A fiddler crab named King Arthur only lived with us for a short 4 weeks before he died. He really belonged in a salt water tank, but the pet store didn't tell us that.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Re-re-re-re start
This summer, I was looking for a project that all three kids (ages 6, 4 and 1 at the time) could participate in. After hunting around, we decided to start up a fish tank. We read about creating a healthy environment for the fish. We bought a tank on craigslist, and the kids carefully selected rocks and plans to make it beautiful. We started with three fish - a zebra danios and two guppies, as recommended by our local pet store. Once we kept them alive for a few weeks, we added a few more fishes. Since then, we've had our ups and downs.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Sick
I'm approaching the tail end of 17 days of solo parenting while Paul is in Asia for business. Week one was rocky; it took us a while to find our groove. But we did. Although the groove I found I got sick. Fever, chills, body aches, want-to-lay-in-bed-all-day sick.
For the first two days, I was determined to push through. I medicated, drank coffee, and did most of the things I was supposed to do, with a little extra TV time for the kids. And that just made things worse. By the end of the second day, I crawled into my queen bed next to my 7-year-old, who timidly asked me, "Are you going to die?"
I needed a new plan. The next day (thanks to the prompting of a dear friend), I called everyone who had offered to help out while Paul was traveling. I arranged play dates and booked babysitters. I skipped the preschool potluck, and cued up last season's Downton Abby on my laptop. With the exception of a few pick-ups and drop-offs, I laid in bed all day. I ignored the dirty dishes and piles of laundry and allowed other people to feed my children. And then, I went to bed with my kids at 8 p.m. And it worked. I woke up the following morning feeling, not perfect, but much, much better. It's a lesson I've heard a hundred times, but now I've learned myself. My body needs rest and downtime
For the first two days, I was determined to push through. I medicated, drank coffee, and did most of the things I was supposed to do, with a little extra TV time for the kids. And that just made things worse. By the end of the second day, I crawled into my queen bed next to my 7-year-old, who timidly asked me, "Are you going to die?"
I needed a new plan. The next day (thanks to the prompting of a dear friend), I called everyone who had offered to help out while Paul was traveling. I arranged play dates and booked babysitters. I skipped the preschool potluck, and cued up last season's Downton Abby on my laptop. With the exception of a few pick-ups and drop-offs, I laid in bed all day. I ignored the dirty dishes and piles of laundry and allowed other people to feed my children. And then, I went to bed with my kids at 8 p.m. And it worked. I woke up the following morning feeling, not perfect, but much, much better. It's a lesson I've heard a hundred times, but now I've learned myself. My body needs rest and downtime
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
On the eve of 4 years old
Dear Hannah,
On the day before your 4th birthday, I wanted to write a little something about how much joy and wonder you bring into my life. You are incredibly affectionate, offering hugs and cuddles whenever someone is waking up or coming home. You are loud and vibrant and excited about life about 75 percent of your waking hours . The remaining 25 percent, you spend quietly playing alone in your room, listening to books on CD, doing puzzles and organizing your jewelry. You love your siblings with a passion, even though Aaron sometimes teases you and Charlotte wrecks your Lego towers. And you are incredibly quick to forgive almost anyone.
I have a few stories from recent weeks that illustrate just how curious and fearless you are.
A visit
On the car ride to school the other day, you requested "The Scientist" by Coldplay. (Your dad's influence for sure.) I complied, and you listened, singing quietly along. About halfway through the song you stopped.
H: Mama, is Chris Martin real? (He is the lead singer of Coldplay.)
Me: Yes, he is.
H: But where is he? I can't see him anywhere.
Me: Well, he's in England. He uses a computer to record his voice so that lots of people can hear him sing?
H: (Face clearly lit up.) Can we see him?!?! (We're going to England next week to visit Paul's family.)
Me: Well, I don't know. There are a lot of people who live in England.
H: Well, we could just knock on his door.
Me: What would you do then, ask him to sing for you?
H: (Blushing and giggles.)
A dinner
Again, a conversation on the way to school.
H: I saw a hawk!
Me: Good try, but that was a sea gull.
H: But are hawks real?
Me: Yes. We see them in our backyard sometimes. Remember, they have red tails.
H: Can we eat one for dinner?
Me: (Cringing.) Well, I don't know. I guess we could eat a hawk for dinner, but it wouldn't have very much meat on it.
