that kid's got talent

Please click to blow up. It's worth it, really. 

It also grows funnier, the expressions more distinct the more I look at it. 

In the words of King Crimson, The more I look at it...The more I like it. I do think it's good.

*As I proudly showed the kid that he was getting laughs all over various places, he admitted he riffed it from a 'Cyanide & Happiness' strip.

basenji central

My friend CW loves Basenji dogs so much that she fosters puppies regularly. She has a houseful right now and wanted us to come by and socialize them. Originally I gave a pretty hard no, because I knew I wouldn't be able to be around puppies and walk away without one.

Of course, I came around and we visited. The one in the upper left corner is one of CW's adult Basenjis. The rest are the foster puppies. I fell in love with the brindle, named Amber (upper right corner), but I was good and did not bring her home. Just so you know, as I write this, my heart is totally breaking about having left her there instead of coming home with us. Another friend of mine has already adopted one of the tawnies. She's a big Basenji lover, too.

Someone else has claimed another one of the puppies, but wanted to be sure she was gentle with little ones, and that's where we come in. Toots and this shyer of the pups were wonderful together. In fact all the puppies really gravitated to Toots because she is just about their size. Captain Comic noticed and commented about it.

Captain Comic loves dogs and researching about different breeds. He was really looking forward to going today. He was especially interested in hearing the barkless dog's yodel.

Mr. Cynic didn't say much, but I just know he was totally squeee-ing on the inside.

Here's a bit of our adventures in Basenji Central:

Here's Captain Comic waiting for a puppy attack. He wanted it so badly. But Toots got it instead. Sorry, I was fending off puppies from her and couldn't take a photo.

This is Amber, with whom I fell in love. 

She was pretty keen on all the kids, too.

Circling pups and Toots, squealing in delight.

Puppy kisses galore.

Captain Comic was so excited to make the puppies come running.

Just look at that giggle face. He's holding it in so hard.

Puppy love! And CW's adults, too. 

The big one is a Basenji mix, all the others are Basenji through and through.

Apologies for the dog butt. Toots and Captain Comic were in seventh heaven here.

See how Amber just seems to belong to us already? NO, wait, stop that! 

Breathe, Cath, leave the puppy be. 

If you love something set it free....

Meanwhile, at home, not long before we went visiting the pups, a certain troublesome terrier raised a bit of hell. I heard the dog door through the garage, and immediately, half a house away, was blasted with a stink so bad... I never smelled anything quite so odiferous in my life. It was the stink of a thousand rotting corpses. It was hideous beyond belief. Captain Comic wrapped his shirt around his face as we tried to chase her out of the house. Lucy was clearly very proud, happy and excited about whatever she had just rolled in and apparently ate. We chased her out, we locked all pet door access to the house. She managed to get back in as we tried to get shampoo and green dog treats galore out to her. We chased her out again, grabbed her and hosed and shampooed her down. The treats didn't help her lethal breath. I went into the fridge for some cilantro, anything full of chlorophyll to fight the stink of rotting zombie off of her breath.

The stinker after we tortured her with bath and breath fresheners.

She is clearly still stoked about whatever she attacked and possibly devoured. 

snack selection brought to you by dayglo pink

I swear, even with all the baking I do, that I try my darnedest to feed my family healthy snacks, made from scratch, with whole ingredients.

But Honey and I went shopping in a specialty store together yesterday and came home with bags of sugar crap, including this:

It's exactly the color of my bedroom until age seven, which permanently put me off to the color pink. It's Pepto Bismol. It's darker than cotton candy, but cotton candy flavored, in a cute box, marked half off.

I think that was what did us in. Half Off.

 I feel sick to my stomach looking at the batter. I think this was the moment that Mr. Cynic said, "Brought to you by Barbie."

Of course, he was riffing from my, "Today's snack selection brought to you by the color dayglo pink!" in my best announcer voice.

 And then the frosting.

But they smelled really good coming out of the oven.

