On Four

Today you're 4. We're going out on a real live lobster boat to hunt for the little treasures of the sea. They're going to take us out to see seals. Should be a smashing good time.

We've had a whirlwind summer again. We've moved, we spent a week at MeMe's, a week at Tybee, and now, Maine. You've seen most of your family by now and have carved out a happy niche for yourself in every place we've been. You've adjusted beautifully and have made me so proud!

I think it helps that Daddy takes you fishing at bedtime every night.

I've made you a princess cake. Pink, of course. I sent daddy out for the makings and he called from the store because he couldn't remember if Sleeping Beauty and Princess Aurora were the same person. You would have scoffed if he'd asked you! Anyway, I thought you should know that the message on the box nearly caused daddy to implode. And me, too, really, if I hadn't seen blogging potential in it.

Last night, before bed, I told you that when you wake up, you're going to be 4! You could barely contain your excitement. Turning 4 must feel like the best thing in the world when you've been three and a half for such a (your words) lonnnnnnng time.

Your dad and I were talking about all the things we'll miss when you're even bigger than 4---the things like already instead of olly and because instead of why. Even the changes we see this year as opposed to last---could you be a better travel companion? Definitely not. You are smart and independent, curious and questioning. You are always up for an adventure and you're funny, too. I've heard you tell your favorite joke 25 times.

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get a cookie!

You think it is hilarious.

Right now you're really into dragons and horses. Your team of horses come with us everywhere and take up residence in the best of all of the places we visit. On our hike the other day, the rocky shoreline---so beautiful---belonged to your horses. Your dragons, all girls of course, and pink and purple, lived across the water on the other side of the inlet. They are nice dragons, you said. You love to tell stories. Sometimes people pass us on the trail and give me a knowing wink like they've been here before.

Your stories may or may not be truthful, depending on your mood. I tell you my Super Power is knowing whether or not you are telling the truth. I think you believe me.

Nature is our theme these days and you're an animal (and book) lover, thank goodness.

Despite the fact that you are growing like crazy and are learning new things at lightening speed, you're still small enough for me to snuggle you at my leisure. You still want "to hold me" and love me and, well, I'm not ready to let that go anytime soon! Stay small and grow, sugar. Is that too much to ask?

I'm so excited about the year ahead. We have so many new things to look forward to! I love you, Sweetpea.

Oh, the love.

We've arrived in Savannah and are staying at a beach house, where TM's "sleeping" on a futon on the other side of the wall from where I'm doing my work. My mom and brother (and his girlfriend) are upstairs and away, watching television and walking on the beach. This is paradise.

TM knows I'm close by. When I told her I was doing my work just 10 feet away, she said, Okay, mom, but if I call for you you hear me, okay? Could I love her any more? Not possible.

We spent the entire afternoon and early evening on the beach, wading in tidal pools (her) and soaking in the breeze and memories of a lifetime of summers at this beach (me).

On the occasion of your 40th birthday, which is tomorrow.

It's been coming for a while now. It's always been ahead of mine, but not too long ago it was much further away. It's almost here! We aren't even together today to celebrate. You're in Pennsylvania, preparing our new home and cramming some work in before our week at the beach/couple weeks in Maine.

Do you know you are 40?

We met 8 years ago, which is hard to believe. I loved you instantly because I had spotted you, all long-haired and bearded, on campus. I told my parents right away I was marrying you. When I moved to DC and you moved to St. Louis, it became apparent that the only kind of man whom I found attractive was someone who looked like you. It was pretty much decided at that point that I would apply to graduate school in St. Louis, marry you, have your baby(s?), and pluck gray hairs out of your ears when you were too old to do it for yourself.

I made a good decision.

We've been thinking What can we get for daddy for his birthday? But you are The Rotten(est) Present Receiver Of All Time and after this long we've determined it's best to let you get something for yourself. Something special which wouldn't be appropriate for days that aren't your birthday.

My grandmother thinks she'll buy you a nice tie, and, well, that's funny enough to be the only present you may receive. A tie. For your 40th birthday. How appropriate. When might you wear it? Maybe that can be a new thing you pick up when you start teaching in the fall. I wanted to say, N0! Just get a good bottle of red wine or something else that can be consumed at the party. I didn't. Anyway, I will bake for you, of course. Make your favorite cake and hope it's the best thing you've ever had (or at least that you tell me it is, rather).

I love you now for all of the reasons I loved you then. We complement each other well. For example, I meant it when I said that something you are really good at in our family is being the cleaner upper, the finisher. You are the person who steps in and finishes things. I make piles of leaves and you scoop all of them up and make them go away. I can't do stuff like that. When I'm exhausted from trying to convince the contractor he needs to start/finish work at a more rapid pace, you call him with your stern voice and things get done. You tell me I am good at motivating you to do things. I think that's true. I also think you chose me because of my charm, wit, and flawless beauty.

It works. And I am glad you are here(ish), with me, doing all of these things, 8 years later. Here's to 40 more (virtual clink, clink)!

I love you and wish you a happy, happy birthday.

Le 4th.

Happy Independence Day! We've spent the last few days exploring all that our new area has to offer. One of our most recent day trips was up to Erie to see Presque Isle. We rode a Surrey bike---not easy, but so much fun.

