Two posts in one day is a new blogging frequency record for me. My secret: getting up early, like REALLY early, LONG before anyone else is awake. My prior strategy for achievement in areas of Blogging, as well as areas of Exercise, Laundry, and Home Organization, was to wait until after children’s bedtime. Now, three and a half years after the birth of my first child, I have come to the conclusion that the After Bedtime strategy is totally bunk. After bedtime I usually just sit around and watch brain-numbing TV while wearing extremely unflattering pants and eating foods laden with saturated fat. This activity (non-activity?) would perpetuate into late hours, and then my own bedtime would be late enough so that in the morning my girls would be my alarm and I would stumble down in my robe and greet them with morning breath and eyes contact-less and squinty. I’ve decided that I can stand to cut out several hours of the time that I spend numbing the brain, and exchange those hours for an earlier bedtime, which can facilitate an earlier wake-up. I’m much more inclined to work out, blog, and clean in the morning, when my spirit is still fresh and unbroken. I will be so much more productive this way. Besides, then I can wake my girls looking more June Cleaver and less Grandmama Frump.
So, this newfound diurnal activity affords me the chance to recount a few recent moments of note.
J Monday night, we went to the Spring Fling at Ellen’s preschool. This is basically a super-fun time for all the kids – tons of crafts, a fish pond, a duck pond, parachutes, a giant jumper…you get the idea. Ellen made a hat, and a flower. Here she is:
After the Fling, we went to dinner. With her hat still on her head, and a look of extreme concentration and focus, Ellen meticulously twirled her fork to pick up her noodles. This was quite an adorable display, but not as adorable as the moment outside the restaurant. She and I held hands as we walked through the parking lot, and I stepped on a rock, wobbled on my feet a bit, and uttered a “whoa!” Ellen’s little hand tightened around mine, and she said, “I’ve got ya, Mama.” I’m not sure why those precious moments seem even more memorable and sweet when they happen while my daughter is wearing a construction-paper hat with pipe-cleaner antennae, for example. But the ridiculous-looking things that she makes and wears so proudly serve as fabulous visible reminders of her innocence and vulnerability, at least for me. They make me want to scoop her up and say “Nope - I’ve got you.” But this time I just said "Geez, I'm glad you were there.”
J Yesterday’s humidity made me bust out a short skirt, which necessitated a quick dip in the tub with a razor and soap. Ellen heard me splashing around, and asked what I was doing.
“Taking a really quick bath,” I said. She walked right over to the tub, and with an air of concern and interest which was mature beyond her years, she asked, “Would you like to use one of my bath toys?” I seriously enjoy these moments during which I can smile and laugh inwardly, but outwardly respond with composure, “No thank you, but I really appreciate the nice offer.”
J Dave’s dream of raising little soccer players is materializing. He took Ellen to get a ball and a bunch of cones. She loves to play, and plays while wearing anything. To wit:
J Again, my sweet Cecilia, absent in my post. Here’s her new camera smile. We’re working on it.
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