane. There's some sort of life metaphor here, about trying new things, etc...
Anyway.
There was a plane right in front of us at the gate, we watched meal service get put on, and bags, we watched it back away from the gate and then a short time later take off.
Bubs wanted to stick around until it came back (which, from what I gathered, he figured would happen in about 5 minutes).
So he's got the concept of I'm going to San Francisco and then coming back.
His view of the timing...well... :)
XO
"Do You Guys Want to Go to the Duck Pond Today?"
Me: "Do you guys want to go to the duck pond?"
Luke (very serious and proper): "Oh, yes. I would."
Sis: "Yippie!"