Some days the baby walks straight through the screen door that you just repaired the night before and pours a gallon of orange juice on the couch. But he says "Oh no! C'mon!" so cutely as he drags you over, and he did put the empty jug back in the fridge ...
But it's Friday evening and you're really tired and think you might just, like, leave it there or something, and you begin to lament your total lack of ability to get a task done and have it remain done, which is maybe he most frustrating part of parenting littles. And you feel your attitude sinking.
Then your neighbors knock to say goodbye because they're driving south to see their family for Eid, and they clean up the cushions for you! And so you decide to forget about dinner and let your wild boys (and yourself) play outside with the neighborhood kiddos until your man gets home and deal with it all -- sticky furniture and floors (Fabuloso and Little Green Machine to the rescue) nutrition needs (Mac n Cheese, whoop!), and filthy feet (eh, whatever) -- LATER.
And that was a good choice. :)
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
A lush life
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - from Mary Oliver's The Summer Day
A couple weekends ago Luke and I had a date day. We left the (totally thrilled) boys with our neighbors and drove into San Francisco to take in the Museum of Modern Art, have coffees, wander around Golden Gate Park, eat at the Moss Room, and see the view from the observation tower at the de Young Museum. For a few minutes I thought I was going to have a baby on the walk back to the car, but here I sit 2 weeks later and still pregnant. 39+ weeks. Come on, baby girl. We want to see you! On the way home Luke suggested we stop by LUSH to buy some soap and my heart melted.
LUSH is a fun soap store chain with a history for me. I first found it when I was 20, traveling in Venice with my dear redheaded look alike friend. Then, right before Luke and I got married, he was interviewing with Mozilla out here and found the store himself. Without knowing that I loved it, he brought soap souvenirs back to College Station for me. So the soap, in addition to smelling great, makes me warm inside with memories of independence and love.
And you know what? The store name fits my life right now. Not in the flirty drunk definition (honestly I'm looking forward to a little more drinking and husband-flirting to come, post-pregnancy), but in the rich green and growing way. Our home, our yard, my body is spilling over with life and growth! I love the tumbling pace of having these two little boys with me all day and knowing another child is on the way. It is MESSY and oh I know how tired I'm going to be, and the rawness of preschool emotions just flattens me on pretty much a daily basis, but it is rich. And wild. And just what I want to be doing with this one precious life right now. Hooray for babies and my twenties and all this creative power.
A couple weekends ago Luke and I had a date day. We left the (totally thrilled) boys with our neighbors and drove into San Francisco to take in the Museum of Modern Art, have coffees, wander around Golden Gate Park, eat at the Moss Room, and see the view from the observation tower at the de Young Museum. For a few minutes I thought I was going to have a baby on the walk back to the car, but here I sit 2 weeks later and still pregnant. 39+ weeks. Come on, baby girl. We want to see you! On the way home Luke suggested we stop by LUSH to buy some soap and my heart melted.
LUSH is a fun soap store chain with a history for me. I first found it when I was 20, traveling in Venice with my dear redheaded look alike friend. Then, right before Luke and I got married, he was interviewing with Mozilla out here and found the store himself. Without knowing that I loved it, he brought soap souvenirs back to College Station for me. So the soap, in addition to smelling great, makes me warm inside with memories of independence and love.
And you know what? The store name fits my life right now. Not in the flirty drunk definition (honestly I'm looking forward to a little more drinking and husband-flirting to come, post-pregnancy), but in the rich green and growing way. Our home, our yard, my body is spilling over with life and growth! I love the tumbling pace of having these two little boys with me all day and knowing another child is on the way. It is MESSY and oh I know how tired I'm going to be, and the rawness of preschool emotions just flattens me on pretty much a daily basis, but it is rich. And wild. And just what I want to be doing with this one precious life right now. Hooray for babies and my twenties and all this creative power.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Our neighborhood this morning
Knock knock.
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Good morning! It's your friendly neighborhood toddler here to do a little radiation scan. Oops, did I forget my pants again?
The boys and friends had lots of fun playing with my old "bomb finder" this week.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
July Highlights
Seven favorite things from the last month:
1. Beach trip
For the first half of the month, the boys and I traveled! (I count it as a business trip because flying/packing/living with a 3 year old and1 year old while7.5 months pregnant means I took my work with me.) First we went to Texas for a beach weekend. Two of my close friends have two boys each, just about the same ages as Scott and Mark. We've been talking about a beach weekend FOREVER and decided that we had to make it happen. The littlest boys stayed home with dads/grandparents and we took off with the 4 bottle-free, nap-flexible blondies. While we did run into a few snags (thunderstorms and general preschool cooped-up fuss) it was a great trip. The boys swam, flew kites, and watched movies together, and the 3 of us stayed up wayyyyy too late talking. It was worth the trip for that alone. A weekend with these women is better than a year in counseling.
Biggest regret of the trip: we have so few pictures! As in, 2 total and no group shot. 3 moms (2 of us pregnant) + 4 boys + gear + rain forecasts = no hands for cameras. Here's one Shanna got of the boys, ready to swim but stuck inside due to lightning:
They're awesome, aren't they?
2. Blue Ridge
Next the boys and I flew to Georgia to see my parents, my aunt and uncle and cousin, and the cabin. We had such adventures! Scott is an adorable and enthusiastic fisherman:
We love picking blueberries:
Mark is happy to model Mardi Gras beads:
And we love the river, especially in 100 degree heat. Pregnant tubing lady from the front:
VERY pregnant tubing lady (and family) from the side:
3. Homecoming
When we came home, it was so good to be reunited with Luke. 2+ weeks apart is a long time for us. We missed him like crazy. All 3 of us love him to death. We've been hiking (slowly), riding kiddie trains at parks, eating burgers and hot wings, and generally enjoying our last weeks as a family of 4.
