Summer of Adventure

Last summer was kind of lame.  I was pregnant, uncomfortable, and had a little bout of preterm labor.  Needless to say, we did not do a whole lot besides snuggle mama on the couch.  This summer is going to be different!! I have spent quite a bit of time brainstorming.  I need to write things down in order to make them happen or before I know it, summer will be over and I will have many wasted opportunities.

I got the coolest book, The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms.  If I ever decided to homeschool, I would totally use this book (I'll still use it as the kids get older and can do more stuff).  It really lays everything out nicely with activities for specific months, covering phases of the moon and everything.  Combined with the book, Sharing Nature With Children, I have been gleaning activities to create a summer long nature unit for the preschool/kindergarten set.  I've already made Eileen and Linus each their own nature investigation kit.  The Target dollar bins were very helpful with this.

In case you're wondering what their kits include:

Notebook for Journaling

Colored pencils

Pencil

Magnifying glass

Binoculars

Water bottle

Sunscreen/bug repellent
Books/Field Guides

Hat

Bag or jar to collect specimens

Trash bag (for collecting any garbage you find)

Scotch tape

Eraser

Net

Paper clips for holding pages

Pen knife (only Mama has this one)

Camera (Mama's phone)

The kids are very excited as am I.  We would love to have friends join us on our adventures.  Just email me/facebook me, if one of our proposed adventures sounds like fun and we will put a date on the calendar.

Possible adventures:

Visiting cousins in Sultan, Woodinville, Portland, and on Whidbey Island

Ohop Pioneer Farm (either experience pioneer life or life as a native American)

Walk Chambers Bay and see what all the fuss is about

Swimming at Kandle Park in Tacoma

Bainbridge Island

Explore Fort Casey or Fort Worden

Visit Northwest Trek

Hikes –Redmond Watershed, Discovery park, Lincoln park, Ft Ward, Arboretum

Nature Hike/Scavenger Hunt at Snake Lake

Remlinger Farms (berry picking or maybe the touristy stuff if the kids are really good)

Play on the Beach 

Fort Nisqually

How could you turn down spending time with a baby as cute as this?

From the Mouths of Babes in May

Eileen:  Mommy I smell something.  I smell something stinky.
Me:  Did you fart?
Eileen: Yes.

Eileen: I'm having issues today!!

Linus: Hold me close or lose me forever!

Linus: (spoken sincerely) Thank you for letting me clean the toilet.

Robin and I had some quality time together while Eileen napped and Linus was at school.

My Addiction

“The powers of a man's mind are directly proportioned to the quantity of coffee he drinks.”
― James Mackintosh

I am finally ready to admit this.  I am addicted to coffee.  I supposed there are worse things to be addicted to--gambling, alcohol, meth.  I love coffee. I crave coffee. I NEEEEEEEED coffee.  I think about when I am going to get my next cup.  It is my "dark passenger" if you will.

Over the years I have gone through phases where I drank more coffee than at other times, but it was mostly a simple pleasure that I could take or leave.  No more.  Perhaps it was becoming a stay at home mom or the lack of sleep that followed.  Maybe it was discovering that a trip to a coffeeshop was an easy way to find a small way to remember "me."  Or maybe that kid-friendly coffeeshops are a godsend for the toddler set.

More recently, my coffee shop indulgence has been bolstered by 2 cups of drip at home.  Sometimes in the afternoon or an especially rainy day, I mix it up with a little homemade chai tea latte (Tazo chai concentrate mixed with vanilla soy milk, good cold or microwaved).

Each morning I fantasize about my first cup upon waking.  My perfect weekend morning includes sipping my coffee while reading People magazine as it drizzles rain outside my window.  I love the feel of warmth spreading through my veins, as though I am literally surging with energy and power.

I am a simple girl with simple tastes.  My parents are notoriously bad gift givers.  They are well-intentioned, but frequently off the mark.  Last year I received the best Christmas present ever from my parents: beautiful coffee mugs and sample of teas, hot cider, and coffees.  They finally get me!   This year my parents gave me a french press-- I still have yet to make the perfect cup with it.
I am realizing a prefer a dark roast.  I am not a fan of the blonde. The best coffee I ever drank was in Peru.  The Peruvian way is a thick wonderful sludge mixed with hot water.  I would go back to Peru just for the coffee. 

Linus and Eileen generally understand my enjoyment of coffee and often are supportive of my habit.  They are known to suggest checking out a new coffee shop if they see one or suggesting a quick run through the drive through.  When Eileen was coming out of anesthesia after getting tubes, she saw a cup of coffee on a commercial.  The nurses told me she groggily said, "Mama. Coffee."  18 months old and she already found coffee comforting.
  Some mornings I think to myself,  "Why am I grumpy today?  Oh, haven't had my coffee yet.  Mystery solved."

