Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Lalaland
In the post about my mom, when I wondered how she managed to parent three young kids so well when she was more than a decade older than I am now, I forgot to mention her secret weapon: Lupe.
When I was three months old, the age Nora is now, Lupe, or Lala, as I've always called her, came to live with us—ostensibly to take care of the house and help with the older two while my mother took care of me. It didn't quite work out that way. As Lupe explains it, Meaghan (then 5) didn't like her and Caity (2.5) screamed at her, so she decided to stick with me—the one who couldn't talk. Lupe lived with us until I was four, and she became like a second mother to me. I slept in her room, followed her around speaking Spanish with her as she did housework, and benefited from her favoritism. My sisters tell me how frustrating it was for them that I would stand in front of the TV in my diaper as they were trying to watch their Saturday morning cartoons, and Lupe would scold them if they tried to make me move.
After leaving us to get married and have a daughter of her own, Lupe remained a big part of our family. She and Christina would spend summers and weekends with us. When Greg and I got married five years ago, Lupe and my father walked me down the aisle. That was the last time Lupe was in Colorado, and at the time she was terrified of flying (it was only two years after the September 11 attacks, which Lupe watched from her apartment window directly across from the World Trade Center) so she rode the Greyhound, for 36 hours, rather than miss the day.
I've seen her since then on all my trips to New York, but last week she came to see us again—really to see the baby—and we had such a wonderful visit. Lupe says Nora looks just like I did when she first met me, so it was sort of like going full circle. This is pretty much how we spent the week: Nora in Lupe's arms, Lupe grinning ear to ear, me sitting on my hands and wishing I could snatch my baby back. I imagine it's how my mother felt when Lupe laid claim to me.
Lupe couldn't get over the size of the dogs. She wanted a picture, because she's sure no one will believe her when she describes them.
We spent the weekend up in Boulder for Greg's friend's wedding. On Saturday afternoon we walked around Pearl Street Mall, and Lupe bought a balloon animal for Sidamo.
Greg had to take off for some wedding stuff, but Lupe and the kids and I had pizza and beer. Well, Sidamo didn't have any beer, but the rest of us did. Nora can't wait for the day she can have it undiluted, from a glass.
We got the kids all dressed up to show them off at the wedding, but then Lupe took them back to the cabin so Greg and I could have a grown-up evening out. We had almost forgotten what that feels like.
Greg with the handsome groom, Gabriel. Greg and Gabe were best friends in high school, lost touch during college, and recently reconnected via Facebook.
Gabe and his new wife Ruth are wonderful—very funny, down-to-earth, and spiritual, and I've had such a great time getting to know them. Check out Ruth's dress. Gabe made it—he's an amazing designer.
The day after the wedding, with Nora back in her beautiful crocheted hat from Aunt Meg.
After checking out, we went up to Boulder Falls to take in some of the local scenery before sending Lupe back to New York.
You wouldn't know it from the last picture, but Sidamo fell in love with Lala during her visit. Every day this week he has woken up asking for his Lala. I tell him that Lupe had to go back to New York, and he insists, "But I need my Lala!"
So do I, sweetie.
When I was three months old, the age Nora is now, Lupe, or Lala, as I've always called her, came to live with us—ostensibly to take care of the house and help with the older two while my mother took care of me. It didn't quite work out that way. As Lupe explains it, Meaghan (then 5) didn't like her and Caity (2.5) screamed at her, so she decided to stick with me—the one who couldn't talk. Lupe lived with us until I was four, and she became like a second mother to me. I slept in her room, followed her around speaking Spanish with her as she did housework, and benefited from her favoritism. My sisters tell me how frustrating it was for them that I would stand in front of the TV in my diaper as they were trying to watch their Saturday morning cartoons, and Lupe would scold them if they tried to make me move.
After leaving us to get married and have a daughter of her own, Lupe remained a big part of our family. She and Christina would spend summers and weekends with us. When Greg and I got married five years ago, Lupe and my father walked me down the aisle. That was the last time Lupe was in Colorado, and at the time she was terrified of flying (it was only two years after the September 11 attacks, which Lupe watched from her apartment window directly across from the World Trade Center) so she rode the Greyhound, for 36 hours, rather than miss the day.
I've seen her since then on all my trips to New York, but last week she came to see us again—really to see the baby—and we had such a wonderful visit. Lupe says Nora looks just like I did when she first met me, so it was sort of like going full circle. This is pretty much how we spent the week: Nora in Lupe's arms, Lupe grinning ear to ear, me sitting on my hands and wishing I could snatch my baby back. I imagine it's how my mother felt when Lupe laid claim to me.
Lupe couldn't get over the size of the dogs. She wanted a picture, because she's sure no one will believe her when she describes them.
We spent the weekend up in Boulder for Greg's friend's wedding. On Saturday afternoon we walked around Pearl Street Mall, and Lupe bought a balloon animal for Sidamo.
Greg had to take off for some wedding stuff, but Lupe and the kids and I had pizza and beer. Well, Sidamo didn't have any beer, but the rest of us did. Nora can't wait for the day she can have it undiluted, from a glass.
We got the kids all dressed up to show them off at the wedding, but then Lupe took them back to the cabin so Greg and I could have a grown-up evening out. We had almost forgotten what that feels like.