4. Wagner visit
More family fun! The Wagners visited! I don't have a single picture; so upsetting. After weeks of grandparent attention from both sides the boys were terribly upset to be left alone. They kept wondering why no one was getting them dinner, doing the dishes, and offering to take the boys while they took a nap ... OH WAIT THAT WAS ME.
5. More friend time
Last weekend Karen threw a party to celebrate Baby Wagner's anticipated arrival. I got to go out to tea and then have craft time with wonderful ladies I'm lucky to call my friends. It was so fun. My sister is the best. Everyone else wishes she was their sister! But she's mine! Hah! And I don't have to share her with any other siblings!
I also have NO PICTURES of that event, but look at the cute invite K made:
6. The boys' independence
This month I celebrate not only our nation's independence, but my sons'. Mark is officially out of the crib and sleeping in the bottom bunk! Very sweet. He's a funny one: in the mornings, he gets up and explores the house a bit before waking me up.
And Scott? Scott is car independent. He opens and closes his own door and does all his own booster seat buckling and unbuckling (with the aid of a buckle extender, which is a NECESSITY forparents of 4-year-olds, especially if you're planning on putting 3 car seats in a row). It's a new world!
7. Making it full-term
Okay, technically I'm not full-term (37 weeks) until Thursday, but I think I'm pretty safe assuming that the next 26 hours will not include delivering a baby girl, so HOORAY! NO PREMIE WAGNERS! I am so excited to meet this little lady and so is Luke. She is going to have some mighty protective big brothers. Her cradle is almost ready and I need to finish washing her clothes, but the teensy car seat is by the door and we are thrilled to meet her!
Also, before she's born I must get my camera working so I can share her sweet little face with you all. TOMORROW.
1. Beach trip
For the first half of the month, the boys and I traveled! (I count it as a business trip because flying/packing/living with a 3 year old and1 year old while7.5 months pregnant means I took my work with me.) First we went to Texas for a beach weekend. Two of my close friends have two boys each, just about the same ages as Scott and Mark. We've been talking about a beach weekend FOREVER and decided that we had to make it happen. The littlest boys stayed home with dads/grandparents and we took off with the 4 bottle-free, nap-flexible blondies. While we did run into a few snags (thunderstorms and general preschool cooped-up fuss) it was a great trip. The boys swam, flew kites, and watched movies together, and the 3 of us stayed up wayyyyy too late talking. It was worth the trip for that alone. A weekend with these women is better than a year in counseling.
Biggest regret of the trip: we have so few pictures! As in, 2 total and no group shot. 3 moms (2 of us pregnant) + 4 boys + gear + rain forecasts = no hands for cameras. Here's one Shanna got of the boys, ready to swim but stuck inside due to lightning:
They're awesome, aren't they?
2. Blue Ridge
Next the boys and I flew to Georgia to see my parents, my aunt and uncle and cousin, and the cabin. We had such adventures! Scott is an adorable and enthusiastic fisherman:
We love picking blueberries:
Mark is happy to model Mardi Gras beads:
And we love the river, especially in 100 degree heat. Pregnant tubing lady from the front:
VERY pregnant tubing lady (and family) from the side:
3. Homecoming
When we came home, it was so good to be reunited with Luke. 2+ weeks apart is a long time for us. We missed him like crazy. All 3 of us love him to death. We've been hiking (slowly), riding kiddie trains at parks, eating burgers and hot wings, and generally enjoying our last weeks as a family of 4.
4. Wagner visit
More family fun! The Wagners visited! I don't have a single picture; so upsetting. After weeks of grandparent attention from both sides the boys were terribly upset to be left alone. They kept wondering why no one was getting them dinner, doing the dishes, and offering to take the boys while they took a nap ... OH WAIT THAT WAS ME.
5. More friend time
Last weekend Karen threw a party to celebrate Baby Wagner's anticipated arrival. I got to go out to tea and then have craft time with wonderful ladies I'm lucky to call my friends. It was so fun. My sister is the best. Everyone else wishes she was their sister! But she's mine! Hah! And I don't have to share her with any other siblings!
I also have NO PICTURES of that event, but look at the cute invite K made:
6. The boys' independence
This month I celebrate not only our nation's independence, but my sons'. Mark is officially out of the crib and sleeping in the bottom bunk! Very sweet. He's a funny one: in the mornings, he gets up and explores the house a bit before waking me up.
And Scott? Scott is car independent. He opens and closes his own door and does all his own booster seat buckling and unbuckling (with the aid of a buckle extender, which is a NECESSITY for
7. Making it full-term
Okay, technically I'm not full-term (37 weeks) until Thursday, but I think I'm pretty safe assuming that the next 26 hours will not include delivering a baby girl, so HOORAY! NO PREMIE WAGNERS! I am so excited to meet this little lady and so is Luke. She is going to have some mighty protective big brothers. Her cradle is almost ready and I need to finish washing her clothes, but the teensy car seat is by the door and we are thrilled to meet her!
Also, before she's born I must get my camera working so I can share her sweet little face with you all. TOMORROW.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Lavender Harvest
It was also a nice note in which to end a preschool tantrum filled day. Whew. Glad this one is done.
Till later,
Jenn
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