Mini Golf

My lovely friend Mariana came up to visit us for Labor Day and we took that opportunity to try out Miniature golf with the minis. It was only 87 degrees, so quite temperate for B-town. And the girls loved it, for about seven holes, then we walked the rest of the course.

Athena took it all very seriously.

Zoe required some assistance.

Little Dude so wished he could be part of the action.

Wow! I made it bounce against the curb and into the bushes. Yay!

Mariana helped Zoe with her hold.

My minis.

Every hole in fourteen was celebrated wildly.

Running from green to green got pretty tiring and
we only lasted less than half the course.
Afterwards we played some games. Zoe won this round of
aim water into the hole and fill up the balloon.
Look at that determination!

Hey there

"How you doin'?"

The End of Miss Bunny

Last night the beloved Miss Bunny was thrown up on. Athena caught the awful stomach bug that has been hitting our family one by one and threw up all over her bed, sheets, pillows and most special soft animals, without waking up.

We tossed everything in the washing machine, along with Miss Bunny, but she's filled with lavender and has not come out of this experience the same way she went in. She's extremely heavy now and her fur is no longer soft and kind of motley. I put her out in the dry, hot sun hoping she could bake away some of the moisture inside her, but now she's just petrified. She's been a treasured friend since Jill bought her for Athena at her baby shower, but I'm not sure she's going to make it. So, what to do? Find another Miss Bunny on the internet and replace her before Athena notices the transformation? Live with her in her altered state? Or make her disappear?

In other news, Athena is getting progressively better. In the morning she was quiet, but by the afternoon she was doing puzzles...

and by evening spinning and dancing.

Zoe was the first to get sick last week which changed our plans to travel to San Francisco to attend Uncle Ty's memorial. Instead Chris stayed home with the sick little girl, getting himself sick in the process. Now it's Athena's turn, on what would have been her first day of preschool.

So far, John Patrick and I are fine, hopefully we'll stay that way.

Anything for a Laugh

Athena and Zoe will do anything to make John Patrick laugh. He is the best imaginable audience. He is always interested, never too busy to pay rapt attention and responds with belly laughs and uncontrollable giggles and wide open mouth grins. He never laughs at anyone or anything as hard as he laughs at his sisters. Their antics usually involve funny faces, crazy sounds or suddenly showing up somewhere unexpectedly. His whole body shakes so hard with his giggles that he almost falls over and then he gets hiccups. I've got to get it on video, but whenever the camera comes out, he abruptly stops.

Today he started making his own "face" trying to get us to laugh at him. See how he's sucking in his lower lip? He kept cracking himself up as he was doing this and loving our reaction. I think we have another comedian in the fold.

Out of Control

Without a proper schedule painting will turn into swimming
which then becomes body art.

This has been a challenging week and one that has made me rethink how I perceive myself and how much parenthood has changed me.

We started this week with no daycare scheduled, no art classes, no outings or friends visiting. A free form, no expectations week to fill with whatever we feel like doing that day. We wake up when we wake up, watch a program or have breakfast, depending on our mood, leave the house or stay in, ate and napped whenever and whatever we decided. Sounds like an idyllic summer week, right? Ugh, no.

I've realized that this kind of unscheduled time is really a set up to being "out of control" and leaves me feeling vaguely anxious and miserable rather than relaxed and happy. Despite the fact that I think of myself as a laid back, low maintenance kind of person, I have come to realize I need expectations in order to get motivated. Since these little people came into my life (and especially since adding a third) I've changed into someone that thrives on structure, lists, schedules and routines. I can't get anything done if there isn't anything to do.

I know lots of people will think that an overly scheduled child will be stressed out or overstimulated, but that's not what I mean. My kids have daily naps and quiet time, it's just scheduled into their day. And we need that schedule, I've got to know what's coming next, otherwise everything is just a mess. Perhaps its because I'm too laid back and easy going. If I don't have something driving me, we get nowhere. And these little people are going places.

So look for a planned activities schedule full of sports, preschools, homeschooling and weekly play dates coming soon. Just one more week of crazy do-nothing summer to muddle through...

