A true conversation that I thought I'd never hear:
Me: Do you girls want to go to the swimming pool?
Brooklyn: Sure! But first we have to go home and brush our teeth.
It's not every day that my girls are this enthusiastic about dental hygiene. However, ever since visiting some great friends in Buffalo, New York, they have coveted their children's spinning toothbrushes. Teeth cleaning has been twice the fun since acquiring battery-powered Hello Kitty and Dora brushes of our own.
After convincing Talia to stop using her toothbrush to clean the walls, table, and other furniture, I thought that the brush excitement was generally gone (the batteries may be, too). That is, until I crashed on the couch for a midday nap, and was startled out of my slumber by something attacking my mouth. Jolted awake, I unconsciously grabbed the offending object and chucked it across the room. When I finally figured out what was going on, Talia was standing inches from my face, holding my lips open after having decided that my teeth needed brushing too. In the future, I'd better be more careful about bad breath!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Prayers to a Parent
Lately the girls have become a bit manipulative in their prayers. After a lengthy silent period where she insisted that "Brooklyn say it," Talia finally reopened the lines of divine communication yesterday with the following words: "Bless Daddy, bless Jesus, bless family go swimming pool." At dinnertime, Brooklyn prayed that we would have Fruit Loops for breakfast, go to the library, have a playdate with her friends, and yes, swim at the pool.
While kind of cute, on a deeper level these prayers feel somewhat presumptuous. After all, I'm the parent: I know best about what's most appropriate for the day's agenda. I enjoy hearing what my girls dream of doing, but that doesn't mean they will get sugar cereal for breakfast every day.
In reflecting on my daughters' prayers, I suddenly realized that perhaps my own prayer habits aren't so different after all. When I pray, do I dictate to Heavenly Father my plan about how things "should" work out? Is praying for a specific job opportunity, admission to a particular school, or selection for a special scholarship really all that different from praying for Fruit Loops and a playdate?
I don't think that Heavenly Father minds these prayers: just as I like knowing what my children really want, he cares about the sincere desires of our hearts. Nevertheless, it's important to qualify our prayers with "Not my will, but thine be done." Let's remember that he is the ultimate parent, and as such, he really does know best. He will grant us our righteous desires when such is in our best interest, but sometimes the answer is simply "no." In such moments of frustration, let's trust that he can see farther than we can.
While kind of cute, on a deeper level these prayers feel somewhat presumptuous. After all, I'm the parent: I know best about what's most appropriate for the day's agenda. I enjoy hearing what my girls dream of doing, but that doesn't mean they will get sugar cereal for breakfast every day.
In reflecting on my daughters' prayers, I suddenly realized that perhaps my own prayer habits aren't so different after all. When I pray, do I dictate to Heavenly Father my plan about how things "should" work out? Is praying for a specific job opportunity, admission to a particular school, or selection for a special scholarship really all that different from praying for Fruit Loops and a playdate?
I don't think that Heavenly Father minds these prayers: just as I like knowing what my children really want, he cares about the sincere desires of our hearts. Nevertheless, it's important to qualify our prayers with "Not my will, but thine be done." Let's remember that he is the ultimate parent, and as such, he really does know best. He will grant us our righteous desires when such is in our best interest, but sometimes the answer is simply "no." In such moments of frustration, let's trust that he can see farther than we can.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Definition of a Great Day
In the words of my darling daughter, "Today was a great day."
Despite a dramatic moment when Talia got her fingers jammed in some elevator doors, we really enjoyed our Girls Day Out, with nothing on the agenda but play. When Brooklyn asked me this evening what my favorite part of today was, I thought about our morning chat while weeding the yard, craft time at the library, snuggling together for a lazy afternoon nap, and swimming until the pool closed. Still, my very favorite part of the day happened at nightfall as we tumbled in the house, slightly chilled in our wet bathing suits from the evening air. Instead of serving ice cream for dessert, I broke out the hot chocolate with marshmallows. Even more significantly, we sipped it from real china.
You see, over six years ago, I received this beautiful little china tea set as an engagement gift. Delicately adorned with pretty pink flowers, these charming little dishes have collected dust for years, safe in their packaging as they awaited the "perfect" moment to use them. Well, today I decided that there would never be a more important occasion than drinking hot chocolate with my daughters in August.
After I shared my happy memory of the day, Brooklyn shared hers. She told me that her favorite part was eating macaroni and cheese for lunch. She said it was so good that she wished we could have it for breakfast and dinner too, because then it would be a really great day.
