Big Girl Bed

I will admit that this post is largely for grandmothers and great grandmothers and aunts and cousins who are wanting a little update....



Cordelia moved into a big girl bed this week. A twin bed. She as been telling everyone: the cashier at the grocery store (she also told the cashier who had an eye covering hairstyle to put her hair behind her ears so she could see), her friends, family, people who stand near us, people at a distance. She is proud to be a "big girl."

Cordelia revels in being a helper. She is always asking what she can do to help.



Elise is right on her heels...you know in the grander scheme of things. She is climbing stairs. She is teething. She is just a fun loving little baby who thinks she is a big kid.

She chatters and blows kisses and waves to everyone, even our cat Ophelia.


Life is good

Frienniversary

Saturday Sarah and I celebrated our frienniversary. I wish I knew the exact dates I had met all of my closest lady friends, but thankfully Sarah and I have an easy date to remember. You see we met the day after she had her son. Our husbands knew each other a bit (they are now super close) and when a baby was born Eric felt we should give a gift. So, we assembled a little package. Our intention was to have Eric drop it off, but one thing led to another and there I was  7 1/2 months pregnant in their living room the day following their son's birth.

What a strange way to meet someone. I felt incredibly awkward. I mean Sarah had just had a baby and I am guessing she wasn't too keen on making new friends or having strangers in her home, but she was welcoming and if it creeped her out she never let on. One thing led to another and we hit it off! So, when the anniversary of our meeting came around it seemed only right to celebrate the occasion. Sarah and I left the kids with our spouses and took an afternoon to treat ourselves.




We met up for lunch. We had margaritas and Mexican food. Oddly, there was also a Buddhist monk grabbing some grub too (this is noteworthy because we live in Wyoming and there there is very little diversity) and some Wyoming locals...I don't want to say hicks, but that is probably the best description. So, it was a strange little meal, but it was good. We chatted and chowed down until it was time to move on to our pedicures.....



While we waited at the salon we sat on a couch and talked. The conversation was witty (I am sure) and fun. We were laughing and having a great time. I noticed a woman, waiting for her own appointment, eavesdropping on us. I remember that feeling. I have been her, listening to good friends and wishing I had a friend that I was that close with. Don't get me wrong, I have many AMAZING lady friends, but they all insist on living in other places so throughout my life I've rarely had the treat of a friend that I get to spend so much time with. It was just a moment to realize and appreciate the close relationship which has become such an important part of my life.


Anyway, I had my first ever pedicure! Sarah had called around to find a place that used vegan products! Isn't she great?! The pedicure experience was wonderful. Someone rubbing my feet, what?! Honestly it was a little weird, the whole act of being enthroned while someone cleans my feet. I was not sure if I should engage the lady in conversation, include her in the talk Sarah and I were having or ignore her. So I tried all three.

At one point I asked her if my size 12 feet were the biggest feet she'd ever worked on. She acted surprised (bless her heart) upon hearing the size of my feet and then said they were probably the largest women's feet she'd encountered, but reassured me by telling me that she also given men pedicures. HA! Not to worry I am comfortable and confident about my giant clodhoppers.


Here I am laughing when the foot rub artist (?) said that she had some flip flops, but none in my size. Reflecting upon this later I should have requested man sized....wouldn't be my first time doing so.

 
Finally, check out this AWESOME tshirt that Sarah found/personalized just for me! Do you remember this post? Read through it and the t-shirt will make more sense.

What do you do with your lady friends?

Sunday Quote:Stay Close

Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.
~Frank Lloyd Wright

Here in Wyoming

Here in Wyoming the birds are singing, the grass is growing, the lilac is starting to bloom. Trees are erupting in flowers. The morning dew is drying in the sun. Our little family enjoyed a breakfast of vegan pancakes and fruit. The windows and doors are open. The music is on. A good day lays ahead.

Last Day of School

Perhaps you recall this post from Cordelia's first day of preschool. I remember feeling such a heart wrenching pain as I let my first born child go out on her own. I remember those tears hot and heavy, running down my face as soon as I made it out the door. I remember gazing down at my two month old baby and thinking that I could tell she too would insist on growing up. How agonizing and wonderful it is to watch children grow.