Sorry, used cellphone camera again, this is cupcakes after pink sprinkle sugar. Note how the frosting is kind of melty? Someone couldn't wait for them to cool before frosting. I'm not telling who. I plead the fifth.

Someone else couldn't wait to eat them. Even if they are pink.

Neither could he:

The one to enjoy the pinkitude the most had just awakened from nap, and was a little slow to eat them.

I am not telling you how quickly mine disappeared. Nope, I just won't.

balance points

This week, between the kids' first week home from school and a gazillion doctor appointments - no worries, just getting updates on old stuff - I have not written or edited, seen only a couple of friends for thirty minutes, and the continuing hovering forecast of rain and wearing a boot have prevented trips to the neighborhood pool. We're all a bit stir crazy, one week into summer. And Grandma caught a bad cold and has been off of her usual exercise routine, too.

I think this week was an exercise in finding a routine amidst overall changes.

I have not watered the garden consistently, because it seems the rain will really pour, then not much happens. Then I think the rain will come overnight, and it really doesn't. And it's tougher to drag the hose around the yard with this dang boot.

Captain Comic wants to learn poker, badly, and I want to teach him. Poker was a big influence in my family life when I was a kid, I love playing cards, especially with my dad.We sure had some good Gin tournaments, mano a daughtero. But I know I need a good visual aid for Captain Comic to see all the levels of win, etc. Somehow I need the time and focus to teach him the multi-step processes of poker, when he is compromised in multi-step processing. It will take more than one session, that is for certain. Much frustration will have to be abated, on both parts.

Honey and I had a late night date at a combo pub cinema place last night for our fifth anniversary. We arrived a bit early for the showing of Bridesmaids, and sat at the bar. While we waited, I learned the difference between us and how that difference is a good thing. We were quiet for a moment, so I asked, "What would you like to see in the next five years?

Honey: What do you mean? I can't see into the future.
Me: What would you like to see. What do you want in life?
Honey: I don't know, I'm pretty good. A hot meal, a warm bed, a chance to relaxed a little more.
Me: Really? That's kind of nice.

See, I am always looking around the bend, aiming for something, having big dreams, wanting something, looking for the next adventure. In his way, Honey is content to just be.

At times, this can be a source of frustration for both of us, but I think, at other times, it works to both of our advantages that we come at the world and each other from different angles. I get him off of his butt for an adventure. While it may take a little initial effort, he always seems to appreciate it after the first push. Conversely, he gets me to stay in the moment and just chill and realize that not everything needs to be done right now, not everything needs to be planned or in constant motion. A little stillness is a good thing.

So we find our balance.

I need to find a way to fit writing into the week while the boys are home. I think I will manage that a little better next week, when I don't have so many appointments. Also, Grandma seems to be feeling a little better today and will likely get back to her morning exercises routine, away from the mayhem of home. I know how important her exercise routine is for her. She's better about keeping one than I am.

I have written a summer daily schedule and hung it up for Captain Comic to have a reference as to what this hour of the day is for. Poor guy kept floating around not knowing what to do with himself, leaving a wake of difficult relationships, snack scraps and random detritus until I did.

Toots needs a little more interaction than I've been giving her this week, while I've focused on my medical stuff and whatnot. There's been a bit too much PBS and Netflix children's program selections going on.  I think if the forecast perks up to the sunny side, we'll get to the pool more next week. This will be good for the Capt., too.

Mr. Cynic has been a big help this week, and found ways to hang with his friends and girlfriend. He's getting more and more independent, even if he is still hesitant on the learning to drive sessions.

And, even after all these years, Honey and I continue to learn each other, and how to negotiate what it is that simultaneously drew us to each other, and what drives us most crazy on a daily basis.

Ain't love grand?

It's summer. I think by now, all schools across the country are out for the season, the days are long on light and open hours. Don't forget to enjoy them for what they are, a chance to relax a little more...and maybe have a good adventure,or two.

five

photo: j. gallo

That's my guy, Honey and me, five years ago today. I think this was taken right before our first married kiss.

