Sunday, October 28, 2012
cedar lee candy crawl 2012
What do you get when two superheroes, a zebra and a butterfly are let loose in the streets of Cleveland Heights? Lots. Of. Attention.
This year we joined friends, Megan and Morgan, as we collected treats along Lee Street on an unseasonably warm October evening. Spirits were high as the children held hands, admired costumes, and anticipated tasting their first bite of candy.
Our Man of Steel proved to be quite the gentleman as he ushered the dainty butterfly from shop to shop.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
on her special day - guest blogger
So when the 4-year old has one day in the semester where her parent gets to hang out in the class, I am game. We work on a set list, tune the baby Taylor, grab the ingredients for bagel faces and head out ready to party like it's 1999, or it's preschool equivalent.
I was immediately welcomed into the class. Contrary to forming a "4-year-olds only" club, they brought me into the fold like I was one of their own, so they obviously had a keen awareness of my maturity level. One little homeboy walks up, asks me if I like monsters, and sits on my lap. From that moment on, we were bonded for life, and I am talking tight like fox and the hound style. We built sand castles and helped each other with bagel faces. He quizzed me on knowledge of insects that eat poop (turns out there's only one). We are bro's for life.
My favorite part of the day was the end, where Charlotte got to show off her guitar skills. The show included "If You're Happy and You Know It," "Old Macdonald Had a Farm," and a White Stripes-inspired rendition of "Wheels on the Bus."
If you don't care for sentiment, stop reading now. This day was a microcosm of all that is good about parenting. Any father of a four-year old has an appreciation for this age. They are interested in others, they are developing complex character traits like trust and a sense of fairness and they have a genuine curiosity about the world around them. They're more than kids - they're becoming people. And while a heightened sense of interest is present in a general sense, it is also present in a personal sense. Specifically, they care about you - and by "you," I mean "Dad." For the girls, this means interest in your opinion and, more importantly, your company.
"Dad, dance with me."
"Dad, let's do something fun together."
"Dad, what do think about...?"
"Dad, do you think I look pretty?"
Such questions are a welcome reminder of why you had kids in the first place. The greatness of this interest takes on an added gravity when it is contrasted against what looms ahead. Enjoy it while you can, fathers: the apocalypse (read: teenage years) is on the horizon.
Thanks for indulging this post which falls well beneath the bar of excellence raised by my counterpart - I now return you to your regularly scheduled blogging.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
four and fancy free
Prior to the arrival of baby girl, I knew I wanted to host a special fall play date with a few of the little lady's girlfriends from last year's preschool class, many of which she still refers to as her best friends. As a special treat, I arranged to have the little man out of the house. Quite aware of big sister's plans, he reluctantly left the house for his own special afternoon with Dad.
Our afternoon would be filled with pumpkin and cookie decorating, dress-up, dance parties, and lots of giggling. Our little lady enjoyed every minute of planning for the arrival of her girlfriends, taking great care to select a special outfit for the occasion, and adding personal touches to the table setting. As each guest arrived, our gal sprang into action, racing down the hallway to joyfully greet her guests at the main entrance of the apartment building. There are few things sweeter than eavesdropping on a group of four-year-old girls as they plot and play.
Adding last minute details to make each guest feel special.
Nothing like a little dress-up and dance party to break the ice.
The girls quickly got down to business playing office.
"Oh, this work is soooo boring." "When will our work be done?!"
(Apparently they, too, have been eavesdropping on some adult conversations.)
Less is NOT more when it comes to applying glitter glue and paint to miniature pumpkins.
Cookie decorating and warm apple cider.
The Cast of Characters:
Addy, Charlotte, Neko, and Abby
A sign of things to come as our little lady becomes a teenager?
The girls went through at least five wardrobe changes, each taking their turn in the bathroom for privacy.
