McKinley Elementary has a neat tradition every year: International Night. They celebrate diversity of different cultures by having the students bring in different foods representing their culture, they put on various performances, and there are activities around the school that celebrate diversity. The event tonight lasted from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
I, of course, made life as difficult as I could for myself by bringing in homemade babka. (PopPop and Mammaw are very familiar with this dish:)). I made it yesterday and today while feeling sick and trying to work on a story for the Globe. I shortened a couple of steps and forgot an ingredient or two, but Drew insisted the babka was delicious (and, indeed, there were only crumbs left when I went to collect the pan. So, that's a good sign, right?).
I saw that one (or more) other families had brought rugelach and halvah, so apparently there are some Jewish families in the school. There was even one other babka, which, to my dismay, tasted much better than mine -- even thought it was store-bought! Sigh. Drew and Rachel watched the performances while I stayed in the one of the kindergarten classrooms (not Rachel's) and watched over the activities. I also picked up some tips from a few moms about summer camp sign-up (something we'll have to jump on as soon as possibilities become available. I miss year-round preschool).
Now it's time to head to bed and knock this yuckiness out of my system. I miss feeling healthy.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Rachel's first graph
Rachel has been learning about charts and graphs in kindergarten, as well as surveys and polling. Her class does surveys as a regular part of homework.
The other day while we were waiting for Drew to come home, Rachel took a noisemaker she had gotten in extended day and started blowing it, loudly. We hit upon the idea of seeing where it would be loudest in different parts of the house -- at the top of the stairs, in her closet, in the guest room closet, in the study, in the kitchen and the playroom.
She made me make a list of all the places, and then we decided to rank them in terms of how loudly I heard the noisemaker, and THEN we decided to do a "dot chart," as she called it.
So I explained the concept of the x/y axis, then we labeled each one (loudness level, from 1 to 100, was on the x axis, and name of room was on the y axis). And then I told her how loud each blast of the noisemaker had been in each room, and we plotted the dots on the graph. Then we drew a line and connected them.
You could not believe how cool she thought that was, and I can't believe my kid understands how to chart and graph different events. The things they learn in kindergarten these days...
The other day while we were waiting for Drew to come home, Rachel took a noisemaker she had gotten in extended day and started blowing it, loudly. We hit upon the idea of seeing where it would be loudest in different parts of the house -- at the top of the stairs, in her closet, in the guest room closet, in the study, in the kitchen and the playroom.
She made me make a list of all the places, and then we decided to rank them in terms of how loudly I heard the noisemaker, and THEN we decided to do a "dot chart," as she called it.
So I explained the concept of the x/y axis, then we labeled each one (loudness level, from 1 to 100, was on the x axis, and name of room was on the y axis). And then I told her how loud each blast of the noisemaker had been in each room, and we plotted the dots on the graph. Then we drew a line and connected them.
You could not believe how cool she thought that was, and I can't believe my kid understands how to chart and graph different events. The things they learn in kindergarten these days...
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Daisy Scouts!
Rachel had her first Daisy Scouts meeting last night! The meetings are the last Tuesday of every month. The troop leaders pick the girls up from extended day and take them to the art room, where they have their meeting, do activities and then are served pizza for dinner. Parents pick them up at 7. It's a great system.
I surprised Rachel yesterday morning by putting a necklace on her than I had gotten at the Girl Scout store downtown -- a necklace of daisy petals to symbolize being a Daisy Scout. "I hope you get a lot out of it," I said, and she thanked me profusely for the necklace; she really liked it a lot.
After I picked her up, I was helping Kelly, the troop leader, carry stuff out when I heard a scream and sobbing down the hall. Rachel was running toward me. "Libby THREW MY SNACK ON THE FLOOR!" she shrieked. "Come on, Rachel, she didn't do it on purpose," I said. "SHE DID!" Rachel insisted, and unfortunately it was true. Libby is Kelly's daughter, and sometimes she's just mean or wild for no reason -- the first time she came to our house for a playdate she clearly didn't want to be there and ended up ripping some of Rachel's artwork off the walls, which shocked all of us because she seems like a nice kid.
Anyway, Kelly was highly embarrassed, since she had just led a meeting at which she emphasized how Girl Scouts ought to behave, and she insisted Libby apologize. "I'm sorry," Libby simpered, not sounding at all sorry, and Kelly insisted Libby give Rachel the rest of her snack as payment. Libby refused and got on the floor, so Kelly had to wrest it from her backpack. "It's ok, you don't have to," Rachel said sincerely, and I was so proud of her. I was even prouder when she and Libby raced to the playground to wait for us (it was dark and there was still snow on the ground), and when we got there Rachel announced she had given Libby's snack back to her. Later she told us that she had followed Libby outside because she was worried "that someone would take her" and she wanted to make sure she was OK.
That right there showed us that Rachel is wise and kind beyond her years, a true Girl Scout. By the time the meeting had ended, she had memorized the Girl Scout Promise and, apparently told Kelly (who is overwhelmed as troop leader) that she'd be perfectly fine with leading the troop herself, if Kelly needed help.
I surprised Rachel yesterday morning by putting a necklace on her than I had gotten at the Girl Scout store downtown -- a necklace of daisy petals to symbolize being a Daisy Scout. "I hope you get a lot out of it," I said, and she thanked me profusely for the necklace; she really liked it a lot.
After I picked her up, I was helping Kelly, the troop leader, carry stuff out when I heard a scream and sobbing down the hall. Rachel was running toward me. "Libby THREW MY SNACK ON THE FLOOR!" she shrieked. "Come on, Rachel, she didn't do it on purpose," I said. "SHE DID!" Rachel insisted, and unfortunately it was true. Libby is Kelly's daughter, and sometimes she's just mean or wild for no reason -- the first time she came to our house for a playdate she clearly didn't want to be there and ended up ripping some of Rachel's artwork off the walls, which shocked all of us because she seems like a nice kid.
