Longevity

I've been thinking about longevity lately. Not in relation to a long life, but more to the length and history of friendships. It's the best word I've found to describe the warm, full feeling I feel in the presence of people who I've known through many different stages of life and growing up. And it's a new term to me. You can't really have much longevity with friendships if you haven't really lived much life. And not that our age is much life, but these days I'm friends with people who've known me through high school, college, marriage and parenting. That's some ground to cover. (I also think that the last stage mentioned really accelerates friendship to the next level. If relationship is based on vulnerability, then parenting brings all of that vulnerability right on out into the open). It's not just one person, one friendship, one encounter that I have in mind with this... it's a whole summer full of them! This summer, it's been filled with times to appreciate these long-lasting, growing friendships. 

I was able to put this all into words during our past week hanging out with the Chavez family and Reicherts, while the Chavez clan was in town for a wedding (Julie, I just keep thinking of new ways to say "family" "clan" because I'm intimidated to use the plural after all of our talks about poor punctuation...is it "Chavezes?" "Chavezs?"...oh dear). No matter how you spell it, it was a fun-filled week, and we relished every second.

Wednesday night we went sans children to the hill for a fun "grown up" night out. 

Hungry for more fun time with our pals, we spent the next afternoon at the pool with the kids and girls

Matching towels and all... thanks to Kelly!

Look at this adorable, NEW Reichert...xoxo!

And, MUCH to our surprise, look at who we ran into at the pool!!!?!?

GENTRY!

I know it sounds super cheesy, but the two of them ran around after they found each other like they were the only two in the world. Afterwards Gent came to me and said, "When can I see Tink again?" awww...

Poor little Asher who Gent was with kept getting left behind and trying to get Gentry's attention. It was like a preview into high school ;)

Then it was back to the Reicherts for some good ol' "sister wife" time..the guys weren't home and we just kept switching taking care of each other's kids. It was sort of a beautiful thing; a house full of efficient moms. Loved it. Again, parenting side by side, with all the inadequacies, "realness" of kid moments and all really has a way of taking vulnerability to a whole new level.

Julie is Mimi's "bestie." She let her wash her hair and brush it and all..we think we may fly Julie out for every bathtime. 

Even the kids were parenting each other.. ;)

It was a very sweet time just "doing life together." Thank goodness for friends. xo

Mimi

Mimi is almost four years old. 

As we soak up as much of the Summer Olympics as we can, it's a great reminder of where we were four years ago. The olympics were streaming nonstop in our labor and delivery room for every part of my laboring process. (I of course was not watching them, but our room full of family, doula, etc..a.k.a."people not in agonizing pain contracting" were watching). The Olympics will always be a great marker to look back at how much this little girl has grown in four years. 

This almost four year old has been saying funny things lately. Here's a glimpse...

(as she was riding her bike on a family walk and concentrating on pedaling and watching it go around and round)

"This is like a carousel for my feet!"

(After a family hike where I kept getting bit by horse flies)

"How are your donkey mosquito bites mom?!"

(a.k.a. Horse flies)

I was so frustrated one day because Bode kept getting his leg caught in the slates of his crib. I related the story to Mimi, and she listened so intently and genuinely-I felt like we were pals. Then she responded by saying, "Well, I have a baby who's still in my tummy, but the other one who isn't keeps getting caught in her crib too..." It reminded me so much of this SNL skit:

Kristen Wiig Penelope

***

Aw, Shucks...

Life is the worst when I try to fight against the stream of our day. 

For example, when I desperately want to get dinner made and the kids just won't cooperate. Even though the day before they played (semi) quietly on their own, that doesn't mean that the same thing will necessarily be replicated when needed most. 

When my own plans are derailed, I have one of two choices. I can a)push harder again the flow and end up resentful or frustrated, or b) I can get flexible, take a deep breath and go with it. 


