sickie

Both girls are sick, but it was Julia's first really sick day. Hot fever, tired eyes, little flushed cheeks. I felt bad for her, but it was kind of lovely to strap her in the carrier and have her little feverish body close to mine, and her head lolling against my neck.
Pleasure from the strangest things, no?

context is everything

Julia's vocabulary of signs has exploded. She can say "wash hands," "baby", "banana" and "car".

There's only one problem with this. All of those signs look exactly alike (sort of rubbing her hands together towards the middle of her chest).

Usually with context, I can figure out what she wants. Though I'm waiting for the day that she'll ask for a banana in the car. Or ask to wash the baby's hands. Or learn another three signs that also look the same.

I've been working on "horse", which involves wiggling fingers around the vicinity of the head. I guess variety is the spice of communication.

novels

I miss you terribly, my novels--
those novels I am not reading.
I want to find new ones,
and also turn off the TV.
Ah, technology, you poisoned, sweet apple.

does it come with a key?

Those plastic zip food-storage bags with the zip tab? They should come with a backup key. The tab came off, and there was no getting that puppy unlocked. When my nail started bending backwards, I decided scissors cutting it wide open was the only option.
Why is it that my 1.5-year-old can do this, and I cannot?
Thanks, SC Johnson Wax. And you say you're a family company.

I am the queen!

she says, her voice rising.
I am not always sure I like this voice. It is the voice she uses when she disagrees with me. It is the voice of telling her sister what to do. It is a not-cooperating voice.
"I am the only queen," she says again. We have made a sword of cardboard and scotch tape, with orange magic marker. She raises it to shoulder height. "When I walk around in different states, you can see my shadow everywhere! I am the only queen!"
This is not a compliant Lucy, or a pick up her own toys Lucy. This is a prickly Lucy, a get-what-she-wants Lucy, a strong and potent Lucy, a Lucy ready to take on the world. Even when that world is me.

"I am the queen," she says.
"You sure are, sweetie," I tell her. "Let me help you tape your sword."

you know what feels good?

Sitting down and working towards a goal that's been on hold for nearly five years.
I've been writing--and even submitting work--since my girls were born, but I haven't been able to do it in an organized way since before Lucy was born. Yesterday, I opened up my old spreadsheet of markets, started culling, updating, and revisiting the places I've submitted work before. I looked at five websites. Today, I did another five. I'm hoping to add to the list and start submitting on a small scale again soon.
I'm blessed to have friends that have helped me keep my toes in the water through these five long years. I'm thankful to have continued writing, even after I finished my degree and got no sleep.
But it feels good to do something for myself, something a little scary and mundane and time-consuming, and decide to do it, even if it's a little at a time, so that I can take bigger steps later.
And it feels wonderful to have the rest, time, and motivation to sit down and do something for myself.
Thanks, Melissa, for challenging us all to love ourselves today. Here's to all of you, taking baby steps towards dreams.

thrifty

On a whim, I decided to check out our local Community Resource Center thrift for pants before buying something new online. I'd looked a few weeks ago, and found nothing, so I had no expectations.
Let's just say I walked out with three pairs of perfectly fitting pants (Gap, Limited, White House/Black Market) and two shirts (Moda Int'l and Lucky) for less than I would have paid for one pair of pants in the store. Plus, my money goes to a local charity.
Before three years ago, I had never really thrifted in earnest. But let me tell you, it gets harder and harder to pay full price when I know there's this kind of candy out there.
If only I knew how to be all cool and decoratey and score schwag for my home. Ah, well, at least I have new (to me) clothes.