Is It Here?

Spring
Originally uploaded by nssmith2020

I am afraid to even say the S*****g word because to jinx our beautiful weather. Today the sky was a clear blue with thin translucent clouds like torn pieces of tissue paper scattered about. We spent some time outside today, trying to escape the painting that is going on inside the house. All of us found signs of Spring in the front yard--Norah discovered the purple flowering peeking up here, Harvey found a bush to shake, and I, well I just soaked up as much of the sun as my skin could absorb. I even got out the bubbles that have been sitting in my car since last summer and blew a few rounds for H and N. Norah just ran around the yard screaming at them because she "wanted" them and they were floating away from her or simply disappearing before her eyes. I was actually mildly amused by it until I really thought about how this whole experience might feel to a 2 year old--something beautiful that you want to touch and hold disappears the minute you reach your destination or floats away from your little grasp.
Norah is trying to grasp the concept of cause and effect, and not really grasping it just yet. I hear her talking to her dolls, to herself and to me and lately, the conversations have gone something like this:

Me: Norah, what did you do at school today.
Norah: Ahhhmmm... crayons.
Me: Really, what did you do with those crayons.
Norah: ...because...because you will choke on it.

It is really pretty funny. And Harvey, he knows exactly what he wants and if he doesn't have it the moment that he realizes that he wants it, well then he is mad, REALLY mad. So, his personality is starting to show through too. I love them.

Daffodils

I loved this poem in high school and recently came across it in one of Norah's poetry books.

I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees, 5
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay: 10
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Outdid the sparkling waves in glee:—
A poet could not but be gay 15
In such a jocund company!
I gazed, and gazed, but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood, 20
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Wordsworth

The Tuna Tartar's Revenge

Another case of food poisoning struck me again last night. I don't know why I fall victim to this so much--I am not even a very aventurous eater. This time it was from the tuna that I ate last night. Cold sweats. Watery mouth. Squeezing, squeezing, squeezing. I need to look at happy things today so I included this image of N and H sleeping in the car over the weekend.

Braving New York City

Today, Nonna and I took the kids to the Children's Museum on the Upper West Side. It has been a few months since I brought them there during the week. They love the city and they loved the museum even more. Harvey's eyes widened when we emerged from the Lincoln Tunnel and they didn't close until he melted down in the little restaurant on Broadway (post-museum). For him, it was a wild frenzy of, "S'tha" s and trips down slides. For Norah, it was Dora the Explorer, pretend fire trucks, and colored balls that could be thrown anywhere.

Because I am coming to the less is more philosophy of parenting (influenced by Rahima Baldwin's book), I wondered while in there if what I was doing was truly good for my children. I mean there were just masses and mounds upon mounds of things for them to touch, climb on, slide down, etc... I looked around at many of the mothers and nannies (all thinking that we were giving our children this great experience) and wondered if we could just as well take them to the park. I don't want me children to need to be entertained or to be victims of marketing (I wonder what transactions took place between the creators of Dora and the museum decision makers to get a whole floor for the Dora exhibit). Of course, Norah wanted a Dora doll before leaving the place and then, oh yeah, we have to get Harvey a Diego plate. We live in a crazy, crazy world.

Easter Eggs!

I remember last year about this time wishing that our Norah was old enough to dye Easter eggs. She grew up so fast in this last year--I hope I never wish her older again. Now I want these days to slow down. I want her to keep saying, "Pick you up," when she wants me (or anyone else to hold her), I want her to keep saying, "Dadee" when she really means, "What is that?" and I want her to keep calling band-aids, ban-bans. These days they are going by at whirlwind speeds.

So we did dye Easter eggs today--a new and nifty no vinegar way. I was kind of looking forward to mixing those little Paas bisquits into vinegar and boiling water, but alas those days, too, are no more. The babies of 2008 put their boiled eggs in a bag, pout dye into the bag and VOILA!, they have dyed eggs. The whole process takes very little time and creates a lot of waste. Next year, I will get some natural food coloring and we will do it our own way.

In some knitting news, I have finished the baby present that I have been diligently procrastinating (details to come). I also have completed the thrid Christmas stocking out of the foursome. I am waiting on the fourth to felt it so that I conserve some water.

Tomorrow, Nonna, the kids and I are headed into the city to go to the children's museum. Wish us luck.

Back to Basics

I have been doing all of this reading of crafty blogs lately that has inspired me. I am not sure why I have not done many crafts with Norah (and Harvey) but I haven't. I have been stuck doing a few things--reading, going to parks, visiting friends, etc.. Yesterday morning I got out some old magazines, markers, crayons and stamps and we had some fun in the kitchen. Norah drew Dr. Yerovi and I made a collage featuring Brian a gay fashion designer and myself as a rather homely blond.

We also spent some time at the library (you can't take pictures there!!??!). There were just so many books that they both wanted to read and so little time before a meltdown. While we were there, I picked up a copy of Rahima Baldwin's You are Your Child' First Teacherr. I am pretty interested in the Waldorf model of education, but I don't know enough about it to consider sending either Norah or Harvey to a Waldorf School. This book, while focused on the early years, should give me a better idea of what they are about.




We spent some time outdoors this afternoon after the kids woke. I finally planted those paper whites that have been sitting in a bag on our window sill for the past few months. The likelihood that they will actually bloom is not in our favor but it was a nice afternoon activity after all.

Summer

Please pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease please come fast. I want to go for walks. I want to swing Norah and Harvey in the park. I want to let them roll around in the grass. The tulips will be here soon in Montclair and I bet the bluebonnets are almost out in Texas. No wait, maybe that is May. Anyways, more whining... I want, I want, I want to wear tank tops and 80's cut-off jeans, I want to listen to Janis Joplin, I want to make rocket popsicle thingies. No more mittens, no more.