Everyone should be so in love and able to do this. Sure, marriage isn't all happiness and light, contrary to what fairytales would have us believe, but it is worth the work it takes when you love your partner and can be recognized fully in that, no matter how that love is packaged.

excerpts from both ends of a candle

Friday:
Teen Lock-in in Richmond.
Good youth, good combined fellowships
games, conference, identity discussion, chaperoned
yes I'm crazy and incredibly sleep deprived.

Saturday:
Commute back to Hampton Roads,
drop off someone else's young person,
home to empty house, worn out teen and me.
Shower, near tears tired,
buy present, go to housewarming,
hug people, leave before utter collapse.
amuse friends with wild hair and falling out eyeballs.
home, old twilight episodes viewed through napping ears,
odd dream narrated by Rod Serling
rest of family returns from Busch Gardens,
Honey and I have a date night,
Eight years since our first date.

Dinner out, epic fail, every point of service missed,
given wrong food, missed romantic comedy showing
so we watched a later showing of 3D Thor instead, fun
home, collapse, 6 hours later:

Sunday:
mother's day begun in annoyance, I was first up
except Mr. 6am - Captain Comic.
All three kids, highly uncooperative.
Child Dedication service for Toots

tears, weepy from 3 weeks of sleep deprivation.
Thank goodness I didn't have to sing with the choir.
Go to Lowes, find potted plants for grandma and rose bush for me to plant
Mr. Cynic helped while Honey waited in car with other two who were NOT
getting along.
Catch up with friends and driiiiiive to go
strawberry picking -
perfect, beautiful afternoon, sunripe strawberries
bursting with flavor, friends, kids, homemade strawberry ice cream
Captain Comic hurdled the rows of groundling berries,
Toots ran and ran and ran,
Mr. Cynic ate the best strawberry of his entire life
mutant, twoheaded thing he picked,
kids still arguing on car ride home.
It had been a long ride to Surrey.
Long ride home.

Captain Comic swore he was not going to pick any, do you hear me, mom? None. ha. 

There was more, I just can't recall it all. My brain has leaked out of my ears. And today is my second day of dental work this week. I am not a fan.

But yesterday?  My muse let me grab a comet by the tail. It was a surprising and excellent ride. Gave depth to a critical scene in the manuscript. Yea me!

There's more, plenty more, including gardening and job prospects, but I'm still trying to recover from weeks of go go go. Maybe tonight I'll go to bed early. Please remind me.

welcome the jungle

Whoa is me, I've had an emotional week, a lack of sleep throughout it and my weekend, once again, is packed to the gills.

Wah, Wah, Wah, I hate whining.

Mr. Cynic's concert was incredible. His Jazz Choir is better even than my bragging about it. Toots bounced around her seat and between Honey's lap and mine. Captain Comic had a sensory issue as the audience began to fill the front section around us. An old man kept looking at me like "Why can't you discipline your kid?" So after a few attempts, I decided to let Capt. Comic do what his instincts dictated, and let him have a seat all the way in the back center of the auditorium rather than fight it. I went up to blackmail inspire him to not move from his chosen seat with a threat that if he did so, he would lose all access to screens for a solid week. He stayed put. I turned around to check periodically throughout all three choirs' numbers. As long as I saw his knees hanging over the seat in front of him, all was good. Mr. Cynic's Jazz Choir was on last. During the second to last number - after the Hanna- Barbera Spiderman theme, of course - I felt a tap on my shoulder. and a whisper right in my ear:

Captain Comic: Mom. I need a drink.
Mom:  Go.

The choices we mothers make. I went with finish watching one son as he excels and trust the one to worry about will be okay on his own to find a drinking fountain and not get into trouble. And guess what?  It worked out. I sent Honey to collect him while I took Toots with me to go find Mr. Sparkly Red Vest. It only took a moment before I spotted Honey with Captain Comic in the hall with all of the singers before I even had a chance to hug my singer. Captain Comic beat me to it, literally, with a not so stealth pounce and grab knockdown tackle hug that took down all three siblings, and nearly me as well, as I had nearly reached hug contact with my eldest when he was hug attacked.

