I want another baby

The problem is, I already have two beautiful children, which is more than I should have made, given the state of the world these days. And, then there is the money, or lack thereof. And, whether we would have enough time for all the children. And, what no one else ever says, what if the next one is a dud? I mean, really, we have two great ones, could we win the genetic lottery three times? Oh, and I haven't really gotten an answer from Eric yet. I should probably let him weigh in.

I love having babies. I love being pregnant, I love getting them all tiny and new. I love holding them 24 hours a day. Seriously, Claudia is still in our bed at eleven months because I can't bear the thought yet of her across the hall in her room, all alone.

Megan and I were talking about what we feel is the intoxicating stage of motherhood to an infant. I said that I thought that it was like falling in love in high school. I used to imagine what it would be like if we were together, my breath would (still does) catch at the sight of them, I felt (feel) painfully inadequate.

Megan said that she thought that it was much more like Christmas when she was a child: she would wait for it all year, or in the case of children, for 35 years, she imagined how great it would be, and then she would blink and it was gone. Suddenly, Evelyn is eight.

So what is the answer? An SAT analogy? Something: something:: motherhood: what?

With Emily my adoration was tempered by a constant fear that took so much energy. I worried that she would die of SIDS, I worried that I would wake up and her existance would have all been a dream, I worried that my constant worry was the only thing keeping her safely here. Well, she has now made it to the ripe old age of 3 1/2 and I have given up much of my worry.

With Claudia there is nothing in the way of my being totally in love with her every moment of the day. Well, except the laundry, housecleaning, and impending dinner to be made, but I have learned to just let those things go. Eric has not.

All this and just yesterday I was upset about not geting to use the bathroom alone. I guess that is the true essence of what motherhood is.

For those that don't know...

...sometimes being a mommy is hard. Today was a very hard day of being needed at all times, even when I felt like using the bathroom alone.

In our house, no one pees alone.

Just in case anyone was wondering.

Nephew News!

As of February 28, I am the very proud aunt to another wonderful nephew! The count is now neices-3, nephews-5. This newest little one to the male team is Camron Alexander, son of my brother, Jason, and his wife, Rosie. Camron also has a sister, Bekah, and a brother, Alex.

Right now my brother is not speaking to me, but I am thrilled to death at Camron's arrival. I just wish I was able to see him up close and in person. When Alex was born I flew from the island in Massachusetts, where I was living at the time, to Boston, then from Boston to Minneapolis, where Eric was living at the time, then we both drove seven hours to Iowa City where Alex was born. Sweet Camron lives just three hours away, and I can't see him.

While I can't see him in person I would like to send out, in to the great vast whatever that lies between me and him, that I am so happy that he is here. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for him and he, or his mom or his dad, need only ask and I will do whatever I can to lend a hand. I remember, all too clearly, what it was like when my parents died and it seemed that no one wanted me and Jason and I can tell you that would never be the case here. No matter what there is always someone that is crazy about you, Camron, and would take you in a heartbeat.

And that goes for Bekah, too. And Alex, and Ryan, and Kyle, and Erin, and Evan, and Evelyn, and all the other children in my life.

Welcome to the world!

What Wednesday looks like from here

This week Claudia learned to stand without support. And with quite a flourish, too, I might add.

Here is Claudia in a string of Emily's dress up beads. No matter where we hide these, Claudia will find them and put them on. But while her selection of jewelry seems to run toward the formal, she seems to have no problem with the "one sock on, one sock off" approach to clothing.

Let's call this photo "An open letter to our friends and family."

Claudia has a birthday coming up in a few weeks and I want everyone out there to take a moment to see how Dora has taken over our house. There is no need for birthday gifts at all, but especially not Dora the Explorer gifts.

Maybe you think that the more loudly talking television characters in one house the better, and that's fine for you, but we here have hit our personal limit. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that Dora is so happy to be a big sister, to dance, to do whatever else it is that she does, but I am not sure that I can take another chipper song from her. The girls clearly feel otherwise.

Dora-givers, you know who you are. Take pitty on me.

On the other hand, we live by the rule that you can never have too many books. The photo above just shows the ones that the girls have stuffed into the bottom of the china cabinet in the dining room. Feel free to send us all the books that your heart desires. Send us you address and we'll send YOU books. We are happy to be cheerleaders for books.

Just keep Dora out of it, please.

Eric wins the Oscar?

It turns out that Eric won an Academy Award on Sunday, March 5. We had no idea that he was nominated, or that he was involved in the film industry in any way. Do they give Oscars for best performance by a County Attorney?

Clearly it doesn't take much to amuse us around here. To see what all the Simonson family has been a buzz about this week, much to Eric's dismay, click on: http://www.oscar.com/oscarnight/winners/bestdocumentaryshortsubjectcategory.html

Okay, so OUR Eric Simonson didn't win an Oscar, but he did appear on the five o'clock news in Des Moines for the first time on February 28, to talk about a case his office is investigating. And really, isn't KCCI just a step away from the Academy Awards?
http://www.kcci.com/news/7552328/detail.html