What a luscious time of year. A sweet nectar of orange blossoms perfumes our back yard...despite the knee-high blades of grass that await their first mow. Birds tweet and twitter along the electric lines. Feral gates skirt across the aged wooden fence. Birch leaves shimmer in the light breeze.
All while Nora screams.
She does not want to nap.
I want her to nap.
You will know by the length of this post who persevered. She's a clever bee. Switching from a steady shriek of "MAMA!" to "DADA!"
Honey, he's far far away. At his desk. Enjoying a cup of coffee, perhaps online shopping for lawn mower accessories, listening to Pandora through his head phones. Smiling and tapping his feet...I think he's even spinning in his desk chair as he hums. Yes, my child, this is what your father does when he's away from us. He can not help you. Give in to sleep.
Although he did join you in your crib today since you protested leaving. Which made the sun shine a million times brighter upon my morning. How could walking into this scene not make you smile?
*My above imaginary conversation worked, by the way. Silence has drifted down the hall.
And besides frolicking in the crib with her dad, Nora has also had other adventures in the past few weeks worth some words and some photos.
There was a glorious mid-week afternoon that beckoned for Nora and I to take my mom to the beach. "Nona," as she is lovingly cooed, was a true sport.
Cinching her cinnamon hoodie around her face as the wind whipped across the sand and Nora tossed salt water and sand and wet globs across our toes. These women are so precious to me. My mom and my daughter.
And as I watched Nora gallop towards the water's edge, the pier stretching out into the sea, my mother's laughter...my heart swelled. I am conscious of my fortune.
It's safe to say that Lulu loved her seaside afternoon.
And us big girls loved it, too.
In some situations the most you can offer is to hold someones hand. Hope they feel your love. Assure them that you will be there.
There have also been Springtime celebrations and fashions. Daniel's sister, Annalisa, sent the most precious Peruvian fair-trade handstitched spring dresses to Nora. They arrived the day before I was heading to a park to take some pictures with my friend Lisa.
As I've made quite clear, I am fiercely against the "princessification" of my daughter and girls in society today. The prevailing fashion often creates, feeds, stokes this notion of the beautiful creature in need of adoration of her physicality and inability to fend for herself or pursue the world of ideas. Thus, the dresses and shoes and crowns that glitter in stores never find their way onto my daughter.
I am not naive...it is quite possible that Nora will one day pine for Disney and Barbie crap. We will approach each pink and rhinestone tantrum on a case-by-case basis. But for now...Daniel and I, united in our revolt, are able to easily control her clothing. Pink/princess stuff simply disappears.
Annalisa understands this perfectly...and always has. Her clothing gifts always respect our philosophy and yet, still allow Nora to be a little girl.
Here's a sneak peek into the Rancho Los Alamitos photoshoot of Lulu Bell. I am harboring the best pics until I can send them out via snail mail...otherwise some beloved people will post them and print them before I've even licked my stamps! (And you know who you are!)
In addition to plastic eggs, I also wanted to share with Nora my fond memories of dying eggs for the Easter holiday. There are so many treasured childhood memories...boiled eggs bathing in glass bowls, green grass spilling from candy-filled baskets, biting the ears off of chocolate bunnies, racing my brother through the tall grass to hunt for hidden eggs, eating sticky sweet rolls for breakfast and braided bread at dinner.
At 18 months, Nora will not yet experience the bulk of these moments...but the egg-dying I wanted to offer with a twist. A "Martha-Stewart" all-natural dye twist. I rolled up my sleeves and dove straight into the boiling of 30+ eggs, the preparation of my natural dyes, and the excitement of having some of our favorite moms and toddlers over to play.
My dyes consisted of all the following with a splash of vinegar:
- beet juice
- blueberries
- raspberries
- frozen spinach
- turmeric
- paprika
- chai tea
- strong coffee
Behold the beautiful final products!
Nora's special egg.
The dying-party is ready to begin.
Nora and Ruby hanging out.
Shane wielding his crayon with prowess.
Kathy performing the "toddler shove" to encourage eating of what you know they will like (in this case a gingerbread muffin).
Ruby showing off her artistic prowess in the form of crayon-drawing.
Lulu and I had fun, too.
I wonder where on earth Ruby gets her creativity from? (Her mom, Carrie's, beautiful Easter Bunny). Carrie also wrote about this fun day on her fabulous blog.
The gang then gathered again in the afternoon to harvest the eggs from the SIX HOUR dying process (all-natural has it's cons).
Deb's antics thrill Zach and leaves Nora a little nervous.
Ollie is leary of Leo the Lion.
Aaron, Zach, Ruby and Nora flit about.
The rustic beauties going home.
