gratitude

1. kind offerings to a weepy preggo

2. a 5 year old snuggled up to her Gramma

3. a 3 year old looking suspiciously at Gramma and then hugging her

4. safe arrivals

5. a special day for Gramma & Zuzu of baking, nail polishing, walks and flower gathering

6. presents for Sugarplum

7. Stister giggles

8. recital photos

9. a room full of pink poodle ballerinas

10. ballet hair

11. ambien

12. a little girl trying very hard to stay in her room till 7 am on the weekend

13. a grant for Lovey

14. a celebration dinner!

15. Lovey’s work being mentioned to a Supreme Court Judge- best Kevin Bacon round ever!

16. a house sort of picked up

17. children playing

18. borrowed baby things

19. only a little over a week to an induction date

20. Sugarplum’s new Peter Rabbit Lovey

21. well wishes for Sugarplum

Quailday: The big 3 celebration!

Our girl turned 3 on George Washington’s birthday. This turned out to be a busy work-travel time of year so while her party was planned weeks ahead the actual celebration was held in early March. The Quail’s become a big fan of gymnastics since passing her neck X-ray and what better way to celebrate then a gymnastics class and cake with 4 dozen of your besties?!?! Instead of gifts this year we decided to follow our friends’ lead and hold a book exchange instead. Each child brought a wrapped book and took another one home. Simple and happy! The Quail is a big fan of books and not such a fan of being the center of attention so for her this was a good plan. Thanks to everyone who came and made the day special for our girl. Here are a few of our favorite shots!

corner view: self-portrait

Corner view is a weekly Wednesday date hosted originally hosted by Jane, currently by Francesca. A topic is given and you can see impressions; be it in photographic or writerly in form from around the world: Jane, Dana, Bonny, Joyce, Ian, Francesca, Theresa, Cate, Kasia, Otli, Trinsch, Isabelle, Janis, Kari, jgy, Lise, Dorte, McGillicutty, Sunnymama, Ibb, Kelleyn, Ninja, Sky, RosaMaria, Juniper, Valerie, Sammi, Cole, Don, WanderChow, FlowTops, Tania, Tzivia, Kristin, Laura, Guusje, Susanna, Juana, Elsa, Nadine

Zuzuday: big girldom

It’s happening.

I don’t know exactly when the transition settled in her mind. Zuzu has always loved Elmo and Sesame Street. I know when I was a little girl all of 2 I used to cry to my Momma, “My Streeeeeeeeet! I want My Streeeeeeeet!” In my mind I associate the tv watching of Sesame Street with Romper Room, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Electric Company.

Zuzu had a brief but ardant flame for Mr. Rogers. She told me at one point that she was going to marry him and I applaud her emphasis on character in a spouse! That changed too though and now She’s fairly certain she’s going to marry Daddy. Some day we’ll talk about realistic choices. 🙂

For a long time you could be certain that Bert, Ernie, Elmo,Zoe and the newer furry friends would hold her interest.She doesn’t ask for them anymore though. She’s handed the torch for the fuzzy over to the Quail. A few weeks ago she sat through an entire episode of The Brady Bunch. It was her first “grown-up show”. No cartoon characters. Just people. In truth she has very little exposure to “people” shows. She goes to bed in the evening before we turn on any sit-coms and most of what she sees is PBS or DVDs we’ve purchased. Lovey and I both thought the interest in The Brady Bunch was cute. She makes it clear she now needs to be home on Sundays at 11am to watch her grown-up show.

This Sunday morning as I lobbed my pregnant self around the house wiped out by another night of end-of-pregnancy-non-sleep and the Quail trailed me holding a Barney DVD and doll, Zuzu announced that her favorite showThe Electric Company was on and explained the days words and plot and settled in for the show that I remember very little of from my childhood other than “Hey you GUYS!!!!!!!”

Now if only grown-up foods and chores would hold her interest….

sunday still life

Sunday Still Life is evolving mindfulness project; a weekly invitation to pause the busy of our days, to re-center and celebrate the beauty and depth of life. If you are inspired to join in, please leave a link in Erin’s comments.

As this pregnancy draws to a close I want to still a very special daily moment that I had the pleasure of experiencing both this time and last time. When little Zuzu was just 2 years old, she became very connected to a little in-utero Quail. Each night that I would put her to bed she would snuggle up to my belly, place a child-size blanket over it, sing a lullaby tune, hug, kiss and tell my burgeoning belly, “Night-night Baby Quail!”

This time around it was quick and easy for Zuzu to fall into the same routine. She also added on to it a good morning hug and kiss and a good bye and hello at the beginning and end of our daily separations. For a good number of months I wondered if the Quail just thought we had all lost our marbles and the new family habit was to salute Momma’s belly. Over time though as she saw pictures of babies or met babies in real life she would smile at them, sign baby and reach over to pat my belly. In the last couple of months she has taken to the morning and nightly hugs and kisses of dear Sugarplum as well.

When they can manage to do it at the same time it seems extra special as they enfold each other in their hearts and arms. What a dear little Sistred they already are.

gratitude

1. Children sleeping past 6 in the morning.

2. new flowers each day

3. thoughtful co-workers

4. a baby shower

5. beautiful flowers

6. yummy treats

7. a full house

8. overly generous co-workers

9. cake!

10. a good NST result

11. feeling spoiled

12. rest

13. early dinners with Lovey

14. sleep

15. flower photo time

16. pregnant belly pictures

17. a 5 year old excited to raise money for St. Judes Trike-a-thon

18. a 5 year old explaining that they are raising money to help the kids who are sick at St. Judes

19. a pink-poodle dance costume

20. making leave plans

21. lunch with friends

Quailday: Ring around the Rosy

I have so much to tell about this Birdy and not enough time to type it! But never fear birthday party and educational updates galore to come! In the meantime- the dancing bears we call daughters get out of the car every evening and run to the yard to rascal before being herded into the house. These girls put this extra hour of sunshine to good use. Everyone loves Spring!