Anyway, Kelly was highly embarrassed, since she had just led a meeting at which she emphasized how Girl Scouts ought to behave, and she insisted Libby apologize. "I'm sorry," Libby simpered, not sounding at all sorry, and Kelly insisted Libby give Rachel the rest of her snack as payment. Libby refused and got on the floor, so Kelly had to wrest it from her backpack. "It's ok, you don't have to," Rachel said sincerely, and I was so proud of her. I was even prouder when she and Libby raced to the playground to wait for us (it was dark and there was still snow on the ground), and when we got there Rachel announced she had given Libby's snack back to her. Later she told us that she had followed Libby outside because she was worried "that someone would take her" and she wanted to make sure she was OK.
That right there showed us that Rachel is wise and kind beyond her years, a true Girl Scout. By the time the meeting had ended, she had memorized the Girl Scout Promise and, apparently told Kelly (who is overwhelmed as troop leader) that she'd be perfectly fine with leading the troop herself, if Kelly needed help.
Supreme Court
This time last week I was sitting in the Supreme Court chambers waiting to listen to an argument in a case I was tangentially involved with. Warren Binford, a professor at Willamette University College of Law, asked me late last year to edit an amicus brief she was filing on behalf of the Dutch government as part of a child pornography case that was about to go before the justices. The issue they were deciding was whether victims of child pornography have to prove that they are harmed each time someone downloads their image and how much restitution the viewers should be expected to pay.
(I'm sure I mangled the above, but that's the gist of it).
Anyway, Warren had a bunch of her students work on the brief and brought them to D.C. to listen to the case. She also brought former Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul De Muniz, whom I've known for a long time, to listen to the arguments, too. Warren stayed one night with us; the rest of the time she was at a swanky hotel in the District. She invited me to stay with her the night before the arguments so I wouldn't have to get up absurdly early, so I did. As it happened, that was the night we got the ungodly amount of snow we did and I had to cut a trail from our house to the Metro station. So, I was glad to have a place to crash.
The next day we got up early (Warren had stayed up late the night before to go through her emails from her students, so we ended up going on 5 1/2 hours of sleep, and thank heavens I didn't have to actually file a story about the proceedings) and took a cab to the court. She and Paul whisked me inside and, luckily, my neighbor Carol, the FBI agent in charge of monitoring terrorism in the D.C. area, had set me up to be met by one of her employees. He found me immediately, instructed me to wait for him in the cafeteria, then he came and got me at the appointed time and escorted me upstairs. He even gave me a quarter for the lockers where I had to deposit my backpack! I had to go through TWO security checks before I was finally allowed into the courtroom. Big bonus: No standing in line out front in the bitter cold.
The justices were surprisingly human and asked questions that I could actually follow. The room was really magnificent -- crimson curtains edged by mustard-colored fringe, marble everywhere -- I almost pinched myself to reassure myself that I was really at the Supreme Court, listening to arguments about a case I was somewhat involved in. After it was over, we left, and I hung around the building to look at the displays on the walls outlining the history of the court. (One cool thing about D.C. is that even the mildly historic buildings have displays inside that are the equivalent of mini-museums). Then I grabbed lunch and waited to meet Warren at the National Gallery, where we looked at Impressionist art for an hour. We headed to a lecture at Georgetown she'd helped arrange, then Paul took us all over to Old Ebbit Grill, which I've been dying to try. It's a D.C. institution and the food was actually a lot less expensive than I'd expected.
Then Warren and I took a taxi back home and stayed up with poor Drew until 2 a.m., talking. End result was that the next day I had to get both Warren and Rachel out of the house (Rachel had a two-hour late start) by 10 and 11, respectively, then start building a story memo for The Boston Globe, where I'm freelancing for a while. Instead, I tried to fight off a cold by sleeping (didn't work, I was too wound up), so I ended up catching a really nasty bug that knocked me out for Friday and most of the weekend.
And that is why I haven't been writing on the blog. Now you finally know how the Supreme Court thing went. It was AWESOME.
(I'm sure I mangled the above, but that's the gist of it).
Anyway, Warren had a bunch of her students work on the brief and brought them to D.C. to listen to the case. She also brought former Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul De Muniz, whom I've known for a long time, to listen to the arguments, too. Warren stayed one night with us; the rest of the time she was at a swanky hotel in the District. She invited me to stay with her the night before the arguments so I wouldn't have to get up absurdly early, so I did. As it happened, that was the night we got the ungodly amount of snow we did and I had to cut a trail from our house to the Metro station. So, I was glad to have a place to crash.
The next day we got up early (Warren had stayed up late the night before to go through her emails from her students, so we ended up going on 5 1/2 hours of sleep, and thank heavens I didn't have to actually file a story about the proceedings) and took a cab to the court. She and Paul whisked me inside and, luckily, my neighbor Carol, the FBI agent in charge of monitoring terrorism in the D.C. area, had set me up to be met by one of her employees. He found me immediately, instructed me to wait for him in the cafeteria, then he came and got me at the appointed time and escorted me upstairs. He even gave me a quarter for the lockers where I had to deposit my backpack! I had to go through TWO security checks before I was finally allowed into the courtroom. Big bonus: No standing in line out front in the bitter cold.
The justices were surprisingly human and asked questions that I could actually follow. The room was really magnificent -- crimson curtains edged by mustard-colored fringe, marble everywhere -- I almost pinched myself to reassure myself that I was really at the Supreme Court, listening to arguments about a case I was somewhat involved in. After it was over, we left, and I hung around the building to look at the displays on the walls outlining the history of the court. (One cool thing about D.C. is that even the mildly historic buildings have displays inside that are the equivalent of mini-museums). Then I grabbed lunch and waited to meet Warren at the National Gallery, where we looked at Impressionist art for an hour. We headed to a lecture at Georgetown she'd helped arrange, then Paul took us all over to Old Ebbit Grill, which I've been dying to try. It's a D.C. institution and the food was actually a lot less expensive than I'd expected.
