Queen of Wonder

Lately, a couple times a day, completely unexpectedly - without any cue its coming..... Alex will look at me and say: "Mom?" I then say, "yes Alex?" He then says: "I love you infinity" and flashes a smile. Sometimes he adds a giant hug. He slays me.

We decided to go to the pumpkin patch today. I thought Half Moon Bay might be a fun day trip. As we set out on the highway, we heard on the radio, that it is the weekend of the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival. I hesitated. Knowing the traffic and distance, I considered abandoning the plan. Throngs of people and traffic were not exactly the day I had in mind. Michael suggested a closer alternative. Not being one to choose convenience, I drove past a number of lots that sold pumpkins. I just kept pressing on. We have the whole day I reasoned. Let's go on an adventure. When we are on vacation, we take...

Alex crawled into bed with us early this morning because he had a bad dream. I tried to get him to reveal what the dream was about but he could not remember. Then there was quiet. Mom, he asked .... what is McDonalds? I said, um... well where did you hear about McDonalds? At school, our teacher asked us our favorite restaurant and alot of kids said McDonalds. I explained that it is a fast food restaurant. Not the healthiest choice. I asked him if he told everyone his favorite restaurant.... the Puerto Rican restaurant, the taqueria, the Italian place we can walk to from our house? You know, the...

I am helping in the school garden for Alex's class this year. Another mom and I are going to split the task and alternate, each of us will take half the class to the garden every other week for a short lesson and garden time. It's Fall, so I thought it would be fun to teach the kids about bulbs and have them plant their own. The first class is tomorrow, so today I had to take Sam with me to Yard Birds Garden Center to buy Daffodil bulbs (as well as a few other bulbs for our own home garden that I did not need and could not resist but that is another post entirely). I had the garage sale (from yesterday...

I bought the Martha Stewart Magazine, Halloween issue. I also scooped up four little pumpkins at the grocery. Michael requested soup;I filled the cart with a selection of black bean and minestrone. It seems as if Fall is here. The air has changed. Indian summer has hit. The kids are so excited about Halloween. We even decorated the porch. Speaking of Halloween, can someone please explain to me why 90% of the costumes for boys involve a sword, frightening mask, or weapon of some kind? Also, what happened to making a costume? When I was growing up and wanted to be a clown or a princess my mom or...

Alex has figured out how amazing French pastry is. Buttery, flaky and almost worth being fat for. His new found love is the croissant. Luckily, he isn't too picky about quality, since his first ever "croissant" was from a Dunkin Donuts on the East Coast (on vacation). It's not too hard to improve from there- even the Costco version elicited a dance. He had his good friend over the other day. He was trying to initiate him to the pleasures of the flaky treat. After his friend took his first bite, Alex's started in with his a barrage of questions in rapid succession, like gunfire, without ever waiting...

When Sam was 2 days old or so, Michael took Alex along with him to the drugstore- probably to buy me some hemorrhoid cream or some gigantic pads or something equally hideous. At the store, Alex all of 2 years and and 8 months, told Michael he wanted to buy his new baby brother a present. Michael obliged. Alex apparently took his time perusing the toy aisle and after a while, selected a plush blue stuffed police car, that had a siren that went off when you gave it a squeeze. Not being a fan of toys that make noise, I cringed a little when he showed me. But when I realized how thoughtful a big brother...

Today was GOOD. I got a haircut while the boys were at school. I tried out a new babysitter and got to a yoga class. The new sitter is the sitter I have literally been looking for for years. After girls who don't know what they charge, girls who don't call and don't show when they agreed to come, girls that surf Facebook on my computer while we are out, I think I finally found one worthy of the $12 an hour she charges. Reasons why I LOVE the new sitter 1. She called me back within 24 hours of request 2. She arrived on time 3. She seemed interested in the kids 4. She played with the dog 5. She ASKED...

I think it is starting to click- Alex is sitting on the couch trying to read something. I did not beg. I did not ask. I did not suggest. I left him alone. He is trying!!!

Sam woke up every four hours the night it happened. Each time he wakes up, he is crying a little and I give him a dose of Tylenol. I hardly sleep. He hardly sleeps. Alex: out like a light. In the morning, Sam still isn't using his arm. I give him a cup of water and he takes it with his left hand. I give him a toy crane and he reaches only with his left hand. He is right handed. I call the pediatrician who sees us at 9:30am. He thinks it is possible there is a fracture. His nurse puts a splint on Sam and we head to the hospital for an X Ray. In radiology department at the hospital, people think...