Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Chompers

Will is FINALLY getting his first tooth! Or, teeth, I should say. The two bottom ones are just poking out. We're thrilled that we won't have to outfit him with dentures after all.

Back when I was a poor college student I worked for a brief stint as a waitress at a greasy spoon breakfast place. On the same block was an historical hotel that had been reinvented as Section 8 housing for mostly mentally unfit seniors. The residents frequented the diner, but there was one woman who I really took a liking to. 


This may or may not be the aforementioned greasy spoon. (Spoiler alert: it is. )

Prospina was probably in her eighties (at least), about 4'9" and weighed about 80 pounds soaking wet. She wore a red, polyester pant-suit and her steel-colored hair in a greasy, chin-length  bob. As far as I could tell she spoke no English but that didn't matter because she never spoke to anyone (anyone we could see, anyway). She would, however, hold long and, sometimes, animated conversations in Italian with invisible dining companions. 

Every morning it was the same: Prospina would materialize at the counter at about 8:00 am and gesture to the coffee cups. She would then sit down with her cup of coffee at the corner table or, if that was occupied, the counter, and hold court with her phantom associate/s. After an hour or so of heated conversation she'd shuffle off for a lap around the block. Then, invariably, she'd reappear for her free refill in another hour's time. This pattern would be repeated until after lunch when we'd close and she'd shuffle back to the hotel. The only variation was that, every once in a while, and for no discernible reason, she'd give you the most beautiful, absolutely radiant, toothless smile (Prospina was forever forgetting to put her teeth in and would often leave them unattended on the table during her strolls).  

In a strange way, Will has that same smile. And I will miss it; his adorable, toothless Prospina grin. It's funny, the associations we make and the things we get attached to.

Oh well, on to better things!


We had celebratory pancakes for breakfast. 



Monday, April 28, 2014

Totalitarian State

This morning, as I was preparing breakfast, I heard Harper shout something from her bedroom, but it was muffled because her bedroom door was closed. “What?” I hollered back. I heard Harper open the door a crack and repeat, “I said, ‘it’s OK mommy, everything is just fine.’” Then she closed the door again. So of course, I dropped everything and went to see what our little minimizer was up to.

Inside her room I found Will locked in the closet (he was happy as a clam checking out all the shoes) and Hemlock, our cat, lying on the bed, wearing a pair of dolly bloomers and a surly attitude. (I can’t even begin to imagine how she got them on him. That is one patient cat.) Harper was giggling with glee.

Let’s hope Harper never gets the opportunity to execute her power on a larger scale.








Sunday, April 20, 2014

Easter 2014

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! For the second year in a row, the Bookers went out to the farm with some friends for an egg hunt and barbeque. This year we spent the day with the families of Harper's two best friends; Fiona and Zoe. It was so nice to relax with good food and some of our favorite people. The girls had a blast playing on the swingset and trying to finagle candy out of us in lieu of lunch. We caved, of course. Easter comes, after all, only one day a year.


And they're OFF!


Checking out her prize.

Fiona and Harper take a moment to strategize.

Zoe, Fiona and Harper trying out their new insect magnifying glasses. When we asked what they were looking at they answered enthusiastically, "Dirt and bugs!" You could tell they had a great time because they were absolutely filthy by lunch.


Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Easter Bunnies

Spring is here and, like everything else, Harper and Will  have been blooming. Harper is suddenly much taller and Will is scooting all over the house (our floors are spotless thanks to him), sitting up (when he isn't falling over), clapping (typically while he sucks his thumb), waving (kind of) and smiling with the most radiant, toothless grin! (in my mind I call him Gums McGee). So, despite today's forecast for April Showers, I took them out this morning for a little photo shoot. We were lucky enough to squeeze in a couple of photos before it started pouring rain. 

A little of this happened...




And, of course, there was a lot of this...





But, thankfully, they both stopped wiggling just long enough to get some cute shots, too.









 Gums McGee

Hopefully we'll get in another short shoot by next week. Enjoy the holiday, all!   

Sunday, April 13, 2014

To the Nines

Will was up six times last night. SIX. So this morning I was a zombie. Brad was a Saint and offered to get up with the kids at 7:00 so I could (attempt to) get an extra hour of sleep, which I appreciated to no end. When I rolled out of bed the kids were fed and dressed. Like this:






Thank you for being such a good daddy, Brad!