Honey took this phone pic of a mom and her progeny after the attack hug. It's really the perfect shot of us all, exhausted and proud mom with her eyes closed, sleepy Toots, grinning from his performance Mr. Cynic, and goofball Captain Comic.

Life is good. Hug your kids, if you've got 'em. Happy Mother's Day.

weepy

I'm having a weird week. I wake up every morning feeling very weepy. I want to put it down to exhaustion and possible perimenopausal stuff.  It's odd, like a biological impulse to cry. I don't feel sad or anything, just as if I will burst into tears over the slightest thing.

Then there was Toots's Preschool Art Show this morning and "Muffins with Mom" event, where I received a bunch of little hand and footprints accompanied by sweet little rhymes.  I swear they're trying to kill me with the cute. I couldn't even read the I leave my Handprints everywhere out loud for Toots when I unwrapped it, without catching a lump in my throat and my eyes becoming inexplicable fountains.

Tonight is Mr. Cynic's high school jazz choir - the one that was Grand Champion in the Myrtle Beach regional competition - Spring Concert.

Help.

I will need a large box of tissues.  I couldn't even make it through my niece's dance recitals over the years. I suppose I can just bring Captain Comic and Toots and go into parental management mode. Nah, it'll never work. Not this week. I think I will just let the tears roll.

Happy Mother's Day to the other weepers out there.

of empires

Yes, I woke up to watch the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate.


I'm awake before six in the morning anyway, as the boys get up to get ready for school every morning. Just typically, I remain in bed a while longer doing that mom wants to sleep just a while longer but has one ear open to what's going on in the house thing. 


This morning, I took over the TV at six. Captain Comic was not pleased, as he usually is watching cartoons or funny animal videos while he downs a giant bowl of milk with some cereal in it. I was just in time to see Kate get out of the car in her gorgeous Princess Grace styled gown. I thought it as soon as I saw it, before the media started discussing that. Let's just say I have a distant obsession with weddings in general and gowns in particular. I am continually amazed at how the music and the pageantry, even when there is not much of it - which of course, today there was - just turn my eyes into waterfalls. I can't control it for anything. Go figure. I acted a bit of a goofball at both of my weddings to try to avoid the tears like the plague. It only worked a little.


Mr. Cynic and Captain Comic peppered me with royal family questions.


Mom: Look, there in the yellow hat is the Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of England and (switch to punctilious voice) Ruler of the British Empire.


Capt. Comic: The British Empire?! There are still Empires?! The only Empire I know is the Galactic Empire! You know - Star Wars?!




I just want to add that with all that pageantry, etc, I thought W&K looked very sweet and comfortable with each other. And that is really what that whole to do was about: love.

sixteen

My first born turns sixteen today.

Fall 1996, Gaga & Papa's house in Ct.

Tears start now.

Not because I'm sad, not because so much of my life has passed in that time, not because I mourn the passing of his childhood.

But because I am very proud of the child becoming a man before my eyes, as only a mother can know. Love keeps cracking me open to my own vulnerabilities and strengths that I discovered through growing him inside sixteen years ago and watching him grow, as best as I can without interfering with his fully realizing himself.

16 on 16:

1. He's a very old soul, and a very old soul is he.
2. He sneezes a lot.
3. He plays a mean electric bass.
4. He's teaching himself guitar.
5. He smirks, always.
6. He sings, really really well, competitively well.
7. He writes songs.
8. He writes books, has since he was in kindergarten.
9. He's fragile, in good ways.
10. He's strong, of spirit, not so much in body.
11. He is very very protective of those he loves.
12. He oozes into furniture, merges, becomes one.
13. He's kind of a space cadet.
14. He has a very dry wit. (Hence calling him Mr. Cynic here)
15. He has good hair.
16. The girls think he's cute, kind of like a pocket rock star.

I love him very much, and I like him, too. He's pretty darn cool. And speaking as his mother, I'm kind of glad he's still a pipsqueak.

Valentine's Day 2011, He let me do this.

