It's been a long, long time

Tonight it's 11:11 pm as I write this on Thursday, August 9th. I have not written since the week of July 15-22 (Mon-Sun?) and I have been almost 3 weeks home from my trip to Quebec during that weekend. What have I done?  I've been playing softball on Monday nights. I've been to the doctor's 3x (once Eliza, once Ruby, once Kaia), I have hiked with Kaia, Eliza and sometimes Ruby the Turkey Run Trail, Riverbend State Park, the Arboretum, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens (3x) once with the girls, once with the girls plus Kate and once with the girls plus Corie.  We also have visited the American History Museum and viewed Dorothy's Ruby Red Slippers and the Scarecrow's hat and shoes from the Wizard of Oz.  We have visited the American Indian Museum during Peru festival with Megan.  We have played with Ada and CC at Auntie Tara's house. We have visited the library, the zoo, taken pictures of Orangutan's climbing above us on the rope's course at the zoo.  We have picked up strep infections maybe at pools like East Potomac or the new pool over on Gayles St. NE  Deanwood is it?  We have stayed in at home and done little but watch Olympics and play in the play room. I sort of cleared out the studio but have yet to paint with the girls. We have walked to Lincoln park and met Gerry and Maggie. I went to the Yards park twice--once alone with the girls and another time we met Jeff and Julia and I had a daytime sunlight beer--yeesh--makes one tired. There was a day at the Dentist followed by our hike at Riverbend.
But there have been moments of transcendence: to write about the moments in the doctor's office waiting room.  Moments on the Metro headed to the Doctors' office.  Taking Ruby and Kaia to the Dentist Dr. Roca.  How they responded to having their teeth cleaned.  There was that day with Mommie when we went to the Aquatic Gardens.  There have been all the random nice people like Lily on the Metro today and people in elevators and at the grocery store.  We did spend over an hour and a half at the grocery store one day.  Don't forget or try to block out the experience of the DMV with 2 girls and all the car headaches.  There's been walking to the market and the library and the cvs and the organic grocery store and pleading for treats in the form of cupcakes, popsicles, fro-yo, cookies, candy and boy, those people know how to package and product place.  There's been much too much to write about but this list will jar my memory. Can't forget the summer THEME of Wizard of Oz and finally finishing reading aloud the original Frank L. Baum book this week.. There's been a lot of good, and some melting down, both by the girls and by me.
So, don't forget me blogger--visit soon again, please, before the summer is over and the memories have flown. 

