Rainbows

It was a rainbow day.  A perfect day.  A perfect rainbow party for our little sunshine girl.

 (the layered rainbow jello jigglers may well have been my greatest accomplishment of the day....)

We had a great crowd of Ivy's fans in attendance, friends from the parent center and our college days, family and family friends who I've know for years, a total of 10 little ones running about, playing in the hammock and running with rainbow kites.

Did I mention it was perfect?

(Our yard cleans up pretty well.  I always love this view of the house.  Everything is very green this year...)

I could overwhelm you with pictures... instead I'll refer you (back) to facebook where you can view the lot of them.  Suffice it to say right now that it was a wonderful, memorable weekend, as evidenced by the fact that the house has not been cleaned a bit.  The rest of the weekend included musical theater, a trip to Edgewater, lunch out with my boy, a perfect Mother's Day brunch, steak for dinner, and lots of sunshine-- and I am very, very tired tonight.

Life is lovely.  More pictures of it tomorrow...

Walking

One of the things I love about our neighborhood is the walkability.  Name your amenity, and we can walk to it: the library, the grocery store, a seemingly infinite number of playgrounds, shops, restaurants. Winter hibernation gets us out of the habit and into our cars, unfortunately.  Last night, it was time to get back to walking.

We went to the grocery store, Jack and Ivy and Corydon and I, setting off with a stroller stocked with reusable bags, leashes, drinks, and poop bags, and came home with a stroller laden with cake mix and frosting and strawberries and milk...

The children never rode in the stroller.  They walked the whole way there, and back, and our errand turned to an adventure.  Perhaps it was the cool-crisp sunshine or the way the neighborhood gleamed, green and mowed-- but walking with my children last night was magical.



They wandered and explored and found sticks and pinecones and tiny things on the sidewalk.  For  a long portion of the adventure, they wore plastic bags as a skirt and a tail respectively.  Jack pretended to be a dragon and Ivy pretended to be a frog.  They ran races ahead of me and dawdled behind.  They blew the fluff off of dandelions and balanced on parking lot curbs. They danced and twirled and took forever and listened just perfectly.  Corydon only walked in front of the stroller about half a dozen times.  We took an hour and a half to buy two bags of groceries, and it was perfect.

I am happy for spring and the fact that we will be doing this more often.


This evening we welcomed the quick approach of summer with the iconic meal of burgers and brats at M & W's.  The evening was noteable for two reasons beyond the perfect weather and the extreme cuteness factor of our combined progeny.  One:  we had several extended periods of grown up conversation while all 4 children played.  Quietly.  Together.

Two:  This moment of conversation with my daughter--

Mommy: [sneezes]
Ivy:  Bessyou, mommy!
Mommy: Thank you, Ivy! You are so sweet!
beat
Ivy: No bessyou in MY nose!

Can I tell you how much I love that she calls a sneeze a "bessyou"???  It makes perfect sense, really.  I love this little girl.

Tomorrow is her party.


 We have been knee-deep in rainbows and cupcakes all evening and there is a great deal more to do in the morning, plus a "date" with my boy, before guests arrive at 4.  It promises to be a rich and full weekend... (translation:  don't expect a post from me before Monday...)  Enjoy yours!

Art Walk

Jack had his first art show this week.  It was a big event.

Imagine upwards of 40 children, ranging in age from one year to 7 or so, running rampant in a church basement, jumping around on a stage and dancing to the music in their heads-- and that was the pizza dinner beforehand.  Delightful madness.
As you can see above the show itself was quite the cultured affair.  It was so stinking adorable, and Jack was terrifically excited to show me around, for about 30 seconds.  We saw his two pieces (entitled "constellation" and "rocket"-- can you tell what he's into these days?) and then he was ready to head out to the playground. So much for mingling with other parents in the lovely roomful of preschool art.

 Instead, I mingled out on the playground while the Pre-K crew dashed and climbed and jumped and screamed during a good game of "Daddy Monster".  Many thanks to Saya's dad who took the fall and made those children very happy so the rest of us could stand around and chat.

Ivy had a fine time at the event, too.  She was right there with the kids climbing on the church basement stage, fearless and friendly and very excited to be able to reach the light switches (dinner at the preschool is often punctuated by flashing lights as one little sibling or another dsicovers the bank of switches at the back of the stage.)

And of course she is the master of the preschool playground.  She climbed up and down the play structure once for good measure and then retired to the little house.

This is her "Peek - a - booooooo" face. 

It was a beautiful evening out and a wonderful chance to do something special with my littles.  I was so proud of my big boy and his sense of ownership of this event, his comfort with his friends, his smiles and his (quite amazing!) jumps from the top of the rock wall. I was so proud of my little blondie, her confidence and ease and the way everyone knows her even though she's not actually a preschooler yet.  She's so ready to be, already!

As the sun grew golden we headed home and put two sweaty, rosy children in the tub. 

I think the day wore Jack out, just a little.

Sleep well, all....

Of puppies and ferris wheels

Its been a busy weekend.

Whew.

Today we drove out to Chardon for the Maple Festival -- or as it shall be known henceforth, the Festival of Extorsionism.  Seriously.  Pay to park, then ride tickets were $1, then each ride cost at least 3 tickets... And it was crowded.  I tell ya, festivals aren't what they used to be...

 The gloriously sunny perfection of the day was nearly eclipsed by my righteous anger.

But we totally bought Jack some ride tickets.

The boy was so very excited about the rides, and the smile on his face made me wish we'd sprung for the wristband.  Next time.

