Bug

I've been thinking up a post about this guy, because, well, you know how it goes with a toddler. . . Time flies and in the midst of it all, I find myself getting anxious about all the details that I may not remember, and oh, I want to remember!

He likes to say "ba-back" when he will be coming back, or when he senses someone else will be coming back.

He has some hilariously precocious body language. Like, he will be watching something or someone intently, with his little arms crossed in front of his chest, like a little adult.  Or, he will walk around casually, with both hands held carefully behind his lower back.

Some things he says that I want to remember are:  "Gwamom" for Grandma and "Gwamop" for Grandpa; two words he says backwards are "ice" for side (when he want to nurse the other side or go inside or go outside) and "oosh" for shoes; he says "alright" with all the letters pronounced clearly; for woops! he says "woop!"

When he wants to play peek-a-boo, he says a quiet and drawn out "booooo" and then yells a quick "boo!"  When he wants to sing and play an instrument, he cocks his head slightly and makes a sweet little sound. I think I may be the only one who knows what that means.

Since he signed, he is quite proficient at using hand gestures (and he's quite bossy) so he gestures and says "c'mon" and "wait" quite a bit.

When he first started saying his "ls" he multiplied them.  So, he said, "Helulululo" and "Holulululy"etc.

He has always been very aware of how things are supposed to be and tends to like being proper.  Way before he talked, he clearly told me to put toys away if they were left out.  Now he says "back" and likes to help put things away.  One time he carefully watched as a neighbor jumped off her scooter and ran off, and the scooter fell to the ground.  He stood there staring at it awhile, as if contemplating what was the correct way to leave your scooter.  A few seconds later, he got up off his little push bike, and knocked it over on its side before running off to catch up with the big kids.  A couple of times since, he has very deliberately knocked his bike over when he's done riding it.

Yard Camping

One day I went outside, and heard G-Bear saying to someone passing by, ". . . and I'm going to go tell my mom all about it."  The woman said, "I think that's a very good idea!"  G-bear continued to inform me that she had discovered a mystery and in order to solve it, she would need to stay outside by herself for several days and several nights.  I said, "Well, that sounds like a fun thing to pretend."  She gave me a shocked, offended looked and with a shame-on-you tone of voice said, "Mama, this is a very serious matter.  This is NOT pretend!"  So, eventually, we satisfied her by promising that the next weekend we would all sleep outside in the tent.  That night was movie night, so with the computer and the electric fan, it didn't really feel like camping, but it was fun.  We watched Mist in the tent, which was a great movie.  It was nice to fall asleep listening to the outside sounds of our new backyard.

Safety Town

This week, G-bear is in Safety Town, a day camp for kids going into kindergarten, where they learn about all types of safety rules. This is a milestone for us.  Without doing preschool, this was her first experience away from home.  The first day was emotional for all of us.  Moo had a firm hold of G-bear's hand the whole way there, quietly offering her words of comfort.  G-bear is attached to the idea of the Kissing Hand, and talks often about how this will help her in kindergarten.  Just as we were nearing G-bear's room at Safety Town, Moo took her hand and kissed the palm.  G-bear smiled, but said, "I don't need your kiss on my hand. I already have it in my heart."  The second day, G-bear came marching out with one of her very excited looks and said, "I had a GREAT time!"  This girl has some very infectious enthusiasm.  Sometimes I think everyone in the world deserves a dose of her energy.

Berry Bowl

This boy wishes you a happy summer with his big bowl full of berries: red and black raspberries, fresh from the farmer's market.  I just had to take a picture.

