Change of Pace

Man, it feels like I haven't written in a long time!  I guess it hasn't really been that long, but vibes are changing around here and that always makes things feel really time warp-y to me.

I finally hit the "This isn't working" phase with Owen and his sleeping.  Poor Nathan has been sleeping downstairs to give me and Owen more space in the bed and it just doesn't feel right to me.  It works for lots of families but it just isn't right for us.  Plus, it really seems like Owen's sleeping has gotten less and less restful and, even though I'm not sure it was possible, he's been waking up MORE often in the night.  So, the mother who said she wasn't going to buy a single book this time around because she was really going to listen to her instincts, realized that her instincts were telling her to buy a book.  So, I did.  Even though he's still waking up a lot, things seem to be slowly moving in the right direction and I have high hopes...I'll keep you posted.

Also, on Saturday I got to go shopping for four whole hours ALL BY MYSELF!!  It. Was. So. Awesome. We are all going to Cambridge, MA at the end of the month to celebrate the recent nuptials of my cooler than cool brother Ivan and his beautiful and (sorry Ikey) cooler than cooler than cool wife Sandy (YIPPEE!!).  Of course, we all need party clothes and I was more than happy to go out and get something suitable for me and both kids to wear.  Despite my high hopes for the local maternity/nursing clothing store, I ended up at Old Navy, where I ran into my friend (also a mom to a three year old and an infant) Gretchen who was also on her own!  What a happy coincidence that we were both out for a more rare than you can fathom shopping trip.  So fun to have a girlfriend there to help me pick out some party clothes.  We didn't have to tell anyone, even once that if they didn't put clothes back on the mannequin like they found it, we would have to leave the store right that instant.  What a treat!  What topped it off was that Daddy and the kids seemed to have a really nice day together too.  They went to cheer on the CU track team at the track near our apartment and stayed for quite a while.  Zoe's definitely a fan and loved cheering for the runners...even though at one point she yelled "GO YANKEES!!!!"  She realized her mistake right away and got a big kick out of herself.

Anyway, the other day I was walking on the Boulder Creek Path with both kids in the stroller and I had a happy reality check.  I remember a few years ago, when we were driving up to Vermont for a quick visit from Brooklyn (East coast family--remember the days? *sigh*) and Nathan told me he loved picturing all the funny conversations we were going to have with Zoe one day on those car trips.  It felt so far away and impossible that this little tiny baby was going to someday be a little person with thoughts and ideas and words to express them.  Flash-forward to present time and take this typical conversation on long walks in the stroller:

Zoe:  Mommy, can I be a fire-fighter someday?
Me:  Yeah, of course you can!
Zoe:  But, I don't have a fire truck.
Me:  Well, I'm sure they'd get you one once you became a fire-fighter.
Zoe:  Or, I could make one!  I could make our CAR into a fire truck!  I could paint it red and get a ladder and a hose and a siren and then....I'd have a fire truck!!....Mommy?
Me:  Yeah?
Zoe:  Did I start as a baby?
Me:  Yup!  We all do.  We all start as babies.
Zoe:  Why?
Me:  Well, that's just the way nature is...we all grow in bellies and then come out as babies.
Zoe:  Mommy?
Me:  Yeah?
Zoe:  Why are some trees dry and some trees not?
Me:  It's springtime, so all the trees are starting to grow their leaves back but they all do it at different times.
Zoe:  Oh....Mommy?
Me:  Yeah, Zo?
Zoe:  Where could I get running clothes?

This is just a little snippet of our conversation the other day.  I love these ones because it's not the stereotypical conversation with someone her age (although we have PLENTY of those too, thank you very much), where they are just mindlessly asking why? over and over again.  Sometimes, on days like these we have these lovely and precious conversations where she seems to be really taking everything in.  Not just what I'm saying to her, but what is around her at the time..she's so filled with wonder in these moments that I feel so peaceful and happy right then and there.  I could walk like that with her all day...

To top it off we did another little project that was perfect for her age.  I've been wanting to do these glue and bead sun catchers for a week or so, since I saw them on The Chocolate Muffin Tree and sure enough it went really well.  We are still waiting for them to dry but here are some pictures...I'll post them dry and hanging in the sun in a couple days...

On Sunday, I had a couple hours to myself with the kids while Nathan went to a rehearsal and I found myself a bit...ahem....bored while watching Zoe play out in front of our apartment so I picked up some sticks and started peeling the bark off....about a half hour later I ended up with this:

Not bad for a quick springtime craft I must say!  I just tied the sticks together with twine and cut the chick shape out of the white paper,  backed it with the colored paper and glued it on.  Easy!

Anyway, wish us luck on the sleeping front and be sure that I'll let you know how it goes....