It's hard to get her dainty little voice on tape, so I hope you can hear her! I can listen to her sing all day :) So precious to my ears!!
Three weeks gone by
10 years ago
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Down on the farm!
Getting in the fall spirit . . my MOPS group took an outing to "The Farm." We got to do all the fun things that you would expect from a farm. Played on bails of hay, took a hayride to the pumpkin patch to pick a pumpkin, went through the hay maze and rode down the giant slide at the end, and of course we saw all the animals!
New friends! This is 4 year old Laylohna with Ella. They were instant buddies! Laylohna's mommy is the leader of my small group.
I loved this picture. They were holding onto eachother during the hayride!
New friends! This is 4 year old Laylohna with Ella. They were instant buddies! Laylohna's mommy is the leader of my small group.
I loved this picture. They were holding onto eachother during the hayride!
Monday, September 29, 2008
First exam
Danny is signed up to take his first licensing exam this Saturday, on the topic of "Pre-Design" . . please don't ask what that means! Just say a little extra prayer for him! He's been studying as much as possible and he says he's not anxious. There are 7 all together so this is just the beginning :)
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Don't forget . .
The first Presidential debates are on tonight, 9:00pm EST. MSNBC will be re-playing it on Sunday afternoon. John McCain has announced he WILL be there so there's no reason not to watch! I know everyone knows how very important this elections is going to be this year - get informed! Happy viewing :)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Dali Mama's Blog
I get a lot of online newsletters from all sorts of parenting publications and websites and today I got this blog entry from a woman who calls herself the Dali Mama and is a writer for Wondertime Magazine. I enjoyed the read :) Hope you do, too!
Growing Up:
In the deep of night, I am inclined towards heartbreak. I lie awake with the muscle in my chest beating like a metronome, ticking away the rhythm of life's passing, while outside the cicadas answer with their own clicking, also like a metronome, like a bike shifting gears, like a person in Greek mythology doomed to clip their toenails forever. I regret every time I've spoken sharply to the children, every time I've answered curiosity with distractedness, met need with impatience, countered gentle trust with self-importance. In the night, these occasions spook around me like the ghosts of Bad Behavior Past, hauntingly distorted.
I'm not being hard on myself, not exactly. I don't expect perfection. I know that I have appreciated this journey: inhaled the children's hair and smiles, crouched down to listen, lay down to comfort. Every day I have gathered handfuls of my own gratitude and flung them skyward, exalted; I have knelt down in gratitude to press my humble face to its grit.
But, oh, I have taken so much for granted. I am thinking of it now because Ben and Birdy have both launched themselves into a more distant orbit of independence — each in their own style, and, really, in ways that aren't precisely mine to describe here. And it's all as it should be, of course, this stretching out and away. Friends, widely ranging interests, even a hint of rejection. All is healthy and right. But.
But there were times that I experienced the glut of their affection as something more like seeping water in the basement — a constant, mildly exasperating phenomenon — rather than the staggeringly beautiful, wild and rainbow-haloed waterfall that it was. Do you know what I'm trying to say? It's like the guy who was in love with you since fifth grade — that total sweetheart, utterly devoted, who was treated for years and years to your friendly, condescendingly tolerant disinterest. And then one day, your junior year of high school, he suddenly had his arm around some pretty, reciprocating someone, and you were like, "What? What about me?" You know?
Okay, maybe that's a bad metaphor. Neither Ben nor Birdy has turned their devotion towards a new mother. But for so long it was babies babies everywhere and not a drop to drink. They were in the bed, in the sling, in the front pack, the back pack, hanging from boobs like predatory lampreys who would never be satisfied, they were looking at me like I was a movie star crossed with an actual celestial body, they were grinning, laughing, nursing, crying, all in the world's tightest orbit.
And I sometimes sighed when they wanted to be carried. I sometimes groaned when they climbed into bed. Mostly I didn't. But often I felt like it was never going to end, like their complete attachment was this permanent fact of life, to be enjoyed or suffered, depending. Only it wasn't. The bodies extend out and away from us, and as the children grow up, so we recede a little bit. It's both beautiful and sad. Do I sound like a hideous narcissist? I'm not the center of their universe anymore, wah, wah, wah. Or even I'm still the center of their universe, but they don't turn to me like they're photosynthesizing plants and I'm the sun, or at least not quite as much as they used to. Wah wah wah.
That's not quite it. It's just this bit of grief in the night for what tenderness has passed. This bit of grief that makes me sit up when Birdy staggers in — I'm so happy to see her! — and makes me stretch my arms towards her from the bed, and say, "What is it my love?" I am attending to her with every cell of my being; I am radiating presence like it's a fire in my heart. "Well," she's saying, and I'm here! I'm listening! Oh, the weight of this small, sleepy person leaning against me in the dark! "Well, Mama, you know that kind of hard headband? Not those stretchy ones but those hard ones that kind of go, like, over the top of your head?" "I do, honey. What about them?" She's already pulling the covers tight over the small hump of her shoulder, cozying up in that proprietary way that I love. "Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if you knew." And so she's asleep again, and I am awake still, but I am whole.