It proved to be a very entertaining afternoon as I watched our gal host this sweet group of girls. I'm thankful for the relationships she has made during our time in Cleveland. Perhaps event planning is in her future. The girl knows how to have a good time!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
"the waiting is the hardest part" - tom petty
Weekly visits to the OB have challenged our family's creativity, putting to the test our ability to think up games on the fly or engage in imaginative play as we wait (often an hour or more) for my doctor to arrive. Thankfully, I can count on the little lady to keep things interesting. A few of our favorite activities have included spinning coins on waiting room tables, lengthy rounds of I-Spy, spying on nurses, discussing the importance and function of the "funny sprinklers on the ceiling" and the reasons for NOT pushing the very tempting red alarms on the walls. Recently, the little lady and man have enjoyed giving me "manicures" and "one hour" foot massages using Vanilla Bean hand sanitizer instead of traditional lotion, leaving our sterile room smelling like a Bath and Body Works. Just this week, I found the little lady performing "stomach surgery" on her brother behind the privacy curtain using a paper towel and nail clippers (not at all torturous). And, when the going gets rough, it is MAC lip gloss to the rescue. You'd be surprised how sparkly shades of peach and pink gloss settle our little ones into sweet submission.
"Mom, how are you enjoying your massage?"
*Note the little man's shirt pocket - his stash of three applicators.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
on joy
If you don’t fight for joy, it’s your children who lose.
What do I want my children to remember — my joy in clean floors, made beds and ironed shirts — or my joy of the Lord?
You will be most remembered — by what brought you most joy.
The joy of the Lord is your strength and the person of Christ is your unassailable joy – and the battle for joy is nothing less than fighting the good fight of faith.
~ Ann Voskamp
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - phoning dad
After school on Tuesday, the little lady pulled out her hot pink Disney princess cell phone from her overstuffed red purse to place a call to her daddy. She remained on the line through two errands, one of which was a quick stop to the post office where people thought she was literally on the phone with someone, chatting animatedly with hand in pocket. When the thirty-five minute phone call ended she snapped her phone shut and called out from her car seat, "Wow! That was a pretty long call, hey?!" Her eyes bright, and beaming.
It seems like only yesterday, I was placing similar phone calls to her daddy as a silly seventeen year old, chatting about this and that, nothing important, but hanging on every word for he is. that. special.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
before #3
At 37 weeks, I find myself preparing. Preparing the the tiny corner of our bedroom, which will become our littlest lady's "nursery," preparing lists of telephone numbers, schedules, and final to-dos (not to mention editing the continuous mental list that runs through my mind on a daily basis), preparing my heart and mind for the physical demands of labor and receiving our sweet babe, and preparing the little lady and man for life with a new sibling. One might say I'm "nesting."
Recently, in the midst of my many preparations, I looked up to find the little lady and man cuddled close on one end of the couch peering at the bright screen of the Ipad. Caught up in the sights and sounds of the program they were viewing they were unaware of my gaze. I stared at each of them, comparing their tiny facial features, facial expressions, color of hair, noting the familiarity and intimacy they shared as siblings born only twenty months apart. In a short time, they will no longer be a pair, but will welcome a third party into their little world. This thought overwhelms me as I imagine three little faces peering up at me full of life and wonder, the sounds of three children filling our home with laughter, songs, shouts, and cries, and as I anticipate the little lady's reaction to having a sister and watching our little man become the big brother.
How sweet it has been to watch these two grow, side by side, sharing so much of their lives with one another. As we prepare for the arrival of number three, my heart is full as I cherish the final days/weeks of being a family of four and anxiously await the moment we become a family of five.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
last visit
This past weekend Doc, Mimi, Auntie Dawnie, and Uncle Bobby arrived in Cleveland for one last hurrah. We were blessed with crisp fall temperatures, sunshine, and the glorious colors of fall as we spent time in charming Chagrin Falls strolling Main Street, window shopping, enjoying a hearty brunch, and sampling ice cream at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (splendid, indeed!). Saturday afternoon the fellas enjoyed a round of golf, while Mimi treated us girls and Joey to new shoes at Nordstrom. The little lady entered the kid's shoe section with a very specific shoe in mind - "pink, sparkly, slip-on." She walked away with these. (check. check. check!)
