Teessentials

Up until several years ago, I rarely drank tea. But sometime after having Abby, not exactly sure when but I think it was during the sleep deprived years, I picked up the habit.  I love my Samova teapot.  Samova is a German tea company and my sister gave me their clever teapot several years ago. The pot would be bereft without Harney and Sons tea inside.  Their hot cinnamon spice tea is delicious and dangerously addictive. There is just something so civilized about starting the day with a warm cup of tea--summer or winter.

Fearless

Although it's hard to tell from this picture, I swear that this climbing feature was at least 20 feet high.  At least it seemed that high to me when Miss Cheeks zoomed up to the top and took off running toward the slide. She leaps and laughs in the face of playground injuries.  I can only gather that her acrobatics stem, in part, from a desire to keep up with her big sister.

Whenever I go to the playground with the girls, I try to make a point of stepping back and letting them play.  It's too easy to hover. 

Obviously, when there is a real potential for danger we have the responsibility to be there for our children, but I do believe that an important part of good parenting means allowing your kids to explore and test their limits.  Scraped knees and bumped heads are the inevitable collateral damage. 

And,  if I'm being honest, that climbing feature was maybe only five feet high.  And I was right there.. But you know what Cheeks did after she flung herself down the nearest slide? She climbed it again.  And again.

Putter

I'm currently in training for five weeks and the best part about this time is the extra 30 minutes in the morning. The girls are very much creatures of habit and it's better for all concerned to keep them in their regular daycare drop off routine.  Since I don't have to be in class until 9 am, I can take them to school and come back to the house and putter around--all by myself. 

I brew a pot of tea, schlep the laundry in whatever direction it's headed that particular day (up to fold, down to wash), spend a few minutes tidying up the girls' room, read the news.  The daily stress of rushing out the door has been paused. Time to oneself is glorious.

Countdown to kindergarten

I really can't get over the fact that Miss Bee will be heading off to Kindergarten in just a few weeks.  I mean, really, it was just about five days ago that I brought her home from the hospital, all wrinkled and swaddled.  She fit into the crook of my arm.  (If there is one word I want to steal from British English, using "fitted" instead of "fit"  is the one, but since it sounds a bit pretentious on this side of the Atlantic I'll restrain myself.) 

Now, that little baby is an amazing big sister who loves ballet, art projects and reading.  As in reading books.  I suppose that reading might be an indication that she is ready for school...but, like I said, I'm in denial.

Last night, we my adorable three year old niece spent the night.  Bee herded her cousin and sister around the house like a mother hen with two slightly unruly chicks. Several times I had to remind her "you're not the Mommy" as she reprimanded them for some small toddler infraction.  

We were out driving in the car today and Bee spent the ride asking her father about what makes the car go, about pressing the brake and the accelerator and all that.  So I suppose next month she'll have to learn how to drive. 

My little sister is having a baby, and not just any baby, a beautiful (I'm sure of this) little girl.  She is ironing tiny baby clothes and folding blankets and preparing the nursery and I'm jealous.  Time seems to go by so slowly when you're pregnant, especially in the final waddling slightly miserable months.  But once you bring that baby home time just flies by.

us sisters

I am folding clothes in the other room and the girls are playing nicely together.  I hear Ms. Bee announce to cheeks that they are "going to church."  Ms. Bee leads the service and begins with a Hail Mary.  I stand, enraptured as my daughter accurately recites the words from memory.  She gets to the last line and I hear the following, "PRAY for us SISTERS, now and for the POWER of our DEATH, AMEN." 

I was laughing so hard Miss Bee came into the room where I was to make sure I was okay. 

Mundanity--

5:25 am: Alarm goes off.  Hope that Dear Husband hits snooze.
5:35 am: Alarm goes off again.  DH gets out of bed to make coffee.  It's my day to walk the dog.  I'm not budging.  He offers to take him instead.  I fall back asleep.
6:00 am: Shoot, now it's really late.  DH leaves with the dog, and his coffee.
Turn on lights, update iPad, shower, dress, pack a lunch, lay out breakfast for the girls. Eat a bowl of cereal.
6:45 am: DH returns with a happier dog.  We wake up the girls.
7:00 am:  Miss Cheeks has finally finished her warm milk, both of them are dressed and downstairs.  Eating very slowly. 
7:45 am: After usual morning drama, we're all on our way to preschool drop off.
8:00 am: Metro ride downtown.  Check Blackberry.
8:15 am: Starbucks, thank goodness the line is short.  Check Blackberry.
8:45 am-4:20 pm:  Work.  Do not stop for lunch; do not pass go; work, work, work. Two meetings, lots of phone calls, but mostly emails and writing.
4:20 pm:  The girls' preschool calls to inform me that Miss Bee has a rash on her face that they're concerned about.   Yikes! Quickly email my Mom, who is picking the girls up from school today so she can investigate and call DH.  DH makes an evening appointment for the pediatrician.
4:22-6:30 pm:  Work some more. Finally wrap up enough stuff so I can leave with a clear conscience and start my commute home. Check Blackberry.
7:00 pm: Go to pick up Cheeks who is still at my parents' house, eating dinner, very slowly.  Decide my Mom's leftover soup looks better than the soup I have waiting at home and pull up a chair.   Cheeks made the crescent rolls and is very proud of herself. Poor Bee is still  at the pediatrician with DH, waiting for her appointment. 
7:30 pm:  (This is the girls' bedtime so we've really missed the mark tonight.)  My Dad drops me off at home.  DH calls.  Bee is pretty much fine and has a doctor's note to prove it.  DH takes her to McDonalds since she was so patient.  We rarely eat fast food on work nights and so Bee is delighted.  Check Blackberry.
8:00 pm:  Cheeks is finally in bed.  Start the laundry, sort the mail, make a halfhearted attempt at putting the clean dishes away.  Check Blackberry.  Think about doing bad things to my Blackberry.  Decide I will not look at it any more for the rest of the night.
8:15 pm: Bee arrives home, clutching her happy meal toy.  I make her an oatmeal bath for the rash, which she finds fascinating.
8:45 pm:  Bee is in bed, finally.
8:50: DH takes the trash out and takes the dog out for his evening walk.
9:00 pm:  Nice telephone call with my grandmother.  It's been a while since we've chatted.
9:10 pm: DH returns and gets his dinner.  Our not as good soup.
9:15 pm: Read, scrounge for dessert, chat with DH.  Peek at Blackberry.
10:00 pm:  Bedlington.

A week ago today

I was sailing around the Bahamas. I had no idea what day it was.  Time was measured in the space between ice cream cones and kisses from my daughters.  I wanna go back!