We headed to the rabbi's house tonight to celebrate Sukkot, the fall harvest festival (although it felt much more like summer than fall). Rabbi Cahana invites the whole congregation to dinner and a Sukkot service at his home, but the weather is usually so cold and/or rainy that we've never gone. But I checked the weather ahead of time, and saw that it was going to be nice outside, so we all went.
Rabbi Cahana has triplet girls and an older son, so they need a lot of room -- but, geez, was this a nice house. It's in the hills of Southwest Portland, and they have a pool, a hot tub, a deck, a large kitchen and presumably enough rooms for the kids (although I believe at least two of the girls have to double up). Ida Rae, the cantor -- and the rabbi's wife -- said they bought the house with the idea of holding congregational celebrations. The food was lovely; Ida Rae's mom made a noodle kugel that was out of this world, and even Rachel and Drew got enough so that we didn't have to think about dinner.
At 6 p.m. we all went outside to the sukkah that Rabbi had made. (He was trained in theater, and you could tell that from the construction; it was very well done. Theater majors all have to try their hand at prop-making, and many of them do construction on the side to make ends meet). We had a brief service, and then the kids took turns swinging the lulav (I didn't have a camera with me so I didn't get a picture of Rachel, alas). Then we all went back inside and continued eating.
I'm glad that Rachel got to see the whole thing, but Drew and I had mixed feelings about it. He summed it up perfectly by calling it an "event" -- not quite a dinner party, not quite a service. There was a little bit of reserve there. A few people from our chavurah showed up, and they were friendly, but none of us really got a chance to visit. Not sure I want to repeat this next year, but I'm open to considering it.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
What Rachel said at the park
..while I was in a grueling, all-day chorus rehearsal:
Drew was pushing Rachel on the swing at Laurelhurst Park. After a while she said she wanted to get off. As Drew was helping her out, she said, "I want to let the other kids who want to swing have a chance."
"That's very good!" Drew replied. "You're sharing the swing! And you know that sharing..."
"Is caring!" Rachel replied.
And THEN she said:
"I care about EVERYbody. Even the people I don't know. Even the little babies with no hair. And I want to share everything with everyone."
It's this kind of story that, as I explained to Drew after dinner tonight, makes me feel that Rachel is the little ray of hope I've sent into the world to make it a better place.
Drew was pushing Rachel on the swing at Laurelhurst Park. After a while she said she wanted to get off. As Drew was helping her out, she said, "I want to let the other kids who want to swing have a chance."
"That's very good!" Drew replied. "You're sharing the swing! And you know that sharing..."
"Is caring!" Rachel replied.
And THEN she said:
"I care about EVERYbody. Even the people I don't know. Even the little babies with no hair. And I want to share everything with everyone."
It's this kind of story that, as I explained to Drew after dinner tonight, makes me feel that Rachel is the little ray of hope I've sent into the world to make it a better place.
Storytime, Part 2
Once upon a time there was a little girl named Rachel who loved ballet. She loved it so much that she didn't want to do anything else -- study her lessons at school, for instance. Even though her teachers and her parents urged her to pay attention in class, all she wanted was to be a ballerina.
One day, Rachel and her mommy went to the ballet costume store and saw a beautiful ballet dress of the palest pink, with a beautiful blue ribbon, and pink ballet shoes. Rachel immediately wanted it, and when the saleslady put it on her, it seemed as if it was made to fit her body. When she got home she danced and danced in the costume until it was time for bed. Then when she tried to take the dress off, she discovered that....it wouldn't come off. There was no way to get it off! Rachel woke up the next day and tried to get the dress off and just couldn't. Every day she danced in the dress, and it got more and more tattered, and dirty, and Rachel and her mommy tried to take off the dress but couldn't, even when they used scissors. They started getting more and more worried.
Finally they went back to the costume store to find the old saleslady who had sold them the dress....but she no longer worked for the store. So Rachel and her mommy went to find her. They finally found her house and knocked on the door, and she answered. When they explained the problem, the saleslady refused to talk to them. They came back the next day, but the house was gone so they looked all over town to find it...only to find that it had mysteriously moved to another part of town, far away at the edge of the town. They knocked on the door again and the saleslady opened it, finally.
She said, "Years ago, my daughter was just like you. All she wanted to do was dance. She loved dancing so much that she didn't pay attention in school and she left home and moved far away to join a dance company and I never heard from her again. So I made a dress that another girl who loved to dance would wear someday and would never be able to take off."
Rachel promised that she would pay attention in class, do her lessons, and still do ballet but she'd never abandon her mommy. So the saleslady said some words and un-did the spell she had put on the dress, and Rachel was finally able to take it off. She paid attention in class and eventually joined a ballet company and became famous, but she always came home to visit, just like she'd promised.
***
That was the story I told Rachel on Thursday as we were driving home from school. Her reaction?
"That was a GREAT STORY!" she sighed.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Storytime
Once upon a time there was a wonderful amusement park called Fairyland Park. It had wonderful rides, and attractions, and games. Everything was colored in pale colors -- pink, blue, green and purple -- and all the rides were gentle, so the little kids could ride them. And although the park had been around for years and years, the rides never broke, the paint never peeled or chipped, and all the kids for years and years had great fun there.
One day, two little siblings named Susie and Jimmy went to the park and noticed that the paint was peeling on the rides, and the rides weren't gentle anymore. In fact, when the kids got on them, they went VERY VERY VERY FAST and were so scary that the kids threw up and were green and dizzy when they got off. And gradually the park fell into more and more disrepair.
One day a spirit appeared, and he roared over the whole park: "This is MY park! Go away! All of you!" And that's when Susie and Jimmy realized that that was why the paint was peeling and the rides weren't gentle anymore -- it was an evil spirit who had taken over the park and made it that way. Susie and Jimmy went home and tried to figure out what to do.
The next day they went to the park and asked the spirit why he was so mean. "Because a long time ago, little kids made fun of me and teased me, and this is my way of getting back at them!" he roared.
"Well, that's not very nice," Susie and Jimmy said, and then they had an idea: they'd gather all the little kids from their town, and there were about a hundred of them. So the kids came to the park and they all spoke to the spirit. "How about you have the park for a certain number of hours and we have it for the rest of the time?" they asked.
"NO!" the spirit roared. "It's MY park! MINE! I will NEVER share it with ANYONE! Go AWAY!"
Well, Jimmy and Susie told the spirit that if he wouldn't share the park, they'd bring their friends. And the next day, they brought the same hundred kids who had been there the previous day -- plus waves and waves of kids from the towns nearby. There were hundreds and hundreds of kids, and they all stood in front of the spirit and shouted, "This is not YOUR park. It's OUR park! Be GONE, spirit! Be GONE!"
And all of a sudden the spirit started howling, and swirling, and twisted upward into a great cloud of dust...and tiny dust motes of fairy sprinkles in all different colors started drifting down. And the colors of Fairyland Park were restored, and rides were fixed again...and that is the story of how the kids took back Fairyland Park.
***
That's the story I told Rachel on the way to Sunnyside Park today, after she asked for a story that's "a little spooky" but not a lot because she didn't want to have spooky dreams. She made up the names of Jimmy and Susie but I supplied the rest.
***
Cute Rachel sayings from yesterday:
"I love Superman! He's the best!"
"Why?" I asked.
"'Cause he SAVES people!" she replied.
"Mom!" Rachel said as I was pushing her, hard, at her request, on the tire swing. "I feel like I'm dancing in a swirl of fairy dust!"
Yes, it seems we have a budding writer in the house. Despite all our best attempts not to.
One day, two little siblings named Susie and Jimmy went to the park and noticed that the paint was peeling on the rides, and the rides weren't gentle anymore. In fact, when the kids got on them, they went VERY VERY VERY FAST and were so scary that the kids threw up and were green and dizzy when they got off. And gradually the park fell into more and more disrepair.
One day a spirit appeared, and he roared over the whole park: "This is MY park! Go away! All of you!" And that's when Susie and Jimmy realized that that was why the paint was peeling and the rides weren't gentle anymore -- it was an evil spirit who had taken over the park and made it that way. Susie and Jimmy went home and tried to figure out what to do.
The next day they went to the park and asked the spirit why he was so mean. "Because a long time ago, little kids made fun of me and teased me, and this is my way of getting back at them!" he roared.
"Well, that's not very nice," Susie and Jimmy said, and then they had an idea: they'd gather all the little kids from their town, and there were about a hundred of them. So the kids came to the park and they all spoke to the spirit. "How about you have the park for a certain number of hours and we have it for the rest of the time?" they asked.
"NO!" the spirit roared. "It's MY park! MINE! I will NEVER share it with ANYONE! Go AWAY!"
Well, Jimmy and Susie told the spirit that if he wouldn't share the park, they'd bring their friends. And the next day, they brought the same hundred kids who had been there the previous day -- plus waves and waves of kids from the towns nearby. There were hundreds and hundreds of kids, and they all stood in front of the spirit and shouted, "This is not YOUR park. It's OUR park! Be GONE, spirit! Be GONE!"
And all of a sudden the spirit started howling, and swirling, and twisted upward into a great cloud of dust...and tiny dust motes of fairy sprinkles in all different colors started drifting down. And the colors of Fairyland Park were restored, and rides were fixed again...and that is the story of how the kids took back Fairyland Park.
***
That's the story I told Rachel on the way to Sunnyside Park today, after she asked for a story that's "a little spooky" but not a lot because she didn't want to have spooky dreams. She made up the names of Jimmy and Susie but I supplied the rest.
***
Cute Rachel sayings from yesterday:
"I love Superman! He's the best!"
"Why?" I asked.
"'Cause he SAVES people!" she replied.
"Mom!" Rachel said as I was pushing her, hard, at her request, on the tire swing. "I feel like I'm dancing in a swirl of fairy dust!"
Yes, it seems we have a budding writer in the house. Despite all our best attempts not to.
Rachel the defender
One of the things we're trying to teach Rachel is the importance of standing up for people when they're being picked on or teased -- something I wish I had done more often when I was a kid. Actually, I was usually the one being teased. What I really wish is that I had stood up to the bullies and gathered all the other nerdy kids who didn't fit in and form a group to defeat the popular kids. You know, like in the movies.
Anyway....
Rachel had this to say the other day: "At lunch all the kids were teasing Sadie."
"What did you do?" I said.
"I tried to stop them but they didn't listen to me. Finally, Joe (the teacher) came over and stopped it. He said if anyone else teased Sadie, lunch would be scooped up and they'd find themselves in the bathroom right away."
When I pressed Rachel a little more on the teasing, she said, "They were like saying, 'ha ha ha ha.' She was trying to stop them and she was almost into tears."
I felt so sorry for Sadie but so proud of Rachel.
Today I ran into Sadie's mom, Mims, who told me that when Drew said good-bye to Rachel last week before he left for Wisconsin, Sadie was very concerned. "Who's going to take care of Rachel?" she demanded, and Mims reassured her that her mommy would.
Anyway....
Rachel had this to say the other day: "At lunch all the kids were teasing Sadie."
"What did you do?" I said.
