trips, travels and visitors, with a guest appearance from 'los bisabuelitos'

so we've had an eventful few weeks. three weekends past, my dad came to visit for the day and we took the kids to the park. here's don seeing lucie for the first time in almost 6 weeks:
and here with cleveland. am i the only one who sees a resemblance?

that following week, we journeyed to new york to visit phil's grandparents. it was a wonderful trip. the kids were fantastic until the last day (what more can you ask for?), and we were blessed with excellent weather. we even successfully ate lunch at a restaurant in saratoga springs, ny on our way down (our first meal out as a foursome, and the first time phil and i have ventured to a restaurant together since november). here are some highlights of the trip.

great-grandma perriñez gets acquainted with her newest great-grandbaby:


great-grandpa perriñez charms lucie to sleep, but has no luck getting cleveland in bed-time mode:



Lucie makes herself at home in the bottom drawer, while Cleveland finds he's just not a tiny as he thinks:



finally, we swung by grammie's on the way home and cleveland enjoyed a pasta bath, followed by the real thing:





three of four generations of the perriñez family represented:

ok so i've started a few posts that i haven't been able to finish. they're a little too philosophic to finish in one nap time, and being back at work is limiting my temporal (and cognitive) resources. but i'm still here.

some quick updates:

lucie is able to use the exersaucer...what a relief, now i don't feel guilty that she's lying on her little bald spot all the time when i can't hold her:


cleveland is talking a blue streak, though we only estimate our interpretative accuracy at about 15%. he remains sweet and steadfast toward his sister and we love him for it:


among other books, i've slowly been reading eckhart tolle's 'the power of NOW', and i'm trying to internalize the theme as a personal mantra. the idea that nothing exists in the past or the future...that my life is only about a singular moment (this one) is at once frightening, overwhelming and completely liberating. i just have to keep it in mind...NOW, and all the time...

Who Dat?

The Perriñez Family Comes in Glory

It was an unbelievable Easter weekend. Beautiful, beautiful weather. I've been fortunate enough to spend many Easter holidays in Louisiana, where the magnolia trees are blooming, and 70 degrees with a breeze is the norm for April. But in Vermont? What a treat since Lucie has a number of 6 month size sun dresses that she's about to grow out of, and I thought she'd only get to wear them inside the house. Here's a recap of the weekend.

Friday night, Cleveland took a ride around the block on his new trike while Lucie got some much-needed pampering:




Saturday morning, Cleveland hunted for eggs at the College of Medicine Easter Egg Hunt which, incidentally, took place right in front of Buckham Hall, the dorm I lived in my Freshmen year in college, a mere 10 (TEN) years ago...


Cleveland scraped his knee, but recovered in style:




Meanwhile, Mom and Lucie enjoyed the sun while looking glamorous:



Sunday, we attended Mass at St. Denis (pictures to come, their on my MIL's camera)

Cleveland then participated in yet another egg hunt, garnering himself more eggs, more chocolate, and more pepperidge farm goldfish (better than chocolate):



I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!
Love, one happy, blessed mama

on giving

So yesterday while we were eating lunch, I decided it was time to have a serious talk with cleveland. up until then, discussions have generally consisted of my answering the questions 'what's this?', and 'what's that?'. On occasion, we have to get serious about discipline, as in 'No Cleveland, you can't climb up the stairs without me', 'No cleveland, you can't mince that onion', or 'Cleveland, that's lucie's seat, and she's sitting in it, there's not room for both of you.' Serious? Yes. Philosophic? Hardly. So yesterday, I thought it was time to get a little lofty, and share some of my innermost feelings.

'Now Cleveland', I began, 'I wanted to talk to you, and I'm warning, it's pretty heady stuff',

(Cleveland looked up and gesticulated rather wildly at his applesauce).

'Yes, this IS serious. It's important for you to know that your father and I always try our best with you, even when we get frustrated and upset, we really love you. Sometimes everyone has a hard time expressing their emotions. Lucie cries. You slam the cabinets. Sometimes I sigh or cover my eyes. Sometimes I have to put you in the Pack 'n Play or up in your crib because I need a minute. It doesn't mean I don't love you. I just know that, to love you best, I might need a quick break to think. Everyone needs a break sometimes.'

At this point, Cleveland was all smiles as he blew on, and then dug into his grilled cheese sandwich. Lucie was sitting in my lap and I was eating one-handed. I continued,

'Cleveland, I wanted to let you know that it's ok that you get frustrated sometimes. Lots of things in this world will frustrate you. Often, the people you love the most find ways to annoy you the most, and it's ok to give yourself a minute, does that make sense?'

(It's hard to tell if it did.)

'Most of all, Cleveland, I want you to know that you're a good boy, a very sweet boy, and your father and I love you so much. We love the person you are, and we're so excited to see the person you're becoming. You are very sweet and funny; you smile and laugh 99% of the time. You give lots of hugs and kisses and you are so generous with Lucie.'

With that comment, Cleveland looked and pointed at Lucie.

'Uuhn?' he said (that's the noise that he makes when he's pointing something out).

'Yes, your sister Lucie. You are very sweet to her.'

Cleveland proceeded to dig into his applesauce and bananas with delight, extracted a large spoonful, and shoved it towards Lucie's face.

'Oh, thank you Cleveland, you are so generous, but Lucie can't eat applesauce yet.'

'Apple', he said.

'Yes, that's for Cleveland, Lucie only eats milk right now, because she's just a baby.'

'Uuhn?'

'Milk? Yes, you can have some milk a little later.'

'Uuhn?', Cleveland replied. This time, he stuck his fingers into the applesauce, and as I was biting into my sandwich, painted a little bit on Lucie's nose.

'Thank you', I said.

'Thank you', Cleveland signed in reply

'You're a very generous boy.'

Big smile.

Big smile.