A few months ago, a dear friend gifted us an upholstered blue rocking chair that she was retiring. We took it eagerly; we always need more seating, anyhow, and with a baby on the way we knew that anything that rocked would be a good use of space. Before Alice even arrived, I had claimed the chair as my own special spot because it is comfortable and did I mention it rocks?
parenting
Not Easy
Even though I remember the haze of newborn sleepless nights quite well, it’s no less difficult to relive them again. And, not to harp on age, but seriously— there’s a reason why a woman’s most fertile years are well behind her by the time she’s in her 40s. This stage is hard regardless. Compound it with being in the season where you need bifocals to read ingredient labels and yeah… it’s pretty exhausting.
Two Weeks
Decimus arrived over two weeks ago. To be absolutely correct, Decima arrived. Yes, we have a daughter. And she’s absolutely, perfectly delightful.
And Soon, Spring
I looked ahead in the extended forecast and saw the most terribly thrilling thing promised: spring.
Life in the Meantime
John Mark—our resident timekeeper— made a paper chain at the beginning of the month. One ring per day, counting down to the scheduled arrival of Decimus on 3/3. It was shockingly short, even for me.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
I had another one of those interactions this week that I admit left me slightly speechless. I’ll come back to it in a moment. But first, let’s visit a poem whose refrain is familiar enough to have worked its way into pop culture at large.
Kindergarten
Jude has seemed so much bigger these past few months. I’m well aware that the bulk of that transition has more to do with my mindset (Jude… a big brother! The mind reels!) than anything else, but also… he has rounded that amazing corner that marks the shifting of five to six. And oh, it is bittersweet indeed.
Life is What Happens to You While You’re Busy Making Other Plans
I didn’t intend to take a 9 day break from this space. It just sort of… happened. I recently had cause to repeat a line of truth found, in all places, in a John Lennon song: “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” And oh, it’s true. It’s so very, very true.
And… We’re Back
This week brings nearly all of our normal rhythm back into play, with the added wrinkle of it also being the last week the college crew is home. There’s a tinge of sadness at picking up the threads of outside lessons and such these dwindling days of our time together, but this is how the calendar fell and well, it is what it is.
The Recap
The last day of the year. It feels a bit more meaningful as 2020 comes to a close, doesn’t it? Somehow a bit weightier? A lot of life happened these past twelve months, and I for one am happy to look back over it and relive the good and the challenging.