"I tried to stop them but they didn't listen to me. Finally, Joe (the teacher) came over and stopped it. He said if anyone else teased Sadie, lunch would be scooped up and they'd find themselves in the bathroom right away."
When I pressed Rachel a little more on the teasing, she said, "They were like saying, 'ha ha ha ha.' She was trying to stop them and she was almost into tears."
I felt so sorry for Sadie but so proud of Rachel.
Today I ran into Sadie's mom, Mims, who told me that when Drew said good-bye to Rachel last week before he left for Wisconsin, Sadie was very concerned. "Who's going to take care of Rachel?" she demanded, and Mims reassured her that her mommy would.
Uncle David's influence
Tonight I made up a story about a malevolent spirit that haunted a playground called Fairyland. At the very end of the story, Rachel announced, "The spirit is a Republican."
"Huh??" I exclaimed. "Who told you about Republicans?"
"Uncle David," she said. "Publicans are greedy. We demand, they force. They're much like the stepmother and stepsister in Cinderella. I don't even want to be NEAR one."
I was so flabbergasted, I couldn't reply. We were silent the rest of the way home.
"Huh??" I exclaimed. "Who told you about Republicans?"
"Uncle David," she said. "Publicans are greedy. We demand, they force. They're much like the stepmother and stepsister in Cinderella. I don't even want to be NEAR one."
I was so flabbergasted, I couldn't reply. We were silent the rest of the way home.
Back from the dead
..well, not literally, but I'm at least able to work and take care of Rachel when Drew is in Seattle. I've spent $200 out of pocket for medical care over the past week and they STILL don't know what's wrong with me. The most recent surmise is a sinus infection, for which a very nice allergy doctor gave me antibiotics. I'll finish taking them on Sunday, but they'll be in my system for another week. So far there isn't a noticeable difference except that instead of being exhausted, I'm merely very, very tired. Still have the bronchial cough and drip, drip, drip of mucus throughout my body. I'm also taking a B-complex vitamin every day, probiotics (to deal with the antibiotics) and Vitamin D (because despite what our hyperventilating tourist officials say, we get very little sun here for long stretches of time during the year, and about 30 percent of us are deficient in Vitamin D, which helps build a healthy immune system (plus drinking lots of green tea, which I am doing as I write this).
Some of the fun things I learned through my journey through the American health care system:
--I grumble about paying $200 out of pocket, but I am really lucky to have health care.
--I'm allergic to some grasses, mold and dust and that's about it. Turns out I'm not allergic to cats, so when I'm around them and I sneeze, I can only guess that I caught that allergy from Drew. And so help me, if he gives me asthma I am OUT OF HERE.
--My body has produced enough mucus to cover several football fields. And it's still not quitting!
--I am really lucky to have health care.
--Rachel has my cough but not the post-nasal drip, hives and mucus flow. Someone must be watching out for us. It may well be true that God never gives us more than we can handle. Although between my illness, the various things that need fixing in the house, and all the other items in my life that need attention RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE, I would be happy if things calmed down a little.
--The allergy doc told me that my life sounds fantastically busy but that I should really try to slow down. I may consider his advice for several days before rejecting it.
--I am really lucky to have health care.
Some of the fun things I learned through my journey through the American health care system:
--I grumble about paying $200 out of pocket, but I am really lucky to have health care.
--I'm allergic to some grasses, mold and dust and that's about it. Turns out I'm not allergic to cats, so when I'm around them and I sneeze, I can only guess that I caught that allergy from Drew. And so help me, if he gives me asthma I am OUT OF HERE.
--My body has produced enough mucus to cover several football fields. And it's still not quitting!
--I am really lucky to have health care.
--Rachel has my cough but not the post-nasal drip, hives and mucus flow. Someone must be watching out for us. It may well be true that God never gives us more than we can handle. Although between my illness, the various things that need fixing in the house, and all the other items in my life that need attention RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE, I would be happy if things calmed down a little.
--The allergy doc told me that my life sounds fantastically busy but that I should really try to slow down. I may consider his advice for several days before rejecting it.
--I am really lucky to have health care.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Girrrls Weekend!
..and what a fantastic one it was! It started out with me waking up on Saturday morning to find the hives were GONE! Migrated somewhere else, I guess. I am now a big believer in prescription antihistamines -- those suckers are worth what I paid for them. I took two on Friday night and my body was clean and clear the next day. Only downside (and it was a biggie): I was so groggy on Saturday that I could barely get through the day. I managed to pack us up and get Rachel to ballet class with a couple minutes to spare (I wanted to tell her 90-pound ballet teacher to, for God's sake, EAT A SANDWICH ALREADY!), only to realize I had forgotten Rachel's toothbrush and toothbrush, her pajamas, my swimsuit, and a whole bunch of other things. Result: after being absolutely charmed by watching Rachel dance (what I remember, anyway), we had to go back home, throw some more things in the trunk, and then head north. To make matters worse, Rachel loves Enya, and she fell asleep right after we got on the highway, so sleepy, antihistamine-addled Mommy had to drive north with the milky sounds of Enya in the car, trying to stay awake (I finally resort to chewing gum, which always works).
We got to the hockey stadium a little early and I was pleased to discover that the day had turned out to be warm and sunny. We met up with Amanda, Jenn and their friend, Bill, and I went off to the shopping center nearby, had a seafood dinner and plunked myself down at a coffee shop/dessert place, did some reading, and caught up with Drew when he was able to break free from a party he was attending with Jack. Then we all went home to Amanda and Jenn's, where Rachel and I shared a bed in their guest bedroom. I discovered just how restless Rachel is at night -- she even cried in her sleep at one point -- so I awoke the next morning not groggy, just tired.
Then we headed to Auntie Anne's, Uncle David's and Grandma Jean's and had a great time just sitting in the sun and talking. David did a great job keeping Rachel entertained -- he swears it's fun but, man, she can be tiring -- and Anne, Jean and I positioned our chairs so that we caught the maximum amount of sun while we sat and talked for about two hours. We nibbled on raspberry almond bread I'd made before I left -- Amanda and Jenn got some, too -- and then ate the fabulous tomatoes, bacon and other BLT fixings that Anne and David and Jean had bought at the farmer's market. Afterward we headed to the cool park that Rachel and I had explored on a previous trip. Proving that Rachel is able wind any man, not just her dad, around her finger, she persuaded David to carry her around, once on his shoulders, and toward the end of the day she wrapped her arms and legs around him and rested her head on his shoulder. It's clear she loves him very much, and not just because he lets her watch Bugs Bunny cartoons on his computer!
Then it was time to get on the road, and Rachel slept the ENTIRE time. I hadn't really planned dinner, and as we got close to Portland she woke up and said, "What are we doing for dinner?" When I said that I hadn't figured that out yet, she said, "why don't we just have snacks?" "Excellent idea!" I said, adding that they had to be nutritional. (She had already gobbled one of Grandma Jean's excellent cinnamon rolls -- thank you again, Grandma Jean!) She ended up having the terrific strawberries Anne sent us home with, plus two graham crackers, and that was enough to send her to bed. I quickly unpacked our things and went to bed after reading the Sunday NY Times for 30 minutes or so.
All in all, it was a great weekend road trip with me and my best girl -- one of many more to come!
We got to the hockey stadium a little early and I was pleased to discover that the day had turned out to be warm and sunny. We met up with Amanda, Jenn and their friend, Bill, and I went off to the shopping center nearby, had a seafood dinner and plunked myself down at a coffee shop/dessert place, did some reading, and caught up with Drew when he was able to break free from a party he was attending with Jack. Then we all went home to Amanda and Jenn's, where Rachel and I shared a bed in their guest bedroom. I discovered just how restless Rachel is at night -- she even cried in her sleep at one point -- so I awoke the next morning not groggy, just tired.
Then we headed to Auntie Anne's, Uncle David's and Grandma Jean's and had a great time just sitting in the sun and talking. David did a great job keeping Rachel entertained -- he swears it's fun but, man, she can be tiring -- and Anne, Jean and I positioned our chairs so that we caught the maximum amount of sun while we sat and talked for about two hours. We nibbled on raspberry almond bread I'd made before I left -- Amanda and Jenn got some, too -- and then ate the fabulous tomatoes, bacon and other BLT fixings that Anne and David and Jean had bought at the farmer's market. Afterward we headed to the cool park that Rachel and I had explored on a previous trip. Proving that Rachel is able wind any man, not just her dad, around her finger, she persuaded David to carry her around, once on his shoulders, and toward the end of the day she wrapped her arms and legs around him and rested her head on his shoulder. It's clear she loves him very much, and not just because he lets her watch Bugs Bunny cartoons on his computer!
Then it was time to get on the road, and Rachel slept the ENTIRE time. I hadn't really planned dinner, and as we got close to Portland she woke up and said, "What are we doing for dinner?" When I said that I hadn't figured that out yet, she said, "why don't we just have snacks?" "Excellent idea!" I said, adding that they had to be nutritional. (She had already gobbled one of Grandma Jean's excellent cinnamon rolls -- thank you again, Grandma Jean!) She ended up having the terrific strawberries Anne sent us home with, plus two graham crackers, and that was enough to send her to bed. I quickly unpacked our things and went to bed after reading the Sunday NY Times for 30 minutes or so.
All in all, it was a great weekend road trip with me and my best girl -- one of many more to come!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Diagnosis
So, turns out I have "migrating hives" which means a) they move all over my body; today they've attacked the area under my eyes and the top of my mouth; b) it's impossible to say where I got there and c) it's impossible to say when they're going away. I walked out of the doctor's office with $45 worth of medication, including prednazone, which is a steroid and I don't want to take unless I have to because it will apparently make me even more irritable than I am now. If such a thing is possible.
Still planning to head up to Seattle tomorrow with Rachel. I am determined that nothing will interfere with this trip.
***
"I'm so glad you're my daughter!" I told Rachel as we were eating matzo ball soup tonight.
"If you got a boy, how would you even TALK about manicures and pedicures?" she asked.
I found that so funny that I banged the table as I laughed.
Later she added:
"If I was a boy, mama, how would you talk about, ummm, pink?"
I don't know, sweetie. I honestly don't know.
Still planning to head up to Seattle tomorrow with Rachel. I am determined that nothing will interfere with this trip.
***
"I'm so glad you're my daughter!" I told Rachel as we were eating matzo ball soup tonight.
"If you got a boy, how would you even TALK about manicures and pedicures?" she asked.
I found that so funny that I banged the table as I laughed.
Later she added:
"If I was a boy, mama, how would you talk about, ummm, pink?"
I don't know, sweetie. I honestly don't know.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Girl Power!
Rachel and I are on our own until Tuesday, since Drew is in Wisconsin visiting Jack, his best friend from college and the best man at our wedding. So tonight I dragged my poor daughter to a meeting of the OAJC board at a big law firm downtown. I was late to preschool and late to the meeting because of a big food festival in Portland this weekend, which normally would be OK except the traffic is maddening and, really, does Portland need ANOTHER reason to stroke itself in public for being a foodie haven?
Sheesh.
