“It would seem that something which means poverty, disorder and violence every single day should be avoided entirely, but the desire to beget children is a natural urge.” —Phyllis Diller
Monthly Archives: October 2012
Sophie’s New Backpack
October 23, 2012 – 9:50 pm
Last year I wrote an essay for The New York Times Motherlode blog titled “The Perfect Backpack.” You can read it here. After all that, we ended up getting Sophie a new backpack this year. Two reasons: (1) Last year’s backpack was too small for a regular size piece of paper—and her preschool teachers suggested […]
Tomatoes
October 23, 2012 – 9:20 pm
A couple days ago, in preparation for winter, we pulled all the tomato plants out of our (tiny) garden bed. Late this spring I went to pick up lunch at a restaurant for my family and in-laws, who were visiting. It was a Sunday—I didn’t realize the restaurant didn’t open until noon on Sundays. It […]
Brothers
October 22, 2012 – 9:33 pm
I was switching laundry in the basement when I heard yelling—from all the way up in the boys’ bedroom. The boys yell a lot and I’m pretty good at noting the difference between a he-took-my-toy yell and a I’m-hurting-for-real yell. James’s yell became louder and louder so I abandoned the laundry and ran up the […]
My Monday (So Far)
October 22, 2012 – 1:38 pm
Picked up Sophie from preschool, dropped her off at play date. Came home with both boys and found a half-eaten plastic sandwich bag in living room. Realized bag had been filled halfway with raisins. Made lunch. Vaguely remembered something about dogs + raisins + toxicity. Marveled how the brain pulls out bits of long-ago information […]
My New Backseat Driver
October 17, 2012 – 9:45 pm
Me: “Uh oh.” Sophie: “What?” Me: “I’m going the wrong way.” Sophie: “What do you mean you’re going the wrong way?” Me: “I’m lost.” Sophie: “You’re lost?” Me: “Yes.” Sophie: “Why didn’t you go back the way we came?” Me: “I missed my turn.” Sophie: “What does ‘turn’ mean?” Me: “You know. Right or left. […]
Sophie’s 1st Day of Preschool (2nd Year)
October 16, 2012 – 3:27 pm
“Holidays are enticing only for the first week or so. After that, it is no longer such a novelty to rise late and have little to do.” —Margaret Laurence
A Pillowcase With Nini
October 15, 2012 – 11:24 pm
(photos and captions courtesy of my mom) Sophie cut most of the fabric … worked hard on the pinning … sang while she did her own ironing … pushed the foot pedal for all the sewing (and made French seams) … and made a beautiful pillowcase. I think Nini found a sewing partner. “It is […]
Labor Day Weekend in NC
October 12, 2012 – 7:22 pm
beautiful Katy; beautiful Colleen Luke Katy reading to Colleen and James the beautiful/terrifying spider waiting for dinner on their front porch climbing Jack’s beanstalk at Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem catching flying scarves initial pictures making donuts Colleen climbing a trip to the grocery tower building happy Pop Pop Katy and Tom, storytelling “But in the […]
Sunday Morning Puzzle
October 12, 2012 – 8:56 am
“There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle.” —Deepak Chopra
