sisterhood: a celebration

"Mama," Luciya said the other day as we were driving to Stroller Strides, "Me and Mirabel are going to get married."

"Get married!" I said.

"Yes. Because we love each other so much."

And while I was thinking of a way to adequately express the total jubilation this brought me, she continued with the wedding plans.

"And if horses want to come, and if cows want to come, and if pigs want to come, they can. But the pigs can't come in."

"Oh? Why not?"

"Because they're dirty, silly!"

Ah. A clean wedding, then.

"But," she concluded after a moment's thought, "we will have a mud bath for the pigs, so the pigs can play in the mud bath. And you get to play in the mud bath, too, Mama!"

That's about the extent of the wedding plans go as far as I know, but you can all trust that you're invited to this farm animal-friendly affair.

Because it will be joyful.

Because, in addition to marking the first birthday of one very special little girl last week, January 15th marked the first anniversary of an incredible relationship that will never know the perils of divorce.

Sisterhood.

Luciya and Mirabel began on that day one year ago a journey of togetherness and illumination that will define who they are to themselves and to the world for the rest of their lives.

Sisters.

So we celebrated Mirabel's birthday that day, and we also celebrated the one-year anniversary of a fabulous relationship. Luciya got a new pair of shoes to commemorate.

The love between these two is palpable. When Little Mirabel hears her big sister's voice enter the room she cranes her head to find her, and extends her chubby little wrinkled hands to grasp for her sister's hair, or fingers, or cheek. And feisty, outrageous, spirited Luciya is a heavenly helper with her gentle baby sister, nuzzling up and smiling and showing her the ways of her world.

This is what it's all about, folks.

This is why I'm here.

This is Love. And I send my thanks out every single day that I get to witness it, that these two delightful miracles - these sisters - chose me to be their mama.

It's kind of ridiculous.

So, being the amazing filmmaker that I am, I made a video.



To my sweet, lovely daughters: May I be the first to wish you a Happy Anniversary.

Love,
Mama

Goose and Moose

What's in a name? I'm worried that Mirabel may start to think that her name is Gorgeous George, because for some inane reason that's what I've been calling her lately. When I peek over at her shining face in the morning I say, "Well good morning, Gorgeous George!" What the...?

While Grampa Peter was living here, he helped create appropriate monikers for Mirabel such as Chubbers the Love Chimp and Fatty the Fat-Faced Ferret. (Hey, she's got cheeks.) Others from my mouth include Tooters, Toots McGee, Bella Bean (I think that's my favorite), and - most recently - Moose.

It's partially because of the antlers she's been sporting on her suddenly-grown-out hair.

Ol' Gorgeous George

And it's partially because it rhymes with Goose, which is what John has been calling Luciya forever, and which she actually answers to. (She answers to Bean, too, when I call her. Bean, or Beaner, or Honey Bean, or Beans). Goose, Goosey, and now her sweet lil sibling Moose.

eLLe - 43 months

Dear Luciya,

Happy 43 months. Let's have a little talk.

Luciya: "Awight!"

Luciya: "I love you, Mama."

Mama: "I love you, too."
Luciya: "I love you so much you get burned by a walrus."

Luciya: "Say dilly dilly doe."

Everyone in the car: "Dilly dilly doe."
Mama: "What is that?"
Luciya: "It's a new word I learned in preschool.
Mama: "What does it mean?"

Luciya: "It means you don't eat the trees, you just climb the trees."

Luciya: "Mama, I ate your armpit."
Mama: "You ate my armpit?! How did it taste?"

Luicya: "Like watermelons."

Luciya: "When Halloween comes again next year you know what I'm going to be? I'm going to be a building. The building where Dada works. And Mirabel is going to be a little tiny fish."

This year, they were a Rainbow Fairy and a pink kitty

Luciya: "Puke was at Kindergarten."
Mama: "What was Puke doing at Kindergarten?"

Luciya: "Puking."

Mama: "Ah."

Luciya: "I'm the Kindergarten teacher."

Mama: "How many students do you have?"
Luciya: "Five."

Mama: "What are their names?"

Luciya: "Puker and Kinder and Nala and Nobody and Nama."

Forty-three months, three years and seven months, closer to four. Thank goodness, because the topic of conversation that dominates 99% of conversations - aside from getting burned by a walrus - is "my next birthday!" When Grams and Grandpa Peter head to the store you're sure to request "party hats for my next birthday!" The outfits get planned and changed. The menu has gotten quite extensive. So far it includes, sparkly cake, purple cupcakes, muffins, and chicken soup with cream and guacamole.

