Check out it: All three of my yahoos are quiet in their dim, cool rooms right now... the littlest ones are sleeping and the biggest one has a head cold so he's laying down with his eyes closed for a while.
Seriously - I am Super Woman! I need someone to give me a palm-stinging high five!
WHERE IS SOMEONE TO HIGH FIVE ME?!
Nevermind. The baby just woke up.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Friday, July 11, 2014
Squirrels
Effing Squirrels!
I am a pacifist of the worst kind, but squirrels and bunnies in my garden make me reconsider just how strongly I'd like to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights...
I am a pacifist of the worst kind, but squirrels and bunnies in my garden make me reconsider just how strongly I'd like to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights...
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Sweet summer with Three Under Five
We're in the thick of summer's best, it seems. Today I picked a hydrangea bloom that is about 12" in diameter. No joke. It's pretty stunning.
The boys regularly strip down for backyard water play in the splash pool and the water table. They end the day smelling of sunscreen, sweat and dirt as we prod them into warm, sudsy bathwater. Their eyelids are droopy during bedtime stories and we know they are sound asleep before we've made our evening cups of tea.
Colin is "turning 3!" and sings the spelling of his name to anyone who asks, "who are you?" We attended a 2 year old story time at the library today and he sat for the full 30 minutes on the rug, participating and attentively watching the librarian as she worked her way through several songs, finger plays and books. He is also relishing any new big boy tasks that he can manage. He dressed himself today after we came in from splashing in the backyard. I noticed that he ran out to join us for stories with his shorts a little twisted and his legs looking a bit uncomfortable... he'd put both legs into one side of his shorts! I tried to not laugh out loud and helped him unbind his legs... his shirt was also on backwards, but I decided we'd leave that one for another time.
Christopher is attending summer camp at his preschool and loves playing with the high school boys who are counselors for his class. What a treat to have older *boys* to play with at the park and during all of their camp activities. He runs and jumps and swings from the monkey bars exactly like a monkey. He comes home with a new scrape or bruise (or two) every day and is so happy doing what he loves... moving! It dawned on me this past weekend that perhaps Christopher will grow up and become a parkour practioner. At times, it seems as if he's already doing so.
Evelyn is continuing to blossom and reveal what a treat she is to all of us. We all love to chat with her and make her smile and she has shown us how much she loves being in the middle of our family's daily bedlam. Today she fell asleep for both of her naps on the living room rug while we read and played close by. I happened to notice she wasn't reaching for her toys and peered over her shoulder to see her fingers in her mouth with her other arm flung over her head... eyes gently closed and snoozing contentedly.
Evelyn's two first teeth are on their way up, but we know this only because she gnaws on anything she can clumsily guide to her tiny mouth. Does she cry and fuss about it? Amazingly, no... and a few weeks ago at just 2.5 months, she started sleeping 9-10 hours straight at night. Wonder Girl.
This past weekend we celebrated the Fourth of July in high Evanstonian style. We joined the morning games with our neighbors at the park. Favorites include the watermelon and pie eating contests (only in America, no?!), the Penny Scramble and the Egg Toss. Because, really, who doesn't like to see someone chuck a raw egg 100+ yards at another person who attempts to catch it?! Christopher got a 2nd place ribbon for kicking the soccer ball a lengthy distance - his delight and surprise was better than anything else. ("Why do I get a ribbon?") We walked down to the parade in the early afternoon and joined our neighbors to take in the numerous bands and local floats for everything from the public library to the SPCA to fracking! We rounded out the viewing with a stop by Hartigan's Ice Cream Shoppe. The rest of the weekend was equally wonderful with drinks at the neighbors' while the kids played too late and two birthday parties.. and about 6 slices of cake between Christopher and Colin.
As I'm writing this, the air is balmy and I'm hearing the first cicadas of the summer. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll see a firefly or two when it gets a bit darker.
**Summer Salads**
Two weeks ago: Rice Salad with Kale and Pesto (recipe uses pasta, I used white and brown rice)
Last week: Ina Garten's Tabbouleh
This week: Farro Salad with Asparagus and Parmesan
The boys regularly strip down for backyard water play in the splash pool and the water table. They end the day smelling of sunscreen, sweat and dirt as we prod them into warm, sudsy bathwater. Their eyelids are droopy during bedtime stories and we know they are sound asleep before we've made our evening cups of tea.
Colin is "turning 3!" and sings the spelling of his name to anyone who asks, "who are you?" We attended a 2 year old story time at the library today and he sat for the full 30 minutes on the rug, participating and attentively watching the librarian as she worked her way through several songs, finger plays and books. He is also relishing any new big boy tasks that he can manage. He dressed himself today after we came in from splashing in the backyard. I noticed that he ran out to join us for stories with his shorts a little twisted and his legs looking a bit uncomfortable... he'd put both legs into one side of his shorts! I tried to not laugh out loud and helped him unbind his legs... his shirt was also on backwards, but I decided we'd leave that one for another time.
Christopher is attending summer camp at his preschool and loves playing with the high school boys who are counselors for his class. What a treat to have older *boys* to play with at the park and during all of their camp activities. He runs and jumps and swings from the monkey bars exactly like a monkey. He comes home with a new scrape or bruise (or two) every day and is so happy doing what he loves... moving! It dawned on me this past weekend that perhaps Christopher will grow up and become a parkour practioner. At times, it seems as if he's already doing so.
Evelyn is continuing to blossom and reveal what a treat she is to all of us. We all love to chat with her and make her smile and she has shown us how much she loves being in the middle of our family's daily bedlam. Today she fell asleep for both of her naps on the living room rug while we read and played close by. I happened to notice she wasn't reaching for her toys and peered over her shoulder to see her fingers in her mouth with her other arm flung over her head... eyes gently closed and snoozing contentedly.
Evelyn's two first teeth are on their way up, but we know this only because she gnaws on anything she can clumsily guide to her tiny mouth. Does she cry and fuss about it? Amazingly, no... and a few weeks ago at just 2.5 months, she started sleeping 9-10 hours straight at night. Wonder Girl.
This past weekend we celebrated the Fourth of July in high Evanstonian style. We joined the morning games with our neighbors at the park. Favorites include the watermelon and pie eating contests (only in America, no?!), the Penny Scramble and the Egg Toss. Because, really, who doesn't like to see someone chuck a raw egg 100+ yards at another person who attempts to catch it?! Christopher got a 2nd place ribbon for kicking the soccer ball a lengthy distance - his delight and surprise was better than anything else. ("Why do I get a ribbon?") We walked down to the parade in the early afternoon and joined our neighbors to take in the numerous bands and local floats for everything from the public library to the SPCA to fracking! We rounded out the viewing with a stop by Hartigan's Ice Cream Shoppe. The rest of the weekend was equally wonderful with drinks at the neighbors' while the kids played too late and two birthday parties.. and about 6 slices of cake between Christopher and Colin.
As I'm writing this, the air is balmy and I'm hearing the first cicadas of the summer. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll see a firefly or two when it gets a bit darker.
**Summer Salads**
Two weeks ago: Rice Salad with Kale and Pesto (recipe uses pasta, I used white and brown rice)
Last week: Ina Garten's Tabbouleh
This week: Farro Salad with Asparagus and Parmesan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)