I love you, K-Bear, Happy Birthday. 

gardening love

I love to garden. I didn't say I was good at it, but I love it. Sometimes I am orderly and plan ahead well, other times I get ideas. Yesterday involved a bit of both.

First, I have been neglecting the front flower patch's needs for a while and second, I really needed to redo the driveway pots. Captain Comic has picked all the leaves off of two sets of small evergreens, first juniper, then vertical japanese boxwoods. Some of the storms we've had did the final damages. We have flower pots with something tall in them so Grandma and I can navigate around the brick borders of the 'bridge' over the culvert. We can't see them from our five foot two and three perspectives as we back out of the driveway.

Before: if you look way in back you can make out what I am replacing.

These are the pots, new plants,some homemade humus in the wheel barrow

 and some good potting soil with food.

After: left side of driveway, five leaf Akiba.

After: right side of driveway, Carolina Jasmine.

I planted white Star Jasmine which grows on my fence near the wisteria in my backyard a few years ago.

Yes, the brickwork is broken, no I didn't do it.

 It was like that when we moved in. 

One of these days...when I get a Round To-It.

Anyone remember that old 70s truck stop souvenir? Tap-Tap?

I liked the little bird trellises at Lowe's garden center, and they were the cheapest thing that wasn't plastic and still fit my idea for replacing the evergreen skeletons.

Self-portrait of a gardener

I looked down at one point during mulching and discovered I was covered in dirt from head to toe.

Life is good. Go plant something and watch it grow. 

easter aftermath

Have you ever tried to get three families' worth of kids of varying ages to pose together for a holiday shot? This was one of a handful of choices, all fell into the category of close enough. My favorite high school English teacher always said,"that only works in horseshoes and hand grenades," but I believe it's apt for group shots, too. 

We gathered at friends' new home, seriously, they moved in Saturday, and we tried to help but showed up a bit late because it took me that long to empty and clean out my van. So I showed up in a dress with all of my kids and Honey, on Easter morning, and promptly decided I would move their bookcases into a different room. We were there for an Easter egg hunt. 

To back up a bit, we had a weekend full of family, my in-laws galore, not just the ones down the street, we hosted visiting aunt and uncle. Also in Grandma's generation, was a vacationing cousin and all of his nine teenage granddaughters, his daughter, and his wife who were staying in Virginia Beach. So when I joke about the in-law invasion, there's a bit of truth to it, at least in sheer numbers. Thankfully, I was lucky enough not to get the full dose of the nine teenage granddaughters. I managed to only meet two. I can't say the same for Grandma and Toots who got a full dose with a botched and whiny trip to Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg. It'll remain in family lore for generations, I am sure. 

There was also a 50th birthday party for a friend this weekend, which was packed with cake and pies and Easter breads and a potluck, maybe two. I've lost count. And of course Easter baskets galore. I hopped on the scale this morning - hopped is a loose term, it was more of a floorboards creaked trepidacious step - and I have gained five pounds this weekend - even with helping with the move!

Toots love her twirly dress and enjoyed modeling it. Pardon the blur, I wasn't awake yet. I don't think the camera was either.

A lot of sugar was eaten, and not much else especially by a couple of my kids who would have done better to get some more protein and veggies in them over the weekend, and maybe a bit less candy and pies. There was some major sugar fallout this morning. Not that I should say anything, see confession above about gaining five pounds. 

But a weekend full of friends, family, food, fun and sunshine is worth a five pound gain. 

It occurs to me that with the amount of cookie posts, etc., I should have a food tag, shouldn't I? Someday, I'll backtrack and find all the baking and cooking posts and add them to it, but the food tag starts now. :)

I regret I did not get a pie picture. Grandma and her sisters really outdid themselves with the Easter pies this year, and I believe that is mostly to blame for culinary lapse of reason. Auntie B's homemade lasagna may have had a smidge to do with it, too. And the vat of pasta a fagioli I made Friday night, and, and, and......peeps for one. 

