the good life

 Being a mom is the best.  Two years into this biz I think I have finally got it all figured out---ok maybe not, but at this moment Z is sleeping, the baby is cooing, the house has that warm slightly messy feeling of a home, and life just feels sweet.

I was so unsure of what life would be like with two children, and would often think if I am tired/overwhelmed/busy with one, how am I going to do two?!!  But somehow it is all working out, and maybe we are just living in a golden moment, and pure chaos is about to erupt, but things actually feel easier with two then it did with being pregnant and taking care of one.

Baby Kate is mellow and easy-going, quick to smile, and has this deep throaty laugh that I wish would never stop.  She loves her brother in small doses and loves to rock out to the blow-dryer and the microwave vent.  Right after I had Kate I was on such a high that I swore I could keep having babies the rest of my life, and this feeling has pretty much stayed with me.  She is just a joy to take care of; I find myself getting nostalgic for the baby phase that I know will pass all too quickly.

Zachary is full of life and boundless energy.  At night, after Zachary is asleep, and we have taken a breather from the whirlwind, Clint and I will often lie in bed and laugh at all the funny things that he did and said that day.  Zachary loves to hoard his toys, and was recently introduced to a man purse (his jack-o-lantern pail from Halloween) so that he could easily transport all his trains, cars, balls, and what ever else made the cut, from spot to spot.  He often has to take his hoardings to bed with him, and the other night cuddled up with a bag of uncooked pasta.

Clint and I both grew up in Southern California, where we spent the summers at the beach surfing and swimming.  I used to charge the water with my board, taking on each wave with determination to get out past the break as fast as I could.  It took me a long time to realize that waves come in sets, and in between the sets the ocean could become flat and calm, making it much easier to get out.  When Zachary was a baby I would get so upset when things weren't going smoothly.  It felt like every screaming session or frazzled moment was an indication that I was doing something wrong.  Now during the hard moments I try and breathe, step back, and wait for the break in the set.

Oh and remind myself that bed-time will be here soon.