Age forty-three months is when we've started giving up the daily nap. It's been so very much easier than I ever thought it could be. I like the two-hour space in the afternoon. But nighttime had turned into a near-bloody brawl and left everyone pulling their hair in exasperation with your feisty refusals to fall asleep before 9:30 pm. And now, evenings are peaceful. And the days really aren't so long!

In fact, the afternoon hours, coupled with the cold-cold days, has meant crafting hours galore. In the past couple weeks, you and I have created stained glass jars, picture frames from Popsicle sticks, homemade play dough (and ornaments from the dough), gift bags, and spent endless hours with stickers, markers, crayons, puzzles, paints, and clay. It's my goal to have a completely homemade Christmas this year, and things are looking charmingly good.

When you were two years old, I can't tell you how many times I got warned about how much worse three was going to be. But I've got to say, I'm not going to be one handing out those warnings. Yes, you're deliberate, and feisty, and demanding, and rebellious, but more than that you're adorable. And sweet. And kind and smart and helpful and creative and funny and endearing. You love to love... so much we often find ourselves getting burned by walruses. My heart is effervescent when I think of all the delight you bring me. I love you so.

Love,
Mama

your caption here

star shirt!

Luciya, August 2007

Mirabel, August 2010

i guess you'll say what can make me feel this way

hellooooo....

Earth to Mama!

{Luciya had to bring an extra banana for her friend Maryn}

Sheesh.

Luciya is awesome, Mirabel is awesome, life is awesome, I'm in awe of life. Yay!

Here are some pics I took with my phone recently!
{And the blogging award goes to......}

{Actually, Luciya took this one.}

{Ah, a sunny day in Dolores Park, San Francisco.}

{Babaybabybabybabybaby.}

{She tolerates me.}

magic

Three is a magic number
Yes, it is, it's a magic number
Somewhere in the ancient, mystic trinity
You get three as a magic number.

The past and the present and the future.
Faith and Hope and Charity,
The heart and the brain and the body,
Give you three as a magic number.

- from Schoolhouse Rock; "Three is a Magic Number"

What a month for magic. Mirabel is 3 months old and Luciya just turned three years old. Posts to come of my lovely, sweet, strong, and miraculous little girls.


P.S. If you want to be able to comment on this blog, send me an email. More psycho-stalking mischief is about. XO

stomp

The Girls.
Spring 2010

here you go...

... In case you wanted to cut me open and see what my heart looks like.

...

personalities

Good morning to you!


Luciya dressed herself for school today and I think it perfectly exemplifies her personality. She was so thrilled with the ensemble and proud of herself: pink polka dot tights, blue striped dress "so I can spin it around," striped jacket. Of course, Miss Lynn reported that Luciya lifted her dress and put it over another girl's head at school. After Miss Lynn had convinced her to put the dress back on. *Sigh.* This, too, is the perfect picture of her little spirit.

Scrunchy! "Me!"

Bubble Lip! Mirabel is six weeks old today!

Thrushy the Purple-Lipped Sad Clown Face. We are still fighting thrush and Mirabel had to have her mouth "painted" for the third time. This time, I also got to paint my nipples purple. John said I looked like "Barney's grandma." Sorry, ladies, he's taken.

milestones!!

Both girls had some big ol' milestones today!

LUCIYA:

- Learned to ride her tricycle! So exciting. Of course I didn't have the camera, and it would have been great if I did because there she was, in true Luciya fashion, in her footie jammies stuffed into purple Crocs (thanks Danielle!), with her Adidas track suit jacket and an adult's red-and-black ski hat, figuring out those pedal all down the driveway and onto the sidewalk. Yay, Luciya!! Such a big girl!

MIRABEL:

- Slept EIGHT HOURS STRAIGHT last night. I was actually so worried I asked her doctor about it today. He was all, "You're complaining?" Well, she's only 3 1/2 weeks old... wait, 4 weeks old tomorrow! Still. But, she's doing awesome and is up to 9 pounds 1 ounce!

- Also at the doctor's office, we were given the okay to DISCONTINUE HER OXYGEN! Mirabel has a face! No more tubes! No more tape! I kissed those cheeks for days, and then

- She had her first real bath tonight! Sweet girl loved being immersed in the bathroom sink!


I gotta say it was a good day.

holy cow! i have two girls!

Some pictures of my beautiful babies this week.

this is our life now

After two weeks in the neonatal intensive care, Mirabel is home.

The NICU was a long and tiring journey, and I am working on remembering as much as I can in a separate blog. I'll post the link when it's ready.

But Mirabel is home now, and doing so well. She is sweet and snuggly and just as lovely as can be. We are all crazy about her, especially her big sister Luciya, who is such a good big helper.

Let the adventure begin...!