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We’ve been on a “real big special bye-bye” in Seattle the last few days. We found a condo downtown to rent and have been having a great city fix with some good food, retail therapy and kid fun.
Zach and an octopus at the Seattle Aquarium
The kids are a little off kilter- which I guess is to be expected with a big change. Zach has been waking up at 5:30 each morning. Today he woke me up from a dead sleep by standing about 2 inches from my face and saying “Mama fix my sock! Mama! Me need you play my toys with me. No Dada. Me need you Mama” And I had just gotten back to sleep after being up with the baby for almost an hour… sigh. The baby has been just fascinated with everything and has had a little trouble napping and nursing for fear he may miss some bright shiny thing that may pass his way. And Zach, despite being up so early each day hasn’t napped once. Another sigh, I’m so not ready for him to be done with naps.
Arlo and Mom at the Seattle Aquarium
I felt a little ancy the first day we were here- I’m used to being in a city without kids- and seeing all the shops and restaurants that we won’t be able to go into for another decade or so is a little depressing. But then I started to see things through the kids’ eyes- and an entire other world opens up to explore. They are so fascinated with all these little things- garbage trucks, parking meters, escalators, swimming pools, and baked goods with sprinkles on them that suddenly I found myself taking a deep breath and remembering it isn’t all about me, but enjoying this precious time with my family, when our kids still think we’re the coolest people on the planet and actually want to hang out with us.
Joe trying to keep Zach dry at the Aquarium
We’ll have plenty of time to sleep, shop and eat out at fancy restaurants… someday. Until then, I hope to keep my mind and heart more in the “now” and enjoy what I do have, not what I can’t have. Because what I do have (as a certain redheaded octopus boy would say) is awesome!
Most of my day involved snot and screaming children (believe me, you really don’t want to know any more details than that) except for a little break this morning, when the world stopped and listened to Barak Obama make his acceptance speech. Even clinic and the hospital were quiet so I had a few moments to sneak into an empty hospital room and watch Obama speak.
I’ve been trying to explain to Zach about Obama, but toddlers don’t really care much for politics. But if he and Arlo could understand more, this is what I would tell them:
Today, the world begins to heal. The mistakes and misunderstandings of the last decade begin to be repaired. Today, I miss my sister with an ache that I cannot begin to describe. I cannot believe that she is not here to see this. Today, I hug you a little closer, and with a little more hope that you will grow up in a world that is caring, healthy, and peaceful. Today, I promise to look inside myself and find the energy and time to help make that possible for you.
Zach: “Me shoot you!”
Me: ” No shooting people Zach.”
Zach: “Me shoot doggie!?”
Me: ”No we don’t shoot doggies either.”
Zach: “Me shoot baby!?”
Me: “NOOOO! We definitely don’t shoot babies.”
Zach: “What ok we shoot den?”
Me: “Uhhhhh……”
Zach: “Is ok I shoot monsters? Shoot, shoot!”
“Your everlasting patience will be rewarded sooner or later”
Triceratops attacks! I’ve tried explaining he is a peaceful plant eater, but that isn’t nearly as entertaining….
“Hey Mommy, what dat blue thing in sky?”
“Ummm, that IS the sky, we just haven’t seen it for a while.”
Icicles on our porch and snow on the lake
