Exploring our beach spot.
Happiness.
Lunch and looking out at the water.
When we got home, we took a long and refreshing afternoon nap together. There is almost nothing so wonderful as a shower and a nap after a long morning in the sand and sun. I slept better and more peacefully than I have in weeks.
Yesterday we stayed in Temecula, venturing out in the height of the heat only to Costco. It has been too long since I have done a Costco run, and we were low on some supplies. I was lucky that several items I needed happened to have corresponding coupons in the Costco coupon book this time! I also found in Costco's clothes section Hannah Andersson brother-and-sister striped pajamas for the kiddos. Eric's pajama suit is white with royal blue stripes, and Katie's pajama suit is white with bright pink stripes. I cannot wait to see the two of them in their jammies!! I think it was meant to be, because Eric's was the last boy suit left (that I could see) and it was just the right size to correspond to the months when Katie would most be wearing hers!
Home again, my mom and dad came over for a visit while I put away out Costco items and finished handstitching my quilt. When the lightning and thunder began, my mom, dad, Katie, and I hastened outside and pulled up some chairs to sit and watch the lightning in the distance. We clapped everytime we saw the lightning flash, and we watched the storm cycle through big rain droplets and wind. We all agreed it was much better than anything on TV, which I so rarely watch anymore and which tends to be too caught up in silly drama for my taste. Nature is so much grander and more pure and much more fascinating. Katie said the lightning reminded her of the fireworks she saw on July 4th. It was kind of magical...
After watching the thunderstorm, I made dinner for the troops and we settled in a little earlier than usual for the night. With some left over fabric and ribbon from Katie's ballet skirt, I made a rosette for her to wear in her hair. I just used basting stitches to gather and then sewed the ends closed and then sewed the ribbon rosette on top of the fabric rosette. A little hot glue later, and the rosette was attached to a plain metal barrette.
I just took a break from writing this to go cuddle Katie. She was stirring in her bed and called out, "Mama, Mama." I love how she calls me Mama. I was "Mommy" for the longest time, but after we started reading The Berenstain Bears, she changed my name to reflect Mama Bear. I love it. Anyway, cuddling her just now, I was marvelling yet again how good she smells and how soft her face is when I give her kisses. She fell back asleep with her one of her hands in the exact position I first saw it in my gender ultrasound with her. I love her so much....
Before falling asleep last night, she wanted me to tell her again the story of Romeo and Juliet. Of course I have to leave the ending very vague (I just kind of tell her that, although they try to run away from Verona, they don't end up together and it is very sad). But she loves the part where they meet at the Capulet masquerade (I embellish a little with descriptions that Shakespeare doesn't actually give us), and she also loves hearing the sonnets from the balcony scene. We talk about how Romeo compares Juliet to the sun and how the moon is jealous of her beauty. More and more Katie loves to cuddle in the dark and hear me tell stories (Rapunzel, The Princess and the Pea, Romeo and Juliet) as an alternative to reading. Of course, many nights we read quite a bit, too, sometimes exclusively. Other nights we start with reading and then I will tell her a story as she falls asleep. Last night, she said she just wanted to turn off the light and to hear Romeo and Juliet---I think she was fairly tired.
Her very favorite book right now is the collection of poems from Shel Silverstein in A Light in the Attic. For the past month or so, she has wanted to read at bedtime almost only from that collection. I asked her what she likes about it (she knows it is classified as poetry), and she explained that "Poems sound better." She likes the rhythm and the rhyme I think---which I have read are natural to children's ears.
Today we are going to Joann's (a craft store) to stock up on some supplies: my quilt is finished but I need some items with which to hang it, and I also need trimming for my next project---hooded bath towels for the kiddos. I am really in the crafting and sewing mood lately!
