The Reluctant Blogger

I'm not really a reluctant blogger, maybe just a lazy one. It is full-on summer here and we are chasing one another all over the place. Hopping from farmers' markets to pools to outdoor parties. Hopping in and out of swim diapers. Covering sunburned shoulders after long days at the beach. Falling asleep with the rocking waves and waking up with the seagulls and the clink of the mast. We are feeling a bit tired and more than a bit lucky. We are staring at one another, rubbing noses, kissing, and probably not taking enough pictures. We are trying new words and singing new songs and loving each other in new ways. We are watching lilies bloom and popping blueberries and chomping on corn. We are reluctant to stop all this for anything that isn't mandatory.

In the midst of this I read The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which came highly recommended by one of my readers here (how cool is that?). It was really a pleasure. It's quiet and thoughtful and surprisingly romantic. I would say it's one of the more surprising novels I've read in a good while. Like one of my favorites, The Things They Carried, this book led me over and over again to the idea of narrative structure, to the craft of storytelling, to why we give certain characters voice over others, to the power of that convention.

I am now doing something I thought I never would: reading Steig Larsson. After years of passing his novels (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire) at bestseller stands in airports, I was finally confronted by one face-to-face, and a free copy at that. My father just started in on them and, while he didn't offer any glowing reviews, he suggested I give them a spin. He also suggested I skip Dragon Tattoo and start with The Girl Who Played With Fire. So that's where I am right now, when I'm not immersed in all the things mentioned in the first paragraph of this entry. All I can say so far is that it's decidedly not a pleasure, and it's not about the writing, and it may be kind of a poor translation, but it just also may be a damn good story. And I'm kinda hooked. More later.

Thanks for reading!

Cupcake

Because it is Mother's Day I had a cupcake at 3:45 p.m. today. A pink cupcake with jam filling leftover from our party last night. I napped when Nicky did, which is historic for me. We went to Busch Gardens with my mom and watched Nicky ride the rides and rode some ourselves. The lines were short. The weather was just warm and the breeze was just enough. It's 8:30 p.m. now and I'm about to take a bath and watch An Education. I know what I'm wearing to the office tomorrow.

The party last night went great. The house was clean and pretty, candle-lit, full of kids playing in some places and friends catching up in others. The weather was perfect. There was hardly any clean up.

Times like this, when everything's easy and fits so easily in place, I wonder what all the fuss (my fuss) was about.

And that's a great Mother's Day, when everything in your crazy, chaos-reigns life seems like a piece of cupcake.

Happy Mother's Day universe. G'night!

Moxie

As my little toddler would say (with two hands in the air), "Where it go?" My mojo, my moxie, my Meredithness. I'm not feeling like myself, which is fairly unusual. As a rule, I spring to action when the going gets tough, when the pressure is on. But right now, all I'm doing is very slowly sipping my sugar-free latte and contemplating my ridiculously over-the-limit inbox with something close to 120 unread messages, and not opening any of them. Instead I'm writing a blog post instead like a real overachiever.

My resume touts me as a brilliant multi-tasker, but current reality tells a different tale. I forgot to kick-off an office campaign for a charity I care very much about (not sure how to turn that one around, but it's probably going to involve another self-effacing mass e-mail), I was an especially lackluster facilitator at an important meeting yesterday, and thinking of the state of my current assignments reminds me of those war strategy computer games my husband sometimes plays (the ones with world map littered with small burning flames denoting military clashes). Not knowing where to start, I would prefer to stick my head between my knees and crawl under my desk, though probably in reverse order.

I'm behind on the laundry, I'm behind on the vaccumming, I'm behind on the dusting, and I'm embarrased to tell you the last time my family had a home-cooked meal (and that, I recall, was a rotisserie chicken and sides from Fresh Market).

Did I mention I'm hosting a big party on Saturday?

Oh, I know it will get better, and that it's not even near bad. It's just a tad overwhelming at times. By tomorrow I'll get my little ducks in a row. But for now I just felt like complaining to you, because I get the distinct feeling that my family (husband) is getting pretty sick of hearing it. So thanks for listening!

My Favorite Things

I know, it's been awhile. There are so many reasons I haven't posted in weeks--schedule, sadness for a friend's terrible loss, and a head brimming with so many thoughts it's hard to isolate one single post. Anyway, I figured it was time to get something up here before I lose forever my very small group of readers! I saw this post on my sister-in-law's blog and thought it would be a good way to jump back in. I give you My (Current) Favorite Things.

Cargo Better Than Waterproof Mascara -- If you are a mom, or if you are emotional and cry during commercials, or if you go to the beach a lot and still want to look good, basically, if you are a woman you should run out and buy this mascara. I consider myself somewhat of a mascara afficiando and this is hands-down the best. It will never come off. Ever. It would have lasted through labor I'm sure. And, yes, I'm the kind of person who cares about that kind of thing.  I get mines at Ulta. It's pricey, but so worth it.

Trader Joe's -- Oh, how we could not live without thee. They know us there. We love them for their awesome employees and balloons and daily tastings that keep Nicky from crossing the line to complete nightmare-in-a-grocery-cart. Most of all we love TJ's Apple Carrot Crushers and Freeze-dried Strawberries and Blueberries and Frozen French Toast and Omega 3 Carrot Juice. Parenting would be difficult for us without those items.

