This is what my attempt to take a picture of the two of them usually looks like. Oh well. You win some, you lose some, I guess.
Happy weekend!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
We went to the playground...
and I took a million pictures, three of which were good. Here they are:
This is what my attempt to take a picture of the two of them usually looks like. Oh well. You win some, you lose some, I guess.
Happy weekend!
This is what my attempt to take a picture of the two of them usually looks like. Oh well. You win some, you lose some, I guess.
Happy weekend!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Greetings from the infirmary
We're all slightly better-rested and Will is on the mend but there's still quite a bit of this as he catches up on a fairly significant amount of lost sleep over the past week:
In fact, this is exactly what Will is doing as I type, with all of his friends smooshed on our little couch and everyone involved covered up by his down comforter which generally results in him waking up a seriously sweaty mess. He had a follow-up appointment at our pediatrician's office this morning and he still has two infected ears but there has been some improvement, so that's good news.
At least the infirmary is decorated (a tiny bit, anyway) for Halloween, though. This year I went all out (by my definition, since Halloween decor isn't exactly my idea of appealing or tasteful) since Will really enjoys holiday decorations of any size, shape or variety. In fact, I decorated while he was at school one morning a few weeks ago and his reaction when he got home made it well worth the 10 minutes it took me to pull everything out of the basement and put it into the living room. He said, and I'm quoting him directly: "This cracks my head right off!" He was laughing maniacally when he said this, so I'm assuming that having one's head cracked right off is a desirable result?
Exhibit A: proof that I'm not a total Halloween Scrooge, not to get my holiday metaphors too mixed up.
And Exhibit B. (Please pretend that the small pumpkin on the right is pushed over about two or three inches to the left, right next to the big one. Stuff like that drives me bananas. I can't believe I didn't notice it when I was taking these pictures.) Jamison says that I'm the only person he knows who is capable of making holiday decorating boring. He's probably kind of right. My problem is that I really don't like extra stuff everywhere. I'm not really a knickknack kind of gal, which I guess is code for boring.
And in relation to absolutely nothing else, Jamison sent me a short synopsis of this with the subject line "This is NOT an Onion article." While I shouldn't have gotten a bit of a chuckle out of something so violent, I did have to laugh at the idea of biker dudes hanging out at Starbucks. I've yet to see any at ours and I'm certainly there enough. (Except for this week, as we've only been once due to Will's under-the-weather-ness. The one time we were there, Laura's fan club [the world's friendliest baristas] greeted her with such genuine affection and excitement that it made me feel like, even though I know I'm biased and that she's mine and no one will ever, ever, ever feel the same way about her as I do, other people are also naturally drawn to her just-right combination of pure goodness, innocence and sass.)
Happy weekend!
In fact, this is exactly what Will is doing as I type, with all of his friends smooshed on our little couch and everyone involved covered up by his down comforter which generally results in him waking up a seriously sweaty mess. He had a follow-up appointment at our pediatrician's office this morning and he still has two infected ears but there has been some improvement, so that's good news.
At least the infirmary is decorated (a tiny bit, anyway) for Halloween, though. This year I went all out (by my definition, since Halloween decor isn't exactly my idea of appealing or tasteful) since Will really enjoys holiday decorations of any size, shape or variety. In fact, I decorated while he was at school one morning a few weeks ago and his reaction when he got home made it well worth the 10 minutes it took me to pull everything out of the basement and put it into the living room. He said, and I'm quoting him directly: "This cracks my head right off!" He was laughing maniacally when he said this, so I'm assuming that having one's head cracked right off is a desirable result?
Exhibit A: proof that I'm not a total Halloween Scrooge, not to get my holiday metaphors too mixed up.
And Exhibit B. (Please pretend that the small pumpkin on the right is pushed over about two or three inches to the left, right next to the big one. Stuff like that drives me bananas. I can't believe I didn't notice it when I was taking these pictures.) Jamison says that I'm the only person he knows who is capable of making holiday decorating boring. He's probably kind of right. My problem is that I really don't like extra stuff everywhere. I'm not really a knickknack kind of gal, which I guess is code for boring.
And in relation to absolutely nothing else, Jamison sent me a short synopsis of this with the subject line "This is NOT an Onion article." While I shouldn't have gotten a bit of a chuckle out of something so violent, I did have to laugh at the idea of biker dudes hanging out at Starbucks. I've yet to see any at ours and I'm certainly there enough. (Except for this week, as we've only been once due to Will's under-the-weather-ness. The one time we were there, Laura's fan club [the world's friendliest baristas] greeted her with such genuine affection and excitement that it made me feel like, even though I know I'm biased and that she's mine and no one will ever, ever, ever feel the same way about her as I do, other people are also naturally drawn to her just-right combination of pure goodness, innocence and sass.)
