Travelingjenny

Navigating the hilly terrain of motherhood

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  • Peace signs

    Gracewpeacesign

    It was a tradition in Adam’s family to adorn the top of the Christmas tree with a peace sign instead of a star. I don’t know the origin of this, but I like the idea. Adam and I put our first peace sign on the first Christmas tree we had in our house in Maine. And my brilliant husband had the idea of asking Grace to do the artwork for a new peace sign each year, so that we can hang the previous years’ signs on the tree as ornaments. When the girls are grown, perhaps they can take a few peace signs with them for their own trees. We have a stencil for this, and this was the first year that Gracie really got into the project. She chose to use colored pencils, and she even did the stenciling herself. She also wrote her own name on the back – a very exciting addition. She enjoyed the project so much that she made five peace sign ornaments – for her teachers, the head of school, and a couple of other special people of her choosing. Then she crafted her own style of ornaments using her scissors, a whole punch, colored pencils, and pieces of string that she cut herself.

    I love our funky tree, and I love our funky, creative daughter for giving it some personality.

    Gracemakingpeacesign

  • A Christmas miracle

    Gracebytreeatfarm

    I have fond memories of choosing Christmas trees as a child, although I never actually did the choosing – this was most certainly my dad’s territory. It has always been a big joke in our family because my dad is very particular. Therefore, it was always difficult for him to find a tree that was worthy of display in our home. The tree had to "call his name." So, naturally, I would hide behind a tree that I liked and say his name in a very tree-like voice, hoping this would hasten the selection process so we could finally head home for some hot cocoa. For better or for worse, I seem to have inherited his refined eye for Christmas trees. Usually, Adam and I trudge around the farm, discussing at length the merits of several different trees before I finally find one that moves me. Not this year, however. This year, with Tess on my back in the backpack, and Adam pulling Gracie in a sled, we trekked towards a promising area at our neighborhood tree farm, and Adam pointed and said, "Let’s go check out that one." We stood, wordless, in front of the tree for a few moments, and then I heard myself say, "I like it!" It was very tall, and full, with only one easily-hidden bare spot. But I felt uneasy – certainly the first one we stopped in front of could not be the one. That would be too simple, and it went against tradition to decide so easily. But that tree was indeed the one. And so it was that our little girls, who had already spent almost two hours outside that morning, were spared the annual Christmas tree debates, and we headed home with the perfect tree. It was a Christmas miracle!

    Girlsintightsbytree

  • Letters

    Gracewriteswtess

    Grace has been practicing her writing. It’s amazing she can get any work done with Tess peering over her shoulder like that! Anyway, she’s getting pretty good, although she appears to have invented her own letter — the many-pronged letter E.

    Gracename

    Graceswriting

  • Little readers

    Sistersreadingpeace

    I am so glad the girls are discovering the joy of books. Grace loves to ‘read’ to Tess, and she loves to ‘read’ certain books to herself. Recently she brought one of her favorites, Frog and Toad are Friends, on our breakfast outing. Adam and I were in the car, happily chatting away when we suddenly realized that Grace was being completely silent – and we had actually completed a conversation without interruption. Amazing. She continued reading at the breakfast joint, and Adam and I hardly knew what to do with so much time to eat and talk to each other. Was this a taste of what’s to come at age four? If so, I think I’m going to like it. 

  • An art exhibition

    By our two little exhibitionists…

    Nakedartwork

    (Please note: This photo was not at all staged. This little show was Grace’s idea – a variation on the pre-bath "Doin’ the ‘Nudenik’ Dance" routine. And of course, little Tess played along beautifully!)

  • The Joy of Sledding

    Graceelysesledding

    Today we had our first snowstorm of the season, and just about everything closed down. Of course, this did not stop us from having fun. Grace was nearly beside herself with excitement, and her nice daddy went into work late this morning so that he could play outside with her for a while. Then we headed to Elyse’s house for Grace’s first introduction to the joy of sledding. The tiny hill beside the inn is perfect for little kids, and Grace and Elyse were so sweet riding on the sled together. And falling down in the snow together (on purpose, of course). And eating snow together. In fact, I thought we were never going to make it to Starbucks for our warm-up beverages because the girls were trying to walk and eat snow at the same time. Luckily, though, we eventually did make it, which was a good thing because Tess was very ready for a break from having fun in the snow. It’s going to be a while before she appreciates the joy of sledding.

    Tesssadinsled

  • Recipe for Exhaustion

    Start with one excited girl who got up one hour early on her birthday…

    Bdaymorning2

    Add a coffee date with Daddy and a visit to the toy store to pick her own gift (a Stomp Rocket)…

    Stomprocketaction

    Mix in dance class and play time with a friend and a baby sister…

    Sistersbday

    Add a dash of gift opening and phonecalls with loved ones. Top it all off with a special pizza dinner and an even more special brownie sundae.

    Bdaywsundae

    Result: One very tired, but very happy, four-year old, and one extremely exhausted mommy.

    This mommy was still so tired two days later, in fact, that she forgot to put a candle in the birthday girl’s strawberry shortcake at her party – and she forgot to sing happy birthday. She even forgot to take a single photo of her special girl’s fourth birthday party. So here is a photo of the guest of honor right after her friends left. She had a great time – and she didn’t even notice that no one sang to her. Phew.

    Graceafterparty

  • Birthday girl

    Bdaygirlwmommy

    To my beautiful birthday girl,

    Thanks for making me smile every day, just by being you. You are thoughtful and smart and funny and kind, and a million other wonderful things.

    Now please stop growing up so fast.

    I love you all the way to the moon and back,
    Mommy

    Amazinggrace

  • The 4 Princesses

    Gracewprincesscard

    My poor Disney-deprived daughter. She received an adorable birthday card with four princesses on it, and she had no idea who they were. She was very excited, though, as she instinctively loves princesses despite her lack of exposure to them. "I know that one," she exclaimed, pointing at Cinderella. "That’s Barbie!" Later, after I had taught her their real names (thanks to a diagram on the inside of the card), she repeated, "Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Cinderella, and White Girl." She meant to say Snow White. I find her lack of princess knowledge quite charming.

    Happy birthday, my sweet four-year-old girl.

  • More, please

    Tesswantsmm

    Grace and I have spent the past three afternoons decorating our first gingerbread people (and trees) of the year. Tess was content to stand on a chair and watch us – until she saw Grace eat an M&M. Of course, she wanted to eat one too, although she had no idea what it was, and her big sister was in the mood to share. And so her daddy and I watched Tess eat her very first M&M. It was a memorable moment. And she must have liked it, because she promptly reached over and grabbed one off of a freshly decorated cookie. And after dinner, when we gave her a bite of an unadorned cookie, she pointed at it, and then pointed at the counter where we had decorated the cookies. She wanted one with an M&M on it. The chocoholic genes are strong in that kid – that’s my girl!

    Tessstealsmm