Beautiful

I'm prone to spells of melancholy.  I don't have good reason for it, except, perhaps, that I am genetically predisposed.  I have to focus, with young children on the good, the joy, the beautiful.  It is all too easy, some days, to focus on the mess, the bickering, and the sleeplessness.  

Today, we ventured to the library to visit a petting zoo put on as part of their summer programming.  We had just been there on Monday, for their "Art Attack."  The boys weren't interested, but Molly had fun making stamps with craft foam and lids, painting, and making tissue paper pictures.  Today, though, everyone enjoyed seeing a llama, some goats, a donkey, and tortoises.  The kids made their way through a throng of kids to watch a woman showing them a blue-tounged skink, hedgehogs, bearded lizards, and a sugar glider.  A man walked around with a snake, which Molly petted, and another with a tarantula, which Liam held out his hands to allow to crawl on him.  Molly's favorite, by far, was a great brown lop-eared bunny.  

On the way out of the library, the kids heard someone saying they were having ice cream for lunch, and of course, that led to pleas for ice cream.  I tried to stop at our preferred ice cream spot, Rocky's, but they only take cash (and it having been about a year since our last visit, I had forgotten that).  So, we drove to Custard by the Dam, and shucked out 3.29 for a small malt for Killian, and another $5 for a slushie, and a scoop of ice cream each for Molly and Liam.  We walked out by the river and sat at a picnic table in the shade.  There was a lovely breeze off the water, and the kids watched the ducks, and Reagan called, "Doggy!  Doggy! Doggy!"  to some nearby walkers of dogs.  I think next time, we should skip the ice cream and just pack some sandwiches and come here for a picnic.   On our way back to the car, Molly got to pet a pooch (she is not at all shy about asking people if she can pet their dogs).  

We picked up some hot dogs at the grocery on the way home and ate them for lunch.

Ben came home early, but had to run back to work to deliver the last of the season's fresh asparagus to someone at work (we got a bunch too).  Then he returned about 4:00 and took the big kids fishing.  Reagan and I stayed home.  I did a little bit of schoolwork, savoring the thought that in a couple of weeks, I will be done for the summer, and then Reagan and I headed upstairs.  I watched the ends of 1940s House and Dan in Real Life, both of which I recommend.  Reagan had a long, uninterrupted nursing, which doesn't happen very often these days.  Yes, I should have been cleaning, but cuddling with my baby girl for a couple hours was much more gratifying.  

Ben called when they were nearing the house to tell me they were actually bringing fish home, something that hasn't happened before.  Apparently, the lake they visited was hopping with fish.  They didn't bring home many, about nine bluegills and sunfish.  I ran downstairs, unloaded and reloaded the dishes, washing up a few non-dishwasher items, and cleared the counter.  Thankfully, the kitchen was clean enough that it only took a few minutes.  Molly brought in a plastic grocery bag of fish, and the kids watched as Ben cleaned and filleted them all.  Killian was a bit squeamish, but I encouraged him to watch, and soon, they were all squealing and reporting in to let me know that some had roe, others had the worms from their hooks, they saw brains, and some were especially bloody.  Ben breaded them and fried them up in butter.  Killian was hesitant to eat them.  I told him he had to at least try them.  Liam was hesitant too, and Ben told him that we killed the fish so they could eat them, so they'd better eat them.  All three of the kids pronounced it the best fish EVER, and can't wait to bring more home next time, probably to Ben's chagrin.  I tried a small piece, and it was quite tasty.  Ben intended to grab a piece, but it all disappeared in a flash!  

Killian told me that we really needed to catch more fish next time, because those "fillets were delicious (fillets, pronounced fill-etts)."

So that was our day.  Now it is time to settle in for the night.  Molly is looking particularly tired today.  Between our library trip and her fishing trip, she also got to go across the street and play in the sprinkler with Kendra.  I visited with her mom for a bit.  She is a good friend.  I also talked for a bit with another friend from the other side of GR.  We plan to get the kids together early next week.  I received a huge delivery of cod liver oil today.  It feels good, because I ordered for some people I don't actually know.  With sharing in picking up milk and doing this, I feel like we're really becoming established in our community, making connections beyond our neighborhood.  It's kind of a comforting feeling.