Hearts of Palm -- I like to say it and I like to eat it. Sometimes I forget, which makes the reunion that much sweeter. On a salad with baby greens and cherry tomatoes and tiny marinated mozzarella balls.

The Light Wedge -- This is the most incredible reading light ever made. I give it as a gift frequently. If you need to read with a baby sleeping beside you or travel on planes or in cars or just read a lot in bed, you have to get this. Everyone I've given it to has given it to someone else.

Michael Stars tees -- They're the best ever and that's why they cost so much. They last forever. Every season I tell myself I will buy three of these and nothing else. It never works out, but maybe one day.

Hannah Andersen PJs -- For the Nickster, not for the whole family. Above comment on the Michael Stars tees applies (the best so $) EXCEPT when you find them at Costco for $10!! Happy day. My son wears these for a year, and my son is one solidly growing boy! Even after all that wear they look plenty good to be worn by other Robertsons to come. We go through other brands in a matter of months.

My husband -- He's not for sale at any store. Gotta getchyour own. But mine's so great and I don't blog enough about him. This weekend he built a tree house for my son and outfitted it with a super cool captain's wheel and telescope, he helped and encouraged me through a ridiculous painting fiasco (pictures to come), he learned how to play Nicky's favorite Jack Johnson song (Upside Down) on the guitar, and he got hot dogs for my friends' kids and read them stories at a reception this weekend. He is a wonderful father and husband and tells me and my son that he loves us and that we're so beautiful so often that we almost take it for granted, but we don't.

My neighborhood -- There are homes available and we'd love to have you all as neighbors! Nearly every time I drive to and from home I think I am so lucky to live here. It's all trees and gentle hills and golden retrievers and thoughtful gardening and kids' toys in the yards. To me, it's what home should be and, thankfully, is.

My girlfriends -- I got mine in high school. These models are sold out, though I would expect a reissue due to popular demand. More on this in another post, but this weekend I spent some time with my very best friends and every time I see them I think how lucky I am to have friends like this in this world. If something good happens to me, they are the people who are without question happy for me and cheering me on; in the case of something bad they would be quietly and generously casting a net to catch me if I fell.

My son -- Also not for purchase, even when crabby and throwing Buzz Lightyear dolls at water glasses in Thai restaurants. Anyone who reads this blog knows about my love affair with my son. He is amazing and the light of my life and my wonderful little companion. His barnacle hugs and sweet little kisses mean more to me than anything I've ever known. He's a gift and I cherish him.

Welcome Spring!

It's spring in CW!

Have a great week everyone.

Farrideh

Farrideh is a neighbor. She lives in a green house two doors down with largest, most beautiful weeping cherry tree I've seen (you can glimpse it in this photo). She watches her two granddaughters everyday, they have pretty little Italian names because their mother is Italian. But Farrideh and her husband and her son are not, they're from somewhere else. Her accent sounds Greek, but it could just as easily be Turkish or Syrian or Armenian. She could be any number of nationalities really. I'm a bad judge. I thought for sure one of my good friends was Armenian when I met her, but it turns out she's half Mexican. I'm not sure why I always want people to be Armenian.  I'm also not sure why I'm always shy to ask people where they're from. 

Farrideh met and fell in love with my son on Halloween. She's older and kind of sticks to her own yard, so that was the first time they were introduced. She opened the door to her cozy home and the smell of some kind of wonderful meditteranean dish flooded out. Immediately she was down at Nicky's level, patting his head and cooing all over him. She let him dig through her candy dish for at least 5 minutes. We must have left with 20 treats.

Now when she sees him coming she says "There's the baby. I am in love with this baby!" They have a moment. Sometimes Nicky runs up and hugs her and says nonsensical things to her in a really loud voice. She loves this. She'll say, "Now this is just for you and me ... " and say something to him in her native language. Sometimes, like the other day, he'll see her and a big smile will spread across his face. Then he'll whip up his t-shirt, point at his bellybutton, yell "Bellybutton!", and run off in another direction for a ball or a truck. She'll laugh and watch him go. She's not the kind to chase him.

She doesn't expect much from me, doesn't need me to tell her about what he's eating or how he sleeps, whether he's said his first sentence or likes to play outside. She'll get all that from him soon enough. And when she beams and says "Such a happy, happy boy!" I know it's a compliment, even though she's not looking at me. This is their own, this little friendship.

These interactions with Farrideh always strike me. They make me think he's so lucky in life, this running into someone like this on the street, someone who loves him so much, someone who would pick him and kiss his boo-boo if he fell, give him water if he was thirsty. I see already that she will care about him as he grows, what he'll be for next Halloween, what he wants for Christmas, how he likes school.

It pulls at my heart strings, which are really getting worn out lately.

Mines

Look at what momma got for Easter! My very own touching video, complete with the song I adored from the link in my last post. Watching this I realized we have a lot more footage than I thought -- even some  baby feet!

How sweet is my husband?

Happy sunny holiday weekend!