My Emma

Yesterday, GK gave Van a copy of this picture in a frame. He fell asleep with it tucked under his arm.

Emma's dad is GK's childhood friend. They are almost like brothers. This summer, camping at Refugio, Van and Emma really hit it off. Van would talk about her and ask to see her and hug her and kiss her. Both before and after his broken leg, Emma was so sweet right back.

Since then, Van brings up Emma and her family quite often. Sometimes out of the blue. The other day, he walked in to find GK looking at this picture and keeps asking to look at it. In fact, he's quite upset as we speak that I'm covering it to write this blog. "My Emma! My Emma!"

Maybe when they're older, we'll show them this picture and they'll be embarrassed at their early romance. Or maybe they'll hit it off in college and make their daddies brothers at last.

Until then, Vanny has his picture. And he can gaze at his Emma while he falls asleep.

In the meantime...

This blog has been bumped from the top of the priority list as we've tried to jumpstart a new year. So here is a sweet taste of life around here until new posts begin flowing once again.

Dear Utah Friends

My apologies. I'm sorry we didn't see any of you. Our trip started late when we I-80 was closed because of lots of snow.  Then once we were safely there, sweet Delia spent a few days in the hospital with RSV while Van and Josie battled it at my parents' house. Then all of the sudden, our vacation was over and we had to come back to California.

I had plans to see you, really I did. And I'm sad that it didn't happen. But I hope your Christmas was bright and wonderful.

ps. To anyone who sent me your address and didn't get a Christmas card, the last batch is still in my bag because... read above. Do you still want it? I will probably still send it, but you don't have to feel guilty about looking at it, smiling, and tossing it into the garbage. (the smile is optional of course)

I love you. Happy New Year!

Attention

If you are reading this, you are a loyal, kind, sweet friend. And I'd like to thank you by sending you a Christmas card.

Just to say thanks for sticking with me.

However, chances are good that I don't have your address. So will you please email me with it? That is if you want a Christmas card. No pressure of course.

Send addresses to:
susanna.florence@gmail.com

Thank you kindly.

Does this room smell like poop?

It may be worthy of the title "Cruel and Unusual Punishment" to have two babies suddenly crawling at the same time as a certain two year old boy doesn't want to wear a diaper pants of any kind.

All day long, I glance over to see Vanny lying on the floor in just a shirt. I wander the house to find where he left his trousers just to make sure I don't have to search for anything else. Many times I have found him in his crib, after his "nap" (advice on getting him to take a nap without quotation marks welcome!) pants-less, jumping up and down saying, "I just wake up!" (Both of us knowing full well, he never slept... but that's another post.)

The other day (after just such an encounter and some quality time on the potty chair) I kept walking into his room thinking, "I can't tell if this room smells funny." (Why I'm confessing this openly like this, I don't know) But I actually had the thought, "Maybe I should invite one of my friends over and ask them, 'Does this room smell like poop?'"

I didn't. And it doesn't. But man, sometimes I scare myself.

I'm grateful for my life

Please don't dismiss this post as one of those syrupy meaningless "Seriously, so blessed" type of gratitude posts.

I'll be honest. My life has kicked me in the shins a few times over the last couple of weeks. More than once I have had to put my head in my hands and make a conscious decision to just keep moving. I am in over my head much of the time these days and often find myself wishing I could be more___________. You can fill in the blank with just about anything and it has probably run through my head. Twice.

But, all that aside, I am grateful for a life of comfort and safety and warmth and baby drool and potty training. And one day, when all of the challenges of this part of my life have given way to the challenges of the next part of my life, I'm sure I will miss it. A lot.

There is nothing like having small children around you to make you realize how quickly time is passing. There are many things I would like to teach my children and among them is something I'm still trying to learn myself. That is to drink in the moments for what they are. Hard, good, painful, joyful. Each one has a lifetime inside of it.

One Guess

You could have guessed GK. But you would be right to guess Josie Pie. Or as Van calls her "my Josie". (As in his Josie. Not my Josie. He'll make sure you get that distinction. Not in bratty way, just to make sure you've got the right idea.)

This is just moments after the girls were born. Josie put her little hand over Delia's. Maybe she sensed what we didn't know yet.

From the minute my Josie was born, amid turbulence and adjustment, she's been an anchor in our family. She has her fussy moments (often), but she has the most loyal heart and the most willing, generous smile. Watching people play and laugh and smile makes her light up. Even if she's watching from a distance. She's a tender little thing.

And I'm grateful for her.