Tuesday, June 29, 2010

On And On And On


Oh Summer.
We simply adore you.
Now that you are here we fully intend to enjoy every second with you.


Well, with YOU and with PEACHES.


Because, honestly, who could ever resist peaches?
(even the sour bits?)


Lush, ripe, juicy peaches that dribble down little chins and sticky fingers.




At the park today Saoirse and I were playing a game of peek a boo with my lens cap.


And every time I'd ask "where's Saoirse?", she'd point to herself and surrender into a fit of hysterical giggles. Oh, how I love this little one.


With her so light they're white in the middle blue eyes.


And her funny expressions.


And the way she loves with everything she's got. So open and honest and true.


Speaking of which, just check this girl out....
I love how she's giving me the "oh-I'm-so-busted" look and how it's almost as if she could actually read the sign.


But the smile on this child could melt a frozen heart. Seriously.



And I'm actually tearing up a little just looking at these pictures, because how and when did this little bean grow so big and how did I not notice? Was I really not paying attention? Have I been too caught up with the daily grind and the assembly line and the fruit flies and the dishes and the tantrums? Have I?


I can't seem to stop buying them matching outfits. It's terrible I know, and every time I buy a "set" I think, ok, this is the LAST time. But then something catches my eye and it's too fabulous to pass by.....And maybe it's because I had girl boy twins and to this day still deal with the undeniable fact that girl boy clothes are nearly impossible to coordinate, but I've been warning people for months that as soon as Saoirse grew into 12 month clothes that it was going to get a little crazy up in here, and so it has. Crazy enough for nail polish even....


Crazy enough that Oscar had to get in on the recent pedicure action. Oscar who has to deal with long hair that is not quite long enough for a low boy ponytail. Oscar who has been called a "girl" more times than I can count, despite the fact that I have never dressed him in any matching outfits with his twin sister. He's been "she'd" at the playground way too many times now, and it never used to bother me (it still doesn't really) because what the heck do I care if some stranger doesn't know that "she" is a he? I mean, do these things really matter in the grand scheme of things?

Except that he's getting older now and he's starting to notice when strangers call him a girl and I can tell you right now that if it starts to bother him, well, it's going to start bothering me too and I'll definitely be setting the record straight with people on the playground, even if they're just strangers. I can't really blame them though, I mean, he is GORGEOUS, and so why shouldn't he have pink and orange toe nails?


You should hear him laugh. Oh he gets this insanely addictive belly laugh going sometimes that would cast a ray of sunshine on the cloudiest of days. It's contagious too.


Good thing he has so many loved ones to share it with. Not to mention a bunch of little buddies as well, who naturally just HAD to come along with us to the park today. I'm always setting limits ("choose ONE toy to bring along") and he's always negotiating new terms ("Ummmm, how bout two? Two toys mom? Two?) and one would be lonely without the other, so what the heck, why not?


Yep, Summer, it's official.
We LOVE you.
I could go on and on about this day. About how lucky I feel to be a part of this life, how beautiful these moments are and how they are helping something powerful grow and develop and thrive. I could go on and on and on, but tomorrow is a new day and we'll find new ways to celebrate it together once again. And we might even do it in matching outfits....


Secret Ingredient


Once again Farmer's Market season is upon us.


Do you know how delicious beets are?


Especially when paired with goat cheese and tofu?


Of course the secret ingredient would have to be this....


Since we all know that I don't cook!
(I'm sure he'd be willing to share the recipe though. Plus he took the beautiful beet pictures.)

Assembly Line


9am.
Everyone is done with breakfast and now begins the assembly line of brushing teeth, combing hair and getting everyone dressed for the day. My three step-kids are on vacation out east, Maija and Micah are with their dad and so the niblets and I are on our own. I see a bike ride in our immediate future, or at least after the assembly line.



Saoirse's hair is especially special this fine morning.

The Drill


Hello summer.....


We've been busy eating cherries and soaking up sunshine and eating blueberry chocolate chip pancakes every.single.day. and sleeping in and staying up late to chase fireflies and well, you know the drill. It's summer and we've been doing a whole lot of this.....




And only a LITTLE bit of this.....


Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Porch Paint


Here's our new thing....


Porch painting.


Although there are still a few kinks in the system that need to be ironed out.
Like for instance the fact that it's pouring outside and yet the easel remains on the front porch, along with the paint and the paper and oh, even the tape.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Frosting


Last birthday post for a while.



After a steady stream of spring birthdays we get a nice break now until September when the fall rush begins with my thirty first birthday (how fast was this last year?).
Until then, we'll have to come up with creative ways to get our frosting fix!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

One Short Year

Saoirse
6.4.2009


Saoirse
6.4.2010


So much can change in just one short year.
June 2009.


June 2010.


Happy Birthday to our little Skittle.



While everyone else enjoyed the delicious rainbow cake, Saoirse had her first experience with carrot cake and cream cheese frosting.



Then we all took to the front yard to enjoy the beautiful evening.






I love these little people, more than I could even begin to tell you.




Friday, June 4, 2010

The Hush


Dear Saoirse,
I love you.

Thank you so much for coming into our lives and making our family complete. I am grateful every single day for you. When you nuzzle in for a hug and kiss me with your big wide drooly grin, well it melts my heart. And when you look at me, during one of our long staring contests, when it's just us and everything slows down and hushes and I swear I can hear your lashes touching every time you blink, it feels like we have known each other for much longer than just one year.

I have been waiting for you my entire life and finally getting to meet you and hold you and kiss and love you, well, it is the greatest gift that any mother could ever wish for. A privilege that I shall not take for granted.
I promise to spend the rest of my life showing you how much it means to me.

Love,
Momma


More from her birthday to follow shortly, right now I'm going to go and curl up with Mr. Skittle and talk about where we were a year ago tonight. Skittles wasn't born until 10:22pm and I believe that right about now I was rudely informing everyone within earshot that I was going to die and could they please just take me to an operating room, or maybe just put me to sleep for a little bit? Not exactly the calmest birth story (I felt bad afterwards for any of the first timers listening from down the hall), but none of that mattered the second she was born.
Did I ever even write a birth story for her?

Thursday, June 3, 2010

One More Day


One more day until our little Skittle turns one.
ONE.

It's really starting to sink in and while most of my heart just wants to sing it from the rooftops and celebrate with everything I've got, there is another part, a small sliver, that wants to freeze time, wants to keep her exactly as she is right this moment. I can't help but feel a teensy bit sad that itty bitty is growing up.


But of course it is simply amazing to watch her change right before our eyes.


And I'd be silly to waste much time feeling sad while hanging out with this little bundle of joy.


Plus I hear there's going to be a birthday cake in our immediate future and frosting can work wonders for chasing away the blues.