Summer love!

Allen playing "daddy" one afternoon (with my nursing cover as the baby carrier!).  Such a good, hands-on dad, just like Colin!

Now he is pretending to be Mama, managing two kids plus whoever is over here for a playdate haha.  This is the best impersonation of me ever.

Wen to see Monsters University with Allen's BFF Tuggy.  They shared a chair, popcorn and many laughs.  Tug's mama and I survived the whole experience and were thankful for post-movie beers at Pizza Palace.

On our way to grill out with our neighbors.  Cora loves getting all dressed up for her nights out in the 'hood.

Allen took this picture. Fitting.

Allen channeling Austin Powers.

This will be a good one for their rehearsal dinner slideshow someday.

Allen wore this shark costume around the whole time we were at Hammock Beach.  He got so much attention it was like being with a celebrity.

Entertained himself while Poppy and Daddy fished.

What could be more fun than digging a really big hole?  He said it was his dinosaur house and he played in it for an hour!

Allen Moore Thakkar fishing with his namesake, Terry Allen Moore, my wonderful dad.

Back to the hole for more fun!

Since we have no snow in FL, we make sand angels instead! 

hole in the wall in Flagler beach.  Colin, want to take me to lunch here soon?!

my favorite fruit of summer at the Flagler Beach farmers market.  yum!!!!

Allen was mesmerized by this dude that makes musical instruments out of driftwood.

Fresh pineapple juice, served in the pineapple. 

My beautiful and talented Mama with the kids and the squeaky dolphin and shark I let them pick out at the market.

My mom the artist giving the kids and impromptu art lesson on the chalkboard by the pier.

Flagler Beach is pretty cool.

back in town today.  Tried to get over my post-vacation blues by taking pics of the kids are the playground.

awe.

loves swinging!

Allen blowing me a kiss!

devastatingly handsome little guy

caught a snail and it came out of its shell.  Cora named it "Zelda" and exclaimed "Oh Mama! I have always wanted to see a snail come out of its shell.  It's a real Miracle! Now the snail is in her bug box and she is drawing a picture of it.

my miracle with her miracle

fitting Cora asked to check this out from the library today.

eavesdropping

This afternoon my next door neighbor was kind enough to lend me her almost 4 year old precious daughter, Harley, to occupy the ever industrious Cora while I attempted to touch up the woodwork in our house (something I found I simply cannot do while Cora is following me around asking hypothetical questions and making endless demands.  Whoever thought that bringing another child into the house would actually making getting things done easier?  go figure.).

When we opened the front door to greet Harley, Cora and I were shocked to see a neon pink cast on poor little Harley's right arm.  Her mom said that Harley had broken her thumb after falling off of a couch.

The girls went inside and start crafting with Cora's new Tinkerbell stationary set as I was painting the baseboards in the other room.  I couldn't help but overhear...
  

Didn't know a cast could look so cute! bless her heart!

 Cora:  So Harley, I feel so bad for you that your thumb fell off.  That must be sooo hard to not have a thumb anymore.

Harley:  Well actually it didn't fall off Cora, I just broke it.

Cora:  Look at my thumb... I am much older than you so I bet mine is much, much bigger. 

(long pause, waiting for Harley to react which she didn't, much to Cora's dismay.  I peeked and saw her with her best Moore scowl going in full force). 

Cora:  So... then how did you break your thumb?

Harley:  My brother got very angry with me and pushed me off the couch and I fell on it and broke it.  He is always very angry which is why mommy said he couldn't come play with you today too.

Cora:  Well did you know that if your thumb ever falls off, you could maybe grow another one?  Like when my lizards lose their tails God helps them grow another one?

Harley:  Cora, you are so funny.  But did you know I am actually funnier?

Cora: (slamming her hand on the toddler table).  No Harley, you know I am way funnier than you.  Because I am older and funnier!

(argument ensues about who is funnier.  Last time they argued it was about who was "bossier")

***

Before I had kids, I used to listen to NPR while I painted.  I may not be as informed about current events or pop culture at the moment, but I don't think NPR has ever made me laugh out loud.

Happy Monday!

role reversal

In the car this morning (on the way to get pink frosted donuts at the neon pink Donut King for good behavior at the YMCA)...

