Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Slice of Life


Oh my. So much to blog about. A visit from one of my dearest friends, Father's Day (and the perfect batch of cinnamon rolls to go with), another bi-ped in the family, the exclamation point at the end of T-ball season; just to catch up on the happenings would make an epic post.
And then there are the musings, the introspection about priorities, about my "great work" and the things that entice me to "come down," the cleaning conundrum, the mosquito lamentation (sustained 4 bites in seriously less than three minutes this evening). Hmmm...five years from now, I wonder what I will wish I had written about?

I know I'll want to read about the fact that my baby girl is a card-carrying member of the bipedal club. Girlfriend decided she was done with crawling last Thursday afternoon and it's been mostly walking since. I know I use the word magical to describe a lot of things (especially things pertaining to my childrens progress), but I really don't know a better way to convey my feelings about things like those first clumsily triumphant steps. Every time I see Lily come toddling towards me, I think to myself, "there will only be like two collective weeks in my entire life of first steps." I sit, sponge-like on the floor, arms spread wide, waiting for her to tumble into me, soaking up the dum-dee-dum rhythm of learning feet, and the excitement of a new world of possibility. She's also taken to toting a stuffed monkey around with her and doing tricks with her lower jaw and bottom toofies - so cute and funny.

Summer continues to be hard for me in spite of my efforts to triumph over the doldrums. It's not like a 24/7 sulk-fest around here, but sometimes I feel a little stir-crazy. A little trapped and sweaty. A little irritated that entropy seems to be the principle force at work in my life. A little stifled by the endlessness of laundry, food preparation, kitchen clean-up and clutter control. Any lovely outdoor moments we can manage are even more savory these days than they were three months ago. Last night we had popsicles in the back yard after dinner. The mosquitoes were surprisingly (mercifully!) absent, we filled up the sandbox/pool for the kids. Henry swam fully clothed. Lily splashed fully naked. My soul was fully...full, content to forget about the long, hot day that would begin in twelve-ish hours, and just revel in the long, nuanced glances at my hot husband, the hour of togetherness, the refreshment of otter pops, and the sounds of happy children in our tiny backyard.

Here are some pictures of our recent life:





what she looks like when we take the ponytail out

11 comments:

  1. I've been missing you! I cannot believe Lily is walking!!! Asher is so not even close. I think he's going to be content to crawl for awhile yet--bruised knees and all.

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  2. Watching Lily walk is the sweetest thing ever!

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  3. Oh my goodness! I can't believe Lily is walking. I think that sounds like the most magical thing ever. And I love her tiny little ponytail. Avery will NOT keep a clip or anything in her hair. Sigh. Sorry you are so hot and sweaty. Maybe you should go swimming fully naked in the backyard?

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  4. those are some really, really, really adorable pictures.

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  5. I LOVE her curls! I also love reading about you guys. Hope you make it through the sticky summer, I'm starting to know how you feel!

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  6. how much I love that pic of nakey lily and the otter pop is ridiculous...

    the walking terrifies me, I'm not ready for that. Not yet.

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  7. Great pics em! And how fun that Lily is walking!! Being hot and sweaty is my least favorite thing! I like to pretend that we could be neighbors and if we were I'd come over and we could each sit in our own baby pool with our suits on and feed our tiny babies otter pop after otter pop and chat the hot sweaty day away. I almost called you today but then I thought it was too close to your dinner time... so I'll try tomorrow!

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  8. I am just now beginning to get caught up on my blog reading. I feel like I have missed so much! Not only have I missed you, I have missed Lily starting to walk! She looks so much older than a month ago, and her hair is so long! I just love your family.

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  9. I still can't believe she's walking. You were expecting her when we moved in. What a sweet girl! And what a special family! So glad we get to be in your ward.

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  10. OH DEAR ME! That belly is beyond words! Ohhh (teeth gritted together in an attempt to hold back the squeezing and biting that would surely happen if I had the blessed opportunity of seeing her sweetness in real life)!
    LOVE your kids...wish I could know them outside of just the blogging world...but glad I get a taste of them nonetheless.

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