- When we go on walks together he uses one hand to hold mine and the other to find his belly button. He puts his little finger on it and doesn't let go.
- I've taught him several new words including dapper and mess. We're currently working on delicious. Yum is functional, but delicious is functional and fun.
- I've also taught him to do up his own buckles. He finds them fascinating and will play with them for twenty minutes at a time.
Livvy Loo
- Her favorite thing is to tell me how fast she is. After spending twenty minutes in the bathroom, singing to herself while she does her business, she'll run out with a big grin on her face. "Was I so fast!? My body just wants me to go fast in the potty!"
- I recently went on a shoe raid after she'd gone to bed. She insisted on wearing her favorite shoes which were a size too small. Five minutes into any car ride she'd start howling. "The shoes are pinching my toes!" This might qualify as a cruel to be kind moment.
- I am so so so glad skinny jeans are trending. I love to dress Livvy Loo in skinnies. Her long legs and tiny waist size make them uber adorable. I ignore the wealth of skirts and dresses bursting out of her closes so I can see her in her skinnies. Particularly since she practically refuses to wear the adorable jean vest hanging in her closet. As soon as I turn my back it's on the floor. I think she thinks it's a jacket. Either, it doesn't work in any outfit because it doesn't stay on.
Ella Belle
- The best times are when it's just me and her and there's nothing to distract us and she talks and talks and talks. She's not one people would consider a talker but she's got a lot to say
- She prefers her tennis shoes to her cute boots or her lace overlay sneakers. Better for having adventures in. A girl after my own heart.
- I walk her to the bus most mornings and often pick her up, too. It's weird. People with kids walk kids to the bus stop. I am not a people with kids. Except I am?
The Middle Brother
- He's stressed out of his mind, poor guy, and being finished with the LSAT hasn't helped. But I have a secret weapon. Orange jello salad.
- Sometimes I linger in the hallway outside of Nol-Man's room when he's going down for the night. The Middle Brother hardly sings anymore. I get it. He's got a wife and kids and more on his plate than any one person can handle (read: why I am in New York). I miss hearing it.
- He wore a pair of awesome, pink sunglasses on his company's breast cancer awareness day. With his sunglasses and his pink, turned up collar, he looked model worthy. I don't think he'll ever wear the sunglasses again. Tragic.
His Cute Wife
- She has sold two of her paintings. She's done two more to replace them. I'm proud of her for creating.
- She's been putting Nol-Man down for his naps. At first he refused to go down for her. It had been months and months since the last time she'd done it and he just wanted her to hold him and love him and sing to him and play with him. Now he goes down without a fuss because he knows she'll be there, bright and happy and ready to play, when he wakes up.
- She thinks I make the best green smoothies ever. I think. She thinks everything is the best ever so it's hard to know what actually is. In any case, I'm going to keep making them, and she's going to keep eating them (or else) so it's best all around for her to think they are the best ever.
The Ma
- She's been baking bread like crazy. Nearly a batch every day. She hopes to put a stockpile in the freezer. Only problem is, we eat her bread like crazy because yum. I ask you, how did the world ever go from homemade to store bought? Blech.
- She constantly gets lost on these New York roads. They pretty much all look the same so it's not surprising. She makes me do all the driving which I don't mind a bit. I love a good drive on a windy road surrounded by trees in fall colors.
- Ma is an errand runner. She runs errands in Utah. She runs errands in New York. I suspect if she were living in the Alaskan tundra she'd be an errand runner there. I am not ashamed to admit that she wears me out.
Me
- It's important to me the girls are dressed cute for church and school. I take time each night to pick out their outfits for the next day. Ella Belle is consistently one of the best dressed girls at the bus stop.
I've wondered, will this be important to me when I'm a mom to my own kids, or is it just important because they aren't my kids?
I always do my best work for other people. Maybe it's time to do some of my best work for me? Or is that selfish?
I'm confused. - I'm the best lunch packer ever. At least, I'm a much better lunch packer than I was when I first got here. Ma and I don't buy a lot of cookies and things. The Middle Brother's mother-in-law, who was here before us, buys a lot of cookies. I am ridiculously delighted when I pack a couple of cookies or an extra pack of fruit snacks in their lunches, knowing how happy they'll be. Funny. I do everything I can when they're at home to make sure they don't know there's cookies in the pantry or ice cream in the freezer or pretty much any sweet treat anywhere.
I hope I always take time to pack a lunch for my kids. Who knew something so simple could be filled with so much love? - The Middle brother lives in an apartment complex with a dog park. There is not a children's playground. There are a lot of families with children living here. It's a good family sort of place. Yet they have a dog park. And no playground.
When did our world become a place where a place for the dog to run become more important than the children?
I don't get it.