Up North

You'll have to forgive me outright for sounding hokey.  I just can't describe what it's like to be in this place without running the risk of sounding hokey.  I'll tell you about one morning, and knowing it doesn't compare to all the others, there are pieces of other mornings that were similar, in their own small ways.  The air had just a bit of chill when I got up, which is just what I crave when I'm going out for a run.  It was a great run, and I went straight down to the water afterwards.  Somehow, I found myself in the water.  I waded in until I was stopped by the bald eagle flying right over dive rock, low.  In my stillness, I noticed that the shadows of the ripples on the water, that reflect onto the bottom of the lake were each a rainbow.  It was like the sun was in the exact right position, and the water was moving at exactly the right angle to make this happen, like a prism.  Then, suddenly, a kingfisher came swooping off of Edna's dock, flying about 6 feet right over my head.  By the time I got out to dive rock, I saw a loon, silently making itself at home out in the bay.  This was nearing too much, but it wasn't over.  As I was walking up to make some coffee, having taken in the height of the morning already, I walked right over the patch of clover where I had already found 5 four-leaf clovers this summer.  And what should catch my eye but another, and another!  Four-leaf clover # 6 and 7 in the same patch!!

It's just like G-bear said, when we first arrived there this summer.  I commented about the beautiful water, and she said, "Mama, everything is beautiful.  It's the cabin!"

Lemonade Stand

There are a few things that all kids should have a chance to experience, and some of them were just ridiculously hard in our previous setting.  One is riding bikes freely on sidewalks.  Our neighborhood now seems like a dream come true, because we can ride all the way around the block on pleasant sidewalks without crossing the street once.  And, we pass right by 2 houses filled with our good friends.

Another is hosting a lemonade stand.  Whether it's for profit, or non-profit, donation, tips only, or free, it just seems like one of those things kids dream about.  The girls were thrilled to have their first lemonade stand experience with the neighbor's grand daughter.  It's a safe, quiet street, but there was enough activity, and enough customers for their satisfaction.

Zoo

Moving from one city to another means changing all our regular outings.  The zoo here is wonderful (especially the baby polar bear!!), and what is even more wonderful is that it's exactly between my parents' and our house.  What a thrill for me to take the kids to the zoo, and there ready to meet us were Grandma and Grandpa!  Ahhhhh. . . 4 more hands, 2 more adults brains for me to talk to and for explaining things to the kids, 4 more strong legs, all appreciated.

Father's Day Weekend

What a wonderful way to spend Father's Day weekend: with some of our favorite people in one of our favorite places.  If only Mark could have been with us more, but we'll take what we can get.  Mark makes a wonderful Dad, and I am so grateful for that.  I am also grateful for my own great Dad.  How fortunate I am to have both in my life!

Sleep

Just thought I would make a record of how we sleep.  Cosleeping has been a great experience for us, even when our little one has flung his whole body across the bed (and across one of us!).

Revisiting

I find myself thinking of posts that all have one general theme: The thrill of coming back to this place, where we love to live.

Mark has Thursdays off, which is so nice.  It makes the late nights he has to work a little worth while.  The other day, we headed over to the place we lived during the time that G-bear was born.  It was wonderful to see friends there, and to watch the kids run around the beautiful land.  Moo was especially happy there, G-bear was excited to see the house where she was born, and they all three climbed the rocks, ran down the hills, transformed large trees into play houses.  G-bear also loves owls, and we peeked in at the different owls who live there now.

Mark

This weekend was actually like a real weekend, and it struck me that we have entered a new phase.  We get weekends now!  I was just telling Mark that I feel like we have taken one step in the direction of normalcy in our lives.  We've stepped into a time of free evenings and free weekends for Mark.  I'm not thrilled about his schedule, but it's more in a 3-late-nights-a-week kind of way than a when-do-we-get-our-Mark-back? kind of way.  It's thrilling to have him present with us (physically and mentally) for part of the day, and for the weekends.  And I can see a level of stress that used to be there and now is gone.  He is already learning a lot in his internship.  The doctors he works with are very driven and are going to whip him into shape.  As he said (about 5 times) when I talked to him after the first day, he has a lot to learn.  But, he's happy, confident (yet humbled), and excited about the future.  

Here he is, teaching Bug how important it is to watch the World Cup.  Bless his heart, we don't have a TV anymore, so he watches it online.  As the rest of us go about our weekend, we hear all kinds of gasps and grunts and such coming from Mark in the background of our daily life.  