Saturday evening the adults enjoyed an evening out at Crop Bistro, surprising Doc with a celebratory dinner in honor of his recent retirement. Our evening was filled with special moments as we celebrated this special man in our lives, dined on amazing food, engaged in meaningful conversation and laughed together.
Other highlights of the visit included catching the first half of the Packer game at Shula's 2 where the little lady and man pretended to be waiters for the better part of an hour, carrying trays, taking our cash and orders as we cheered on the Pack, watching Uncle Bob grant each of the little man's requests to be carried or cuddled, the little lady's impromptu salon session with Auntie Dawn which included a "cut," style and manicure, and the simple joys of being together as a family. It's hard to believe that the next time we are all together our littlest lady will be present, bringing new joy and reasons to celebrate!
Friday, October 5, 2012
family [apple] tree
Torn from the pages of Parents magazine last fall, I was pleased to rediscover this simple fall craft and carve out a bit o' time this week to complete it. With a quick trip to Michael's for a few additional supplies, which I did not have on hand (I may enjoy a good craft, but do not keep florist's foam and wooden dowels on hand) we were set to begin crafting our apple tree. The little lady and man enjoyed peeling sticker after sticker, and I appreciated the simplicity of the project, which resulted in what will now be our adorable fall centerpiece.
Materials
***
plant pot, jar or vase
florist's foam
wooden dowel
green construction paper (I cut two for each child, and placed them back to back with packing tape.)
glue or strong tape (such as packing)
apple-shaped stickers
Popsicle stick (or other variety) and photo of your child
an afternoon at eddie's fruit farm
Field trips. A few stand out from my childhood as particularly memorable. I have even greater memories of planning and organizing them as a teacher. Yesterday, I was able to enjoy my first field trip as a parent chaperone.
The little lady and I were just a tad excited.
Arriving at Eddie's Fruit Farm for an afternoon of apple picking, observing nature, and frolicking with friends.
The little lady and new BFF, Megan. These two are cut from the same cloth, sharing an affinity for all things social, girlie chit chat, imaginary play, and having dynamic personalities.
Processing all that Farmer Bart had to say on the topic of apples.
Cautiously tasting her first concord grape.
Picky. Picky.
The little lady scanned each branch, carefully selecting five apples to bring home.
The crew - Erin and Nicole's Afternoon Pre-K class
Thursday, October 4, 2012
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - shaker residents
It's hard to believe our time in Shaker is coming to an end.
Estimated departure date, December 21st.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
entrepreneurs in training
Last Friday, we joined friends Neko and Katie Grace for the perfect fall play date, a cider and cookie sale. With cash register full of coins, warm ginger cookies and steaming cider, the girls and little man joyfully made their way to the sidewalk to wave down the friendly folks of Shaker making their way home from work. The first hour of business was spent tasting their product, frolicking in the grass and waiting expectantly for potential customers. By 4:30 business had picked up and the kids took turns pouring cider, passing out cookies, collecting cash, and occasionally body checking one another for dibs on the register. By far the most humorous aspect of the afternoon was watching the children wave their petite arms in the air, pleading with cars to stop, and their hysterical fits of "angry" laughter when cars zoomed by ignoring their boisterous cries of "Ciiiider for Saaaale!" It was an afternoon filled with laughter as we enjoyed the beauty of fall, the warmth of the setting sun, and making memories with sweet girlfriends.
Quality control?
The little man spent most of the afternoon sneaking cookies and gulping cider.
Desperate, but delightful cries as they spot potential customers coming down the street.
"Errrr...they IGNORED us!" [hysterical laughter]
Our favorite customer of the afternoon..."It's. MY. Daddy!"
...and might I add, our tallest customer.
The little lady and man were thrilled to walk away with their take of the profit, four quarters each. That's a lot o' loot.
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