Thoughts and Words Ill-Sorted

I want a passport that’s a flipbook.

Sydney

“I. Need. Some. More. Muesli.”

After a skeptical look from me: “Please may I have some more muesli?”

Then, just before taking his victory bite, after cocking his head thoughtfully: “I need some more muesli quickly.”

Erin

As I try sorting out our migration from the UK to North America this summer, I’ve found myself rehearsing plans in front of Katherine.  She loves to hear “stories” about what we’re going to do and when, and I now get frequent requests to repeat the itinerary–with Katherine interrupting every two minutes so that she can point out some detail I forgot.

Her favorite part is that she, Nathaniel, and I will be flying to Nova Scotia with a quick layover in Iceland.  Katherine has two children’s books set in Iceland, so she’s very excited, though I’ve tried to explain that we probably won’t see much from within the airport.  I’ve come across her huddled in her room with Nathaniel, backpacks in hand, as she explains what he needs to take on his trip and how he should–and should not–behave.  I think she’ll be a good little travel companion.  Nathaniel, on the other hand . . .

Erin

Erin

Katherine and I arrived home from the grocery store the other day to find the boys hard at work in the kitchen:

Today, when the kids and I got home from another grocery trip (yes, we make them frequently) we formed an assembly line: I reached deep into the bottom of the stroller in the hallway to haul out canned fruit and yogurt containers, and I handed them off to the kids to carry into the kitchen.  When I was finally done, I discovered that they’d not only put the peanut butter and other jars on the counter, ready for the upper cupboards, but they’d also stacked the canned peaches in the lower cupboards where we store them.  Nathaniel was clearly torn about the yogurt: he knows he is not supposed to open the fridge (though it’s the perfect size for him, and right at his level!), but he desperately wanted to be able to put the eight containers of yogurt away.  So I let him help.

Erin

I just read about a new study that determined that new mothers are three times as likely as the average driver to get into an accident.  Ten percent of new mothers had an accident with a baby on board!  Overtiredness, distraction, you name it: some of the reasons are obvious ones.  I have to say, when we were thinking over our move to England, expecting a new baby, I remember sighing with relief: “At least this time I won’t have to drive for awhile after having the baby.”  I can think of a number of occasions in Ithaca when Sydney, with Katherine in tow, drove me to school so that I could teach.

Erin

On Friday, when I brought the kids home from nursery, they both presented me with Mother’s Day cards (yes, it’s earlier here in England), complete with yellow-handprint flowers and a poem inside.  Their poor teachers were working hard that morning!  I was also given, with an air of great mystery, two small tissue-paper packages, which I opened to find—fudge!  The kids were both quite curious about these small brown chunks, and it was only when I popped pieces in their mouths that they understood why their teachers hadn’t given the fudge directly to the kids to wrap up and give to Mom.  So, we had a nice little treat on the way to nap, and Katherine gave me an extra kiss and hug, since she somehow got that the point of all this was to be extra-nice to Mom.

Awwwwwwww.

I also learned through email that I’ve had a paper accepted for this year’s Faulkner conference, so I’ll be making my way to Oxford, Mississippi in July to enjoy the conference for the third time in my life.  This year it’s on Faulkner and black writers; as a Faulknerian who has recently started work on Toni Morrison, this suits me perfectly!  Except that my paper is actually on Faulkner and W.E.B. DuBois, just for fun, so I have some work to do between now and July.  Cue Sydney:

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

Erin

Yeah, yeah, I know: you want pictures.  We’ll get there.  For now, we’re grateful for what we have: sunny spring weather and some warmth in the air, two kids who bear only the slightest traces of their chickenpox episode, a little boy without a limp, and two parents back in England.  And, for the moment, nobody in the house is sick!  It’s a very good start to a different Penner household.

Erin

He got in after midnight on Monday (or, early Tuesday morning), and we’ve had a day in which to catch up, swap notes, and play with the kids before I head to the airport early Wednesday morning.  This isn’t quite the life I’d like for us long-term, but at any rate I suppose I can’t complain that it’s boring!

Erin

– Sydney emailed to say his flight’s been delayed.  Instead of getting home mid-day Monday on a red-eye flight, he stayed I-don’t-know-where overnight and will be getting home around midnight.  He’s going to be pretty tired.

– Katherine joined Nathaniel on the chickenpox front.  Neither kid has it badly thus far, but it means more night-time wakings, more fussiness in the day–and no morning work sessions (they can’t go to nursery) or solo running/walking time for me.

– I fly out Wednesday morning for a trip to the States.  We’re going to hope Sydney’s back by then and magically recharged for five days of solo parenting!  And we’ll hope that I somehow get my packing and preparations done by then.

Erin