new sisters

new sisters
Penelope holding 10 day old Violet

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Two Shiny New Teeth

A Bagel

Will I like it?

Mmmm

Ha ha

See my teeth!

Pen's days of quietly reading over bagels in peace at the little table are numbered.
Violet suprised us by cutting her first teeth at 7 months. Pen was closer to a year with her teething. I wasn't expecting Violet's so soon. In a way, though I know it's crazy, those teeth made me sad. It is such a symbol of her growing up, becoming more independent and all that that means. Which, of course, she is doing all the time. But the teeth are so obvious and sudden. That little gummy grin is now a toothy smile. It's not that I want to keep her a baby forever, but sometimes I wish it wasn't quite so fast as it is. All the time I wish it wasn't so fast. But teeth she now has, and really, they are pretty cute.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

A Lovely Day

Feeling the Crocus


Smelling the Snowdrops

Standing Among the Crocus


Running to the Beach
Happy at the Beach

Working in the Sand

Making a "Noodle Forest" out of old sea grasses

Ready for Mary Cassatt to Paint Her

That Big Old Moon

Baby with a Potato
We had a quiet St.Patrick's Day at our house. While Penelope napped in the afternoon, I stood in the kitchen washing potatoes with Baby on my back, and I had this overwhelming sense of normalness come over me. The whole day was like that, and it felt good. I had taken the girls to their Music Together class in the morning, and there was lots of dancing to Irish music and happiness. Then I took them to the playground and for a picnic lunch. I brought home two happy, but tired girls and put them down for a long nap. Violet has been teething and wasn't sleeping well, so I put her on my back and began to make dinner.

From where I stood at the sink, up to my elbows in potatoes, I could see the two pretty loafs of soda bread I'd made and the cupcakes cooling. Penelope has been asking when the next birthday party will be because she wants cupcakes. I thought, why do we have to have a special occasion for cupcakes, anyway? Couldn't I just make her some for no reason at all? And if there needs to be a reason I'll just color the frosting green and call them St. Patrick's cupcakes.

I felt so happy in my cozy little house, with the afternoon sun streaming in, children sleeping, Irish music playing softly. As I washed my potatoes I thought of how every woman in my family has probably stood in her kitchen, cleaning potatoes at some time or another. Many of them probably while their babies slept in the afternoon. There was just something so timeless and wonderful about the NORMAL I was living in. The whole day was really nice, but this particular moment, in the kitchen with the potatoes and sleeping baby on my back was special in a way I can't really describe.

We all went for an evening walk together, down to our little beach. Something we do all the time, but even this was magical and special. So many crocus were blooming and Penelope was overcome. "My whole world is full of flowers" she cried out, arms outstretched to illustrate just how big her world was, or how many flowers were filling it. As if they were all for her alone. And when we got to the beach everything was beautiful in the light from the setting sun. My children looked to me like children in paintings from long ago, and I wondered how many years have people been bringing their children to play at this beach in the beautiful evening light?

And oh, that moon! What a moon we have had this week. Even the same moon that has been shining on me my whole life was special. For whatever reason I have been relishing the normal, ordinary moments of life lately. And really, I guess that when everyone is healthy, when you have a safe and cozy place to call home, good food to put on your table, beautiful sunsets, amazing moon filled nights, and you are lucky enough to live with the people you love most, all those normal moments are really special, even extraordinary. There are endless bright blessing to be counted in a normal, ordinary day.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Oh, The Outfits

The Long Sleeve T-Shirt Paired With Bikini Bottom
The Pink Polka Dot Bathing Suit Bottom With Pink T-Shirt And Flip Flops



Pink Flower Hat With Gorgeous Hand Me Down Sweater From Cousin Celeste And Ever Present Tutu Skirt



My Little Fashionista



Annoyed With Me For Taking Her Picture

Spring Dress With T-Shirt Underneath And Tights, Tinker Bell Sunglasses, Purple Rose Headband, And Mardi Gras Beads



Penelope The Movie Star And Violet the Strawberry


My Personal Favorite, Last Night's Pajamas With Bathing Suit Bottom Over Them, Yes she slept like this.


Some very interesting clothing combinations have been happening around here. Most of them amuse me to no end, I love it that she is thinking about how her clothes look and trying different things on. She comes out of her room with a smile, already knowing she looks divine, and asks "how do I look?". And the happy bonus to all this, I have discovered, is that her vocabulary is expanding to include many new adjectives. Such as, divine, spectacular, amazing, stunning, enchanting, marvelous. And she is all of these things, with the outfits or without. She is one of the most divine, spectacular, amazing, stunning, enchanting, and marvelous people in the world, in my humble opinion.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Has Spring Sprung?

Starting Seeds
Trying on Bathing Suits
Not Entirely Sure About Swings
Pen Rocking the Eccentric Bag Lady Look
So Happy To Tire Swing Again!
Slide
Little Miss Sunshine
Splash!

Happiness

Stuffed In The Stroller AGAIN While Pen Runs Around
Could it be? Has spring begun? Maybe, I am hesitant to say so, I don't want to jinx us all, but I think it may be true. We have been able to get out for a nice walk for a couple days now, which has made such a huge difference in our collective sanety. Penelope was happy to try out her new raincoat and boots today, and I didn't mind the rain because it was warm enough to be out and not freezing. The birds are singing, we have seen crocus and snowdrops and the daffodils are growing taller. And just today we spied pussy willow. Hurray for that happy, little, soft and furry bud. How can you not be glad to see it's return!

I'm afraid to get too excited, but I am, really I am! It's been a long, hard winter. We will enjoy this spring as much as we can. Oh, will we ever!