Random

A rather haphazard post is about to unfold.  Usually, I've got some idea of what to share when I sit down to write.  Tonight, I'm in one of those nose-wrinkled, 'meh' sort of moods.  WM is on the road.  WC is tucked into bed somewhere between a large stuffed bunny, a small stuffed bunny, a brown spotted puppy and Grinchy.  Note, each was kissed no less than three times during our bedtime ritual.


That, I love.  On my nights, we sing.  The song list starts out with Happy Birthday.  Sometimes, Channing requests that the song is for someone specific, usually Cassie.  Lucky girl has a birthday no less than three times each week.  Not kidding.  Happy Birthday is followed by Scooby Do Bop Boo.  It goes something like this-Scooby Do Bop Boo--Bop.  Bop.  Yep.  That's the entire song.  He LOVES it.  ABC is new to our repertoire.  We start as a duet for letters A through D.  Somewhere in the middle things get a little jumbled as I'm still singing E, F, G, etc. and Channing's skipped to P, Q and then U.  We meet up again at W and finish it out with X, Y, Z.  It is absolutely amazing to hear his little voice chime in.  A-mazing.  We wrap up our red rocking chair concert with the Goodnight Song every night without fail.  Grandma Max sang it to my sisters and me when we were little.  I've changed the lyrics a little and added in my own verse, but it works for us.  

We've added bath time to our daily ritual too.  It is something we'd avoided for a long time.  Channing and Sophie have such delicate skin.  One drop of water and both instantly chap and peel.  Channing to the point where the chemicals that make up the heat set labels on infant clothing once gave him a nasty burn.  Now that we have too many hours in the day, I'm happy to let him while away part of an afternoon or evening, pouring water from cup to cup and excitedly exclaiming 'Watch this, Mommy' as he blows bubbles or washes his hair for the eleventh time in as many minutes.  He's clean.  Very clean.  

On sunny days, we find those bright spots and make the most of them, playing board games at the top of the stairs or on the bed, building trains on the iPad and watching them endlessly loop around and around on their digital tracks, reading books and snuggling.  We do a lot of snuggling.  

Eventually, where we are standing will become our front porch.  

Every day, Channing asks to see the new house.  Every.  Day.  On occasion, I indulge him and we do a drive-by.  That is getting increasingly difficult as more lots have sold on our block.  Three houses in close proximity are all going up at the same time, one only a day ahead of schedule from ours.  Tonight, I did some crazy driving-in-reverse maneuvers once I'd pulled onto our street only to find out there was a lift hoisting trusses into place for the neighbor's roof and the road was impassable.  

This one's for you Cassie.   Hydrangeas in the perfect shade of summer blue.

New topic.

Monday found us at Macy's flower show downtown Minneapolis.  Channing was treated to a morning with the ladies, Grandmas Meredith & Kathy and Auntie Maxine.  Towers of Flowers was beautiful and left us all longing for longer, warmer days, bare feet in green grass and oodles of flowers.  Oodles.  I fell instantly in love with these soft yellow and raspberry peonies and was very surprised to learn several varieties of magnolia are hardy to our zone, zone 4.  Who knew?  Not me, but now the seed has been planted (yes, sadly that pun is intended) and I'm looking forward to seeing if a magnolia would thrive in our new yard.  

Tuesday came along with a freezer full of cook and serve dinners.  Hopefully, you're all as fortunate as I in that you have friends, the kind that go all the way back to your elementary school and junior high days, that anticipate your needs even when you don't recognize there is one and who send you overly indulgent spa gift cards for your birthday when you've all agreed that the best present is time with each other at our monthly Girls Night Out.  The Girls went to Let's Dish, fixed us up some tasty meals and Tall Holly & her twins delivered them in the afternoon.  I wish I would have taken a picture of the delivery team rather than the full freezer.  Holly's girls are about as cute and sweet as they come.  


We continue to be amazed at the outpouring of love and compassion and support that comes to us yet on a daily basis.  The Courage Center is still sending cards letting us know of generous donations made in Sophie's name.  Our mailbox still brings words of solace on almost a daily basis.  My inbox is flooded with invitations for play dates and lunch dates and every other date you can think of.  I have ordered Sophie themed thank you cards no less than four times and once again I've run out.  To those of you who have yet to receive a proper note, please know it is coming.  


 And again, to all of you.  Heartfelt thanks.