Then Warren and I took a taxi back home and stayed up with poor Drew until 2 a.m., talking. End result was that the next day I had to get both Warren and Rachel out of the house (Rachel had a two-hour late start) by 10 and 11, respectively, then start building a story memo for The Boston Globe, where I'm freelancing for a while. Instead, I tried to fight off a cold by sleeping (didn't work, I was too wound up), so I ended up catching a really nasty bug that knocked me out for Friday and most of the weekend.
And that is why I haven't been writing on the blog. Now you finally know how the Supreme Court thing went. It was AWESOME.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Quiet MLK Day
...Feeling a need to get back into the kitchen, I rolled up my sleeves this morning and cut up all the ingredients for a short rib stew, then put them in the crock pot for an 8-hour slow cook. Rachel went to her friend Ivy's for a playdate, but came home early because, while swinging in the backyard, she started feeling queasy.
Drew ran a few errands, then came back and hung out with Rachel while I worked most of the day on some writing I need to get done by tomorrow (finished it and sent it in ahead of deadline, yay!). It was so mild -- 57 degrees! -- that they biked to the playground near our house, then biked back in utter darkness. Then they did a "craft" for me together (a big book with drawings) before dinner. By the time they were done the ribs were ready and we sat down to eat. Unfortunately Rachel didn't like them but she was too scared to tell me because she didn't want to hurt my feelings. Sigh...I had really hoped to diversify her tastes a little more, but as I told Drew later, I didn't much like stews or roasts until I was long out of the house. Right, Mom? Right?
I should have poured more of the fat off the stew, but that's OK, I'll do it after it sits in the fridge overnight. After dinner I went back to work and said goodnight to Rachel after her bath. Good news: We just got word that she got into a "Physics for Curious Kids" after-school class! Yay! She is well on to her way to becoming a scientist, and, hey, we just got word that Uncle David is coming to visit at the beginning of February so Rachel can show him everything she's learned by then.
Drew ran a few errands, then came back and hung out with Rachel while I worked most of the day on some writing I need to get done by tomorrow (finished it and sent it in ahead of deadline, yay!). It was so mild -- 57 degrees! -- that they biked to the playground near our house, then biked back in utter darkness. Then they did a "craft" for me together (a big book with drawings) before dinner. By the time they were done the ribs were ready and we sat down to eat. Unfortunately Rachel didn't like them but she was too scared to tell me because she didn't want to hurt my feelings. Sigh...I had really hoped to diversify her tastes a little more, but as I told Drew later, I didn't much like stews or roasts until I was long out of the house. Right, Mom? Right?
I should have poured more of the fat off the stew, but that's OK, I'll do it after it sits in the fridge overnight. After dinner I went back to work and said goodnight to Rachel after her bath. Good news: We just got word that she got into a "Physics for Curious Kids" after-school class! Yay! She is well on to her way to becoming a scientist, and, hey, we just got word that Uncle David is coming to visit at the beginning of February so Rachel can show him everything she's learned by then.
Star gazing
Rachel spent most of today at her friend Libby's house while I finished up a magazine story and Drew re-caulked the shower, which badly needed it (a law professor from Willamette is staying with us Wednesday night). I also got a chance to clear out my side of the study and get rid of A LOT of stuff that has been hanging around way too long. Yay!!
When I picked Rachel up from her playdate, we lay on the grass on the front yard, looking at the pretty patterns the sunset was making in the sky. She pointed out the contrails to me. I believe Rachel is the only 5 year old I know who can identify a contrail (thank you, Drew). She announced that tonight she would put on her nightgown, throw a coat over herself and then go in the backyard to "stargaze." (I didn't really think this would happen, but I humored her and went along with it).
After a late dinner of roast duck, wild rice and salad (thank you again, Drew), I went downstairs to watch "Downton Abbey." At 9:40, Rachel came downstairs and said, "Wanna go stargazing with me? You could pause your program." OF COURSE I said yes. How could I deny what my little girl wanted? Pretty soon she won't want me around to do anything, so I figure I should seize every opportunity to be with her when she asks.
So I bundled up, we took the summer picnic blanket from the car and went to the backyard, spread out the blanket and lay down. I had warned Rachel that we probably wouldn't see very many starts because the lights from the urban area we live in would mask them, but I was pleasantly surprised -- there were really a lot there, including Orion's Belt. Rachel went inside to get a flashlight and some pictures she had drawn of the night sky that showed the constellations. We stayed on the ground for a while, then she swung on the swing set, and I told her I wanted to go inside -- I was cold, and it was late (although there's no school tomorrow for MLK Day). While we were outside she hugged me and lay her head on my chest. She was so happy I had come outside, as was I.
Now Drew is making duck soup from the duck's carcass and some vegetables and the lovely smell is wafting through the house. We're about to go downstairs and watch the return of "Sherlock."
When I picked Rachel up from her playdate, we lay on the grass on the front yard, looking at the pretty patterns the sunset was making in the sky. She pointed out the contrails to me. I believe Rachel is the only 5 year old I know who can identify a contrail (thank you, Drew). She announced that tonight she would put on her nightgown, throw a coat over herself and then go in the backyard to "stargaze." (I didn't really think this would happen, but I humored her and went along with it).
After a late dinner of roast duck, wild rice and salad (thank you again, Drew), I went downstairs to watch "Downton Abbey." At 9:40, Rachel came downstairs and said, "Wanna go stargazing with me? You could pause your program." OF COURSE I said yes. How could I deny what my little girl wanted? Pretty soon she won't want me around to do anything, so I figure I should seize every opportunity to be with her when she asks.
So I bundled up, we took the summer picnic blanket from the car and went to the backyard, spread out the blanket and lay down. I had warned Rachel that we probably wouldn't see very many starts because the lights from the urban area we live in would mask them, but I was pleasantly surprised -- there were really a lot there, including Orion's Belt. Rachel went inside to get a flashlight and some pictures she had drawn of the night sky that showed the constellations. We stayed on the ground for a while, then she swung on the swing set, and I told her I wanted to go inside -- I was cold, and it was late (although there's no school tomorrow for MLK Day). While we were outside she hugged me and lay her head on my chest. She was so happy I had come outside, as was I.
