Catching up
Posted on | February 5, 2007 |
So much in the last week. Among the busyness, these moments:
Thousands of crows flying overhead in a snowstorm. Looking up from city streets to see their dark silhouettes darted through the falling snow, like shadows above the lamplight of early evening.
The moon rising, gibbus and golden, smudged with snow clouds. Its bright disk filling up the winter night sky with pale yellow, like painted rings on an opaque piece of glass. Just below it, the hilltops were dark and scraggly with pines and the thatched branches of a hundred maples, birches, and oaks.
Driving back from a long, but too-short trip to NJ, two red balloons were caught above the highway in the bright arboreal green of a hemlock. Above them, the sky bluer than song, bluer than a china bowl.
So much, and in between also this:
Starting a clay throwing class tonight, with DH. Sitting side by side, but apart enough to be entirely separate. Seeing each other from an outside slant. Sinking in to the center of each piece of clay, the rhythmic circling of the wheel, slip gathering between fingers, the hum of the heater turning on. On the wall, glazed shards arranged like multiplication tables. The laughter of people together for the first time. Working in a tank top, like summer, utterly focused for a few clear moments on the supple piece of clay at hand.
So much, and I’m still trying to get back on track. Two weekends away from home, laundry piling up, papers at work in stacks inches thick, not enough sleep. This week I’m trying to catch up, and also to shift towards healthier things: earlier to bed, earlier to rise; regular exercise, and baking bread.
(Also, planning Bean’s birthday. What kinds of party favors are appropriate? We’re hoping for sledding weather, to make things simple. Then carrot cake cupcakes with buttercream frosting. And balloons. But party favors? I have no clue. Help, please!)
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17 Responses to “Catching up”
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February 5th, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
ooo, as soon as you said ‘carrot cake with buttercream frosting’ you had me. granted, i’m not too close to Bean’s age, but i can’t imagine NOT being happy with that choice of sugary delight in addition to sledding. as for party favors…hmm, maybe artsy stuff? little paints? boy things — are teensy cars too obvious?
February 6th, 2007 @ 1:07 am
We never did favors for that young, it’s really not needed methinks.
And the way you write makes me want to move across the country and be your neighbor… just so I can have the chance to see the beautiful things you do.
February 6th, 2007 @ 2:44 am
small plastic dinosaurs and little boxes of crayons.
February 6th, 2007 @ 8:13 am
PlayDough and bubbles are always really fun for the little guys!
February 6th, 2007 @ 8:30 am
Stickers and memo pads are always a big hit with little ones.
February 6th, 2007 @ 8:33 am
I would go for train car-shaped boxes of Animal Crackers, fun plastic straws or sippy cups in bright colors (assuming the guests are close in age to 1), or fun bowls for cereal — brightly colored, dollar store fun.
I guess I like to go with a) things that last a while and b) practical useful kid things. Too many times my girls come home from parties with a bag full of junky candy and/or what we call “happy crap” — the stuff that litters the end table or the toy basket but never actually gets played with.
Good luck!!!
February 6th, 2007 @ 8:43 am
I have done a beta fish in a mason jar for my daughter’s b-day. I had them all in the middle of the table as center pieces. Of course you need the mommy’s o.k on it but they make for a great first pet for little one and very low maintenance. I also give a little bit of fish food to go with them. Just a thought
You’re pictures of Québec were beautiful that’s where my hubby and I got engaged on a bench in front of the castle. I was born right outside of Québec, and it was the first time in 34 years that I didn’t make it home for Christmas so it was a treat to see your pictures.
February 6th, 2007 @ 9:40 am
I am two months behind you on this 2 yr old boy birthday thing so I am soaking up these ideas!!
It must have been fun to enjoy DH in that way … I am happy that you had that time together.
February 6th, 2007 @ 11:06 am
Yay for Bean. I was wondering if his birthday was coming up soon. I have no help as far as party favors are concerned. But I agree with Elaine, they probably don’t need party favors at two. Just fun and cake.
February 6th, 2007 @ 11:20 am
I also agree with Elaine. There’s no reason to start creating the expectation at Bean’s age that there always have to be party favors.
February 6th, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
On party favors: resist.
But if you can’t, think about maybe getting a bunch of little plastic book-style photo holders (dollar store) and putting one picture of Bean in each. Then, take two of the best shots from the party, get a bunch of copies made (snapfish.com is your friend), and send those out with thank-you notes.
More memories, less STUFF.
February 6th, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Not that is matters. But Party favors? Really I agree with Elaine and Leah, Do the fun at the party. Send a cool thank you card for comming maybe with a cute picture of their kid interacting. The kids won’t care about the party favors, so if anything do something for the parents. I think maybe a polarid camera would be cool there to take pictures of the kids and send those home. All things that are cheap and easy to give are just useless things that will end up chewed on or in the garbage. Glad to see you are back I thought you had dropped off the plannet I was going to send in rescue ships pretty soon.
Thanks again for the Roses!
February 6th, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
Your life is beautifully full.
As for party favors, maybe some of Bean’s favorite candy? Little bags of gummi somethings? Or maybe a cupcake to take home? Otherwise, don’t sweat it. Keep it simple!
February 6th, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
I bought each child a small, cardboard book-like Goodnight Moon or The Runaway Bunny. Small cardboard classics; I know Eric Carle has many of his books in cardboard.
My two year old ate playdoh and the bubbles. Now as an old mom who’s been through the trenches (I have a 5 1/2 year old son and an almost 20 year old daughter), I recommend getting something. The kids don’t expect it obviously, but from my experience, the moms do;)
And unfortunately, being the “dyed in the wool” southerner that I am, I couldn’t buck tradition and do nothing. My goodness, what would people think?
You are young, GO FORTH, BE BRAVE!
Good luck,
Michelle
February 6th, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
My apologies for thinking it was the 1st birthday.
You KNOW you’ve spent a lot of time in someone’s company (blog-wise) when you can’t quite believe THEIR kid is 2!!!
February 6th, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
How about a new pair of mittens for each boy?
Go to my blog and see my most recent post….I made personalized water bottles for a couple’s shower. You could do it for Bean’s birthday. I think it would be cute. And who doesn’t like water?
February 7th, 2007 @ 1:14 am
You could do very cute and brightly covered bean bags . . . we do them for VBS and the kids love them!