Elsie's birthday

1 miler

Elsie and Liam refer to the 1 mile participation prize as their "gold medal." When its placed around their necks at the end of the 1 mile, as far as they're concerned, they might as well have won the entire race. 

Running this race every year makes my kids feel capable.  Participating in such an event gives them a sense of being a competitor, an athlete, a person that does hard things. This year the race was on Elsie's birthday.  She wore her favorite Elsa Frozen dress and she felt like a million, sparkly, bucks.   I think she was just as proud of her dad as her dad was her.  Liam came through the finishline like a bullet and as you can see by the picture, his medals are already starting to pile-up.

Motherhood

Motherhood has been good to me.  I never wonder if I am loved or needed, my children make it obvious.  I'm not the perfect mother but I can definitively say I have poured my soul into these little ones.  This photo, stealthily snapped by my mother-in-law, is telling of my life and the circle of love I have with with my children. In it I am holding Alayna waiting for her to bite the apple in my hand. She smiles back and Liam gingerly paints a heart on my cheek. We are all simultaneously caring and cared-for.

In mothering I aspire to be like my own mom- giving and perpetually positive. She is the kind of mom that wakes up at 6 am to make lunches and write hand-written notes on the brown bag.  She was relentlessly upbeat, and would (and still does) burst into song without warning.
I've got some serious 'mom shoes' to fill.

DC Spring

DC always impresses me with springtime.  Everything, everyone, seems to bloom and there seems to be a happiness in the air I can't quite detect at any other time.




 

Nana's visit (and her pictures)

While Brady and I were doing our re-con in Iowa our kids were here being spoiled, nurtured, and entertained by Nana.  They went on a trip to Baltimore Aquarium and came back happy and with stuffed animals they've been toting around since. Nana also hosted a party, complete with face-painting, and ushered in Birthday Week.