What i hope to continue to learn

So Thursday began with a difficult time getting up due to staying up watching mindless television, or was it mindlessly watching mindlessness on television, or was it forgetting there's nothing on almost always and wishing I weren't a slave to the idiot box but still am and thus remained up until 2-3 am and couldn't get up when they rang the bell to start round one of child care at 6:30 am. But as I recall from yesterday morning, I did manage to feed Eliza and feed Ruby and even feed myself and I took the time to rummage through the books in the house to see if I could find Arc of Justice for John Bean, an old family friend of the Colgans who were to meet for lunch, but I didn't, so I grabbed a new copy of Mountains beyond mountains instead and got Ruby and Eliza all ready to embark on our walk to Union Station to meet Corie and John at B. Smiths.  First, let me tell you that once I got out of the door I realized it was about 11:20 and we were to meet at 11:45 in the am.  Given that it would probably take 20 minutes of walking at a decent clip to get to Union, I did something rare, but given that I have my summers' work free, I wish I did it more often--I slowed down, I didn't try to walk fast, I didn't force Ruby to hold onto the stroller and do double quick time while keeping up with Dad, rather I found that I too, had Ruby's pace, and could find that walking pace all the more enjoyable. I suddenly noticed the world around me; the brick sidewalks, the trees, the light and shadow across 4th street and I could account for my steps; there was a light breeze-this was living. This was Tich Nhat Hahn mindfulness and it hurt it was so beautiful. When approaching a cross walk that was winding down it's seconds not in our favor, I stopped. And took in the view, the architecture, they sky, Ruby, Eliza, the passing cars and bicycles, the aromas of plants and animals... It was a gracious walk, and a moment where I felt like I got it, if only temporarily--as fleeting as the moment of realization always is and we, at least I, tend to get sucked back into the stress of it all, I did get it and enjoy it, it's depth and dimension, it's patience and temporality, it was beautiful. So Ruby and Eliza and I turned to cross the street mid way between 4th and 5th on East Capitol to take the alley way and I was struck to sing the song "lollipop" and pull my jaw at  the end of the refrain and make that "pop" sound which piqued Ruby's interest and funny bone and she wanted me to show her how to do it and I tried and then changed the words to the melody to Ruby Lu, Ruby Lu oh Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby  Lu POP, ba du du... then "Lizer bean" then "Daddy Dad..." and on and on and we were walking to Union Station and I checked the time, and it was good... we were going to be on time. And we were.  But the walk was a lesson in the depth of living in the present moment, this reality, of connecting to reality and sharing the intensity of simple walking and mindfulness with loved ones, tiny and pretty tiny family members, and it was a beautiful symmetry between our environment and ourselves and, although it couldn't last, it was a reminder... something to call forth from a place of stasis from which you can recall the details of the experience and let them in and percolate forth the language necessary to wholly express them.  Lunch with John Bean was terrific. What a nice man.  He was in a great spirit and is a lovely conversationalist keeping Ruby in the loop and playing the animal game with her.  Corie was, not without warrant, stressed a bit by work and us running overtime.  B. Smith's is such an elegant atmosphere--so glad to have John eat there for the first time.
The walk home however. Well, that didn't go so well. Ruby had not eaten much of her mac and cheese at lunch in the hopes, (Because--i (stupid) said maybe we could stop at the bagel store on the way home) she could have a bagel, and I told her, if she had eaten her lunch she could have stopped for a bagel or gotten one for later, but since she didn't eat her lunch when it was in front of her, we weren't stopping.  (WHERE IS THE LOGIC, or is there logic in that?)
Well.
Ruby can sustain scream/crying for an awfully long, long time. All the way from past the bagel store to Brent Elementary where we dropped off her and Kaia's Medical forms and met with Ms. Diggs who was very welcoming to Ruby and helped cease the flow of tears and "I want a bagel" declarations.
It was a hard lesson and I walked faster, much faster pushing the stroller. I still did not try to make it when lights were about to turn red, but I was no longer in the land of wonder I'd been in earlier.  One guy on a bike rode by and said "So sad" and I felt impulses to both smile and punch him, of which I did neither.
After Brent, we did head home and enjoyed some calm before heading out to the library before picking up Kai Kai from the bus. Kaia has only one day of camp left and I'm almost as glad it's going to be over as she is since she has had difficulty separating from Mommie in the mornings and struggled to make friends.  Hard stuff. Hopefully only a phase.  Still, once she acclimates she does more than well.
I'm starting to get the stay at home inside, and try to get the girls to play and entertain themselves a bit thing down a little. (Watch out!--Might have to eat those words).  My goal this weekend is to get the art studio functional and pictures up around the house. This will give me another activity in my repertoire  and you can never have too too many of those.

It's been a while

Today is July 11th--Wednesday and we've been back from family vacation since Sunday morning early.  Cannot for the life of me get Ruby and Eliza to sleep at the same time... except right now and we have to pick up Kaia from the camp bus in 7 minutes.  So, I'll be posting now for about 5 minutes. What has happened since we started our vacation on July 1st?  So much: July 4th barbecue and home fire works show, Kaia's 5th birthday, visits with Mom/Dad, Jim and Rob Colgan, Brother Tom and family, Lindsey and her three kids, Kirsten and her four kids, Stamford Museum visit, Wizard of Oz summer theater and then home.  Lots of swimming--Kaia is getting ready to swim on her own! and some intense lobster back from too much sun exposure.
Monday: Kaia went to camp for the first time and I visited the Doctor for Eliza's 4 month check up--doing great! then Trader Joes, home for naps and then we picked up Kaia at Eastern Market.  A lot of tiredness still recovering from the week of vacation perhaps?  Played softball after Mommie came home--late leftovers of pasta and meatballs and edamame for dinner.
Tuesday: Ambitious: Hiked to Great Falls with Ru lu and 'lizer bean and they both did well but Ru lu whined a bit more than Kaia and had to be carried a little more; hey she's only 3 and people gave me comments like "poor dad" and "that looks like training," after seeing me with 'lizer in the baby bjorn in front and carrying Ru lu on my shoulders as well.  Worked in a half an hour of Ashtanga with the girls watching and helping.  Good play at the Brent playground in the afternoon before picking up Biggest good sister. Nice homemade dinner of salmon with lemon and dill and yellow peppers, mixed semi-mashed potato/sweet potato, corn on the cob, and tomato-basil-mozzerella salad.  Best day of the week so far. Run to Costco ended in a torrential downpour and we found a leak coming through the kids light fixture in the bathroom.
Wednesday--Today-- barely awake this morning, but lolled around the house and took care of baby E while Ru lu played and entertained herself.  Had a nice catch up chat with Argentina traveller returned to massive Arlington culture shock. Me, Ru lu and baby E then headed to the doctor's via Metro--paper fare cards now a $ more!  Ru checked out well but had strep throat--got medicine--headed home for naps and calls to the roofer among other things.  Listening to John Fahey radio on Pandora and realizing I've been writing for too long--must go get the Kai Kai bean and plan dinner.
I've missed you blogger.