Cora: So Mommy, what is your car made out of?

Me: Uh, well the windows are a kind of glass... and the outside is metal and paint, and the inside like the seats are leather.

Cora: What is leather?

Me: well, it is actually the skin of a cow.

Cora: oh Mommy... (rolling her eyes)... How is that possible that this (touching the seat), is a COW?  That is so silly. And cows have spots most of the time, did you know that?!! but there are no spots on this seat.

Me: It really is made from a cow though Cora, trust me (someone gave me this line to use when toddlers start questioning everything and I may have overused it lately as it gets less and less effective).

Cora: Mommy, I bet they hurt the cow to get the skin, didn't they?

Me:...um... Well I think the cows have actually died I mean gone to heaven by the time they get the skin sweetheart.

Cora: Oh ok!  (long silence)  .... "So how do you say Cow in Spanish again?

***

Later, Colin and Cora were off on a date so it was up to me to tuck the little guy in for his nap. With Cora home for the summer and our schedules jam-packed, I have not had the time or energy lately for our pre-nap ritual of books, snuggles and singing.  Allen has pretty much gotten a stack of books on his bed to read to himself and me giving him a kiss on the forehead and he giving me his best Moore scowl in return.

But today was different.  Sure I have the normal stuff to do, all of which I am behind on at the moment, but it is the weekend and for once we were home alone, just me and Addy Boom.  First Allen picked out books to read, including "Little Blue Truck", his all time favorite (and my favorite one to read to him) and then his second favorite, "Bear Wants More".

After we read the books in his bed, he wanted me to tuck him in on his quilt on the floor as usual.  Yes, Allen still sleeps exclusively on the floor until Colin and I sneak in and scoop him onto his little bed, but at least he is no longer sleeping in the closet.  Baby steps and all that.

Since the house was so quiet and peaceful and I was in my pre-afternoon coffee slump, I found myself laying next to him on the quilt, and the next thing I knew he was giving me a proper tuck-in.  He got himself a little stack of books and sat Indian style, "reading" each one the best he could.  Then he covered me in blankets and brought me every stuffed animal in his room, including his precious "Gween-gin" (penguin) which he carefully arranged around my body.  The next thing I knew he was petting my head attempting to sing "Edelweiss", the song I always sing him that my dad sang to me every night when I was his age.  Then we curled up together and discussed the rain.

Allen: Mama rain side!

Me: yes it is raining outside, which is good so Mommy won't have to water the flowers today.

<thunder booms>

Allen: (crawls on top of me): Tuuuuunder Mama! Ayen skeered.

Me: It's ok Allen.  Look we are making a tower together since you are laying on top of me, just like you make towers with your blocks.  Look, I am putting your alligator and bear on top of us so they are part of our tower too.

Allen: (rolls himself off of me knocking the bear and gator down too): AYEN knock tower all down!! (cheering) Yeah!!  Gaint mama!!! (translation: do it again mama, which we did about 20 times).

Happy weekend!!

pink donut and pink milk for Miss pink from the "pink" donut shop

Allen devouring the very masculine "bwown" (brown aka chocolate) doughnut

from my love.  Just because.

As good as it gets

Cora picked out this book herself from the library.  I think the Author is my long lost best friend.  It is the BEST and a must read for any woman considering starting a family.

The first day of Summer (a.k.a. Cora not going to school for three whole months) is daunting to say the least.

I knew "this" was coming so I joined three museums and the zoo, pinned the library storytime schedule to the family bulletin board, enrolled Cora and Allen in four different Vacation Bible schools (don't you judge now) made a ton of frozen meals in case of emergency or mommy chronic fatigue syndrome and stocked the wine cabinet with $3 Don Simone.

Today was typical.  Hauled us to the Y, then library storytime, followed by a picnic and baby duck/ gosling feeding with my grandma.  Cora started sobbing because the "baby geese were growing up too fast and why does God make them get so so big so fast Mama?!!" (my thoughts exactly about you sweet one).

Afterwards it was time for Allen's nap and Cora's "quiet time" which only lasted 20 minutes and involved me scrubbing glitter nail polish off our newly tiled floor due to Cora's husband Jonathan wanting to "redecorate the place with sparkly floors".  Followed by me making numerous threats of the wrath (ok fairly benevolent punishments) I would unleash if she and Jonathan did not stay in the playroom please Cora.

