Lots of Lemons

So here is it world wide web.

Pete-a-lee lost his job.

And it sucks. It sucks real bad. Frankly, it scares the CRAP outta me. Yea sure, we're smart, strong and have a BEAUTIFUL HEALTHY lil girl and with that I can be happy. (but it still sucks)

But in all that sucki-ness ~and the financial sucki-ness to come. I find myself taking stock in that which doesn't dwell directly inside my home.

1) i have a great family ALL over the US and not only that but i love them all and can openly talk with them all. Kinda cool
2) i have WONDERFUL friends who venture to the scary scary burbs for a 2 year old and even ~ yes EVEN come in from LA (yes, the one in california)
3) i finally have a garden. Something i've REALLY wanted for a good 4 years.
4) i am a photographer. I can finally say that without any disclaimers and/or qualifiers before or after it comes out of my mouth.
5) i can sew - pretty damn well actually. So - fine. I can't follow a pattern to save my life, but really - i say it would only stifle my creativity.
6) i am proud of the life i live. I eat well, i cook well, i let people merge when i drive and i no longer give folks the finger when they are OBVIOUSLY taking their time when crossing the street. (yes that's worth being proud of)
7) i recycle. Not because i FEAR the world is ending or because its the cool thing to do, but my dad always taught me to leave a place cleaner than i received it. And well -- i got some time to make up for.
8) i'm learning to garden without any chemicals and pesticides (see above)
9) i'm STILL meeting wonderful people and i like that. be it the group of out-of-towners that resuscitated a bit of life back into my cold shocked body, or the gardener that reminds me so much of my grandma Lois it takes my breath away.
10) i can no longer stomach most of whats shown on prime time television - and i am proud to have all my feelings back
11) i vow to grow more flowers this year
12) did i mention i can cook?
13) i've fostered good true honest to goodness friendships with people via WORDS. (ok that IS a nice way of saying i'm an online dork) BUT what underlies it all is a common thread to be a better person and learn from one another and in that i've met some amazing women with vastly different lives than me.
14) i teach classes on natural childbirth WITH my husband ~ not in spite of which seems to be so sadly the norm
15) i am sleepy and am off to dream of 'lemonade'

CHEESE!

This is what happens when Grandma & Grandpa & Aunt Becky & Aunt Yujin all come in to town. Now instead of just talking on the phone she holds it RIGHT UP IN YOUR FACE and says..."say cheese"

Pay No Attention to the Baby Under the Carpet

No Seriously. This is the scene that i came home to after a night of "Martini's & a Movie (sans movie) with the girls.

No Seriously. This is how G fell asleep. THIS was the position she chose. Apparently SOMEONE suggested it was bedtime, someone was watching baseball and someone was giggling at her rolling under the carpet and then...

No Seriously. This is where she slept...until i got my fill of giggles & pictures in as well :)

Happy Birthday Baby!

Dear G,

HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY! I really can't believe that my sweet lil baby girl is T-W-O. Although i don't know who i think i'm teasing because really...your growin like a weed. Mentally not a day goes by that you don't crack your daddy & I up. And physically, that lil lioness mane and those loong legs & arms crack me up every morning when i wake up with them all wrapped up around me.

This spring has been so much fun with you. I'd say our number one thing to do this year is take care of our plants and sew. It's so much fun to see you interested in watering our plants and at the farm 'comeon guys' helpin out as much as, if not more than, some of the adults.

For your birthday we went to brunch with Grandma & Grandpa and came home to PRESENTS! Your new shiny bike was by far the biggest it and I'll take a lil credit for my fun spin ~ spin ~ spinny dresses. After a lil nap Auntie Yuj & Auntie Becky came to for dinner and to PLAY. G got some awesome princess dress up stuff and we just laughed and laughed. We also sang happy birthday THREE times complete with candle blow out and relighting. Who can resist a request of 'one more time mommy?' on a birthday!?!?

Your a light in my life that I never dreamed would shine SOO BRIGHT. Some parents talk about how in awe they are of the love for their children ~ I've never been so shocked and I guess i'm lucky that way...I always felt TONS of love growing up. But i wasn't prepared for how a 'hi mommy' or a lil chubby hand on my chest could just make me melt and make all the ugliness of the day disappear.

I love you my lil buttercup. Thanks for letting me see the sun shine ~ even on the darkest of days.

Love,
Mama

Happy Mothers Day!!!

and i had a good one indeed! Admittedly saturday started off a bit shaky but that was VERY short lived and the rest of the weekend was fantastic!

Saturday we went to 'our' farm again. This time we had some friends drive up with us. As silly as it sounds it was fun just having other folks in the car to chat with. Made me feel young again. The farm, as always, was awesome. We toured around and saw how things are progressing (even with the absurd rainfall) and did a little more rock harvesting. But then we reaped the rewards: 3 dozen eggs, chives, and rhubarb. Afterwards we went to our real garden and just sorta hung out / day dreamed for awhile.

Sunday was MY kinda day. It was amazingly beautiful out and i didn't change a single diaper!!! On top of my wonderful gifts, we got to hang out & I did some sewing all day which was clearly awesome. I made G one of her birthday dresses & a pair of pants. We definitely stocked up on our vitamin D. It may have made Pete-a-lee a bitch twitcy not leaving the house, but it was truely my kinda day!

New baby smell

I really can't believe it. I JUST got back from a beautiful homebirth of a sweet 6lb 12oz lil baby girl. I had let some folks know that i was interested in doing some photos of a natural labor and a student I substitute taught for was interested.

This afternoon i met with them and we just chatted. 'Baby' was a little over a week late and mom didn't think it had an exit plan any time soon. Retrospectively interesting ~ i stayed far longer than i expected just chatting with them and hearing about some anxieties over the past week. It was a great fun & friendly meeting and upon leaving i COMMANDED the baby to come out. Well...7 hours later ~ contractions started.

I showed up at 3:30am and was out by 6:30. It was filled with many highs and a few lows, but ultimately ~ resulted in a perfect healthy baby. No Zimbabwe.

It was pretty interesting ~ just about 1 year and oh...350 days ago i was sitting in a bedroom holding my brand new baby. On both this morning and that ~ the birds were chirping after a fresh rainfall & the air smelled so sweet. Such a timely reminder of how much our family has grown in two years ~ and how precious life still is.