The other redeeming feature of this morning's outing?  Bathtub races.
Yes.  Bathtubs on wheels.  Who knew?

We had a leisurely trip home via the Chardon Burger King-- which was really, I think, the best part of the day. The kids ate and played and played and ate. Nat and I shared a sundae.  Jack helped Ivy clamber up to the top level of the climber so they could play together.  "Ivy, let's go in the helicopter!  You  drive, Ivy!"

It makes it all worthwhile, you know?

Yesterday we spent the day in Lakewood so that children and puppies could be babysat by everyone in alternation... it was a carefully scheduled and rather complex day that involved resale events, a haircut, shoe shopping for the kids at the mall, a Magic tournament, pizza, and a benefit auction.  And lots of time of with a puppy.

Pip, or Prince Phillip of Lakewood, is an 8 week-old tri-colored Springer Spaniel and he is such a love.  So soft!  So stumbly!  And he's even sleeping well and taking to the housebreaking very well for my mom.  What a good dog.  The kids are crazy about him. Ivy has even let him lick her a few times.  Jack loves to carry him around.  There is something about a puppy that is so very irresistible.  Luckily we have a perfectly wonderful (and much easier!) grown up dog to snuggle, that helps me resist...

The boy

 Today, he was a lumberjack.  Wielding a double-headed axe nearly as tall as he is, full of concentration and unafraid. 

He loves to help and to flirt with danger, playing with independence through handling sharp knives, trying on "big kid" for size.

When did I get a big kid??

Last night I took some work time at Starbucks and ended up meeting a few Boulevard moms, there for a story-and-hot cocoa night that our little coffee shop puts on a few times a year for our neighborhood school.  (I fell in love with our neighborhood all over again when I found that out!)  I was watching the children in their group, second and third graders most likely, as they fetched their hot cocoa and chatted and gathered, so independently, and I marveled.

Tonight, as we lounged with our toddlers and watched Sprout at Melinda and Will's, M. pointed out to me that the age difference between Jack and our littles-- is about the same as that between Jack and those amazing, grown up children at Starbucks. 

Um,  wow.

I love this big kid, though.  Even if he's all elbows and knees and has a tendency to be rude. 

He's damn cute.  And he's loving and sweet and kind, in spite of all the swords in our house right now.

He's smart and curious and interested in so much, and he has the most wonderful laugh.  He takes care of his sister, watching out for her always even when she doesn't really want his help.  He's figuring out the world one day at a time, our little scientist.  He's not afraid to say what he really thinks, and never lets little social niceties get in his way.  I need to work on appreciating that about him a bit more...

He's funny and ever-so-serious all at the same time.  He's frustrating and joyful and easy, independent and needy, walking the line on the edge of childhood but still my baby.

He's going to Kindergarten soon.  How time does fly.

We're still here...

...and mostly recovered.  Our home has been hit by a bout of illness followed by a bout of "we live with a 4 1/2 year old and an almost-2-year-old".  It's been intense.

The illnesses have passed but the 4 1/2 year old and the almost 2-year-old (thankfully) remain.  They are mostly delightful little humans in between the moments of whining, demanding and not listening (that would be Mr. 4 1/2) and the screaming and tantrumming over slight injustices (that would be little miss almost-2).  Suffice it to say this past weekend had some trying moments.

But I'll leave my venting at the door and use this moment to reflect on the finer points of the two little people sharing our home...

Tonight-- the girl:

She's almost two and sweet as sunshine, full of love and opinions and new words to express it all.  Her speech has been exploding recently.  Every day she  is amazing us with new sentences, new words, her expressiveness and her sense of humour.  She pronounces "water" like "wat-oh" and she is so very polite.  "Help me pick up dat?  Peeese?" "Nank you, Mommy!"  She knows how to take compliments beautifully, a confident "Nanks!" greeting us when we praise her.  She still loves her "nummies" and nurses after naps and at bed and during her (still ongoing) nighttime wakings.  I try not to begrudge her those mid-night snuggles because I know tiny girl will never be this small again and before too long my strong will little girl will not press herself into the crook of my arm and snuggle in, one hand over her eyes, softly peaceful.  Already her independence is growing every day. "Me do it!!!"  A little emphatic elbow pushing away our offer of support, a frustrated yell when we buckle her carseat straps for her...No one will push this girl around, that is for sure.   She tempers her strength with that sunny smile and kisses and pat-on-the-back hugs and sweet questions of concern for others-- "'kay, Jack??"  and it is impossible to be frustrated with her for long. That blond hair is getting longer every moment and still has some curl but she won't leave a bow in and usually impersonates a tiny, doll-beautiful street urchin.  I love her beyond measure.

Tune in tomorrow for the boy.

For tonight, a few more pictures I uncovered from Lulu's recent visit.  I love all the love in these photos...

And-- spring in our neighborhood...

 
Don't you wish you were here?

Illnesses and frustrations aside-- this is a beautiful life, isn't it?

Easter 2012 (the "third time's a charm" edition)

 
Easter morning egg hunt before church....

A quick, breezy visit to Rocky River beach after church....

I loved the study in contrasts, the fluffy-dress princess clambering through the driftwood and sand...

We had a wonderful afternoon, relaxing at home with Gram-Gram, hunting eggs and playing with toys, eating a lovely ham dinner.  Somehow we completely neglected to get a nice, family picture to memorialize the holiday.

But never fear, we did get a picture of the shredded wheat bird's nests we made for dessert.

Some things are just important.