H: I know! We'll catch one with a net. We'll need daddy's help. It will have to be a strong net.
Me: Then what will you do with it?
H: We'll smash it with a hammer and then take out its bones.
I love you, my sweet girl. Don't ever stop having big ideas. They will carry you far in life.
All my love,
Mama
On the day before your 4th birthday, I wanted to write a little something about how much joy and wonder you bring into my life. You are incredibly affectionate, offering hugs and cuddles whenever someone is waking up or coming home. You are loud and vibrant and excited about life about 75 percent of your waking hours . The remaining 25 percent, you spend quietly playing alone in your room, listening to books on CD, doing puzzles and organizing your jewelry. You love your siblings with a passion, even though Aaron sometimes teases you and Charlotte wrecks your Lego towers. And you are incredibly quick to forgive almost anyone.
I have a few stories from recent weeks that illustrate just how curious and fearless you are.
A visit
On the car ride to school the other day, you requested "The Scientist" by Coldplay. (Your dad's influence for sure.) I complied, and you listened, singing quietly along. About halfway through the song you stopped.
H: Mama, is Chris Martin real? (He is the lead singer of Coldplay.)
Me: Yes, he is.
H: But where is he? I can't see him anywhere.
Me: Well, he's in England. He uses a computer to record his voice so that lots of people can hear him sing?
H: (Face clearly lit up.) Can we see him?!?! (We're going to England next week to visit Paul's family.)
Me: Well, I don't know. There are a lot of people who live in England.
H: Well, we could just knock on his door.
Me: What would you do then, ask him to sing for you?
H: (Blushing and giggles.)
A dinner
Again, a conversation on the way to school.
H: I saw a hawk!
Me: Good try, but that was a sea gull.
H: But are hawks real?
Me: Yes. We see them in our backyard sometimes. Remember, they have red tails.
H: Can we eat one for dinner?
Me: (Cringing.) Well, I don't know. I guess we could eat a hawk for dinner, but it wouldn't have very much meat on it.
H: I know! We'll catch one with a net. We'll need daddy's help. It will have to be a strong net.
Me: Then what will you do with it?
H: We'll smash it with a hammer and then take out its bones.
I love you, my sweet girl. Don't ever stop having big ideas. They will carry you far in life.
All my love,
Mama
Monday, January 5, 2015
Put-ups
Okay, let's try this blogging thing again.
Over the Christmas school break, we've had a little problem with sibling teasing in our house. I think - now that I'm coming up for air - that so much together time forced all three kids to compete for my attention constantly. This lead to lots of bickering and name-calling.We tried sending them to their rooms, but that just seemed to make them more cranky. We tried a "Love Chart," we even thought about calling them names back (just kidding), but nothing seemed to work.
This morning a good friend who is a teacher told me about her classroom rule for name-calling. For every put-down, you have to deliver two "put-ups" by saying something nice to the person you teased.
That sounded good to me! I explained the new rules to the kids at breakfast, and almost immediately had a chance to put this rule into action this morning when Aaron called Hannah a dummy.
A: Oh, I forgot (about the new rule). You mean right now?
Me: Yes, right now.
A: But I don't know what to say.
Me: You could tell her you love her. You could think of some things that she's good at.
H, with a big grin: You could say that I'm pretty.
A: I'm not doing this.
Me: Yes you are.
H, with an even bigger grin: You could say that I'm special.
A: Okay, I love you Hannah. I can't think of another one.
Me: Yes, you can.
A, after an awkward pause: You're good at cooking. (Then he cracks a big smile.)
H, beaming: Thank you, Aaron. Would you like one of my gummy bears?
Success!
Over the Christmas school break, we've had a little problem with sibling teasing in our house. I think - now that I'm coming up for air - that so much together time forced all three kids to compete for my attention constantly. This lead to lots of bickering and name-calling.We tried sending them to their rooms, but that just seemed to make them more cranky. We tried a "Love Chart," we even thought about calling them names back (just kidding), but nothing seemed to work.
This morning a good friend who is a teacher told me about her classroom rule for name-calling. For every put-down, you have to deliver two "put-ups" by saying something nice to the person you teased.
That sounded good to me! I explained the new rules to the kids at breakfast, and almost immediately had a chance to put this rule into action this morning when Aaron called Hannah a dummy.
