Wordless Wednesday

Wanderlust

Several lifetimes ago I was a fledgling historian and I wrote my senior thesis about a group of Czechs and Slovaks who had been conscripted by the Germans and Austrians in World War I, captured by Tsarist  White Russians, used to fight Red Russians, captured by Red Russians, revolted against the Reds, almost saved theRomanovs, then traveled east through Siberia to catch a boat to the US with a promise that, if they made it to all the way around the world to the Western Front, they would be granted an independent homeland. Yes, that's as simple as I could word that.

Their route looked something like this

from http://www.emersonkent.com/

I knew that would be my subject long before I even transferred to my beloved Cal, and thinking of my thesis, of such a big adventure, set the tone for much of my college experience. I had Socialist Realist recruitment posters plastered on the walls of my little studio, had an old Czech lady I knew translate all she could from memoirs of these guys and would tell everyone I could about how I would one day recreate their journey.

It really is an awesome story. Here's a website that does a better job of explaining it than I ever did http://www.czechlegion.com/TheCzechLegion/Introduction.html

Anyhoo, I'm turning 40 next year and I got this idea to celebrate it by taking the Trans-Siberian railway from St. Petersberg to Moscow to Ekaterinberg to Ulan Bataar to Beijing. My thought was to drop the boys off in England with Hubs' parents, run off to Russia then hop a flight back to London.

But then I was checking out a website and saw a picture of a woman with her daughter on a train... and my daydream changed. I want to go with ALL of my boys, and the little guys would have to be older, so now I'm thinking it would be awesome for my 45th(yeesh) birthday.

Here's  the thing, I'm not an ambitious person. There are very few things in life that have made me go, "I must do this!" but I must do this. When I was in high school I thought, "I have to go to Prague!" then after I went I said, "I have to move to Prague!" And I did.

Without the certainty and hubris of youth, I gotta say this may be the same sort of deal. I need to take the Trans Siberian Railway.

39

Today I turned one year away from being old and I need to figure out what I'm doing with my life.

Wordless Wednesday

Not A Baby But A Kid

When I call The Boy "my baby" he gets cross with me and says, "I'm not a baby, I'm a big boy!" And usually I fein inocence and say, "Oh sorry, of course you are," while rolling my eyes and admiring his baby-like cheek chub and doll-like eyes. As long as he's not next to The Little Boy he still looks like my baby; my baby but bigger.

Success!

This is what happens when big boys poop on the potty. They find this waiting for them when they return home from school.



 

 

 

Then they look like this.

My hearing may be damaged, but damn I'm proud!

It Smells Like Fall

Where we live that doesn't mean the air smells of dead leaves or burned wood, not yet anyway. But the other morning, when The Little Boy woke us at 5:30 am for a diaper change and some food, I definitely felt a chill in the air. And along with the chill there was, something... a freshness. I could smell the clean linens on our bed instead of what we had for dinner the previous night. The air was crisp, not dense and heavy like summer air.

Other changes are happening too. The Boy wore socks for the first time since May. They're new socks I just bought him, size 3's that are already too small. He's also been wearing jeans and long sleeved tees to school Then there's The Little Boy wearing his first All-In-One, or whatever it's called, which was weirdly bittersweet because it was the first time his arms and legs were covered.

The weather may be listing back towards summer warmth today, but at least Fall is on the way. Our blanket is folded across the bottom of our bed(much to Cat's delight), my requisite hoarding of Trader Joe's pumpkin-flavored stuff commenced on Sunday and I roasted a chicken for dinner. So though we may have to wait until just before Christmas for The Boy to jump in piles of fallen leaves, our warm Southern Californian Autumn has finally made a half-assed start. Hurrah!

Things That Make Me Happy - The Boyless Edition

1. Sitting down in a cafe, taking my first sip of coffee then opening a book or putting pen to paper, or finger to keyboard as it were. Whether doing this at one of my local cafes that I've been to a million times or at a new cafe in a new city, doing this is like meditation for me.

