Well, somewhere along the way I got wayyyy behind with these little buggers…
so here goes an attempt at rapid catch-up…

weeks27&28: vacation weeks

Oh, parenting.
You terrify me; you excite me.
So many opinions and philosophies and books and unending, often unrequested advice.

Even in these past few months as I think about kids and parenting and what I want for my little guy and my family in general, I’ve felt myself mellow (Jerome sings a song of praise and breaths a deep sigh of relief, I’m sure). I’m not all wound up classic American style (anymore) with wanting my kid to do everything, play everything, know everything–to basically be the best and the smartest and the most talented and every other superlative out there.
I really have mellowed.

When I think about parenting, I really just want to:

+ model the characteristics both individually and through our marriage that we want our kids to embody

+ be consistent with our rules, expectations, and consequences

+ actively create an atmosphere where dialogue is open and no topics are considered taboo

+ establish from day 1 that our kids are a part of our family, not the center of our family

+ be patient, forgiving, and always willing to teach and listen

Sounds easy enough, right?
Riiiiiiight.

And to all you parents out there, I know I’m in for a rude awakening in that these will be far more challenging to carry out in practice than in theory, but at least I’m coming in with some attempted direction, an aim line to shoot for…

Maybe I should add:
be flexible and have a sense of humor when my well laid plans are shot to pieces…

+ life these days involves lots of this. lots and lots of it. like ate-a-giant-one-by-myself-in-three-days lots. cool, sweet, refreshing, a little foretaste of summer…it’s been perfect.

+ life these days is centered on houses. conversations, time, savings–all going towards houses. quite obviously, we are in the spring house hunt. with half the rest of the north shore here in massachusetts, i should say. i’m a little all over the place about it. a total fixer-upper? a multi-family? a small, but updated single family? a tiny place by the water? a place with more yard and space? i certainly know what i like, but there are so many different ways to go with it. i have my eye on a very narrow stretch of land in my ideal location and that is certainly my top priority. it should be interesting to see how and when it all plays out. jerry and i have some different priorities…but i think we will ultimately find the right spot for us.

+ life these days involves lots of doting on this guy, all cuddled up in our frilly, feminine comforter (and all up on my side of the bed, might i say). perhaps the pregnancy hormones have something to do with it, but i just adore, I mean really adooooooore him even more than usual. he’s just the sweetest little thing.

+ life these days is (finally!) involving time outside again!!! the green-tipped trees, the sweet budding flowers, the glowing sunshine with a crisp breeze. we are actually getting a spring this year. a true novelty.

+ life these days means berries. lots and lots of berries. true berry-picking season is almost here! sing thee my soul.

+ life these days involves lots of bonding with this little guy rumbling and tumbling around in there. we will be meeting him in only 10ish weeks.

Your dad and I are in Maine for Easter weekend, little dude.
We can’t wait for you to enjoy and explore this great state with us.
We’ve been coming here for years, since we’ve known each other actually.
It’s where we had our first kiss, got engaged, conceived you.
All the milestones, really.

It’s your grandma’s place, meant as a summer retreat and potential retirement home down the line.
But we have the great pleasure of using it the most.
We kind of consider it our own.
(Shhh, don’t tell grandma.)
Except we don’t pay for it.
Crazy, huh??
Yeah, it’s a sweet deal.

Your grandma threatens to sell it about every other week.
But once we get you up here and she sees how much you love it, we know we’ll secure it in the family forever.
So do us a favor and be extra cute when you’re up here with your grandma.
Maybe take your first step here or say your first word or something like that.
It’s gotta be something big.

We NEED this, little man.
And you can bring it home for us.
We believe in you.

PS. Just kidding on that whole conception thing. We don’t know where your little fetal life began.
But it certainly wasn’t in grandma’s bed. That’d be too weird.

May you be a straight shooter like your Uncle Adam, my little man.
(But maybe without the pop culture knowledge…)

That Uncle Adam, he’s really mixing up the gene pool.
Sometimes when your dad and I talk about what you’ll be like, your dad says,
You never know…I mean, you’ve got some of Adam’s genes in you…

Don’t get me wrong, your Uncle Adam’s got some great qualities–he’s quite funny, definitely fun-loving, surprisingly tender-hearted, ambitious (in the anything-to-get-rich way…a pro and con perhaps?), highly loyal (if he liked you in the first place), adventurous, and quite the charming little social butterfly when he wants to be.

But man, he gave your grandparents a run for their money.
Quite the dare devil that one was.
Maybe let’s just leave it at that. I don’t want you getting any ideas.
Come to think of it, we might have to seclude you from Uncle Adam for the teen years…it just might be too risky.

Since we’re talking about Uncle Adam, we might as well publicly wish him happy birthday.
He turned 31 yesterday.
He’s old.
But I think you’ll still think he’s cool.

But not too cool, ok?
Seriously.
Mama doesn’t want to relive those teen years.