You Never Know What You're Gonna Get

I prayed for love and I got life
I prayed for happiness and I had to work for it
I asked for grace and I found humility
I asked for peace, I was given angels

No reward is greater than that of family
No possession can match the joy of a smiling baby
Nothing is sweeter than a happy child
Nothing is better than laughter at the end of the day

Except for laughter at the beginning of the day too

The Perfect Words

I am the Mama Bear
Shielding and roaring
For my cub to be heard
She cowers behind me,
Motionless, silent
Carefully searching for the perfect words

I am the Mama Bear
Watching and waiting
To the rescue if asked
She runs free
And talks loud
She is comfortable at last



Excited for the first day of school!


  





Reese ready for kindergarten too.
Maybe next year!

 

Army Crawlin'

Won't be long now
Til you become a toddler
The last time we will relish
The baby milestones

You're trying to keep up
Desperate to move
You'll do everything they do
On your own timeline

For now I am happy
That you can't crawl or walk
Take your time, perfect your technique
You're last, I can wait



Liv Genevieve, 8 months





Ruby Haiku (Cole taught me how to write one)

Ruby's not human
All dog, alpha, protective

Affectionate, love

Ruby:  February '01 - July '11

Beautiful charcoal of Ruby by my
super-talented artist husband!

Sweet Dreams

The darkness sets in
All is quiet
Finally asleep
It is silent
Peacefully dosing
Each in their bed
Dreaming, believing
What's in their head?

I watch
I listen
Can they sense me
Checking in?
Little chests
Moving up and down
Sweet breath puffing
Like the little engine

In daylight I plea
Can't we just chill?
In daylight I wonder
Why can't they sit still?
But as Mr. Moon appears
Eventually they will

Eventually they will

Crazy kids before bed

Sweet sleepy boy with Monkey

Back in the Stands

I grew up in the stands of a baseball diamond
Watching my brother live his dream
every day
Now it is Cole's turn
And I love it
I have always loved it
But with my own son catching the flies
Nervous at bat (me, not him), catcher
behind the plate
It's a whole new ball game

And did I mention how good he is?
Two grand slams in one game!
Power hitter who is also fast
That is a rare combo

I am selfishly loving that he is loving baseball
I'm not much of a football fan
Though soccer is my sport
Perhaps we'll leave that to Greer
I was biding my time at the karate studio
Going with the flow of my kid's interest

But now, I enjoy the days at the field
I know all the rules, all the nuances of the game
I can tell Cole is impressed by his mom's knowledge
And isn't that like icing on the cake?
When our kids think we are cool
I know this: it is a fleeting thing

Cole as pitcher for the River Bandits

The catcher



Me, reincarnated. Get used to the games, Greer-y Goo!




At bat



Fiery Sun by COLE WILSON

The Sun!

The sun is a yellow

bead getting put

onto a necklace ready

 to be sold in a few days.

The sun is a Halloween

pumpkin cookie in

Starbuck's refrigerator.

The sun is a big gold

shiny crystal ball inside

a clam deep down under

the sea.

The sun is a bright yellow

fish swimming fast away

from a shark.

The sun is a red burning

fire burning down a house.

The sun is a cherry on

an ice cream sundae

melting in someone's hands.

The Sun!

Cole Wilson

4-25-11 



Cole does a lot of writing in his 1st grade class.
They have started writing poetry.
I think this is excellent!



Truth

We are worthy, strong, beautiful
We are mothers, sisters, friends
We conquer, soothe, stay
When things are hard

We stand up to bullies
Crouch down to kiss
Kneel to pray
Beside sleeping babies

We bite our lip
To cry makes it worse
We bite our tongue
It's not our place

The truth is too raw
But we know it
Inside
We are free

Nicknames

We've got Coley-Bear
And Greery-Goo
Reesie P
Now Vivi too

Sometimes Coco
Or just plain Coley
Sometimes Buddy

And Coley-Bowlie

There's Baby Goo

Babies Loo and Roo

So many names

They must be confused

Each one unique

Yet similar in ways

Like all siblings

They must make their own way

The brown hairs are bookends

The blondes in the middle

Each one unique

Blue eyes has the little

One

Equally loved

Yet in different ways

And for different reasons

The role each one plays

Comical and smart

Loving and sweet

They all have their gifts
Not one can repeat

Bathtime!

Morning Air



On our 24-hour vacation.
Happy happy birthday, baby!

Ripe with fruit
My love
And I are here

Rested, serene
Like the floating fog
We reap the rewards
But fear

All may be lost
But, wait, it has
And now we are
Still here

We bathe
In sunlight
At least for now
We feel the morning air

I Have To Remember

I have to remember
To brush my teeth
And do my hair
To get dressed
And put on some makeup
To drink 8 glasses of water
And take my vitamins

For all I want to do
Is marvel at your deep baby blues
Your perfect pink cheeks, both pairs
And your patch of light brown hair
Your toothless-ness
And your belly, round and full of milk
Your funnel fingers
And toes that overlap
You, perfect you

I have to remember
Your baby sounds
Your bubble-blowing and razzie-dazzies
Your talkativeness and quiet stares
Your happy laugh
And even your cries
I have to remember

The Queen

Help Me Not to Yell

At these devilish cherub faces

They don't mean to be barbarians

Without manners or social graces

They are learning just like me

How to navigate this place

Don't be wild, not too loud

Conform to the boring human race

Enjoy your craziness, your chaos

You must define who you will be

Let your spirit create you

And true happiness you'll see

Popsicles

All dressed up

In Easter best

All too soon

Will be a mess

Hula hoop

Skipping rope

Making cookies

Get the soap

Popsicles

Melt in hands

Big orange tongues

Stick out -- blah!

Germy fingers

Sticky face

Wipies are my

Saving grace

In the tub

Getting clean

Now to bed

Off to dream