Rachel was extraordinarily well-behaved at the meeting. She brought along her stuffed bear, Edgar, that we bought her at Oaks Park a few weeks back, and her book of fairy stickers, and she amused herself for a solid 90 minutes. I peeked outside the meeting room to check on her once in a while but she was fine. (I also brought her some chips). The only times she came in were to hug me, lay her head on my arm and give me a kiss, and once to ask for grapes. At the end of the meeting she came in and hugged my friends Steve Bilow and John Moss. Really, I couldn't have been prouder of her.
Meanwhile, I have been battling a mysterious case of hives that I've had since Tuesday night. They were all over my back last night; I had a rash on the inside of my thighs today and, now, I have hives on my rear end, the back of my legs and on my back again. Also on the tops of my feet. It has been such an uncomfortable day and a half that I made a doctor's appointment for tomorrow. Add to that my messed-up sleep patterns AND this tubercular cough I've had for a week and a half, and I'm starting to lose my good cheer. I hope Dr. Singer can make it all better tomorrow.
***
I was feeling itchy and tired when I got Rachel out of the car when we got home, so I was a little short with her.
"I love you even when you're grumpy, Mommy," she said reassuringly. Thanks, sweetie!
***
"I understand everything, Mommy," Rachel said after dinner. I understand that you're sick, I understand that it's late and I understand that your body hurts. All at the same time."
***
We were talking a bit about what we'd do on Sunday when we're in Seattle, and I reminded Rachel that we had seen the King Tut exhibit a few months back.
"I have a idea," she said. "If grandma and grandpa had been living at the same time as King Tut, they would be SO OLD!"
Sheesh.
Rachel was extraordinarily well-behaved at the meeting. She brought along her stuffed bear, Edgar, that we bought her at Oaks Park a few weeks back, and her book of fairy stickers, and she amused herself for a solid 90 minutes. I peeked outside the meeting room to check on her once in a while but she was fine. (I also brought her some chips). The only times she came in were to hug me, lay her head on my arm and give me a kiss, and once to ask for grapes. At the end of the meeting she came in and hugged my friends Steve Bilow and John Moss. Really, I couldn't have been prouder of her.
Meanwhile, I have been battling a mysterious case of hives that I've had since Tuesday night. They were all over my back last night; I had a rash on the inside of my thighs today and, now, I have hives on my rear end, the back of my legs and on my back again. Also on the tops of my feet. It has been such an uncomfortable day and a half that I made a doctor's appointment for tomorrow. Add to that my messed-up sleep patterns AND this tubercular cough I've had for a week and a half, and I'm starting to lose my good cheer. I hope Dr. Singer can make it all better tomorrow.
***
I was feeling itchy and tired when I got Rachel out of the car when we got home, so I was a little short with her.
"I love you even when you're grumpy, Mommy," she said reassuringly. Thanks, sweetie!
***
"I understand everything, Mommy," Rachel said after dinner. I understand that you're sick, I understand that it's late and I understand that your body hurts. All at the same time."
***
We were talking a bit about what we'd do on Sunday when we're in Seattle, and I reminded Rachel that we had seen the King Tut exhibit a few months back.
"I have a idea," she said. "If grandma and grandpa had been living at the same time as King Tut, they would be SO OLD!"
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Tzedakah
Tonight Drew and I explained the concept of tzedakah to Rachel. I ordered a lovely tzedakah box from our synagogue store and it arrived in the mail today. So, while she was finishing her carrots at dinner, we told Rachel that although we're not rich, and we work hard for the money we earn, we believe in giving to people who are less fortunate -- not all kids have a roof over their heads, clothing, enough food, etc. So anytime we have spare change, we'll put it into the tzedakah box and at the end of the year we'll make a family decision about what charitable cause to give the money to.
Rachel followed everything we said very closely and then said, "Ohh, no!" She was distressed that she had money locked up in her piggy bank (one of the baby gifts we received). We explained that it was fine to keep it there, but in the future she should apportion her money: spend part of it, save part of it and give part of it to charity.
"Guess what I'm going to do with my money when I'm older?" she said. "I'm going to save it for when I grow up. And when I grow up I'm going to save some for myself and save the rest and put it in my OWN tzedakah box!"
Yeah, we think she gets the point.
***
"When I move to a faraway house, can you live right next door?" she asked at dinner tonight.
"Of course, sweetie! We'd love to!" we answered. "If you want us that close," Drew added.
"We would have to watch out for my kids, though," she mused.
***
"Everyone, can I tell you about my day?" Rachel said at dinner. "I cut out magazines, and I made sheep, and put the eyes on, and I read the book of Snow White, and played in the big room, I did stories and it was about Gossie (from a book called "Gossie the Gosling" that we have), and we read color books and we did them in Spanish and English, and then we played in the big room again and then we got our stuff and then Daddy picked me up. And that was the end of my day!"
Rachel followed everything we said very closely and then said, "Ohh, no!" She was distressed that she had money locked up in her piggy bank (one of the baby gifts we received). We explained that it was fine to keep it there, but in the future she should apportion her money: spend part of it, save part of it and give part of it to charity.
"Guess what I'm going to do with my money when I'm older?" she said. "I'm going to save it for when I grow up. And when I grow up I'm going to save some for myself and save the rest and put it in my OWN tzedakah box!"
Yeah, we think she gets the point.
***
"When I move to a faraway house, can you live right next door?" she asked at dinner tonight.
"Of course, sweetie! We'd love to!" we answered. "If you want us that close," Drew added.
"We would have to watch out for my kids, though," she mused.
***
"Everyone, can I tell you about my day?" Rachel said at dinner. "I cut out magazines, and I made sheep, and put the eyes on, and I read the book of Snow White, and played in the big room, I did stories and it was about Gossie (from a book called "Gossie the Gosling" that we have), and we read color books and we did them in Spanish and English, and then we played in the big room again and then we got our stuff and then Daddy picked me up. And that was the end of my day!"
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
How the rest of the world views Rachel, Part 2
BRAG ALERT! If you don't want to read the gushings of a proud mama, please skip this blog entry.
As you may recall, Rachel was recently moved to a new section of preschool where the older kids are. Her new teachers are Joe and Vanessa.
Joe told Drew today that Rachel is a delight to have in class. He said she's way ahead of other kids in terms of being able to control herself and work independently. He added that she's super bright and will DEFINITELY be ready for kindergarten next year. He also said that she is very well-mannered, which isn't necessarily true of most of the other kids in class, and is a real leader in the classroom.
The only thing he needs to work with Rachel on, Joe said, is that she likes to help other kids, and when they tell her they don't need or want her help, her feelings get hurt.
So, let's see: According to her teacher, Rachel is really smart,well-mannered, and a leader who likes helping other kids but also is able to work on her own. I couldn't be a happier mom at this moment.
As you may recall, Rachel was recently moved to a new section of preschool where the older kids are. Her new teachers are Joe and Vanessa.
Joe told Drew today that Rachel is a delight to have in class. He said she's way ahead of other kids in terms of being able to control herself and work independently. He added that she's super bright and will DEFINITELY be ready for kindergarten next year. He also said that she is very well-mannered, which isn't necessarily true of most of the other kids in class, and is a real leader in the classroom.
The only thing he needs to work with Rachel on, Joe said, is that she likes to help other kids, and when they tell her they don't need or want her help, her feelings get hurt.
So, let's see: According to her teacher, Rachel is really smart,well-mannered, and a leader who likes helping other kids but also is able to work on her own. I couldn't be a happier mom at this moment.
Monday, September 17, 2012
How the rest of the world views Rachel
I caught up with our friend Steve Bilow at synagogue today. Steve deeply regrets that he and his wife, Patt, never got to have kids, so he reads my Facebook posts about Rachel quite avidly.
Today Steve sidled up next to me as I was talking to Melissa and her friend Michelle. I mentioned that Melissa's son, Jeremy, was very impressed last night with Rachel's baseball-playing skills. Steve chimed in that "she'll be Senator Rachel someday" and that he loves reading my posts about her.
Then Melissa mentioned something that Rachel did last night. Melissa's daughter Natalie gave Rachel a toy cellphone. Rachel was enchanted with it and brought it to the breakfast table today; on the way to preschool she put it in her pocket, and along with her striped shorts and blue sparkly belt she looked so tween-like and so...her own person that she took my breath away. As usual!
Anyway...Melissa said Natalie told her that Rachel pretended to answer the cell phone while they were playing upstairs together last night. Rachel opened the phone (it's a flip phone), said, "Yeah. Yeah. Uh-huh," then hung up.
And then she told Natalie, very matter-of-factly, "that was a telemarketer."
Steve, Melissa, Michelle and I cracked up.
Today Steve sidled up next to me as I was talking to Melissa and her friend Michelle. I mentioned that Melissa's son, Jeremy, was very impressed last night with Rachel's baseball-playing skills. Steve chimed in that "she'll be Senator Rachel someday" and that he loves reading my posts about her.
Then Melissa mentioned something that Rachel did last night. Melissa's daughter Natalie gave Rachel a toy cellphone. Rachel was enchanted with it and brought it to the breakfast table today; on the way to preschool she put it in her pocket, and along with her striped shorts and blue sparkly belt she looked so tween-like and so...her own person that she took my breath away. As usual!
Anyway...Melissa said Natalie told her that Rachel pretended to answer the cell phone while they were playing upstairs together last night. Rachel opened the phone (it's a flip phone), said, "Yeah. Yeah. Uh-huh," then hung up.
And then she told Natalie, very matter-of-factly, "that was a telemarketer."
Steve, Melissa, Michelle and I cracked up.
A spiritual experience
So, today we were about to head to synagogue in my car -- Drew had intended to drop me off at synagogue and Rachel at preschool -- and we were leaving later than I wanted to -- and....the car wouldn't start. Completely dead, no sign of electricity anywhere. Dead battery, Drew said. Or possibly worse: a power drain somewhere, something that was draining power from the battery, even if it was turned off. Which sent me into quite a tailspin: my mind immediately goes to a worse-case scenario whenever I think of my 13-year-old car with the broken odometer, the one that stopped recording miles at 217,044 -- that I'll be stuck with a $900 repair bill, and I refuse to pour that much money into my car anymore, which means I'll have to buy a new car, which we just can't afford right now, etc. etc. etc. Drew dropped me off at synagogue just in time to find a seat near the front, and I spent much of the service in tears, or near-tears. Everything just seemed overwhelming at that point: the oven door, the car, our finances, everything. During the part of the Rosh Hashana service where they say pray, I prayed -- hard. (I had also forgotten my reading glasses, and the synagogue was kind of dark, so I had some trouble reading the prayers).
Toward the end of the service I suddenly noticed that it was easier for me to read. I looked up and, to my right, a shaft of sunlight was shining through the stained glass windows, right onto my prayer book (and the books of other folks, I'm sure, but the sunbeam didn't look that wide-ranging). I thought to myself, "I hope this is a sign," realizing that if I really had faith, I'd KNOW it was a sign -- but I tried to feel better about things. (It helped that the new assistant rabbi the synagogue just hired, Rabbi Joseph, gave a fiery sermon about social action, and the synagogue's project this year of trying to alleviate hunger in the Oregon. She mentioned the fact that the number of people with advanced degrees who are patronizing food pantries has tripled, which certainly got my attention -- and then she disclosed that SHE had been on food stamps, and knows what it's like to get money through the WIC program, and what it's like dealing with caseworkers, and that she's not the typical person you'd expect to receive government assistance -- and after I picked my jaw up off the floor I realized that, really, we're in pretty decent shape).
