Thursday, June 30, 2011

....short but sweet.....

....I love spontaneity......probably because it goes against the grain of my nature.....I am a planner.....I not only need to have order and structure in place, but I also crave the anticipation to help me stay focused on the blurry days.....certainly there have been a few memorable times that I have been uncharacteristically spontaneous.....there was the time that Stefan popped over to my house after a few weeks of dating and coaxed me to do a day trip to Mexico; which sounded like a grand idea at the time, but we only made it 90 miles to San Antonio.....it didn't matter....we were falling in love and the freeness of that time in our lives was intoxicating......and there was also the time in college that I hopped in a Pathfinder full of friends without a moments hesitation to head to New Orleans for Marti Gras and only stayed for 8 hours......but as I get older and my life becomes richer with children, I find that the opportunities for spontaneity are less frequent.....so that can be a goal to strive for in my future....seize the spur of the moment, grab the kids and ourselves and just do it......mental note recognized......moving on.....

.....in the meantime, I will plan......


.....and my dear friend Cristen plans too.....

.....a few of us made a date to drive the babes to the beautiful parts of Connecticut for backyard fun.....these four little sweets all used to be the heartbeat of our building......some of us are still here, some have moved on to bigger and greener backyards and some of the the little people were missed on our day trip.....but there will be more of these times because they are so needed in the hustle and bustle of life......


....and children are the best example of savoring every minute.....they do it without the awareness that they are inhaling the moment to the fullest.....they play with heart, laugh with fervor, and imagine brilliantly......







.....and as much as the city living is unique and special and one of a kind, there is so much relaxation in the backyard.......we Mommas stretched out in comfy wooden oversized chairs, sipped tea and caught up on life; passing my little man around......enjoying his soft coos, watching him gaze up toward the sky as we sat in the shade.....he focused intently on the contrast between the green leaves swaying in the breeze and the blue picturesque background of the sky......and his sweetness was adored by all of us.....



.....and each of the girls took a moment to acknowledge the sweet smells of flowers, the softness of plush grass, the warmth of bright sunlight and the peacefulness of the neighborhood.....







.....my girls can do city, but they can also do big, beautiful house in the burbs.....



....either one, we enjoy, savor and relish this time in our lives....


....happy almost weekending....
All photos are courtesy of Sara Blackburn Photography

Sunday, June 26, 2011

....pride and joy.....

.....it has literally felt like we have been sprinting since this special day occurred.....



.....my girl got all glammed up for her 2s class graduation, held Miss Lauren's hand and walked the red carpet across the room signifying the end of her first year of nursery school and the beginning of what has started out as an adventurous and exciting summer.... 

.....and leading up to her big day, she would refer to it as the celebration.....I'm not sure if they called it that in school or if this was something she made up, but a celebration it was......all of the parents proudly clicked their cameras documenting the day......me doing so and simultaneously balancing Brody over my shoulder, catching his head every so often when it would snap backward as I reached too far to try and capture her happiness......she was so proud.......


.....and all of the parents and children were able to mingle after the red carpet event......we talked about our summer plans, passed Brody around to those who hadn't met him yet, and said our good byes.......all in enough time before the sugar highs kicked in......





....and it seemed we didn't have a lot of time to talk about her achievement or discuss her ceremony because as soon as we got home, we were finishing up the final touches of packing and we were off to Texas.....

....and so our summer had begun.....one exciting event to look forward to after the next.....yes, some of the the events, such as trips and vacations are bigger than others......but we still get giddy and elated at the small adventures too.....



.....a quick day trip to NJ to see old friends and let the babes run wild was exhilarating in itself.....I treasure the anticipation of getting the girls all revved up about the plan for the day......because whether it's explaining a day trip to Jones Beach, our next vacation on a lake in North Carolina or revealing that a drive to NJ will take us over the George Washington Bridge where we can see our city's skyline, it's the same jolly, cheerful reaction every time......they are easy to please and we like that around here.....







....and we sure like our Daddy time....







