Aug 28 2008

Hummingbird

Published by Ange under Uncategorized

So the other morning as Riley and I were leaving the house, I noticed there was a hummingbird in our garage. He was pretty distressed and couldn’t figure out how to get out. So I left the garage doors open and we left for the morning. When we got back around lunchtime the hummingbird was still in the garage, flitting around the ceiling. When I got a chance, after trying and failing to get Riley down for a nap, I made up some fresh nectar and hung the hummingbird feeder from the garage door. As we ate our lunch I could hear the bird chirping out there and I had to remind myself that I’d done all I could to help the little guy. About 15 minutes later I walked outside to see if he had found the feeder and sure enough he had! He was just sitting on it, feeding. He did that for about 10 minutes, and then the next time I checked he was gone!
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And then I snapped this picture of our little goofball!
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Aug 09 2008

Mira’s bowline

Published by Mike under Overheard

A while ago I showed Mira how to tie my favorite knot - a bowline. You know, the rabbit goes out the hole, around the tree, and back in the hole. I didn’t expect her to remember how to tie it of course. Yesterday, Mira was playing with some string and some beads and she managed to tie an overhand knot in the string and I heard her go to Ange and say, “look mommy I tied a knot just like Daddy. The mouse goes out the hole and back in the hole!”

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Aug 08 2008

Riley’s 1st Birthday

Published by Ange under Riley's Birthdays, Newbie

So here are a few pictures of Riley’s first birthday. It was a quiet day spent at home, doing laundry, but Mira and I did manage to make a cake and frost it. We then ordered pizza for dinner and I swear he ate three times as much as Mira did. However, he did not get to lick the spoon and paddle covered in frosting, as someone else did, right before dinner!

These pictures were taken at breakfast. Meal times are a challenge. Riley DEMANDS that he use a fork, spoon or whatever utensil is close at hand. Afterward, he usually ends up in the sink! He LOVES playing in the water. He could just fill up cups and dump them for hours!
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And these pictures were taken right before dinner. Auntie ‘Lissa got him a zoom around garage, which he loves; and Oma got him a Radio Flyer Walker Wagon. Mira can still ride in it, for another 4 lbs. And he’ll be able to push around his toys for a long time to come.

He took two steps on his own yesterday and two today. We went to a playground and I let him climb around as much as he could. It was fun to watch him crawl up a covered slide! Playgrounds are going to be so much fun next year! That’s about all the time I have right now, but I hope you enjoy the rest of the pictures.

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2 responses so far

Jul 28 2008

Sharon

Published by Ange under Uncategorized

Hey All,
My sister Sharon is an incredible artist and musician. I’m always amazed by her work. Recently she’s started painting in watercolors and they are just stunning. Please check out her website www.sharongray.com when you get a chance - the prints are incredible.

One response so far

Jun 30 2008

Dreams

Published by Ange under Uncategorized

Last night I dreamt that Earth, all but a small blue pond, was being consumed by fire. Everything, even the oceans were on fire, except for this one little patch of calm blue water. I woke up and felt, yep that’s me. Or what’s left of me - that one little puddle of water, everything else is awash in anger, frustration, and sadness.

I have been a member of Mom’s Club and held the message board/website coordinator positions since last July. In January I offered to move and update the site so as to be more user friendly. Then I got a job at Clothes Pony. Then Riley stopped sleeping and started crawling. I haven’t been able to fulfill my responsibilities to Moms Club, haven’t finished the website, wasn’t updating memberships on the message board and so after a firm, but kind email from the new coordinators, I stepped down from those positions. I feel sick about it. This is not who I am. When I say I’m going to do something, I do it so I don’t know why it’s been so hard for me to follow through with that and other things in my life. Somehow the days just slip out from underneath me and all of a sudden I’m in bed, reading at 11:00 at night.

Small blue pond. I hope that this may be a first step towards turning that pond into a lake, at least for now.

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Jun 22 2008

Pictures!!!

Published by Mike under Mira's Photos, Newbie, Uncategorized

So our old digital camera finally bit the dust a while ago, hence the lack of pictures on the website lately. But with our bribe from the republicans economic stimulus check we got not one, but two new ones. So here are a bunch of pictures we’ve taken lately.

