In July we were visiting my mom and dad for a few days. Just like any other day while we were there, my mom had Audrey in the garden watering things before the sun got too high in the sky. It’d been a late, late night and an earlier morning for Little Miss Augie, and before my mom knew it Audrey fell asleep on top of her head while watering. This happened about 15 minutes after I snapped these pictures, I’d gone back inside to find a newspaper and coffee. It’s hard work to help Grammy in the garden when you’re a year and a half old.
What Happy Looks Like at 18 Months
Two different painting projects (one on her own, one supervised), one fudgscile, and a quick swizzle of hands in paint water, gives you these following images. I love her and everything that these photos represent. Isn’t childhood supposed to be messy, mixed up and covered in finger paint? These pictures tell me I’m doing a good job, not because they remind me that she escaped into Maggie’s room with a tube of paint, but because she is beaming, proud, loved, and full of delight. She took a long, colorful bath last night, and now she’s all clean….I put the paints away, because as much as I love these photos, I’m not ready for a repeat today. Remember to get good and messy sometimes, messes can bring joy. Here’s some proof:
Free Range Chicken at the Market and Anniversary Love
Before I post an onslaught of photos from months ago, I want to acknowledge that today is our 6 year wedding anniversary. I’m never very good about writing about our marriage or controversial topics (not to say that our marriage is controversial, it isn’t) on our blog. Usually when I want to be mushy or opinionated, I tend to squash it down with a bunch of words or hidden meanings. But our marriage, and our life together, deserves quick recognition. Barry and I met when we were 21 and got married seven years later. 13 years together. I’m proud of that, mostly proud that we’re still deeply in love and committed to continue to build on what we’ve already established. (SEE! I’m not good at this. Marriage is private and we like to keep it that way….but cheers to our anniversary and loving the one you’re with.)
Because April seems to be the month that got away from us this year, I’m doing a quick drop of pictures from that month that I haven’t posted yet. As you can see, we were up in A-Town and met up with our A-Town playgroup for a playdate. This batch is only from the second half of the month, because I seem to have dropped off the face of Earth after the 15th. Looking at these pictures makes me appreciate our ability to go visit family and friends on a regular basis, I know not everybody has that and I tend to forget that a 1.5 hour drive really isn’t that big of a deal.
As I type this, April seems like eons ago. This morning, the 16th of August, we got up and went to the Farmers Market. But before the girls and I had even rubbed the sleep from our eyes, Barry ran 12 miles. 12 freakin’ miles. We were up by the time he got back home, but certainly not far from a deep slumber. He does that sort of thing, running, and finds such joy in it. By 9 o’clock we were all showered (not Maggie, but Audrey who jumped into the shower with Barry) and out the door to the market. It was the first time that we let Audrey roam the market like a free range chicken, and she loved it. We made the mistake of letting Mags pick out some kettle corn….all Audrey wanted to do was pound the popcorn while strolling through the market. It was funny and we’re working on saying ‘yes’ to things that aren’t a big deal. It was the first time that I really felt like we had big kids with us. Both girls walking, both having opinions. (The opinon thing has been since birth for both, but you know…)
So, April seems forever ago. And someday today, the day we went to the Farmers Market and Audrey walked like a free range chicken while eating popcorn, will feel like a century ago. And I’ll be a mixture of happy and sad. Because thinking about the day that I got married, I was so happy and I couldn’t even fathom what our future would be….that’d it be full of free range chickens and coffee (because we didn’t start drinking coffee until last year).
Without being too mushy, I, again, want to point to today’s day on the calendar and put a massive heart on it and smooch everything it stands for.