 This was the scene the other day as I tried to cook dinner. Hunger plus grumpy mom isn't a good look on me; all I wanted to do was make dinner so we could eat and be ready when Ben got home. But, Mimi and Bode wanted to be outside in "no man's land" yard, where danger lurks in every mud patch. We gravitated towards the trampoline because it's the one spot that Bode can crawl/practice walk in our back. (It's at this point where all I wanted to do was to just put them in there and zip it up-instant babysitter style-and leave to go to dinner. But, Bode is in the phase of needing constant supervision. I like that I just called it a phase...it's a reminder that darting around the house like a crazy person to help him avoid immediate danger isn't a forever thing. Just a few minutes ago I decided that maybe by age four this would change. Do you like my optimism?! Hopefully sooner...) Anyways, instead of steaming and resenting my little ones, I remembered a time last summer when Mimi and I shared a sweet, Iowan  moment shucking corn on our back stoop. I've never felt more like a hands on mom! We may be city folk, but we do have Hawkeye roots (second hand)...so it felt good to teach Mimi how to shuck corn.

With this memory in hand, I marched corn out to my kids and put them to work. 

It was great. When they got sick of the corn (and I needed to wash the corn to get their grubby fingerprints off of it) Mimi demanded that I bring out more vegetables. So there it was, a homemade game of simple proportions. We traded corn, zucchini and onions back and forth, and I was able to make dinner. 

It was a good night.

Celebrate!

I like to celebrate.

Especially when it's a celebration about this baby boy who is my heart walking (well, almost walking) around this house. His name is BODE!

It was a "Frank Sinatra/Ol' Blue Eyes" party. Just what every one year old wants, right?

I figured this would be the only year we'd have a say. ;) These AMAZING invites are courtesy of the very talented Julie Chavez. I love having a graphic designer friend...oh, and amazing writer: 2500words.com

We had such a fun birthday day with our birthday boy. 

(you'll see for yourself, below!)

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What I wasn't prepared for was all of the tears. On my part, actually. (He was sunshine-y and smiley all day). I didn't cry on Mimi's first birthday. Maybe because it feels like this could be the last first birthday in our house. Or maybe because I'm a nutcase. I'm trying to remember the words of the wise, patient, tolerant sage who lives in my house and usually knows just what to say to a sobbing woman who said, "the best days with these kids are yet to come!" True, true. 


But I still get sappy when I look at Bode's newborn pictures (for much longer than I should during naptime) and think about never snuggling a warm, fuzzy newborn face again. Never experience that unmatched anticipation in waiting to meet a new little person you've waited on for your whole life; looking at them for the first time to see what color hair they have, how they look, etc...That's pretty major. (But then I try to remember to cheer at possibly never going through another C-section, the three months of morning sickness, the pregnancy heartburn and no sleep for a year, stress of leaving the house and messing up sleep patterns, etc...) To that, I will drink a martini and be glad that I'm not pregnant.


I'm trying to separate out being nostalgic from needing another kiddo. I think that I can be reminiscent, but that may not mean that I want more. Our dearest Swansons in Boston have four kiddos and I know Judy always got sappy around babies...I don't think that meant that they needed/wanted five.


To be continued...


Until then, here's to being grateful for this little man in our lives, and a very fun day to shower him with love and a day to be thankful to God for entrusting him to us:)




The day started with a morning photo shoot:
(between tears. Just kidding. Actually not).




Here's my ONE year old boy, around 8:02 am, the time he was born :)

 Look at those blue eyes! Those were the inspiration for our party's theme...

Looking at this picture, I can almost hear him grunting "UH!" and requesting something.

Then it was time for Bode's favorite pastime.."sister wrestling"

Poor Mims. She's so tolerant.

I feel like in these next pictures Bode is saying, 

"Mimi, get that ridiculous hat off of your head. How embarrassing!!!! Who would make you wear one of those?!"

"Wait! Seriously tell me. Am I wearing one too?!?!"

"One last picture to get crazy mom off our back and then we'll help each other out of this mess."

"Take my hat, and I'll take yours"

***

After that, it was into the house to start decorating. 

 Mims and Dad and I got Bode his very own "Bodhi the Elephant" stuffed animal.

It was hard for Mimi to watch Bode have his special day. Good thing her's is right around the corner.

Bode loved the balloons. He insisted on eating his lunch while holding one.

This little guy conked out an hour or so before his party...we had to wake him up, well into it. But it was the best. Then he wasn't tired and overwhelmed by all of the shenanigans  and was rested up and ready to go!




