“It’s cool. Rub my belly. I won’t bite.”
LIES.
Archive for August, 2013
28 Aug
Olivia update
Kindergarten is going well! There seems to be a fair amount of coloring coming home each day, but last night’s parents meeting brought a promise for new reading and math groups starting next week. Livie’s made a few new friends and loves her teacher.
When I picked her up yesterday, she was one tooth short. I imagine she was the talk of the classroom this morning—this is big news in Kindergarten.
25 Aug
No-wen Fix
Owen has a number of new words, including kitty, Ava, thank you, more, milk, and “na-na,” which, given its context, is obviously “no no.” He’ll head to the running dishwasher, intent on moving the dial mid-cycle, babbling “na-na, na-na, na-na” the entire way.
He’s a pretty ornery little guy, creating diversions that allow him to make a significant mess (while I’m off obliviously cleaning up the first). He’s walking everywhere while sporting new soft-sole shoes, and he greets every person, animal and toy with an adorably loud and enthusiastic “HAAIII!”
23 Aug
Apricot-Almond Tart
This month’s Saveur focuses on Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma—in fact, the editor’s note specifically mentions our little city, and several recipes are from restaurants in nearby Leawood.
I made the fried chicken cover recipe Sunday night, and this Apricot-Almond Tart served as dessert for neighbors on Saturday. (I didn’t have almond flour, so I made a frangipane base, similar to this recipe).
Up next, a lemon curd layer cake. Kansas is pretty darn sweet.
19 Aug
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
I found this in Ava’s homework folder today. It would appear the author took some creative liberties…
16 Aug
Full Disclosure
My week—at least according to Facebook—looked pretty good. Happy, mostly-clean children smiling on a front porch, then walking up a hill to celebrate their first day of school. A fun and engaging TV trivia taping with awesome colleagues. Comments that indicate I had ample time to watch fascinating videos and read a few articles.
In the interest of full disclosure, though, I offer a list of happenings that did not appear on my sanitized social media channel:
- A string of days in which ALL THE THINGS went wrong at work. Deadlines were missed, balls were dropped, bad decisions were made.
- Tears. A lot, actually—some hidden as I left my eight-year-old in a new classroom for, what–the third or fourth time? Some in frustration over work and relationships. Some as I wished earnestly for 10 minutes to shower without being asked a single question.
- An actual tantrum—mine, sadly—in which I refused to make dinner one night. I did do the laundry later—though only with barely contained fury.
- Unkind words to my sweet husband, and to my daughters.
- Too many glasses of wine.
- Frustration with a baby who isn’t sleeping, and shame because I know it’s due to illness.
- Endless worry about time spent at home rather than at work.
- Endless worry about time spent at work rather than at home.
- Bedtimes that were probably earlier than they needed to be.
- Guilt. So much guilt. Over everything from poorly-managed relationships, to phone calls I should have made but didn’t, to the thank you notes I STILL haven’t written.
- 19 changes of clothes—only five of which I actually wore, and a promise yet again to lose 20 pounds.
- A slice of pizza anyway.
I’ll note that, thankfully, a week like this is the exception and not the rule, but it feels disingenuous to let it go by without a bit of honesty. Social media makes it all to easy to create a facade that does no favors for women, for wives, for moms. Days can be filled with more blessings than you can count, but they can be brutal and cold.
So, with this declaration, I offer a glimpse into what is real, and—more importantly—a promise to myself and those I love to try and do better come Monday.
– Rebecca
PS – Those cupcakes? They were from a box.
16 Aug
Kindergarten begins!
Big day for Team Smith…
Livie’s toothelss grin was a bit strained this morning—her excitement gave way to a tiny bit of nervousness this morning, I think.
But, she headed up the hill…
…and posed for her first of many photos like this.
Inside, we waited a bit to enter her room.
She meet up with Cooper, another Montessori classmate, and Riley, a friend from ballet. Two ready-made friends in a class of 20 is a pretty good start.
And, of course, another friend stowed away…
New cubby…
And a new teacher.
Good luck, Livie!
15 Aug
Last day’s first
Olivia celebrated her last day of preschool with hugs from Purviz, a sweet note to her classmates and a two dozen cupcakes.