Happy weekend!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Two little loves
This is going to be short on words but long on pictures. Will has been sick since Sunday (really not feeling well, which resulted in an urgent care visit this evening to reveal a "rip-roaring" [doctor's words] ear infection and a temperature of 104) and he's spent every day resting and napping, watching Netflix on the couch or in his bed. Laura has been concerned, walking over periodically to lay her sweet little head down next to Will or to pat him and smile. Or to poke him in the eye. Whichever. In any case, I got these pictures of them together today. I had to seize the opportunity, as they're not ever still and smiling at the same time. Here they are:
(I don't really want to know what they're talking about/plotting in this one.)
Laura is the only one of us who was dressed in actual clothes by noon today.
Sometimes I wish I had a pause button. Despite their tendency to sometimes swipe each others' toys or pinch or otherwise be not so nice, deep down they're really just each other's biggest fan. And what more could any parent ask for?
Laura gives people pats to help them feel better. She usually does this while she says "Oooh" because I usually say, "Oh, how sweet" while she does it. I wish I could bottle her sweetness somehow.
What did I ever do without these two?
And now it's time for bed, as I've been up since 3 (am, not pm) with Will. Not entirely sure how I'm still functioning but it's 10:20 and I've yet to collapse from sheer exhaustion somehow.
It's almost the weekend!
(I don't really want to know what they're talking about/plotting in this one.)
Laura is the only one of us who was dressed in actual clothes by noon today.
Sometimes I wish I had a pause button. Despite their tendency to sometimes swipe each others' toys or pinch or otherwise be not so nice, deep down they're really just each other's biggest fan. And what more could any parent ask for?
Laura gives people pats to help them feel better. She usually does this while she says "Oooh" because I usually say, "Oh, how sweet" while she does it. I wish I could bottle her sweetness somehow.
What did I ever do without these two?
And now it's time for bed, as I've been up since 3 (am, not pm) with Will. Not entirely sure how I'm still functioning but it's 10:20 and I've yet to collapse from sheer exhaustion somehow.
It's almost the weekend!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
A decade minus one
A week ago, we celebrated our ninth anniversary. I use the term "celebrate" loosely, as this was primarily done via email while Jamison was frolicking on the beach in LA and I was at a pumpkin patch with our children. We've never been big on the anniversary festivities (or birthday festivities, for that matter) other than to say something like how crazy it is that we've been married that long, essentially the same basic conversation every year. And it is. Completely crazy and yet completely not crazy at the same time.
I'm not exactly the sentimental type and I'm certainly not one to gush over pretty much anything, ever. It's just not how I'm wired. I read what other people say and think about their significant others and it usually makes me one of two things: (1) uncomfortable or (2) highly suspicious. Uncomfortable because some declarations of affection are just a little too over the top for me, and suspicious because some declarations of affection just don't ring true or feel a bit too forced. (I tend to think that the people who have the best marriages don't feel the need to constantly broadcast the sheer awesomeness of their spouse.)
But this year, for various reasons, I feel the need to broadcast the sheer awesomeness of my spouse and the wonder that is our marriage. You hear all the time how good marriages take work, that you have to pour time and effort into yours to make it successful. For the most part, I don't agree. I actually think our marriage takes very little work. It may be because we're two relatively low-maintenance people who don't require lots and lots of discussion and feedback about our relationship and the state thereof. We just get along. Not always, but by and large, we don't put a whole lot of thought into what we're doing to make our marriage "good."
While many, many people believe wholeheartedly in the idea of fate or "soulmates," we tend to take the view that (a) we're pretty compatible and (b) we choose to stay together, day after day, year in and year out. Fate has nothing to do with it. Yes, we were born in the same small town and we are both remarkably similar in our weirdness. Among other things, we bought each other the same card unknowingly in the very beginning of our courtship (such an old-fashioned word, right?). There are lots of coincidences and events that others may believe to be something larger at work. But I think "fate" is such a passive term, like we're just letting the universe take its own course and have its way with us. Not so.
We've chosen to stick around here for nine years. We'll choose it tomorrow and again the following day. We'll choose it when we're completely exhausted, when we're angry or excited or sad or bored to tears. We'll choose it when our kids are grown and gone. We'll choose it throughout our lives together. And if one of us ever stops choosing it, well...that's a problem. But it's not fate.
