Fall Traditions

There is nothing like an apple pressing party in the Fall. I remember making cider in our backyard when I was a kid. In college, I used to head out to a friend's family orchard for a day of food, drink and dips in the hot-tub. Oh, and cider too. I remember the old cranky press at Innisfree that managed to spit out gallons of pear and apple cider each year.

And now, back in Silverton, we finally managed to make it to Dale Coleman's cider pressing party. Sausage, cider, sledding down a grassy hillside--what more do you need?

And for our second Fall in a row, we headed out to Bauman's Farm for their Harvest festivities.

Hay bale maze. Obstacle course. Animal barn. The nut house. The tire castle. This year we went on a Sunday, and it was crazy madness. Too many people. Long lines. We still had fun, but next year I think we'll stick to a weekday visit.

The Magic If

I just found a post-it note with a quote from Alexander scrawled on it. It was from a few months ago when he was helping me carry gallons of milk into the house. I was surprised that he could manage two.

"I could carry one more if I had three hands."

Pause.

"And what if I had three eyes?"

Pause.

"Then I could carry three more if my eyes had grabbers!"

Music Lovers

Alexander never danced much when he was really little. We would always try to get him to dance when we played fun music, but he rarely would.

Annabel is our dancer. It doesn't take much to get her out there stomping her feet and shaking her big-diaper booty.

But Alexander loves music and delights in having his own CD's that he plays at every opportunity. Recently, he has discovered the wonder of headphones and the Zune. His latest faves? Elvis Presley. The Guano Apes. And the other day he came to me with Zune in hand saying, "Mom, I'm looking for the roses and the guns, but I can't find it."

Welcome to the Jungle, baby.

If we let him, he could probably sit for hours flipping through songs. Already he's figured out how to use the thing better than I can.

I know that as I get older I'm going to get more and more crotchety about new technology. My children are going to get so impatient with me.

"Now, which button do I press?" I'll ask.

They'll roll their eyes.

I'll throw my hands up in despair. "I just don't know how to work these things!"

"You have to turn it on, Mom."

New Phase?

I feel like we are entering a new phase in parenthood. Shhh, don't tell the kids or they might catch on and regress.

Today, Alexander played with his trains in his room, BY HIMSELF, for about 40 minutes. And Annabel flitted around from stringing wooden beads on a shoelace, to doing a puzzle, to pulling all of her stuffed animals out of the basket. Her concentration only lasted about 15 minutes, but I was stunned that for 15 glorious minutes, neither of my kids needed me for anything!

I hardly knew what to do with myself. I wanted to take that lovely moment and stopper it in a bottle to take out later to sniff and savor.

The shift is subtle, but for the last two days we have felt like a family where everyone is getting what they need. The kids are getting enough attention, and Michiel and I are getting a little space.

Not that it has been bad up until now. But Annabel is a very clingy child. Normally, I am not able to walk down the hall to the bathroom without her running after me yelling, "Mama! Mama!" and clinging to my legs. Likewise when trying to put the laundry away or open the windows in the house. I've had to wait until she's occupied and sneak to another room or try to carry on cheerfully through the whining and clinging.

I am taking a deep breath and holding it lightly. This new phase may not last. But I am grateful for it and will enjoy every minute of it.