A: Oh, I forgot (about the new rule). You mean right now?
Me: Yes, right now.
A: But I don't know what to say.
Me: You could tell her you love her. You could think of some things that she's good at.
H, with a big grin: You could say that I'm pretty.
A: I'm not doing this.
Me: Yes you are.
H, with an even bigger grin: You could say that I'm special.
A: Okay, I love you Hannah. I can't think of another one.
Me: Yes, you can.
A, after an awkward pause: You're good at cooking. (Then he cracks a big smile.)
H, beaming: Thank you, Aaron. Would you like one of my gummy bears?
Success!
Monday, December 8, 2014
The story of our Christmas tree, 2014
I don't write often any more, but this is a story that bears telling and remembering. A few days into December, our family received an invitation from some friends to cut down a Christmas tree from their property. The previous owners had planted dozens of evergreens to sell to nurseries one day, and then never harvested them. Twenty years later, their land is full of some very tall Christmas trees.
On a cold and sunny afternoon, we packed up Aaron, Hannah, a load of winter gear and 12 candy canes, and headed to our friend's house. Everyone climbed into a trailer attached to
On a cold and sunny afternoon, we packed up Aaron, Hannah, a load of winter gear and 12 candy canes, and headed to our friend's house. Everyone climbed into a trailer attached to
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Three
I'm going to write this post with as much honesty and as little whining as I can muster. Having a third child as brought an unmatched level of chaos to our house. In hindsight, I feel this is something I should have expected, but I honestly didn't. What I thought was, "Three kids is going to be exactly the same as having two kids, just with a little more work." That was not a good way to think about having a third kid.
Before I go on, I must stop to say that Charlotte is LOVELY.
Before I go on, I must stop to say that Charlotte is LOVELY.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
On a roll
If there's something I've learned from our pancake experiment, it's that Charlotte is ready to eat more interesting food. She learned how to sign "more" and she hasn't stopped yet. I've fed her some plain pasta, diced steamed carrots, and peaches. She's really interested in what we're having.
So today I went hunting for a toddler- and allergy-friendly healthy muffin recipe for the whole family. I started by checking the allergy-friendly cookbooks I ordered, but those recipes were all loaded with sugar. (As an aside, I don't find these cookbooks have the healthiest recipes.) I was looking for something I would feel good about feeding the kids for breakfast. Then I started Googling "vegan muffins," but a lot of those options replaced the eggs with flax seeds. Since Charlotte reacted to sesame seeds, I am going to hold off trying any more seeds for the time being.
Finally, I turned to one of my favorite recipe sites - 100 Days of Real Food. It's written by author Lisa Leake, who strives to keep processed foods out of her family's diet. I started with her recipe for whole-wheat carrot applesauce muffins, then made a few changes to fit our family. Each of the three kids polished off a muffin fresh out of the oven for snack, so I'm going to hold onto this one. Here's the recipe.
ALLERGY-FRIENDLY WHOLE WHEAT CARROT MUFFINS
1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup Earth Balance buttery spread
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 mashed banana
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup carrot shreds
For the big kids, I stirred in: 1/2 cup of raisins 1/2 cup silvered almonds into half of them. Walnuts would be yummy too.
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line or grease your muffin. In a bow, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a mixer, combine the butter, syrup, banana and vanilla together on medium speed. Slowly add in the flour mixture until it is combined. The batter will be fairly thick. Fold in the applesauce and carrots with a wooden spoon, along with any add-ins you'd like. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
I under cooked them a bit, which was good for Charlotte to mash with her gums. I think it also helped keep the muffins moist. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
So today I went hunting for a toddler- and allergy-friendly healthy muffin recipe for the whole family. I started by checking the allergy-friendly cookbooks I ordered, but those recipes were all loaded with sugar. (As an aside, I don't find these cookbooks have the healthiest recipes.) I was looking for something I would feel good about feeding the kids for breakfast. Then I started Googling "vegan muffins," but a lot of those options replaced the eggs with flax seeds. Since Charlotte reacted to sesame seeds, I am going to hold off trying any more seeds for the time being.
Finally, I turned to one of my favorite recipe sites - 100 Days of Real Food. It's written by author Lisa Leake, who strives to keep processed foods out of her family's diet. I started with her recipe for whole-wheat carrot applesauce muffins, then made a few changes to fit our family. Each of the three kids polished off a muffin fresh out of the oven for snack, so I'm going to hold onto this one. Here's the recipe.
