Road Warriors

Last Saturday, JVL's dear friend Chris got married in NYC. Since we were making the trip up to celebrate, we decided to tack on a few days and drive up to Longmeadow to see the Fosters, having realized the last time we were there was … when Emma was in utero. Way too long ago. The kids were ecstatic to be reunited. Zia Stefania (to whom Emma referred in her husky voice as "Zia SteFONNNia!), Uncle Scott, and James were the kindest, most generous, and most patient of hosts. We had the world's best espresso, "the best pizza in the universe!", time at the pool, a trip to get tennis rackets and a chance to see James play, a long walk through Longmeadow, and a trip to Northampton, where I was able to show the kids my old haunts (including Neilson library, where I worked, the classroom in which I first met Stephanie, Aunt Hannah's soccer fields) followed by brunch at Sylvester's and treats from La Fiorentina. The kids had a wonderful time, and despite Emma pushing the boundaries of age two and creating some of those moments where you feel horrible being a guest in someone's home, it could definitely be considered a successful trip. 

The car ride, amazingly, wasn't so bad. We listened to Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, which they loved, but Cordelia — ever my daughter — tuned out several chapters to start, and then finish, her latest Rainbow Fairy chapter book. 

(First, these are from a couple weeks ago — makes my heart happy. Yes, Cora is reading while walking — she had a couple pages left and didn't want to stop. )

So here commences the road trip:

Pool time!

 Reading to Zia Stefania.

 Where the magic happens.

 Uncle Scott and Daddy being very grown up, indeed.

 Making music!

 Smith College!

 Hatfield Hall.

 Where I was when I met Stephanie…18 years ago.

 HI AUNT HANNAH!

 I miss my happy place already …

…but the kids are happy, too, to be visiting Granny and Pop-Pop. : )

Proud Mommy

Cordelia Conversations this week …

CML: Can we listen to Primary in the car?
SLL: Primary? I don't know that one.
CML: YES YOU DO! Of course you do.
SLL: Erm…I don't think so. How does it go?
CML: YOU KNOW! PRIMARY keep on rolling, PRIMARY keep on rolling, rollingROLLINGrollingROLLINGrolling on the river.
SLL: OH! You mean Proud Mary?
CML: No, I mean PRIMARY.

—
SLL: Are you guys excited to go to Rainbow Lake this weekend?
Both: YES!
CJP: Maybe we'll even go for a swim!
CML: Where?
CJP: …in the … LAKE.
CML: There's no lake.
CJP, exasperated: YES THERE IS. Rainbow Lake is a LAKE.
CML: No it's not.
CJP: AAAAAAHHHH!!

The Morning After

Cody is all boy. After a late night of fireworks, he "slept late, Mom!" You know, until 6:03. After early Mass, he set to work "deconstructing the debris," as he told me. "To help our neighbors," he explained.

Check out the warning labels. We are excellent parents.

Her Hairness (or, INDEPENDENCE DAY!)

The day finally arrived: our long national nightmare is over. And some cancer-stricken child will have the most beautiful wig ever. 

Here she is, washing it herself for the first time (she now has her own comb, brush, and drawer for all her hair stuff and wants to do it all herself, which suits me so much more than just fine).

P.S. Happy Fourth from my little firecrackers! (Happy cracker fireworks day!)

 

  

 Cordelia watched some of the fireworks from the back of the minivan, crammed into my lap, which was quieter, but still too scary. So we retired inside, where she watched from her window, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. Old. So old. 

Fireworks, Now and Then

Remember this?

Well this is what Cody looks like just a few years later. You can't really see anything--just turn the volume up and listen as he and Wild Man Rich set off fireworks that are absolutely not legal in the Commonwealth of Virginia. "Epic." Cody is the hysterical kid with three glow sticks around his neck. The Wild Man is the other sillouette leading him into a life of crime.

Not pictured: Cordelia. Who, with her beautiful new short hair hid in Shannon's arms, then hid in the minivan, and then finally hid inside, tucked into bed with Shay-Shay. Because this year, the fireworks were just too much for her.

Pictures to follow tomorrow.

Catching Up

I think at this point it would be useless to try to do anything other than slap random pictures from the last month up here for fun, before I lose even more time and sanity! 

Seeing Daddy's book in Barnes & Noble!!

And seeing him on TV!

 Water time in the front yard.

 
Look at those curls.

 Bumblebee Girl (she's very into the Ladybug Girl books right now.)

 Shopping at DSW for shoes for Lauren's wedding. Inexplicably, she calls DSW "WUSA."

Um, the most inappropriate Stormtrooper photos ever. What she was saying, though, was: "Oh hello Mr. Stormtrooper! You look so tute! Tan I give you a big love?"

 Which … she did. A big love.

A few months back Cordelia learned to ride sans training wheels — but her little bike was way too short and she kept cutting up her ankles. So Sunday, I took her for a big surprise! She chose pink. Just like I did when I was her age. : )

 They came down the other day proclaiming, "We are TEAM C!"

 Here are a few attempts at a family photo from Lauren's wedding...

 Emma tries to make out with Fiona...

 …Fiona tries desperately to escape.