Firsts
First rainbow yesterday.
First dough balls, too (see above, at a local Italian restaurant...they are like Play-Doh, handed out instead of crayons, kids loved them).
First childcare situation ever today (at the gym, Grandma usually watches the kids while we go, but she's out of town). Not a success. Zo cried for me and wouldn't play. Luke hit another boy with a toy truck and got a time out.
First 5K today that I've run since San Francisco.
First movie ever for the kids planned for tomorrow.
Also some standard stuff planned for the weekend, like BBQs at home, swimming (it's still in the 80s here), ice cream, playground action, maybe a trip to the aquarium to see the fish (we haven't been in a long time).
Shaping up to be a lovely long weekend around here...
XO
Ladybug Naps
Since I got back from Seattle, the kids have been taking "Ladybug Naps," which involves setting this timer for an hour and all they have to do is rest quietly until the timer goes off, but if they get out of bed before then the timer starts over.
I won't say our nap problems are totally solved, but things are much better than they were.
XO
First Day of Fall
Sure doesn't feel like summer is officially over around here, but it is.
Had a special dinner last night of turkey chili and pumpkin cornbread, salad with jalapeño-honey dressing (a recipe from my mom, but next time need to use less jalapeño.)
And watched "The Voice" with the kids, so fun...
Love the changing of the seasons, and fall in the West is one of my favorite parts of the year...
XO
Halloween Is Coming (Costumes 2014, Part 1)
We've spent the past couple weeks asking the kids what they want to be for Halloween. (Their grandma who lives with us has made costumes for them each year, and has very graciously offered to do so again.)
A few times the answer has been, "Trash Truck" (Luke) or "Trains" (both kids) or "Dog-Dog" (what the kids call their little stuffed schnauzers; Sissy) or "A Tiger!" (Luke), but most of the time they say, "Sarah and Duck!" (which is a little cartoon out of the UK that the kids love, and it's actually one of the few (maybe only?) shows they watch that I genuinely like, too.)
So Sarah and Duck it is. My mother-in-law and I went to the fabric store yesterday. She is the brains (and muscle) behind this operation...can't wait to see what she does! (And will be sure to post some pictures here.)
XO
State Fair
We all went to the New Mexico State Fair on Sunday, so fun, highlights included seeing the farm animals (especially the pigs), crowing roosters (Luke was evenly divided between "They're scaring me!" and "I want to get close up to see them!"), pony rides (we couldn't walk next to the kids and I expected tears, but instead they both had a great time...gosh they are getting so big and independent), duck races.
We were there just a few hours, but I think next year might be a full day...
One of Our Last Pool Days
Beautiful weekend...both days in the pool...hard to believe it's going to be too cool for that soon...what a lovely summer we've had...
"I got you."
Bees buzzing everywhere today at the "sand playground" where we had our picnic lunch, especially in and around these yellow flowers. Grapes and cheese crackers and hard boiled eggs and strawberries in our red picnic basket, the sun warm on our skin. And these conversations amongst the kids, as they climbed high on the monkey bars:
Luke: "We don't touch bees, we just ignore them away."
AND:
Sis: "We're barefoot! Like pandas!"
AND:
Sis: "Luke, I'm stuck, I'm stuck!"
Luke (running over to where his Sissy is): "I got you, Sissy! I got you!" (Which is something I say to them when they are in need.) "I will save you!"
AND:
Luke: "I'm going way up high!"
Sis: "Sissy to the rescue! I will be here for you!"
XOXO
A Morning Outdoors
(New) sandbox, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, pool, breakfasts and lunches outside...we're making the most of our last warm days...
XOXO
Half-Birthday Treat
The kids turned 2 1/2 on Monday.
We took them to Flying Star, one of our favorite places.
When you walk in, they have big, thick-glassed cases, a dozen different beautiful desserts right at kid eye level. "Look at all this beautiful food!" Sis always says.
They got to choose their own piece (usually we share) of whatever they wanted.
Sis chose red velvet cake.
Bubs chose mud pie.
Good to do something a little bit special.
XO
Sissy Cuteness
Me: "Eat your avocado and pears and you can have a chocolate kitty cat cookie."
Sis (after eating the required fruit/vegetables): "I'm cookie ready!"
Sis is dressing herself these days, mostly. She gets easily frustrated, but if I help and she does it she gets so happy and excited.
Lots of times she puts her shirt on backwards, although it's happening less and less. Each time it happens I think, "Is this the last time?" So fun to see her grow up. So bittersweet, as well.
In the living room one evening: "I'm a bee! Bzzzzzzzzzz!" (Accompanied by crazy running around the house, buzzing the whole time.)
We have letter flash cards that have animals on them that we usually pull out at breakfast or lunch. Zo at lunch: "Can I give the zebra some water?" "The octopus would like some of my peanut-butter-and-honey." Etc.
Coming to me one day: "Oh no! I've made a TERRIBLE MESS!" (I wish I could remember what she was saying this about, but I can't. It wasn't that big a mess, though.)
