Shopping List

Sometimes it says, "Get toys".

Sitting With Children

At the Tony Caponi Art Park, one of our favorite summer places.

Renaissance Festival

Another beautiful day at the annual Renaissance Fest. 
See photos from our very first visits here and here!

At one of the many costume shops, where the girls were getting inspiration for costumes (translation: "Mom! I want you to sew me this for Halloween! But not this color!")

Our loot this year: Emily bought a painted hand fan and Kate and Jenna bought tiaras.

We've Retired The Training Wheels

Kate is on her own now!

We still give her a "start-push" (as the kids call it) and run beside her in case she needs our help, but otherwise, we're hands-free.

And now that we're not limited to short distances and slow speeds, she has big plans for where she wants to go.

Emily is Ten Years Old

Argh! 

How is this possible?
That an entire DECADE has passed since I first waddled out of the hospital, all doughy in my middle, carrying this tiny, tiny baby who would change my life forever?

I have been A Mother for ten years.
Ten. Years.

Funnily, I don't feel like I'm a better mom today than way back then, when I'd have moved heaven and earth to respond to this child's smallest whimper. These days, I'm more like, "What? You got a cut? There're band-aids in the bathroom. You know where they are. And shut the drawer. Last time you forgot."

Well. Emily is ten today. And in lieu of a Birthday Post, I wrote her some verse. I cannot wrap my mind around the idea of me being somebody's (okay three somebodies') mother. And even more than that, I cannot fathom how I've been doing that for this long, and it feels like only nanoseconds have passed since I first met her.

A little girl was born this day,

Ten years ago, and far away,

To parents so excited they

Could scarce believe their eyes.

They captured every waking pose,

From toothless smile to wrinkled nose,

With nibbles of her salty toes,

They giggled and they sighed.

They chased her as she learned to crawl

And scooted forth from wall to wall;

She rose on shaky feet, to fall

In safe, awaiting arms.

Then Ball! And Baby! Cat! And Bird!

She found her voice in bubbly word,

Each syllable her listeners heard,  

Held captive to her charms.

Then climb and jump and ride and run

Like circus acts in snow and sun -

All her milestones, one by one,

She mastered as she grew.

And over time, they did behold,

Her personality unfold-

Storm and sunshine, bright and bold,

All beautiful and new.

Write a story, sing a tune,

Craft away an afternoon,

Growing older all too soon,

As years go dancing by.

Then into school and swimming teams,

Rings and bars and balance beams,

Friendships bursting at the seams,

She spread her wings to fly.

Now soaring still, our daughter be,

So much of life ahead to see

And claim with everything that she

Believes is hers to earn.

And as she runs on winged feet

From burrow to uncharted street,

Her angels go before to meet

Her life at every turn.

For this beloved September child 

With laughing eyes and sweetest smile

Is ever cherished all this while

(’tis longer than it seems).

No memories of anxious thought,

Those early sleepless nights as naught;

We only know the joy she’s brought

Exceeds our wildest dreams.

Happy birthday, sweet Emily! We love you so much!

New School Year

The children are off to school!

Everyone was very excited this morning.

With one exception.

This is probably the longest she's ever been away from Kate since they first met.

I found her there this morning after we'd waved the kids off on the bus and got back to the house. 

I don't blame her for feeling a bit lost. 

But imagine the stories they'll swop when the bus brings the children home again!