Over the course of the school year I have watched Cordelia develop. She's made friends. She adores her teacher. She knows things that I didn't teach her.

When we dropped her off for her last day of school she was met with happy squeals and greetings from friends. She was so excited to arrive and sad that she had to take the summer off. Her gigantic backpack was a little less gigantic. Her face a little less baby-ish.



She is a kid now.  If you ask her she is almost a big kid...so I suppose today is a good day to get a big girl bed.

Confidence

 

I am not sure when it starts, we're not there yet. I fear that it is soon to come. Right now Cordelia is confident (Elise probably is too, but when I asked her she said, "BAAAH"). When somebody gives Cordelia a compliment she believes and/or agrees with them. I am sure Elise will too.Why shouldn't they? Why would someone lie about  brains, looks, personality, sense of humor, whatever? They are smart and funny and beautiful.



Oh if only I could preserve that feeling for my girls. I wish that we lived in a world that didn't make women feel as though they should shrug off compliments or belittle themselves or base their value on the jiggliness of their thighs. I for one am vaguely offended when I give someone a compliment that they shrug off. Compliments are gifts and they should be trusted and accepted. When does that change happen? When do girls start to view every compliment as suspect?

I am doing my part. I continue to work to silence that negative voice. Oddly I find it most difficult to silence when I am around other women. Ladies, we gotta stop this. You know what I am talking about right? You're out with a friend and she says something negative about herself. Instead of stopping your friend (you wouldn't let anybody else talk about her that way, why is it OK if she does?)you hop on the band wagon and say something negative about yourself. Why do we do that? That is a really dumb way of connecting with our gender. So please join me. Let's all knock it off, be kind to ourselves and cultivate our confidence (do it for the children---said in a quavering whisper).

and since this is vaguely related....

Waterfall

While the temps have been high we have been outside a lot. The other evening it was hot. HOT! We decided to drive up to the waterfall, a few minutes drive from our house. There, in the shadow of the mountain we were cooled down and reminded by the lingering drifts (Eric insisted they were glaciers, whatevs) that there had recently been major snowstorms.



We took the usual stroll, only to discover that there had been some improvements made to the trail. A new bridge, some seating, it was great!





We successfully cooled down a bit in the mountain shade, misted by the new melted snow.





How is it where you are?

A Beautiful Day

Life is good. Spring as finally arrived and with it comes the smell of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass. The quiet of winter is replaced with the steady din of lawnmowers, buzzing bees and flirting birds. We have been spending as much time outside as possible. The girls play. I work.

I have been cleaning out the mess that winter left in it's wake. Sticks are being dealt with. Detritus that blew into our yard is being collected. Stuff is getting fertilized (and not just by Bumblebee, wink). I am in my element. Slathered in a paste of sunscreen and dirt is how I roll!











 

Stairs

For Mother's Day Elise decided to learn the stairs....

How was your weekend?

Sunday Quote: My Mother's Prayers

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life.  ~Abraham Lincoln

Run

 

So, I mentioned that my friend Sarah and I started doing the Couch to 5k program a while back. I just wanted to update you and tell you that we are still at it! The program seems to be working. I have never felt like passing out or as though my lungs were bleeding. So, win-win.

It's funny, the first time we met up just for a walk during late winter I tried to put on my running shoes only to discover that maternity had gifted me with larger feet. So I wore jeans (all of my stretchy pants had gotten a little loose from maternity wear as well) and snow boots. Fast forward a few months and I am all geared up. Not that running takes much financial investment, but a few key elements sure help. I have running shoes, pants, sports bra, a thing to hold my iphone (with C25K app) on my arm, a baseball cap.

I am starting to feel the part and I am enjoying the progress that Sarah and I are making. Plus there is the built in bonus of friend time!

Our first 5k is probably in August and then another in September. I am really excited as it finally feels do-able!

Do you have a workout buddy?

