Two Easters

I love Easter. It's a fun, low-pressure holiday, and as Genevieve gets older, it's especially fun.

KidBrother Sam mentioned how he loves seeing "last year vs. this year" photos of Genevieve. Brace yourselves.

Easter 2013

Plastic eggs are GREAT!

Chubby cheeks! Pigtails! Bunny overalls!

A lot of Easter was the same - no sugar, lots of family. But it was also very different.

This year, we hardboiled eggs from our local farmer's market, and SuperAndrew donned his seasonal AndrewBunny ears to stay up late dyeing them with food coloring (regular and Neon), like his mom used to. In the morning (after we had Crème brûlée French Toast), Laura the Fairy and I "hid" the eggs.

Genevieve, armed with a colander (in favor of a basket), was delighted by ALL THE EGGS.

Genevieve is a process-oriented kid, so when she was done finding the eggs, she asked Andrew to hide them "AGAIN! Peease."

 

Aaaaand, again. (Also, this time, UnkieSam hid the empty plastic eggs in the living room.) After three consecutive egg hunts, Genevieve was ready for a nap- which she *asked* for.

While Genevieve was napping, I whipped up the cream cheese frosting for Carrot Cake Cupcakes (from the Baking Illustrated cookbook) for the afternoon's family gathering. AndrewBunny did the artful piping, with juuuuust enough cream cheese frosting.

Shown in our cupcake carrier. Worth every penny.

Once Genevieve was awake, we headed to our afternoon family gathering.

Any time we go to a family gathering, it takes Genevieve a little while to warm up to the crowd. Meaning, she and I usually sit by ourselves somewhere quiet until Genevieve is ready to join the party. Or until one of the older kids comes out to play with her.

On Easter, it was the latter that helped Genevieve transition into her usual social butterfly self, and the egg hunt was ON.

At home, all the eggs are Genevieve's. At the family egg hunt, each kid is told that they can find six little plastic eggs and one large plastic egg each. [The older kids are told, "If you can see it plainly, it's *not for you*."]

Genevieve had a great time, hunting and counting. The pretty plastic eggs were filled with candy [READ: "the devil's sugar"], so I quickly corralled LittleJ, relieved her of her bag of goodies, and with subtlety and teamwork that would BOGGLE YOUR MIND,  Andrew and I deposited the contents of Genevieve's eggs into LittleJ's bag.

Genevieve got to play with the eggs, and she didn't miss the candy on the inside. Win-win. She was happy, showing everyone her eggs, talking about the colors. She thought her day couldn't get any better.

... And then Genevieve discovered the trampoline.

Mid-flight

"Mommy! Come play with me!"

... And if something is great, Genevieve makes *sure* I don't miss out on it. She's thoughtful and generous, and a great trampoline-bouncer.

It was our hoppiest Easter yet.

Lookin' good, Daddy-o

We were at a graduation party (for LittleJ) last Sunday, and Mahvelous Margot mentioned that fatherhood looked good on Andrew.

Baby press-ups: good for the body, good for the soul.

I couldn't agree more.

I mean, who else would think that doing pushups with their baby facing UP would be so much fun?

BEEBO!

Andrew is a phenomenal father. He sings, he dances, and he uses Genevieve as his own personal home gym. That's frugal, responsible, AND stellar parenting.

He wants to be an involved father, so there isn't much that he *doesn't* do, including learning how to brush hair (without pulling on the tangles), and executing a fantastic set of pigtails.

Hair by Daddy

But it's more than that. Being a good parent is about being engaged. He's outdoors-y and adventurous when it's appropriate, and quiet and cerebral with Genevieve when it's time to calm down.

Andrew, I love how you follow her cues, letting her lead you to what she wants or needs. You are a great listener, even when the cues are (mostly) nonverbal.

Like today, when Genevieve wanted to play in the pool. She got her swimsuit and swim diaper, towed you to the changing table, handed them over then said, "Daddy?"

Like any Daddy worth his salt, you melted where you stood, and then got her ready to go for a swim.

I hope that as Genevieve grows up, she never stops thinking that you're the greatest guy in the whole world, and that she never stops looking at you like this:

Best. Daddy. EVER.

Happy Father's Day, Monkey. You're the best Dad a kid could ask for.

