Friday, February 22, 2013

Creative Activities

It is official.  When I am old and rich (should either of these things ever come to pass) I am moving to the Florida Keys from January to March.  I do not like the cold.  I do not like playing outside when it is cold.  Therefor, if we must play inside, we must find fun things to do inside.
This next picture is of  little children imagining all on their own.  I think that my mom or dad made them this living room tent, but the pretzel  tea party was entirely their own idea.  I love it when they do things like this.  Eventually, they invited their Babette in for tea, but she made me promise not to take pictures of her in the tent.
 Later this day, all the girls got manicures.  Libby was especially proud of hers and has shown everyone her "tail-nail polish."
 My Littlest wanted to wear this old shirt of mine.  My mom has a picture of me in it when I was around 2 or 3.  Maggie was so proud to wear it and held still just long enough for me to snap a picture of her.
 Notice her pink finger nails and contemplative expression.
 Even later on this very same day, Babette and I took the ladies to the Baltimore Aquarium.
 Although we had fun, and enjoyed all the fish, and only paid half price because of going in the evening,  I decided that field trips with little ones are best completed in the earlier hours of the day.
 I found Maggie in this position yesterday.  Every time I said her name she would giggle and move her hand away from the knob that turns on the burner, then she would ever so sweetly move her hand back.  Sneaky Littlest.
 At the same moment, I found Libby practicing her typing skills on Kevo's work computer.
 I would have been more upset about this, if her grown-upness hadn't caught me so off guard.  I am pretty sure that she has grown 3 feet this winter.  Such a little girl now, not even a trace of toddler-hood is left.
 Today, I came up stairs for a few minutes and when I returned to the kitchen to make lunch I found them doing the dishes.  They were both soaked form head to toe.
 Not to mention, the surrounding perimeter that was sufficiently saturated with water.  It was a good way to pass the time on this cold day that didn't manage to climb out of the 30's.
Next week I am flying to Florida on my own for a long weekend away.  I was going to try to take the girls with me, but when I jokingly mentioned to Kevin that it would be easier if I just went on my own, he said "I think you should go on your own."  
Initially, I was beyond excited about this.  All I could think about was how I was going carry one small bag on the plane, and flip through the crisp pages of a new home decorating magazine to my heart's content, and maybe even close my eyes for a nap, and ask for a drink without a no spill lid.  I am still excited about the trip, but the reality of missing them is setting in.  I have never been away from Libby for more than 2 nights and that was only b/c I was having Maggie.  I have only ever been away from Maggie for one night.  I know that a trip away from them will be healthy and rejuvenating for me and is probably just what I need.  It will be good for me to miss them, it will be good for them to be away from me and have time with just their Dad (he rarely gets to be part of the fun everyday things) but that doesn't mean I'll miss them any less.  "Creative Activities" is a creative way for me to say...sometimes they drive me nuts.  There, I said it out loud, sometimes my children, my darlings, drive me batty.  However, just thinking about being away from them for 4 nights has me appreciating every precious thing about them....Like the way just listening to Libby talk makes me laugh or the way that Maggie's smile warms the room and makes me feel so comforted.
Mommy time is important.  I can't wait to see my friends and take a walk with my Grams.  However, I know that by the time I walk through the door on Monday night the chances of me snatching them out of their beds and wrapping them up with me is very, very probable.

Grace and Peace and creative activities....:)
xoxo

2 comments:

Abigail said...

Feed readers are marvelous things; they are. If it weren't for them, I probably wouldn't read blogs because I'd either forget to check them or spend so much time checking them that I'd have to give them up entirely.

The only downside is that I rarely comment, and when I do, I feel really guilty that I enjoy your blog every time you post...and rarely comment. It's the selfish way to read, but it's what I can manage during this season.

Anyway, I had to come out of the woodwork for this post to tell you that yesterday as I read, Susie-Bird was looking over my shoulder and gasped when she saw the pictures of vintage Maggie sitting in the doorlight. In amazement, she said, "She looks JUST like a doll!" I had been thinking the same thing before she spoke, so I thought you deserved a comment.

What beauties you have! Your pictures are so lovely and real, and they take me back to the days of Millie and Annie only (hard days, yes, but so good) when John was working full-time and going to school for his Master's full-time. It was NOTHING compared to the solo flying you do as a mama when Kevin's away, but I still remember those moments when I was utterly overwhelmed and wondered how on earth I could ever mother any more than two souls when two was SO hard and also those moments when the Light pierced through, and I knew with sharp clarity that a particular moment was as full of joy and contentment as anyone's life can hold. And look at me now. :)

What a precious, difficult, worthy time. I love your honesty as you blog, seeing and accepting both sides but never questioning the absolute good of it all.

Wow. That turned into quite the ramble. It was only supposed to be a comment about Maggie's porcelain features, but that's what I get for never commenting!

Sandra said...

I think Florida for the winter is a marvellous idea - it is so cold here at the moment that I would love to be going somewhere warm!
Love all the new pictures and am pleased to see the girls getting stuck in and doing the washing up. I'm sure with their help the job probably took twice as long!
A solo trip to Florida is a real treat for you and I know the girls will also have a great time with their Dad.