I’ll give you a hint…
Alethea was super excited when we arrived home this afternoon to discover that the people from the “rock store” had been by and left something in our yard.
So, you’ve probably guessed it, but just in case, here’s another hint…
If anyone decides to spontaneously stop by this weekend, you may find yourself becoming a conscripted rock mover. (However there might also be homemade blueberry ice cream in it for you too!)
So admit it, you want to come over now. You know you do!
When we were recently at my grandparent’s house, my grandmother, who is a culinary wiz, whipped up some Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream. It was TO DIE FOR!
Even better, I realized the recipe was from a Williams Sonoma cookbook that I already own. But just in case you don’t also happen to have their ice cream cookbook, you can find the recipe here. And you really should check it out, because if you like blueberries and you like cream, you’ll love this simple-to-make ice cream. It tastes like a mound of tart berries floating on a cloud of whipped cream. (And if you don’t like blueberries and cream, then I can only suggest therapy.)
If I haven’t yet convinced you to run out and buy the ingredients, here’s my final sales pitch:
Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream:
Alethea Tested, Alethea Approved
No, that’s not what happened to me. You might think so being as it’s been over a week since I’ve written a post, but it’s not true. I spent the whole week on the planet. I was in Iowa some of the time, but contrary to popular belief around these parts, Iowa is not an alien nation. Here’s a summary of our week, to corn country and back!
Visiting Great Grandma and Grandpa
We spent three lovely days last week visiting my grandparents in Iowa. Everyone seemed to get along well and it was fun to have Grandpa Jim and Grandma Ruth meet Lydia for the first time.
We took one afternoon to visit the local water park. The girls thought that was pretty cool.
I jumped at the opportunity to play photographer out in my Grandmother’s garden. (Someday I hope my yard looks half as beautiful as her’s.)
No wireless for my computer, and lots of nature all around. Ahh… some rest for my soul…
And Then… Back to Reality
I don’t have any real excuse for why I haven’t posted since our return from Iowa last Thursday. Just life. You know, things like dropping a boat load of money on a tent and other supplies at REI so we can take our 2 year old and six month old camping. (Yes, we might be insane to try it.)
Also, getting my fall registration materials out to my students. I like being a piano teacher, but typing up forms, writing studio policies and creating a calendar isn’t my favorite part of the job, so at least that’s done for the year.
Got to go downtown and have lunch with Peter today while his mom so graciously watched the girls. I can’t remember the last time we had lunch. alone. together. Sort of a weird feeling… but I like it!
Insert various other social engagements, church, errands and assorted things that would not be in any way amusing to read about and that about sums up my week (and a day) falling off and then back onto planet Earth.
I have at least one little girl who won’t mind if ‘Do Dishes’ ends up on her chore list. Any time I tell Alethea, “It’s time to clean up the kitchen!” she eagerly responds, “I help!” Then she drags a chair over to the sink and begins splashing, scrubbing and making a huge soapy mess.
No, she doesn’t really get anything clean and yes, it would be easier to just do it myself, but seeing her so proud of her accomplishments is definitely worth a little hassle.
Maybe some day Lydia can help too and then I’ll quit doing dishes altogether, but for now, she’s content to sit in her carrier and watch the occasional soap bubble float by.
Scrub-a-dub-dub!
Alethea’s hair has finally gotten long enough that we can start doing updos with it! It’s especially nice to be able to put her hair in pony and pig tails since we are experiencing an awful heat-wave. I’m having fun playing Mommy stylist and naturally, Alethea is completely adorable in pig tails.
However, despite the fact that we are both having a good time trying out new styles, I am contemplating giving Alethea a haircut, because when her hair is not contained by clips or bands, it’s pretty reminiscent of Albert Einstein.
And that brings me to my dilemma of the day, should I or should I not save the clippings from Alethea’s first haircut?
In my mind, hair no longer attached to someone’s head is something to be vacuumed up and gotten rid of, so I wouldn’t even consider deliberately keeping hair in the house, except that Alethea’s baby book has a page with a special vellum envelope labeled “First Haircut” (and also one marked “First Tooth”).
The germaphobe in me says, “Eeww! Why would you want to keep hair and teeth in the same book as pictures of your adorable baby?!?!”
But the rule following part of me hates to have an incomplete baby book and is reenforced by the wants-to-be-a-perfect-mother part of me, who thinks Alethea may wonder some day why I didn’t bother to fill up that empty envelope.
What to do, what to do…
Your thoughts please. Keeping hair and teeth in a baby book: sweet and sentimental or germy and gross?
Have you ever wanted something so badly you could hardly stand it?
That’s me right now.
See, I’ve been searching high and low for a reasonably priced wool rug for our living room for some time now. I want something that looks like an antique Persian rug without the antique Persian rug price. The main color has to be blue or blue-green and I don’t want any red in it.
Sounds simple enough, but after hours of searching I’d found nothing…
Until yesterday, when my Pottery Barn catalog arrived in the mail. Their new rugs have just arrived and I’ve fallen hard for this one:
It’s soooooooooo perfect!
Now I just have to save my nickles and dimes (and maybe a few quarters too)!
I can hardly believe it, but Lydia turned half a year old on the fifth of this month! Happy six month birthday, my Dear Girl!
Wednesday was Lydia’s check-up with the pediatrician. Turns out she’s been doing some growing! Her current stats are: Height – 26.5 inches, Weight – 19 lbs 14 oz, Head Circumference – 44 cm. That means she is in the 74th percentile for height, 97th for weight and 86th for head circumference. It also means that Lydia is only about 6 inches shorter and 6 pounds lighter than her big sister! A new car seat is in the not-too-distant future for this girl…
In addition to doing a whole lot of growing Lydia spent her sixth month working on her motor skills. She is quite the pro at rolling over now and will at times even roll multiple times to reach a particular destination. She is also perfecting her sitting-up skills and can make it a couple of minutes before toppling over. Lydia loves the view from way up there!
Sitting up is Lydia’s new favorite thing to do. She also loves watching her sister do goofy things, ‘talking’ to Mommy and Daddy, and playing in her exersaucer. Toys are a big hit, as long as she can get them into her mouth. Really, anything that fits in her mouth is a delight to her including (but not limited to) solid foods, stuffed animals, paper, ice water, nuks and of course, her fist!
We have been wondering if all this chewing on things means she’s teething, but so far, there’s no sign of her pearly whites, so we still have that to look forward to in the coming months. Also, Lydia still hasn’t gotten up onto her hands and knees, but there is a very determined look in her eye at times, so I think crawling will be happening sooner rather than later.
All in all, I’d say the past month was a resounding success and while Alethea may be living in terror of the day when Lydia can finally get herself over to all those toys she’s been kept from, Peter and I are excited to see Lydia grow in her independence and discover new things in the world around her.
Or am I just easily impressed?
We are having ‘alone time’ right now (a.k.a. nap time, but Alethea seems to resent the implication that she might need a nap, so I tell her, “That’s fine, you don’t have to take a nap, but Mommy needs to be alone right now,” hence the ‘alone time’.)
Anyway, the tornado sirens just went off because it is the first Wednesday of the month.
This is what I overheard from Alethea’s room:
“Sirens!”
pause
then in a perplexed little voice:
“But it’s sunny outside!”
I was surprised at the reasoning skills she must have been using, but I’m her mother, so like I said, I realize that I may just be easily impressed.
