Wednesday, October 29, 2008

cabin fever? NOT yet!

Font sizetoday is the sort of day that makes me seriously consider why i live in the north and why i chose to have 3 girls so late in life. not that i don't love you 100% of the time, i just don't know what to do with you when it is 35 degrees outside (feels like 26). you all love the outdoors. heck i love the outdoors. but i don't remember young and stupid very well. at this point i just do old and ignorant. V, you want to wear summer clothes all the time. B, you will put on layers but quickly start undressing once outside. P, you just wander around hampered by the added layers causing much distress. i hate the volume of all of you when you are cooped up all day. and i don't tolerate cold like you little people. of course i would last in the extreme cold much longer than extreme heat.

so i'm facing a long winter if this is what's in store. Phoebe will throw a major fit if she doesn't get her way (i.e. doesn't get to play with the computer, remote control, phone....) and Beatrice tries to do things, runs out of patience, and throws a major fit (getting socks on, pushing up her sleeves, getting large items up the stairs...). Vivi just thinks she should be able to do anything she likes and is able to physically accomplish. no matter how many times she is told NOT to do it.

and as much as i see you three being the best of friends, right now you like to bug the crap out of each other (and me, i guess.) chase each other around the house, hug each other to the point of pain. push each other off furniture. and of course try to beat each other to a task. if i want V and B to do something i just have to make it a competition and it gets done. i also have to put up with one possibly getting hurt and one throwing a fit. complete madness.

Friday, October 17, 2008

hands full

everywhere that i go i hear, "you've got your hands full." this is because i am almost always with 3 small girls. to hear this all the time might make one doubt their parenting skills but sometimes the girls, all of them, are asleep in the stroller. i mean it's not like i am constantly running around behind them saying "stop" like i'm trying to herd chickens. although some days it feels that way.

this week was a bit busy. we had the usual preschool thing but we also had a sitting with a photographer to document Phoebe's first birthday. i know i'm a bit late and i'm sorry for that Phoebe. it's just your mom is terrible at organizing things. and apparently to schedule a sitting you must actually schedule it in advance. i'm more of a sneak in under the wire, right on time sort of gal. that is until i had the three of you and now i'm a running slightly behind sort of mom. when i no longer have to do things for you and me i hope that will change. we'll see.

this morning Vivi had to take the class snack which is fine only i didn't get it ready last night. so waking up late was sort of, well, chaos. you did great V and kept going with the getting dressed and having something that passes as breakfast if you're a supermodel. good thing you'll get to school and have that snack i prepared, at the last minute, for you. waffles and fruit.

back to the photo shoot.

Phoebe Odette, i hate to tell you this, but given your performance, you are not a future supermodel. i'm okay with this. V and B however are old pros and i'm a bit scared. but Phoebe you are who you are and the pics will be beautiful because they are of you....with your fingers in your mouth. i'm going with the fact that your teething because you are not normally so disagreeable.

yesterday we had an impromptu game of t-ball with Baxter and Paige. V, you and Baxter were really into it. you need to work on your swing but you are good at base running, although a bit conservative. B, you were dubbed Babe by Derek. you like to swing. you're a lefty at bat. you need to have a drink before you're up, and sometimes you take a pretend nap while running the bases. it really is funny.

this is the sort of stuff that makes it worth it to live here. to have playmates right across the street that are out and active...to run around unstructured and have parents close by that are good people. this is why we try to make it all work here.

yes, my hands are full, but really, (to use Beatrice speak) my heart is fuller.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

painted ladies




it's funny how motherhood brings new images to words once thought of in a completely different way. when i was younger and living in san francisco the painted ladies that always came to thought when the phrase came up was a row of houses on alamo square. now i have a different image in thought all together and it probably changes from time to time...

B, you got your heart painted at the opening of Jennie's new building. it was a crazy day with music, a little yoga, and your face painted after seeing Paige with her's painted. (you had a sun on the other cheek.) V ran circles around the building with Baxter and i had to drag you all away. Nanah was with us and a bit overwhelmed.

V, you had your face painted at a harvest festival. you wanted your face painted like Sophie and you had to wait in line by yourself for more than 10 minutes. i was busy trying to keep track of Beatrice and Phoebe who were trying to run around with Sophie. thank goodness Christy and Jackie were there to help me or i would have not been as patient as you were in your waiting. i was so proud of you.

P, you painted your face yourself the other night when i decided that i just had to let you dive right into dinner all on your own. you tend to screech these days if you can't self feed. if you look close enough you will notice the pasta on your eyebrow. i have another pic somewhere that also shows the pasta you flung on the wall...it stuck so i guess it was done.

watching you girls is very inspiring. there seems to be something new to notice everyday. especially with you, Phoebe. your Papa left for 4 days to go to Aunt Annie's wedding and you finally figured out how to walk your frankenstein walk while he was away. and you are a great mimic. you have a great "uh-oh" when we drop things and if we say peek-a-boo you echo "be-ba-boo" it's the cutest thing. by contrast, you Beatrice love to walk around saying "what 'em that?" it drives Papa a little crazy as he tries to correct you every time...'what is that?' and then you Vivienne, you love a good story. you had a tape measure last week and wouldn't let Beatrice touch it until you told her about it. "let me tell you a story about this. once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a man...." don't ask me to repeat it, i can't repeat something i made up so i'm never going to remember your clever tales. i should just strap a tape recorder around your neck. i might even get a story book out of it.

also B, in the category of "you say the darnedest things"...tonight Grandma was hugging you and patting you on the back. she said, "would you listen to that. it sounds hollow. whatcha got in there?" and without missing a beat you said, "some fishies and french fries." you had fish and sweet potato fries for dinner. you girls make me laugh.