A traveling we go...

This weekend, I had a wedding to shoot in Wichita, so we extended the weekend a little and Miss Anni came along for some extra bonding time with her grandma and the rest of my family.  I took my first plane ride when I was in my mid-twenties, on my way to walk across the country.  Anni; however, has already flown multiple times... at only 21 months.  This was actually our best flight yet.  She ate apple sauce (three tubes of it), cheesy crackers and homemade granola bars all while checking out other passengers and singing Baa Baa Black Sheep in every possible form (moo, moo brown cow anyone?).  While we miss Daddy a lot, it's always wonderful to see my family.  We drove straight from the airport to my sister, Katie's, and spent the rest of that first day watching them on and off as my mom and sister ran errands, picked up the oldest from school and headed out for evening meetings. 

Anni actually had a lot of fun and when she saw one of her triplets, Jimmy, her face lit up and she shouted, "HI!  HI!"  I'm not sure she's quite as excited about him as he's spent most of the weekend beating her up, but she's still loving snuggles with her girl cousins and following her oldest cousin, Charlie, around as much as possible.  (She asks for "Tayee!" all the time, even in the middle of the night the other night.)  She also finally go to satisfy her requests for "Aunt Tinie," though connecting faces with the voices she hears on the phone gets a little confusing for her each time.  The night after the wedding, Miss Anni woke up almost as soon as my head hit the pillow... and stayed up, telling me about diapers, Tayee and Mr. Sun and kicking me in the face when I attempted to bring her to my bed to get both of us some sleep.  After three or so hours, we went through her bedtime routine again and she fell right asleep.  I did start sleeping in a different room; though, just in case it was me rolling around nearby that woke her up.  She woke up again the next night, but this time I was prepared and after some comfort, a little snack and her night time routine, she happily snuggled down to sleep.  I think my poor brother is ready to move out after all the interruptions of his sleep, though.  Good thing he loves us!

My sister hosted a cookie decorating party and all the littles gathered around a table and coated their cookies in frosting, crushed andes mint chocolates, sprinkles galore and a few well placed red hots.  Well, Anni mostly just ate cookies, though her cousin Lizzy was the best!  She would decorate it, lick all the decorations off... and repeat :).  Anni was a little overwhelmed by her cousins, but she loves watching them, even when she gets a little tired and cranky.

The weather turned cold and my niece started to get sick, so the next couple of days were a little laid back.  We had Sunday dinner with everyone healthy and listened to all my brother has learned on his new violin (he's had three lessons and is picking it up so fast!).

We celebrated my (other) brother's acceptance into grad school, and he and  I stayed up late watching Office re-runs while I worked on my hubby's Valentine's Day gift.  We finished out our trip by tromping through a dusting of snow and ice to visit my sister's classroom where I embarrassed myself singing Oh, Mr Sun (the request was for Baa Baa, Black Sheep... I politely demurred... did I mention these were 7th graders?).   

It was good, really good.  I miss them already, but was grateful to get home to my beloved and our little apartment. 

Oh!  Happy St. Valentine's Day.  Or Cyril and Methodius Day.  Or Single Awareness Day.  Happy whatever you want to celebrate today, just be happy!  We're celebrating by lighting up my thyroid and seeing what happens :). 

Last Thursday it started snowing... and it snowed and snowed and snowed.... for nearly 48 hours.  I could tell you I have awesome snowy pictures, but I don't.  Anni and I stayed in our pajamas and tried to stay warm while crossing our fingers that Daddy would have a snow day (he did, well, he worked from home, but we just love having him around).  On Saturday, we made the trek up to Greeley to spend the weekend celebrating Daniel's dad's birthday (yes, we watched the Super Bowl... er commercials as well). 

Anni's baby is still a constant companion; though, one of her blankets has joined the favored ranks and has be dragged out of bed every morning.

You probably don't know this, but my husband is kind of an amazing musician.  He's played the piano for the better part of his life and kind of rocks at it.  Unfortunately, there's no way a piano is going to fit in our apartment... so we dug out his guitar from high school and he and his dad took turns serenading us on it.  Man with an acoustic guitar and father of my baby?  *swoon*

Our baby is sweet, wonderful... really just about everything you could wish for in a nearly- two year old... but she has recently got the tantrums down.  (I promise I wasn't neglecting her here... she is definitely not the toddler that needs to be comforted to finish her rages, she needs to be ignored so she can forget why she was sad... intervention tends to escalate things, I've learned.)

The crazy hair?  Because "tailies" only last so long.  We did a whole lot of singing.  Anni's attempt at the hand motions to the itsy bitsy spider make me smile every time.  This is me doing the parental gush.  ohmygoodnessshessocuteandsmart

But really, lots of fun.  All weekend, we could hear Anni singing and humming to herself throughout the day.  Daniel's mom told us that his preschool teacher always knew where he was because he was always making some form of music. 

Every once in while, I get these brief little glimpses into who our baby is going to be... really who she is that I haven't even realized yet.  I get that little shiver that tells me to hold this second, this one right here, of her giggling on Daddy's back and being obsessed with her coat and Nonna's cane.  There's no going back.