I bought myself a present this week.  I look at it as a good way to teach the children how the mathematical concept of volume works.

My coffee lets me be a better mama.  It allows me to function on small amounts of sleep.  It gives me the patience to deal with epic tantrums.   These days my goal is to drink it black.  For now it is a little sugar, a little cream, and love.

Hi. My name is Charlotte and I am a coffee addict.  It has been two hours since my last cup.

Word to Your Mother

I love Mother's day!  It is my absolute most favorite day of the year.  I look forward to it all year long.  It is the one day I get to sleep in and feel absolutely no guilt.  I am waited upon hand and foot.  I only do what I please.  It is a beautiful thing.

This Mother's day I got to sleep in all the way until 8 am before 3 little cherubs could contain themselves no longer.  They came bearing a grande skinny vanilla latte and breakfast sandwich from Starbucks.  While sometimes a burden,  Linus' strong will can be a blessing.  He took Mother's day very seriously and wanted to make sure it was just perfect.

Besides a bouquet of flowers that he picked out,  Linus spent days putting together a gift bag for me.

The bag included: a scene from the gingerbread man, 3 used crayons, one broken pencil, one self-authored snake book, a Christmas book, necklace, plastic snake, and art thing made of stickers, doilies, fake flowers, feathers, and construction paper, and one gold dubloon.  He separately gave me an award and poem he made at preschool.  At Starbucks, he picked me up a copy of the New York Times Style section.  He wanted to make sure I got to look at the pretty jewelry ads.  Eileen also made a picture for me.

I was then left alone to read my book and relax in bed.  I eventually got up and when I came downstairs I found Dave folding laundry.   Eileen and I had a coffee/vanilla steamer and nails date.   

The day before we had family photos taken.  Linus found this strange wooden statue and heard me crack a joke about Greg Brady and surfing.  While I was resting, he made it into a necklace.

Then Linus asked me if I ever wanted to go surfing.  He then suggested I wear the necklace while surfing.  Stinker.

While Eileen and I were busy being pampered, Linus used the now empty laundry baskets to play pirate.

The afternoon was spent with my in-laws at our monthly Dimock gathering.  I am blessed to have married into a family of amazing, strong women and supportive husbands.

I love being a Mama.  It's the best job.  And I love Mother's day.  Until next year...

Glow in the Dark Jesus

One of the things you kind of forget when you send your kid to Catholic school is they will come back talking about Catholic things.  I admit that as someone who does not really talk about my religious beliefs, it can make me a little uncomfortable.  This is silly, but I digress.

For those not familiar with all things Catholic, May is the month of Mary.  The children at school participated in a May crowning on the first (everyone brings flowers and lays them at the feet of a Mary statue).  Mary has appeared around the world, often to children.  That's where you get those fun names like Our Lady of ________.  The blank is where she appeared.  I'm not sure where "Our Lady of Perpetual Agony" fits in to these.  During these appearances, Mary encourages people to pray the rosary.

This all brings us to this morning.  Linus asked me if I had any rosaries.  Being the good Catholic that I am, I keep all my religious books, prayers cards, rosaries, medals, etc in a box that is kept on top of a very high shelf collecting dust.  I pulled the box down, blew the dust off (literally), and proceeded to talk the kids through its contents. 

I didn't realize just how many rosaries I had accumulated in my life.  Every couple of years I think to myself, "I should really pray the rosary," and I locate my how to pray the rosary brochure and attempt to make it one time through.  Back when I was at camp, a young seminarian not so politely informed me that I was praying the rosary completely wrong.  Apparently, the pamphlets put out by the Catholic Press are totally wrong.  In my defense, the pamphlets haven't changed and this particular seminarian washed out.  So who is right now!?!  Since that fun little episode, I haven't pulled one out.

Any Catholic worth their salt has a glow in the dark rosary.  As luck would have it, I had two.  Perfect.  One for each big kid.   I'm pretty sure Robin would just treat one as a chew toy and I'm not sure if that is considered sacrilegious.  With a glow in the dark rosary in hand, Linus immediately started praying the rosary.  He continued praying right through breakfast.

I guess in preschool they do the abridged version.  Ten "I love you Marys" followed by one "I love you Jesus."  The crucifix gets an "I love you God."  Maybe if the adult version were this simple no one would accuse me of doing it wrong nor would it take so long to get through.  The preschool may be on to something.

Eileen is just excited to have her own glow in the dark Jesus necklace.