We spent our July 4th afternoon at the Pittsburgh Zoo, 89 miles from where we live now. A great place, a great day.

(I think the name Pittsburgh kind of blows. I was thinking of Hamburg and how that has a much nicer ring. I think they need to re-market themselves. Edinburgh, perhaps?)

We're back at 5:30 PM and TM's down for a nap before we go to see late fireworks. B's napping, too, which means they'll be chipper chickens come 11 PM when I'm falling asleep on my folding chair in the back of the pickup truck. They exhausted themselves.

I was nervous about going to the Zoo, primarily because I had become so familiar with the St. Louis Zoo. While we were there, it was practically a second home to us. I was worried it would be tiny and dirty and that the animals' habitats would suck. And then we wouldn't be able to visit regularly because of the depressing circumstances, and so on and so forth. I was very pleasantly surprised! It's a great, great place with a wonderful children's area. Complete with cars and boats.

(***Actually, Brian did see a grown man spit onto an alligator's back, which made me want one of those tazor guns that make people pee in their pants. Can you even imagine what the man's children will be like? SHUDDER.)

The elephants were so mesmerizing it was all I could do to stay on my side of the rope. One of them was tossing about in the pond, splashing water everywhere and looking like he was having a blast. I swear he had a tutu on under there.

I had originally chosen the beavers as my favorite animal at the zoo, which doesn't sound very exciting. Here's the thing: They were actively building a dam. And I'm one of those kinds of people who is really blown away by the power of evolution and the whole shebang, really. I was all, Look! The beavers are actually building a dam. Animals doing what animals do. Their jobs. Wonderful! The elephants left the beavers in their dust, unfortunately.

Oh, and I can jump as far as a penguin.

Go have fun.

30 Questions

Stole this from misszoot.

30 Questions:

1. It’s 2AM and you are not home. You are more than likely:
Hospital. I haven't been out at 2 a.m. since 2005.

2. What’s the last thing you spent more than $100 on?
My contractor.

3. What do your bank checks look like?
Gray, plain.

4. Where did the shirt you are currently wearing come from?
Target.

5. Name something that will be on your Christmas wish list:
Probably window treatments?

6. What color is your toothbrush?
Pink.

7. Name something you collect and tell us about it.
Christmas ornaments, from places we go.

8. Last restaurant you ate at. Who were you with? How was it?

Tonight, an Italian place, here in my small town.

9. Who was the last person you bought a birthday card for?
Card? My twin?

10. What is your worst bad habit?
Too many sweets.

11. Name a magazine to which you subscribe?
The New Yorker.

12. Your favorite pizza toppings?
Cheese and veggies.

13. Whose number were you looking up the last time you used a phone book?
Someone at the fitness center here on campus.

14. Other than family, who is the person that you love most?
There are many of these.

15. What is the last thing you cooked?
Does a salad count? We are not currently cooking at our temporary home.

16. Name something you wouldn’t want to buy used?
Mattress.

17. Which shoe do you put on first?
Left.

18. What is the last thing you remember losing?
Strawberry chapstick.

19. What is the ugliest piece of furniture in your house?
I don't have ugly furniture.

20. Last thing you bought and ended up returning?
An outfit I bought in Chicago.

21. What perfume/cologne do you wear? If none, why?
Depends on whether or not it is in front of me when I am getting ready. Sometimes Elizabeth Arden Green Tea and sometimes Lolita Lempicka.

22. Your favorite board game?
Yahtzee, but it doesn't have a board.

23. What was the last board game you played?
Yahtzee, does that count?

24. Where did your vehicle come from?
Brentwood Volvo in St. Louis

25. If a movie was made about your life what would the theme song be?
Something without words.

26. You’re sad, who can cheer you up easily?
Usually anyone I trust myself to be around in a bad mood.

27. What was the color of the bridesmaid dresses of the last wedding you went to?
My ladies hardly ever have bridesmaids anymore. Maybe wine-colored?

28. What house cleaning chore do you hate to do the most?
This is a hard one for me. Housework is my catharsis. What sucks is when the house is a mess and I don't have time/capacity to clean. I love to vacuum. I guess I hate scrubbing Mister's bowls.

29. What is your favorite way to eat chicken?

In a salad. Chicken scares me sometimes.

30. It is your birthday. You hope the cake is?
Pound cake with caramel frosting.

Learning the ins and outs of newplacedness.

We're sleeping in a student apartment on campus until our house is ready. It's nothing fancy, but we think it's a little slice of paradise. Luxury is relative and this is five stars to us this week.

All we need is a refrigerator with milk, some Honey Nut Cheerios, bananas, orange juice, cashews, frozen blueberries, Brian's cancer juice (aka Crystal Light), and clean water and we are set. For now.

There's a playground close by. Really, everything is close by. So when I say the playground is close to the apartment, I should also say it is close to the house we are currently remodeling. We walk from one place to another.

We're more prepared for the chilly mornings since 33% of our belongings arrived yesterday. It also helps that the moving company has asked (after a freakout of semi-epic proportions) that we submit all receipts for dining and hotels since we left St. Louis---for the inconvenience of waiting 3 weeks for our belongings. Thanks, youknowwhoyouare.

I didn't tell them we are a family who dresses in the same things every day.