Anyway...as I was walking out of synagogue, I noticed I had voice mail. It was a message from Drew saying the problem with my car was that one of the battery cables was loose. The AAA guy reconnected it, and so there's no need for a new battery, or a systematic examination of my car, or a new vehicle. "You dodged a bullet," Drew concluded.
I hung up the phone, looked up at the sky, and through my tears I whispered, "Thank you. Thank you."
Toward the end of the service I suddenly noticed that it was easier for me to read. I looked up and, to my right, a shaft of sunlight was shining through the stained glass windows, right onto my prayer book (and the books of other folks, I'm sure, but the sunbeam didn't look that wide-ranging). I thought to myself, "I hope this is a sign," realizing that if I really had faith, I'd KNOW it was a sign -- but I tried to feel better about things. (It helped that the new assistant rabbi the synagogue just hired, Rabbi Joseph, gave a fiery sermon about social action, and the synagogue's project this year of trying to alleviate hunger in the Oregon. She mentioned the fact that the number of people with advanced degrees who are patronizing food pantries has tripled, which certainly got my attention -- and then she disclosed that SHE had been on food stamps, and knows what it's like to get money through the WIC program, and what it's like dealing with caseworkers, and that she's not the typical person you'd expect to receive government assistance -- and after I picked my jaw up off the floor I realized that, really, we're in pretty decent shape).
Anyway...as I was walking out of synagogue, I noticed I had voice mail. It was a message from Drew saying the problem with my car was that one of the battery cables was loose. The AAA guy reconnected it, and so there's no need for a new battery, or a systematic examination of my car, or a new vehicle. "You dodged a bullet," Drew concluded.
I hung up the phone, looked up at the sky, and through my tears I whispered, "Thank you. Thank you."
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Rachel's first "real" ballet lesson!
I have been sick since Friday, which is why I haven't been posting on the blog. On Saturday while I remained in a coma-like state after taking NyQuil, Drew took Rachel to her first real dance class -- in a real ballet studio, which is surprisingly affordable compared to the community center, and it's real ballet she's learning instead of just "creative movement" -- and he said she did marvelously. She was so graceful, and she liked it so much, and in December she's going to be in "The Nutcracker"! (well, actually, it's called something like The Nutcracker Sweet Suite, and it's a slimmed-down version of Act II with little kids). When we talked about what part she'd likely get to play, she matter-of-factly stated, "I'll probably be Clara." Um, maybe, sweetie. I wouldn't count on being the star of the show just yet.
Her performance, at 11 a.m. on a Saturday, is a few hours before we're scheduled to attend a matinee of the Oregon Ballet Theater's annual performance at the Keller Auditorium -- what I've started to refer to as "the grown-up version" of the Nutcracker. We're going with my friend Melissa, her daughter Natalie, and another mom and her daughter. ("NO BOYS ALLOWED!" Rachel says firmly). I'd love to combine it with High Tea at the Heathman Hotel, but I'm afraid it would be wasted on her because she is suck a picky eater. Maybe when she's a little older?
Her performance, at 11 a.m. on a Saturday, is a few hours before we're scheduled to attend a matinee of the Oregon Ballet Theater's annual performance at the Keller Auditorium -- what I've started to refer to as "the grown-up version" of the Nutcracker. We're going with my friend Melissa, her daughter Natalie, and another mom and her daughter. ("NO BOYS ALLOWED!" Rachel says firmly). I'd love to combine it with High Tea at the Heathman Hotel, but I'm afraid it would be wasted on her because she is suck a picky eater. Maybe when she's a little older?
Rachel rises to the occasion
Today was a hard day for a number of reasons, but Rachel was a real trouper. After Drew explained to Rachel that she was NOT TO BOTHER MOMMY while he was at the farmer's market getting flowers and other items...as soon as she heard me bustling around the kitchen getting things out to make challah, she came right in with her little red chair, announced that she wanted to help, got her apron from the hook near the door to the garage, and asked for help putting it on. So, how could I refuse? She had a lot of fun kneading the dough, and this winter I will scout around for recipes using yeast that will let us get our hands dirty and punch down dough. It was so nice to have her there; I really like baking with her, and I'm looking forward to making holiday cookies and other treats together!
While she was helping me, she made up a sweet, tuneless little song that went like this:
Mommy, Mommy, I love you so much
Of the day you fly away
Of all the days you will fly away
From this only song
I love you so much Mommy
Yes I do, yes I do
I love you so much
Yes I do
I have no idea what it means, except that I sing "I'll fly away" to her often, so that was probably the inspiration. I think there's a message in there but I'm not sure how to decipher it.
While she was helping me, she made up a sweet, tuneless little song that went like this:
Mommy, Mommy, I love you so much
Of the day you fly away
Of all the days you will fly away
From this only song
I love you so much Mommy
Yes I do, yes I do
I love you so much
Yes I do
I have no idea what it means, except that I sing "I'll fly away" to her often, so that was probably the inspiration. I think there's a message in there but I'm not sure how to decipher it.
Shana Tovah?
Have to ask it with a question because today began as pretty much a disaster. We had set the oven to self-clean last night, and when I woke up at 4:30 a.m., unable to get back to sleep (a worrisome trend, unfortunately), I noticed that after the cleaning cycle had ended, the oven door remained locked. I waited until Drew got up and tried to fiddle with it, then I ended up calling the Kenmore Oven folks, who of course couldn't possibly send anyone over to look at the oven today. People: Do you not realize that tonight is one of the holiest of the Jewish year, and that SOME of us may, just may, be planning an elaborate Rosh Hashana meal, and that WE NEED OUR GODDAMNED OVENS TO WORK?!?!?!
Ahem.
The nice lady on the other end of the line suggested I try shutting off the circuit breaker and try to open the oven afterward. Which I did, and the door unlocked....only to break off from the inside layer (apparently our ancient oven has an inside AND outside door). So, basically, our oven door is broken. And I mean BROKEN -- the only way to open and close both layers at a time is to grab them both, press them together and open/close the door. Which works pretty well when the oven is cold, but when it's hot? Well, that's another story.
I was already going on a severe lack of sleep and no breakfast, and I debated all morning whether to call our friends the Petermans (Melissa, my ballet buddy, her husband Steve, daughter Natalie who Rachel worships, and recent bar mitzvah son Jeremy) and just cancel. (I am also nursing an awful cough, and coughing up flem, and now Rachel has gotten it, so I had to explain the expression to her today that "we both sound like a tubercular ward"). But the Petermans have been so generous to us -- they've invited us to stay at their house in Hood River; Natalie is constantly giving Rachel her old toys, jewelry and ballet things, and Melissa takes me to as many Oregon Ballet Theater events as she can, since she's on the board -- and we're not in a position financially to reciprocate. So I figure the best I can really offer is to cook them a great meal as often as they're able to join us, since Melissa hates to cook and cooking is the one affordable skill I can spread around to people who mean something to me. And even if we had to do stewed or fried chicken on top of the stove, I was was determined to see this through. (Could also be the legendary Lednicer stubbornness in me, too, I suppose).
After Drew and I both said hurtful things to each other and then calmed down and discussed the state of our finances yet again, I got to work. I made a lovely challah (forgot the egg brush on top but the Petermans didn't mind -- everyone loved it! They devoured it! And it was 6-foot-long challah! Possibly longer!); a chocolate/vanilla loaf for dessert (I melted some white chocolate, spooned it over the loaf, and sprinkled fresh raspberries on top) and a lamb shoulder and roasted red potatoes with rosemary from our garden. The Petermans contributed a lovely salad and we managed to sit down for dinner before everything got cold...and, really, had a lovely time. The kids love Rachel and they had a great time playing "baseball" upstairs (with big plastic balls and a "bat" that is really a milk jug; Jeremy was so impressed at Rachel's hitting that he came downstairs and told us what a great baseball player she is; she beamed next to him as he told us); and the adults actually got to talk for a while. We sent them home with their own apples, after we split one and had apples with honey at the end of the meal; the last slice of chocolate/vanilla loaf and the rest of the challah. Drew ordered me to get out of the kitchen so he can clean up -- he says it relaxes him -- so I am down here writing on this blog.
So this will be the Rosh Hashana we'll remember as the one when the oven door broke, I had a series of meltdowns because of lack of sleep and food and tremendous worry over our finances -- but my guests left satiated and happy. And so I will put off my worries for another day.
Ahem.
The nice lady on the other end of the line suggested I try shutting off the circuit breaker and try to open the oven afterward. Which I did, and the door unlocked....only to break off from the inside layer (apparently our ancient oven has an inside AND outside door). So, basically, our oven door is broken. And I mean BROKEN -- the only way to open and close both layers at a time is to grab them both, press them together and open/close the door. Which works pretty well when the oven is cold, but when it's hot? Well, that's another story.
I was already going on a severe lack of sleep and no breakfast, and I debated all morning whether to call our friends the Petermans (Melissa, my ballet buddy, her husband Steve, daughter Natalie who Rachel worships, and recent bar mitzvah son Jeremy) and just cancel. (I am also nursing an awful cough, and coughing up flem, and now Rachel has gotten it, so I had to explain the expression to her today that "we both sound like a tubercular ward"). But the Petermans have been so generous to us -- they've invited us to stay at their house in Hood River; Natalie is constantly giving Rachel her old toys, jewelry and ballet things, and Melissa takes me to as many Oregon Ballet Theater events as she can, since she's on the board -- and we're not in a position financially to reciprocate. So I figure the best I can really offer is to cook them a great meal as often as they're able to join us, since Melissa hates to cook and cooking is the one affordable skill I can spread around to people who mean something to me. And even if we had to do stewed or fried chicken on top of the stove, I was was determined to see this through. (Could also be the legendary Lednicer stubbornness in me, too, I suppose).
After Drew and I both said hurtful things to each other and then calmed down and discussed the state of our finances yet again, I got to work. I made a lovely challah (forgot the egg brush on top but the Petermans didn't mind -- everyone loved it! They devoured it! And it was 6-foot-long challah! Possibly longer!); a chocolate/vanilla loaf for dessert (I melted some white chocolate, spooned it over the loaf, and sprinkled fresh raspberries on top) and a lamb shoulder and roasted red potatoes with rosemary from our garden. The Petermans contributed a lovely salad and we managed to sit down for dinner before everything got cold...and, really, had a lovely time. The kids love Rachel and they had a great time playing "baseball" upstairs (with big plastic balls and a "bat" that is really a milk jug; Jeremy was so impressed at Rachel's hitting that he came downstairs and told us what a great baseball player she is; she beamed next to him as he told us); and the adults actually got to talk for a while. We sent them home with their own apples, after we split one and had apples with honey at the end of the meal; the last slice of chocolate/vanilla loaf and the rest of the challah. Drew ordered me to get out of the kitchen so he can clean up -- he says it relaxes him -- so I am down here writing on this blog.
