april / 19 months!

April has been a complete whirlwind, so crowded with fun activities that it's nearly impossible to remember all of them!  The bottom line is that we are LOVING the spring and making the most of each day outside, free of snow.  The temperature still drops from time to time, but it means nothing at this point after the eternal winter.  Here is a story in pictures of our April adventures:

Hunter turned 19 months old!  Having learned to walk, now he runs.  Of course.  His new favorite activity is playing with his little plastic animals; thanks to the Easter bunny, he and Harper now have an even bigger collection than ever before, so this is good news for our little man.  I love watching him play with them and act things out, like one animal growling at another, or the expressions he makes as he moves the little figurines around.  I wish I could know the story line inside his head!  It seems like he is constantly trying to figure out how things work, whether it's putting Legos together with Harper or just making a general mess of his toys.  Popcorn is his new favorite food, best enjoyed while watching a movie with his sister.  As you might imagine, he often makes a mess of the popcorn too; sometimes it is by accident.  This little man is sweet, funny, and not just a little bit wild.  Everyday with him is an exhaustingly happy adventure.

Making alphabet soup

Yes, Hunter is sitting inside the Lego box...

Movie date!

This little boy hasn't met a ball he doesn't love.

Snuggling with Uncle Ben, two are two peas in a pod.
Seriously, they are the same person.

Harper also continues to make us smile.  She is as sweet as she is silly.  I know I say all the time that Harper is sweet, but it's just true; I don't think there is a mean bone in her little body.  Her favorite thing in the world is playing with friends.  She lives for her social life and literally lights up when any playmate, big or small, family or friends, is around.  Other favorites are dressing up, art projects, and working on her letters; she is always asking how to spell different words.  This girl LOVES to learn.  As we try to make our decision about preschool versus continuing daycare in the fall, I keep thinking of this.  Harper was born to be a student, and who knows, maybe one day a teacher...  In the meantime, she is definitely teaching me; I long to be as patient and kind as my best girl.

Dressing up in Mom's glasses

Ice cream from Mimi!

This little Cinderella is a Celtics fan.

Riding the carousel on the Boston Common,
Harper was adamant about riding the chicken.

Harper is obsessed with my headphones;
she runs laps around the house, and says she is "going for a run."

School days are Harper's favorite!

This girl lives for playdates!
Hunter, Brenn, and Harper cheesing it up.

Little Picassos

We had the opportunity to spend a weekend at Mimi's house this month. There was still some snow on the ground there--not to mention a lot of melting happening. It felt somewhere in between winter and spring, but winter is definitely in the rear view mirror--even out there.  Harper and Hunter spent a special day with Mimi, while Dallin and I went with Annie and Gil for their wedding tasting. We enjoyed tasting hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, entrées, and desserts for literally hours as they decided on the menu for their wedding, which will be this summer.  When we returned, Mimi and the Hs were all tuckered out; it was such a fun weekend.  We are also hoping it was the last weekend for boots and snow pants...  Fingers crossed!

Mimi's girl

Red Sox opening day was this month!  While we didn't actually get to Fenway, we enjoyed playing with friends at our favorite neighborhood park instead--and of course, we wore our Red Sox gear.  It was warmer and sunnier than it's been in a long time, and it felt amazing.  We love Boston in the springtime, dirty water and all.

The beautiful weather continued on into the week, which was great because it was free ice cream cone day at Ben and Jerry's!  It was on a work day so I wasn't sure how motivated I would be to trek into Harvard Square alone with the Hs after work.  But we rallied!  We met our little friend, Chloe, and her mom at Ben and Jerry's and enjoyed our cones outside on the green.  Harper told me very matter of factly, "Mom, I want vanilla, and Hunter does too."  So that's what we did.  Hunter loved his first ice cream cone, and both Hs finished all of their ice cream.  The sky looked like rain so Hunter had his rain coat on; while it didn't rain, it was actually pretty perfect that his coat caught all the sticky mess.  I may have to remember that for the future.

Afterwards, I took the kids to one of our favorite parks, right there on the Cambridge Commons.  The kids and I were in such a good groove, and I caught myself relishing the moment and feeling such gratitude for my sweet little crazies.  Life is just so much more fun with them by my side, sticky little hands in mine.

Little man's first ice cream cone!