ALLERGY-FRIENDLY WHOLE WHEAT CARROT MUFFINS
1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup Earth Balance buttery spread
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 mashed banana
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup carrot shreds
For the big kids, I stirred in: 1/2 cup of raisins 1/2 cup silvered almonds into half of them. Walnuts would be yummy too.
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line or grease your muffin. In a bow, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a mixer, combine the butter, syrup, banana and vanilla together on medium speed. Slowly add in the flour mixture until it is combined. The batter will be fairly thick. Fold in the applesauce and carrots with a wooden spoon, along with any add-ins you'd like. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
I under cooked them a bit, which was good for Charlotte to mash with her gums. I think it also helped keep the muffins moist. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
Sunday, July 27, 2014
She eats pancakes!
She's been eating baby food and rice cereal to date, but the thought of all that processed food with nothing "real" makes my skin crawl. But today - today! - we made awesome progress. I found a dairy-free, egg-free pancake recipe that is pretty good, and we all ate the same pancakes for breakfast! In fact, Ms. Charlotte is on pancake number 2 right now. She is so anxious and excited to pick up food and put it in her mouth. And I'm so happy I found a recipe that fits the bill. These pancakes don't taste like eggy-buttery-milky cakes, admittedly, but they are fairly tasty. The vanilla helps a lot. With some real maple syrup, the big kids didn't notice a difference.(Thank you epicurean escapism.)
I do feel lucky to live in a society where it's easy to find vegan recipes and food substitutes. In the future, I'll be writing occasional updates on how our family adapts to this new world, including recipes that work well for all of us. Stay tuned!
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Minnesota visit
The Freemantle girls and Nana headed west last weekend to visit our relatives in Minnesota. My grandpa grew up in Minnesota, and his sister and her family still live there. We laughed a lot and I learned to make a very tricky family recipe - potica. YUM. Basking in Minnesota accents for a few days was also fun, eh?
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Then there were five!
We're so thrilled to welcome Charlotte Grace to our family (almost 7 months ago - gasp, I'm slow!)
More soon...
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Almost five
Well, I figured I'd jump back into blogging the easiest way I know how - with a story.
I was driving Aaron's to a play date at a friend's house this morning, and we were talking about what life will be like when the new baby arrives. I was explaining that it would take me a few weeks to fully recover from the birth, and I would be tired because I will need to wake up a night to feed the baby. His response:
"That's bad that babies don't sleep at night. I'm glad I'm not a girl because I'll never have to wake up at night to feed a baby."
I told him that was true, and explained that I planned on taking naps so that I could get enough rest. He said, "That's okay, mama. I'll watch Hannah for you while you and baby sleep."
I was driving Aaron's to a play date at a friend's house this morning, and we were talking about what life will be like when the new baby arrives. I was explaining that it would take me a few weeks to fully recover from the birth, and I would be tired because I will need to wake up a night to feed the baby. His response:
"That's bad that babies don't sleep at night. I'm glad I'm not a girl because I'll never have to wake up at night to feed a baby."
I told him that was true, and explained that I planned on taking naps so that I could get enough rest. He said, "That's okay, mama. I'll watch Hannah for you while you and baby sleep."
Friday, April 26, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
In a box...
Hannah tried on real underpants for the first time this morning. She was so excited and proud. Paul and I kept checking with her to see if she need to go to the bathroom. "Nothin' comin'," was her answer. Then we made a total rookie parent mistake.
The kids often play in our basement on their own while an adult is in the kitchen. It's easy to hear them down there, and it keeps most of the toys our of adult spaces in the house. Hannah asked to play in the basement, and we agreed. (There's that rookie parent mistake.) Ten minutes later, she came climbing up the stair with wet underpants. I took her to the bathroom to get her cleaned up while Paul went to the basement in search of the puddle.
Meanwhile, Hannah - sitting on the potty now - tells me, "Wee in monkey box." It took me few tries, as well as hearing Paul's laughter in the basement, to realize that she found a cardboard toy box in the basement and peed in that. Not far off, I guess. But we're back to diapers today.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Happy Birthday, Dear Hannah!
Let's try this again...