So this will be the Rosh Hashana we'll remember as the one when the oven door broke, I had a series of meltdowns because of lack of sleep and food and tremendous worry over our finances -- but my guests left satiated and happy. And so I will put off my worries for another day.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Such a loving heart!
Last night and tonight, I got home late (last night because of yet another grueling chorus rehearsal; tonight because I went to a journalism training event that will help me to better guide my freelancers and fact-check their information. I even gave Drew a tutorial when I got home!) to find a sealed envelope. Both nights I opened them to find...a valentine! With Rachel's name on it! It turns out that she was busy making valentines last night and tonight for Drew and for me.
When Drew asked her why she gave him a valentine, she replied, "Because I love you SO MUCH!"
Then tonight, Drew said, "What did I do to deserve another valentine?" and hugged her.
Rachel replied, "Because you do such a good job of taking care of me!"
She really is beyond adorable, folks.
***
Rachel has also started drawing pictures, real ones. She has a little notebook in which she draws them, and most of the time they're stick figures of herself. Today she drew herself on the long slide at Sunnyside Park, with the sun in the background, and the ground, and the nearby school, and the stone wall near the community garden. She signs all pictures "Rachel."
Tia Daniella, perhaps Rachel has inherited your artistic talent?
***
Today Rachel visited kindergarten because there were too many kids in preschool so she got to be with the big kids. Drew asked her if she likes being in kindergarten and she said, "yeah!"
When Drew asked her why she gave him a valentine, she replied, "Because I love you SO MUCH!"
Then tonight, Drew said, "What did I do to deserve another valentine?" and hugged her.
Rachel replied, "Because you do such a good job of taking care of me!"
She really is beyond adorable, folks.
***
Rachel has also started drawing pictures, real ones. She has a little notebook in which she draws them, and most of the time they're stick figures of herself. Today she drew herself on the long slide at Sunnyside Park, with the sun in the background, and the ground, and the nearby school, and the stone wall near the community garden. She signs all pictures "Rachel."
Tia Daniella, perhaps Rachel has inherited your artistic talent?
***
Today Rachel visited kindergarten because there were too many kids in preschool so she got to be with the big kids. Drew asked her if she likes being in kindergarten and she said, "yeah!"
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Up and down night
Tonight was truly an up-and-down one:
When I picked Rachel up from school, she had forgotten her sweater downstairs. So we went to her new classroom and she said, "Mommy, do you want me to show you where everything is?" And instead of rushing us out to the park to catch the last rays of sunlight, I said, sure. And I was so, so proud of her as she gave me a little tour: their play kitchen, their puppets, the library area where she smiled sweetly and suggested I could read her a book, which of course I did, and the teacher's desk where she asked me if I needed a tissue or a wipe. She's so grown-up these days, it's breathtaking -- when I look at her at the top of play structures and she's so tall and her face looks less baby-like every day, and I realize my little girl isn't so little anymore.
Then we went to Sunnyside Park, and she impressed me into shock when she made it ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE MONKEY BARS WITHOUT MOMMY'S HELP!!! I was stunned. And then, when she jumped down on the ground, she started screaming in pain -- she had bitten her tongue, and I hustled her over to the bench, took her in my arms and opened her mouth. There was a lot of blood, and I tried to remain calm and soothing while I kept thinking, "Should I take her to the emergency room?? ACK!!!" But it cleared up eventually, and I held her tight while rocking her back and forth and singing, "Roll on, Columbia." I let her do one more play structure activity before I insisted on going home for dinner (it was 7:30 by then and we had spent 45 minutes at the park) and, true to form, she did the monkey bars again and I grabbed her middle and hoisted her down gently. I praised her lavishly for getting right back up and trying again....kind of a continuation of my lecture last night when she was riding her bike and got frustrated because she couldn't quite get it, and she wanted to quit and I basically said NO. Don't you EVER quit, I said. We are not a household of quitters. (It's true. Some of us, who shall remain nameless, stay at jobs way too long until we're, ahem, pushed to the curb).
As I was preparing dinner, Rachel brought over a sample of her baby hair that I had stored in a beautiful engraved silver box that my college roommate, Charon, had gotten for Rachel when she was born. I told her rather sternly to put it back where she found it. Then a couple of minutes later I heard a tinkle, and Rachel started crying -- she had broken a figurine I'd gotten years ago at the Portland Japanese Garden.
I told her angrily to go to her room while I tried to figure out how to fix the thing (hoping Drew can repair it with SuperGlue), and then I was very short with her while I finished dinner prep and we sat down. All the while she was crying hysterically in great, gulping sobs. "Do you still love me?" she tearfully asked at one point, and I said, "that's not the point." And then I sat down with her to dinner and told her to never, ever touch the things on the bookcase. I had her repeat it again and again, hoping it will stick (but I removed the more fragile knickknacks to the top shelves). I don't want to be one of those moms who fills the house with fragile, glossy things that the kids can't touch, but I also want Rachel to realize that some things in life are to look at, not to touch (as I explained to her after we'd both calmed down) and she can't just carelessly handle and break Mommy's things, because they mean something to Mommy and they can't be replaced. (well, in this case they can be, but that's not the point). When she asked me why as we were reading books, I told her that her hands are too little. "But they'll get big," she said, and I explained that when they get big she'll have more control over them. That seemed to satisfy her.
***
On the way to school today, Rachel had a thing or two to say about princesses.
"I'm the best kind of princess!" she exclaimed.
"Why are you the best kind of princess?" I asked.
"Because I like to go on adventures!" she answered. "Some princesses just sit around all day. They sit and sit, until dinner."
***
She also told me about her friend Sadie, whose birthday party she will attend this Saturday.
"Mommy, guess what? Because I'm older than Sadie, my dresses are longer than hers!" Rachel said. She also said Sadie got her long hair cut short because she wanted it to look like Rachel's.
When I picked Rachel up from school, she had forgotten her sweater downstairs. So we went to her new classroom and she said, "Mommy, do you want me to show you where everything is?" And instead of rushing us out to the park to catch the last rays of sunlight, I said, sure. And I was so, so proud of her as she gave me a little tour: their play kitchen, their puppets, the library area where she smiled sweetly and suggested I could read her a book, which of course I did, and the teacher's desk where she asked me if I needed a tissue or a wipe. She's so grown-up these days, it's breathtaking -- when I look at her at the top of play structures and she's so tall and her face looks less baby-like every day, and I realize my little girl isn't so little anymore.
Then we went to Sunnyside Park, and she impressed me into shock when she made it ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE MONKEY BARS WITHOUT MOMMY'S HELP!!! I was stunned. And then, when she jumped down on the ground, she started screaming in pain -- she had bitten her tongue, and I hustled her over to the bench, took her in my arms and opened her mouth. There was a lot of blood, and I tried to remain calm and soothing while I kept thinking, "Should I take her to the emergency room?? ACK!!!" But it cleared up eventually, and I held her tight while rocking her back and forth and singing, "Roll on, Columbia." I let her do one more play structure activity before I insisted on going home for dinner (it was 7:30 by then and we had spent 45 minutes at the park) and, true to form, she did the monkey bars again and I grabbed her middle and hoisted her down gently. I praised her lavishly for getting right back up and trying again....kind of a continuation of my lecture last night when she was riding her bike and got frustrated because she couldn't quite get it, and she wanted to quit and I basically said NO. Don't you EVER quit, I said. We are not a household of quitters. (It's true. Some of us, who shall remain nameless, stay at jobs way too long until we're, ahem, pushed to the curb).
As I was preparing dinner, Rachel brought over a sample of her baby hair that I had stored in a beautiful engraved silver box that my college roommate, Charon, had gotten for Rachel when she was born. I told her rather sternly to put it back where she found it. Then a couple of minutes later I heard a tinkle, and Rachel started crying -- she had broken a figurine I'd gotten years ago at the Portland Japanese Garden.
I told her angrily to go to her room while I tried to figure out how to fix the thing (hoping Drew can repair it with SuperGlue), and then I was very short with her while I finished dinner prep and we sat down. All the while she was crying hysterically in great, gulping sobs. "Do you still love me?" she tearfully asked at one point, and I said, "that's not the point." And then I sat down with her to dinner and told her to never, ever touch the things on the bookcase. I had her repeat it again and again, hoping it will stick (but I removed the more fragile knickknacks to the top shelves). I don't want to be one of those moms who fills the house with fragile, glossy things that the kids can't touch, but I also want Rachel to realize that some things in life are to look at, not to touch (as I explained to her after we'd both calmed down) and she can't just carelessly handle and break Mommy's things, because they mean something to Mommy and they can't be replaced. (well, in this case they can be, but that's not the point). When she asked me why as we were reading books, I told her that her hands are too little. "But they'll get big," she said, and I explained that when they get big she'll have more control over them. That seemed to satisfy her.
***
On the way to school today, Rachel had a thing or two to say about princesses.
"I'm the best kind of princess!" she exclaimed.
"Why are you the best kind of princess?" I asked.
"Because I like to go on adventures!" she answered. "Some princesses just sit around all day. They sit and sit, until dinner."
***
She also told me about her friend Sadie, whose birthday party she will attend this Saturday.
"Mommy, guess what? Because I'm older than Sadie, my dresses are longer than hers!" Rachel said. She also said Sadie got her long hair cut short because she wanted it to look like Rachel's.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Sweetest girl in the world!
That describes my Rachel. A sampling from today, when Mommy's tummy hurt:
"This is why Daddy likes to do it."
"Do what, sweetie?" I asked.
"Set the table and clean up," she said.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because you do it all the time when he's gone!" she answered, like it was the most logical thing in the world.
***
I didn't really like my meal at the Middle Eastern restaurant we went to the other night with our friend Sarah, and neither did Rachel. Poor thing, I made her eat her ground beef kabob, which was awful -- I had the same thing. In fact, the only thing I enjoyed was the falafel.
"Guess why my meat wasn't very good there?" Rachel said. "Because YOU didn't make it!"
***
"Mommy, you have great stories. You always tell them spooky!" Rachel said at dinner, hours after I told her spooky but true tale of a guy who froze to death on the chair lift at a Canadian ski resort because the chair lift operators forgot to run the lift one last time before the resort closed for the evening. Dad and his friend Mike Bakwin were there a few hours after the resort workers discovered the body. (I had embellished the tale to be about a guy named Max who snuck onto the chair lift after it was closed. "Great way to introduce your daughter to skiing, Lisa," Dad cracked tonight, but it was Rachel's idea for me to tell her the story, so what could I do?
***
Rachel is very excited about our trip to Seattle in two weeks when Drew is gone; she's going to a hockey game with Amanda and Jenn. NO MOMMY ALLOWED. It's her first outing withuot us.
"I can't WAIT to go to the hockey game with JUST MY AUNTIES!" she said tonight. "No strawberries allowed!"
Um, right.
***
"This is a dazzling cake!" Rachel said, tucking into the leftover birthday cake I'd made for Drew's birthday. "You make dazzling cake, Mommy!"
