Dandelion Wednesday

Our homeschooling plans had to be drastically altered when I saw today's weather forecast. We spent the morning collecting, observing and reading about dandelions.

These bright yellow flowers are all over the fields and playgrounds here, and I have realized how much being a mother changes one's perspective on these flowers. I mean, just five years ago I was at Home Depot buying the strongest chemical weed-killer on the market to rid our backyard of the "most resistant dandelions." Now, my two eldest children collect them as we walk, and bring them to me in proud, vibrant bouquets. They adorn our table in a teeny vase. In fact, as I was preparing our lesson for the morning I came across this quote from the great Ralph Waldo Emerson: "A weed is just a plant whose virtues are waiting to be discovered." After this morning with the kids, I have to agree.

Italy for 13 days -we must be mad

So, we have now quasi-settled into life with three children and Daddy has been home from his deployment for a whole five weeks, so the logical next step.... a whirlwind tour of the boot-shaped country to our South and home of our beloved Catholic faith, lookout Italia....

Calendar Work

Kindergarten Homeschooling involves a lot of work teaching the days of the week and other basic calendar skills. Well, in this shot, Viv has on the correct underwear (Wednesday), but little brother seems to need some additional lessons. (When questioned about his garment, she matter-of-factly explained, "I only have one pair of Wednesdays!" Ha.)

Daddy is home

The longer he is away, the more MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) he brings home... so I am kind of wondering if Viv will now hope for longer deployments! Not me, three months pushed this mother to the test in every way imaginable. Daddy, we are so glad to have you home safe and sound. We are proud of you too. Big time.

Fat

on the back of toddler hands and feet is so fleetingly amazing and precious. As I lay in bed fighting sleep alongside my little toddler manboy, I massaged the fat on the back of his hands. But, wait, it is disappearing. The presence of sweet chub in these most unchubby adult spots seems to signal something cherubic and innocent about a human's first years on Earth . Yet, now my toddler son is becoming a boy. He increasingly uses his little digits for "useful" work instead of chubby play and, alas, the fat is stretching away. Stretching into my talking, long, boy of a son...

More than a Cliché

When one already has two children who make one's heart explode, it is nearly impossible to believe that "the new arrival," "the baby" will find space in that explodable heart. I was there, I will admit it. For the duration of my pregnancy I would watch Viv and Seth playing happily together and ruminate on the possibilities. Sure, I had heard plenty of mothers explain that my heart would make room. I figured that their words formed little more than a polite cliché, a trite generalization aimed at protecting all those "later on children" out there. Wrong. Today was officially the day that I realized that "you love all your kids the same" is not just something people say; it is fact. Amazing, inexplicable fact. I love Clark. He was cooing and 'gggggging' at me with huge watery eyes this afternoon and I was just so filled with love and excitement for the way I see him sliding into every aspect of our family's dynamic. I am undone. He completes us. Come enjoy him, Daddy.

Seth's Birthday

I guess I now officially join the ranks of mothers with 2-year-old boys, although it is purely numeric... we have been here for months, Dudes.