Nana and Gpa were the first to arrive. I love when parties start like that...with your closest dearest fam to ease you into it with help :)


AND, they came bearing present for not only the birthday boy, but parents and sis as well. SO very very sweet.


Look what mine was!
(I wouldn't let Ben move it or unpack it after I opened it, because it was so deliciously pretty)

That's not false advertising people...look what was in it:

I've never felt so grown up! My very own martini set...complete with a great glass. Thanks guys. I loved it.

Then Gpa treated to a treat from the ice cream truck. 
Something else fun to check off "Turrill Summer Bingo" :)

The table set up:

Chicago-style hot dogs, as a shout out to one of Frank's songs...

(Las Vegas was another one of Sinatra's haunts)

These didn't stay "virgin" for long...what was I thinking?! There was no way we were going to send all of our friends into a room full of rambunctious kids of all ages and mobility without some reinforcements... Sorry I didn't think of that earlier, but we fixed that problem.

 Before everyone came, this was my favorite part. All of our family together in one room...with family, there's no need to entertain :)

Ben and Grandpa Skippy

Popee and BT

Nana and Oma

...And Bode. Sleeping soundly.

 Then came our first guests!!! I was so excited to see Kari and that baby who is come SOON that I had to sneak a picture from the window..all stalker-like! Her and I like to have babies in the summer...cause we're cool like that ;)

"Helmick sisters" xo

Cutie Isla

Mimi's caption (she's helping me blog): 
"Aw, baby Lainey's dress is SOOO cute!"

Ali, photographer extraordinaire!

...and Benjamin, the only photo in existence where he's not smiling.
He was going for the more "GQ" look.

Soon to be big brother Noah!

Cousin Kris and Miranda

(is it getting exhausting naming everyone?! I know I'm exhausted! But once you introduce one person, you have to do the rest!)

Thankful Mamas, with their "non virgin" cocktails :)

Aunt Pam and Baby Alden
(he belongs to Kris and Miranda)

FINALLY the birthday boy was woken up by mama.
He was still in a daze...

 (I think this is where everyone was telling me that I should've been in a sorority. I don't think it was meant to be a compliment, but I have always wanted to be a sorority girl. Is it too late? Let's start one. Who wants to join?! ;) And where are they getting that impression anyways? Could it be my overuse of exclamation points and how I end every sentence with a smiley face? Probably ;)

Nan and the star...

Oh my goodness. I'm starting to feel embarrassed by the amount of pictures in this post. I'm sure when other people blog and put just a snippet of photos, they think to themselves, "I'm choosing just 10 of my favorites. I don't want to bore people like Mackenzie"

But it's so hard to choose, and it takes more time to edit through them all (I actually am leaving some out...even though that's hard to believe)

These pics courtesy of Ash. The kind of girl who steals your camera for you to get the pics every mom wants. Thanks friend xo

Ali, I can't wait to snag yours too! 

Ali is the kind of friend whom you WILL in your head to bring her awesome camera and photog skills to your party...and she does!!!! Love that! This blog post takes a village people!

 Mimi likes processed meat
(and fairy wings and time with her pals Mikaela and Mason, who she hung out with the whole time)




THEN IT WAS TIME FOR CAKE!

Oma and BT prepping the ice cream...they have that down to a science.

Rachel and Sydney!

Brianne and Ryan

Bode HATES to be restricted in his high chair...if only he knew what was coming his way!!!

(getting a little "good job" pat from sister)

Bode, sporting his very own "sinatra-esque" fedora, with a belly full of cake...

Present opening frenzy...

Then the party started to wind down...(as will this ENORMOUS blog post...)

Tiff and Lainey :)

"pretty mama and pretty mini-me" as dubbed by my dad...

some low-key time in the back with Grady...

future wedding slideshow pic..? ;)

What a party! So so much fun to be surrounded by all of our favorite people (who were close enough in distance to be there). Thanks for making that day so great.


Morning after faces:

Partyin' is even hard on kiddos the next day. We've been enjoying a couple days of hard sleep from these two. 

We're looking forward to Mimi's teensie little party with her four besties at a free pool. Hasta la vista to the big bashes! But what a way to mark Bode's first year!

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