***
"Guess what, Mommy?" Rachel asked as we were finishing up dinner. "You're the best thing in the whole world!" As I was tucking her into bed, she said, "Mommy, thank you for being the best Mommy!"
"That you for being the best daughter!" I said, touched.
***
And perhaps the nicest thing she said to me tonight:
"Mommy, you're such a good Mommy," Rachel said during dinner.
"Why am I such a good mommy?" I asked.
"Because you're kind and you're gentle and you speak nice to others," she replied. "And your love transforms into someone else, right from you. That's why you're a good mommy."
"This is why Daddy likes to do it."
"Do what, sweetie?" I asked.
"Set the table and clean up," she said.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because you do it all the time when he's gone!" she answered, like it was the most logical thing in the world.
***
I didn't really like my meal at the Middle Eastern restaurant we went to the other night with our friend Sarah, and neither did Rachel. Poor thing, I made her eat her ground beef kabob, which was awful -- I had the same thing. In fact, the only thing I enjoyed was the falafel.
"Guess why my meat wasn't very good there?" Rachel said. "Because YOU didn't make it!"
***
"Mommy, you have great stories. You always tell them spooky!" Rachel said at dinner, hours after I told her spooky but true tale of a guy who froze to death on the chair lift at a Canadian ski resort because the chair lift operators forgot to run the lift one last time before the resort closed for the evening. Dad and his friend Mike Bakwin were there a few hours after the resort workers discovered the body. (I had embellished the tale to be about a guy named Max who snuck onto the chair lift after it was closed. "Great way to introduce your daughter to skiing, Lisa," Dad cracked tonight, but it was Rachel's idea for me to tell her the story, so what could I do?
***
Rachel is very excited about our trip to Seattle in two weeks when Drew is gone; she's going to a hockey game with Amanda and Jenn. NO MOMMY ALLOWED. It's her first outing withuot us.
"I can't WAIT to go to the hockey game with JUST MY AUNTIES!" she said tonight. "No strawberries allowed!"
Um, right.
***
"This is a dazzling cake!" Rachel said, tucking into the leftover birthday cake I'd made for Drew's birthday. "You make dazzling cake, Mommy!"
***
"Guess what, Mommy?" Rachel asked as we were finishing up dinner. "You're the best thing in the whole world!" As I was tucking her into bed, she said, "Mommy, thank you for being the best Mommy!"
"That you for being the best daughter!" I said, touched.
***
And perhaps the nicest thing she said to me tonight:
"Mommy, you're such a good Mommy," Rachel said during dinner.
"Why am I such a good mommy?" I asked.
"Because you're kind and you're gentle and you speak nice to others," she replied. "And your love transforms into someone else, right from you. That's why you're a good mommy."
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Adventure Girl!
Another fun-filled day...we headed out to Mt. Hood Adventure Park with Rachel in tow. It's a quick hour's drive from here, and it's basically a bunch of fun mountain-themed (as opposed to carnival) rides. So: there's an alpine slide at the top of a chairlift -- and Rachel had NO PROBLEM with the chairlift, which bodes well for Drew's plans to take her skiing this winter -- and, she being Rachel, after going down the slide with Drew the first time, she wanted to switch to the "fast track!" the second time. And third. And fourth....she just didn't want to give up, this kid of mine, and we finally had to drag her away to go on more rides. We caught a shuttle to the other side of the park, and then Rachel got on a kiddie cart (a mini-car with a real car battery, and, yes, within a minute of getting in she had taught herself to drive around the track without crashing into the sides, which really impressed the ride operator who told us he's seen 15-year-olds with car licenses crash!) and then, later, went down an inner tube slide, screaming with laughter the whole time. She especially liked the part where Drew bonked into her when he slid down behind her.
The outing made us realize that we really need to make more of an effort to play in the Columbia River Gorge. It's so close, much closer than the Oregon Coast, and the coast is always cold and foggy whereas the mountain is beautiful, and the drive up there inspiring. This could be the winter we finally break down and get tire chains and head up to Hood for downhill and cross-country skiing, and winter games. Drew is determined to teach Rachel how to ski, and I'm already planning a picnic lunch with sandwiches, homemade hot chocolate and Drew's chocolate-chip cookies. I'll need to take a refresher ski lesson, but I would love to re-learn how to do it. Or I'll just bag it and rent cross-country skis....
When we got home I raced around the kitchen making Drew's (very belated) birthday dinner (and mine too, I suppose...) fried chicken, popovers, salad and chocolate birthday cake with Alice's chocolate frosting recipe. Rachel wisely left me alone during the chicken and popover prep but happily decorated the cake after I wrote "Happy Birthday Daddy" on it. She actually did a great job, so much so that I am toying with the idea of putting her in charge of all cake decorating in the Lednicer/DeSilver household.
Random Rachel musings today:
"Scones have brains," she announced at breakfast. "They talk to their mommy scones that the real mommies eat!"
***
"You know what you look like, Mommy? You look like a little traveler. You look like you're traveling to South Africa. You look like you're traveling to WEST Africa!"
***
Drew and I rented the movie "Contagion" last night, about a fast-spreading virus that kills a lot of people as doctors race to find a vaccine, and Drew was telling the plot to Rachel this morning.
Rachel: Are you really scared?
Drew: Yes, I was.
Rachel: Calm down, don't be scared. It's just a movie!
(Drew was explaining the above conversation to me and said Rachel was being "very calm and gentle" as she attempted to reassure him).
"And soothing!" she piped up. "The disease will never come to you."
***
In two weeks Drew will be gone for a couple of days to visit his friend Jack in Madison, WI. I've decided that the girls in this house need a road trip, so we'll head up to Seattle to visit Anne, David, Jean, Amanda and Jenn. Amanda and Jenn have already suggested taking Rachel to a hockey game.
"And guess what you're going to do?" Rachel said tonight. "You're going to stay home and do boring work while I go to the hockey game with my aunties!"
Hey, Amanda and Jenn, how about keeping Rachel the whole weekend while I get to play by myself? JUST KIDDING! We can't wait to see everyone!!!
The outing made us realize that we really need to make more of an effort to play in the Columbia River Gorge. It's so close, much closer than the Oregon Coast, and the coast is always cold and foggy whereas the mountain is beautiful, and the drive up there inspiring. This could be the winter we finally break down and get tire chains and head up to Hood for downhill and cross-country skiing, and winter games. Drew is determined to teach Rachel how to ski, and I'm already planning a picnic lunch with sandwiches, homemade hot chocolate and Drew's chocolate-chip cookies. I'll need to take a refresher ski lesson, but I would love to re-learn how to do it. Or I'll just bag it and rent cross-country skis....
When we got home I raced around the kitchen making Drew's (very belated) birthday dinner (and mine too, I suppose...) fried chicken, popovers, salad and chocolate birthday cake with Alice's chocolate frosting recipe. Rachel wisely left me alone during the chicken and popover prep but happily decorated the cake after I wrote "Happy Birthday Daddy" on it. She actually did a great job, so much so that I am toying with the idea of putting her in charge of all cake decorating in the Lednicer/DeSilver household.
Random Rachel musings today:
"Scones have brains," she announced at breakfast. "They talk to their mommy scones that the real mommies eat!"
***
"You know what you look like, Mommy? You look like a little traveler. You look like you're traveling to South Africa. You look like you're traveling to WEST Africa!"
***
Drew and I rented the movie "Contagion" last night, about a fast-spreading virus that kills a lot of people as doctors race to find a vaccine, and Drew was telling the plot to Rachel this morning.
Rachel: Are you really scared?
Drew: Yes, I was.
Rachel: Calm down, don't be scared. It's just a movie!
(Drew was explaining the above conversation to me and said Rachel was being "very calm and gentle" as she attempted to reassure him).
"And soothing!" she piped up. "The disease will never come to you."
***
In two weeks Drew will be gone for a couple of days to visit his friend Jack in Madison, WI. I've decided that the girls in this house need a road trip, so we'll head up to Seattle to visit Anne, David, Jean, Amanda and Jenn. Amanda and Jenn have already suggested taking Rachel to a hockey game.
"And guess what you're going to do?" Rachel said tonight. "You're going to stay home and do boring work while I go to the hockey game with my aunties!"
Hey, Amanda and Jenn, how about keeping Rachel the whole weekend while I get to play by myself? JUST KIDDING! We can't wait to see everyone!!!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Sunny Saturday
Had a busy day today...10 a.m. pedicure, met with a potential freelancer (and former Oregonian reporter/editor) for the magazine, then shopped for drapes for the dining room (one of our drapery panels ripped and needs to be replaced) and met my friend Sarah for a lovely bike ride at 4:30. We did part of the Springwater Trail in 90 minutes, and it was so enjoyable that I made her promise we'd do the whole thing (the trail runs all the way east to Damascus and is about 20 miles) before the crappy weather starts. I figure we have the rest of September and early October to make good on that resolve.
We got back at around 7, and I invited Sarah to join Drew, Rachel and I for dinner. We went out to a Middle Eastern place where Rachel refused to eat anything because it was "too spicy." I told her that the chicken Sarah graciously gave Rachel off her plate was like the baked chicken Mommy makes at home, and Rachel smiled, hugged me and said, "I like it because it's YOUR baked chicken," but she still refused to eat it. Finally after much insisting, I got her to eat some of the lamb kabobs (which were pretty awful so I couldn't blame her for not liking them).
Rachel went to dinner in the NEW LEOTARD, TIGHTS AND BALLET SHOES that Drew bought her in preparation for DANCE CLASS! next Saturday. The leotard is black and sleeveless. She looks like a little Russian girl in dance class, so cute and serious. Drew said that the woman at the leotard store remarked that Rachel is so tall! When they got home she piroutted and moved her arms very gracefully to "The Four Seasons." I think she's going to LOVE dance class, and we will love watching her!
Tomorrow we hope to go to Mt. Hood Adventure Park, but we need to do grocery shopping and return the drapes I bought because they are too long; Drew got the measurements wrong so it's yet another trip to Bed Bath & Beyond. I wouldn't be so anxious to replace them except that a) custom drapes, which I am dying to get, are way beyond our budget and b) we have invited our friends the Petermans and their two kids to Rosh Hashana dinner next Sunday and I don't want them to sit in our dining room and look at ripped drapes. So....there you go. Hoping I can get valances up in the living room, too, but that may be trickier.
We got back at around 7, and I invited Sarah to join Drew, Rachel and I for dinner. We went out to a Middle Eastern place where Rachel refused to eat anything because it was "too spicy." I told her that the chicken Sarah graciously gave Rachel off her plate was like the baked chicken Mommy makes at home, and Rachel smiled, hugged me and said, "I like it because it's YOUR baked chicken," but she still refused to eat it. Finally after much insisting, I got her to eat some of the lamb kabobs (which were pretty awful so I couldn't blame her for not liking them).
