Emmeline's comfy spot
The hunt is on
Oh thanks, I didn't see that one!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Easter briefly in photographs
My apologies for this bad layout. Don't have time to fix ...
Emmeline's comfy spot
The hunt is on
Oh thanks, I didn't see that one!
Emmeline's comfy spot
The hunt is on
Oh thanks, I didn't see that one!
Reflection
Dear woman whom I passed on the street:
We walked by one another today, you and I. Me, carrying Emmeline, and you, walking with a small child with a teeny, tiny bundle of a baby wrapped to your chest.
We made eye contact and you stared at me, defiant. Or angry, or defensive. Maybe you thought I was judging your appearance: long-to-the-waist multiple braids of brown hair, set off with beads of many colors within the braids; loose, flowing, unisex clothes; Birkenstocks. Your child was indistinguishable as a boy or girl.
You probably glanced at me, fresh out of our SUV, in a white blouse and tidy blonde pony tail carrying toddler in white (!) cordouroy dress with pink tights and pink shoes, and thought I was not someone you would befriend.
But I wasn't judging your clothes, or your hair, or your somewhat grimey child. What caught my eye was the exquisitily tender manner you held the child's hand, and gently, subtly corrected his path as he wandered too close to the road. I watched the child glance at you full of awe, love, and wonder. I saw at the same time how you never stopped touching your newborn's back and legs. The three of you were so beautiful in that moment, so loving. I hoped I sometimes look like that.
So, I wasn't judging you. I wish I had turned to say your kid is amazing, and good job. You seem to already know.
We walked by one another today, you and I. Me, carrying Emmeline, and you, walking with a small child with a teeny, tiny bundle of a baby wrapped to your chest.
We made eye contact and you stared at me, defiant. Or angry, or defensive. Maybe you thought I was judging your appearance: long-to-the-waist multiple braids of brown hair, set off with beads of many colors within the braids; loose, flowing, unisex clothes; Birkenstocks. Your child was indistinguishable as a boy or girl.
You probably glanced at me, fresh out of our SUV, in a white blouse and tidy blonde pony tail carrying toddler in white (!) cordouroy dress with pink tights and pink shoes, and thought I was not someone you would befriend.
But I wasn't judging your clothes, or your hair, or your somewhat grimey child. What caught my eye was the exquisitily tender manner you held the child's hand, and gently, subtly corrected his path as he wandered too close to the road. I watched the child glance at you full of awe, love, and wonder. I saw at the same time how you never stopped touching your newborn's back and legs. The three of you were so beautiful in that moment, so loving. I hoped I sometimes look like that.
So, I wasn't judging you. I wish I had turned to say your kid is amazing, and good job. You seem to already know.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Skill Set of an 18 month old
1. Do hand motion to "the wheels on the bus"
2. Sing in the car -- ee ii ee iii ohhhhhhhhhh
3. Climb out of crib
2. Sing in the car -- ee ii ee iii ohhhhhhhhhh
3. Climb out of crib
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Extreme Caution: Family Habitat
Yo, spring break moms, how's it going? Long week much? Rain, snow? Most years we stay in Portland. This year we had enough free tickets and hotel nights to actually GO somewhere. And, Palm Springs it was.
Extreme excitement. Hyperactivity. Lots of discussing suitcases. Purchasing of sunscreen. Purchasing of swimsuits. And shorts. And watershoes.
I will shield your eyes, dear reader, from my thoughts on traveling with a still nursing on demand toddler (one word: waterpark), three hour lay overs, and how cranky retirees in Palm Springs do not find chirpy, expressive Emmeline cute. At all.
Rather, let's focus on the highlights, shall we?
Palm trees!! 82' heat!!!
Yes, we DID see a rattlesnake on the path! How funny would it be to put something like that above our front door -- EXTREME CAUTION ...
Very neat palm oasis
Later at the zoo!
Emmeline's favorite? The giraffes. We viewed the badger, a first for us all. I will never consider the Corgi the same; they look so alike!
How are you all spending spring break? Cleaning closets? Washing comforters? Visiting interesting places?
Do tell!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Ten Books about Large Families - borrowed from anonymous author
Ten Circles Upon the Pond -- a MUST READ!
Spencer’s Mountain by Earl Hamner Jr Anyone who lived through the 1970s will have watched The Waltons and seen the adventures of those seven kids on the mountain. Published in 1961, this novel was the basis for that long-running TV series. Hamner grew up in rural Schuyler, a village in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Heart-warming trials and tribulations. It was also made into a 1963 movie with Henry Fonda.
The Gathering by Anne Enright
Winner of the 2007 Man Booker Prize, this novel features an Irish family with nine children. Veronica, the narrator, examines her family’s troubled past following the funeral of her alcoholic brother, Liam. Not many laughs but acclaimed by the critics.
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta von Trapp
Published in 1949, this memoir was written by the world’s most famous nun prior to Mother Teresa. She went on to become a baroness and her story became the legendary musical and movie, The Sound of Music. Doe, a deer, a female deer, ray, a drop of golden sun…. you know the rest.