Greg with the handsome groom, Gabriel. Greg and Gabe were best friends in high school, lost touch during college, and recently reconnected via Facebook.
Gabe and his new wife Ruth are wonderful—very funny, down-to-earth, and spiritual, and I've had such a great time getting to know them. Check out Ruth's dress. Gabe made it—he's an amazing designer.
The day after the wedding, with Nora back in her beautiful crocheted hat from Aunt Meg.
After checking out, we went up to Boulder Falls to take in some of the local scenery before sending Lupe back to New York.
You wouldn't know it from the last picture, but Sidamo fell in love with Lala during her visit. Every day this week he has woken up asking for his Lala. I tell him that Lupe had to go back to New York, and he insists, "But I need my Lala!"
So do I, sweetie.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Three months
Nora turned THREE months old yesterday. It's ridonkulous how quickly she's growing, as I think I've mentioned before.
In the past month she has begun smiling and interacting much more, holding her head up very well, and sleeping for longer than 45 minutes at a time—in fact she slept through the night five times in the past week. I'm trying not to say that too loudly, because after I spent yesterday bragging about it, she decided to wake up at 2 a.m. last night and insist on nursing nonstop for the rest of the night. No complaints, though; she'll only be this tiny once, and when she's 13 I'll be longing for the days that she needed me so much.
Could you say no to that smile?
In motion
In the past month Nora has also had some run-ins with my less-than-stellar parenting. About a week and a half ago, she fell off the couch after I placed her precariously and walked away. It was awful, and I was sure I had given her her first concussion. But she was fine, despite lots of tears from both of us. Then on Friday, while we were out for a walk with some friends, I stopped her stroller and turned to talk to my friend. My friend looked up from buttoning her baby into the Bjorn, screamed, and ran after Nora's stroller as it was rolling into a busy street. I had done absolutely everything wrong: I didn't use the brake or the wrist-leash, and I stopped the stroller right at the top of a fire station driveway—wheel pointed streetward. On that same walk, I also forgot a blanket and a hat, so Nora got her first (minor) sunburn. And today she was hit in the face by Sidamo's football.
So yeah, this whole three-month mark is a little more of an achievement than it seems at first glance. Way to survive it, baby!
In the past month she has begun smiling and interacting much more, holding her head up very well, and sleeping for longer than 45 minutes at a time—in fact she slept through the night five times in the past week. I'm trying not to say that too loudly, because after I spent yesterday bragging about it, she decided to wake up at 2 a.m. last night and insist on nursing nonstop for the rest of the night. No complaints, though; she'll only be this tiny once, and when she's 13 I'll be longing for the days that she needed me so much.
Could you say no to that smile?
In motion
In the past month Nora has also had some run-ins with my less-than-stellar parenting. About a week and a half ago, she fell off the couch after I placed her precariously and walked away. It was awful, and I was sure I had given her her first concussion. But she was fine, despite lots of tears from both of us. Then on Friday, while we were out for a walk with some friends, I stopped her stroller and turned to talk to my friend. My friend looked up from buttoning her baby into the Bjorn, screamed, and ran after Nora's stroller as it was rolling into a busy street. I had done absolutely everything wrong: I didn't use the brake or the wrist-leash, and I stopped the stroller right at the top of a fire station driveway—wheel pointed streetward. On that same walk, I also forgot a blanket and a hat, so Nora got her first (minor) sunburn. And today she was hit in the face by Sidamo's football.
So yeah, this whole three-month mark is a little more of an achievement than it seems at first glance. Way to survive it, baby!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
First Rockies game
I'm prepping for solo travel: Today I took the two kids to a Rockies game—at naptime—without Greg. Another mom in my playgroup had free tickets, so a bunch of us met up for today's afternoon game. It was fun for the hour or so that we lasted, but poor little Sidamo melted down due to lack of nap. He was crying, and I said, "Sidamo, if you can tell me what you're crying about, I'll try to fix it." He cried harder, screaming, "I don't wanna fix it!" So we left, and the looks I got pulling a crying and screaming little boy through a baseball stadium on a leash were less than loving. Oh well, we all survived and actually had a good time.
I feel so lucky to have found this group of moms in my neighborhood. They're so much fun, and their kiddos are beautiful.
I feel so lucky to have found this group of moms in my neighborhood. They're so much fun, and their kiddos are beautiful.
Monkey on his back
I thought if I wrapped it up like a present, he'd be more likely to welcome his new travel companion. He did quite like it and has been wearing it around the house for a few days, but I didn't break out the leash part until today. I put it on him to take him to a baseball game (that post is coming), and he immediately asked, "Like a dog?" and proceeded to bark all the way to the stadium. Yeah, we got some less-than-approving looks.
Nora's first hike
If you can call it that—we basically climbed a hill and looped around. Next time we'll aim for something a little more scenic.
Music maker
I'm behind on updating our adventures, so here's the first in a fast-and-furious blogging frenzy. This is from the neighborhood music festival last weekend. Sidamo had fun dancing on the B stage as they were doing sound check. Soon after, we got kicked out for having a toddler in the beer zone. What fun are toddlers and beer if you can't combine them?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
