Catching Up

One of the things that I am having to get used to with this new job is having very little--almost nil--time to do my own thing when children are sleeping. Nap time/post-bed time have turned into prime work hours which means other pursuits sans kids get shelved--like blogs.

I am also having to get used to an almost constant underlying current of stress. Faking it (see previous post #99) is imbued with anxiety; there are good days and bad days. Overall, I am really enjoying the attempt and have no regrets with signing on to this venture instead of staying in the legal secretary business. I love reading this stuff. I love talking about it. I love being in control of my own schedule--even if it means those late hours too.

Daffodil and I are spending a lot more day time together. I have to remember to do kid stuff sometimes! She loves to dance and never tires of her German kinderlieder. Today we spent a little time cooking in the play kitchen (chicken soup, cocoa, stew) and cooking in the big kitchen (her personal favorite of bread dough--which, incidentally, I overcooked again, see previous post #86). No wonder she prays about Gabe's house everyday--his place is so much more fun!














Eden and Soren had their second ski adventure in January with a possible 3rd coming up on Saturday. I sent them up the lift with Martin and then started worrying they might not make it down okay since it had been a while since any of them had attempted the slopes. Soren rode ahead with some complying stranger, caught up with Martin and Eden long enough to hold hands for a minute, and then broke away straight down the mountain at top speed. Martin said he could hear the lift-riders echoing "Man! look at that kid go!". Martin had to abandon Eden to start after Soren (who had made his way to the bottom and started walking back up the slope) and caught up again with her later. She eventually decided herself most comfortable on the bunny slope and happily played there the rest of the time, emerging from tentative to exuberant.






































Today I walked home from school and--hooray!--it was sunny and almost warm! I even took off my coat for the last 5 blocks or so. Just as I was getting close to Lael's house to pick up Daffodil I noticed that the birds were singing like crazy. Had I been immersed in the ipod listening to another episode of This American Life, I would have missed that crucial sound. I have needed outside time so badly but have been quelled by zero temperatures and red-burn days with toxic air. I felt like I could breathe again in every sense today--maybe I can survive winter after all! I used to prefer winter to summer and now I 'm not sure I'm up to the Vermont living I've always dreamed of. Spring can not come soon enough--get me out into those great outdoors!