Another weekend past....

Weekends seem to fly by. Ugh. We would like someone wealthy to loan us their housekeeping staff for just one weekend. We'd like to not have to do one (or eight) loads of laundry, wash a single dish, cook a single meal or pick up a single board book. We'd like to just be able to sit on the couch and have the kids climb all over us for two straight days.

Barring the housekeeping fairies visiting us anytime soon, we'll take a weekend just like this one. Some housework got done, some lawnwork got done, some a lot of laundry got done, etc. but we also had time for a lot of tickles, some giggles and a whole lot of cuddles. Vinay loves his pictures and somehow Amiya conned him into believing that he wanted her to have a chocolate shake as part of his Father's Day. Watch out when she's sixteen, right?

We are getting ready for a visitor from France on Wednesday and then an action packed week and a half with lots of beach trips, zoo trips and probably even more giggles. Life is good.

And, because it's Father's Day, a few not-so-new pictures to share with you of the kids either doing stuff with Vinay or doing stuff like Vinay. No question they love their Daddy!

Amiya and Daddy tackling mounds of paperwork. He sorts and files, she shreds.

Kev reading the paper on a lazy Sunday morning. Checking out the sales, not to be bothered.

Happy Father's Day!

I'm sitting here tonight, working on V's Father's Day present while the kids are sleeping and he is watching a movie. When Amiya was 9 months old, I made Vinay a collage of pictures from her first nine months. It was his Christmas present "from" Amiya. It was terribly cheesy - one of those frames that has the cut-outs in the mat already. But, it was maybe the best Christmas present he ever got. To this day he loves it (or so he tells me).

So, for Father's Day this year, he's getting one of just Kev and a smaller one of our family - mainly pics of Kev and Amiya together. It's hard to give this man presents - polo shirts are always a safe bet, but we've got those covered. And so I found myself staring at this frames in Michael's about a month ago and thinking they might be just the thing.

And yet, I know that these pictures can never capture the truth of Vinay's relationship with Amiya and Kev. I watched Vinay cuddle with Kev on the couch today after the little guy woke up from his nap. It was the very picture of happiness, for both of them. Vinay said he didn't need any presents - that moment was present enough. And then later in the day, Amiya rode on Vinay's back while he pretended to be a horse and she a cowgirl chasing Kev around the coffee table. It was giggles and chortles and laughs for a good twenty minutes. Nothing more than three hearts entertaining themselves together. Joy and beauty without toys or movies or anything more than living that moment.

So, to Vinay on Father's Day, I wish you a million moments as precious as this evening was. Your children are the luckiest on earth.

Big Boy

In his "I love Grandpa" hat!
Please note - those are Vinay's knees, not mine.

Stuck and pissed (because he's stuck) in the high chair.
You'd think he'd learn.
I just love the little hat and the little butt.
Big smiles after the first real haircut. He did great, but he doesn't look like a baby anymore!
This is a preview of Kev as a 7 year old. Seriously, doesn't he look really old? If only he weren't in a baby swing he'd pass for a preschooler, at least!It's a lot of work to watch Diego every day. Kev shows you the proper watching position. And, I'll say it even though it doesn't need to be said, Vinay dressed Kev in this ensemble, not me!

Why we love Tampa...

The kids getting some sun at the beach a few weeks ago.

Too cool in shades and hat.

Oooh, sand. Yummy!

Amiya's sand castle.


Isn't he just about the most kissable little man?
Why will those cheeks be ruined with stubble one day? Why?

Stick a fork in him! He's d.o.n.e.


Friday night at the zoo. First merry-go-round ride!
He loved it!

Big sister couldn't complain or be nervous in front of her baby brother!
She loves them (now) too!

Amiya and Daddy take the skyride across the zoo.
Amiya says the best part was when they saw the rhinos and the tapirs.
Vinay says the best part was getting cuddles!

Leaving the zoo we were treated to a double rainbow -
one very bright, the other very faint.
And, we could see both ends of each!

Home from the zoo and exhausted.
Little man couldn't keep his eyes open!

This is weird!

Does anyone notice a Russian-like font to the right? What is goin' on, comrades?

It's the little things that make this all worthwhile....

It really is. The things that come out of these kids mouths and the way they move their little bodies is just about the best that we could ever dream up.

Today I was mock-scolding Vinay about something and I said, "Vinay! It's our children!" Kev wanted in on the action, too, because he turned to Vinay and said, "Nay! Ooh ne na cooola." So it doesn't sound exactly the same, but he completely had the inflection right on the Nay and children parts.

I went to wake Amiya up from her afternoon nap today so Vinay could take the kids to the kiddie gym while I go to a cardmaking party tonight. She had only fallen asleep about half an hour earlier and she did not want to get up yet. She mumbled, "I hope you're not coming to wake me up already because I'm not done sleeping." When did this happen? That's a fairly complex sentence and she's suddenly gone from "Mommy more nuffins peez." to the above. I repeat, when did this happen?

We're finding legos, tops and linking toys all over the house. We can't empty a garbage can without rifling through it to make sure Kev hasn't thrown away something precious or vital. We can relate entirely to that commercial where the Dad is frantically taking care of kids and then he hears the toilet flush and a little, breathy uh-oh! That is our daily existance.

Amiya tells us daily that we are her best Mommy and her best Daddy. We remind her that we're her only Mommy and Daddy, but it doesn't seem to matter. We are the best. We like that.

At night whoever puts Amiya to bed is subjected to the 3 Favorites ritual. We alternate, Amiya then parent, Amiya then parent, Amiya then parent, telling our favorite things for the day. Sometimes they are mundane (having a quesadilla for lunch), sometimes inane (riding a pink pony ???) and sometimes they are heartwarming (playing at the beach with Daddy). It's a ritual that she's come to love and that keeps us at her level re: what is most important to her.

Mea culpa

I know, I know. I've been very bad about the blog. But, with my Grandma's death and the ensuing trip to Wisconsin, things were well and truly out of whack for the first half of May and are only now getting back to normal.

So, please forgive me. I will try very hard to be a good blogger for the month of June. I leave you, tonight, with this pic. If you have ever thought that our calling Kev Monkey is cruel or unkind or not very nice, reconsider. Is there a more fitting nickname?