father and daughter, mother and son

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones

Cael runs ahead of me through the crowds, inspiring shocked faces to search frantically for a desperate parent. Then big smiles when they spot me walking a few paces behind, a look of shared appreciation for the momentary magic of a happy toddler.

spellbound

I have lost my husband to Harry Potter. He picked up the 7th book a couple days ago, and has been completely engrossed ever since. You can tell that he is just tolerating the demands of us muggles until he can get back to the world of magic and wizards. I laugh, but I know as soon as he leaves, I will be the same way. The kids will run around with dirty diapers, starved for food and attention, while I say, “I am almost done with this chapter!”

lullabies

I think I have a song for just about every occasion. There is the teeth-brushing song, the bath-time song, the diaper-changing song. Pick up toys, eat your peas, don’t pull the cat’s tail, let’s clean your face, pooping in the potty, the baby’s sleeping; most activities do not escape my musical-theater-like ability to turn them into song. Isabel is smitten, and Cael is sometimes tickled. But when he wants me to stop, he puts his hand to my mouth with an emphatic “NO!” and I stop until he removes his hand. I get to have my fun too, Cael!

oh.

Judd and I watched the entire movie, “Babel”, before we realized that we could have been watching with subtitles.

another day, another charmer

Isabel is responding with giggles and smiles to me singing and daddy laughing. Listen hard enough and you can hear our hearts melt.

Cael shows his father how to put on his shoes (no- not on your hands, Daddy!). He shoves them onto Dad’s feet, and then picking up the laces he twirls them around in his hands. When they don’t tie into a bow like they should, he tries again. “Uh oh, uh oh!”

Dinner with all available grandparents last night; we are a fortunate family to have such lovely company and yummy food.

highchair dictator

As Cael loads up the back of his little jeep with peas and drives it around the tray- I laugh and wonder, “What exactly is wrong with letting them play with their food?” When he giggles maniacally, picking up his plate and turning it upside down, smearing remnants of food around and around, when he shoves handfuls of bread in his mouth and shakes his head back and forth, then I think “That’s why!”

red eyes, pink skin, the sun can really do you in

Water slides today- we all had a blast. We look a little dazed and bruised after a day of hurtling our bodies down slides. Cael had a smile that took over his whole face, lasting until he fell asleep in the car. We were taking bets on how many seconds it would take for him to fall asleep once we left. No one even came close- he fell asleep before the door was closed!

home again, home again, jiggity jig

Cael- Beside himself with excitement, his Father is home. Peals of giggles and instant tears.

Isabel- Big changes through the lens of a two week separation. Wiggles and smiles, bursts of poo.

Judd- Relief, work is over. Contentment, home again. Delight, three cheerful faces and kisses galore.

Me- Does life get better than a beautiful day (sun shining, freshly mowed grass) and a happy family?

the squirrel

Cael likes to hide things. When I clean the house (something I tend to do on the day before my husband returns- not that he really cares, but it makes me happy), I find all sorts of stashed goodies. Binkies are carefully hidden- under the stove, in a toy box, in a shoe, on a shelf. I even find a couple toys inside the comforter on our bed. Not to mention the trucks he regularly gets stuck up his pant leg…