All hail

Last month, my sister-in-law asked me if I would take LittleJ's prom pictures. She told me the dates and times, and I agreed, because - why not? I have a camera, and enough knowledge to be dangerous.

So Saturday, I packed up my gear, got some inspiration from Pinterest, and headed over. I started taking pictures, and between the hair, the makeup, and LittleJ's natural beauty, all I could see is a 1940's Hollywood ingenue.

[Aside: I should really start calling her Not-So-Little-J, since she towers a head and a neck above me these days.]

It was a beautiful day, and it was a joy to capture all those small details and moments that really reflect how much LittleJ and RockinJ love each other. 

There really is nothing like young love.

The Rose Garden

The last part of the photo shoot was at the Rose Garden, which I - embarrassingly -  had never been to. There were *hundreds* of people there, using it as a beautiful and iconic backdrop for their photos. Fortunately, we were able to find a slightly less packed part for a few shots.

 

Inspiration from an iconic shot

All hail!

The icing on the cake? They were voted prom king and queen.

Stitches therapy

Stitches West was great this year. It's great every year, but this year was different. Special. Amazing.

It was a family affair; Genevieve's whole entourage was there. We had toys. We had "chewies". We had our trusty stroller and our diaper bag. We had our bag lunches and healthy snacks. We had knitting aunties available at every turn. We were ready for anything.

The convention center had plenty of room to run and play, without being underfoot.

Piggyback, with extra pigtails

And a few quiet places for DangerMouse to get her beauty sleep.

Napping at Stitches, under the Love Blanket

Andrew was incredible. He did most of the DangerMouse wrangling all weekend, and I got to take the two classes like we had planned.

It was incredible. I took Lily Chin's Short Rows for Bust Darts class, which took all of the mystery out of short rows and replaced it with completely accessible math. I took notes. I participated. I learned. For three incredible hours, I was a Knitter.

Andrew, as you may have guessed (and are not surprised AT ALL to find out) surpassed all expectations. He had the help of a friend's charming daughter (Dr. Adorable) who was more than happy to play with Genevieve, and it was obvious that Genevieve thought that Dr. Adorable was the cat's meow.

I got to spend a lot of time with friends who I don't get to see nearly enough of, which was the best part. It recharged my batteries in a way that I desperately needed. It was like taking a deep breath of fresh air after being cooped up too long. But better, because there was knitting.

I did a little shopping, and I added to the "good intentions" pile. You know, the one where you buy materials to make stuff for your friends' kids, but sometimes you don't have time to follow through? That's the "good intentions" pile.

A two-sided blanket to go with this one.

What was the most remarkable was what I'm referring to as the "Stitches Miracle". In over a year, Genevieve had only slept through the night once or twice. During Stitches, something happened. With the exception of one night, she has slept through the night every night during (and since). Clearly, this kid has whatever the knitting equivalent of midi-chlorians are.

It has been amazing. I'm feeling almost well-rested. The sun shines a little brighter, Genevieve's laughter is more joyous, and I'm feeling better than I have in ages.

I've always thought that observing traditions is incredibly important. Observing knitting traditions are even more important when you're raising a future knitter.

Thirty and thankful

I turned 30 two weeks ago, and while I - mostly - believe that age is just a number, I really feel like something has changed inside me. I say "mostly" because there are things that I am "too old" for. Like sleeping on the floor, eating bad food, and navel piercings. (You're welcome, World.)

That being said, I am NOT too old to eat cake for breakfast. I will never be too old for that.

My birthday and Thanksgiving have always been close together, and occasionally overlap. This year, I tweeted something I was thankful for (almost) every day. Even if I didn't get the chance to tweet, I still thought about it every day, which I think is a great approach to life: being thankful for all the good things.

It sounds trite, but I realized that I have so much to be thankful for.

Om nom, indeed.

I am thankful for my DangerMouse. I am thankful for all of the joy she has brought to our family. I am thankful that she is growing up to be funny, generous, clever, *and* beautiful.

A changing table with a view

I am thankful that she is happy, healthy, and a joy to be around.

Seven teeth and a killer smile

I am thankful for the smiles, the giggles, and - of course - the belly laughs. Oh, the belly laughs.

Niki, prepped for his SECOND CCL surgery.