107 degrees with Heat Index Friday

So,

It's Friday!  I passed out at 7:45 pm last night, awoke only once and didn't get out of bed until 7:45 am.  That's almost 12 hours of sleep! How'd I do it and why'd I need it? Wednesday and Thursday my friend, Wednesday and Thursday.
Wednesday was wonderful. We dropped Ruby around 10 am and left her to preschool outdoor water fun.  Kaia, Eliza and I then headed to the Ol' Angler's Inn and the Maryland side of Great Falls along the Potomac River.  There's a bunch of construction going on along the canal and the tow path (with Billy Goat Trail access) was closed temporarily.  So, we took the high trail which was nicely shaded and I carried Eliza in the Baby Bjorn.  It took us about 45 minutes to hike to the Great Falls overlook where Kaia ate her lunch and I snacked.  Kaia enjoyed all the waterfalls and it was a sunny and not too hot day (about 80 degrees).  Eliza seemed to like it all too.  On our way back we went down the Billy Goat trail so Kaia could climb some boulders.  We got back to the car about 2:15 and drove back to Little Ambassadors to pick up Ruby.  We then headed home where I watched some of Spain v. Portugal in the European Championships--one of the most boring matches ever--while Kaia, Ruby and Eliza played with blocks and did tummy time respectively.  We went for a walk to meet Mommy at Turtle park then we walked down to Matchbox for dinner and Frozen Yogurt afterward.  On the way home we stopped by the playground.  Then it was time for bed.  Corie and I stayed up watching some baseball then we got up to do it all over again on Thursday.
Thursday I had all three girls and we got ourselves into our bathing suits and packed our lunches and sunscreen as we had a play date with Jim and Carrie at the Cheverly pool. We stayed for four hours and Kaia put her face under water, Ruby loved the kiddie pool and toys and Eliza went under the mushroom with me and seemed to like all the water.  Carrie was great to the girls and Jim was a gracious host and, with the tiny exception of Kaia and Ruby putting liquid handsoap in their hair prompting the dreaded shower, a grand day out indeed.  We got home about 3:30 and all three girls slept for a good long time. We woke up the last sleeper, Ru Ru kid at about 5:15 and walked to White Tiger to meet Cor Cor for an early dinner. After dinner it was bath time for all and that's when I crashed out... only to awake
early and go for a run when it was only 85 degrees at 7:45 am!  We dropped Mommie at work and Ruby at pre-school camp and then Kaia and Eliza and I watered the plants,  made Sun tea, a blueberry pie with the rest of our blueberries we picked on Father's day, and had some lunch. The 'lizer bean is asleep at the moment and I'm bloggin while Kai Kai watches Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends... A day inside is what we've earned thanks both to the weather and our fun filled (somewhat tiring) week so far.

Okay It's Tuesday and it's settling in...

