At Least I Can Look Forward to Sourdough Bread

I have been parenting solo over here, since Nicole is in San Francisco. She left on Tuesday and will be back Friday night. The days have been long but it hasn’t been as hard as it has been in the past. Bed time can’t come soon enough, though; for them or me!

But I have to say I have really enjoyed the past couple of days with the girls. They have been charming and funny and cute and affectionate and just plain adorable. Not all at once, but in moments. Avery gave me four kisses in a row. Madeline curled up on my lap with a book. The both leaned on either side of me as we watched Curious George. Of course, they had their moments of screeching and pulling toys out of each other’s hands and saying “No Momma!” but all in all, a good few days. On Tuesday, I went to Long Island and visited my friend and her new baby. On Wednesday the girls and I went to the Central Park Zoo. It was such a beautiful fall day, and we meandered through the park on our way there, soaking up the fall in all of its not-nearly-peak glory. At the zoo, the animals all were particulary visible that day, lounging and stretching and preening right in front of us. Avery and Madeline both said “Bye Gus” and “Bye EEE-da” (the polar bears) and had tons of fun jumping in puddles. Today I took them to Toys r Us in Times Square and they loved it. I figured the glitzy-ness would be a nice change from our typical city street or Central Park walks. Our walk through Times Square was made even more magical for them by the presence of a giant Spongebob SquarePants.

It is October. When did that happen? I was looking back at pictures of the girls from the beginning of summer and realized that they look so much older now. They even feel heavier in my arms. Lifting them up is getting quite difficult. They talk more and laugh more and demand more. They both drink chocolate milk all the time. Time is flying, as usual, and I am still often too busy looking at the view ahead of me that I forget to enjoy where I am.

Speaking of looking ahead, if all goes well, we will be closing on the house in Northampton in a couple of weeks. I am so excited. When I have a moment of silence and time to indulge in random thoughts, I think about the house, of how much it is going to be a part of the girls’ childhood. I think about the huge Christmas tree we will get, and how will can hang beautiful garlands from the deck. I think of curling up on the couch with the girls and watching a movie and eating popcorn. I think about listening to the wind blow through the trees, which is my favorite sound in the world. I am very excited and very grateful. But also very, very impatient.

Remember the whole push-up challenge? I started doing two push-ups. I am now up to 16 in a row! I can a total of 60, if I take breaks between sets. There really is something to be said for dedicating yourself to something for 30 days: It is a long enough period of time to see progress or change and to create good habits. I am still having the Amazing Grass fruit shake in the morning. That has been nearly two months already!

Oh, and the winner of the DVDs has been contacted! Thanks for throwing your names in the hat. I literally put them names in a hat and had Avery pluck one out!

Pictured above, the girls at the zoo. How cute is the picture of their little footprints?! And the girls over the weekend.