I love that Kathleen calls clementines, lemontines, and the image of a squishy, easy to peel, tart, yellow fruit it creates for me.
Kathleen tried skating today for the first time. She got out on the ice on her double-bladed skates, holding tight to our friend's hands and then mine. She moved on to a milk crate and then, center ice (on the tiny, wonderful homemade backyard rink), she let go and half stepped, half slid one foot forward. Again. Again. Again. Til she reached me at the side, complaining that her hands were cold.
We went out skating today (I tried too though it has probably been 20 years—or more—since I last wore skates). We went out skating today despite my careful watching of the thermometer (It was 20 degrees out today, but sunny and still. Compared to yesterday with it's biting wind it felt almost warm.). We went out skating today despite the work deadline waiting on my desk. I'm glad we went skating today (and glad too to have moved that bigger than it seemed project off my desk).
Last week, while I was working, Brian and Kathleen made me five-layer squares, one of my favorite treats, certainly my favorite that Brian makes. He makes them particularly good by not skimping on any ingredients and being exceedingly precise in spreading the ingredients. I still have a few left and I look forward to my afternoon coffee every day because I get to have one.
We made chili over the weekend. I say we, but Brian did most of the work while I learned about making cheese and traded a few jars of dilly beans and jam for chutney and honey and elderberry elixir. Fourteen quarts of chili means a bunch of meals in the freezer—and chili pizza this week. As Kathleen would say—Hooray! That's another thing I love, how much she has been saying Hooray! lately.
Love this! I was going to write that I can't believe Kathleen is skating, but I can believe it if I exert a lot of effort. I know many people get sad when they see their kids growing up, and I get that (though I often find myself biting back harsh comments when people say, casually, that they "wish they could stay little forever"), but isn't it amazing and beautiful, the way they grow?
ReplyDeleteI have the same reaction to people wishing they could stay little. But maybe I'll take a more positive approach next time I hear that (taking my cue from your last line). It's wonderful when they are little but so amazing and beautiful to see how they grow.
ReplyDeleteHooray! Hooray for it all. It is both thrilling and, to me, a bit frightening how fast they grow, and change, and become their own little people. But no, I prefer the growing to staying little forever.
ReplyDeletexo
I wish Ivy would stay tiny for longer than she is going to - already, at three months old, she isn't an itty bitty newborn anymore and I'm nostalgic for that time. But it's because I know I'm not having any more babies - and because I do have one who I didn't get to see grow through the newborn time (or any other time.) It is wonderful to see Ivy grow. I hope I never hurt you by saying I want her to stay little, Sara (and I'm sorry if I did). But I think you know what I mean. I don't want her to stay little forever - I just wish time didn't feel like it was moving quite so fast.
ReplyDeleteAnd hooray for Kathleen skating - and for your chili pizza, the mention of which is making me hungry. :)
xo
Erika, you haven't hurt me (this is our eggshell dance again)—I do know what you mean, and I think I have been more aware of stages that I will miss, knowing that I won't do it again. I will miss those stages, but I'd still rather keep seeing them grow (and knowing what you mean, I know you want that too. Oh, and yes, it goes so so fast.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you went skating. Kathleen is very brave and you too, I don't know if I would dare to try as it has also been at least twenty years since I last skated! Glad that the bigger than is seemed project has made its cumbersome way off your desk too, I hate projects with that characteristic.
ReplyDeleteHmm I want to try a lemontine! And a chili pizza!
I do wish that I could bottle a bit of tiny time, just to revisit it. I find it to be such a special time, particularly as like Erika P I have a little one who will never be anything other than a newborn, if my little girl could even pass as that. It is amazing and beautiful to see how they grow, even more so when you have one who will never grow at all, but yes, I also have nostalgia for the time when my two were little babies and needed me.
And Erika P - I don't know if you remember me but I remember you and your little Sierra. I am so very pleased to read of the arrival of Ivy. Many congratulations and much love to you, your little boy and your two daughters xo