The Wonderful World of Food

Anyone who visited our house when Zoe was under a year heard all about my homemade baby food and probably was forced to try a taste or two. I have been so looking forward to this phase again with John Patrick!

We got the go ahead from our pediatrician at his four month well baby visit because of his size (18 pounds) and I still waited a couple of weeks so that Yiayia could be the first to feed him.

Now back at home, I've dug out all my old equipment and I'm so happy to be making baby food again. We're only on Stage One foods, so I'm not incorporating spice or interesting combinations yet (I found an old label that read "Pear and Tofu"). But soon. Yay!

It's a little bit odd that I embrace this because I am not a instinctual cook. For some reason, I get such joy out of the vast difference between homemade and store bought baby foods- the colors, flavors and variety, not to mention price - that I really feel like the very best thing I can do for my babes.

Sure, you can easily buy organic baby food (and I do for backup). And all but the worst baby food companies have stopped adding salt or sugar or preservatives. But, you see, when they mass produce the food they boil all the health and vitamins and life out of vegetables and fruit so it's nothing but a yucky flavored paste. I steam everything or mash it up raw. You should try my "Apricots and Apple Spice" - it is so delicious you'll want to spread it on toast.

So far John Patrick is totally taking to this new world of brightly colored food. We started with rice cereal to test his readiness. He could not get enough and screamed at Yiayia to feed him faster.

This is rice cereal.

Since then we've added mashed bananas (for breakfast he'll eat an entire banana), pears, sweet potatoes, and some apples which he thought were a little on the sour side. And, lastly, my favorite, peas!

This is apples.

And this is peas. Which took a little bit of getting used to.

Next on the agenda is winter squash, then perhaps some prunes and then carrots.

Beyond the added nutrition and health, making baby food is suppose to introduce your baby to a wider variety of tastes and flavors that will make them more adventurous eaters. However, Zoe who used to lap up my Super Baby Food porridge and whipped tofu creations, would now happily live on french fries and ketchup if given the opportunity.

Oh well, at least I can have my fun while it lasts.

Heidi and Josh's Wedding

Chris' cousin Josh married the beautiful Heidi over the weekend in San Bernadino. Mimi watched the little Dude back at the hotel, and Chris and the girls and I got all dressed up for the event.

Yes, Chris is dressed like a 70's porn star.

The girls enjoyed the ceremony, audibly gasping and whispering as the "princesses" walked down the aisle and then when they first caught a glimpse of the beautiful "princess bride." Athena was also terribly impressed by the little flower girl and that role in the wedding. I had to stop her from practicing and pulling flower petals out of arrangements and strewing them on the floor.

They got a little restless at the sit down portion of the reception, the dances and speeches. Games like "Go find Aunt Katie" kept them occupied for a couple of minutes, but not long enough.
Around 9ish, Chris and I made the decision to ditch the kids back at the hotel with Mimi and return to the reception to actual enjoy ourselves. We had a blast dancing and partying until last call, pretending for just a few moments that we were a carefree young couple with no kids.

The next morning our headaches combined with the very loud and boisterous voices of the kids reminded us why parents of small children don't do that very often.

The longest blog post

Settle yourself down with a nice cup of coffee or tea, this is going to be a long one.

We've returned from our trip to New York and Quebec and between sorting piles of laundry and an NEA grant deadline and preparing for yet another trip this weekend, I've downloaded all 568 pictures from my camera and have narrowed it to a mere 30:

CURLS LOST

The trip started off with a bang(s) when on the very first day at Yiayia's house the girls and their friend Christina wandered off and were found giggling uncontrollably with a pair of baby nail scissors in Christina's hands and Zoe's beautiful golden ringlets all over the floor. The damage was not that bad considering the amount of hair that was lost, just an interesting layer above her right ear where the hair now has a tendency to part (see above).

CELEBRATIONS

Chris and I celebrated our tenth Greek wedding anniversary by going to New York City (without any babies) and spending the day shopping and the night wining and dining. We had a wonderful meal at Bobby Flay's restaurant, Mesa Grill, and then a few cocktails and champagne toasts. It was really great but we also learned we can't party like the rock stars we used to be and were hurting the next day.

