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(cross posted from Trapper Markelz’s Blog)
She is growing up fast. We celebrated Hannah’s fifth birthday this weekend. She received a lot of fun presents from family and friends, but her “big girl bike” was the main event and she spent all weekend riding it. Given that the Boston weather has been fantastic lately, it meant a great weekend spent almost entirely outside enjoying the sun.
It seems crazy to think that my oldest daughter is about to start school. I was lying there in bed reading both Hannah and Lucy a bed time story… and it is in those simply moments that it always seems to come crashing in that you are actually a real parent. It is hard to explain… and to all you other parents out there… I don’t know if you experience the same thing… but you just get these moments of extreme clarity where all of the expectation of what you thought it might be like to be a parent someday becomes particularly acute and you realize that this is is… right here… I am doing it…
We made lots of memories this weekend. Moments of excitement where she came down to a pile of presents at 6am… Moments of surprise where the staff at her favorite restaurant came out with a stuffed moose puppet singing happy birthday… Moments of accomplishment where she found the confidence to speed up and down the road without feat of tipping over… Moments of satisfaction when the last guests left the ice cream party on Sunday and the birthday weekend was at an end.
It was good knowing that she is still at an age where Maureen and I can still make her smile so much, so easily. Hopefully she never grows out of that.
Hannah and Lucy wearing their 2010 hats
New Year’s Interview with Hannah and Lucy
What is your favorite color?
H:: pink & red
L: pink
What is your favorite toy?
H: toy purse & jewelry box
L: jewelry box
What is your favorite food?
H: chicken nuggets
L: soup
How do you like to spend your time?
H: playing Wii
L: playing dress up
What is your favorite holiday?
H: Christmas
L: Halloween
Who is your teacher?
H: Susan & Natalie
L: Christine (ballet)
Who is your best friend?
H: Nolan
L: Hannah
What is your favorite song?
Unanimous: “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey
What is your favorite book?
H: Beezus and Ramona
L: The Cat Family (Richard Scarry books)
What is your favorite TV show?
H: Max & Ruby
L: Yo Gabba Gabba
What is your favorite dessert?
H: Ice cream
L: Candy
Conversation with Hannah today:
H: So was Jesus before or after the dinosaurs?
M: Jesus came after the dinosaurs.
H: Okay. So first there were the dinosaurs, then came Jesus, THEN came Little House on the Praire, then we lived in Flossmoor and now we live in Boston!
M: Something like that.
Top Ten Best Things About Grandma & Gramps Visiting Boston
by Hannah & Lucy
1. Went to the ice cream store! (editor’s note: seriously? this is the #1 thing?!)
2. Dressed up in our Halloween costumes.
3. We went trick or treating!
4. We helped Gramps with his screwdriver.
5. We listened to the Scrub-Its with Grandma during bathtime.
6. We went to Philadelphia and saw Kobe & the aquarium!
7. We set up our new playroom.
8. We went to the Mexican restaurant with the mariachi band.
9. We decorated the porch for Halloween.
10. We found out Grandma TAKES BATHS and she READS IN THE BATHTUB!
We sure had fun! See you in February!
We had a beautiful, sunny, fall morning, so we took advantage by going to Honeypot Hill Orchard in Stow, MA.
We saw pigs, chickens, and goats; lifted lots of heavy pumpkins; ate cider donuts; and took a pretty hayride out to the orchard. We definitely picked more apples and pears than we can use, but that’ll give us something to do this weekend – apple pie, apple crostadas, and applesauce.
Of course, we wished we’d had a big bjorn-full of June to carry around with us. It’s bittersweet to see families with little ones in tow. You want to grab them by the shoulders and impress upon them how lucky they are, but that would be creepy. So we just smile and wish them good thoughts.
Grieving is tiring work – lots of napping going on around here. But home feels good. And the girls are a constant reminder of all that we have. We are still very lucky people, too.
On Friday, our friends Russel, Christina, and Aaron came over for dinner.
Hannah says: My favorite part was eating cupcakes with blue sprinkles, m&m’s, white frosting, and chocolate cake.
Lucy says: CUPCAKES TOO!
On Saturday, we went swimming at Reservoir Beach near our house.
Hannah says: My favorite part was dad throwing me up in the air and dunking myself under the water.
Lucy says: DIGGING! WITH THE SHOVEL! I LIKE SHOVEL!
On Sunday, we went to Beaver Pond Spray Park in Belmont.
Hannah says: My favorite part was swinging on the swings and playing in the water. I put my feet in the puddles where the water was going down the drain.
Lucy says: SPRINKLER! TOUCH WATER!
June was unavailable for comment about the weekend.
Hannah's drawing of playing in the water with Dad
Lucy's drawing: ME!
Hannah had her dress rehearsal for her ballet recital this morning. This is the only performance we could tape. It was pretty hilarious to watch. See for yourself!
As Trapper and I approach being outnumbered by our children, we are taking back our personal URL’s for ourselves. We may not be able to set our coffee cup down where we we like or use the bathroom alone, but at least we’ll have virtual personal space. Thus the creation of markelzfamily.com. Here we can keep family up to date with the kiddos. My personal site will be used to chronicle the work I’m doing at school, and Trapper…well I’m sure sci-fi will be involved.
Things aren’t set up exactly as I’d like, but it’s a start. This is the extent of my 9-months-pregnant brain’s creativity for now!
