“Mama, is there something on my face?”
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The kids and I head to the park every sunny day. Last week we were there every day. This weekend and since… Nada. We are missing the park. Late last week we did our usual. Packed up and headed off. And as usual, we were having a blast and we ended up leaving late. In the hurry to get home in time for school, I left my favourite water bottle there. The following day I headed back and assumed it would be gone. But it wasn’t. It was sitting there on the picnic table waiting for me. I was shocked that nobody had taken it. I know it is just a water bottle, but recent experience tells me that people take stuff you leave around. But not this time. Nope, there it was. But it turns out that it wasn’t innocently left untouched on the table. Nope, some angry teen decided to brand it. Yup. Grafitti. On a water bottle.
Jerk. You should have just taken it.
May 18, 2011 - 12:08 pm
LOL! That’s pretty hilarious actually! I hate to ask, but was the inside left untouched?
May 18, 2011 - 12:37 pm
I thought about it and proceeded to sanitize it. And I’m still a little afraid. More and more I wish I’d just left it on the picnic table where I found it.
May 18, 2011 - 1:27 pm
At the very least, it has a funny story to along with it. I just hope it’s not a symbol for one of those neighborhood gangs. 😉       This is one of those things I’ve been meaning to post…since wintertime. But since it feels like winter today, I thought I’d find a minute or two and finally get to it. A few months ago, Jaia and I went out for one of our ‘Ladies who Lunch’. We planned to get all dressed up (her) and go to a restaurant, just the the two of us to celebrate…us. The night before, we decided to put curlers in Jaia’s hair. I bought some of those old school foam rollers and after she got out of the bath, separated her hair into small sections and rolled them all up. It was perfect. Until she went to bed. Within 10 minutes she poked her head out of her room and called for me. “These curlers hurt my head, Mama”. I don’t blame her. I remember my mom putting the same type of rollers in my hair and it always pulled in a place or two. But those pulls were unbearable when you’d lay your head on the pillow. So we took them out. No curls. The next morning, Jaia decided she wanted to try again. So try we did. Curlers went back in and a few minutes before we were set to leave, we took them out. Voila. Curly Q,
She loved her curls. I loved her curls. She would linger as she passed the mirror to make sure she got a good look at herself.
She was also dancing more that day. Curls = twirls.
Looking back at these photos makes me want to schedule another LWL, stat. The order of the day that day? Curls. Maybe for both of us this time. Curls = twirls. And I could definitely use some twirls.
May 17, 2011 - 4:37 pm
Very cute! I used to use those curlers too. To avoid the uncomfortable sleep, I put a pony tail on top of my head and then put the curlers in the top. The ends are only curly then but at least you get a good sleep!! 🙂
May 22, 2011 - 11:59 am
you look great!!! love that picture. There are ladies I know who seem to have it all together. You know them too. They make it look effortless. They ALWAYS look beautiful and their kids are dressed well. Their houses are clean. Their beds are made. They keep on top of things. They cook gourmet(ish) meals every night and their laundry is done. They find the time to read and make the time to stay in shape. I am not one of those ladies. I feel that I’m often playing catch up. Juggling too many balls at the same time, hoping not to drop one…or two. I don’t remember feeling this way when Jaia was 11 months old, but I have to keep reminding myself that when Jaia was 11 months I was sleeping well and I did not have another child to take care of. I was not shuttling one back and forth while trying to maintain a consistent nap schedule for the other. Having two kids is harder than I thought it would be. It’s more magical, beautiful and amazing than I thought it would be, but it’s a lot more work. Twice the mess, twice the games, twice the stories, but half the energy and about one quarter of the sleep. Definitely not a recipe for a clean house, coifed hair and deliciously complex dinners. So, I’m not one of those ladies, but I am one of the ones who does her absolute best. Who loves her kids fiercely. Who snaps pictures all day long, every day because I don’t want to risk forgetting even one second (I’m forgetful, remember?). Who would rather let the laundry pile up in order to snuggle up with my girl and watch Tangled for the 1000th time. Who spends half her day playing Barbies, colouring or pretending to eat chicken-pizza-green grape soup and the other half chasing a very rambunctious 1 year old away from the stairs, the outlets or the fireplace. (Perhaps we need to work on our baby-proofing skills). And all this was before I started working again. Add in work to an already packed schedule and I am OVERWHELMED. The past few weeks have been hard. Whatever balance I had found is out the window. Gone. And say goodbye to any free time that I once enjoyed. So…I’m in the market for tips on how you make it work. How to stay (somewhat) organized and (sort of) on top of things. I know you have tips. I need all the help I can get. Ideas? Please?
May 13, 2011 - 6:54 pm
You’re doing great Shannen and you’re doing everything right! You’re even doing it better than most of us! The only advice I can offer is to not be so hard on yourself 🙂
May 14, 2011 - 5:13 pm
I agree – you are doing a fabulous job. My only advice is to keep going with the flow… Dear Wesley, I don’t know where to start. I have so much to say and yet I feel like I can’t find the right words. One. You are one today. The number is so small, tiny in fact, but it stirs up an enormous amount of emotions. How can it be that a whole year has already passed since I first held you in my arms?
Already one. I think when you have your second child you remember things differently than the first time around. You pay more attention. You breath in the sweet smell of your newborn’s head because you know all too well how fast it goes away. You study every little detail because so many are forgotten over time, even though it seems hard to believe in the moment. I have spent a year memorizing you. I know every dimple and where every hair falls on your head. I know what will make you belly laugh and what makes you angry. I know that your whole face lights up when your sister enters the room, and that you don’t understand why she leaves on the big yellow bus every day and doesn’t take you with her. You are very affectionate and snuggly. You hug with reckless abandon. You love being outside. More than anything. Even when you were tiny and fussy, a quick step outside would calm you. And now that the warm temperatures have found us, you want nothing to do with being inside. If you are awake, you are making your way to one of the windows where you stand and point and grunt. You want out, and you want us to know. You are just little, but you know what you like. Just one. You have a big personality, my little one. You are brave and lovely and sweet and strong. You are exactly what I wished and waited for. I cherish this baby time with you because it is so fleeting. Before I know it you’ll be borrowing the car keys and going to prom. Let’s slow down a little…ok?
Happy, happy birthday to you. I love you, my beautiful boy
May 12, 2011 - 12:18 pm
Happy Birthday Wes Love
May 12, 2011 - 12:29 pm
Happy BIrthday Wes!
May 12, 2011 - 12:43 pm
love love love that bottom photo. And Mr. snaggletooth Wes! Even though he had us up at 4 this morning!
May 12, 2011 - 12:55 pm
What a perfect birthday post…the last photo is especially priceless. Happy Birthday, Wesley!
May 12, 2011 - 6:43 pm
Happy Birthday Wes
May 12, 2011 - 7:29 pm
Happy first birthday, little man! It is hard to believe you are one. Have a big piece of cake for us!
May 12, 2011 - 9:15 pm
Happy Birthday Wesley!!! |
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