Full Moon at the shore

Visiting Auntie Jessie

Here are a couple of pictures from our visit with Auntie Jessie.  We had a nice time catching up and spending time with Jessie and Lucky.  The weather in Sanford was very hot, but it was a good excuse to relax in the air conditioning and watch a movie.  Robert loved giving Lucky lots of pats and Harry got used to a big dog after just a little time.

It was a nice time for all :-)

On the road - Washington, DC

We are on the road and here are some pictures.  So far it has been a great trip.  The boys loved our high rise hotel in Alexandria, Virginia.  Robert just wanted to stand on the windowsill (which ran the length of one wall) and look down at the traffic from our 16th floor point of view.  On the horizon we could see the National Cathedral, the Washington Monument and the Capitol and the Masonic Temple and the spire of the main office building at Virginia Seminary (where both Kevin and I attended).

We went to the air and space museum in DC and got the chance to catch up with the Jeni and her kids.  The car rides have been long, but the boys have been very patient.  We have listened to Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.  We have also watched for license plates and listened to the Wiggles and the Princess and the Frog.  I will update more when I get a chance.  For now, I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Da da da dadada da da da da da dadada

Boy has it been a week.  Harry's been in summmer camp, Robert and I have had lots of stuff to do for our upcoming trip and the Summer Fair.  Not too much time for other things, but we've gotten good beach time in and Harry got a new Indiana Jones hat, which replaces the black hat Robert has now taken over.  Both boys are pleased as punch to have both hats and we even wore them out to the library one day.  That was a very cute site.  The Indy hat basically fits H's head, but the black fedora (which Harry is trying to teach Robert to say), totally overwhelms R's head.  He looks a little like Paddington Bear in it.  Anyway, enjoy the pics.

A banner day for the boys

It was rainy today, so I thought since our plans for an afternoon beach date were scuttled, perhaps we could go to the movies.  It doesn't sound like a particularly challenging thing, but my 2 boys are special.  Harry has trouble sitting still and keeping quiet in the best of circumstances, but with the sound and amusement on the screen it becomes even harder.  At home he beebops all over the room when watching something and often acts out the scenes on the screen.  Robert, well he's 2 and of course has never been to a movie theater.

Still, it seemed like a good plan to me.  First we got there and the fire alarm was going off.  So we waited for the theater to empty out, watched the fire department come and eventually retreated to our car as it was starting to rain.  Just when I was thinking, what to do, what to do... people started back in and so we bought our tickets and headed in.  Fortunately we got seats right in the front and even more fortunately, a kind lady took an extra trip out front to get boosters for the boys!  She was my movie guardian angel today.  I didn't know such a thing existed.  It was perfect it kept Robert's seat (and Harry's for that matter), nicely in place and lifted them up a bit so they could probably see better.  I brought candy for both boys and water for both too.  I also brought puppy and blanket for Robert.  I think they were my saving grace because toward the end when he would have gotten antsy he just stuck his thumb in and snuggled with blanket.

Both boys were extremely good and watched the movie mostly quietly.  I actually watched the movie too.  I was expecting to pull somebody into my lap at some point and that didn't happen. Robert seemed thrilled to have his own seat and as usual Harry was alert to the nuances and details of the movie, that I barely noticed. Fortunately, I am usually able to think back and remember what he is referring to though.

When we came out of the movie it was downpouring and past our normal supper time.  So the london broil remains in the fridge, it will be very tender when we finaly manage to grill it and we stopped at a favorite local place for burgers which we brought home to Kevin.  After being cooped up inside all afternoon.  We went out and stomped (or in Robert's case, sat) in puddles for 20 minutes before heading up for bedtime.  My lovely husband is right now putting both boys to bed, to give me a break.  It was a great day, but I was ready for some quiet to contemplate it.  I will now toast myself some homemade zucchini bread and get a big glass of cold water and sit down on the couch.

It's been a banner day for all of us.

Reading

I am the treasurer of the Friends of Library in town, because when I asked, I thought, well I can't really spend too much more time at the library and I might as well give back to a place that gives us so much.  One comment I get often about Harry is that he has a wonderful vocabulary.  He does and it is because when we have down time, we pick up a book and read.  Harry can now read pretty well himself, but he prefers us to read to him because he can't read the kind of books he wants to read yet (books probably written for 5th or 6th graders).  I know I was an early reader and often had my nose in a book (still would if not for laundry, dishes, little boys...).  I love reading books to both boys and find that I am now sharing things I loved as a child with Harry, fortunately I loved knights and castles along with "girly" books, so I have some good ones to share.

