The middle

Sometimes it's tricky to be in the middle.

To not be a baby, but not be at school.

I remember. I'm a middle.

 

But sometimes the really fun stuff comes in the middle.

The peanut butter and jelly.

The creamy candy filling.

Giving mom a hug at any time in the day.

 

 

 

 

Being a middle can bring bits of bliss.

That moments later can turn into fits of frustration.

And fury.

 

And just plain pitiful sorrow.

But moments later, you're back in the game.

Telling a great story with your hands.

And even nap time isn't so bad when you take a pony with you!

 

I love my middle.

I love my little companion during the day.

She'll always be the big sister and the little sister.

And we'll always share the middle together.

Just like we share a middle name.

 

Oh boy!

 

Our baby boy is rounding the corner to eleven months.

And it's with heavy heart that I tell you there's a little more boy then baby in him.

 

 

He wakes up.  He finishes eating.  He lies down for a diaper change.

All the while the same refrain pulses through his head.

"What can I play with? What can I play with?"

And you see the slightly crazed passion in his eyes.

 

I MUST PLAY!!!

 

While this guy loves to pound on a good toy piano, nothing matches the exhilaration of making your own games.

Like pushing all the books in as far as possible.

And demolishing the bookshelf's Zen symmetry.

 

What a fun game, indeed.

The rapid thumping of his restless heart continues.

"What can I play with? What can I play with?"

This will do nicely.

Toss. Toss. Throw.

 

"What can I play with? What can I play with?"

 

Stop the presses!  Mommy straightened the books again.

Attack!!

If I boldly attempt to compose a work email while watching him play, those baby fingers feel a magnetic humming that compels him to speed crawl over.

And before you can cc: a soul, they are tapping on those keys

 like they are living out their life's passion.

So what if he starts group chats with five random co-workers in our Boston high rise?

Look at that face!

 

I love when he can really concentrate on a toy.  All the gears slow down, his breathing eases, and all his focus is on his fine motor skills. And the joy of spinning a wheel.

Those are the brief moments he is one with a toy.  When he stops thinking of what he's doing next.

 

But sooner or later he's hungry.

And the world will stop until there is something decadent like yogurt, or cottage cheese, or Crasisins in  his mouth. And he'll relish in the act of eating - turning his body into his canvas.

 

 

But, after all the hard playing and messes, he'll fuss. 

 

And I scoop him up and he pushes his face in my cheek as hard as he can. And I rub my nose back and forth on his soft cheeks.

 

And I realize.

 

That as long as he loves me and I love him - he'll always be my baby boy.

the sweet school girl

This little one has always been precocious, imaginative, and a bit of a zealot for childhood.

Thankfully, school days haven't squelched the motion pictures that run through her head.

 

When she's really excited, she'll run laps around our little home.

"Whatcha thinkin' about Hal?" we'll ask.

"Oh!  I am just thinking about the greatest thing - that I go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" or "I just imagined that I ran the race and I'm the fastest runner in the whole wide (which she says as white) world!!"

 

But sometimes, we have to reel in that imagination and sit down for homework.

But that doesn't stop her for asking hot chocolate with two marshmallows.

Even when it's 65 degrees outside (Colorado in January is not what it seems, my friends).

 

Keep dreaming sweet girl!

Keep being bright with a keen mind and beautiful spirit.

Don't ever stop dreaming of frolicking with My Little Ponies.

And don't stop asking for chocolate in the afternoon either.

back to routine (or some semblance of it)

With one daddy and one kindergartener back in school, Mommy and the rest of the crew are back to a little quieter routine.  Despite my groaning disappointment at the clock striking 6:55, the mornings themselves run rather smoothly. And by 8:30 I am back home to tackle the rest of the day.

 

So while our chatty wonder girl has been off buzzing at school, I've been able to take some pictures of the two littles still at home. 

 

Here we show some of the excitement of their day.

 

This is the hello face I get to see when I sneak in his room.

Let us note that this is after he proceeded to play during nap time. 

I do love that he is always so enthusiastic to see me.

He always squeals and sometimes he'll do celebratory crawling laps around his crib.

 

Here is what the chief looks like after he actually sleeps.  His hair gets a bit wonky and he tends to be more timid until he wakes up fully.

 

Now he's starting to warm up a bit.

  

This angel baby was out for the count after a morning of errands.  The pediatricians office, two trips to sister's school, and one to the grocery store can take a lot out of a little guy.

I am loving having some quiet moments to focus on this three-year-old. 

She loves flashlights of all sorts and begs to play with them.  On this occasion she pleaded to play with my book light. She was thrilled that she discovered the tricky switch by herself.

 

Despite Mommy's urging, little monkey's still jump on the bed.

(And I kinda like it. Shhh! Don't tell.)

 

We turned on some Disney music and set this happy girl up to paint.

Ah, to be three again.  (And to have those eyes - heaven help me).

Claire is characteristically a curly-q artist. 

 

A girl in her element - one on one time and a chance to be creative!

You know, we're not that different from each other.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2013! I am looking forward to new goals and new adventures with my same favorite crew!