Friday, June 29, 2012

AK or Bust

The girls and I are bursting with excitement about going to Alaska in two short days.  We'll be there for a whole month - something we've never done before.  Drew will be holding down the fort, working as many waking hours as he can muster on the remodel of the upstairs of our house.  What is now one big loft will soon be two bedrooms and a bathroom - our glorified studio apartment is about to become a bonafide two bedroom two bathroom house. 

Being away from Drew for a whole month is going to be hard.  Genevieve has flickers of sadness about it. 

"How will Daddy fall asleep at night if he doesn't have me next to him on the couch loading apps on his iphone?" 

"Will Daddy be scared at night in our house when there isn't a roof on it?" 

"Will Daddy let any other kids paint on my easel?  Can we bring my easel to Grandmama and Grandpapa's house?" 

"Will Grandpapa let me eat ice cream every day like we did last summer?" 


Leaving our garden for a month will be tough too.  Fortunately my parents have a house and garden fit for all the princesses and fairies in our entourage. 

Here are a few budding winks our Edison scape is leaving us with for now:













Next Up:  Realized Mama and her brood hit Alaska.  Wish me luck packing for three for a month and flying alone with these hoodlums.  



Quote of the Day

Genevieve:  Mom, I think the double stroller has a flat tire!
Me:  (between gasps for breath) No it doesn't.
Genevieve:  Then why are you running so slow?

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Worlds Colliding

My worlds did a lot of colliding today.  I submitted the grant application I've been working on for the past month a few minutes ago.  For the most part my grant writing gig has been easy to keep compartmentalized from my waking hours with the girls and stays packaged neatly in the late night hours.  My brain stays engaged throughout the day while I think about what I'll work on that evening and it helps me stay sharp, thinking and money making without interrupting my mama mojo. 

Today was a different story.  I watched Genevieve paint the desk lamp with soapy water and a sly look in her eye and let her get away with it so I could finish a phone conversation.  I fed the girls a rushed lunch of mac and cheese and ate mine in front of the computer.  I had zero dinner options in motion by the critical 5:30 mark.  I was wrung out tired by the time Marguerite was ready for bed.  A familiar, gritty, stressed out tired that I haven't had to feel since leaving my day job 4 months ago.  

I'm now reveling in that feeling of accomplishment that comes from finishing a huge project, and knowing that the juggle of today isn't the norm anymore. 

I'm grateful for my iphone that makes working at the playground possible.  Here's Marguerite and Urban, just a moon apart in age, sizing each other up:


That boy and those cheeks...



While I wrestled with scanning letters of support on the gallery computer, Genevieve did some important work in the back room with Berit.


I'm calling it a day.  A long, hard, good day.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Fulfilled

We traded in yesterday's rain jackets for today's swimsuits and headed to the squirt park in Fairhaven to rendezvous with Genevieve's bff Stella.  I enjoyed some time laying in the sun and eavesdropping - oh! and watching my girls play.





 We ended the fun by tailgating at Winn's Drive-In and drinking strawberry milkshakes,



and zonking out 5 minutes later.


Fulfilled.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

I'll catch you sister!

"Good job Marguerite!  You're doing the slide all by yourself!"


"I'll catch you sister!"


"Oopsie sister!  You fell!  You were really going fast."


Disclaimer:  No bones were broken or tears shed during this series of photos.

The sun broke through the clouds at just the moment when the girls and I really needed to get back outside late this afternoon.  Naps were hard to come by so a long stroller walk had to do.


 Bedtime seems to be elusive today too.  Here's G at 9:30 p.m.



Not sleeping.  Not even close.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Just Ask

Marguerite hears me ask Genevieve what the best part about her day was every night, and unbeknownst to me has been patiently waiting for me to ask her the same question.  I finally did and she gave me a big smile, and slowly and deliberately said, "cookie, puppy, gallery, hi Daddy!" which sums up her day of walking to the bakery for a cookie, petting a yellow lab puppy named Daisy on the way home, visiting her favorite art in the gallery and squealing with joy when her Daddy came home from work. 

The best part about my day was realizing it was time to ask her that question.

Here are the sisters out painting the town pink and flowery:



Quote of the Day

Genevieve:  Mom, you should sleep with your contacts in tonight so you can see your dreams.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Doing it Right, Our Way

For the first time as a birthday party hostess I felt completely relaxed and confident that Drew and I were not parent imposters, but actually knew what we were doing.  Somewhere between year three and year four of Genevieve's existence I let go of caring about what I'm supposed to be doing when it comes to these formulaic events.  We kept it simple, the sun came out, friends who we don't get to see often enough trickled in, and Genevieve felt like the most loved little girl on earth.

We made our daily pilgrimage to visit Pepe this morning, and the squeal of joy that G let out when she say him was priceless,


"Pee pee boy knows it's my special day!"


Drew took Marguerite on a walk so G and I could decorate for the party. 



She did her best to be patient for the party to start.  By doing her best I mean she asked me 900 times when her friends were going to be here and sat in this spot waiting for longer than she's ever stayed parked.


Friends came,







wishes were made and cupcakes were eaten,




and love and presents were showered.



Watching my girl soak up her special day made me know we are doing it right.  There may not be a bouncy castle and pony rides but there is boundless love.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Thunderstorms, Mermaids and Swallows Abound

Ugh, I'm off my feed today.  Ugh, I hate that saying.  See?

Genevieve's birthday party is tomorrow and only because I love her to the end of the mermaid's ocean and back did I venture on to Burlington Boulevard on a Saturday afternoon to shop in stores full of cheaply made crap scouting out all things Ariel to spend too much money on. 

I left home in a thunderstorm and knew just how mother nature felt when she let out her bellowing thunder and lashed out with bolts of lightening.  Then I took pause and laughed at myself for being so dramatic.  Well, I tried to laugh, but it was more like an Ursula cackle.

The rain smashed the shit out of my delphiniums.  In my extreme state of melodrama I took this photo of my attempts at enjoying their fleeting beauty,


and right as I started grumbling about the bird crap all over my porch I heard the hungry peeps of these sweeties peaking out of their nest



elated to see their mama swooping in with food.


I bet this mama bird didn't have time to bitch about anything today, she was too busy feeding her babies.  I eased back in to my house with a shifted attitude, ready to bake birthday cupcakes with this siren of the kitchen.