Going, Going, Gone

Another birthday, another year. Except, this year my new school which is this insane utopian  micro-community were so incredibly generous. A cake was made, a gift, good wishes, taken out to lunch. I worked 5 years in one school and not so much as a happy birthday was thrown my way. I've been at this school all of 5 minutes and I have been embraced and welcomed like I've been there for 20 years. It's a surreal place to work. The culture they breed is contagious and it gives me hope for the future.

Then home and a steak dinner and cupcake from J-Cafe for dessert with the Wagmans. And then a phone call from Nonna to wish me a happy birthday and to tell me her mother, my grandmother died that morning. She was old and sick and had been under hospice care for almost 3 months. But still. My grandmother died on my 31st birthday.

Daddy had prepped you in the bath the night before my birthday to wish me a happy birthday the next morning. I had little faith you would remember through the night. When I woke you up at 6:30am, right away you stretched your arms and little body into a long arch and exclaimed: "It's your birthday momma. Happy Birthday!"

Why would I have doubted you? I shouldn't be surprised anymore. When walking down the stairs, you asked me how old I was. When I thought about it, I said: "I'm 3 like you and 1 like Lucy!" I don't think my age will ever match you and Lu again.

Each moment, everyday is like a birthday candle...

Going,

Going,



Gone.

I love you girls.

Surviving

Going back to work has been a whirlwind of activity. Early mornings and late afternoons. Dinners and playing in the yard. You and Lu are doing well being full time in daycare. You both seem to gravitate toward the routine. Lucy is so busy and blossoming everyday. 

Nonna came to help with the consignment sale this past weekend, I was a co-chair. The sale was insane and crazy busy and oh! our aching feet. Daddy worked his butt off and so did Nonna. It was long days and stressful situations. You and Lucy were running around for most of the sale being passed from person to person, whoever was on break. Thank the Lord this weekend is consignment sale free and we can rest. Do a little birthday celebrating and just be together as a family.

So far, mornings are hectic but I love the job. I love the commute. I love the faculty. I'm glad I took the plunge and jumped back into working. But still, during the school day I go and I watch the pre-k class and think longingly of you and your sister. Of lost storytimes and picnics in the park. Afternoon naps and snuggles on the couch. I sure miss all of it.

God, I hope this is the right decision for us. There is nothing more important in my life than you and Daddy and Lucy Lu and that all three of you are happy and healthy. Nora, you like to say grace at dinner time. Tonight you said: "Dear Lord, thank you for salad and thank you for dressing. Thank you for spaghetti and bread and for Daddy and Mommy and Lucy. And thank you for cheese balls."  Since your father and I are working full time, we have become somewhat lax on the snack situation.... but after a long stressful day, I am thankful for the cheese balls too.

Sweet sisters. And among the invasion of black-eyed susans, Brandy's rose still blooms over Lucy's shoulder.

Lucy's first time enjoying a moon bounce while walking. At the twin's 2nd birthday.

Maybe they are related?

Lucy's first day at Ms. Patti. I love both expressions.

Playing after daycare and work. Poor Stan misses you girls too.

My goal is to post one more time before September starts. I know there are only 2 days left. Afterall those are the days to celebrate Nonna and me, entering this world 30 years a part.

Unexpected Turn

After my last post back in July, I commented how this blog would be more of a priority in my life. I should have known that it would cause an unexpected turn of events. I saw a job posting for a Director of Educational Technology position at a local private school (less than 8 miles away). The job description fit my skill set perfectly. This job was made for me and in a school I always admired. The position is almost exactly what I was previously doing in my old school system. Three weeks ago, going back to work wasn't even in realm of possibility. Let alone full time work. But then I made the very savvy move to ask Uncle Kevin (the marketing shark) and Aunt Katie (the interviewing diva) to help me get my resume and cover letter together.

I sent in my application (resume and cover letter which Uncle Kevin revamped) on a Monday morning at 9am. By 2pm the same day, the school called me for an interview. 48 hours later I was interviewed and hired on the spot. I signed the contract this past Monday and my first day working as the Director of Educational Technology was today. 

I am exhausted and my head is spinning. I am still chairing the consignment sale. I am still a full time mom to you and Lucy Lu (duh, like that would ever change). Except now I also work full time too. You and your sister start daycare at Ms. Patti's full time on Monday 7am-5pm. This is not the life plan I thought our little family would follow. I thought I would have more time being a stay-at-home mom raising the two of you. But the opportunity fell into my lap and I couldn't turn my back on it. And a year from now, you Nora could possibly come to work with me and be able to attend one awesome school that we would not be able to afford without my employee discount. So we have changed the plan, we have made some sacrifices so that your future (and Lucy's too) are filled with choices and opportunities to develop your childhood and academic career in a unique setting that previously only our dreams would allow.

Now, I pray I won't drown. But coming home to you two will always be the highlight of my day. The smiles, the giggles, the chocolate goatees, the silliness, the lost lollipops stuck on Lucy's back will keep me afloat.

No valid excuse

There is no valid excuse for why I am not posting as much. Maybe a summer slow down. Maybe it's the kid consignment sale I am chairing that has been driving me insane. Maybe it's pure laziness and an affinity for reading other blogs.

Sometimes I feel like I have alot to share and contemplate with you two and then sometimes I am completely blank. Void of any kind of thought. Those are the numerous nights I like to sit aimlessly surfing the Internet or TV. Sometimes we get caught up in summer evening activities at the neighbors or outside.

Going to sleep is also not been a favorite activity for you or your sister. Now the bedtime routine can stretch out until 9pm or later when I just collapse into bed. But in the end, there is no valid excuse.

so here in less than 10 pictures has been our mid-July adventures:

BSO at Oregon Ridge to hear the music of John Williams. Daddy's Father's Day gift since the entire second half was dedicated to the Star Wars movies.