Now Drew is making duck soup from the duck's carcass and some vegetables and the lovely smell is wafting through the house. We're about to go downstairs and watch the return of "Sherlock."
Sunday, January 19, 2014
A glimpse of the future
Rachel brought her stuffed lion Nemo downstairs to breakfast this morning (I had gotten up hours earlier to swim with a neighbor, who forgot I was going to go with her and left. Instead of going back to sleep, I decided to re-write a magazine story I'm working on that's due Monday. Good think I did, it took most of this morning and early afternoon, longer than I'd planned).
Rachel put Nemo on top of the buffet and asked me to keep an eye on him while she ate. Sure, I said.
"Thanks. That's a big help," she replied.
"In a couple of years, you'll be saying, 'Mom, can you watch the baby while I take a shower?' And I'll say, 'Sure, sweetie. I can watch the baby all day,'" I answered wistfully.
"Make it better," she shot back. "Two days!"
Rachel put Nemo on top of the buffet and asked me to keep an eye on him while she ate. Sure, I said.
"Thanks. That's a big help," she replied.
"In a couple of years, you'll be saying, 'Mom, can you watch the baby while I take a shower?' And I'll say, 'Sure, sweetie. I can watch the baby all day,'" I answered wistfully.
"Make it better," she shot back. "Two days!"
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Culture & cookies
Drew had a lot of errands to get done today, so I took Rachel to a Teatro de la Luna children's theater festival. The ad in the Post said "children's theater festival," so I was unaware it was bilingual until Rachel and I got there. We were both so excited to be able to take the Metro, though -- it was bitterly cold out -- that I thought, what the heck, and we ended up having a nice time. There were some Mexican and Peruvian dance troupes, and Rachel got to color and try to read Spanish books in between the performances (I managed to translate "Sleeping Beauty" and was pretty pleased with myself)...and we got home at 6, so Drew had plenty of time to do what he had to get done.
When we got home I decreed that it was time for The Great Drew and Lisa Chocolate Chip Cookie bake-off. Rachel and I had come up with this idea earlier this week. Drew would bake a batch of his kind of chocolate chip cookies, I would bake a batch of my kind (in which I follow the Toll House recipe EXACTLY), and may the best cook win. Rachel taped our names to two separate plates and she was not allowed to watch cookie prep; it was a blind taste test and so she sampled one of Drew's and one of mine (to be scrupulously fair, we put them in the oven and took them out at exactly the same time).
And the winner was....Drew. DARN! He made such a fuss about it, too. "OH YEAH!" "OH YEAH!" he shouted, jumping up and down while I pounded my fist on the dining room table. Rachel made two pictures -- one for first place and one for consolation prize -- and she made us hunt for them (kind of the afikomen at Passover).
And then we all ate pizza and watched "A Barbie Christmas Carol" together.
When we got home I decreed that it was time for The Great Drew and Lisa Chocolate Chip Cookie bake-off. Rachel and I had come up with this idea earlier this week. Drew would bake a batch of his kind of chocolate chip cookies, I would bake a batch of my kind (in which I follow the Toll House recipe EXACTLY), and may the best cook win. Rachel taped our names to two separate plates and she was not allowed to watch cookie prep; it was a blind taste test and so she sampled one of Drew's and one of mine (to be scrupulously fair, we put them in the oven and took them out at exactly the same time).
And the winner was....Drew. DARN! He made such a fuss about it, too. "OH YEAH!" "OH YEAH!" he shouted, jumping up and down while I pounded my fist on the dining room table. Rachel made two pictures -- one for first place and one for consolation prize -- and she made us hunt for them (kind of the afikomen at Passover).
And then we all ate pizza and watched "A Barbie Christmas Carol" together.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
The sweet things Rachel says
After her bath on Wednesday, Rachel came downstairs and tried to sneak up on me from behind and scare me by shouting, "BOO!" (She did that other night when I was deep into reading the Post and scared the bejesus out of me). This time I turned the tables on her, and just as she was about to pounce I turned around in my chair and yelled, "BOO!" to her. She was very frightened and ran into the study.
I joined her there and we climbed into the soft Papasan to cuddle. As she laid her head on my chest, she sighed and said, "I love this moment!"
"So do I!" I answered. Let's promise to always remember it, OK?"
"Even when I'm in a wheelchair!" she promised.
A few minutes later, she said, "I wish there were 300 more of you born!"
Is it any wonder I'm utterly in love with this kid??
I joined her there and we climbed into the soft Papasan to cuddle. As she laid her head on my chest, she sighed and said, "I love this moment!"
"So do I!" I answered. Let's promise to always remember it, OK?"
"Even when I'm in a wheelchair!" she promised.
A few minutes later, she said, "I wish there were 300 more of you born!"
Is it any wonder I'm utterly in love with this kid??
She's a little too much like me
On Wednesday night, just after Ivy told Rachel she needed time to do some homework and eat dinner, we came home and I was getting ready to prepare our dinner -- got out the ingredients for popovers to accompany leftover meatloaf, put on my apron -- and Rachel was sitting at the dining room table eating a snack, when all of a sudden she took my hand, led me into the living room, made me sit down on the couch and arranged the pillows around me. Then she went up to our bedroom, brought down a book called "Washington" I'm reading, a biography of George Washington, and put it in my lap. "REST, Mommy," she said. "REST. Then we're going to have a quick Mommy cuddle and walk over to Ivy's." When I tried to protest and say I needed to start dinner, she repeated, "REST, Mommy. REST."