It's been pretty hot this week (for RI) and so we have had a couple of naptimes when we have sat on the couch in the cool air downstairs and read books.  Robert also seems to love books too.  We have started getting him books at the library and now he has the 3 book limit Harry had at his age.  Harry's limit is time now, since we are usually reading chapter books and he understands the concept of bedtime being a certain time.  One day at the library this week I noticed a group of boys come into the library and instantly go to the computers and start playing games on the computers - I don't know what but they involved shooting.  One of them was Harry's age.  None of the little boys ever went into the stacks and got books.  We were happily sitting on the floor looking through the books for some interesting new adventures to bring home.  I walked out with a bag full of books for both boys and myself and thankful that my children love books and that is what the library means to them - a place to find new adventures and learn new things via the written page.

See you later...

There is something poignant about dropping your small child off somewhere.  You look back at this little person in a big place and wonder or maybe worry about what will happen when you can no longer be nearby to help him navigate the world around him.  As they get older, I think, I should feel more secure that they can fend for themselves, but really, I worry more because the world is not always a kind place and I know that they are learning that too.

I was one of those unlucky mothers who experienced full blown post partum depression, very soon after we brought Harry home from the hospital.  It was awful, it was scary and worst of all, I thought I would never love my own child.  That didn't happen, the fierceness of a mother's love is quite known to me now.  I actually kind of consider it a gift that I remember quite clearly, the moment I fell in love with my first born son.  It wasn't when he was placed in my arms or in the first few days of confused and tired parenthood, rather it was in a park on a warm day as we enjoyed each other's company and Harry was perhaps a couple of months old.

Now at 7 there have been many goodbyes and many times when I have left him in the care of others, luckily always somebody I knew and trusted.  There have also been many reunions.  I still find the good byes difficult. Kevin takes him to school in the morning, be it to the bus stop or to school itself.  Of course I can do it, but somehow it is always difficult to watch him walk away and join or perhaps not join the group.  Nobody can ever fully explain parenthood.  It is a visceral thing, like falling in love.  The depths of your feelings can overwhelm you, but unlike falling in love, it lasts forever.  Once a child is part of you, you cannot simply let go of the child and forget that she or he exists.

See you later alligator...

Random Pics I like

flowers across the streeta rooster a Watson farm

 Breaking a board at Tae Kwon Do

super buddy with puppy & blanket

The clergy here march in the Memorial Day Parade

Our little Tiger Scout at the Parade

Painting the Sunday School Walls

Making noise in Mom's hat - who needs a drum

Tug pulling the Forrestal out to sea - note the size of Fort Adams compared to the aircraft carrier

I climbed up here to check out my bling

The wonders of Playdoh and the disadvantages of being the second child

When Harry was little, I would carefully think about what we would do on any given day.  With Robert I kind of go with the flow.  Things depend upon what is going on with Harry, what the day is like, and all the other stuff.  I think I do similar things, but then I'll suddenly realize how negligent I've been. 

This afternoon after nap, Harry went up to his room to play with his legos and I was folding laundry.  I looked at Robert and thought, what shall we do now? Then it hit me - Playdoh!  I used to sit with Harry of an afternoon and just shape and play and imagine.  I've never done that with Robert.  Oh well, at least we did it today.  We sat down and pulled out the many little containers and shapers (and we have more now than we did at first with Harry) and we played for an hour or so.

It was a fun activity and Robert enjoyed himself.  We had a grand time.  And with Robert it wasn't snakes, but butterflies and every time I made a snail he destroyed it!  I'll have to remember that, second time around.  Oh, playdoh, such a wonderful toy and a lovely way to while away a hot summer afternoon.

Just a swingin'

Yesterday morning Harry and I were talking after breakfast and he told me that I was doing a good job as his Mom.  I think that may have made my week.  Harry adores his Father and is a little free with telling me that I am not even close to his favorite person.  It's a good think that I am tough.  Robert on the other hand is still pretty attached to me and usually wants me before anybody else.  In new situations he'll hang around "Momp" (don't know where the p comes from), until he's decided it is okay to go off.  It doesn't usually take long, but it is nice to be favored.  I don't really remember Harry ever being that way.  He's always been a Daddy's boy. 

