The Things That Remind You of Things
Little Thing came over for a visit today. She’s five weeks and three days old — La Gringa and I are completely obsessed with her.
You are catapulted back to remembering to pull the nipple out when they’re dozing off to sleep; remember the five S’s (were there five? I can only remember three); stunningly blow off your own children for hours on end while staring into the eyes of a little farter-cooer-sleeper; wanting to take care of the Mom because you sure as hell remember your friends taking care of you back then; being slightly — oh hell, desperately — tempted to do the mommy gig all over again. You know when the yellow breast milk poo doesn’t bug you that you have to get a grip, pull yourself back and say: “No More Kids. I’m done. My plate is full.”
And I guess since my plate is full (work.kids.spouse would all kill me if I had another kid, muchless another duo), I will go on with my weekly fix of Little Thing.
I can still smell her in our house. That crazy euphoric baby smell. I can still see the way she looks in her own Mommy’s eyes — and find some comfort that my Things still look at me the same way.
Read More
Death, Life and the Bated Breath In-Between
My best friend’s grandmother died at about Midnight on Thursday, just about an hour before our La-la went into labor.
I watched our beautiful niece come into the world after 29 hours of labor, mucked-up epidurals (two!), power outtages and extraordinary will.
Her beautiful cherry red lips and jet black are the true combination of her Slovak-Mexican parents. We’re naming her Little Thing in this blog from today on, although her real name is so beautiful and suits her so well.
New life and old death…just yet another example of God’s relentless pursuit of balance in our lives.
Read More
This Little Light of Mine!
At the top of his lungs, Thing 1 picked up this song singing it loud and with both verses. All day today he grooved and rocked like he was jamming to Zepplin.
Then Thing 1 turned around and started singing in 3rd person to the baby in La-La’s belly. “This little light of YOURS, you’re gonna let it shine!” So proud he told me he could see the light in his heart and it only glows when no one is looking.
I didn’t tell him that little light of his lights up my whole world.
Read More
The BabyCatcher
My dear friend La-La is pregnant. It’s been a long hard haul for her. La-la started out as Thing 1 and Thing 2′s nanny when they were 5 months old and instantly became family to me.
My dear La-la fell in love while on a student visa from an EU country and, well, ditched her visa and is here now illegally (nothing to be said for her double master degrees, tight-knit family, dear lifelong friends and two amazing parents) for her equally illegal boyfriend. I love my La-la like a sister, my children, like an Auntie.
La-la’s got a baby in her tummy. Tonight my kids left this on the back step for her. They called it the BabyCatcher and want her to use it when the baby is ready to come out. They also left plastic kid scissors (to cut the baby out) and are convinced that the baby needs oatmeal ASAP. That little prima is going to need food!
Being illegal in America is no joke. It’s on my mind almost constantly. How will I protect her from whatever fate God and Country have in store for her?
Read More
Side Gigs
