A Pattern of Words

Neighborhood friends are the best friends. I’m finding such joy in seeing how the different combinations of friendships play out this year. You never know which kids will run off together, spending hours carefully sharing afternoon tea or spinning on swings or naming every single unicorn in the house and building them their own palace. The next day, it’s two totally different kids teaching each other how to play chess or racing down the sidewalk on bikes. The only consistent theme is how often they pop their around the corner begging for snacks.

When the neighborhood weirdos walk by your house after dinner.

It’s bubble season! (and lunch on the front steps season. And change your clothes ten times a day because you got wet again season. And “Mama, do you really need to buy MORE plants?” season).

The look she gives me when I remind her that all bikes need to be put away when done being used.

He discovered his current favorite series of books (Percy Jackson) have covers that connect into one giant picture and I keep finding him in different corners of the house, putting the books together to admire the design. Now if only I could convince him to crack em open and read them himself…

Is it always the fate of voracious readers to have a first child to whom reading does not come naturally? It’s humbling, not gonna lie.

My kids find a special glee in running to the (locked) front door ahead of me, turning the old fashion doorbell a million times, and then trying to squeeze themselves into that space between front door and storm door while sucking in their belly and attempting to close the storm door on themselves. Anyone else’s kids do this? Just mine?

The OG Fab-Four: ready to jump into summer. They have Big Feelings about the fact that this summer both Teta T and I are requiring minimal math and reading, but they’re already dreaming of mornings filled with Lego building, lazy pool days, and endless pattering back and forth between M Lane and W Ave.

It’s amazing how all the best Lego building absolutely, positively, must, without a doubt be done the minute I ask the kids to start getting ready for bed. The late sundown doesn’t help matters (this photograph was taken at 8pm).

They count down the minutes ’till Tetis is home and treat him like a minor celebrity and/or a favorite Lovey.

The sheer thrill of figuring out a marble run all by yourself, with no big siblings shoving you aside.