oh holy

You wouldn't believe how many times I've walked up and down the Panhandle this week. It's nuts. I'm tired. I am living the single mom life this week due to David's escalated work/partying schedule. Wrangling a two year old boy is so much different than a two year old girl, making it all the harder. Stella is at the age where she is enjoying being with her friends more than me when we are out, and if I put Oliver down for a second I will lose him, so nights like this one don't really turn into quality time for either child. That's really my only complaint. 

I will say, as an aside, that sometimes the nicest thing you can do for someone at the holidays is to not request the pleasure of their company! I am slicing and dicing our social calendar from today going forward. Something's gotta give, and I've got sequins to glue!

This night we are out the door an hour after returning home to go to the festivities and tree lighting at Golden Gate Park's McLaren Lodge. And after that, our local art walk. And after that, we took home a pizza and crashed. Nice night, a fun tradition, but less meaningful this year as we didn't truly share it. I hate it when kids grow up.

winter concert

Tonight was Stella's winter concert at school. It was as adorable as it was last year. We were hoping David could get home in time, but he is super busy this week and couldn't. We turned around about an hour after arriving home from school to start walking back for the concert. It's getting wintery cold here now, so we ended up taking the bus after walking part way. I can only stand to use the stroller so many times a day. It's so pedestrian and mundane to me lately. So Oliver got a ride on my back, high heels and all.

I don't think I've mentioned that I gave Stella the first haircut of her entire life a few nights ago, but I did! She looks beautiful, of course. I still need a pro to take a crack at it and liven up the top, where (sob) her hair has stopped growing in curly.

Oliver was a good boy and watched the performance intently, clapping along with the applause and not making my night too hectic, until the concert let out and it was every kid for himself on the play yard. Total chaos. I was overwhelmed, even lost Oliver a few times.

We goofed our way back home in the dark, stopping at the market for mincemeat pies and cider. Turns out we don't like mincemeat pies.

This night reminded me of a few things. Of course it reminded me of all the performances I was in as a child, when schools weren't so cash strapped and these sorts of things happened all the time. It reminded me of this past summer, why I started this blog, to record our time with these two amazing kids. And finally, it reminded me that I wish Santa would bring me a real camera this year.

commuting

I took these shots of the kids one day this week on the way to school, on the school grounds and on the walk home. I am loving the photos of Oliver with the chihuahuas on the play yard. He was fascinated with the dogs, and they gave him lots of kisses. Looks like he might not be allergic to dogs, which unfortunately for me raises the odds of us actually having a dog some day. Boo.


Stella is growing up so fast. When we walk to school, we usually talk about math or how machines or systems work. I don't remember talking like this at all when I was her age, but I do know I was a nerd. Every day we are working it out on the way to school. Unless we're talking about the "Super Girl" costume she's cooking up in her head for Halloween. I can't believe I'm going back into the costume hole again. Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in!


I'm trying to ease her into the fact that she still needs her VERY FIRST HAIRCUT! I held her hair up and took a photo of how nice a bob would look on her. She's not interested (gee, can you tell?). I think it looks fantastic shorter. It'll happen eventually.

round up: our last two weeks

Two weeks since Stella started first grade. What've we been up to (besides making cakes, eating out, celebrating a big birthday, entertaining, and getting our dollhouse published)?

We've been walkin'.

We've been accidentally color-coordinating our outfits.

David's been fishing, cooking and grossing out the kids.

We've been reading books.

We checked out the annual foggy Alamo Square Flea Market and found a few treasures.

The weather promoted tons of snuggling.

Oliver worked on his karaoke.

We went to the library.

Stella had a play date and gave her room a good trashing.

Anna returned from France and brought Stella some chestnut spread, which quickly became a lunchbox favorite, mixed with Greek yogurt.

Speaking of dear Anna, here's Oliver as snug as a bug, napping on her.

We worked on our fitness.

Oliver fell in love with this butterfly garden (more like bumblebee garden) on Stella's school grounds. Big boy!

We visited Fantastico, as I needed some fake fruit and glittery things for my next performance, just a few weeks away. It is hard for me to resolve my anti-consumerism feelings and my fear of the "Made In China" sticker with a warehouse full of things that make my heart sizzle with ideas. Tough one.

It may be August, but Halloween and Christmas are JUMPING OFF at Fantastico right now. On the right is the gayest Christmas tree I've ever seen!

I tried to convince David that this gorgeous little outfit I got in honor of Oliver's second birthday wasn't too girlish. I think he looks even more adorable than ever in it.

We hung with Daddy.

And we bugged him while he was finishing up some work.

Oliver worked on his sharing with his pal Hunter.

And Daddy went horseback riding, both on the backside of Yosemite and in our living room.

08.30.11