Sunday hike

Muck and Mush

 

MUCK:

We've been enjoying the outdoors even more often than usual, getting to open spaces 2 or 3 times each week.  Being outside is the best thing in the world for me and my boys.  Scott is a nature boy for sure.  Here he poses with his loveable little friend on a pier that takes us out to the edge of the Bay.

In Marky news, I just put that little sausage down for a nap.  On our hike/walk, he fell in love with a couple ducks and followed them over to a big mud + poo puddle of reclaimed city water (<-- major GROSS) and promptly fell down, covering his little self with muck.  I stripped him down, drove home, fed him some chicken nuggets, and rocked him to sleep.  There was ketchup around his mouth, boogies caked around his nose, and a little muck still stuck in his hair.  And I thought "This is the most beautiful boy in the whole world."

MUSH:

Because he is.  Because Scott is, too.  Because a new baby Wagner will also be The Most Beautiful Baby in the World.  I know I am crazy.  I know this because I can look at the other adorable little ones at a hike and think they are amazing, too, and imagine that their parents love them like we love ours.  Parenthood is just unreal. 

I am floored that my parents used to hold me and think these same things.  

Babies of the world, I wish you all a parent's crazy love.

Ohhh the mothering hormones are strong with me these days.

Homemade play dough fun

We make homemade play dough every few weeks and today we did something fun with it.  We made all the dough colorless, split it into little balls, and tucked a little food coloring into each ball.  I told the boys to make a wish and the dough would turn colors as they kneaded it.  They loved it!

Homemade Play Dough

 ******************

2 c flour

1 c salt

1 t cream of tartar (buy in the spice aisle)

1T oil

2 c water

Microwave, mixing every 30-45 seconds.  (<-- super important!!) After 3-5 min the dough should no longer be tacky.  (You could do this on the stove, too.)

This makes PLENTY of dough for 4-5 kiddos.  It's fun to add a few drops of essential oils for fragrance.  It's super salty and until last month Mark just ate it!  Good thing it's fresh and healthy.  :)

Making space: 3 babies in 1 room

You've heard that with real estate, location is everything?  Well, guys, our location rocks.  We're 2.5 miles from Luke's office, walking distance from 4 parks, a library, a grocery store, an awesome taqueria, and we have EXCELLENT NEIGHBORS.  Plus, our backyard is really sweet and I can see giant redwoods from my front windows.  AND rent is totally reasonable and everything is in working order! So moving for a little thing like an extra bedroom (or a slightly less little thing like an uncarpeted dining area ... grrrrr) seems like a bad idea.

Our apartment space has been very accommodating.  When I started working part time, we took the doors off the living room closet and made a cute little office.  And this weekend, the boys' bedroom made space for one more little baby.

It's 12x12, so not small by city standards, but not huge.  We found 2 arrangements in which everything fit and we could still access the heater, and this was our favorite:

As you enter, you see our loved rocker and the new bunkbeds!  Wooo bunkbeds!  Scott's so proud sleeping up top!

On the wall we've got Superman (from Flash & Grandpa), a poster of the Space Shuttle (from Cap & Juju), and artwork by Bridget that has Scott staring out a window and reads "We're the heirs to the glimmering world."  I'd like to put something above the bunks.  Luke is rooting for a castle scene of some sort.

And right next to the bunks?  Baby corner.  My favorite part of Klimt's 3 Ages of Woman (from my mom and dad, again!), a watercolor by Bridget (again!), and a teeny tiny sweater that babies Luke, Scott, and Mark all wore home from the hospital hang on the walls.

Under the window are the bookshelf, toy chest (both awesome Craigslist finds) and the cutest little rocking moose, a gift from some of the above-mentioned excellent neighbors and inspiration behind the 2009 hit by Ellen titled Moose Rider.

Makes me happy to look at it.

The final wall is the closet, which holds the dresser/changing table, dress up clothes, a new hamper, and lots of odds and ends that have been kicked out of other places in the house.  The road rug is something my mom and I found at Big Lots before Scott was born.  And the wall poster?  My new favorite hippie parenting tool.  When tantrums begin, Scott and I walk to the poster and he tells me which feelings he's having.  It sometimes helps. 

I love the feel of their little room.  It's cheerful and practical.  Seeing it all put together pulls me out of the grumpy I WANT TO MOVE slump that I've been in lately.  I'm happy with our flexibility and when I need a sense of perspective it's good to remind myself how blessed I am and how most of the world lives in so much less. (This book, viewable online, called Where Children Sleep, is a reality check.)  

xx Jenn

Whoa.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

A breakfast of bananas, yogurt, and cinnamon toast with a side of balloons and crowns.  I love these little bugs and their daddy (who is in Canada right now!).

xoxox

Scott at 3.3333 years

Scott says the greatest things lately.

While holding two plastic guns: 
"My guns are FEARIOUS! My guns are ELECTRIC!  My guns will GIVE YOU OWIES!  If you are a bad guy."

Talking to his preschool teacher who was giving him special painting time:
"(Audible sigh.) I am just really loving you right now."

Talking to me after I carried him out of bed to go look at the moon one night:
S "That was so fun Mom."
M "Scott, you know I love you?  Higher than the highest mountain!" (see, there's this book about a baby owl and his mom who say things like that)
S "I love you taller than the tallest tree!"
M "I love you louder than the loudest drum!"
S "Oh.  I would play that drum."