RAIN

It seems to rain alot in New York. Like everyday. Chris and I wandered around the streets of New York City in a total downpour, unable to get a cab. Silly country mouse that I have become only had flip flops on my feet. At one point Chris asked me "How much urine do you think is on your feet right now?" Ick.

MORE CELEBRATIONS

Back in the country, a birthday was commemorated. I'm not saying which one and whose it was, but these guys were there - the black polo back up singers. Mimi and Yiayia threw a fun BBQ birthday party with so many wonderful friends...

and a Slip N' Slide...
Which was super fun although Chris cracked his ribs and
is still in constant pain two weeks after this photo was taken.

and Fairy tattoos...And Unca Stu's girlfriend Jen...
Who we like alot although it took some convincing
for the incredibly possessive little girls in our family.

and this little guy...

Who was passed around alot.
To Jen...

and Mimi...

and Baba...

and even Michael Riley (!?)

PICNIC

The next day we had a picnic on the lawns of an historic mansion and enjoyed a play at the Shakespeare Festival where I work. Part of the trip was me taking the opportunity to reconnect with the theater company as its based in New York and I telecommute from California. Throughout the week, I was able to attend a reception, a couple of meetings and take people out for coffee. It's a lovely Festival and my brief visit reinvigorated my work.

Athena and Zoe came for the picnic, but did not stay for the performance of Pericles, just a little bit too young.

But, they enjoyed racing around the great lawn with Baba,

and "hah-ing" on our favorite family members.
And some frozen popsicles.
Athena finally warmed up to the lovely Jen.

PEDICURE

The next day, Athena got her first pedicure, which she took verrry seriously. Zoe wasn't having any strange lady touching her feet and preferred to watch from Mimi's lap.

QUEBEC

After a fun and productive, albeit damp, week in New York, Chris flew back to California and YiaYia, Mimi and I packed up the kids and drove to Quebec to see our family. The 11-hour drive was awful but spending time with my aunts, uncles and cousins made it well worth the trip. It's a trip we made every year, either summer or Christmas, when Mimi and I were children and it's always wonderful to be surrounded by our crazy French Canadian family.

I can only hope to be as naturally beautiful in my sixties as my Mom and Aunts.

LES GIRLS

Athena and Zoe got to spend quite a bit of time with some of their second cousins. Here are the six girls, the gang, all born within five years of each other. Three spoke only English, two spoke only French with one bilingual translator. But language doesn't really matter when you play with your cousins.

LES DUDES

The little Dude's French Canadian counterpart is Alexis, my cousin Steve's new born babe. Only 2 and half months old and his roles of chub rival John Patrick's.

LA CORVETTE

My Uncle Jean is the original owner of a mint condition 1972 Corvette Stingray. I remember him gently washing it on my Aunt Carole's driveway when I was a kid and it is still exactly the same.

MON BEBE D'AMOUR

My Aunt Carole and the little Dude had a special thing going. He almost didn't return to the States with us as she was plotting to keep him, and I don't think he would have minded one bit.

LES DEUX

My favorite cousin is named Patrick. My father is his godfather and apparently he was named after my father. So his full name is John Patrick, which I never knew before but think its awfully cool. So, here are our two John Patricks.

MES COUSINS

It was truly wonderful to watch my cousins, who I remember so clearly as children, all grown up with kids of their own.

Throughout the whole trip, Athena was in the thick of the action...

While Zoe preferred to hang behind.

And John Patrick was surrounded by adoring fans.

This is my little shark.
And my little fish.

And, this a very brief glimpse of all that we did on our vacation. The girls had an amazing time swimming and playing and fell exhausted into their beds every night. For me, it was magical to watch my children experiencing what is a significant part of my history and childhood, and see everything fresh through their eyes.

Upon our return from Quebec, we packed up and headed for home. The scene at the airport was tragic. Athena clung to her Yiayia and cried for "just one more kiss" all the way to the gate. We miss you everyday, Mom, and love you so much.

John Patrick loves his Yiayia.