7 Months

Robin's life seems to be clipping along at quite a fast pace.  How has it been 7 months?

He is such a handsome little fellow.  Robin has been enjoying eating solids.  He eats enthusiastically if he likes something--apple/raspberry/beets blend anyone?  And just sort of refuses to open his mouth if he doesn't--peas. 

Nursing is still something he enjoys.  He would rather starve than take a bottle.  While in Fresno and out at a restaurant, Robin looked at me very intently and signed "milk."  Of course I complied.  He has done it twice since so I don't think it was a total fluke.

I was starting to worry that he might never sit on his own.  It's only been in the last week that he sort of could sit unassisted.  Each day he gets a little bit better.  Today is his best day yet at sitting.

Robin really enjoys floor time and finally discovered his feet.  He loves discarding socks and grabbing his toes.  Reading is another favorite pasttime--either playing with soft books or being read to.

Sleep is getting better, but he still wakes at least twice during the night, usually 3-4 times.  He is down to about three naps a day.  Today he only took two and it left him pretty tired.  The upside was he was willing to snuggle a grandma.

It has taken having a third baby to really learn how to soak it all in, to slow down and acknowledge the quiet moments.  I relish those brief occurrences when the whole world quiets and it is just him and me.  I sigh as he looks back at me with a satisfied, knowing smile as he finishes nursing.  I inhale a little more deeply when grabs my face to pull it closer and gnaw on my cheek.  Nothing brings me more joy then when he closes his eyes, smiles, and coos when I nuzzle him.  I look forward to the weekends when he and I can spend more time snuggling. 

Maybe some moms experience this with their first.  Maybe it's because I do not know if I will have anymore that I try to relish every little baby moment.  Maybe it's because Robin is an old soul and has a knowing soberness to him at times.  Robin brings a certain peace for which I am grateful.  His pregnancy taught me more about myself and how to accept what life brings.

I love this little man so much.  It's okay if he hasn't even come close to doing an army crawl.  It just means I get more time with my baby.  No rush.  He can just focus on perfecting the art of sitting for now.

A Sneak Peek to Days Ahead

It's hard to believe, but it is warm and sunny in Seattle.  Because western Washington is frequently overcast, on sunny days you can almost see the joy bursting from each person's chest as they walk by them.  Everyone is outside.  You half expect those around you to burst into a musical dance number at any moment.

This morning left me excited for the summer days ahead.  I threw open the windows to let in the fresh air.  Linus was being difficult so I just chose to ignore him.  As we walked out the door to take Eileen to preschool, he decided he did not want to exit the house barefoot in his pajamas and quickly got himself dressed.  Apparently, being ignored for an hour was what he needed to change his attitude and we had a simply delightful morning.

We decided our best course of action to celebrate the weather was to check out the newly remodeled Woodland Park playground and have a picnic.  Robin agreed as long as we let him sleep while he soaked in a little vitamin D.  One of the things that I love about Robin is his ability to easily fall asleep while being held.  It gives us more flexibility.

What's a Seattle picnic without Starbucks?  Linus and I both love the breakfast sandwiches.

Linus forgot his sunglasses so I was nice and let him borrow mine.  He did ask politely.

Picnics are a lot easier to set up when big brothers are on hand to hold the baby while you lay out the blanket.  Lots of little old ladies cooed as they walked by and saw Linus holding Robin.  I tried to give my pastie white legs a little sun.  But without my sunglasses I was quickly blinded.

Doesn't have quite the same affect as those shots of feet against white sand beaches.

Robin got to try his first ride on a swing.  He was a little unsure at first, but was soon kicking his feet excitedly. With his mustache and hat, Robin channels the grumpy old man.
                                                          "Get off my lawn!"

The new playground is pretty sweet.  It's the little extras that really add to it, like small woodland creatures poking their heads out of holes in wood beams.

While Linus and I relaxed on the picnic blanket, we started listing all the things we wanted to do this summer.  Hopefully, we can make most of them happen.
ride on a ferry to Bainbridge
go to a fort (Ward, Worden, or Casey)
go to Fort Nisqually
swim at the pool by Uncle Tim's house (Kandle Park in Tacoma)
swim at the pool by Grandma and Grandpa (Fircrest Pool)
Picnics
Hikes
Farmers markets
Chambers Bay
the beach
Portland
Lake Chelan
San Diego and Hawaii (Linus started dreaming big)

It's going to be a good summer.  I can just feel it.   In the meantime I am just so grateful for the occasional warm sunny spring day where I can just relax with my babies.  Hopefully, Eileen will get to join us the next time.