Rachel went to dinner in the NEW LEOTARD, TIGHTS AND BALLET SHOES that Drew bought her in preparation for DANCE CLASS! next Saturday. The leotard is black and sleeveless. She looks like a little Russian girl in dance class, so cute and serious. Drew said that the woman at the leotard store remarked that Rachel is so tall! When they got home she piroutted and moved her arms very gracefully to "The Four Seasons." I think she's going to LOVE dance class, and we will love watching her!
Tomorrow we hope to go to Mt. Hood Adventure Park, but we need to do grocery shopping and return the drapes I bought because they are too long; Drew got the measurements wrong so it's yet another trip to Bed Bath & Beyond. I wouldn't be so anxious to replace them except that a) custom drapes, which I am dying to get, are way beyond our budget and b) we have invited our friends the Petermans and their two kids to Rosh Hashana dinner next Sunday and I don't want them to sit in our dining room and look at ripped drapes. So....there you go. Hoping I can get valances up in the living room, too, but that may be trickier.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Back at work
For my first day back at work Tuesday after the long Labor Day weekend, I broke all the fashion rules and wore white pants with a blue shirt and white sweater (no white sandals, only because I don't have any. For now).
I walked into the kitchen and Drew said jokingly, "Go back and change. You're breaking the fashion rules."
Rachel, who was eating breakfast, piped up, "Don't tell her to change!"
"You don't want Mommy to change?" Drew said.
"No!" Rachel answered. "Because she looks BEAUTIFUL!"
Later Rachel observed that Drew was breaking the no-white-after-Labor-Day rule because he was wearing white sock.
"So you're not listening to the law," she said earnestly. "Actually, BOTH of you are not listening to the law."
I think we should put her in touch with Anna Wintour, don't you?
***
We were discussing who would clean up the other night. Drew likes doing it because he says it relaxes him to make things clean; I do it because it gives me something to occupy my mind and my hands.
Rachel was trying to decide who should clean up dinner and settled on Drew because, as she said to me, "You have to clean up when Daddy's gone!"
"Yes, she does," Drew observed.
"Your fairy godmother can clean up!" Rachel said.
"I don't HAVE a fairy godmother," I said, somewhat crossly.
"You might have a fairy godmother," Rachel said mysteriously, "even if you don't THINK you do."
Well said, kiddo.
I walked into the kitchen and Drew said jokingly, "Go back and change. You're breaking the fashion rules."
Rachel, who was eating breakfast, piped up, "Don't tell her to change!"
"You don't want Mommy to change?" Drew said.
"No!" Rachel answered. "Because she looks BEAUTIFUL!"
Later Rachel observed that Drew was breaking the no-white-after-Labor-Day rule because he was wearing white sock.
"So you're not listening to the law," she said earnestly. "Actually, BOTH of you are not listening to the law."
I think we should put her in touch with Anna Wintour, don't you?
***
We were discussing who would clean up the other night. Drew likes doing it because he says it relaxes him to make things clean; I do it because it gives me something to occupy my mind and my hands.
Rachel was trying to decide who should clean up dinner and settled on Drew because, as she said to me, "You have to clean up when Daddy's gone!"
"Yes, she does," Drew observed.
"Your fairy godmother can clean up!" Rachel said.
"I don't HAVE a fairy godmother," I said, somewhat crossly.
"You might have a fairy godmother," Rachel said mysteriously, "even if you don't THINK you do."
Well said, kiddo.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Sweet girl
This morning Rachel was sleepy and uncommunicative (except with Drew, who gets her up and going most mornings and who she usually communicates best with). Then as I was all dressed, in skirt and heels, and ready to leave, she surprised me:
"Mah-meee!" she said, wrapping her arms around my legs and lifting her feet up off the ground. "All I want is YOU!"
"Oh, sweetie!" I said, touched.
"I love it when you work from home!" she said.
"Why?" I answered.
"Because I love you SO MUCH!" she said. Then she added, quite seriously: "And I love you both the same amount."
Which is good because occasionally I worry that she is more bonded to Drew than to me. Guess I can throw those fears out the window.
"Mah-meee!" she said, wrapping her arms around my legs and lifting her feet up off the ground. "All I want is YOU!"
"Oh, sweetie!" I said, touched.
"I love it when you work from home!" she said.
"Why?" I answered.
"Because I love you SO MUCH!" she said. Then she added, quite seriously: "And I love you both the same amount."
Which is good because occasionally I worry that she is more bonded to Drew than to me. Guess I can throw those fears out the window.
Rachel rides a bike!!
News flash! News flash! RACHEL CAN RIDE HER BIKE ALL BY HERSELF!
Well, for only a minute or two, when Drew takes his hands away...but tonight, while I was making dinner, he took her out on her bike and, miracle of miracles, she could ride a tiny bit on her own! (without training wheels, mind you). She's having a little trouble with straightening out the handlebars, but Drew can tell that she has a terrific sense of balance. We really think it's only a matter of months before she can ride without assistance from us, so next summer we're looking forward to long, leisurely rides along the Springwater trail, at Sunriver (if we get our act together in time to make reservations....it's a lot like Waterville Valley, NH) and throughout the neighborhood when Daddy's in Seattle and Mommy's restless and wants to go riding after dinner.
Well, for only a minute or two, when Drew takes his hands away...but tonight, while I was making dinner, he took her out on her bike and, miracle of miracles, she could ride a tiny bit on her own! (without training wheels, mind you). She's having a little trouble with straightening out the handlebars, but Drew can tell that she has a terrific sense of balance. We really think it's only a matter of months before she can ride without assistance from us, so next summer we're looking forward to long, leisurely rides along the Springwater trail, at Sunriver (if we get our act together in time to make reservations....it's a lot like Waterville Valley, NH) and throughout the neighborhood when Daddy's in Seattle and Mommy's restless and wants to go riding after dinner.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Last day of summer
Well, not really, but it always feels that way around Labor Day -- even thought September is truly the best month in the Pacific Northwest and in fact it's supposed to get up into the mid-80s by Wednesday, yay! -- it's a time for regretting everything I didn't manage to cram in this summer, for looking ahead to fall and Rosh Hashana, which means renewal and getting rid of things I don't really need.
That has been the theme of our weekend. We had a great time at Oak Park and State Fair but, really, I will always remember the summer of 2012 as the Summer We Got Ourselves Together and rid ourselves of two decades of excess (well, we're not quite done, but I've given us both until the end of the year to throw out ALL our old files, get rid of books we won't read, clothes we won't wear, check our finances to make sure we're doing everything we should; etc). This weekend was one small step toward that goal.
So, as of this moment, we have three bookcases in new places (one upstairs bolted to the wall; the two in Rachel's room now in the living room); Rachel's play kitchen is now in her bedroom (until she outgrows it and is ready for a big-girl desk); we've moved the videos upstairs and re-hung some pictures; eliminated the clutter from the dining room table; straightened out my checkbook and junk mail pile (me); weeded the back and front lawns; sold a bunch of old books to Powell's, taken old clothes to Goodwill. It almost feels as if we're moving, we've gotten so much done around here. Drew has said more than once that it feels great to get rid of clutter and to have a clean house (I polished the silver cups and other things we have, swept and vacuumed the living room and rearranged some knickknacks on the coffee table) and I agree. I really feel more at peace, like I'm heading into a new year free of baggage (no doubt appropriate for Rosh Hashana).
One of the nice things that came out of all the work I did was two bags -- TWO BAGS! -- of Gravenstein apples from the apple tree our neighbors gave us years ago and I had despaired of them ever bearing fruit. As soon as I started harvesting them Rachel immediately wanted to try one. She loved it and even asked for another! The apples will play a starring role in our apples and honey ceremony in a few weeks, and I've already found a recipe for apple cake. Drew has suggested I try making cinnamon apple muffins, and maybe I'll try a tart, too....Mom, Dad, Daniella, Richard, Lil, etc..if I lived closer I'd be bringing all these treats to YOU!
Tonight Rachel suggested we eat dinner outside. I pooh-poohed the idea, saying that it was too dark, the weather would be too cool, etc...but Drew overrode me when he got home from the grocery store and said, sure, we should eat outside. And...Rachel was right. it was a beautiful night, my lamb burger was fantastic, we had enough light and it was great to just sit and relax. We're thinking of getting a real outdoor table and chairs for next summer because I, for one, would LOVE to eat as many of our meals outside as possible. Provided the yellow jackets don't find us!
***
I got some Hello Kitty sunglasses the other day and thanked Rachel for suggesting I buy them, saying I wasn't going to get them because I thought I was too old. But I'm glad I did.
Her response: "You should listen to me more often, Mommy."
Um. Yes.
***
Tonight I offered to clear the stuff from outside, but Drew insisted on doing it himself. When I objected, Rachel said, "Let Daddy do it! He's taller! And he's 46!"
Not for long, kiddo...Thursday is Daddy's birthday!
That has been the theme of our weekend. We had a great time at Oak Park and State Fair but, really, I will always remember the summer of 2012 as the Summer We Got Ourselves Together and rid ourselves of two decades of excess (well, we're not quite done, but I've given us both until the end of the year to throw out ALL our old files, get rid of books we won't read, clothes we won't wear, check our finances to make sure we're doing everything we should; etc). This weekend was one small step toward that goal.
So, as of this moment, we have three bookcases in new places (one upstairs bolted to the wall; the two in Rachel's room now in the living room); Rachel's play kitchen is now in her bedroom (until she outgrows it and is ready for a big-girl desk); we've moved the videos upstairs and re-hung some pictures; eliminated the clutter from the dining room table; straightened out my checkbook and junk mail pile (me); weeded the back and front lawns; sold a bunch of old books to Powell's, taken old clothes to Goodwill. It almost feels as if we're moving, we've gotten so much done around here. Drew has said more than once that it feels great to get rid of clutter and to have a clean house (I polished the silver cups and other things we have, swept and vacuumed the living room and rearranged some knickknacks on the coffee table) and I agree. I really feel more at peace, like I'm heading into a new year free of baggage (no doubt appropriate for Rosh Hashana).
One of the nice things that came out of all the work I did was two bags -- TWO BAGS! -- of Gravenstein apples from the apple tree our neighbors gave us years ago and I had despaired of them ever bearing fruit. As soon as I started harvesting them Rachel immediately wanted to try one. She loved it and even asked for another! The apples will play a starring role in our apples and honey ceremony in a few weeks, and I've already found a recipe for apple cake. Drew has suggested I try making cinnamon apple muffins, and maybe I'll try a tart, too....Mom, Dad, Daniella, Richard, Lil, etc..if I lived closer I'd be bringing all these treats to YOU!
Tonight Rachel suggested we eat dinner outside. I pooh-poohed the idea, saying that it was too dark, the weather would be too cool, etc...but Drew overrode me when he got home from the grocery store and said, sure, we should eat outside. And...Rachel was right. it was a beautiful night, my lamb burger was fantastic, we had enough light and it was great to just sit and relax. We're thinking of getting a real outdoor table and chairs for next summer because I, for one, would LOVE to eat as many of our meals outside as possible. Provided the yellow jackets don't find us!
***
I got some Hello Kitty sunglasses the other day and thanked Rachel for suggesting I buy them, saying I wasn't going to get them because I thought I was too old. But I'm glad I did.