Growing Up:
In the deep of night, I am inclined towards heartbreak. I lie awake with the muscle in my chest beating like a metronome, ticking away the rhythm of life's passing, while outside the cicadas answer with their own clicking, also like a metronome, like a bike shifting gears, like a person in Greek mythology doomed to clip their toenails forever. I regret every time I've spoken sharply to the children, every time I've answered curiosity with distractedness, met need with impatience, countered gentle trust with self-importance. In the night, these occasions spook around me like the ghosts of Bad Behavior Past, hauntingly distorted.
I'm not being hard on myself, not exactly. I don't expect perfection. I know that I have appreciated this journey: inhaled the children's hair and smiles, crouched down to listen, lay down to comfort. Every day I have gathered handfuls of my own gratitude and flung them skyward, exalted; I have knelt down in gratitude to press my humble face to its grit.
But, oh, I have taken so much for granted. I am thinking of it now because Ben and Birdy have both launched themselves into a more distant orbit of independence — each in their own style, and, really, in ways that aren't precisely mine to describe here. And it's all as it should be, of course, this stretching out and away. Friends, widely ranging interests, even a hint of rejection. All is healthy and right. But.
But there were times that I experienced the glut of their affection as something more like seeping water in the basement — a constant, mildly exasperating phenomenon — rather than the staggeringly beautiful, wild and rainbow-haloed waterfall that it was. Do you know what I'm trying to say? It's like the guy who was in love with you since fifth grade — that total sweetheart, utterly devoted, who was treated for years and years to your friendly, condescendingly tolerant disinterest. And then one day, your junior year of high school, he suddenly had his arm around some pretty, reciprocating someone, and you were like, "What? What about me?" You know?
Okay, maybe that's a bad metaphor. Neither Ben nor Birdy has turned their devotion towards a new mother. But for so long it was babies babies everywhere and not a drop to drink. They were in the bed, in the sling, in the front pack, the back pack, hanging from boobs like predatory lampreys who would never be satisfied, they were looking at me like I was a movie star crossed with an actual celestial body, they were grinning, laughing, nursing, crying, all in the world's tightest orbit.
And I sometimes sighed when they wanted to be carried. I sometimes groaned when they climbed into bed. Mostly I didn't. But often I felt like it was never going to end, like their complete attachment was this permanent fact of life, to be enjoyed or suffered, depending. Only it wasn't. The bodies extend out and away from us, and as the children grow up, so we recede a little bit. It's both beautiful and sad. Do I sound like a hideous narcissist? I'm not the center of their universe anymore, wah, wah, wah. Or even I'm still the center of their universe, but they don't turn to me like they're photosynthesizing plants and I'm the sun, or at least not quite as much as they used to. Wah wah wah.
That's not quite it. It's just this bit of grief in the night for what tenderness has passed. This bit of grief that makes me sit up when Birdy staggers in — I'm so happy to see her! — and makes me stretch my arms towards her from the bed, and say, "What is it my love?" I am attending to her with every cell of my being; I am radiating presence like it's a fire in my heart. "Well," she's saying, and I'm here! I'm listening! Oh, the weight of this small, sleepy person leaning against me in the dark! "Well, Mama, you know that kind of hard headband? Not those stretchy ones but those hard ones that kind of go, like, over the top of your head?" "I do, honey. What about them?" She's already pulling the covers tight over the small hump of her shoulder, cozying up in that proprietary way that I love. "Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if you knew." And so she's asleep again, and I am awake still, but I am whole.
Rain Rain . .
It's that time of year in Seattle! Ella and I went out and picked out her new rain boots and slicker! She's still wearing them around the house :)
Layla's PT
Layla's PT appoitnment went really well today! Our physical therapist was very impressed with all the progress she has made in the past 4 weeks. She felt like her core stomach muscles could use a little work so we have some excercises to do to help stregnthen her some more, but other than that all is well! She thought in 4-6 weeks Layla could be toddling around :) We will go back in 6 weeks to make sure she is still making progress and that should be our final visit!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Little chef!
Ella helped me make stuffed shells for dinner tonight.
She was very into the mixing and stirring!
It was all fun and games until some of the "batter" got onto her hands!I think Santa will be bringing her an apron.
And a hair net!
As always, if Ella is doing it, Layla wanted to be in on it too! What a little goof-ball!!
She was very into the mixing and stirring!
It was all fun and games until some of the "batter" got onto her hands!I think Santa will be bringing her an apron.
And a hair net!
As always, if Ella is doing it, Layla wanted to be in on it too! What a little goof-ball!!
Eat your heart out Wiggles . .
IT'S THE DOODLEBOPS!!! That's right - we had 5th row seats, center stage at the Doodlebops concert! Who knew I would've been so excited :) I'm not afraid to say it was a fun show and we'll go back next year!
Ella and I LOVE Dede Doodle and Ella especially liked the show when Dede sang solo "When The Lights Go Out" - I like that song, too :)
Layla waiting to go in to the show.
Once the music started, she was jammin!
Ella and I LOVE Dede Doodle and Ella especially liked the show when Dede sang solo "When The Lights Go Out" - I like that song, too :)
Layla waiting to go in to the show.