Aunt Kaarn came to help Grandma paint and you had a sleep over with her and Annie and we all got to enjoy crabs, inside due to the rain! She and Grandma also took you tubing on the Gunpowder river where you cried for most of the ride. But you came around toward the end and now you have no plans for a repeat trip until you are 15! Where did you come up with that age?!?! But Aunt Kaarn is going to be ready in 12 years!

Aunt Molly moved to L.A. to fulfill her dreams. Ah to be young, with no strings and the drive to make your dreams come true. We went to go say goodbye and go for a dip in Aunt Clare's pool. However, the lifeguard was a bit strange and did not allow us to get in because of factitious thunderstorm. So Lucy sat there in her floaty suit. After Aunt Molly helped us out to our car and she climbed in hers to drive away, you freaked out. "I don't want her to go! Can I go with her?" you yelled at me. You and Aunt Molly have never had a very loving relationship but somehow the finality of saying goodbye for awhile hit you hard. We jumped out the van and ran up to her car to give her one last kiss goodbye. Thank God for this blog so she can always keep up your life. Now we just have to make sure we keep up on hers. Maybe a new L.A. blog will be born soon?

We celebrated Becca's 19th Birthday with a crab feast with the Wagmans and their friends. A good time was had and of course, in true Noraverna fashion, you had to help blow out the candles.

Did I mention when we went to the beach with Nonna and Nonni that we bought a hermit crab? That you have since named Larry. Larry has a very colorful shell and after some confusion on your part we clarified that he is definitely a crab and not a spider as you originally thought. We didn't know until we got him home that he only has one eye. You and Lucy love your hermit crab (not spider) but being a preschooler and newly dubbed toddler caring for Larry is a bit more of a challenge. So I am left watering and feeding our crustacean friend. Sometimes, you are allowed to play with Larry and you enjoy eating with him. Well you eat and he crawls around the table. Until last night. After we finished dinner, we couldn't find Larry anywhere. He had jumped off the table and crawled away. After your father and I searched for Larry for what seemed like hours (it was only 1) we found him under the buffet. Imagine all of us (Lucy included) on our hands and knees calling out for Larry to come home. Somehow Larry has crawled his way into all our hearts.

I am going to try and make this blog more of a priority in my life. Leave the emails and annoyances for another day.

Our Village

The old adage, 'it takes a village to raise a child' has never been so true for us as it has been this past year. It was a long and sometimes rocky road to get from this:

to this:

On July 4, 2012 at 11:07am our little Lucy Lu turned 1. We had a party/ picnic to celebrate. This wasn't the huge party that we threw you, Nora. Only a few friends and family. Having a holiday for a birthday is a bit more difficult for party planning. But there was never any question what her first birthday theme would be... 

Lucy is not like you in so many ways, Nora.  Lucy is now taking steps by herself. I won't say walking because her prefered method of getting around is still crawling. She still nurses which I am trying to wean her and she will have nothing to do with it. She is a lover of the boob. She is cautious and watchful. She is a cuddler. She is an investigator and will sit and play and poke at something for 20-30 minutes. All of these things are almost the complete opposite of where you were at a year.

But still there are quite a few similarities that make me smile. She loves music and dancing like you. She says dog like you but likes "at" (cats) better. She loves ducks and will say "dut" and she says "momomomom" (its never just one mom) and "DA" is daddy. We are waiting to see what she will call you. She can do all the typical one year old things like follow directions, point, she knows whose who. She is aware of her home and her bed and her blankie. And most importantly, she loves you, Nora. She adores you and craves to be close to you. She knows

Still though some things about her remain a mystery to us. Her eye color will not settle. Starting off as blue and moving to gray to brown to green to yellowish flecks. She is shy and more reserved but man can this girl fight. She is much more aggressive and vocal about getting her way. She is quite determined and very motivated when she gets an idea. She WILL complete/get whatever she sets out to do. It just takes her a moment of watching, observing, thinking and processing what she WILL do. Sometimes she seems like such a juxtopositon to me. So reserved but so strong-willed.  

Our village helped me tackle becoming a mother of two little girls. It was much harder than I thought it would be. Juggling the needs and wants of two children. Putting my career on hold to spend time being a mom, full time. It's been difficult. It's been exhuasting. It's been a time I will never get back. Thank God for good family and friends to help us through this last year. Your relantionship with Ashley is now not of the proding of Jessica and I but of your own accord. Having a best friend to call and vent to and to take you out for your 30th birthday when everyone else is busy is truly priceless. I'm glad your friendship is going strong but Im even happier my friendship with Ashley's mom is strong.

  

So the party, the first year of Lu, our village. I am rambling. In short, I am so grateful to our family and friends who helped us transition into our new normal of a family of four. I think all of our hard work was worth it. It was quite a 4th of July party and although it was hot, we made sure to cool off with water balloons. We played, created tye dyed t-shirts, ate, sang happy birthday, debuted the most awesome birthday cake ever and set off illegal ground fireworks. Good times were had.

Lucy was enamored with the fireworks. Nora, you were more concerned with the noise so you sat down with Daddy. As the fireworks boomed and crackled and lit up the dusk sky, Lucy cuddled in and I couldn't stop thinking how far we had come since last year we sat in the hospital bed watching the fireworks on TV.

It boggles my mind that we went from this:

To this:

And two very special members of our village were integral parts of not only the party (making the most awesome birthday cake ever which took 5+ hours) but also of our daily lives. Thank you Marta and Mary for making room for our family in your lives and being a part of our village and helping me raise these crazy kids.