Time to get back into an new exercise routine....

all nine kinds of pies

 "But there were all nine kinds of pie that Harold liked best." 
                                                      ~Crockett Johnson, Harold and the Purple Crayon

Easter with my in-laws is full of pie. On Friday, Grandma stood at the stove and stirred Italian cream in the double boiler by the batch. She got a workout and a half stirring homemade sweet Italian cream, at least three batches of vanilla and one chocolate. She also made two ricotta pies. Her sister from the DC area brought pies galore, and her sister who lives down the street made quite a few, too.


Let me see if I can catalog them all:


Grandma made:
1 Vanilla cream pie
1 Pineapple cream pie
1 Chocolate cream pie
2 Ricotta pies
4 Easter Breads


Auntie L made:
1 Vanilla cream pie
2 Barley pies


Auntie B made: 
6 Ham pies
Easter Breads (haven't seen hers yet, can't count them)
1 Veggie lasagna with homemade pasta (Thank you!)
1 vat of "Manest" (here's Rachael Rae's recipe for reference)
and a heck of a lot of other food.
I think her plan is for 2 more sweet pies, too.


I made the Good Friday vat of Pasta e Fagiola. The one day of the weekend that the rest of the family will join me in the vegetarian realm.


There is a ton of more food to be had over the course of Easter and time with all of my in-laws. All of it is made from scratch, and there are only twelve people to feed, one weighing in at a whopping 26 pounds.


Gotta love a family where food equals love - especially in pie form.

ages & stages

The kids
Mr. Cynic is currently approaching his 16th birthday and is away on a trip with his high school competitive choir. I let him pack himself, and only asked a few did you remember type questions. There was a slight problem with a cufflink and studs order not arriving in time and Honey and I scrambling to get a second set the night before the bus pulled out of the parking lot at 6:30am yesterday. Of course a few hours after he was on the road, the online ordered set arrived, so now we own two. Men's formal wear is now covered well in our house, who would ever have imagined that?

Captain Comic is approximately twelve and a half (August he'll be thirteen, lord help me).  He takes a SPED bus to his middle school, and the policy in place until yesterday was that he got off the bus before the rest of the students disembarked from their busses because of his sensory integration issues with crowds. I received an email yesterday that he has been wandering the halls in the mornings and scaring teachers by jumping out from behind corners and doors. In effect, revisiting the topic of either keeping him on the bus until he is released with the rest of the students, or assigning a paraprofessional aide to him during that time period of the morning. I have been talking about his need for a para because of his wandering since Day One at this school last September. I have to say my first reaction was to giggle when I got the email, because I can just picture him and his delighted shifty grin as he jumps out and exclaims, "Waa!" at a select teacher.  He does it often at home.

Toots turned three two weeks ago today, had a princess party and promptly became a rather bratty one after that, with potty training regression included.  This morning's tantrum was of great magnitude. She observes Captain Comic's less desirable behaviors and parrots them. I told her and Honey that we will be having consistent use of time outs to rectify this, and we all need to be on board with it. Her behavior lately has really been unacceptable.

However, she does still have ample cute moments such as when we sat down to dinner last night:

Toots: Where's my bruver [Mr. Cynic]?
Mom: He's in South Carolina for his Choral Competition.
Toots: Well, go pick him up!

Writing
After writing off writing last week during the kids' spring break, I decided it's now or never, and conferred with Grandma to take Toots off my hands so I can get out of the house to write everyday this week for a few hours, while Captain Comic is in school, and Grandma is on board. Monday, I futz around the house while telling myself I would write all morning. I had it all laid out, and couldn't get a grip at all from where I had left off when I last visited my manuscript. I am in the middle of the manuscript in a complete overhaul and found it very hard to work on a chapter that still felt like the prior drafts, when I needed to clearly move forward. I think most of my problem on Monday was that I just had not looked at it in well over a week.

Tuesday, I was excited, having looked at it the day before, to take the manuscript with me out of the house and to my writing group. I wrestled with the chapter, doubted every edit I'd done in this draft and questioned all the work I've done on the book in the past six months, which has been a lot of changes. I kvetched after a couple of hours, and sat back down in front of it and finally saw a way out of the problem I was wrestling with. Then the other writers in my group all started having similar issues with focus and what to do next and decided to break for lunch, right when I found the groove I needed.  It's okay, it happens. I knew I would work on it again the next day at the library.