Ten Months With Elise

Ten months! Seriously.
Here are links to the last months 9,   8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1


Over the past month Elise has:

• taken her first steps. She isn't walking per se, but we are well on that road.
• gotten good at partially saying words. She has mom and dad down. She partially says duck (DUUUUUH), bear (BUUUUH), dog (Daaaawwww). She makes an EEEEE sound for Cordelia. When she wants food she often says, "yumyumyum."
• forgotten how to roll over and then relearned it again a few weeks later.
• maintained a strong mommy's girl stance.
• continued to be a little flirt.
•  fallen in love with her grandparents!
• started to get teeth. No teeth yet, but I can feel them in there.
• shown a great sense of humor. She knows what is funny and loves to make us laugh.
• decided that she loves stuffed animals.
• started to get hardcore into patty cake.

First World Problems

This photo is totally unrelated to this post FYI

My friend Kate had a great blog post about first world problems and I wanted to copy! Sometimes I find myself complaining about the silliest nonsense and suddenly I am smacked in the face with some serious perspective. My problems are all nonsense. So, here I will unload my first world problems in an attempt to get a fresh smack in the face.

• I have too much laundry to put away.  Seriously, it is out of control. I poured all of the laundry into the crib, thinking that would force me to clean up before bed. Nope, Elise just slept in her bassinet. So now I have to deal with putting away 4 loads of laundry.
• I can't seem to find enough time to paint as much as I'd like. Don't even get me started about finding an affordable rental studio space. Le sigh.
• My front garden area is not bringing me satisfaction. I just don't know what to do with this awkward space. I have actually laid awake at night trying to figure it out. 
• Student loans!
• My hair is boring to me. I am sure this one is really vexing to you as well.
• I have a strange dry patch on the top of one big toe. Ugh, how much more can a woman take?!
• The driver's side window on our car won't roll down...or it will roll down, but not back up. We could fix this problem, but we are too lazy.
• Bumblebee's toenails are long and I just cannot be expected to trim them today. I cannot....oh OK I might. 
• Elise just spit up into her hands, smiled, clapped. Thanks kid.
• Ophelia poops next to the litter box. Why?! She is able to urinate inside the box, but poop in there? NEVER.

What are your first world problems?

Nature Hike

Yesterday was another gorgeous spring day here in Wyoming and I was itching to get out with my girls. There is a great easy trail a couple of miles from our home at the Audubon Center. So we loaded up and we hit the road for a nice little escape from town.




Cordelia put on her owl backpack, an appropriate choice in hindsight, and I strapped Elise into the Maya Wrap and we were on our way. The Audubon Center was simply busy with birds. So we enjoyed a little bird watching as we followed the trail.


When Cordelia spotted this tree with her number three, it was her number, she wanted to pose for a pic.


The ground was just starting to green up and the mountains in the distance still held snow.


We even found a bird's nest with eggs. It was close to the ground so Cordelia was able to peer in and see the eggs. We left the nest undisturbed after just a quick look.


Both girls were absolutely entranced by the creek which was full of the newly melted snow.

We listened to the bird calls which were ringing out from all directions. Cordelia started following tracks made by some cows and was proud to identify cow poop.

After about an hour we were back at the car. I allowed Cordelia to choose a few rocks from the lot for her collection. I wouldn't let her take rocks from the trail as I know Audubon is all about preserving nature. I figured the pebbles in the lot were fair game.

Dining al Fresco and giveaway winner

Last night Eric was at band practice and the girls and I were on our own for dinner. The weather was perfect and we had already spent much of the days outside. Cordelia had enjoyed track and field day at preschool. We had done yard work and visited a playground. Why not finish the day off outside? So I prepped an easy dinner and drug out the high chair. We sat on the patio and enjoyed the warm spring sunshine.

I love this time of year, being outside more than indoors. Enjoying, growing, playing. My shades are on. We are slathered in sunscreen and we have stuff to plant. My heart feels full!









If you are interested in a little vegan caprese salad, check it out here.

ALSO, the vejibag winner is MANDA! I will be contacting you via email!!! Congratulations