Playground Panacea

We had today all planned. Clare and Danny were off school, the forecast was spectacular, and neighbors were up for an outing. So, we were going to venture to the zoo. I refuse to go there when it's hot, or on a busy weekend, so this was going to be a rare opportunity.


Laura woke up cranky - but I figured a nap would straighten her out. Danny woke up with a song in his heart, so that was great. But then Clare sat down to breakfast, and within moments was in a rare breakdown. Ostensibly, it was due to her sore teeth owing to getting her wires changed on Wednesday (a pain I remember all too well). But I also think the exhaustion of our generally busy lives caught up to her. So, we had the opportunity to slow it down today, which is exactly what we did.


A visit to the playground went over like gangbusters with all three. Really, how can you not be carefree and happy on a swing? It was Laura's first time, and most certainly not her last!

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Clare's Ode to Annie Bear

Clare's class was recently asked to write about something special to them. Here is Clare's offering:

My Special Annie Bear
When I was very little, about my baby sister Laura's age my Grandma and Grampa gave me my Annie Bear. She is sort of like a rag doll. She is a stuffed animal bear. Annie Bear is pink. Her pink is very light and faded. She has a pink and white checked bow on her neck. I sleep with her almost every night. When I was little I took [her] every where with me. One day on summer vacation I went to a teddy bear picnic. But I did not take Annie Bear because I was afraid I would lose her. Sometimes we wash her. When she comes out she is dry, warm and cozy. She is the most special stuffed animal to me! I love Annie Bear so much!

By: Clare Seymour

Here's a picture of 18-month-old Clare (approximately) and me visiting my dorm. Annie Bear has traveled extensively!

And Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Lack of Schedule

After 19 days of live-in help ably provided by our generous and loving parents, I am once again walking upright and captain of the family helm. Overall, it went just fine, particularly considering that we feared disaster from Laura. By the end, though, it was obvious that everyone needed to resume normalcy, such as it is.

A normal schedule is something I have sought for Laura since day one, and I'm afraid it still eludes me. While we have developed a rhythm of after-school activities, there are still multiple exceptions that get in the way of a regular afternoon nap. When possible, I stay home to accommodate morning naps, only to have her poop herself awake each and every time, and far earlier than a standard nap would dictate. She also continues to need about three naps most days, especially since she is usually bright-eyed and bushy-tailed by 6 a.m. Who would have thought that those first few weeks of her life, when all she did was sleep, would seem so precious now.


As I write this, she is sound asleep. Naturally, because we have to leave momentarily to pick up the kids from school. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Baby of Steel

I think Laura may have secured herself a future tenure in boarding school this week. Most of you are aware that I attempted to wean her to prepare for my upcoming hernia repair. For three days, I withheld nursing as an evening, once-a-day event. I fed her solids, and offered her bottles of formula. For three days, she refused to take a single sip from a bottle. Even if that meant she slept for 12-13 hours and then went another four before she ate solids. She could give Ghandi a run for his money in the hunger strike department.

So I caved. Thanks to the extremely helpful advice and coaching Allyson gave me all along the way, we've got ways to get around the nursing hiatus. In the meantime, it's Laura 1, Mommy and Daddy 0. As just about everyone commented to me this week, I shudder to think what this steel will of hers will imply during her teenage years.

Because I Like to Tempt Fate

Now that school has begun, I feel like I need a follow-up to my last post about Danny. Partially because I think I was over-reacting at the time, and partially because he's doing so well right now.


Sure, he's only attended school now for two weeks. For lots of kids, though, those first few days of kindergarten are the toughest. Fortunately, Danny seems to have found his groove. No, he doesn't really like being awoken so early on school days. But by the time he is dressed and downstairs for breakfast, he's a chipper chicken. Many times Clare has stopped him en route to breakfast in order to help adjust his uniform, an act that speaks volumes about their relationship and its effect on his time at school. I think much of the reason he's so comfortable is because his big sister is there, and happy to engage with him. This is on top of him loving his teachers and making new friends. Not to mention that he really is an outgoing little chap.

In fact, he was even comfortable enough to make a bit of a splash in the first school mass. I had not alerted Danny to the fact that mass was going to take place last Monday, because frankly I didn't feel like listening to him gripe about it. Imagine my surprise when I picked the kids up from school later that day, and Danny strutted into the car, waving a dollar bill at me while saying, "Guess who answered one of Fr. Frank's questions in mass?" (Fr. Frank is known for asking questions during his homily and rewarding correct answers with $$.) Proud as a peacock he was! I still love picturing my little guy raising his hand and then answering a question in the big cathedral, in front of 560 students and dozens of teachers and parents. May he always be so confident. (For inquiring minds, the question was, "Who will you meet in heaven?" Danny said that he answered, "God!" and then Fr. Frank asked him if he thought that was worth a dollar, to which Danny said, "YES!")

I take his comment to me this morning as a sign of continued success. "Mommy, I have to say..." (there was a long pause here, so I really didn't know where this was going) "I'm not that interested in vacation anymore. I mean, I still like vacation and stuff, but it's just that school is more interesting to me right now." Perhaps he and Clare aren't so different after all.

Feline Fascination

Among the many things distinguishing Laura's babyhood from Clare's and Danny's is the presence of the cats. Quincy and Duncan didn't join us until Danny was two. While the cats were aware of Laura from the moment she arrived, she didn't really take notice of them until very recently, post-summer travels. But now she's making up for lost time. When they are in the vicinity, she is mesmerized, and definitely looking for ways to get closer and get her hands on them. Woe to them when she starts crawling! (And I suspect they just might be her motivation to get moving.)

Note that Duncan (white and black cat) is willing to get close to Laura. This will infuriate Clare if she catches wind of it, because after three years she has still barely touched him. We always suspected him to be the smarter of the two cats, but now I'm not so sure. Yes, Laura is cute, but she has potential to inflict some serious damange, kitty!


P.S. I had to add this photo my mom sent of two-year-old me with our cat at the time, Peaches. Looks like it's genetic.

Braced for the Future

When Clare emerged into the waiting room today with her braces on, I did a double-take. I expected the metal, of course, but what caught me by surprise is how much older they make her look! Ack! She did us all proud, too, by being perfectly poised throughout the appointment. Not that this surprised me.

Meanwhile, Laura passed the time the way any self-respecting person would do in a doctor's waiting room:



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