04.19

I wonder, if we hadn’t had to get our day moving, how long their working together would have lasted. They were both so proud.

04.18

It was a morning where the ordinary beauty of the things I passed every day just jumped out at me and overwhelmed me. I wanted to walk along it slowly and take it all home with me.

04.17

I’m guessing if Eli had been with me, we totally could have scored a photo with him and Joey Votto. But his introverted self wasn’t up for a meet-and-greet. I think Joey probably felt the same way.

04.16

Kids are insatiable creatures. Despite the overload of fun today held, they wanted more.

04.15

The morning was completely his. We wandered around the zoo, following his every whim. The afternoon, he had to endure. But he was a trooper.

04.14

If I jumped and ran and tumbled during the day as much as them, I’d be sore for a week.

04.13

I let the two of them scream and hit and fight the whole way home. The windows were down and pedestrians turned to look. I’m just not sure what I should be doing about it.

04.12

I could spend hours wandering the stacks. Pulling out spines, imagining possibilities. Many of them don’t live up to the expectations, but the few that do leave an impact.

04.11

Eli told me, after the rain, that the “world smells clean…And our car smells clean.” Then he almost licked it.

04.10

Once again, I was responsible for the ruin of the day. Despite the fact that I followed his explicit orders.

04.09

The rain fully soaked, but without dampening.

04.08

The hours of sunshine, flowers, and friendship just stretched on and on.

04.07

The boys already have amazing Jedi skills. With the addition of a new tutor, who knows how strong the force will be in them.

04.06

This day has left me tired, emotionally and physically.

04.05

I wish I could ease the burdens on his heart. Hug away the guilt that is born from his uncertainty.

04.04

The last time his crying had this impact on me, it was when Roar got dropped in a puddle just before nap time. He was just as heartbroken today.

04.03

We got sunburns. The dark days are over.

04.02

Whenever I run out of things to do, something happens. Something new.

04.01

I was surprised by his courage. He even gave a willing encore.

03.31

Days like today are some of the best things about living in a city. I never thought I’d be a city girl, but I do love this place and all the stuff that comes along with it.

03.30

I love being Aunt Amanda. Mommy is a great job, too.

03.29

It warmed up more than I expected. It was perfect weather for a first game. The boys felt free. They got dirty. I approved.

03.28

We spend a lot of our day dealing with issues that are more big boy than we used to. But there's still a little boy behind all that.

03.27

Batman in the circus. Their imaginations are limitless.

03.26

As an aunt, two babies is perfection. Someone always needs held.

03.25

I felt out of breath and a little behind all day.

03.24

There were moments today I wish I could save in an envelope, tucked in a secret place, to pull out again someday. Then, there were other moments.

03.23

I wished for a snow day so we could attack that stack of library books. I got a sick day instead. Not ideal, but we did get through some books.

03.22

An afternoon schedule I hope repeats: open windows, open doors, Reds on radio, boys riding bikes, dinner cooking.

03.21

It’s true that we should have spent more of our time outside today. But we made the time we had out there count.

03.20

No phase is the perfect phase. It’s hard not to focus on the current negatives and long for the easier days. But there is so much to enjoy now.

03.19

The day was full of color: circus posters, yarn, Legos, grass, peacock feathers, and more.

03.18

Today was simple. Today was full of meaning and memories.

03.17

It doesn’t seem right, putting them to bed before the sun has set. I tell myself I’ll push back their bedtime in the summer. But it might be hard to give up the quiet evenings.

03.16

A month ago, this little reminder would have been a lifeline. Now, I’m strongly swimming into Spring with no need of rescue.

03.15

It always seems like more trouble than it’s worth. Happily, that’s never the case.

03.14

Change the word from “bath” to “soak,” remove the threat of a hair washing, and suddenly it’s the best idea of the day.

03.13

It’s going to take us all a week to get used to this.

03.12

He won’t say a word when a smiling stranger asks how old he is (sticking out his tongue or covering his ears instead.) But give him a carnival game swamped by elementary school kids and he’s fearless.

03.11

I wonder when he’ll decide if he’s left-handed or right. Batting, there’s no question. Definitely a lefty. Everything else is yet to be determined.

03.10

A day of friends, some old, some brand new.

03.09

My brain is running wild with potential projects. Meanwhile, the stuff I know I need to do, I’m putting off.

03.08

He wasn’t doing it to be funny. It was just something he needed to try, I guess.

03.07

What do I have to be anxious about? Perspective is a thing that often eludes me.

03.06

It’s a big time investment, but everyone agrees, it’s worth the work.

03.05

Owen said it was the perfect day for staying inside and playing video games. I tend to think, even if it had been sunny and seventy degrees, in his mind, it would have been the perfect day for playing video games.

03.04

It rained all day, but we were prepared with our boots and jackets and umbrellas. The boys chose to get wet.

03.03

There’s scenery everywhere. Sometimes I’d like to pull the car over and get out the camera.

03.02

At the end of the day, the smell of the chilly spring air clung to our hair and our clothes. We all agreed, we were glad that Spring was beginning. We wished Winter farewell.

03.01

He called me over to show me that his was the first one sprouting. One of the only things that’s happened at school recently that he’s actually wanted to talk about.