My little girl turned two this week. (Gasp!) It's funny, I read something the other day that struck a chord with me. It said, "First time parents will see their 2 year old as all grown up. Second-time-around parents will see that their 2 year old is really still a baby." It's so very true.
Certainly, Hannah can pour on the tantrums with the best of them. She can wine, cry, and tattle on her brother like no other. But she is the sweest girl - quick to apologize when she's done something wrong, always ready with a kiss, and coming out with new things to say all of the time. Her favorites right now are: "Wait a minute!" when she has a new idea; and "Have it?" when she wants something but is not sure it's okay to take it.
This girl of mine is an animal lover. She is giddy over the dog that we occasionally care for, and is always excited about the pets at her best little buddy's house. We'll have to get a dog or cat for her someday, to be sure.
For her birthday, she wanted balloons, cake and ice cream. And she wanted to be sung to at every meal - easy breezy. Here are two to check out.
(Notice the icing on her face from sneaking a fingerful while I put the candles on...)
My little girl turned two this week. (Gasp!) It's funny, I read something the other day that struck a chord with me. It said, "First time parents will see their 2 year old as all grown up. Second-time-around parents will see that their 2 year old is really still a baby." It's so very true.
Certainly, Hannah can pour on the tantrums with the best of them. She can wine, cry, and tattle on her brother like no other. But she is the sweest girl - quick to apologize when she's done something wrong, always ready with a kiss, and coming out with new things to say all of the time. Her favorites right now are: "Wait a minute!" when she has a new idea; and "Have it?" when she wants something but is not sure it's okay to take it.
This girl of mine is an animal lover. She is giddy over the dog that we occasionally care for, and is always excited about the pets at her best little buddy's house. We'll have to get a dog or cat for her someday, to be sure.
For her birthday, she wanted balloons, cake and ice cream. And she wanted to be sung to at every meal - easy breezy. Here are two to check out.
(Notice the icing on her face from sneaking a fingerful while I put the candles on...)
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
A look back: Christmas
Since I posted nothing about Christmas 2012, let's step back and relive some of the magic.
My kids are at the age where Christmas really is magic. We had some friends over for drinks and appetizers on Christmas Eve, which was a fun way to capture some of that Christmas spirit and burn off some of that anticipatory energy. The kids went to bed a little late, and Aaron took quite a while to fall asleep. Luckily, he konked out just before Santa arrived.
Christmas morning, Hannah was first out of bed. (It had nothing to do with Christmas - she's the first one up at our house everyday.) She played with her gifts from Santa while we waited for Aaron to get up. (Sleeping in on Christmas morning has been a reoccurring theme for Aaron. I'm sure someday, I'll miss it. But for the past few years, it's Paul and I waiting downstairs all antsy for him to get up and open presents.)
When Aaron came downstairs, he was awestruck - yes! - and fun was had by all. Hannah was the most enthusiastic, ripping open everything, including some of Aaron's gifts. She got so excited that she tired herself out and was back in bed for a nap before 10 a.m.
The rest of the day was spent eating, relaxing, playing and talking to family afar - a really perfect way to spend such a special day.
My kids are at the age where Christmas really is magic. We had some friends over for drinks and appetizers on Christmas Eve, which was a fun way to capture some of that Christmas spirit and burn off some of that anticipatory energy. The kids went to bed a little late, and Aaron took quite a while to fall asleep. Luckily, he konked out just before Santa arrived.
Christmas morning, Hannah was first out of bed. (It had nothing to do with Christmas - she's the first one up at our house everyday.) She played with her gifts from Santa while we waited for Aaron to get up. (Sleeping in on Christmas morning has been a reoccurring theme for Aaron. I'm sure someday, I'll miss it. But for the past few years, it's Paul and I waiting downstairs all antsy for him to get up and open presents.)
When Aaron came downstairs, he was awestruck - yes! - and fun was had by all. Hannah was the most enthusiastic, ripping open everything, including some of Aaron's gifts. She got so excited that she tired herself out and was back in bed for a nap before 10 a.m.
The rest of the day was spent eating, relaxing, playing and talking to family afar - a really perfect way to spend such a special day.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Family jam
It's high time I got back on this blogging bus. If nothing else, I miss having a record of our family.
Let's start with our new Saturday night tradition. Homemade pizza, ice cream for dessert and some music after. I'll confess, this has only happened once. But I sure hope it become a tradition.