Resting lasted longer than I planned, Drew called soon after and said he was on the way home from the train station, and so I told Rachel it was too late to go over to Ivy's. She pitched a fit, ran upstairs and yelled at herself for being "stupid." When I tried to comfort her and say it wasn't her fault, that I could have done a better job of reminding her about time (she complained at Ivy's that she didn't want to go home and set the table, and she took her time about doing it when we came back -- something we need to work on), she would have none of it. "I'm STUPID. I told you to rest, and it took too looong," she sobbed. I hugged her and tried to explain that she shouldn't be so hard on herself, that the world will punish her enough.
She got over it by dinnertime, but it really disconcerted me. Because I'm as hard on myself as she is on herself, and I want to spare her that agony as best I can.
Resting lasted longer than I planned, Drew called soon after and said he was on the way home from the train station, and so I told Rachel it was too late to go over to Ivy's. She pitched a fit, ran upstairs and yelled at herself for being "stupid." When I tried to comfort her and say it wasn't her fault, that I could have done a better job of reminding her about time (she complained at Ivy's that she didn't want to go home and set the table, and she took her time about doing it when we came back -- something we need to work on), she would have none of it. "I'm STUPID. I told you to rest, and it took too looong," she sobbed. I hugged her and tried to explain that she shouldn't be so hard on herself, that the world will punish her enough.
She got over it by dinnertime, but it really disconcerted me. Because I'm as hard on myself as she is on herself, and I want to spare her that agony as best I can.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Sleeplessness
Lately Rachel has been worrying us by waking up in the middle of night and saying she can't get back to sleep. Earlier this week she said she had tried everything -- "reading, telling my stuffed animals stories, doing math problems in my head," -- but nothing worked. So, she and Drew did some math problems together and that seemed to tire her out. (Drew says she is already doing first-grade math).
Last night we were getting ready to close up the downstairs when...who did we see...but Rachel! She had snuck downstairs onto the couch and was curled up in the "Lil Blanket," the cozy throw that Mammaw bought us for Christmas and that is wrapped around my legs as I write this. Rachel had complained that she couldn't sleep in her own bed, and Drew told her firmly that she COULD NOT fall asleep on the couch and took her upstairs. (She had taken a short nap earlier in the day, which is probably why she had trouble falling asleep).
Drew and I are so concerned about this that we've decided we absolutely must move her bedtime earlier (problem is, we have so much fun playing around with her that we tend to let the bedtime process drag on far too long). So tonight, Drew made dinner at 7, they went upstairs for books and bath at 8:10, and she was in bed by 9:10. Still a little too late for my taste but better than 9:30 or 10(!!) p.m. bedtimes that is our norm.
Last night we were getting ready to close up the downstairs when...who did we see...but Rachel! She had snuck downstairs onto the couch and was curled up in the "Lil Blanket," the cozy throw that Mammaw bought us for Christmas and that is wrapped around my legs as I write this. Rachel had complained that she couldn't sleep in her own bed, and Drew told her firmly that she COULD NOT fall asleep on the couch and took her upstairs. (She had taken a short nap earlier in the day, which is probably why she had trouble falling asleep).
Drew and I are so concerned about this that we've decided we absolutely must move her bedtime earlier (problem is, we have so much fun playing around with her that we tend to let the bedtime process drag on far too long). So tonight, Drew made dinner at 7, they went upstairs for books and bath at 8:10, and she was in bed by 9:10. Still a little too late for my taste but better than 9:30 or 10(!!) p.m. bedtimes that is our norm.
Busy crazy weekend
On Friday, a local community center had a "Parents Night Out," where they provided a bunch of fun activities for kids -- face painting, a bouncy house, a movie, snack -- so Drew and I took the opportunity to see a movie ("American Hustle," which was fantastic) and grabbed dinner from a local bistro -- I had to order takeout, but we all will go back there someday because the food was inexpensive and good.
On the way home, Rachel said that the staff had played "Simon Says" with her, and she had won, and I reminded her that I had stopped playing that game with her because she won all the time.
"I guess I was just born to be smart," she said cheerfully, and yes, that is true.
On Saturday we discovered a great children's theater company here in Arlington that was putting on "The Little Mermaid Jr." a local stage production with kids in elementary, middle and high school. The singing was uneven but the acting, costumes and props were actually pretty good. Rachel was so happy that I took her, even if she begged to leave during the scary parts (I told her we couldn't leave, so I covered her eyes and ears instead).
When we got home, we had an early dinner and then played "Monopoly Junior," which Charon had brought us as a holiday gift when we invited her and her family over for a holiday dinner last month. Man, Rachel is good at that game. Drew went bankrupt and Rachel won.
"I actually don't like being rich," Rachel said at one point during the game. "'Cause then you have to have a lot of moneybags and you don't have room for other stuff. Got that, Bear?"
Then she added: "I can't believe I just beated two grownups!"
Me: "How about you go to bed?"
Rachel" How about NOT?"
She's so cute I can barely stand it.
Today I had to spend most all of the day working on a magazine story, so I was out of the house by 8 and then back by 5. Drew made dinner, got Rachel to bed early, and I did some more work on the story. Now about to take a break to watch "Downtown Abbey," and then it's back on the story at 8 a.m. tomorrow. When it's all turned in, I plan to take at least a one-day break!
On the way home, Rachel said that the staff had played "Simon Says" with her, and she had won, and I reminded her that I had stopped playing that game with her because she won all the time.
"I guess I was just born to be smart," she said cheerfully, and yes, that is true.
On Saturday we discovered a great children's theater company here in Arlington that was putting on "The Little Mermaid Jr." a local stage production with kids in elementary, middle and high school. The singing was uneven but the acting, costumes and props were actually pretty good. Rachel was so happy that I took her, even if she begged to leave during the scary parts (I told her we couldn't leave, so I covered her eyes and ears instead).
When we got home, we had an early dinner and then played "Monopoly Junior," which Charon had brought us as a holiday gift when we invited her and her family over for a holiday dinner last month. Man, Rachel is good at that game. Drew went bankrupt and Rachel won.