So the thing is I managed to hold it together for most of the day and did my very best to run a tight ship while being loving and fun and herding the three of us to all of those aforementioned places which you mommies know is no small task indeed.

Then Colin called to inform me that he would be working late (my heart sank) so I hauled the kids to one last adventure at the Cummer so I could remain sane and manage to not open the wine before 6 pm.  The outing was fun and I even successfully prevented Cora and her friend that we met there from nearly smashing a huge container of Venetian glass globes in the gift shop and getting thrown out of the Gardens for climbing the walls and roughhousing with her buddies.

After I finally got her in bed, we read her new library books, said her prayers, sang a song and then I asked her the same question that I have asked her every night since she could form sentences: 

"Cora, what was the best part of today?" 

Recent answers have been "catching a whole worm family in my bug box", "when Cate's Mama found shark's teeth on the beach", "going to the Hands on Children's Museum", "Ellsa sharing her high heeled dress up shoes with me", "my new glitter glue",  and "when Daddy did let me watch Micky Mouse on his phone at Mojo's".

However, tonight's answer knocked the wind out of me, simply left me speechless and more grateful for my child and our little life than I have ever been.

"Cora, what was the best part of today?"

"You."

"What did you say sweetie?" (thinking I had misheard her)

"The best part of my day was you.  It was your heart Mama."

***

It is going to be a long, hot summer full of herding and hauling and manual labor and answering philosophical questions and desperately trying to get a moment of peace to myself, but that moment was just what I needed to know that we are going to be just fine. 

Wonderful actually.

Class of 2013

This morning, Cora sprinted in our room and threw herself on top of me and shouted "I GRADUATE TODAY MAMA!!" so loud it woke Allen up.  She was in such a state it was almost impossible to get her dressed, much less perfectly execute the "big, big ballerina bun" she requested.

I managed to get her to school on time, which still feels like a miracle every day, and then graduation began.  I was caught completely off guard by the tears rolling down my face when that graduation precession music started and I saw her walking down the aisle of the church with so much poise and her face shining with pride and anticipation.  Cora performed her songs with so much enthusiasm and joy, I thought I was going to burst with pride.

After we went to the reception and posed for pictures, I told Cora we could have a family lunch wherever her little heart desired.  I thought she would demand a platter of raw oysters at the Blue Fish or the foie gras at Orsay but she shocked us all by saying she just wanted some cheese pizza so we headed to Al's.

I surprised her with a gift of a dress up set that included "heeled glass slippers like the kind we play with at her friend Ellsa's house" which she has requested numerous times the past few months and I don't think she has ever been so delighted.  She wore them for the rest of the day- to chickfila for some post lunch ice cream. my mom's house and the Y... strutting her new shoes, big hair and big "I graduated from Pre-K" attitude, our little girl about town.

Some of my favorite moments from today...

Cora getting her diploma from her wonderful teacher, Ms. Janie Lyon.

Cora and Ozy

xo

wearing their coordinating dresses, made by my talented Mama

Cora showing off her star, also made by my mom

her face after opening the dress-up accessories gift. 

so glamorous!

this photo really captures our relationship dynamic

!!!

daddy wanted to pose with the little glamour girl too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Summer!

Springtime fun

My life in a nutshell. 

Cinco de Mayo fiesta at chickfila

which inspired a birthday party for Cora's "daughter" Sophia.  We even invited my parents.

Of course Allen wanted his own "cakey" too.

Colin trying to look tough while planting pansies.

little valet carrying Mother's day gifts to his Tatsy's house

The difference between boys and girls is perfectly illustrated here by Cora and Allen's friend Tuggy.

Another illustration of the difference between boys and girls.  Thankfully Allen's baby is not for real like Cora's is.

however Allen proved to be a good daddy walking around Riverside.

Cora got to hold baby Poppy.  She was in HEAVEN.

Who says three is a crowd?

nothing like laying in grass and watching the clouds with your friends on a beautiful Spring evening.

Tuggy sandwich.

Sweet Mac at concert in the park

Two riders!

spontaneous tea party with cutest next door neighbor ever!