So right now, Adele is not my favorite but it's all right because I'm not hers. We aren't in a bad place necessarily, she's just testing her (my) limits and sometimes it gets...unpleasant. Asking "why" is normal, natural and all that happy jazz but it's annoying. Adele talks pretty much nonstop. I like good conversation, most who know me know ( Read more... )

She’d been in line for over 30 minutes. She was smooshed between the 6 year old (or so) blonde boy and the chubby 2 year old red headed girl. About 6 other kids waited as well. They crowded around the tiny table covered with paints, jewel stickers, glitters and sprays, eyes wide with excitement for their turn. The face painter took a painfully ( Read more... )

I have a bad, bad attitude of late. The hormones are working me over pretty good. I cry - not just a lot or a tear here or there - I wail; pour forth rivers. It’s usually my own shortcomings that trigger the emotional avalanche. Adele asks me “Why are you sad? Why is your face wet ( Read more... )

I don’t remember my pregnancy with Adele being quite this dramatic. I was helping her in the bathroom last night and could not get back on my feet. I was in more pain than I can ever remember. I’d had a few other bouts of pain in my lower back earlier in the day but this one was excruciating. I’m writing this so next time I think being pregnant ( Read more... )

It’s 30 weeks today and Bill thinks Elise will be a big girl. I am scared too that she may be a large baby but knowing she won’t be breaking any new “ground” is a little comforting. I gained 11 freaking pounds in the last 4 weeks. The doc says all is well though. I’m not near as “robust” with Elise as I was with Adele - no doubt not having ( Read more... )

Being raised with 4 animals (and a mother with long hair) has, I’m sure, given Adele a number of skills and sensitivities other pet & long haired parent-deprived children will never know; one of the more astounding and humorous being her highly susceptible awareness of hair. There’s always my, dog or cat hair somewhere…on the floor, the couch, the ( Read more... )

I began reading Alice Sebold’s _The Lovely Bones_ yesterday morning. Sometime after the hour long screaming, wrestling match with my kid, her big toe and its splinter, I needed an escape. The first chapter gripped me and while it certainly served my needs well, it wreaked havoc on my emotions. Bill’s too, it would seem. No matter how I framed ( Read more... )

It has been a busy 48 hours ( Read more... )

Saturday night was a milestone for us. For the second time since Adele was born, Bill & I went out on a date, this time courtesy of our wonderful friends, the W Family. We spent the afternoon at their home dying and hunting eggs. The girls (H is 6 months younger than Adele but to see them, you wouldn’t know it) got their pictures taken in their ( Read more... )

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