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Jun 07 2008

Mother of Two

Published by Ange under Newbie, Cuddlebug, Uncategorized

Ever since Riley became mobile, I’ve realized that I do not parent two children gracefully. I think I had moments of grace when it was just Mira, but since the crawling has commenced, and the sleeplessness has continued, my reserves have been depleted. Mike’s been out of town for, let me count, five days so far. He comes home tomorrow around four. His absences has had an effect on all of our lives, obviously - Riley has been pretty clingy, Mira demanding, me exhausted. All I can say is I don’t know what I would have done without my mom. Even though the kids both want me at the same time all the time, at least Mom is there, and my Aunt Mary for a few days, to take care of the house - washing dishes, folding laundry, ‘undressing the table.’ I have friends of just one child and I feel so envious when one of them was out of town and the other spoke lovingly of having special mommy time with their daughter. I just want some special Ange time where I can sleep for about three days. Hey, at this point I’d gladly take five consecutive hours. img_0590.jpgAnd I do want special Mira time where she and I can do something really fun and special, but I just don’t have the mental, emotional, physical energy to do anything. And I know that my job, silly job that it is, makes me even more tired, and pulls me in yet another direction, but I really enjoy it and frankly, it’s kinda an escape from the chaos that is my life here at home. So, I think that having kids when one is young, before one has gathered one’s life into some semblance of order, before closets and desks, kitchens and files have been organized, not to mention a career established, all on one’s own schedule, can be a good thing. You are not used to having all this time to yourself to do whatever, whenever, however you want. And the whole energy level thing is a little higher as well. That all being said, I wouldn’t change anything. Had I had children in my twenties, I probably wouldn’t have moved to Minneapolis, traveled to France, Germany, be out of debt, gone to the boundary waters, twice. And yet, I still feel remorse every day. Even though I feel nothing but immense love for my kids, I feel like all I do is speak sharply to them and hope for an early bedtime. I want everything that comes out of my mouth to reflect that love I feel for them. I want my actions to shout out that love I have for them. img_0473.jpgSingle parents of the world* - you deserve a medal, a chest full of purple hearts. I know that the whole sleep thing with Riley these days is not helping and I’m ready to try just about anything to help him sleep through the night. But, hey, I’m a magnanimous person, I’d even be okay with one waking/nursing a night. But this every hour on the hour is really getting old. So for everyone who has had to hear me kvetch this week - I’m sorry, I’m trying to catch up with my kids, on no sleep.

*I should have included parents whose spouses work crazy hours or travel a great deal.

One response so far

May 14 2008

Riley

Published by Ange under Newbie

He’s really starting to look less like a baby and more like a little boy! Sniffle, snuffle, sob!

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May 11 2008

Overheard at Yoga

Published by Ange under Overheard, Cuddlebug

Instructor (after having read a book about moms and daughters): Mira, can you tell us something special about your mom?

Mira: I can tell you something special about Pablo!

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In the picture, thank you Julie, are AK, Ruby and Mira. I don’t have a picture of Pablo yet. Mira met Pablo at school and they are such good friends. The other morning, out of the blue, she said “I want to marry Pablo!” And I said “Let’s talk about this when you are twenty.” Mira replied “No, I want to talk about it now!” Oh my, am I in trouble.

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Mar 28 2008

Grateful

Published by Ange under Uncategorized

Today on the way to Mira’s play date with AK and Ruby, we passed a sandwich joint where I had lunch with Mira a year ago. I was momentarily reminded of how lonely I was at that time. Winter was still going strong here. We had no neighbors to speak of. I hadn’t met any other moms yet. Contrast that feeling with the way I feel now and it’s amazing. I am so happy in this neighborhood. We know everyone by name. Every Thursday, those of us who are home with our kids have breakfast. We’ve started a great book club and both times we’ve met we’ve had a great turnout (about 12-16 people) AND we talk about the book. We’re going to block off the street for the Fourth of July for some festivities. I organized a spring clean up a while back and there was a great turnout and we picked up an amazing amount of trash. And I asked for volunteers to bring two new families meals back in January and again, the neighbors rocked! And if that wasn’t enough, I have this great job working with unbelievable great people selling really wonderful toys, books, and clothes to kids and moms. I’m beginning to learn their names and I’ve got regulars coming to my story time on Wednesdays. I’ve got two great kids, a wonderful husband, a supportive mom. I guess I just want to send out a great big thank you to the universe for bringing me here, to this point in my life, where I can honestly say I am happy and content with my life, my home, my family. Thank you.

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