a.rose

I am so happy to see the end of January. We're one month closer to everyone being healthy.  Because people don't get sick in February, right? We're one month closer to my sister having her baby.  We're one month closer to Family Reunions, and I get to meet two new nephews and one new niece! I mean, sure, I know it means I'm one month closer to Heather turning one.  And me turning thirty. And yes, of course, I realize it means we're one month closer to Hallie going to kindergarten. January is just too long, and cold, and dreary, and bleak, and sick for its own good.  February is its identical twin in every way, and therefore just as bad, except that it is short.  That's what just barely saves February. The end of January means we're one month closer to springtime! And flowers! And sunshine! And sidewalk chalk, and backyard pools, and running, and jump ropes, and bubbles, and popsicles, and and walking to the park, and picnics, and every other...

This is what five minutes with Heather looks like. She crawls over to you, and grabbing your pants she pulls herself up to standing.  She looks up at you with her brown eyes and you can't resist.  You can never resist. You scoop her up onto your lap and she claps her pudgy little hands.  Clap, clap, clap.  You kiss her soft squishy cheek.  She says "eeaah". You repeat, just in case this conversation is important, you want her to know you're listening.  "Eeaah."  You're not sure you have the intonation correct, but you hope she won't mind. "Na na." She says. You nod your head slowly, agreeing.  What can you do but agree with a statement like that? "Na na." She says again, this time nodding her head, up and down, up and down. You kiss her cheek three times, and put her back down on the floor. She zooms off across the room, crawling at top speed.  She turns a corner and you can't see her anymore,...

Here's what I've decided, and a little bit of the information that led me to my final conclusion. My sister sent me an article about the differences between the flu (influenza) and the flu (stomach flu).  Namely, that there is the "flu" which is influenza, and then there is gastroentiritis, which people often mistakenly refer to as the "stomach flu" or sometimes just "flu".  I wish I knew the etymology to explain how both of those illnesses came to be referred to as the "flu" as they are completely different, but that's an investigational quest for another day.  It became clear while reading this article that my family has gone through cycles of both illnesses in the past few weeks (and the stomach flu hit twice, to my sarcastic delight). Of course I was fascinated and I began reading everything I could about influenza and the stomach flu.  Then I found it: One small note one one of the articles mentioned that after a case o...

Today was supposed to be Hallie and Hanna's birthday party.  I made all the plans, bought all the supplies, wrote out all the invitations.  We didn't end up having the party today for two reasons. A. Hanna got sick the day after I wrote out the invitations, and then Devin and I got sick, and there was so much vomit in my house I just couldn't even think about birthday parties, so the invitations never got sent. B. Turns out it was a good thing they never got sent, because Hallie made two trips to the toilet last night, and has been a frequent visitor today.  So I'm thinking it's a good thing I didn't invite anyone over today, because nestled next to the chocolates in their goodie bags would have been a healthy helping of germs. I am so sick of germs. Did you see what I did there? Healthy helping? Sick of germs? Maybe I am feeling better, somewhere deep inside.  Well, I did clean up my laundry room today, and there is something so soul satisfying about ...

Is it Cabin Fever? Is it the Winter Blues? Is it At Least One Person in my Family Has Been Sick Since Christmas Exhaustion? Is it The Sun Comes Out Sometimes But I Don't Feel Warm-itis? I don't know what it is causing it, but I have a bad case of the Eeyore's.  I wander around, feeling slow and invisible and full of "why bother"ness.  I know my girls can see me, and Devin can see me, and my friends and people in the stores can see me.  I feel invisible to myself.  I feel like there is a heavy blanket on my mind, and I can't remember what I used to do to fill my minutes, turning them into hours and advancing into days.  My brain feels thick and strange, my thoughts coming slower and when they do arrive, I'm not always sure what they mean, and then they dissolve back into the sludge that is passing for my mind these days. Is it the hypothyroidism?  I've had blood work done, and we all know how much I love that, and then been to the doctor tw...

Welcome to my review of Escucha Means Listen Blog Tour hosted by Inspired Kathy at I am A Reader, Not A Writer. Thank you to Talia Aikens-Nunez, the author, for the copy of the book that I was able to read in exchange for this honest review, and for the $25 Amazon gift card or Paypal , which YOU can enter to win at the tour page . Tour Schedule My Review My first reaction to this stunningly simple children's book is the artwork in the illustrations with their attractive bright colors.  The words on each page direct the child's attention to the picture, as they are asked to determine what sounds they are hearing.  The opportunity this presents for the child to interact with the written word, to think and search for clues from the picture for the answer, is well done. The rhythm and flow of the words when read aloud is pleasing, it does not trip the tongue, nor does it feel redundant and silly.  It may be tricky if you are not familiar with Spanish, but th...

Today is my father's birthday.  My post today is an essay for my girls, and if I were in school I might have titled it, "Why My Daughters Should Choose to Marry a Man like Their Daddy." Or, perhaps, "Why the Best Choice Your Mommy Ever Made Was Marrying a Man like Her Daddy." See, growing up I was a pretty normal girl, and I had some pretty normal run ins with my dad, but looking at him now, as an adult, I see that he is just about the greatest guy I know, and that he is incredibly similar to the other greatest guy I know. On the surface level, they are both brown haired, athletic men.  They both love bread, well, good food in general really. They both need to be busy working on something, they need a task, a chore, a problem to be solved.  They are both incredibly hard workers who feel heavily the responsibility of caring for a family.  They both love their families more than anything. They both have an immoveable awareness of what is good, and right...