 I am thankful for my dogs, who always take good care of us, and have quickly absorbed Genevieve into the pack. I am thankful that - though Niki tore his *other* CCL on Thanksgiving (and the meniscus, too) - he is recovering nicely from the surgery. I am thankful that in a few weeks' time, he will be back to his usual shenanigans. (And, according to Elphie, not a minute too soon.)

Caught sharing the teething bling

I am thankful for Andrew. I am thankful that he is my partner, through and through, and that on those long nights we can tag each other into the parenting ring. I am thankful that he is a loving and enthusiastic father. Also, he's pretty handy for reaching stuff that's on the high shelves.

I am thankful for a large kitchen table, and the ability to frequently share meals with our friends around it.

I am thankful that the LSATs are over, that KidBrother Sam will be around more, and he'll be able to stop agonizing over that blasted test when he *is* here. (No photo. Thanks a lot, LSATs.)

Thick as theives

I am thankful for my dad, who has found a whole new kind of love in Genevieve. I am thankful that he reminds me to finish my dinner while he attends to Genevieve for a few minutes. I am thankful that, when she is fussy and I am tired, he takes her for walks in the fresh air.

Ain't nothin' like a nap with Grandpa

I am thankful for his moderated approach to giving me parenting advice, and reminding me that I need to take care of *his* baby so that I can take care of mine.

Deep in thought.

I am thankful for my mom. I am thankful for her wisdom, her patience, and her unflagging support. I am confident that I am a good mom because *she* is a good mom; always a pair of extra hands, a sympathetic ear, and she is pure comic GOLD as far as Genevieve is concerned.

A mouse and her auntie

I am thankful for friends who understand that my absence is not from lack of interest, but because Genevieve comes first, and that means occasionally declining when it comes to social activities. I am thankful that the invitations haven't stopped, and that when I need to stay close to home, the party comes to me. A sedate, naptime appropriate party, but a party nonetheless.

I am thankful that my friends have forgiven my flightiness, flakiness, and general forgetfulness. I am especially thankful for their guidance and love; they remind me that while I am Genevieve's Mom, I also am Jasmin. Same person, different uniform, you know?

I've decided. Thirty is going to be a great year. Now get off of my lawn.

Shark, meet SharkBean

Two weeks ago, Andrew and I were invited to his cousin's wedding reception in Monterey. We decided to make a day of it, and invited my parents along to join us during the day, and then while we attended the reception that evening, they could have a nice dinner.

It was a beautiful drive, and Monterey was perfectly overcast. Just the way I like it.

Genevieve and Grandpa Knitmore on the Wharf

We arrived around lunchtime, walked down Fisherman's Wharf, and picked a wonderful restaurant - Domenico's. They were friendly and welcoming, the food was SUPERB, and the view couldn't be beat.

Taking in the scenery

Can you see them?

Sea lions, sunning.

Sea lions! They weren't having a particularly noisy day, but Genevieve LOVED watching them. In all of the times I have been to Monterey and had a Meal With a View_TM, none of the views have come CLOSE to this one.

(Well, maybe the mating sea gulls on the other side of the window at Bubba Gumps about ten years ago, but that was awesome in an our-server-was-horrified kind of way.)

You can't see it, but we're wearing matching sweaters

Genevieve was amazing. After a long drive, she sat on our laps until the food came, and then she sat *so politely* in the high chair. We all had really excellent food, and she had delicious, perfectly prepared veggies that were SO good that she did her happy bounce with every bite. If I hadn't been busy being present in the moment, I would have filmed it to share. (Next time.)

After lunch, we made a quick stop at Happy Girl Kitchen Co to pick up some necessities for the house. And by "necessities" I mean summer apricot jam and blood orange preserves, along with a few other things that sounded delicious.

Generally speaking, I hate jam and preserves because I find them cloyingly sweet. Not so with the Happy Girl preserves. Their stuff tastes like summer, and I get uncharacteristically greedy with it.

Finally, we headed to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (or the Cetacean Institute, for the Star Trek fans in the audience), where we moseyed through until closing time.

Some of us didn't last that long

We packed up and went to change for the evening's festivities. The wedding reception was in the aquarium, between the jellyfish exhibit and the seahorse exhibit. There is something inherently cooler about being there after hours. Or maybe that's just my inner nerd speaking. (HA. INNER nerd. As if I'm not layer after layer of nerd.)