Despite a dramatic moment when Talia got her fingers jammed in some elevator doors, we really enjoyed our Girls Day Out, with nothing on the agenda but play. When Brooklyn asked me this evening what my favorite part of today was, I thought about our morning chat while weeding the yard, craft time at the library, snuggling together for a lazy afternoon nap, and swimming until the pool closed. Still, my very favorite part of the day happened at nightfall as we tumbled in the house, slightly chilled in our wet bathing suits from the evening air. Instead of serving ice cream for dessert, I broke out the hot chocolate with marshmallows. Even more significantly, we sipped it from real china.
You see, over six years ago, I received this beautiful little china tea set as an engagement gift. Delicately adorned with pretty pink flowers, these charming little dishes have collected dust for years, safe in their packaging as they awaited the "perfect" moment to use them. Well, today I decided that there would never be a more important occasion than drinking hot chocolate with my daughters in August.
After I shared my happy memory of the day, Brooklyn shared hers. She told me that her favorite part was eating macaroni and cheese for lunch. She said it was so good that she wished we could have it for breakfast and dinner too, because then it would be a really great day.
Happy Birthday, Calico!
August 12th is a special day for our family, as both my sister and grandfather share a birthday today. Since Grandpa already enjoyed the limelight in his special "75" post, I thought I'd dedicate this one to you, Calico.
In talking to Brooklyn about what we should get Callie for her birthday, she said, "Why don't you make her a baby?"
Sorry sis, can't help you out there, but happy birthday anyway! :)
In talking to Brooklyn about what we should get Callie for her birthday, she said, "Why don't you make her a baby?"
Sorry sis, can't help you out there, but happy birthday anyway! :)
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Breaking Out the Bikini
My wardrobe has a new acquisition--a bikini. This may not seem like a big deal, but those of you who know me well know that I am a one-piece kind of gal. The only bikini that I can remember owning comes from a photograph that I have of me as an infant where I am made decent in the kiddie pool by two festive strawberries tied together on top.
So what inspired the purchase? Waterbirth. Assuming that all goes well, we are planning to take advantage of our hospital's birthing tub when Baby Boy arrives. Of course, this also assumes that we actually make it to the hospital in time for them to fill it up... As for the new bikini, I'm hoping that it will keep me somewhat decent (at least on top) during the whole adventure.
In general, I'm not a huge advocate of complex birth plans: it seems like this idealized vision of a "perfect birth" can lead to disappointment if things don't work out exactly as hoped. Still, water has been my therapy for the last eight months (as evidenced by my lengthy soakings in the bathtub), and I look forward to continuing the trend if possible.
When envisioning this delivery, however, one element is non-negotiable--my husband. I admit that having him so far away right now makes me a bit nervous. As long as Jasper (a family name for all unborn babies) holds off for at least another two weeks, I'll be happy as can be.
In the meantime, the girls and I will continue to enjoy our summer playtime by relaxing in the pool here in Illinois. And just in case you are concerned, I promise to spare you the sight of my basketball belly in a bikini.
So what inspired the purchase? Waterbirth. Assuming that all goes well, we are planning to take advantage of our hospital's birthing tub when Baby Boy arrives. Of course, this also assumes that we actually make it to the hospital in time for them to fill it up... As for the new bikini, I'm hoping that it will keep me somewhat decent (at least on top) during the whole adventure.
In general, I'm not a huge advocate of complex birth plans: it seems like this idealized vision of a "perfect birth" can lead to disappointment if things don't work out exactly as hoped. Still, water has been my therapy for the last eight months (as evidenced by my lengthy soakings in the bathtub), and I look forward to continuing the trend if possible.
When envisioning this delivery, however, one element is non-negotiable--my husband. I admit that having him so far away right now makes me a bit nervous. As long as Jasper (a family name for all unborn babies) holds off for at least another two weeks, I'll be happy as can be.
In the meantime, the girls and I will continue to enjoy our summer playtime by relaxing in the pool here in Illinois. And just in case you are concerned, I promise to spare you the sight of my basketball belly in a bikini.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Next Stop: Niagara!
My feet are swollen. I look down at my pudgy toes and wonder, where did my ankles go? The good news is that despite my unattractive legs, our family has finally made it safely back to Illinois. Hooray!
When anticipating the long drive from Illinois to Utah, Vermont, and back, Jason and I contemplated flying me out so that I wouldn't have to spend so much time in the car while eight and a half months pregnant. I find it slightly ironic that in the end, I'm the only adult that actually drove the entire way. My mom drove out to Vermont with us, but stayed for a conference in Toronto. At the last minute, Jason decided to work in New York for a couple of weeks, so he also escaped the long drive home. Fortunately, I have a wonderful sister who drove back to Illinois with the girls and I, arranging for a flight back to Seattle out of Champaign instead of Albany.