What it is, though, is the confidence that comes with knowing that nine years ago I chose the right person. It's the same eagerness that's still there, all these years later, to read emails from Jamison before I read any others, just to see what he's got to say. It's socks on the bedroom floor and trash on the kitchen counter. It's NPR in the mornings and reading in bed at night. It's cursing under my breath while I close the cabinet doors or pick up any of the detritus of his day that was left lying about. It's a tiny gold band on my left hand and an empty ring finger on his left hand (as he prefers no jewelry of any sort-and it's being okay with that, too). It's a boy and a girl, a blond and a brunette, the storm and the calm, the exuberance and the sweetness. It's a marriage. It's a family. It's what we've made, what we'll continue to make for the rest of our time here. It's all I could have hoped for. And so much more.
Happy anniversary. Thanks for choosing me. I'm a lucky girl.
I'm not exactly the sentimental type and I'm certainly not one to gush over pretty much anything, ever. It's just not how I'm wired. I read what other people say and think about their significant others and it usually makes me one of two things: (1) uncomfortable or (2) highly suspicious. Uncomfortable because some declarations of affection are just a little too over the top for me, and suspicious because some declarations of affection just don't ring true or feel a bit too forced. (I tend to think that the people who have the best marriages don't feel the need to constantly broadcast the sheer awesomeness of their spouse.)
But this year, for various reasons, I feel the need to broadcast the sheer awesomeness of my spouse and the wonder that is our marriage. You hear all the time how good marriages take work, that you have to pour time and effort into yours to make it successful. For the most part, I don't agree. I actually think our marriage takes very little work. It may be because we're two relatively low-maintenance people who don't require lots and lots of discussion and feedback about our relationship and the state thereof. We just get along. Not always, but by and large, we don't put a whole lot of thought into what we're doing to make our marriage "good."
While many, many people believe wholeheartedly in the idea of fate or "soulmates," we tend to take the view that (a) we're pretty compatible and (b) we choose to stay together, day after day, year in and year out. Fate has nothing to do with it. Yes, we were born in the same small town and we are both remarkably similar in our weirdness. Among other things, we bought each other the same card unknowingly in the very beginning of our courtship (such an old-fashioned word, right?). There are lots of coincidences and events that others may believe to be something larger at work. But I think "fate" is such a passive term, like we're just letting the universe take its own course and have its way with us. Not so.
We've chosen to stick around here for nine years. We'll choose it tomorrow and again the following day. We'll choose it when we're completely exhausted, when we're angry or excited or sad or bored to tears. We'll choose it when our kids are grown and gone. We'll choose it throughout our lives together. And if one of us ever stops choosing it, well...that's a problem. But it's not fate.
What it is, though, is the confidence that comes with knowing that nine years ago I chose the right person. It's the same eagerness that's still there, all these years later, to read emails from Jamison before I read any others, just to see what he's got to say. It's socks on the bedroom floor and trash on the kitchen counter. It's NPR in the mornings and reading in bed at night. It's cursing under my breath while I close the cabinet doors or pick up any of the detritus of his day that was left lying about. It's a tiny gold band on my left hand and an empty ring finger on his left hand (as he prefers no jewelry of any sort-and it's being okay with that, too). It's a boy and a girl, a blond and a brunette, the storm and the calm, the exuberance and the sweetness. It's a marriage. It's a family. It's what we've made, what we'll continue to make for the rest of our time here. It's all I could have hoped for. And so much more.
Happy anniversary. Thanks for choosing me. I'm a lucky girl.
Friday, October 14, 2011
A couple of things
Laura was a bit under the weather last week.
She was sitting on the couch one minute and then completely pooped out on me the next. (I realize that her hair is completely out of control and sometimes she resembles a wild animal but she won't let us put anything in her hair. So no clips, rubber bands, no containment of any variety. I'm hoping she'll get past this stage soon.)
I took this the other evening from the front porch. The only thing I did to it was some minor cropping. It was pretty spectacular, so much so that Will stepped outside and declared that the sky looked like magic. And it did.
Like countless other preschoolers the nation over, we spent some time on a farm for a field trip to the pumpkin patch. This year Sister walked around all by herself (with the help of my mom, who came for the field trip and saved the day, since Jamison was out of town and I wasn't exactly looking forward to hayriding solo with two active, headstrong kids who are both able to get around with minimal help from their mother).
More pumpkin patch pictures:
It was a successful day and both of the kids loved it, despite the weather conditions being not exactly ideal. I didn't get to witness it, but my mom reports that Laura really loved the chickens. Will pretty much loved everything about it. I'm pretty sure that no one will ever accuse him of being apathetic. He's going "to gym" (as he puts it) this evening for Kids' Night In and Jamison and I are going to celebrate by spending some q.t. with Sis and enjoying the relative ease of just having one of our offspring in our care.