Dinner was the pièce de résistance; tables were set up in the open sea exhibit and we dined by soft candlelight and the light of the tank as we watched sharks, rays, and turtles (among other creatures) swimming around and doing their thing.

Personalized jellyfish for the bride and groom, courtesy of Andrew

The best part? Getting to show Genevieve all the different kinds of sharks.

All things being equal, I think she preferred the meditative properties of watching the anchovies. I think it's probably a developmental thing; like visual white noise.

White, fishy noise.

Wee vote

Yesterday, we went and voted as a family unit. Andrew beat us to the polls (pesky day job), so KidBrother Sam joined us. The plan was to go and vote, then go get coffee.

Don't let the sticker fool you. She didn't really vote.

And that's exactly what we did.

After I was done voting, Genevieve and I went outside to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. There were two little guys tooling around on their bikes, while their (baby-wearing) mom supervised. Once their dad was done voting, they took a family photo because it was the mom's first time voting as a newly-minted US citizen.

It warmed my heart, because the little guys were SO EXCITED for their mom. (Possibly, also the "I voted" stickers. Our polling place is pretty generous with the stickers.) I remember my parents' citizenship ceremony clearly, and how excited we were as a family. It was sweet to quietly observe another family making a similar memory.

On our way to coffee after voting, KidBrother Sam talked about how there should be consequences to *not* voting. On one hand, he said, he doesn't want the uninformed voting. On the other, (and I paraphrase) not voting because of X arbitrary reason should be discouraged.

(I love listening to him work through these things, and pointing out the small issues. Together, we will solve the world's problems.)

I thought about how this is Genevieve's first election, and it reminded me of *my* first time voting, about ten years ago.

Our polling place used to be at the elementary school that we attended; a healthy, five-minute walk from home. After work, I parked at home and hoofed on over to have my political voice heard.

A mock-election was being held for the elementary school kids, in the cafeteria. I walked up to the "real" polling station, and took a deep breath, trying to figure out where to start. ("Chaotic" seems insufficient in describing an elementary school cafeteria.)

"Excuse me, do you know where we put our ballots?" a little guy asked me, maybe six or seven years old, "It's my first time voting."

"Actually, no," I answered, "It's my first time voting, too. Let's go ask."

We both got our questions answered, and a few minutes later, I cast my first votes. I can't wait to continue our tradition of civic responsibility, followed by our morning coffee and political discussion as Genevieve gets older.

She already has a lot of opinions; at the very least, the discussions promise to be interesting.

A matched set

This last Saturday was all about Big and Little. (Which totally reminds me of Grover Monster's Near and Far bit.)

I'll admit it. I am a HUGE fan of matching stuff. When KidBrother Sam and I were little, Mom used to make us matching outfits. If Mom sewed me a dress, she sewed a matching one for my stuffed pig, Perfect. I LOVED it.

So, I'm knitting a few matching mother-daughter sweaters for Genevieve and me, starting with the Garter Yoke Cardigan, out of my handspun:

Also, matching dimples.

I loved knitting these sweaters. I think I might make matching ones in another color, once she outgrows this one. (That should be in about 12 minutes, for the record.) The thing I may love best (about the sweaters) is that my buttons are the same as the ones on Genevieve's sweater- except that mine are a little bigger.

TOES!!!

You may have noticed that she's wearing a hook bracelet. In Andrew's family, there is a tradition that when you go to St. Croix (and everyone does, eventually), you get a hook bracelet. Hook bracelets are worn at all significant family functions.

You can imagine how charmed and delighted I was when we opened a gift from Andrew's Uncle Ted (and family), and it was the tiniest hook bracelet you've ever seen. Given how big Andrew's hook bracelet is, I found it even more adorable, and an incredibly thoughtful gift.

The Biggest and Littlest

When I was taking these pictures, I also noticed that Genevieve's outfit has a crab on the butt, and Andrew is wearing one of his Portland, ME lobster shirts. Total coincidence.

(Yes, I know that crabs and lobsters are totally different, but you see how they're *kind of* the same, too, right?)

Peas in a pod.

Down to our accessories, we're a matched set.