This is Life

Two Saturdays ago my in-laws were passing through town on their way to their first ever cruise.  Unfortunately both of my boys were vomitting so I ordered Paul to take his parents out of the apartment for breakfast so we didn’t share our germs with them right before they boarded their cruise.  Last weekend, after their cruise, we were able to visit with them as we were no longer sick.

While at the  museum, Boy Blue slipped and did his best to break his ankle, so Little Red had a grand time visiting with his grandparents and hanging out at their hotel while my husband and I got to know urgent care and radiology a little better.  (as a side note, the museum is great, but guest services was a monkey show, not even giving us ice until the sherrif showed up to take our report.  The paramedics he called were faster than the manager of guest services.  And we ended up with four paramedics!  Too bad the little guy was feeling so poorly because the coolness of that many firefighters would have made his day.)

Saturday night at dinner I walked around with him while we waited for our very slow meal.  As we stood in the lobby of the hotel bar listening to the jazz trio he snuggled close to me and sang along.  This is it, I thought.  This is life.  Life is a series of perfect moments with fillers to take us from one perfect moment to another.  I have been all over the place these days, elated by the validation my business is providing, anxious by the lack of positive news on economic fronts, but what I need to remember is all those perfect moments.

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This Magic Moment

Every trip to Disneyland has at least one magic moment for our family. Today, despite several snafus, we had two magic moments, both small, but both special.

As it was raining, we hit up as many indoor events as possible. We went to see “Talk to Crush,” always a favourite for us. Little Red always prepares a question in case he gets a chance to ask Crush. His question for last time was “have you ever been to Canada?” but he has never been able to ask Crush his questions. Today there was another little boy with the same name as him who got to talk to Crush, whom Crush called Rockin’ Little Red, which Little Red thought was fairly cool, but then he got to talk to Crush. Crush called him Righteous Little Red. His question? Not Canada. He asked, “do you know Bruce?”

We were still feeling a little snacky after lunch so we headed over for the Sourdough Bread Factory tour and the Mission Tortilla Factory tour (-both of which provide such delicious samples!) After going through the sourdough tour and watching the bakers package up the bread for the restaurant, one of them called Little Red around the corner and gave him a Mickey Mouse bread.

We had so many reasons to not go today, but we decided to go because we needed something to look forward to during a very trying week. I’m so glad we did. It was a nice break from a lot of craziness.

In My Spare Time

After only a year of deliberation I finally took the plunge and opened an Etsy store.  I’m a big scaredycat and needed ABQ to hold my hand through the registration process.  The process is not hard, but making it official that you want validation and sales is nothing short of terrifying. 

(Even though I know that running a micro-business on Etsy if fairly low risk.)

I considered calling my shop “In My Spare Time” but then it would be EMPTY, but I didn’t want to stick with the business name I’ve used for the local boutiques because I’m quite bored with it.  So I dug out my favourite children’s poem and called the shop Wynken, Blynken and Nod.  (If you have not read the poem, read it now.) 

Anyway, it’s slow going getting samples of everything made up, photographed, and posted, but I’ve finally gathered enough courage to tell my family and friends.  I don’t want anyone to feel obligated to purchase something, I just wanted to let you know what I’ve been up to.

Deep down inside me there’s a confident grown up trying to get out, but the insecure adolescent is still Queen, so if you have any comments, please be kind!  (Or, as your mother used to say, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”  Because mother is always right.)

Yesterday

Two new friendships
begun
Several old friendships
renewed for another week
A bulk order
of butterflies
A napping toddler
and chatty preschooler
Dinner with friends
A perfect day?
about as close as it gets

Noah’s Ark at the Skirball

Have you been?
You must.
We did.
Neither my camera
nor my words
could do it justice.
To all my LA-based friends,
it is free on Thursdays
but you need tickets a month
in advance.
Call now
go next month
you won’t regret it.

A Pair Betrothed

Periodically, Little Red talks about his upcoming marriage to Kyra. Talk had been quiet for a while, but recently he’s brought up the topic again. Yesterday in the car he asked despondantly, “Mummy, but who will I marry?”

I explained that when he grew up he could choose whom he would marry, that it was all up to him. It didn’t take him long to reply “I would like to marry Kyra.” So I explained that when he and Kyra were all grown up if they wanted to, they could get married.

Not three hours later Kyra was over and Little Red asked, “Kyra, do you want to get married to me?” (Of course she answered yes.) I had a great time telling Jen when she came to pick up the kids that her four year old daughter has had her first marriage proposal!

New Olympic Sport

Fortunately, A.M. yoga is a very simple practice and requires me to be fairly stationary. This morning Boy Blue sat on my chest while I started in Relaxation Pose and then moved through the leg poses. Sometimes he slid forward and I thought his 22 pounds would strangle me, sitting on my neck. Sometimes he remained on my chest, but leaned forward, and I struggled to find an air pocket for my breath. Other times I had to add extra focus to keep balance with a little man dancing on my stomac while I twisted to the side.

He did not approve of the standing poses, but when I got down for Cat’s Pose he rode on my back like a pony.  He was also helpful in providing extra resistance for Cobra Pose.

He finished the practice by surfing my extended leg in Sage Pose and Twisted Sage Pose, finally pulling and eating my hair while I sat in Seated Meditation.

I kept focus, mostly. I definitely need more training before I go to the Olympics for Yoga with Babies, but I’d say today I earned a 7.5. All in all, I’m still better off than if I had not started my day with yoga.