Whew. Wow-wee... made it through another day... started to grumpy grouchy around the kids' bedtime tonight, but overall it went alright. We dropped Mommie off at Eastern HS for a presentation at 8:19 and went back home for cereal, toast, smoothies and huevos with hot New Mexico green chile. After gathering all the stuff necessary for the pool (food, towels, sunscreen, diapers, MILK! I remembered the MILK today! and my own suit too), I thanked Corie out loud for dressing the two older ones, Kaia and Ruby in their swimsuits with sun dresses and then , after taking my pitcher of sun tea experiment of Green and Mint mix inside, I loaded the team into the Highlander and headed off to Brian's.  The BT'er was ready for us and greeted the girls by panting and barking like a dog at the screen door.  "I Know You DO..." BT'er stock phrase answerable in all situations and we headed to the fancy pool at the park in Arlington... It was a nice 75 degrees but a bit windy so in the water you were fine, but out of it you got cold fast.
Minor worry was Eliza having a bunch of hairs wrapped around a finger and shutting of circulation. We got a nail clipper from the lifeguards and saved her finger tip.  Then there was Ruby's skinned knees while simply walking from the parking lot to picnic tables and that led to visit number two to the First Aid station for band-aids. When you have wee ones it's a rare day you get through without some crying and sniffling (maybe a little whining too).
BT'er missed his 7 year old Julia, but he was great to the girls.  We dipped Eliza's toes in the water a little and then it was time to head home.
After dropping Brian at home I unloaded three sleeping girls into the house (Yay Poooool)... but Ru Ru woke up fast and had a snack with me while I ate lunch and then she played while I made guacamole, started cooking the ribs and planned out the rest of dinner (corn, potato salad and cornbread).  2 hours on the grill cooked on low heat with a cake pan of water next to a rack of ribs wrapped in multiple layers of tin foil.  The dry rub I made was New Mexico Chimayo Red Chile powder, cumin, white pepper and oregano.  First grill of the summer.
We made a brief attempt at a walk to meet Corie, but Kaia had to go to the bathroom. She and Ruby stopped by our neighbor Judith's and I finished making dinner. We ate outside and by 7:30 I was asleep on the sofa. Now, after holding the "lizer bean" for a little and watching more baseball, i'm summoning (am I?) the will to go for a run... We'll see....
What's on tap for tomorrow?  I wish I could call Rick and take Kaia rock climbing... maybe we could hike the billy goat trail instead.... mmmm....

2nd Day of Summers' Summer camp

Not Counting the Weekends

As I have mother/wife help... and so it's the end of day 2, this Monday, June 25th as I watch baseball and catch my breath.  I had a pretty good day. The plan all centered around big errands and opportunities.  With Corie already left for work, Kaia snuggled next to me as I tried to stave off the morning until first Eliza made some noises and I brought her to the big bed, then out of the corner of my eye, Ruby joined in as well. I was now officially the last one up and so it goes. To breakfast and some toast and cereal for the kids and me and then a feeding of Eliza and off to Arlington to drop Ruby at "Summer Camp"-- an extension of pre-school only 3x a week during the summer months. Before we left the house Ruby told me she had to "do something upstairs" and after a few minutes I checked on her in the play room to have found she was drawing a poster and just had to do it right now although she knew we were leaving to drop her off. It was sad. But off we went. She was good at drop off then Kaia and Eliza and I met my sister-in-law at the Harrison playground and spent a good hour there so Kaia could play with her cousins Ada and C C.  I had forgotten to bring a bottle for Eliza and after stopping at the Dominion Electric for some fuses, Eliza started to let me know what she thought of the blunder. So I raced home to DC. Got the bottle ready, and she fell asleep. I tried the new fuse and it didn't work. I called the electricians who recently put a new panel on our 3rd floor. They told me they'd stop bye about 4. Kaia and I had lunch and then we were off to Arlington, but because I was distracted, I wound up on the 395 south HOV lane!  Not where I needed to go to get to North Arlington (usual route of Maine Ave. to the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge). Ouchee... but we just made our way to Little Ambassadors and Ruby was so thrilled to see us and the Hayle Dog, a former soccer player of mine at W-L is now working there as an aide. It was nice to catch up. We headed to Giant at Spout Run for the big shop and I ran into a nice northern English bloke and couldn't help myself but talk footy.  The girls had fun in the big racing car shopping cart and I headed back to DC via Memorial Bridge and Maine Ave. to Independence. Met Jake and John the electricians. Got them in the basement, unloaded the girls and gave them juice while warming Eliza's 3rd bottle, brought in all the groceries and other stuff, re-loaded the car with all the girls, headed to pick up Corie at 1st street, then headed home and discussed all the electric stuff with the guys, whipped up a quick potato salad, steamed the KING crab, boiled the corn in the old bay water, got out some carrots, set the table, got all the food out and it was 5:58 pm. I had to be at a softball game at 6:15. I ate for 7 minutes (few bites of corn, crab and potato salad and one carrot.), ran upstairs and closed the windows as the AC was working again, changed clothes, got the bike, said goodbye, went to softball for the first time, had a good game, rode home, did the behavior chart with Kaia and Ruby, and gave stars for good helping and good listening, but had to rescind the good listening by Ruby as she stopped listening during our family talk.  Helped put Eliza to bed while Cor read to the girls, finalized plans with Brian for tomorrow's trip to Arlington to go to a pool, then played guitar for Eliza and then Kaia and Ruby a little, then downstairs for Cor and here I am. Whew!... I made it. We did a lot and got a lot done. Day. 2. Whew... wipe sweat from brow.  reach for daddy water

