Zoe in bloom

For the past few weeks, I've been 'man of the hour' as far as Zoe is concerned. For her, it's "mommy do" everything, including many of the daddy rituals (ie, cheerios and milk snuggles before daycare). I must admit more than a fair amount of frustration on my part that she just won't let Dave do anything for her, or rather, for me.

This has actually prompted a few time-outs for her when she's been overly insistent about my doing something I either can't or would rather not do. (Did I mention she's getting a little bossy?)

This evening, upon arriving at home, her daddy invited her to accompany him to the mailbox (another ritual of theirs). She insisted that I do it. In the midst of the ensuing fit, I got her to sit on my lap and tried to calm her down with repeated proclamations of my love for her.

She then pulled away to look at me and wail "mommy, I missed you today!" I of course started crying which prompted her to cry out again. I told her it was OK, that I too missed her. To this she responded with another wail "I just want you to be happy!" Oh baby girl.

Now as painful as it was to hear all this (working mommy guilt is never-ending and ever-evolving), her getting off her chest the fact that she misses me was absolutely cathartic - for her and I. It's not that I didn't think that she misses me during her long days at "Bella's house", I get that. But that she had finally identified and spoken about missing me was huge. And for her to put a voice on her empathy for my tears was astounding.

After countless kisses and hugs, we found some mutual peace and made our way upstairs together so that she could "help me" change out of my work clothes. However, and I should have anticipated this, she actually intended to help me change out of my work clothes.

I can't put into words the feelings I had listening to and watching her explain each step in the process. First the buttons on my sweater, then the pulling off and on of my shirts, the putting on of socks and slippers. It was so beautiful to see her mirror the care I've tried to take with her in dressing her all these days.

You are quite the little girl, Zoe. A huge heart, a huge personality. You and the changes you reveal each day are simply amazing and I promise to cherish the reminders you give me to stop and pay attention to it all.

Knitting pretty

I'm certainly no pro, but I do have fun with a bit of yarn.

Here's Maggie modeling my VERY FIRST EVER sweater and matching hat:



Next up: a hooded cape for Zoe :)

Dress-up girl

Zoe charmed me with a bit of inspired play the other day:



And then she promptly took off the tutu to pack it away in her special suitcase. Oh, my girl.

St. Sidell visit, weekend #1

My brother, Greg, his wife, Amy and their two boys, Nicholas and Timothy arrived from Maine late last week. So Dave, the girls and I took a ride down to my folks' in Buckley to get in some quality time with the fam.

Zoe, having seen LOTS of pix of the boys - with and without her - felt an immediate ease with her kin. She LOVED hanging out with her cousins and was especially smitten with Nick.

Here's the photo-enhanced blow-by-blow of the weekend:


Getting re-acquainted


Families that eat together...


Honoring a Sidell tradition



Story time with Nana

Saturday, we took a trip to a near-by indoor, blow-up playground. It was actually a lot of fun and Zoe knew just what to do to make sure everyone was a part of it:


Nana's turn


"I can do this all by myself" (yes, she really said that)


Nick's turn


Nick & Tim's turn


Pepere's turn...

And yes, mom took a turn, too:



Amy and the boys; elated Timmy


Zoe, er, Mom, just HAD to try the jumpy house!


Taking a "moment". hehe :)


Pre-nap story time with Dad and Tim


Art lessons from Uncle Chris


Peek-a-boo Auntie Erin!


Tim at the spoon. Maggie: "Uh, do you have a license for this??"


Back o' the head shot with the uncles (good thing there's another weekend to take pix!)


Story time with Uncle Greg


(She actually found Waldo, and the dog, and the wizard - a few times! My detail-oriented girl!)


Aw. The sweet, quiet solitude of not-yet-parentals ;)


Zoe displaying sophisticated interaction with a male: feigning interest in a lecture on the inner-workings of cars and trucks. Did I mention she LOVES her big cousin, Nick? ;)

We had a great time and Zoe can't wait to see everyone again at her house this weekend.

More on that, later...

Around and about

Maggie has been sitting beautifully for months now (that trick made its debut in July):


She's now realizing that with a simple scootch, push or pull, she can get around the room.



No more sidelines for Maggie - she's getting in on the action!



Oscar's response to this new development? Run for cover!!


(Look real closely, just below the TV)

Sisters

Totally unsolicited:



I think we should consider ourselves unbelievably lucky.

Trick or Treat

Zoe is coming into an age that makes certain occasions lots of fun. It was really something to explain to her first the idea of dressing up (she liked the butterfly costume I came up with and endorsed the moo-cow plan for Maggie), then the idea of going around asking for - and receiving! - candy.

In her typical fashion, she was a little reluctant to put on the costume but was won over by the purple suit and wings. Even more reluctant about going out and seeing people in the costume (my girl), she was won over by the reminder that she'd be rewarded in candy (again, my girl).

So, in the end, she (with Maggie in tow) really made good of all the holiday had to offer:



First, a trip to the Shoreline indoor playground Halloween kid-fest on Friday.


The party is that-a-way


Maggie, overseeing and hanging around, the action

Side note: Why a cow? The girls' daycare folks are Greek and use "moo" as a term of endearment. Maggie-moo has stuck as the poor girl's nickname. She'll forgive us, right? At least it made for a really cute costume!


Obliging mom post-kid-bash, pre-lunch

After the playground, we headed over to my office to meet up with my work folk for my boss's annual "make them dress up and take them out to lunch" lunch. Our office has added a few kiddos to the crew since we all started working together six years ago and Zoe and Maggie had a great time watching the other baby. Sorry, no pix. Have YOU been out to lunch at a restaurant with two kids lately? I was just thrilled to actually eat!

Yesterday, the official holiday, Zoe wore her 'butterfly' to the stores while we ran our Saturday errands. Little did she know that we'd be headed back to Central Market later in the evening to attend another party.

Another side note: just about every weekend, Zoe and Maggie come with me to do the grocery shopping. It's actually a big outing since we first hit Central Market for all the produce, meat, fish and oddities on our list. Central Market, for those of you not in the know, is quite the place and Zoe has come to love pushing around the mini carts and meeting up with "Cooking Man" - the "chef" who never fails to offer fun little tasters and treats to the shopping crowds. Over the past year, Zoe and Cooking Man have developed a bittersweet relationship - he thinks she's sweet and cute and she rewards that sentiment with a blank, cold stare. The girl has yet to warm up to this guy when face to face but loves to talk about him as soon as she thinks he can't see or hear her! I think it's because he talks to her...

Anyhoo, Cooking Man and all his Central Market co-workers were quite decked out; he went as a can of Spam. Apparently the giant box-like costume hanging from his shoulders made him unrecognizable because she actually cracked a smile for him! The store itself was plenty decked out, as well, with massive blow-up jumping rooms and slides, "icky-touch" stations, a hayride and sundry other activities for everyone from tot to teen. It's a great outing for those of us with little kids and little energy.


In awe of the noisy strong man mallet challenge thingy

Zoe made a killing being a cute, mute, little butterfly. She did offer this one gem as we left, though: "creepy man gave me candy!" Oh what the holidays teach our children...


This guy nearly blew the whole evening for us ;)


Maggie, sill life with pumpkins

After the evening jaunt to the market, we hit a couple of friendly neighbor houses, lest Zoe miss out on the real Halloween experience of knocking on doors and begging for goodies. I'm proud to report that at the third and last house, after the indoor playground party, my office party, and the market party, she finally said "Trick or Treat". Good job, bug. I thought we'd have to wait until next year!