"I actually don't like being rich," Rachel said at one point during the game. "'Cause then you have to have a lot of moneybags and you don't have room for other stuff. Got that, Bear?"
Then she added: "I can't believe I just beated two grownups!"
Me: "How about you go to bed?"
Rachel" How about NOT?"
She's so cute I can barely stand it.
Today I had to spend most all of the day working on a magazine story, so I was out of the house by 8 and then back by 5. Drew made dinner, got Rachel to bed early, and I did some more work on the story. Now about to take a break to watch "Downtown Abbey," and then it's back on the story at 8 a.m. tomorrow. When it's all turned in, I plan to take at least a one-day break!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Lovely weekend
It was the first weekend in about six weeks that I got to spend with Drew and Rachel, since I'm no longer working nights/weekends, and it was great to be with my family full-time. A few highlights:
--Saturday we had friends over for brunch -- Tracy (former colleague from the Oregonian, now working for the D.C. bureau of the Boston Globe, who told Rachel "your mommy is my mentor! She taught me everything I know"), her partner Gerald, and their adorable son Langston, who is 18 months old. It was wonderful to hold a baby in my arms again and inhale his wonderful smell. He was kind of shy for a while (although he devoured the frittata I made), but then when he saw Rachel cavorting around, he decided our living/dining room/kitchen was a terrific place to run around. I could tell Rachel was delighted by him, and by the end of the visit she sent a message to Tracy and Gerald (she was in her room getting ready for a playdate) that she'd had a really good time and she hoped they'd come over again soonl
--After the brunch I took Rachel over to her classmate Libby's house for a playdate. They live fairly close by and I've been waiting for a chance to get to know Libby's mom Kelly for a while. Kelly works in the Interior Department and is a very kind person. So, while the girls were downstairs watching movies, Kelly and I sat on the couch in the living room with cups of tea and talked for about three hours. (She's from Michigan, which is why we probably connected so well since we've both lived in the Midwest!). We both fretted that people are so busy here, they just don't have the time to drop in unexpectedly, and Kelly said "hey, we can change that!" She also gave me a tip on a good place to camp and hike about four hours away from here.
--Drew picked us up and we went back home to wait for AAA (my car battery died in this intense cold we've been experiencing), while Drew had a snowball fight in the front yard with Rachel in the gathering darkness. I watched from inside because my pinkie toe STILL HURTS -- it is a disgusting back and blue. Drew picked up a pizza and cupcakes for Family Movie Night (oh, how I've missed that!), put Rachel to bed at around 9:30 and then he and I finally found a movie we wanted to watch ("Thank You For Smoking" -- absolutely terrific) around 11. Result: We got to bed very, very late.
This morning we didn't wake up until 10:30 or so; poor Rachel is so patient in the mornings about waiting for breakfast on the weekends. After we'd all eaten, we headed out to an open house (not that we're in any position to buy a house, we just wanted to get a sense of what's out there) and then to the library so I cold do some prep work before a job interview I have on Tuesday. We were there much later than I'd planned to be, so instead of cooking we went to our favorite Lebanese restaurant near our house -- the one I want to bike to in the summer. Then it was home, Skyping with Darryl, Daniella and Valerie, and then Drew headed out to the grocery store while I read to Rachel, gave her a bubble bath (I had almost as much fun as she did), put her to bed and headed to the family room downstairs to watch "Downtown Abbey."
And now Drew is doing still more organizing of our study (he has made great progress so far and we are hoping this task will be finished by the time our guest, my former law school colleague Warren Binford, arrives in two weeks). And I am heading to bed.
--Saturday we had friends over for brunch -- Tracy (former colleague from the Oregonian, now working for the D.C. bureau of the Boston Globe, who told Rachel "your mommy is my mentor! She taught me everything I know"), her partner Gerald, and their adorable son Langston, who is 18 months old. It was wonderful to hold a baby in my arms again and inhale his wonderful smell. He was kind of shy for a while (although he devoured the frittata I made), but then when he saw Rachel cavorting around, he decided our living/dining room/kitchen was a terrific place to run around. I could tell Rachel was delighted by him, and by the end of the visit she sent a message to Tracy and Gerald (she was in her room getting ready for a playdate) that she'd had a really good time and she hoped they'd come over again soonl
--After the brunch I took Rachel over to her classmate Libby's house for a playdate. They live fairly close by and I've been waiting for a chance to get to know Libby's mom Kelly for a while. Kelly works in the Interior Department and is a very kind person. So, while the girls were downstairs watching movies, Kelly and I sat on the couch in the living room with cups of tea and talked for about three hours. (She's from Michigan, which is why we probably connected so well since we've both lived in the Midwest!). We both fretted that people are so busy here, they just don't have the time to drop in unexpectedly, and Kelly said "hey, we can change that!" She also gave me a tip on a good place to camp and hike about four hours away from here.
--Drew picked us up and we went back home to wait for AAA (my car battery died in this intense cold we've been experiencing), while Drew had a snowball fight in the front yard with Rachel in the gathering darkness. I watched from inside because my pinkie toe STILL HURTS -- it is a disgusting back and blue. Drew picked up a pizza and cupcakes for Family Movie Night (oh, how I've missed that!), put Rachel to bed at around 9:30 and then he and I finally found a movie we wanted to watch ("Thank You For Smoking" -- absolutely terrific) around 11. Result: We got to bed very, very late.
This morning we didn't wake up until 10:30 or so; poor Rachel is so patient in the mornings about waiting for breakfast on the weekends. After we'd all eaten, we headed out to an open house (not that we're in any position to buy a house, we just wanted to get a sense of what's out there) and then to the library so I cold do some prep work before a job interview I have on Tuesday. We were there much later than I'd planned to be, so instead of cooking we went to our favorite Lebanese restaurant near our house -- the one I want to bike to in the summer. Then it was home, Skyping with Darryl, Daniella and Valerie, and then Drew headed out to the grocery store while I read to Rachel, gave her a bubble bath (I had almost as much fun as she did), put her to bed and headed to the family room downstairs to watch "Downtown Abbey."