.....I love to watch the three of them.....at times, I have this out of body experience when I hear myself screaming like a crazy person, Hi Callie....wave Elsie....girls, over here!!!.....having fun on the train with Daddy?.......I vaguely see others in my peripheral vision taking a minute to witness my boisterous manner.....I am jumping to get their attention, hailing their glance with my flailing arms; all while trying to snap the photo I want, actually make eye contact with them outside of my lens and rocking the stroller with one foot so that Brody stays in his rhythmic lull......I know I cause a minor scene, but I am willing to accept the staring and eye rolling because I want to document these sweet and innocent times where everything we do with them is exciting and fun.....and watching that pure and distinct joy they share with us because they're spending time with us gets me in a tizzy every time......

....and when the girls are off with their Daddy and there is a moment of waiting or a pause in the excitement, I am able to relish in the sweetness of my little man.....and lately Brody, or as Elsie has now named him, Honey-honey is all smiles......


.....and it seems we are all enjoying him to the fullest.....Elsie is emerging as my Mommy's helper.....giving me more assistance than she can even fathom when she can hold a bottle for a moment, fetch a burp cloth, reinsert the paci or change a diaper.....and yes, my 3.5 year old can change a wet diaper......it may require me refastening the tabs a bit tighter, but power to her because she is my little Mommy and I appreciate her so much......



....and Callie isn't far behind.....she had a big night on Friday when she and her Daddy both got their box of tools so they could take down the crib side, allowing Callie to have free reign in and out of her bed.....


....happy big girl......no more climbing in and out....no more loud thuds followed by a, I otay.....

......so now it was Callie's turn to show us how proud she was too.....obediently staying in her bed after lights out, just as we had asked her to do.....snoozing comfortably minutes after books and cuddle time......dreaming of the spectacular adventures that would follow for the rest of the weekend......



.....and even then, Elsie stayed close by her side....venturing out of her own bed to sleep next to her little Dootie on her first night without the protection of the crib side......


....savoring the sweet....


....off to find more joyful moments.....

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

....something about summer......

......every season I declare, this is my favorite season.....but today I made the decision that summer is really my absolute favorite....it's so free, so spontaneous, so happy-go-lucky.....






.....a season that always urges us to venture out to new neighborhoods.....a time to find hidden pockets of our island that can take us away for the day, leaving us worn from an escape that never fails to please.....











....and I love that summer is always jump started with a weekend to celebrate Dad.....a day to be reminded of the special times I've had with my own father and a day to recognize the man I love.....

.....and call it my Florida roots, but I love a man who loves the beach.....



....not to mention, a man who adores his children.....



.....and although the beaches up here are not comparable to Florida beaches in the least, they serve their purpose.....the salty air, the rhythmic sound of waves crashing along the shoreline and the seagulls coasting in the breeze......it's the same ambiance no matter where your beach is or what the coastline looks like......we take what we can during our summers and this beach graciously allowed us an entire afternoon of family togetherness......so much so that when we loaded up the car to head back to the city, we realized we had spent five hours on the sand playing with the girls......time flies when you are having fun.....





....we dug for baby crabs and squealed with glee upon chasing them as they would burrow themselves back into the safe harbor of the wet sand......we caught a few, passed them around, watched their hairy legs wiggle and then released them back to their shelter......we could have done this for days.....

.....and not to leave anyone out, Daddy dug out our own little moses basket in the sand for our little man and filled it with soft towels and shelter from the sun and wind.....



.....and before I knew it, my two favorite boys were both sleeping like babies.....


.....and it didn't surprise me that Stefan wanted his Father's Day to be spent with our family enjoying one another outside at the shore.....he is at his happiest and has his most peaceful moments in the midst of the beautifully crazed chaos of having three small children......he is completely devoted to all of us and that is a gift we cherish......



......there are many hot and balmy times ahead......

.....more birthdays in the park to celebrate......



......more opportunities for Elsie to take the group shot during outings with friends......



.....more lazy days of not wearing a watch and forgetting the cell phone so we are clueless it's bedtime while we are still relishing in the long days of summer.....



....and it's all just beginning.....

....we plan to savor it all.....