Finally, Wednesday marked two things: my grandmother's birthday (Happy birthday, Mamaw!) and our ninth anniversary. Yes, nine. One year short of a decade. Jamison spent it in LA, possibly playing beach volleyball. (I haven't verified if it actually occurred on this date but I know that the trip did involve a game or two.) I spent it on a hayride with our children. I had planned on posting something about this but when I had the chance to write something, I mainly wanted to go to bed. Maybe I'll get around to ruminating (in the non-bovine sense, of course) a little on our blessed union in the next day or so.
In the meantime, hopefully you'll have a chance to get out and enjoy all that fall has to offer. It's my favorite season of all. (Minus the part where we spend a million hours per weekend raking leaves.)
She was sitting on the couch one minute and then completely pooped out on me the next. (I realize that her hair is completely out of control and sometimes she resembles a wild animal but she won't let us put anything in her hair. So no clips, rubber bands, no containment of any variety. I'm hoping she'll get past this stage soon.)
I took this the other evening from the front porch. The only thing I did to it was some minor cropping. It was pretty spectacular, so much so that Will stepped outside and declared that the sky looked like magic. And it did.
Like countless other preschoolers the nation over, we spent some time on a farm for a field trip to the pumpkin patch. This year Sister walked around all by herself (with the help of my mom, who came for the field trip and saved the day, since Jamison was out of town and I wasn't exactly looking forward to hayriding solo with two active, headstrong kids who are both able to get around with minimal help from their mother).
More pumpkin patch pictures:
It was a successful day and both of the kids loved it, despite the weather conditions being not exactly ideal. I didn't get to witness it, but my mom reports that Laura really loved the chickens. Will pretty much loved everything about it. I'm pretty sure that no one will ever accuse him of being apathetic. He's going "to gym" (as he puts it) this evening for Kids' Night In and Jamison and I are going to celebrate by spending some q.t. with Sis and enjoying the relative ease of just having one of our offspring in our care.
Finally, Wednesday marked two things: my grandmother's birthday (Happy birthday, Mamaw!) and our ninth anniversary. Yes, nine. One year short of a decade. Jamison spent it in LA, possibly playing beach volleyball. (I haven't verified if it actually occurred on this date but I know that the trip did involve a game or two.) I spent it on a hayride with our children. I had planned on posting something about this but when I had the chance to write something, I mainly wanted to go to bed. Maybe I'll get around to ruminating (in the non-bovine sense, of course) a little on our blessed union in the next day or so.
In the meantime, hopefully you'll have a chance to get out and enjoy all that fall has to offer. It's my favorite season of all. (Minus the part where we spend a million hours per weekend raking leaves.)
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Since you haven't seen them in a while
A few quick pictures of my children before I call it a night.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" (The tiny little chubaroo weighs a hair over 21 pounds. 10th percentile, people! Do you know how huge this is for us?!? The 21 pounds consists of a little bit of sass, a whole lot of sweet and some raisins she ate off the rug after Will dropped some during his snack.)
This was after I told him he couldn't make his "oogly-boogly" face for his picture. He was truly very sad about it.
And sadder still.
But he somehow found the strength to recover from his disappointment.
I hope to write something a little longer in the next few days. How is it already (almost) Thursday? I'm not sure exactly how or why but I feel like we've been extra busy the past few weeks.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" (The tiny little chubaroo weighs a hair over 21 pounds. 10th percentile, people! Do you know how huge this is for us?!? The 21 pounds consists of a little bit of sass, a whole lot of sweet and some raisins she ate off the rug after Will dropped some during his snack.)
Will has school pictures tomorrow and we were practicing his smile. We'll be continuing our practicing tomorrow morning as well. (He's sitting in a booster because he kept leaning his chair over and being a general pain in the rear so I told him he'd have to sit in his old baby seat if he didn't stop. And while he was initially sad about it, he ended up liking it since he could see his food better [according to him, anyway]. So my great plan to curb his annoying behavior kind of backfired on me. It's not the first time something like this has happened, though, and I'm sure it won't be the last.)
This was after I told him he couldn't make his "oogly-boogly" face for his picture. He was truly very sad about it.
And sadder still.
But he somehow found the strength to recover from his disappointment.
I hope to write something a little longer in the next few days. How is it already (almost) Thursday? I'm not sure exactly how or why but I feel like we've been extra busy the past few weeks.
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