The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West (aka Andrew E Svenson)
A series of books published between 1953 and 1970, the cheerful Hollisters were a mystery-solving family of five children, their parents, a family of cats, and a dog. Jerry West is a pseudonym. The Hollisters was based on Svenson’s own real-life family of six children, who were raised in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
Eight is Enough by Tom Braden
Published in 1975, Bradon released the autobiographical book, Eight is Enough, which inspired a TV series of the same name starring Dick Van Patten. The book focused on his life as the father of eight children but the TV series had little in common with his writing.
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth, Jr. & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Published in 1948, this memoir tells the story of time and motion study and efficiency experts Frank Gilbreth and Lillian Gilbreth, and their 12 children. It became a movie in 1950. The title refers to Frank’s jokey reply to the frequent questions about why he had so many kids. A sequel, Belles on Their Toes, was published in 1952.
The Kennedys: The Third Generation by Barbara Gibson & Ted Schwartz
Rose and Joe Kennedy Sr had nine children and, of course, their siblings formed the basis of America’s most powerful political family but how can one family be dogged by so much tragedy? Joseph Jr (killed in WW2), John (assassinated president), Rosemary (botched brain surgery), Kathleen (died in plane crash), Eunice, Patricia, Robert (assassinated), Jean and Edward.
The Trolley Car Family by Eleanor Clymer
Clymer, who died in 2001, was a writer of children’s books and is best known for The Trolley Car Family, where the father loses his job at the struggling trolley car company. He ends up with his trolley and drives it into the country at the end of an old line where his large family begins a new life. Published in 1947.
Franny and Zooey and other short stories by J.D. Salinger
The Glass family, where there are seven children, is frequently featured in Salinger’s writing including the novel Franny and Zooey, as well as short story collections of Nine Stories and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction.
Spencer’s Mountain by Earl Hamner Jr Anyone who lived through the 1970s will have watched The Waltons and seen the adventures of those seven kids on the mountain. Published in 1961, this novel was the basis for that long-running TV series. Hamner grew up in rural Schuyler, a village in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Heart-warming trials and tribulations. It was also made into a 1963 movie with Henry Fonda.
The Gathering by Anne Enright
Winner of the 2007 Man Booker Prize, this novel features an Irish family with nine children. Veronica, the narrator, examines her family’s troubled past following the funeral of her alcoholic brother, Liam. Not many laughs but acclaimed by the critics.
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta von Trapp
Published in 1949, this memoir was written by the world’s most famous nun prior to Mother Teresa. She went on to become a baroness and her story became the legendary musical and movie, The Sound of Music. Doe, a deer, a female deer, ray, a drop of golden sun…. you know the rest.
The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West (aka Andrew E Svenson)
A series of books published between 1953 and 1970, the cheerful Hollisters were a mystery-solving family of five children, their parents, a family of cats, and a dog. Jerry West is a pseudonym. The Hollisters was based on Svenson’s own real-life family of six children, who were raised in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
Eight is Enough by Tom Braden
Published in 1975, Bradon released the autobiographical book, Eight is Enough, which inspired a TV series of the same name starring Dick Van Patten. The book focused on his life as the father of eight children but the TV series had little in common with his writing.
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth, Jr. & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Published in 1948, this memoir tells the story of time and motion study and efficiency experts Frank Gilbreth and Lillian Gilbreth, and their 12 children. It became a movie in 1950. The title refers to Frank’s jokey reply to the frequent questions about why he had so many kids. A sequel, Belles on Their Toes, was published in 1952.
The Kennedys: The Third Generation by Barbara Gibson & Ted Schwartz
Rose and Joe Kennedy Sr had nine children and, of course, their siblings formed the basis of America’s most powerful political family but how can one family be dogged by so much tragedy? Joseph Jr (killed in WW2), John (assassinated president), Rosemary (botched brain surgery), Kathleen (died in plane crash), Eunice, Patricia, Robert (assassinated), Jean and Edward.
The Trolley Car Family by Eleanor Clymer
Clymer, who died in 2001, was a writer of children’s books and is best known for The Trolley Car Family, where the father loses his job at the struggling trolley car company. He ends up with his trolley and drives it into the country at the end of an old line where his large family begins a new life. Published in 1947.
Franny and Zooey and other short stories by J.D. Salinger
The Glass family, where there are seven children, is frequently featured in Salinger’s writing including the novel Franny and Zooey, as well as short story collections of Nine Stories and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Timing is everything
Like many many internet families we have been hit with germs this month. Again, and again. And again. Lady Irony has also been dancing around: remember when Nolan couldn't take upper level math because of his cognitive skills test score of 93 (read about it here!) ? This week he took the placement test for next year.
Now, Nolan is not a complainer. So I stared at him extra long when he mentioned early in the week he wasn't feeling well. I felt his neck extra long when he said he felt bumps in his neck. Still he looked chipper and didn't slow down. He did have a bit of a cough, though.
Well, the day he took the placement test he came home very tired. And dark under the eyes, and coughing. And feverish. Guess what? He had walking pneumonia. That's right, the day he took this high stakes test he was in dire need of antibiotics and a soft bed.
Emmie has been fighting her share of germies although you wouldn't know it:
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