Ordering, stacking, puzzling

Robert is our little organizer.  Yesterday he wanted the crayons.  I handed him the large jar of crayons and then went and found a coloring book for him.  I left him to it, as I was busy getting breakfast for Harry.  A few minutes later I checked back (to make sure nothing unusual was being colored) and this is what I found.  The coloring book was still as I had left it and Robert was busily and happily organizing the crayons into lines.  I joined him to color a few minutes later, but he really wasn't interested, what he wanted to do was empty out the crayons, organize them into his own order and put them back.  We spent a little time identfying the colors and then he was done.

He has a penchant for puzzles.  About six months ago (or maybe more) he was very into the 3 year old puzzles and we would do them over and over again.  At first I was doing them and he would help here and there and eventually he could do them.  Right now he loves doing wooden puzzles when we are at the library (which is actually fairly often), but at home he has other occupations. 

My Mom used to say that she thought people had lots of children because each one is so different and they just wanted to see what the next child would be like.  It is true in our house, Robert and Harry are very different boys and I am fascinated by this.  They are both sweet little boys, but in very different ways.  Robert has a twinkle in his eye that spells trouble.  I'll watch him as he deliberately tests limits and does things that he knows he's not supposed to do.  Harry has always been very obedient and now I realize what a good child he is with our little troublesome two year old around.  I am appreciative of this side of Harry more and more as I try to figure out how to discipline and teach Robert.  I have to admit, it was easy with Harry, he wants to obey and do things right (I think that may come from his very right/wrong oriented mother), but Robert seems to say, "Hmmm...you don't want me to do this, I wonder why, let's try that again."

It is an adventure and I am happy to be on it (at least most days).

science experiments

In our house if there is a strange glass of liquid on the counter or a seemingly odd assortment of stuff gathered in one place, it is always best to leave it alone.  Most of the time, these are science experiments in process or in the planning stages.  At the moment, we are copper plating a nail (pretty cool actually) and growing a dinosaur to 3x its size.  We also have been working on the elusive formula for invisible ink.  Somewhere in a pile in the kitchen (carefully stacked lemon juice, then milk) are two pieces of paper that don't look like anything but have secret messages upon them.  Sometime in the next day or two when the toddler is otherwise occupied we need to see if we can put them up to a flame and see the message.

As a child I remember making concoctions in the kitchen and loving to mix things together.  Harry goes one step further, he wants to make things that do things or create things which have some purpose (even though sometimes the purpose is mysterious to me - it is always essential to him).  I love this part of him, although I do shudder to think what will happen as the experiments get more complex and beyond my knowledge.  He already knows some scientific concepts that were not taught and were barely around when I was in school.  We have microscopes and telescopes and even though he spends much of life in constant motion, he is noticing much of what is being said and going on in the world around him.

Summertime is fun because there is actually time to get some of these things done.  I think one of my chores for today is to seek out sparklers.  It is now legal to buy them in our great state and somehow Harry has heard of them and requested some for the fourth.  I will have to seek them out.  Those are another thing I particularly liked as a child.  That is one of the benifits of Mommyhood, I get to make concoctions, light sparklers and throw water balloons - all in the name of play with my children.

Dealing with Distraction and Summer begins

Hello again,

It has been a while.  Winter seemed long and full.  I think I am still adjusting to having Harry in school and Robert is now 2 and a very busy little person.  I don't have very much free time to myself these days.  I also have had various distractions and I am trying to eliminate some and focus better on the important things.  I have had the feeling often that I am simply not equipped for whatever challenge is in front of me.  My modus operandi has been to just say, "Oh well, I still have to deal with it" and somehow things work out in the end.  Not always perfectly, but they do work out.

One thing I discovered this winter which I think I am going to try my best to ignore this summer is a social networking sight called Facebook.  I could put down a whole discussion about it.  I think the summary would be, it is a fun game, but it isn't real life.  Real life is talking to people face to face, playing with my children, stealing a few minutes to sit down and read a book and feel the cool breeze and hear the leaves rustling in shade. 

My other distraction is my own fears of inadequacy and frustrations at not being able to do as much or what I really want to do.  Like Paul, I know how I want to be and behave, but often the reality falls short.  However, sometimes it does not and this summer boys.  We are going to have fun!  We are going to work to live life to the best

We've started to in our own ways.  Robert and I spent yesterday morning at the playground and in our backyard playing (I did a couple of chores, but when Robert needed a playmate I was there).  Yesterday afternoon Harry and I did experiments and reading together.  After nap we all played with water balloons and of course I am the one who ended up all wet :-)

It is just the beginning of summer.  I hope it will be a nice one.  We're going to do our best.