I wish I had better words sometimes... that I could weave together my quiet thoughts throughout the day into something recognizable.  I read people's lives, stories that make me laugh and weep until Anni toddles over and pats my back, making sure I know she loves me.  I guess I don't have anything fascinating to say.  I work, I raise a baby, I love my husband (in a variety of orders).  I'm sick, and they'll light up my thyroid next week like one of those glow sticks in a rave so they can take pictures and tell me why I'm sick.  But I'm not that sick.  I'll defer treatment until after Ireland if I need to, because I want to go, and I think that's okay. 

I think I'm learning, that maybe I won't say anything that means anything for a long time, but I'm soaking in other mommas' wisdom and hoping that I can love like my loved ones deserve.  Because, my dear loved ones, you truly deserve to be loved and cherished with every last drop I have. 

Happy Week, my friends!

Babies and Boulder

Our baby loves her baby.  Last Thanksgiving, we meant to bring the baby, but somehow left her forlorn in our little apartment for the few days we were gone.  We didn't know how attached she was until she saw her cousin's doll and picked it up, saying, "Baby?  nooooo, baby!"  It was similar, but not her baby.  When we got home late at night, I brought her baby to her while she was taking a bath.  Her face lit up and she nearly lept out of the tub, shouting, "Baby!!!"  Baby has been at her side nearly all the time since then. 

She likes for the baby to do all the things she does and all the things she sees me do with the baby we watch.  She rocks her, carries her around in her overalls (not that I do that... think of it as baby wearing ;-)),  puts her in the high chair and shares her snacks with her.

She even brought her with us when we went to Boulder yesterday to visit a friend.  We weren't able to stay out long, because Anni has a bit of a cough that got nasty when she got worked up, but she loved, loved running up and down the hill while we ooh'd and ahh'd at the mountains (er... rock formations, supposedly these aren't technically mountains?  I'm not sure.)

Afterwards we settled in at Miss Sarah's house for a cup of tea and some music listening.  We really do have a good life.

I started nearly a dozen posts while Daniel was away... and each and every one died a neglected little death.  This one might, as well, if I don't spit it out and let it be imperfect as it may be.  My sweet little and I broke up our day with lunch, playdates and long walks to the park with friends.  Some hours were awesome, and some we had to drag ourselves through in hopes that we would both work off the crankiness.  The apartment isn't perfect, but it's actually pretty clean and shiny... evidence that I didn't have a hubby to hang out with in the evenings and that I need about 10 things to flit from when I'm working.  I had a lot of reflection time this weekend... which was good for me.  I got to think a lot about how necessary love is, especially in a discussion (heated or otherwise).  Anyway, that was random - I wasn't in any discussion like this, I just thought about it.

Moving on... a few pictures for this post. 

How lovely to have a friend so close!  We got to witness Miss Lucy's first time in a swing!  (That's my coat holding her up... unfortunately, Anni figured that if Mommy isn't wearing a coat... she didn't need to.  Despite that and some rather unfortunate trips, falls, and bloody lips, this trip was still a highlight of our rather cranky day.)

 
I loved that she loved pushing the stroller... until she veered left and pushed it off a lip in the sidewalk (who puts a lip on a sidewalk around a park?!, just a little angsty here).  This one didn't result in blood at least... just a very guilty feeling mommy.

The next day was our Boulder day with Miss Sarah.  I think Saturday was our best day as a whole.  It kind of helps that Anni was enthralled by one of the street musicians and that I've never been disappointed by the food or company when we head into town.  I think I could spend a few hours there every day and be happy.  There's so many fun performers (below?  A person dressed up as a ginormous dog.  Anni rather desperately wanted to touch it... while being freaked out.  Sarah and I coaxed her into and it made her pretty happy, until the thing - person - decided to sit up) and characters.  Plus... my crunchy side loves the organic food options.  
 



We took some time with some other FOCUS wives/mamas on Sunday, thought the rest of the day should probably be forgotten... lots of tears and exhaustion on both sides.  Today, we had a lovely low-key lunch with a dear friend (and cousin, actually!)  I love being reminded how beautiful, talented and dear my friends are.  I am such a homebody that sometimes it takes a daunting task like these four days to plan fun things and give my sweet some time out in the world.  Have I mentioned that single mothers/ mothers alone for long periods of time are freaking amazing?  Seriously, I know you do what you have to do, but know that my thoughts and prayers were for you this weekend when things seemed hard.  I could look forward to my hubby returning today, and that's not something everyone has.  This week holds my appointment... and hopefully a whole lot of sleep.

The end.  [just for now though]

but really.

Just us girls...

My beloved is leaving tomorrow, and Miss Anni and I will have four days to ourselves.  We're planning some fun things to help break up our day like daddy usually does.  As soon as he got home from work today (a little early to get ready for the trip), we rushed out into the sunshine for a quick trip to the park across the street.  My two dears made my heart ache a little.  I love them so much!

Have a great trip, dearest!