To me (motioning to the seat beside her in the back of the car): "Sit right here with me Mommy, and you can kiss me all you want!"
Playing in the living room, walking to the front door: "I'm going out to get coffee!"
One morning: "I'm putting on a sweater and getting the cold off!"
During a pause while playing "bumper cars" with Luke (they each have a little foot powered roller car...they're both padded and they are allowed to run into each other): "Bubs! That's too much fun!"
The other day at dinner: "I have grandpires in my room."
Me: "You mean vampires? How do you know about vampires?"
Her: "No, GRANDPIRES. They are in the Daddy Lounge"--(our upstairs TV area)-- "too! They roar like tigers!"
XO
A Little Off Kilter
Went to Seattle over the weekend, and had a lovely, amazing, superb time.
But it was also so strange to be there.
I went there so many summers growing up, to see my grandparents, whom I am missing acutely right now.
I lived there a summer in college.
And two years right after college--such an important, formative time in my life.
And the first 6 months of my husband and I living together, back in 2007.
And lots of visits scattered over the years.
I long for the people I knew (and still know) there, especially my grandparents because I can't just pick up the phone and ring them up.
I long for the way it was, because it is an amazing city, but it has transformed so much and will continue to transform. Nothing stays the same, and that is always hard for me. The city has moved on without me and on one hand it's like, of course it has, but on the other, it's so weird these places that are--for now--parts of my past moving and changing and feeling like they are leaving my grasp, like they are no longer mine.
Really longing for people and places lately, even though I am so very happy right where I am.
On a related note, I did fine not missing my kids and my husband too much, until I got to the airport to go home, and then I wanted to see them so badly I could hardly stand it.
So very glad to be home...
XO
Old and New
Franklin High School (in Seattle...this is where my grandfather went to school), as seen from the new light rail...
Flying into Seattle I was just flooded with nostalgia...for my childhood trips here...living here as a very young adult for a couple years right out of college...the first six months I lived with my husband...visits to my best friend...more...
It's a very special and significant place for me...
Songs We Listened to This Summer
- "All About That Bass," Meghan Trainor
- "All of Me," John Legend (acoustic version)
- "American Kids," Kenny Chesney (will forever remind me of Lake Powell
- "The Book of Morris Johnson," Zee Avi
- "Caught Me Thinking," Bahamas
- "Love Like This," Wild Belle
- "Love Runs Out," One Republic (and my husband and I saw them in concert earlier in the summer...great show...one of the best...)
- "Maps," Maroon 5
- "My Silver Lining," First Aid Kit (love, love, love this song...sometimes in the car I'll play it over and over and over)
- "A Sky Full of Stars," Coldplay
- "Yeah," Joe Nichols (also will always remind me of Powell)
"Where's Mommy Going?"
Here is the battered and torn map that's been taken on and off on our fridge for the last month or so, showing the kids where they are vs where Mommy is going.
Sis was very loving and cuddly yesterday at the airport. "I don't want you to go, Mommy," she said several times in the morning. We hugged and kissed and cuddled when they dropped me off at departures.
Luke was totally into helping me with my luggage...he loved rolling it down the hall. He wouldn't let me kiss him at departures though. I asked if air kisses would be OK and he said yes and then I gave him air kisses and he said, "I throw all your kisses away!" (Along with the relevant throwing motion.)
Truly doesn't upset me...makes me smile at what his own little person he is. I know he loves me to death...
XO
New Mexico Morning
Yesterday from our back deck...
I'm always happy to see the round light spots in my photos...someone told me once they are the spirits of people you have lost there with you...
"What's Your Favorite?" and Other Cuteness From Luke
Luke at nap time: "Please get my green paci for me Mommy! And please don't put it in your mouth!"
Sharing cookies with sis: "Here you go, Sissy! Here you go!"
"Please!" and "Thank you!" unprompted (and with increasing regularity).
Laughing like crazy while playing "Net Ball" in the pool with Daddy, which involves him (Luke) throwing rainbow-colored golf balls into the pool and Daddy trying to catch them with a butterfly net before they hit the bottom.
Luke at 6 AM, the day after we took Sis by herself to get some new shoes: "I want new shoes too, Mommy and Daddy! I want to go get them RIGHT NOW." (And then when we did take him to get new shoes, him picking up a black-and-white suede hightop from the display and saying super-enthusiatically, "This is my FAVORITE!" It was, of course, one of the two pair we got him.)
Luke at 3: 30 AM, crying out in a nightmare: "I DON'T WANT TO SHARE WITH SISSY!!!" (And then right back to sleep.)
In response to many questions: "I don't know. Maybeeeee..." with the cutest long, drawn out maybe). eg, Me: "Where is Daddy?" Luke: "I don't know. Maybeeeee...work?"
To everyone in the house: "Hey! What's your favorite color?" "What's your favorite food?" What's your favorite animal?" Etc...
XOXO