2. Travel. I love it. It consumed most of my pre-Hubs life and much of my early Hubs life, but it remains one of my great loves. I put a giant map of the world up in The Boy's room and discuss the details of his inflatable globe with him. I want my boys to love travel, and if they don't love it I at least want them to appreciate what it has meant to me.

Check me out - Florence, circa 1997

3. Having time to take a shower, shave my legs properly and put lotion on, pedicures, getting my hair done. Proper maintenanceis something I've always taken for granted, but now I consider it a major victory if I get out of the shower with clean hair and thoroughly shaved legs or, indeed, if I've showered at all.

4. Food and drink. Along with coffee, a really good cocktail or glass of red wine, a great bowl of pasta or saucy French dish, buttery pastries or chocolatey desserts aaallll make me very, very happy.

5. Weather cool enough to wear a sweater and a scarf. My newest is this one from Kirna Zabete for Target. I got to wear it once last week when I took The Boy to school.

 We had weather like that here for three whole days! But now it's back to being hot.

6. An amazing dinner out with Hubs. This hardly ever happens anymore, but I have a birthday coming up so fingers crossed we get one soon.

7. Laughing so hard I cry. This hardly ever happens anymore either. And this is actually way sadder than it having been forever since enjoying a nice meal without the babes.

8. Wearing something I know I look good in. Again, this rarely happens. I've grown so accustomed to my jeans, black tee and Chucks uniform that I've convinced myself I look decent in it, but I really don't... especially in a nursing bra.

9. Writing a really good sentence. Happens most when I have a chance to cogitate over a hot cup of coffee at a great cafe. I need to make that happen again sooner rather than later.

10. Reading a really good book. Woohoo! This does happen. It may take me forever to get through a book now, but I am reading some good books now. Dominic Lieven and Hari Kunzru make for awesome history and brain candy! See my Good Reads widget to the right.



This is a Monday Listicle. Here is the link to the site that originated it.
http://www.northwestmommy.com/

Wordless Wednesday

Fluffy Butt 2012

In honor of breaking out The Boy's old cloth diapers for The Little Boy(TLB is pooping us out of house and home. We've been going through a case of almost 200 diapers every. single. week.), I took a pic of The Little Boy wearing my very favorite pair of cloth diapers from The Boy's babyhood.

The Boy circa November, 2009

The Little Boy on Monday

I did try to get TLB to flash a smile my way but I couldn't compete with his big brother.

Sunday

Today was the most laid back of days. No plans - first weekend in a while where we weren't busy, not too many chores around the house, no sick babies. If only the boys hadn't woken us up at 7:30 it would have been perfect, but it was still pretty good.

 

Here we are watching cartoons in our jammies after eating pancakes for breakfast. The Boy is being kept company by his baby, whom he keeps borrowing from school.

 

 

 

Tummy time - because little guys don't care about cartoons. Not yet anyway.

 

 

Making art out of the acorns we collected at school.

 

 

Naptime made special by sleeping in Mom and Dad's bed.

 

 

 

Watching Falcon 9 propel Dragon into space. It was The Boy's first live space ship launch. Or "spee-ass ship," as he pronounces it.

 

 

Cuddles.

Then leftovers for dinner and Iron Chef and getting ready for bed. I read The Boy two stories in our bed while I nursed The Little Boy to sleep, then The Boy brushed his teeth, tried(unsuccessfully) to use the potty and was read two more books by Hubs.

I love days like today.

Wordless Wednesday

2 Months Old

 

The Little Boy is 2 months old. He smiles, rolls front to back, almost rolls back to front, babbles all the time, loves it when I make silly faces at him, tolerates his big brother's hugs, doesn't tolerate being held by anyone but me or Hubs for too long, is an awesome night time sleeper, is not an awesome day time sleeper, hates baths but hates having his nose wiped more, likes his swing but loves Mommy and Daddy huggles most.

And how cute are these boys???