Her response: "You should listen to me more often, Mommy."
Um. Yes.
***
Tonight I offered to clear the stuff from outside, but Drew insisted on doing it himself. When I objected, Rachel said, "Let Daddy do it! He's taller! And he's 46!"
Not for long, kiddo...Thursday is Daddy's birthday!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
State Fair
I am a big fan of state fairs, ever since living in Minnesota and going to the state fair every summer. I hated covering it for the Pioneer Press but I loved going to it when I didn't have to work. I got to see all the cool agricultural exhibits (yes, I'm a 4H geek), eat really good-tasting food that was terrible for me, and ice cream from the dairy barn, and seeing Princess Kay of the Milky Way and all her princesses carved in butter...you really haven't lived, in my opinion, until you've gone to a good state fair.
Because of our usual delays getting the hell out of the house at a decent hour, we didn't arrive at the Oregon State Fair until 3:30. I was determined to stay as late as we could (the fair closed at 9 and is open one more day until it closes for good) and we ended up spending five hours there, in Salem. And a full day it was: we got in at the entrance to where most of the rides were, and Rachel immediately wanted to go on as many as she could. She went on the Tilt-A-Whirl with Drew, and then she insisted on going on it again with me, and I acquiesced, and that is the LAST time I will do THAT again. The Tilt-A-Whirl is the mildest of rides and I was still terrified. And I mean TERRIFIED. I screamed the whole time. Rachel, meanwhile, was shrieking with laughter next to me. At one point she reached out and patted my breast as if to reassure me, and she shouted, "Mommy! You're not dying!" And I would have died with laughter except that I was too frightened to say anything.
This is a long way of apologizing to Mom and Dad (especially Dad) for insisting on going on Space Mountain at Disney World and all the other scary rides I did when I was a kid, mostly to prove to myself that I wasn't a scaredy-cat but partially to terrorize you both. Rest assured that God is punishing me for what I put you through. It won't be the last time, I'm sure....
Oh, and the rest of the day was fine. Rachel got to see some cute bunnies and guinea pigs, and we had chocolate ice cream from the Oregon Dairy Women organization, and Rachel got to play some games on the Midway, and got her arm painted with a Hello Kitty design, and got a pony ride, and we rode back to our car on the chairlift, and she persuaded Daddy to buy her some mermaid trinkets...and, really, we all had a great time except that I was/am fighting a cold and/or allergies and so I was pretty wiped out most of the time. But, hey, hopefully we created some great memories for our kid.
Especially the one in which she reassured Mommy that everything would be OK on the Tilt-A-Whirl....
Because of our usual delays getting the hell out of the house at a decent hour, we didn't arrive at the Oregon State Fair until 3:30. I was determined to stay as late as we could (the fair closed at 9 and is open one more day until it closes for good) and we ended up spending five hours there, in Salem. And a full day it was: we got in at the entrance to where most of the rides were, and Rachel immediately wanted to go on as many as she could. She went on the Tilt-A-Whirl with Drew, and then she insisted on going on it again with me, and I acquiesced, and that is the LAST time I will do THAT again. The Tilt-A-Whirl is the mildest of rides and I was still terrified. And I mean TERRIFIED. I screamed the whole time. Rachel, meanwhile, was shrieking with laughter next to me. At one point she reached out and patted my breast as if to reassure me, and she shouted, "Mommy! You're not dying!" And I would have died with laughter except that I was too frightened to say anything.
This is a long way of apologizing to Mom and Dad (especially Dad) for insisting on going on Space Mountain at Disney World and all the other scary rides I did when I was a kid, mostly to prove to myself that I wasn't a scaredy-cat but partially to terrorize you both. Rest assured that God is punishing me for what I put you through. It won't be the last time, I'm sure....
Oh, and the rest of the day was fine. Rachel got to see some cute bunnies and guinea pigs, and we had chocolate ice cream from the Oregon Dairy Women organization, and Rachel got to play some games on the Midway, and got her arm painted with a Hello Kitty design, and got a pony ride, and we rode back to our car on the chairlift, and she persuaded Daddy to buy her some mermaid trinkets...and, really, we all had a great time except that I was/am fighting a cold and/or allergies and so I was pretty wiped out most of the time. But, hey, hopefully we created some great memories for our kid.
Especially the one in which she reassured Mommy that everything would be OK on the Tilt-A-Whirl....
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Oak Park!
Oak Park is an old-timey amusement park in Southeast Portland that was built in 1905. There's a carousel there that is 100 years old, and lots of kiddie rides, and midway games -- it's a Portland institution, which is why we decided to take Rachel there today.
(This, mind you, was after the scare we got last night when Drew tried to open the bookcase we'd moved upstairs and it nearly fell on top of him. Long story short: Our attic floor is wildly uneven near the baseboards -- we measured it with a carpenter's level -- and so we'll need to brace the bookcase to the wall to make sure it doesn't topple over. This kept us up, talking and worrying, until 2 a.m. But thankfully a visit to the hardware store this morning convinced Drew that he can brace the bookcase by himself).
Anyway...we got to Oak Park around 1:30 after detours to Goodwill (got rid of a box of clothing, yay!), the eyeglass store to get our glasses frames straightened out (mine got bent after Drew accidentally knocked them over while we were moving one of the bookcases) and an estate sale. Rachel immediately wanted to ride the carousel, then the Ferris wheel, then she did all the kiddie rides over and over and over again. To her credit, she said "thank you!" every time a ride attendant helped her on and off a ride, or buckled/unbuckled her. She went on every ride except a few by herself and -- because this is Rachel -- she kept making friends with everyone sitting next to her. (On one ride she was in front of an older sister with her younger sibling, and when the older sister didn't want to ride a second time, the younger one said to Rachel, "wanna go on it again?" and Rachel grabbed her hand and they had a great time).
For her last ride, Rachel chose to go on the train that circles the park. She insisted on doing it herself and having Drew and I wave goodbye to her. "Goodbye!" she said, waving frantically. "See you in a few months!" she added. "Write when you find work!" Drew hollered back. "We'll miss you!" I added wistfully. Within a minute she had turned around and started chatting with the mom and daughter behind her and gave us a confident smile when the train started moving. It was a just an amusement park ride but for a moment I got a glimpse of our future -- saying goodbye to her over and over again -- at sleepovers, at sleep-away camp, at vacations with friends, at college -- until she's really gone for good. And that made me sad.
***
We left the park quite late and, on impulse, stopped at a creperie called Suzette in Southeast Portland. Bad decision: the onion soup was dreadful, the crepes took way too long and mine was too rich (I'm still queasy and am drinking some green tea to calm my stomach) and at first Rachel didn't like her peanut butter crepe. But later on she ate almost all of it, and was enraptured by a ghost story Drew told her at dinner (which followed the golem story he started this morning and finished up before our dinner came. While we were getting our eyeglasses fixed earlier today he rushed up to me and whispered, "The monsters in Jewish lore -- are they called golum or golem?" Never thought I'd hear this from my non-Jewish husband). Plus he taught her to play dominoes with a set he found at the restaurant.
Over dinner Rachel started telling us about ghosts. "Number one," she said. "They don't have eyes. Number two: They don't like lights. Number three: They don't like people."
***
On the drive home, after I announced that I was going to bake Daddy a birthday cake (Drew's birthday is coming up on Thursday), Rachel thought I had ruined a surprise. But I told her I wouldn't tell him the kind of cake I was going to bake. To throw him off the scent she said loudly, "We're going to make you a strawberry cake. With strawberries from the ground -- the reddest, juiciest, most succilent (she meant "succulent," of course) ones that you could ever imagine!"
***
Forgot to mention this yesterday: Drew had already gotten up to shower, I was half-asleep in bed, and Rachel crawled up next to me, kissed me on the cheek and said softly, "You're the best thing in the world." And no, there is absolutely no better way to start the day!
(This, mind you, was after the scare we got last night when Drew tried to open the bookcase we'd moved upstairs and it nearly fell on top of him. Long story short: Our attic floor is wildly uneven near the baseboards -- we measured it with a carpenter's level -- and so we'll need to brace the bookcase to the wall to make sure it doesn't topple over. This kept us up, talking and worrying, until 2 a.m. But thankfully a visit to the hardware store this morning convinced Drew that he can brace the bookcase by himself).
Anyway...we got to Oak Park around 1:30 after detours to Goodwill (got rid of a box of clothing, yay!), the eyeglass store to get our glasses frames straightened out (mine got bent after Drew accidentally knocked them over while we were moving one of the bookcases) and an estate sale. Rachel immediately wanted to ride the carousel, then the Ferris wheel, then she did all the kiddie rides over and over and over again. To her credit, she said "thank you!" every time a ride attendant helped her on and off a ride, or buckled/unbuckled her. She went on every ride except a few by herself and -- because this is Rachel -- she kept making friends with everyone sitting next to her. (On one ride she was in front of an older sister with her younger sibling, and when the older sister didn't want to ride a second time, the younger one said to Rachel, "wanna go on it again?" and Rachel grabbed her hand and they had a great time).
For her last ride, Rachel chose to go on the train that circles the park. She insisted on doing it herself and having Drew and I wave goodbye to her. "Goodbye!" she said, waving frantically. "See you in a few months!" she added. "Write when you find work!" Drew hollered back. "We'll miss you!" I added wistfully. Within a minute she had turned around and started chatting with the mom and daughter behind her and gave us a confident smile when the train started moving. It was a just an amusement park ride but for a moment I got a glimpse of our future -- saying goodbye to her over and over again -- at sleepovers, at sleep-away camp, at vacations with friends, at college -- until she's really gone for good. And that made me sad.
***
We left the park quite late and, on impulse, stopped at a creperie called Suzette in Southeast Portland. Bad decision: the onion soup was dreadful, the crepes took way too long and mine was too rich (I'm still queasy and am drinking some green tea to calm my stomach) and at first Rachel didn't like her peanut butter crepe. But later on she ate almost all of it, and was enraptured by a ghost story Drew told her at dinner (which followed the golem story he started this morning and finished up before our dinner came. While we were getting our eyeglasses fixed earlier today he rushed up to me and whispered, "The monsters in Jewish lore -- are they called golum or golem?" Never thought I'd hear this from my non-Jewish husband). Plus he taught her to play dominoes with a set he found at the restaurant.
Over dinner Rachel started telling us about ghosts. "Number one," she said. "They don't have eyes. Number two: They don't like lights. Number three: They don't like people."
***
On the drive home, after I announced that I was going to bake Daddy a birthday cake (Drew's birthday is coming up on Thursday), Rachel thought I had ruined a surprise. But I told her I wouldn't tell him the kind of cake I was going to bake. To throw him off the scent she said loudly, "We're going to make you a strawberry cake. With strawberries from the ground -- the reddest, juiciest, most succilent (she meant "succulent," of course) ones that you could ever imagine!"
***
Forgot to mention this yesterday: Drew had already gotten up to shower, I was half-asleep in bed, and Rachel crawled up next to me, kissed me on the cheek and said softly, "You're the best thing in the world." And no, there is absolutely no better way to start the day!
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