Seeing as to how we are both slightly less than five feet tall, Callie and I have never been physical giants. Despite our small statures, we have always been drawn towards adventure. Driving home from Vermont, we were once again seduced by the siren call. Most people would consider the drive to Illinois with two young children and a pug adventure enough, but we decided to embellish the journey. Passports in hand, we took a detour at Buffalo to explore the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Here are a couple of pictures as proof:
My daughters can now boast about having been in eleven states and two countries since their return from France a month ago... My goodness, how will I ever impress them later?
All in all, it was a beautiful day, and I'm glad that we visited this amazing wonder. However, I also learned that there is no such thing as a "short" visit to Niagara. Simply getting from the parking lot to the Falls with two overtired girls required extreme patience and physical stamina.
In the end, we didn't stay long, nor venture very far. Still, I consider the visit successful since we didn't lose any children or pets over the ledge. It was really interesting for me to spend time among the crowds with Zoe, the pug. I used to think that people crooned over little kids, but I've since changed my opinion. If you want some attention, get a cute dog! Everybody ooohed and aaahed. The following conversation with a stranger seemed to encapsulate the situation.
Stranger: Oh, what a great pug! What's her name?
Callie: Zoe.
Stranger: We have a pug too.
Brooklyn (piping in): My name's Brooklyn. I'm four years old. This is my sister Talia.
Stranger (Dismissively): Oh, that's nice... So how old's the pug?
Good thing we love them all!
When anticipating the long drive from Illinois to Utah, Vermont, and back, Jason and I contemplated flying me out so that I wouldn't have to spend so much time in the car while eight and a half months pregnant. I find it slightly ironic that in the end, I'm the only adult that actually drove the entire way. My mom drove out to Vermont with us, but stayed for a conference in Toronto. At the last minute, Jason decided to work in New York for a couple of weeks, so he also escaped the long drive home. Fortunately, I have a wonderful sister who drove back to Illinois with the girls and I, arranging for a flight back to Seattle out of Champaign instead of Albany.
Seeing as to how we are both slightly less than five feet tall, Callie and I have never been physical giants. Despite our small statures, we have always been drawn towards adventure. Driving home from Vermont, we were once again seduced by the siren call. Most people would consider the drive to Illinois with two young children and a pug adventure enough, but we decided to embellish the journey. Passports in hand, we took a detour at Buffalo to explore the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Here are a couple of pictures as proof:
My daughters can now boast about having been in eleven states and two countries since their return from France a month ago... My goodness, how will I ever impress them later?
All in all, it was a beautiful day, and I'm glad that we visited this amazing wonder. However, I also learned that there is no such thing as a "short" visit to Niagara. Simply getting from the parking lot to the Falls with two overtired girls required extreme patience and physical stamina.
In the end, we didn't stay long, nor venture very far. Still, I consider the visit successful since we didn't lose any children or pets over the ledge. It was really interesting for me to spend time among the crowds with Zoe, the pug. I used to think that people crooned over little kids, but I've since changed my opinion. If you want some attention, get a cute dog! Everybody ooohed and aaahed. The following conversation with a stranger seemed to encapsulate the situation.
Stranger: Oh, what a great pug! What's her name?
Callie: Zoe.
Stranger: We have a pug too.
Brooklyn (piping in): My name's Brooklyn. I'm four years old. This is my sister Talia.
Stranger (Dismissively): Oh, that's nice... So how old's the pug?
Good thing we love them all!
Celebrating Seventy-Five
Blog posts have been a bit scarce this past week. Here's why:
Our family has been extremely distracted by all of the swimming, tubing, water skiing, and general partying going on at my Grandpa Wells's lake house in Vermont. (Okay, okay, much to my chagrin, pregnancy kept me away from the tubing and water skiing, but I still loved swimming and the Settler game tournaments.)
Grandpa's generally quiet home certainly buzzed this past week with a plethora of visitors. Here are a few of the favorites:
Zoe, our favorite (and oh-so-patient) pug. You should see Talia put her in a headlock just to secure a puppy kiss.
Zoe was accompanied by her parents, Aunt Callie and Uncle Adam, who traveled all the way from Puyallup, Washington for the occasion.
Here's my cousin Kathryn LaFroscia playing with Talia. She deserves multiple trophies and medals for cheerfully (and constantly) entertaining my girls all week long.)
And here we have my cousin Alex deep in conversation with his Dad, Uncle Bob.
Of course we can't forget my hard-working Aunt Alison whose thoughtful planning helped bring the whole week together.
