Two strange things happened this morning. One, Lily slept in until 7:30 and really only woke up because we went in to see her. Two, as soon as she woke up, she told her Dada about her dream.

This is the very first time she has had/remembered/reported a dream. We have spoken about dreams but she didn’t fully understand what we were trying to explain.

Her dream: “At Gramma and Grampa’s and there were doggies and those doggies were biting elephants and me. The doggies were blue. Something caught my neck in the museum and it was warm. And it was Dada’s fault. The elephants had boots and they had crowns, too. The purple elephant had a doogie face, a mask and it was scary.”

“Can I have some toast?”

Think she is done telling us about her dream:)

Instead of my casual design of little girl clothes and use of online tutorials to make my own clothes-both of which I have been using exclusively as I learn to sew, I am attempting to use a PATTERN!  This both very exciting and a whole lot of intimidating to me.  I know I will make a few mistakes.  It has taken me some nerve to get to the point, right now, where I am going to actually cut through the pattern and the fabric.  Taking a deep breath.  I guess I can update at each step but here is what it looks like so far on the dining room table-aka-my sewing workspace 🙂

I do not understand the why sewists are all about truly strange combinations of patterns and [especially] shoes.  As I’ve started to study this world, I find maybe companies want to look rad and cutting edge so they take the accessorizing and shoes to a place they should not be.  So, no, I won’t be wearing a combination such as this-although I may have in high school:-)

When we aren’t trying to clean up, clean up (everybody, everywhere…) or outside while Ollie takes his AM nap, Lily and I do projects.  Mostly it involves scissors and glue but sometimes we make and bake or try our hand at some CandyLand.  Yesterday we made new playdoh.  Our old mix was drying out and we always like to mess up the kitchen just a little bit more if we can!

So we created an orangey-yellow raspberry-scented batch.  Lily even got involved in the kneading.  And then we used our cool doh tools in the playroom…but THIS morning, she was a little bit more creative…

A modern girl’s kitchen-complete with working appliances!

Waiting patiently for the waffle to bake.

Looks like she needs to clean her work area as much as me!

Almost ready!

Ohhh-nice and hot!

Everyone got to try a few.

It looks good enough to really eat!

She is off to gymnastics right now and the O is taking his nap.  Whew-time to gather my strength for another great day!

So there I was, comfy and cuddled in bed already at 9:15 and Little Roundy comes calling. Now he was improving on the sleep pattern and getting up closer to midnight so I was not anxious to go to him and encourage early waking…but then I thought maybe a bink was out of reach or he just needed some soothing. I’m so glad I went to him! Ollie was an unhappy boy; he needed a new diaper and a little more to eat ;)but he did something so unexpected that I just need to write it down immediately.

This whole parenting business-such sweetness, such hard work, such non-stopped-ness. And right in the middle of breaking down or giving that time-out or wiping up the latest spill, Lily and Ollie flash a smile or begin giggling or say something outlandish that makes everything stand still. And you say a prayer that you got to take part in their little bit of magic.

And so my bittersweet moment with Ollie that makes me want to freeze time: He finished eating and he rutched his way up so his arm was slung around my neck, he nuzzled in under my chin and took a nice cuddly snooze. It was so unexpected that I just rocked him and felt his belly breathing, his tiny sleep movements. And I thought about how he is growing so fast-how Lily is going to eat lunch at school this year and how I don’t want to power through my days without really seeing my kids. I don’t want to waste the time I have to hold them while they sleep or give them baths or fill them up with everything I know…

Mr. O has not been sleeping well. Instead of his typical one bad night followed by a good one, it’s been a few terrible nights and a chance night of sleep for 7 hours at a pop kind of pattern. Not the most sustainable routine for The Mommy since napping isn’t my thing. We have a great baby book called Touchpoints written by Brazleton (maybe) that explains each of the points in a baby’s life when you can expect some upheaval…for example, when they start moving on their own or turning over. At these times the babe is so excited that they have a hard time settling down. They are so excited that sleep becomes the enemy and awake time gives them a chance to practice the new skill.

I thought something might be up…and then he took his first steps today! Maybe that explains his crazy non-sleep. Or maybe Gramma Hughes is right and it’s really the mom that creates a sleeper or non-sleeper 🙂

He held onto the table in the living room and kept trying to turn so he could touch me. I was a little bit behind him. In order to get to me, he needed to reach out…and he happened to let go and took two unsteady steps toward me. Later on he took another step after letting go of my leg. He has been working on the standing alone and squatting down without falling. What a mover!

Today we also had fun going to Mitchell Park, a splash playground, with some friends. Lily was especially excited to see Nora Jane, Henry, Nash, Ruth and Matthew. The babies crawled around and shared snacks with each other and the big kids tackled the slides and other fun climb on structures. I wish we could rig a microphone to one of them in order to record what is being said…there is always serious conversation and planning going on!

Last night as I was making dinner, Lily was in the playroom (which looks like an episode of Hoarders right now as I attempt a reorganization!) and joined me in the kitchen to show me what she found. It was a superball. She didn’t have any idea what it was or what it might do besides roll around on the floor. So I showed her.

Here’s the best part…she didn’t understand what was happening. I bounced the ball. She kept looking at me. I bounced it again. I explained that she needed to follow the ball with her eyes. As soon as could see where it was, a look of utter astonishment came over her face like it was the most rad thing she ever did see! It struck me, once again, how things we grow to take for granted were new to all of us at one time. And so it was for Lily and the SuperBall.

She bounced and chased it for the rest of the night. And giggled like a madwoman during a full moon. No kidding.

Remember that awesome little baby book I created for Lily? Well…as with most things like that, life got too busy and I didn’t make it a priority. Now that Ollie is becoming such a little man, my goal is to set down those things I would regularly email to Sam and the Grandparents here and make a record of all their combined amazing-ness!

So….

After a not-quite-a-week visit with Gramma Lissa, we had to say goodbye to her today. {sigh} We had lots of fun visiting some cool museums and playing hard at the surrounding playgrounds. October will come soon and we will play with her again. The whole family went to the Train Playground (Holbrook-Palmer)before lunch. The sand pit was the favorite activity and Oliver was a hit with some big girls we met. He also surprised us and didn’t shovel handfuls of sand into his mouth!

Lily quote: “That’s ridiculous!” after she was given a snack suggestion.
Ollie cuteness: Per usual, he crawled all over with various toys and such hanging from his mouth like a little puppy dog

 We went to the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito

 Lily put on a puppet show…a snail starred, of course!

 Ollie met this froggy while he was hanging around on Mommy.

 I LOVE this photo.  They are both so happy!

Curious George took center stage at the Discovery Building.  Both Lily and Sam were thoroughly stoked!