WANTED: Caption Writer.

have i ever bragged about the time i won the New Yorker cartoon caption contest? only i didn't get recognized *or paid* because someone else hit ENTER first, with the exact same words. do i classify this in my "intellectual triumphs" file, or my "yet to have an original thought" file? still debating.

i'm hosting a caption contest of my own. enter in comments, if you want to play.

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yardwork is my favorite

you can tell that work is really taking over your life when...


:: spending a saturday morning cleaning up the preschool front lawn with your *whole family* seems like an impossible dream.


:: you see your baby tasting berries and think, oh, well. she can digest.


:: the kids then spend the afternoon watching movies so both parents can sit at their respective computers and type furiously. i'd better get back to that.

new header

that is the face of a girl whose big sister just took away something that she was really into.

to little sisters everywhere: sorry, gals, it's called a birthright. check it out.

a lot of moments, and a little perspective

amazing how a little change in the norm can make the ordinary, even tedious, parts of everyday life seem like a little bit of fun.

sometimes it solves a problem, and sometimes it's only the illusion of change. but even then it's good for something...if only the pleasure of novelty.

this is why i rearrange my furniture so often. i'm a believer in new ways of looking at the same view.

i'm also a believer in the joy of fishsticks.

"look, mom, i'm a rainbow!"

as i write this, Little is charging through the house powered by hysterical joy. the reason? she's totally nude and it doesn't look like i'm going to do anything about it. and i'm not.

also, heart is singing, and it's pretty loud. maybe that has something to do with it?


in other news, Lulu Biscuits has started her own blog, and is licensed to drive.

she wishes.

a blur

the layabout days of spring break are almost over. now what?

who will push the babies in the buggies?!

who will {help!} with the laundry?!

who will find the lost eggs?!

who will bake the bunny cakes?!

the answer: lauren, of course. she does everything around here. during my headachy, stuffed-up snarky days this week she drove my car, washed my dishes, bathed my kids, made my bed and fixed my tea. that, my friends, is she.

modeling not in her future

maybe one of the reasons i like to look at pictures of Little so much is because they are so hard won. each successful shot represents a small victory.

photographing the easter dresses didn't go very well. i made two for Little because she has outgrown most of her dresses recently {and the spring fabrics in the fashion district were irresistible}. Little doesn't allow me to measure her, or try things on for size as i go, so it's sometimes a guessing game. once she's got something on, it's not coming off again unless it's soaking wet or on fire.

this is the best i could do to document {one of} the finished products:

you can't see the pretty antique lace that i thrifted or tell that the skirt is super twirly. nor can you really see the calico print or the patterned insert. or the ribboned keyhole neckline. you can't see anything, except that i am obviously a very mean person who likes to torture little girls.

liv is much more pliable, at least at this age. i made her some easter egg rattles out of leftover scraps {see mouth below}. i hope to get some better shots of both girls at the gardens next week when we go to see the last of the spring bulb flowers and the lilacs. remember this?

here's another dress i made a couple of months ago and love. the retro fabric called for a retro style. i love a little girl in a short skirt. i hope elyza gets her replica in the mail soon! {meg, i made it a little bigger and longer--Little is obviously outgrowing this one already.}

brought to you by excedrin

that headache:

the one that wakes up before you do, three days in a row, even though you never really fell asleep;

that hates bright light, but is made out of bright light;

that makes two crying babies sound like two crying babies with malicious intent;

that makes you wonder if that's water running out of the corners of your eyes or brains...

it's over. and i'm awake! and i hijacked Bim's computer just so i could log on and say so.

easter morn

the girls woke up early, "so very excited!" to see if their main bunny had come in the night. my camera flash is no match for dim morning light, hence the black and white experimentation. more color to come. easter is finally here!

"the easter bunny is so happy to us!"

Little told us the Easter story: Jesus {not to be confused with the unsung messiah, Deejus, who also makes an appearance in Little's stories} got hurt and died. then he got alive again. happy easter, everyone!

attaché

i am not one to buy a parenting philosophy wholesale, so to speak. as much as i like cheap tricks and one-size-fits-all, these things are best applied to hats, no?

that said, i have spent the last two weeks absorbed by the research and practical advice of a certain neuro-psychologist who specializes in teaching discipline to children.

fascinated like me? you might be if you'd heard her talk about the brain. i thought i would write down a couple of her key points before i forget.

:: the single most important factor in a child's success is secure attachment to the parent(s).

:: secure attachment {confidence in the relationship and onesself} is created by emotional responsiveness.

when a child is reassured emotionally by loved ones, the child thrives. not finding that reassurance, the child feels shame. fascinating, no? validation is a simple enough thing to offer and it turns out to be what we all need & crave, as children and as adults.

of course, even children raised in less than ideal circumstances can succeed. but think of all the baggage we can spare our children if we meet their excitement with enthusiasm, and their despair with comfort.

the message of emotional responsiveness is, i respect your ability to make decisions for yourself. i trust that you can find a way. i know it's hard sometimes. this kind of connection looks like help, not defeat--like the possibility of security in an otherwise confusing and frightening world.

that, and it feels good.