Togetherness

Owen and Elliot and I have been spending a lot of time together lately. A LOT. Paul has been working late most nights -- which means he doesn't get home until after the kids are already in bed. And last week Owen was on Spring Break so I've been enmeshed in the busy-ness of almost single parenting.

It's not always fun. Sometimes it's downright painful. But there are some good things to glean from our experiences:

1. Despite sometimes singly shouldering the burden of parenting, I am so grateful to know that I am NOT a single parent and eventually Paul will have some relief from his current project and we will feel more like a co-parenting team.

2. Children are only 2 once.

3. What follows: children only get their 2 yr. molars once.

4. I can see some magical glimpses into the not-too distant future where the boys will be busy playing and just being -- I can calmly and peacefully chop vegetables for dinner without waving a sharp knife around the kitchen chasing children off furniture and away from pulling cat tails and preventing the mysterious spread of colored markers stains on our couch.

5. Books are truly the answer to all of life's problems. Squabbling brothers? Read a book. Tired? Read a book. Cranky from tooth pain or just bouncing off the walls? Read a good book. Preferably together.

Interview with Owen

I saw this on my friend's website and found it irresistibly compelling... I couldn't wait to ask Owen his opinions.

1. What is something mommy always says to you?
"sure"
2. What makes mommy happy?
when I say "what can I do?"
3. What makes mommy sad?
when she gets hurt.
4. How does your mommy make you laugh?
by making jokes.
5. What did your mommy like to do when she was a child?
play ball.
6. How old is your mommy ?
29
7. How tall is your mommy ?
maybe 80.
8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
shows.
9. What does your mommy do when you're not around?
maybe does laundry?
10. If your mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?
i don't know.
11. What is your mommy really good at?
washing dishes.
12. What is your mommy not very good at?
playing some games.
13. What does your mommy do for her job?
stay at home and play with elliot
14. What is your mommy 's favorite food?
maybe salmon?
15. What makes you proud of your mommy?
cause she does stuff for me like make dinner
16. If your mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be?
i don't know
17. What do you and your mommy do together?
go to the zoo
18. How are you and your mommy the same?
both have blue eyes
19. How are you and your mommy different?
both have different colored hair. I have some blonde hair and you have some dark and blonde
hair.
20. How do you know your mommy loves you?
because she gives me lots of hugs
21. What does your mommy like most about your daddy?
because he gets us money.
22. Where is your mommy 's favorite place to go?
to the zoo.

My conclusion: Yay for lots of hugs #20! although I need to work on the "liking my husband just for his money #21" and I seriously need to get my hair done (hello #19, dark roots!)

There are days...

There are days when I feel like I totally missed the boat on so many things: missed opportunities to truly teach my children, missed opportunities to drink more water, chances to say what I really mean, missed chances to exercise, missed moments when I could have told someone how much they mean to me, moments amid moments amid moments of time when I feel guilty for not doing more or being more.

And then there are days like today where everyone (including me) gets the chance to do exactly what they want.

Start with a moment caught before school, between getting dressed and brushing teeth, where it is simply time to sit and read, right in front of the bathroom door:

Then add a cloudy, threatening rain kind of morning and a luxuriously slow visit to the zoo with my littlest monkey:

Mix in an ideal afternoon of one-on-one time with Owen -- which for him includes lots of counting and math games and for me includes finally accomplishing just a few more rows on my current knitting project:

Finally, having home-made vegetable soup and fresh baked bread for dinner.

I think we are all happy with the way this day turned out.

Going on a lizard hunt!

A recent visit to our neighborhood nature center yielded an unusually high number of lizards, and plenty of opportunity to climb and jump and then, finally, just sit in the dirt. Really, it doesn't get much better than that.

Opening Day

Did I mention that Owen started Little League? Opening day was this past weekend, and Owen donned his official MLB Little League gear (he's on the Astros) and had his first official game.

My heart skipped a beat or two when I first saw him in his uniform. So grown up! I think I exclaimed "He looks so CUTE!!!" and Paul had to correct me. I guess I'm not supposed to call him cute anymore (even if it's true). Big kids are cool or handsome , not cute.

Well, I say judge for yourself:

Owen, Number 7, with grass stains on the knees already. Play ball!

Elliot's Birthday

Elliot's birthday fell on a Wednesday this year, which meant that Paul was at work and Owen was at school all day. So I took Elliot to Sea World as a special outing for just him and me. What a pleasure to see the sights on toddler time... it was really a perfectly wonderful day. We took our time, I let Elliot call the shots and because it was mid-week and off-season, there were no lines and it seemed like our own private little amusement park.

We spent quite a bit of time at the polar bear enclosure.

We ate a picnic lunch while watching Shamu do his show, and then we spent some time hanging out in the toddler playground which has recently been renovated as "The Sesame Street Bay of Play" complete with rides and costume characters. Elliot is in love with Elmo, and I saw his biggest smile of the year erupt from the absolute joy coursing through his body when he saw Elmo in person. Elliot ran over to him and gave him the BIGGEST hug ever. That alone was quite possibly his favorite birthday present. Ask him about it, and he will tell you all about this day: eating lunch with Shamu, giving Elmo a big hug. Absolutely wonderful. Then we had birthday cake after dinner, which the boys helped decorate.

Then, on Sunday we had family and friends over for a more official birthdy celebration and, yes, some more chocolate cake. Click here to see more pictures.

And now my youngest son is 2.

I'm so glad it's March

February was a very trying month. Yes, there were some great moments(Paul's birthday, Elliot's birthday, some beautiful 70 degree weather), but mostly it was a long drawn out ordeal of illness. First I got sick, then Elliot got sick, then I got sick again (with strep throat) then Paul started getting sick, then Owen got sick, meanwhile Elliot was STILL sick. Remember that post about how cranky I was? I think the crankiness was part of the sickness, because everyone has been cranky beyond belief here.

However, finally we are coming out of the woods.

I have pictures to show you from Elliot's 2nd birthday celebration, and some great updates about Owen, but mostly I'm just glad that we are no longer single-handedly responsible for keeping Kleenex in business, and that the kids' room isn't echoing with hacking coughs all night long anymore.

Please, please let this last for more than just a few days.....

A Perfect Bedtime

Tonight as I was washing the dishes after dinner, Owen and Paul were giving Elliot a bath before bed. There was a lot of laughing and giggling and happiness emanating through the house from behind that bathroom door... I thought about 2 years ago this very evening at this very time when I myself was in the water at the Birthing Center and Elliot was clamoring to enter this world.

Now, two years later, right now the three of them are making each other laugh, while Paul and Owen are having a deep conversation about the meaning of the lyrics to "Raindrops Are Falling on My Head", and Elliot is splashing and smiling and basking in all that attention and love.

Happy Birthday, my little one.