Let's start with our new Saturday night tradition. Homemade pizza, ice cream for dessert and some music after. I'll confess, this has only happened once. But I sure hope it become a tradition.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Today
Where to start when I've been away from this space for so long?
How about with this morning's creation by Hannah, made completely on her while I was doing the breakfast dishes.
How about with this morning's creation by Hannah, made completely on her while I was doing the breakfast dishes.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Adventure
So, we went camping - all four of us - with some new friends who are so much fun. I will admit, I had my doubts about this trip. It was October, and rain was forecast for the entire weekend. The lows got into the 30s one night. And while we have a very nice tent, it is still just a tent. But by the time we realized the forecast wasn't going to change, the car was already packed. And Paul wasn't about to unpack the car without giving it a try, so we set off.
The short story is, it was a success! We did have one rain shower, but it only lasted a few hours. We were cold some of the time, but the day we hiked to the bottom of Pine Creek gorge, the sun even came out and the boys got to splash around in the river. While there were some uncomfortable moments, we will certainly give it another try (when the weather warms up in the spring.)
The short story is, it was a success! We did have one rain shower, but it only lasted a few hours. We were cold some of the time, but the day we hiked to the bottom of Pine Creek gorge, the sun even came out and the boys got to splash around in the river. While there were some uncomfortable moments, we will certainly give it another try (when the weather warms up in the spring.)
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
A letter on a 4th birthday
Dear Aaron,
You turned four years old this week - a milestone that you are so excited about. Your birthday fell on a Saturday this year, which was a special treat because it meant you could spend the whole day with Daddy and have a party on your actual birthday.
For your celebration, Nana inspired us to throw a pirate party and, man, was it fun! We dressed up with eye patches and tatoos, and had a big treasure hunt to find a pinata, which was filled with gum and chocolate gold coins.
Before the big day, you only had two requests: gum and lemon cake, even though you never had lemon cake before. ("But I like sour things, mama." For the record, you had one bite of cake and said you didn't like it. We did have mint chocolate chip ice cream on hand for this exact situation.) But after you opened the Lego space shuttle Daddy picked out, you told us that was exactly the present you wanted. You and Daddy are truly two peas in a pod. He can walk into a toy store and know exactly what you will love. You've slept with that space ship every night since you opened it. And right now, you're laying on kitchen floor next to me imagining some wonderful space scenario. You love anything that flies and you are full of questions about planets, and physics and the sky. (Where does the sky end and space start? Why can't you see air? How big is space?)
I do feel like you're growing up before my eyes. The phrases you use and the questions you ask continually astound me. Today when I tried to hold your hand walking down the street, you told me, "Mama, we can hold hands at home." But when I drop you off and pick you up from school, you always want a kiss and a cuddle - a request that I'm happy to grant for as long as you like. I feel so lucky to guide you along this wonderful journey of growing up.
All my love, buddy.
Mom
You turned four years old this week - a milestone that you are so excited about. Your birthday fell on a Saturday this year, which was a special treat because it meant you could spend the whole day with Daddy and have a party on your actual birthday.
For your celebration, Nana inspired us to throw a pirate party and, man, was it fun! We dressed up with eye patches and tatoos, and had a big treasure hunt to find a pinata, which was filled with gum and chocolate gold coins.
Before the big day, you only had two requests: gum and lemon cake, even though you never had lemon cake before. ("But I like sour things, mama." For the record, you had one bite of cake and said you didn't like it. We did have mint chocolate chip ice cream on hand for this exact situation.) But after you opened the Lego space shuttle Daddy picked out, you told us that was exactly the present you wanted. You and Daddy are truly two peas in a pod. He can walk into a toy store and know exactly what you will love. You've slept with that space ship every night since you opened it. And right now, you're laying on kitchen floor next to me imagining some wonderful space scenario. You love anything that flies and you are full of questions about planets, and physics and the sky. (Where does the sky end and space start? Why can't you see air? How big is space?)
I do feel like you're growing up before my eyes. The phrases you use and the questions you ask continually astound me. Today when I tried to hold your hand walking down the street, you told me, "Mama, we can hold hands at home." But when I drop you off and pick you up from school, you always want a kiss and a cuddle - a request that I'm happy to grant for as long as you like. I feel so lucky to guide you along this wonderful journey of growing up.
All my love, buddy.
Mom
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