And now Drew is doing still more organizing of our study (he has made great progress so far and we are hoping this task will be finished by the time our guest, my former law school colleague Warren Binford, arrives in two weeks). And I am heading to bed.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Snow daze....
So, the snow we got last night resulted in school being closed today (but of course, Pew was open so off Drew went to work). I figured that since some of the responses to the magazine story I'm writing were from government, and government offices were closed or half-closed, I just threw in the towel and decided to enjoy my time with Rachel.
We started the morning with a pillow fight (I won, but Rachel insisted that she did), then we put on multiple layers of clothes and explored the snow in our backyard. (Rachel looks SO CUTE in her pink snow pants, black snow boots and pink snow jacket and fuzzy hat, I just want to cover her little face in kisses). She taught Mommy how to make snow angels (and I did, even though I don't have snow pants, just jeans) and we stomped around making the biggest footprints we could. While we were out, Ivy's mom called and asked if Rachel would be free for a playdate. Sure, I said, bring her over. So Ivy came over after lunch, and they played outside for a while, then came back in. Ivy badly wanted to watch the Barbie movie version of "The Princess and the Pauper," but Rachel got VERY mad at that idea because she wanted to be "active." (Good on her for not wanting to sit around and watch TV all day; I've trained my little girl well). I promised to make them popcorn and homemade hot chocolate with marshmallows, and Rachel instantly got excited enough to watch the movie. I brought down a tray, Ivy ate most of the popcorn and immediately asked if she could have more. "Um, I don't think we have any more," I said.
Near the end of the movie Ivy's mom came to pick her up and Rachel threw a FIT, wailing and sobbing because she thought she wouldn't have any time to be "active" with Ivy -- she watched the movie because that was what Ivy wanted to do, and now she wanted to do what she wanted to do, and it looked as if Ivy might leave. I was about to send her to her room when Ivy invited Rachel over for a faux pajama party (Rachel brought her nightgown) and I was asked to pick her up at 7. So, they went, and I spent the next two hours cleaning the house because we have friends coming over for brunch tomorrow morning at 11.
Drew picked Rachel up and we had matzo ball soup, challah and salad for dinner -- perfect for a hideously cold day (it will go down to 10 degrees tonight and will be cold tomorrow, too). "There's nothing like soup on a cold day," Rachel pronounced at dinner, "and my favorite chef's challah."
Really, it was a lovely day.
We started the morning with a pillow fight (I won, but Rachel insisted that she did), then we put on multiple layers of clothes and explored the snow in our backyard. (Rachel looks SO CUTE in her pink snow pants, black snow boots and pink snow jacket and fuzzy hat, I just want to cover her little face in kisses). She taught Mommy how to make snow angels (and I did, even though I don't have snow pants, just jeans) and we stomped around making the biggest footprints we could. While we were out, Ivy's mom called and asked if Rachel would be free for a playdate. Sure, I said, bring her over. So Ivy came over after lunch, and they played outside for a while, then came back in. Ivy badly wanted to watch the Barbie movie version of "The Princess and the Pauper," but Rachel got VERY mad at that idea because she wanted to be "active." (Good on her for not wanting to sit around and watch TV all day; I've trained my little girl well). I promised to make them popcorn and homemade hot chocolate with marshmallows, and Rachel instantly got excited enough to watch the movie. I brought down a tray, Ivy ate most of the popcorn and immediately asked if she could have more. "Um, I don't think we have any more," I said.
Near the end of the movie Ivy's mom came to pick her up and Rachel threw a FIT, wailing and sobbing because she thought she wouldn't have any time to be "active" with Ivy -- she watched the movie because that was what Ivy wanted to do, and now she wanted to do what she wanted to do, and it looked as if Ivy might leave. I was about to send her to her room when Ivy invited Rachel over for a faux pajama party (Rachel brought her nightgown) and I was asked to pick her up at 7. So, they went, and I spent the next two hours cleaning the house because we have friends coming over for brunch tomorrow morning at 11.
Drew picked Rachel up and we had matzo ball soup, challah and salad for dinner -- perfect for a hideously cold day (it will go down to 10 degrees tonight and will be cold tomorrow, too). "There's nothing like soup on a cold day," Rachel pronounced at dinner, "and my favorite chef's challah."
Really, it was a lovely day.
Daisy Scouts!
Drew officially registered Rachel for DAISY SCOUTS! I'm so excited my little girl will get at least a taste of Scouting. She gets to wear a blue blazer on meeting days (once a month) and will learn all about merit badges, the Scouting oath, etc.
We've also signed her up for swimming and gymnastics on Saturdays (starts at the end of the moth) and...shhhh, we haven't told her yet....tee ball in the spring! Yay! Hopefully she will develop into a very well-rounded young lady.
We've also signed her up for swimming and gymnastics on Saturdays (starts at the end of the moth) and...shhhh, we haven't told her yet....tee ball in the spring! Yay! Hopefully she will develop into a very well-rounded young lady.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Drew makes the big time!
So, while I'm at home putzing around on a magazine story, Drew goes and gets himself INTERVIEWED ON NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO'S "ALL THINGS CONSIDERED." Here's a link:
http://www.npr.org/2014/01/02/259222613/the-widening-wealth-gap-bringing-income-inequality-into-focus
Really, there's not much more to report from here, except to say that Rachel's reaction after Drew came home from work and told her he'd been on the radio, was: "Daddy was on the RADIO!?!?!" and she jumped up and down in excitement and danced with him until it was time to set the table.
She has also been very solicitous about my bruised pinkie toe (it's swollen and the inside is black and blue), telling me tonight as I was getting ready to heat up some pot roast and rice: "Mommy." (she said sternly). "Take off your apron, Daddy will build a fire, you sit on the couch and rest." (It was snowing like the dickens outside, so Drew built a fire to make the house seem more cozy. It worked!).