Yesterday, at the library, I attempted to continue where I left off the day before. It was like typing through drying concrete. The further I went, the slower it got. It was painful to watch myself go through that, because I know what I need to do. I'm just stuck in this middle of the book chapter and know what comes after is pretty well put together; I just need to get through this for the rest to make sense and flow well again.

So here I sit, writing this instead, so that I can process my way out of the concrete, while eating a late breakfast, because Toots was such a pill this morning before preschool, I couldn't get my own stuff together for after her preschool drop off.  But as soon as I finish, I am packing this dang laptop up and heading to my windowed corner of the library to sit with my muse, if she will visit today. I think she will.

she's three

I honestly never thought I would have a daughter. But here she is. And wow, she really does delight me every single day.

Toots, Rock Star

I can't imagine life without her.  Was there a time before this magical little happy being?  Of course there was, actually quite a lot of it. I was 42 when I had her. But to consider I thought she would never be here is mindboggling. Obviously, I know nothing.

I'm certain I could go on weepily and take you down with me, but I will spare you and the tissues.

Three things about Toots as she turns three years old:

1. She has Killer Curls. The big waterfall of curls on her tiny, tiny little frame, seriously, she only weighs 25 pounds, and she is healthy, just squeezably tiny and wiggly and dancey and bright eyed and pouty lipped with those two fingers still stuck between them. She's to die for.  Everyone says so. Everyone also feels the need to stop us where ever we are to tell us how flippingly friggin' cute she is. Yes, I am aware of my motherly bias, but I'm telling you the whole world agrees with me! Her curiosity and singing personality give her physical cutes a serious boost, too. And her little helium voice.

Those curls! She's too fast for me.

Those lips!

2. She's smart. I mean all my kids are smart, but sometimes she comes out with stuff that completely takes me by surprise in her understanding and observation of things. I need to think of an example, which is hard because it is constant. Her language skills are off the charts for her age, too. Again, she's not alone amid my kids in that. In each's own way, they were very linguistically precocious. Of course, Captain Comic was speaking what I believe to have been Japanese due to his excessive watching of subtitled Godzilla movies. Toots also really enjoys figuring out how things work, doing it herself. She is incredibly engaged with the world and people around her.  Oh, here's a small example of her smarts: when she sees the word STOP, anywhere, she says, "Dat says Stop! Dat bewongs on a wed Stop sign!" Hello, people, she's reading and starting to write, and she's just turning three today!  She can write her name all by herself and it's not an easy one.

3. She sings. A lot. She makes up songs about what's happening right now. When Honey is making her lunch for preschool while she eats her breakfast, she sings a 'Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich' song.  Or a 'I'm having a Cheese sandwich for lunch and my Daddy  loves me because he's making it for me song'. She sings an 'I love my dwayons' song when she is dwawing and coworing. She makes up a lot of I love Mommy, I love Daddy, I love Gramma, I love my buvers, I love my Yucy dog, I love my Babette kitty songs. Sometimes she makes up 'I waukin awound da house cause I haf nofing to do' songs.

I loved my boys when they were little, I still do, even now they are so big. But I can not tell you how much the word Delight fits my mothering this girl.  She is a constant surprise and smile and giggle and guffaw and hug and squeeze and I yuv youuuuu.

And before I get too teary and maudlin, I am signing out.  Happy birthday, my big girl!

yes, even this

Poor Toots yakked her way through last night, poor iddo thing.

Honey took care of the bulk of flying her to the toilet and changing out pjs and sheets.

Even as I was aware of the events of the night, through sheer pushing through the stomach bug (i didn't yak) and overscheduled prior several days, last night I couldn't move as quickly as the yaks occurred.

I cuddled her while he changed sheets, he cuddled her a lot more, took temps gave meds, and generally took excellent care of her.  I've been through plenty of nights like this when the boys were little, and not so little, but this was Honey's first go with having a sick all night kid. 