From the Wells side of the family, we have my cousin Alesia, showing off her class ring to Alex. A recent high school graduate, Alesia will be venturing off to college soon. Congratulations!
And here is Alesia's brother, Gregory, having a great time following a swim with Talia.
This cute picture includes the two Katy cousins, with the closest being Katelyn Wells. The last smile belongs to Jeanette.
Here's another snapshot of Jeanette pushing Brooklyn on the swing.
While the Wells parents, Uncle Jay and Aunt Janet, may have escaped Jason's candid shots, we were still thrilled to see them. In fact, we were so glad to see them that Jason actually followed them home--literally. Instead of coming back with me to Illinois, Jason went to Long Island to spend the next two weeks working on some construction projects with them. While I miss my honey, I'm glad he's with such a great family.
Of course we can't forget NomiAnn, who traveled out with us from Omaha, Nebraska. Here she is, happy as ever with her granddaughter:
Papa Kay (who met us in Vermont after a conference in DC) spent some bonding time with his grand-pug.
Last but not least, here's the cause for all the festivities--Grandpa John Wells, who celebrated his 75th birthday.
Here's the birthday boy with his wife Elaine, who worked for months to make the day a great success.
As part of the celebration, we enjoyed a catered dinner and Grandpa's famous (infamous?) fireworks. As you can see, the food was great. (My mother may never forgive me for posting this...)
NomiAnn made the girls adorable matching dresses for the occasion.
Too cute!
All too soon, it was time to part our separate ways. Of course, we couldn't leave without the obligatory family photo. This picture cracks me up--girls, dogs, leashes and balloons flying every which way. Then there's me with a ginormous belly wondering: how did I ever get myself into this mess, and why am I doing it again?
This shot's better, except, wait, where did Talia's head go?
Third time's a charm.
Happy Birthday, Grandpa!
Our family has been extremely distracted by all of the swimming, tubing, water skiing, and general partying going on at my Grandpa Wells's lake house in Vermont. (Okay, okay, much to my chagrin, pregnancy kept me away from the tubing and water skiing, but I still loved swimming and the Settler game tournaments.)
Grandpa's generally quiet home certainly buzzed this past week with a plethora of visitors. Here are a few of the favorites:
Zoe, our favorite (and oh-so-patient) pug. You should see Talia put her in a headlock just to secure a puppy kiss.
Zoe was accompanied by her parents, Aunt Callie and Uncle Adam, who traveled all the way from Puyallup, Washington for the occasion.
Here's my cousin Kathryn LaFroscia playing with Talia. She deserves multiple trophies and medals for cheerfully (and constantly) entertaining my girls all week long.)
And here we have my cousin Alex deep in conversation with his Dad, Uncle Bob.
Of course we can't forget my hard-working Aunt Alison whose thoughtful planning helped bring the whole week together.
From the Wells side of the family, we have my cousin Alesia, showing off her class ring to Alex. A recent high school graduate, Alesia will be venturing off to college soon. Congratulations!
And here is Alesia's brother, Gregory, having a great time following a swim with Talia.
This cute picture includes the two Katy cousins, with the closest being Katelyn Wells. The last smile belongs to Jeanette.
Here's another snapshot of Jeanette pushing Brooklyn on the swing.
While the Wells parents, Uncle Jay and Aunt Janet, may have escaped Jason's candid shots, we were still thrilled to see them. In fact, we were so glad to see them that Jason actually followed them home--literally. Instead of coming back with me to Illinois, Jason went to Long Island to spend the next two weeks working on some construction projects with them. While I miss my honey, I'm glad he's with such a great family.
Of course we can't forget NomiAnn, who traveled out with us from Omaha, Nebraska. Here she is, happy as ever with her granddaughter:
Papa Kay (who met us in Vermont after a conference in DC) spent some bonding time with his grand-pug.
Last but not least, here's the cause for all the festivities--Grandpa John Wells, who celebrated his 75th birthday.
Here's the birthday boy with his wife Elaine, who worked for months to make the day a great success.
As part of the celebration, we enjoyed a catered dinner and Grandpa's famous (infamous?) fireworks. As you can see, the food was great. (My mother may never forgive me for posting this...)
NomiAnn made the girls adorable matching dresses for the occasion.
Too cute!
All too soon, it was time to part our separate ways. Of course, we couldn't leave without the obligatory family photo. This picture cracks me up--girls, dogs, leashes and balloons flying every which way. Then there's me with a ginormous belly wondering: how did I ever get myself into this mess, and why am I doing it again?
This shot's better, except, wait, where did Talia's head go?
Third time's a charm.
Happy Birthday, Grandpa!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)