And this morning, after she inquired about the state of my foot and I told her my toe still hurt, she climbed in bed with me, snuggled up close and said, "even though your toe still hurts, you're still the best mommy I could ever ask for."
I immediately felt better. A little.
http://www.npr.org/2014/01/02/259222613/the-widening-wealth-gap-bringing-income-inequality-into-focus
Really, there's not much more to report from here, except to say that Rachel's reaction after Drew came home from work and told her he'd been on the radio, was: "Daddy was on the RADIO!?!?!" and she jumped up and down in excitement and danced with him until it was time to set the table.
She has also been very solicitous about my bruised pinkie toe (it's swollen and the inside is black and blue), telling me tonight as I was getting ready to heat up some pot roast and rice: "Mommy." (she said sternly). "Take off your apron, Daddy will build a fire, you sit on the couch and rest." (It was snowing like the dickens outside, so Drew built a fire to make the house seem more cozy. It worked!).
And this morning, after she inquired about the state of my foot and I told her my toe still hurt, she climbed in bed with me, snuggled up close and said, "even though your toe still hurts, you're still the best mommy I could ever ask for."
I immediately felt better. A little.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Happy New Year!
One of my resolutions is to write more on this blog. Now that my contract work is finished (I still have one magazine piece to write), my hours are much more normal and I can post more about our goings-on.
We had a lovely lead-up to New Year's at PopPop and Mammaw's house in the Outer Banks. Rachel played with Mammaw's granddaughter, who is in 2nd grade, and the girls had a lot of fun at the local aquarium. It was sunny and around 50 degrees, and the kids busied themselves looking for sharks' teeth and other fossils. Drew and I managed to get away by ourselves for 45 minutes and had a nice walk on the beach before it got too dark. Our holiday gift was a goose dinner with a salad, potatoes stuffed inside the goose, and homemade babka for dessert.
One of the reasons I love going to the Outer Banks so much -- besides PopPop and Mammaw's company -- is that I always feel so relaxed when we're down there. Something about the remoteness of the area, the combination of sand, ocean and inlet, steals inside my body and calms me, or at least makes the worry go away for a while. We're hoping to go down there much more often now that we're less than a day's drive away (and a very pretty drive it is; I loved looking at scenery, so different from Oregon but also beautiful in its own way).
Early this morning I woke up to go to the bathroom and banged my pinkie toe into a box that has been sitting in our bedroom for months (it contains the makings of a scrapbook I want to put together for Rachel's and my trip this past summer) and, oh, was it painful. I needed pain medication to get back to sleep, and when I woke up this morning the toe was swollen and I could barely walk. Nevertheless, I insisted we all go to Great Falls National Park for a New Year's Day hike. With much misgivings, Rachel and Drew agreed. We had a great time -- Rachel met a 6-year-old girl named Evelyn, from Alexandria, and they drew pictures at the visitors' center and pitched rocks into one of the streams while Drew and I talked to their parents. The rest of the time I hobbled after Drew and Rachel as they walked the paths, looked at the falls and clambered over rocks. Drew found a walking stick for me. The day was really pleasant -- cold but sunny, and I was bundled up enough so I didn't mind the weather. (Should be the last bearable day we'll have for a while, alas -- it is supposed to get very cold this weekend).
"I love Great Falls Park better than a playground park, because it has rocks you can play on, and you can watch the kayakers, and you can run and play, and go to the visitors' center," Rachel said. We bought a year-round pass for $20, and since each visit is $5, we figure we'll get a lot of use out of it. I'm hoping to make a hike through Great Falls a New Year's Day tradition. It's part of my search to create permanence in our life, in an area of the country that isn't known for permanence compared to the area we left.
We had a lovely lead-up to New Year's at PopPop and Mammaw's house in the Outer Banks. Rachel played with Mammaw's granddaughter, who is in 2nd grade, and the girls had a lot of fun at the local aquarium. It was sunny and around 50 degrees, and the kids busied themselves looking for sharks' teeth and other fossils. Drew and I managed to get away by ourselves for 45 minutes and had a nice walk on the beach before it got too dark. Our holiday gift was a goose dinner with a salad, potatoes stuffed inside the goose, and homemade babka for dessert.
One of the reasons I love going to the Outer Banks so much -- besides PopPop and Mammaw's company -- is that I always feel so relaxed when we're down there. Something about the remoteness of the area, the combination of sand, ocean and inlet, steals inside my body and calms me, or at least makes the worry go away for a while. We're hoping to go down there much more often now that we're less than a day's drive away (and a very pretty drive it is; I loved looking at scenery, so different from Oregon but also beautiful in its own way).
Early this morning I woke up to go to the bathroom and banged my pinkie toe into a box that has been sitting in our bedroom for months (it contains the makings of a scrapbook I want to put together for Rachel's and my trip this past summer) and, oh, was it painful. I needed pain medication to get back to sleep, and when I woke up this morning the toe was swollen and I could barely walk. Nevertheless, I insisted we all go to Great Falls National Park for a New Year's Day hike. With much misgivings, Rachel and Drew agreed. We had a great time -- Rachel met a 6-year-old girl named Evelyn, from Alexandria, and they drew pictures at the visitors' center and pitched rocks into one of the streams while Drew and I talked to their parents. The rest of the time I hobbled after Drew and Rachel as they walked the paths, looked at the falls and clambered over rocks. Drew found a walking stick for me. The day was really pleasant -- cold but sunny, and I was bundled up enough so I didn't mind the weather. (Should be the last bearable day we'll have for a while, alas -- it is supposed to get very cold this weekend).
"I love Great Falls Park better than a playground park, because it has rocks you can play on, and you can watch the kayakers, and you can run and play, and go to the visitors' center," Rachel said. We bought a year-round pass for $20, and since each visit is $5, we figure we'll get a lot of use out of it. I'm hoping to make a hike through Great Falls a New Year's Day tradition. It's part of my search to create permanence in our life, in an area of the country that isn't known for permanence compared to the area we left.
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