Once the music started, she was jammin!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Quick update
For all you hardcore Brindisi bloggers :) just wanted to let you know we are still here but it's been a ridiculous week! Last Wed Layla was up with a stomach bug (or so we thought) but it eventually just turned into a nasty cold. Unfortunately, by Friday Ella and I were both very ill with a stomach flu - dehydrated and all!! - and by Sunday Danny was sick with it as well and we spent all Sunday night and Monday morning in the hospital! Soooo . . we are just trying to recover at this point and I am just really praying that Layla doesn't get sick with it!!
I'll post again with some pics later! I'm taking Layla back for her PT check on Thursday - she has made such awesome improvements! In fact, just tonight, she took one little step on her own and then fell . . I was thrilled!
While in bed, we did manage to watch the Auburn game! I was impressed with how well we played - I expected a beatdown - so WAR EAGLE - even if we did lose! What a fight!Danny doesn't think we'll beat Alabama this year :( Where's the faith?!?!?!
I'll post again with some pics later! I'm taking Layla back for her PT check on Thursday - she has made such awesome improvements! In fact, just tonight, she took one little step on her own and then fell . . I was thrilled!
While in bed, we did manage to watch the Auburn game! I was impressed with how well we played - I expected a beatdown - so WAR EAGLE - even if we did lose! What a fight!Danny doesn't think we'll beat Alabama this year :( Where's the faith?!?!?!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
MOPS!
The girls and I attended our first MOPS (Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers) meeting today! It is an international, Christian based mom's group! It's only taken 2 1/2 years but I feel like I have found a place I love and belong - finally! The best part about it was Ella & Layla finally were "on their own"!
I've been soooo blessed to be able to do what I want in life - be a mom and better than that, I get to be at home with my girls everyday - and there is no place else I'd rather be! But just like any other job - a little break can sometimes be the best thing for everyone! The girls have yet to even stay in our church nursery for an entire service. I was getting embarrased about having to be paged every 10 mins so now they just stay with us in the sanctuary and, believe it or not, they always do amazingly well!!
BUT today they each went to their own classroom for 2 hours! Ella did awesome!! I went into it with a lot of anxiety because I assumed they would scream and than I'd be miserable - but the minute Ella saw other girls her age and DOLLS! she waved goodbye to me and walked away! Layla was not as easy but she survived! The teachers told me she cried for about 45 mins on and off but after that got on the floor and played and had snack and all that great stuff! I really feel like it is a blessing in my life that the girls now have a place without mommy and I can go to a place where I get rejuvinated and share experiences with other mommies - even if it is jst 2 hours, twice a month! They have a bible study begins next month that I am looking forward to!
Ella wanted to make a lasting first impression with her outfit! I'm going to have to keep a running tally of how many days in a row she wears that skirt!
I've been soooo blessed to be able to do what I want in life - be a mom and better than that, I get to be at home with my girls everyday - and there is no place else I'd rather be! But just like any other job - a little break can sometimes be the best thing for everyone! The girls have yet to even stay in our church nursery for an entire service. I was getting embarrased about having to be paged every 10 mins so now they just stay with us in the sanctuary and, believe it or not, they always do amazingly well!!
BUT today they each went to their own classroom for 2 hours! Ella did awesome!! I went into it with a lot of anxiety because I assumed they would scream and than I'd be miserable - but the minute Ella saw other girls her age and DOLLS! she waved goodbye to me and walked away! Layla was not as easy but she survived! The teachers told me she cried for about 45 mins on and off but after that got on the floor and played and had snack and all that great stuff! I really feel like it is a blessing in my life that the girls now have a place without mommy and I can go to a place where I get rejuvinated and share experiences with other mommies - even if it is jst 2 hours, twice a month! They have a bible study begins next month that I am looking forward to!
Ella wanted to make a lasting first impression with her outfit! I'm going to have to keep a running tally of how many days in a row she wears that skirt!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
AU wins! . . . kind of!
We got to see out first Auburn game out here tonight and I have to say I'm a little disappointed in what I'm seeing!! I'm going to hope that things come together before next week or I am a little nervous to see what LSU will do to us!! Danny was trying to explain our new spread offense - what was wrong with the old offense?!? I know we've always had a strong defense - but can defense really win it all, all the time?!
BUT we did look cute while watching the game :) And isn't that really all that matters in the end! It'd be great to have some other "tigers" around to tailgate on the couch with :)
Layla learned ther "touchdown cheer!" I thought we'd get to see it put into action :(
I think even Layla was getting frusterated and wanted to change the channel!!
Danny snapped this right as Layla was going to bed! What an angel!!
BUT we did look cute while watching the game :) And isn't that really all that matters in the end! It'd be great to have some other "tigers" around to tailgate on the couch with :)
Layla learned ther "touchdown cheer!" I thought we'd get to see it put into action :(
I think even Layla was getting frusterated and wanted to change the channel!!
Danny snapped this right as Layla was going to bed! What an angel!!
Friday, September 12, 2008
One more step . . .
Layla is now walking with the corn-popper on her own - without us having to steady it for her!
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