And I have to say, he was a natural.  He cuddled her sweetly. Her complete trust of him was beyond evident, as was his love for her.

This is why I married him.  I knew he had this in him. He's not the most demonstrative guy in the world, but when it really counts, nobody cuddles better.

And now he's off to work, where a big and urgent project awaits....what a trooper.

valentine aspie style

On a mom and son date to DQ:

Mom: Happy Valentine's Day, [Captain Comic].
Capt. Comic: Thanks.(slurps on vanilla malt)
 (pregnant pause)
Mom: You know, you could say it back.
Capt. Comic (glances up, down, slurps): HVD, Mom.
Mom: Thanks, buddy.
Capt. Comic: Oh wait, HVDTY.  There, I said it. Can I have a piece of your chocolate coating?
Mom: Sure.


Now that's love.

valentine

Toots walked up to me a few moments ago and clung to my arm, cuddling and being all sweet. She is still on my lap cuddling and making lovey noises, and smelling like strawberries.  But she greeted me with

I yuv you strawberries and I yuv you blueberries and peaches, and I yuv you, too, Mommy!

And that right there is why I love being a mom on Valentine's Day.

Mr. Cynic went to a Sadie Hawkins dance on Saturday night and there he 'asked out' the girl who 'asked' him to the dance. So now, this afternoon, after school, I need to drive him to her house to 'hang out' for Valentine's Day.

Toots is all lovey, still. Captain Comic had a rough go with homework and getting ready for school. Maybe he'll feel a little more like a Valentine later.

I can't find my wedding photos to post one. If I find them later, I will, because I love that guy I call Honey, too.

Ah, found one.

after the kiss, photo by Joe Gallo

Happy Valentine's Day. Spend it with your loved ones. Or if you're single, alone, etc., Do something nice for yourself.  We should love ourselves, too.

love

Terri Fischer had a great idea (really, go check it out) which spawned an idea that was of course slightly left of center to her idea. But I went with it. Because that's who I am.

Anyway, Love is a wonderful thing. Magical things can happen because of it. Witness:

Captain Comic was wrenched from a homework tirade into writing love on a Post-it and to sit ever so close to Toots who wanted in on the fun. Mr. Cynic changed his a few times because he kept getting a better idea.

Well, Valentine's Day is fast approaching.  Enjoy the ones you love. Everyday.

Dang, I've got goodlooking kids!

utter writer's block and love

I have the house to myself for a few hours this morning and Grandma agreed to pick up Toots from preschool today, which means, likely she'll take her to Wendy's for fries and chocolate Frosty after.

It's the Grandma is picking me up from preschool thing to do.

I am staring at my manuscript. It is staring back. I feel like it's High Noon in an old western and one of us is the sheriff. I just don't know who.

Grandma just walked in, said, "I'm on my way to get her, we're going out for lunch."

So now I hear the long lonely whistle from the theme to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.




And I feel like The Ugly.


So I will shift focus.

There are two routes to preschool, the longer windier one goes by both of the boys' schools and a couple of small fields of horses. It's the one I usually take because Toots and I like to discuss each school and the horses. Excerpt from this morning's transcript:

Mom: The horses on the left are coming right up!
Toots: Wiw day be weawing deir jackets?
Mom: Most likely, if they are awake and out, because it is pretty cold this morning.
Toots: OOO, dere day ahre! Day ahre weawing deir jackets!
Mom (giggles): Yes they are!  Aren't they pretty?
Toots: Oh yes, I yuv da horsies! And I yuv deir jackets! And I yuv dose gween twees over dere! Oooo, and I yuv dat yewwow twuck!
Mom (still giggling): I love those evergreens and that yellow truck, too!  Oh, look at the geese over there! (taps driver side window)
Toots (squealing now): Ooooo, I yuv dose geese! Heyyo geese!  I yuv you! I yuv you, too, Mommy.
Mom (still giggling) I love you, too!

This continues for the last mile, and then she loved her preschool.....

Life is good. Go at it with your heart wide.