Happy birthday,

tara_bella

. I hope you have a wonderful day! I hope my kid doesn’t drive you crazy. I love you tons and am grateful for all that you and your family do to support me and my family.
xoxoxo

I’m so tired lately. Working too much for comfort. Magazine and guide work this week together amount to little down time. I should say no to some of these RUSH RUSH RUSH projects. Well, I do sometimes say no. But I said yes to one this week. It seemed prudent at the time since other guides I’m assigned to are either stalled out or haven’t started yet.

I’m hopeful that I’ll get some rest this weekend. We’re going up to the cabin for three days. I’ll be taking work with me, but should have a nice time with my family. A change of scenery and some fresh mountain air will do me good. I hope we can do some hiking. We plan on bringing a couple of bikes too. Lucas can ride in the cul-de-sac without our worrying about traffic.  

There is lots of packing to do tonight, and we’re tempted to attend a birthday party for

tara_bella

. We may not leave until Saturday morning. I wish there were more hours in the day and I really wish I could spend them sleeping.

Dear Bascha,

I’ve probably told you I love you in every way possible… 

Wait. No. There are probably other ways still, so I’ll endeavor to find them and do them and continue to tell you and show you my devotion and adoration. It’s a promise.  If there are ways you want me to try, let me know. Because I would walk through lava for you. I would live in an igloo if you were there to keep me warm. 

Remember all those love letters I use to write to you? In my head, I compose one for you every day.

You are my cozy chair and my thriller. You are my cocktail and my warm bath. You are my sleepy morning and my e-ticket. I am so proud of you, so glad and grateful I get to live my life with you! 

I’m wishing you a joyful, fun 36th birthday. I hope you have 80 more with me and our beautiful boys by your side.

I love you. Happy birthday!
Sara

p.s. Only you can see this.

I gave away a huge amount of infant clothes last weekend and today. A HUGE amount. Like, probably $2K worth new. I’ve never done this before. When Lucas grew (grows) out of things I always boxed (box) them up and put them in our ever-more-crowded garage for Asher. Asher has already grown out of so many things, and we think he is our last baby, so there’s little point in keeping them. We’re out of space. 

I gave a bunch of things to my friend J, who just found out she is having twins. She got the newborn to 6 months things. I figure her babies (BABIES!) will be able to use the small sizes for a while, as they are likely to be born somewhat smaller than singles. We’re talking a 25 gallon tote plus another full box and a shopping bag full of tiny, adorable things!

I gave a handful of outfits to my friend D, whose son is 4.5 months old. She didn’t need much, but took what she wanted.

I gave the rest to my friends C and M, whose son is 3.5 months old. He got the 6 months and up clothes that don’t fit Asher: A giant box full, a kitchen garbage bag full, and another shopping bag full. FULL!

C asked me if I wanted the clothes back again. I said no. They will get good use out of them and then pass the clothes on to another family when they are done with them. M said they have two sets of friends who are expecting boys.

Somehow, saying “no, we don’t need them back again” makes me really sad. 

Sometimes being a woman with hormones is really weird.

 Asher is 7 months old in these pictures. Lucas is still 5.

I soundly defeated the Ninjas and Zombies. Oh, and the Bandicoots, but they weren’t very threatening. The fight against the Aliens rages on.  Only, now its several types of Aliens in a whole new galaxy. Soon racing cars will jump into the fray.  I don’t yet know whose side they’ll be on. 

My work is weird.

This past Monday was a day of triumph and celebration for Lucas. He learned how to ride his two-wheeled bike without training wheels! It was thrilling to watch his determination, courage (in trying again after falling), and exultation when he figured it out. 

We started a couple of weeks ago. Lucas had a friend over and they rode bikes together, but the friend didn’t have training wheels. That day, Lucas decided to take his training wheels off. At the neighbor’s suggestion, Ian took Lucas to the school field at the end of our street and he rode down a grassy hill into the field, to take advantage of the soft landing.

Then on Monday, Lucas, Asher and I went to the field and tried it on the big hill. He rode down that about 15 times. Each time he pedalled halfway across the field before hitting the grass, getting a feel for the needed balance. Each time, he got up and ran back toward me with his arms open wide and exhilaration on his face. I picked him up (as best as I could) and swung him around in the air. Then he ran back to his bike and trudged it up the hill to do it all again. I hollered and cheered myself hoarse. The hill gave him the speed he needed to pedal and feel his balance.

On our short walk home, he must have decided it was lame to walk his bike because he got on it at the street and rode. One crash. Two crashes. Then he RODE the bike. He breaked. He put his foot down. No crash. He did it! And again. Then again. It was fantastic!

Later on, we went out to ride some more. That’s when I took these pictures. Lucas was riding his bike when Ian came home from work, so Ian got to see him in action.

These pictures do not adequately convey how FAST he is! We are so PROUD of him.
 

When working late on a Sunday night editing shitty writing featuring commas sprinkled like confetti (apparently there only for decoration) and subject matter that is violent and monotonous and goofy all at the same damned time, at least I can drink smooth, velvety red wine. I couldn’t do that at my old corporate job. 

See, I’m stickin’ it to the Man, one sip, one comma at a time.

 
Yesterday Asher was playing in his crib. Then he got up on his knees! I ran to get the camera. We expect him to crawl soon.

Then, he surprised us!

    This is where I dropped the camera and ran to keep him from toppling over the edge. He’s rather top-heavy and would have gone right over! Time to lower the crib matress. Yikes!