Absolutely incredible that the last post was year end and here we are mid-April. We must be having a blast because it’s shocking to me how much time has flown by. Over FOUR months. Wow.
In short, our family is wonderful. The girls are big and healthy and funny and bright and lovey. Gina is still home with them. Work at Nike is more fulfilling (and harder) than I imagined. We are getting out and doing more social things… we even took our first plane trip with the girls! We went to Boulder, CO to visit two sisters, their kids (all the cousins together for the first time) and my mom. It was fantastic. Lastly, this Friday, April 19th, I am having the long awaited breast reduction surgery.
Those are the highlights. Below is a relatively short blog I wrote a couple of months ago. It’s still relevant; mostly because it tracks the girls’ development, at least a little bit, as well as our adjustment to work.
Funny though, when I just re-read it I noticed that things have already changed. For example, in the blog below, the girls were signing up to 90 signs each– at 15 months old! Today, while they still sign, they sign far less as they are trying out their verbal skills with a fervor. Conversely, some things are even moreso; for example, while I said below that Genevieve is a climber, little did I now how much of a climber she’d turn out to be. At just 16 months old (and as tall as many 2 year olds by the way) she could climb and “big girl” slide by her self, slide down the slide, get off and go back and do it all over again (we “spot” her, of course, though she totally hates it… she wants to do it just on her own). Now at 17 months, she picks up boxes, moves strollers and slides whatever she can to construct her own little (or big) climbing play structures in the house. She’s obsessed with climbing. Calliope, on the other hand, gets to the park, stands in one spot and stares at the slides and swings, then quietly walks over to the grass, sits down and picks flowers. For ever. So different those two, and so equally lovely.
Anyway, suffice to say, things change at the speed of light around here and I, the one who wants to capture everything, must resign myself to the fact that I won’t.
Last two bits: a couple of weekends ago Linda came to town for a fun visit and took photos of the girls. We had a blast. Below are some of the pics. We are so lucky she gives us this gift every now and again. The girls will have these awesome keepsakes forever.
And, last night Gina and Sonja and friends threw me a totally fun party! It was a “Ta-ta! to the tatas.” party. Farewell big boobies! All my friends together loving me up, standing by my side while I head in to this milestone. We did collages of the good that is to come, we made chi-chi cocktails, boobie cupcakes and we burned a bra that felt like a torture device. I’m ready for the next chapter. Bring it on!
Likely it will be another few months before I write again. Until then, Ta-Ta!
xo,
regina
Photo Gallery
Below are photos by Linda Brooks Photography (just a few), our trip to Boulder and the TaTa party. So many others at the park and whatnot but for now, this will suffice.
Below the pics is the short Feb Blog post.
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February Blog
Spring: New growth for us all
Two whole months since the last entry. Feels like 2 years.
The girls are bigger, stronger, know more. Gina has settled into a rhythm of being home with them, providing a stable, loving, routine for them every day. I’ve been at my job for a full three months now and finding my own rhythm there too. That said, here it is Sunday evening, always the hardest night of the week for me given it means I won’t see my girls much again until the coming weekend. I haven’t quite figured out the “balance” to this working-mama thing. It’s hard. It’s hard to manage it all, it’s hard to stay present wherever I am and it’s hard on my heart.
I know all moms go through this. No matter how many working moms I talk to I still haven’t figured it out.
Currently, I’m pondering the question: how do I stay in my body and heart and yet work in (a fantastic) corporate company that is full of all the elements that can easily call us away (deadlines, crises, competitiveness, etc.)? How do I hold the loss of being apart from my girls all day yet enjoy the part of me that is driven and competitive, and totally fueled by my job that I love? Like I said, not sure I’ve figured anything out (or that I ever will). Perhaps I just learn how to manage being so torn between all these things.
Gina starts back to work tomorrow—one day a week. While she’s away our dear friends Margret and Abby will be with the girls. It’ll be the first time they are alone with anyone other than us—mostly. They had 2.5 hours once with Camille ages ago. Gina will leave at 12:30 and I’ll be home at 5pm. Earlier if I can. I know they will be safe and at home and well cared for but I can’t help but feel nervous tonight. I guess it’s really the dawn of the next chapter. Our girls are getting bigger. Gina will be working more and more (gradually… we need the income we’ve found).
There are thousands of things I want to share about the girls but each week new things happen and I forget so quickly.
I’ve been meaning to blog as it’s important to me to capture these days, weeks, months that are passing so quickly.
Calliope
Giggles. Joy. Laughter. Free spirit. Light hearted. Loves books. Speed reads. Sits for ever and reads. Tiny. Spry. Bright eyed. Verbal. Signs. Stubborn. Skilled with her fork and spoon. Feels her emotions intensely. Shy with new people. Sensory.
Genevieve
Loving. Cuddly. Smart. Deep. Slow. Steady. Signs a lot. 1:1 kind of girl. Stubborn. Independent. Adores her sister. Sometimes goes to hug Calliope and about strangles her. Facile and agile. Loves to climb.
Both are independent in many ways. They are clear in their wants and we do our best to given them what they need to learn, explore and feel in themselves.
My body
After decades of waiting, the time has arrived for my breast reduction surgery. I’ve jumped all the hoops, crossed the t’s, dotted the i’s and nursed my aching neck and back long enough. April 19th I will go under the knife and come out about 3-4 pounds lighter.
In the big picture, we are having fun. We are blessed. We are good. As life goes… there’s always something to learn, something to be engaged in. For me—it’s being a mama and a wife. Being a mama and manager/contributor/bread earner. Being a mama and a friend. Being a mama and being me. I suppose this is the path I’ll be walking for years now—and because our journey in getting here wasn’t easy, I am even more grateful. Like a walking meditation, the “answer” to the inquiry is not the destination. Thank the goddess because it’s clear, I’d likely never arrive. 🙂
Love,
regina