Day One of Summers' Summer 2012

It's really a half day.
It's 1:17 and my niece has just boarded a train back to Jersey after watching Pooker (Eliza), 3+ months, Kaia, almost 5 and Ruby, 3 for the past three weeks while I finished my duties as a high school teacher.  Two weeks before, my Mother-in-law, Dianne watched the baby while the two older girls were still attending preschool.  Five weeks ago my wife went back to work. I'd known this day was coming, but, here it is and I'm not really any more mentally or emotionally prepared to accept the responsibility for my three daughters in the harsh oven-bake with sauce that is DC in the summer.  Solstice was two days ago... I can't manage a pool visit without help,... walking to museums from our Capital Hill home is technically possible, though more draining than a work out with a wrestler/triathlete/navy seal.  Summer is before me and I'm already repeating myself. The girls were outside about an hour ago, playing with chalk and water on the back patio. Ruby had 20 pieces of new chalk soaking in a watering can. The day before Kaia and Ruby left the water hose on. Luckily the sprayer was closed but water still leaked out all night. Now I've cut them off from playing with the hose or out back for a week. An overreaction. But I got exasperated they hadn't listened about the hose and that they felt it was a good idea to soak the chalk.  Have to remember the 8 or 9 times to teach them something rule and that it takes 28 times to break an undesirable habit.  I learned that from Ruby's preschool teacher Cissy yesterday during Parent/Teacher conference.
Why am I writing this blog? As a release of tension and worry and anxiety over how to navigate the summer. In the past few summers with only two girls, I'd managed okay and felt I'd gotten the routines down to a pseudo science.  False consciousness. What I'd managed to do was plan day excursions around meal times and nap times and enlisted help when I could from fellow fathers or mothers across the metro area.  I've managed to develop a pretty good list of activities. With the addition of baby Eliza all is changed. Planning will have to be less ambitious.  Planning will have to account for tracking Ruby, the 3 year-old and getting help and buy in from Kaia, the almost 5 year old, to help me stay on top of Ruby as she can get willful and noncompliant some (quite often) times.   I'm going to try and list all the activities of the past few years and then wonder if they'll be possible (P) on my own this year, or maybe with help (P WH), or Not possible (NP) at all, as in a-what the 'ell were you thinking sorta way.  Later we'll have to think about who's available to help and how that might work out.

• playgrounds  (P)
• storytellers/kid friendly entertainment (P)
• yards park wading pool (P)
• summer concerts (day time) (P)
• glen echo (P)
• zoo (P)
• sandy point beach (P WH)
• libraries (P)
• spray and water parks (P WH)
• arboretum (P)
• aquatic gardens (P) 
• building museum (P)
• indian museum (P)
• hirshhorn (P)
• natural history museum (P)
• special exhibits smithsonian (P)
• pools indoor (i.e william rumsey) (P WH)
• pools outdoor (i.e east potomac) (P WH)
• rock creek (P)
• farms with animals/playgrounds (P)
• Pick your own farms (P)
• smithsonian merry go round (P)
• walks (P)
• grocery shopping (MUST BE POSSIBLE!)
• errands (P)
• national aquarium (haven't done yet) (P)
• Home activities (i.e. painting, drawing, crafts, chalk, music making (noise), reading books, independent play, dress up, etc. (P)
• Cooking/Baking (P?)
• bicycle, tricycle, scooter near the house. 
• Visit friends, colleagues, retirees, family

Not a bad list and start.  I'm encouraged that more seems possible than I thought initially.  But my wife Corie did warn me that I won't be able to do big trips every day so perhaps I should plan a smaller activity one day and a "bigger" one the next.  So, today, after quiet time and a bottle for Eliza, we're going to try the library. More advice came from Corie when she suggested I follow the Capital Hill nannies around and see what activities they string together though I think I know the library, park, playground, lunch, nap routine already.  Perhaps there is more magic up the collective nanny soul sleeve?  Water is the thing that requires help with the possible exception of a spray park.  Getting to the museums might be a hassle.  Let's see how this afternoon goes and then we'll make a list of potential helpers and a plan for next week.