Anyway, it's time to get the kids to bed.  They are all growing so fast.  And they are amazing, beautiful people.  

Weekend Visitors

Mom and Dad blew in with a thunderstorm late Saturday night.  Molly led Mom around by the hand most of the day.  Killian and Liam enjoyed playing video games with Dad.  Ben grilled up a yummy lunch of pork chops and asparagus, and we made homemade ice cream and hot fudge for a treat.  They had to leave Sunday evening, so it was, sadly, a quick visit.  The kids were especially sad to see them go (as were Ben and I).

Music...

This weekend, Ben took the kids in his car to the store and to play mini-golf.  This is a treat, since we no longer all fit in Ben's car, so we usually take the van.  Ben played some "new" songs for them on his I-pod.  

So, it has been very funny the last few days to hear their new songs.

Molly singing, "I wanna rock and roll all night....And party every day!"

And all of them singing, "One way or another, I'm gonna getcha, getcha, getcha."

Or, Liam's version, "One way, or another way, I'm gonna getcha, getcha, getcha."

Oh, and right now, Molly is telling Liam, "You're not the boss of yourself, Mom's the boss of you."  You can imagine that went over well.....

Liam

Liam turned 7 on Sunday.  His birth was fast, and a bit of a shock (not that he was not expected, he was only 3 days early).  I just expected to have hours of easy labor and time around the house before heading to the hospital.  We had a visit to the midwife, and then dropped papers and final grades off at school (my students were a little unnerved by the fact that their class was ending just days before my due date).  

We went home.  At 3:15 am, without warning, I heard a "pop" and my water had broken.  It took a little bit before contractions started, but when they did, they were fast and hard.  We departed for the hospital at about 7:00 am (just when Ben's mom and sisters arrived).  When we arrived at 7:30 am, the midwife told me, "You're at 10; you can start pushing anytime."  It didn't really register, because I was still convinced that I was going to have to endure this for hours!

He was born at 8:05 am, after about 3 pushes. 

When we went home the next morning, I was in a bit of a daze.  I remember having to clear stuff off the changing table in order to change his diaper.  I had assumed there would be time for such stuff as I "eased" into labor.

It took me a bit to get used to this new person, but soon, he had my heart.  He is a funny, loving boy.  When he was very small, less than 3 months, when I would pick him up, he would wrap his arms around my neck and hold on.  

Happy Birthday, Liam.

Peach Smoothie...Revisited

After cleaning up the day's dishes, I lifted Reagan from the counter (again), lifted her up over my head, and caught something on the light fixture over her shoulder.  What???  Ugh....Molly's peach smoothie.  

Snowmen

Reagan is crazy about snowmen.  Maybe I mentioned this before, but the neighbors across the street gave us some snowmen from their collection.  They are getting ready to move.  They put some stuff on the corner to give away, one being a little wooden snowman.  Killian went across the street to get it, and the neighbor offered us another, this one with a stake on it to put in the yard.  Reagan yells for us to take her out to the garage every morning to say hello to the snowmen.  

We just went over to make an offer on a wheelbarrow (and bought it!)  Unbelievable, he also had a seed spreader for sale--we just bought one of those too!  I had Molly with me, and he said, "Is this the one that likes snowmen?"  I told him no, it was the little one, and he said, "I found another snowman, and I was going to give it to you. We had a whole collection of them, and we sold most of them."  We went to get the checkbook, and he went to find the snowmen.  He came back with a stocking holder like new in a box, and a little decorative sled with a snowman on it.  It was missing a button eye, and I told him we could definitely replace that.  

Reagan is now carrying the box with the stocking hanger all around the house.

Oy, it seems all I've been doing today is fixing food for people.  Breakfast and Lunch seemed to involve one person at a time, spaced at intervals of just after the last person finished.  Molly tried to pick a peach smoothie off of the counter with one hand (she was holding a pen and notebook with the other hand), and flipped the thing on the floor, covering her hair with smoothie.  Readying for bath #2 for Molly today...

And, doesn't it figure?  The neighbors that are moving this week wheeled their push-mower out to the corner of their yard today and stuck a for sale sign on it!  Ah , well....

Doesn't Reagan look happy here?  For some reason, it makes me laugh when I see this picture.