Sisters

There are certainly times (whole days, really) when it seems like I am constantly requesting a halt to the fighting or whining or yelling between these two.  But, I have to say, those times are few and far between, and I consider myself lucky.  These two girls are so vastly different from each other, and they generally get along famously.  I am so grateful for that.  It is a wonderful reward as a parent to witness the truest gift of all: friendship, between 2 siblings.  I find myself watching them and listening to them, and thinking how wonderful it is that they will spend their lives as sisters.  Really, no one can know them better than they know each other.  Especially this last year, when we were all at home together, these two spent all day and all night with each other (they sleep together).  I think they've grown a lot closer.  They fiercely defend one another when there is adversity with a parent.  G-bear sometimes says to me, "I love you soooooo much, Mama, but I love Moo even more."  I believe that's true, and it fills me up.

Strawberry Season

It was a group effort: the picking, the mashing, the stirring and pouring, the counting and gazing, and of course, the tasting.  This sticky, beautiful red stuff brings me back to my Grossmama's kitchen.  I remember sitting at the counter, on those high, 50s style bar stools, the same counter where she served me buttermilk (straight) and orange juice mixed with cranberry juice, and crunchy brown toast with crunchy bacon.  Those were the same chairs I sat my little self in to watch Mr. Roger's on TV (a novelty, since we had no TV at home).  I can remember not only the way that kitchen looked, but the smell of it.  I watched her make this very jam, after we had picked the berries just down the road from her country home.  In winter, I watched her perform the art of chocolate candy making.  And for some reason, I remember her feeding her dog, Crosby, in that kitchen.  And I remember how the dog food smelled.

So, making strawberry jam is not just about the delicious result, or about preserving the freshness of the berries.  It's more of a heritage.  Moo has quickly learned the specialness of this jam.  When we were on a flight home from South America, and were offered a meal in the middle of the night, she asked if they had jelly.  Then, do they have strawberry.  Then, do they have fresh strawberry jam.  No, sorry, they don't.

A Really Fast Cousin!

Another thrill of being closer to family: getting to see my nieces at their events, so I can get a glimpse of their lives.  We decided to take advantage of living closer and head down to the state track meet to watch our niece run the three events she qualified for.  I am so proud of this niece of mine.  She is not only incredibly driven, with an amazing attitude, but she is probably the best team mate and competitor anyone could hope for.  She befriends all the girls she runs against throughout the season, and has become good friends with some.  They support each other. It was not like that when I was in high school.  She also sets realistic goals for herself and then goes after them hard until she reaches them.  She inspires me to remember that the potential of our bodies and minds is far more than we ever realize.  There's a lot more under the surface than we usually notice.

It was not easy, having the three little ones at the track meet for 2 days. It was simply not a friendly place for kids.  For example, no snacks or drinks were allowed, and no sitting under the stadium was allowed either.  So, the first day, we endured the heat and the second day, we sat in the rain.  The kids did do pretty well, considering. . . And it was worth it to watch this girl run her best time ever and place at state!!!

Welcome, Summer!

There are many reasons we love being back, not the least of which is our access to the cabin (aka "heaven").  We took the short trip up there as soon as we could, and it was warm and beautiful!  Normally, we are bundled up and wouldn't think of swimming in May, or sometimes even June.  This year, I got in the water happily on May 25.  That must be the earliest I've ever braved the northern water, and it was soooooooooo perfect.  There is absolutely nothing like it.

Happy Birthday, G-Bear!!!

G-bear loves Ponyo.  Like many other stories, she has attached herself to the story, and has acted it out in many forms.  She decided that she wanted the ocean to be a theme for her birthday weekend because of her love for Ponyo.  It was great fun to have a picnic breakfast in the park with friends and family (oh, the joy of having family close by!!).  The kids made some beautiful boats to float down the river, and they all got plenty soggy!  The chime of satisfaction I was looking for, I found.  It was in that moment when she told me it was her best birthday.  This was what I wanted to hear, because putting on a party for the little ones is all about pleasing them.   Sometimes, that is not an easy task, because the desires are vast!