A trip down the slide before we headed home

After an amazing week with my littles and feeling on top of the world, then I got knocked down a few pegs when something terrible happened--or almost happened.  I lost Hunter.  Before I continue, I should tell you: he is okay.  But what happened is this:  We were at Harper's dance class, as we always are on Friday mornings.  Typically Hunter sort of plays and roams.  I always keep an eye on him, but I don't follow him around like a hawk, since we are the only class in the building at that time, and he can't get outside on his own.  Or so I thought.  I realized a minute or so had passed since I saw him so I got up and looked out into the play area, adjacent to where we watch the girls in class; he wasn't there.  So I looked in both bathrooms; no Hunter.  I looked into the empty studios; no Hunter.  While I was sure he couldn't have gone outside, I still peeked out into the parking lot; no sign of him there.  So I did the rounds inside again, shouting his name; he didn't come when I called, but that's not unusual.  But he was NOWHERE.  My heart was beating faster, and panic was rising inside of me.  I went outside; he HAD to be there.  So I went through the parking lot and around the corner; there he was, in the middle of the driveway leading out to a very main road.  He was standing with a tow truck driver, who must have pulled over when he saw this tiny boy walking by himself.  I was sobbing, "Hunter!  Hunter!"  Hunter looked totally unphased; "I walking!" he proudly announced.  

I have never felt so scared and then so relieved in my life.  Even writing this, I feel sick to my stomach, reliving the minutes that felt like years.  I don't have to state the obvious, but things could have very easily gone differently.  There were so many cars that might not have seen this little boy walking by himself.  It all happened so quickly, maybe 5 minutes from beginning to end, but that could have meant everything.  I felt like the worst mother ever.  I cried for the rest of the day, couldn't sleep that night, kept reliving the terror.  And things had turned out fine.  But they so easily could have been anything but fine; that does happen, and it's happened to me and the people I love in many different and tragic ways.  Life is so much more fragile than I ever would have thought before I was a parent.

These are the things that no one can teach you about parenting, that you have to learn yourself. It is hard.  It can be scary.  Nothing in this life is better.  It will make and break your heart.  I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to my sweet little wild man, and I'm grateful and humbled that I didn't have to figure it out.  
   
I thought I might never get past this incident, never be able to venture outside again.  Fortunately, the Hs and I took the plunge together.  It is hard to stay inside when we have been waiting months and months to be free!  The return of park play has been such a gift.  Now that it's no longer buried under feet of snow, it feels great to stretch our legs and breathe the fresh air.  We have missed meeting friends for impromptu park playdates at the end of the work day.  I'm sure Hunter has missed collecting sticks too. 

Braving the great outdoors, stick in hand.

Celebrating the return of sidewalk chalk season

This little girl is Boston strong!

Marathon Monday was this month, which is always a special time in Boston, perhaps even more so in the past couple of years since the horrific Marathon Bombing in 2013.  The city feels stronger than ever before, Boston Strong having become much more than just words as the city banded together.  This year, Harper and Hunter's beloved teacher, Becca, ran what must have been her millionth Boston Marathon so Harper and I took a special trip to one of our favorite cupcake stores to get her a few post run treats (and to sample the goods ourselves, of course).  Unfortunately, Hunter was sick for that whole weekend so the remainder of that day was spent in urgent care, to make sure we weren't dealing with a case of strep (we weren't, thank goodness).  Despite being horribly under the weather, littlest H still managed to crack a few smiles, which are the best medicine for a worried mother's heart.

Another friend of ours, Amy, also ran the marathon this year for the Children's Hospital charity team, in honor of her two little boys and in special memory of our sweet friend, Marjorie.  Our group of friends had special tee shirts made to to cheer Amy on, and we met at the Boston Public Garden later in the month to celebrate her accomplishment.  As it turned out, getting a photo taken of all the Boston babies (and toddlers) was akin to herding cats: hilariously impossible.  Hunter was mostly intent on trying to actually jump into the pond itself, and I spent the majority of my time chasing after him so that he didn't.  So much for the picnic we had planned.  The Make Way For Ducklings statues were a welcomed distraction, thank goodness.

An attempt at a Boston Babies group photo;
yes, that man baby in front is Hunter making a fast escape.

Brenn and Harper

Brenn and Hunter

Hunter meets Mrs. Mallard

Wild little duckling ladies

This month, we also took a special field trip to nearby Drumlin Farm.  I hadn't been since I was a little kid so it was special to be there with my own littles, years later.  We met our friends, George and Louisa, and their mom, who has been a dear friend of mine since middle school.  It was a bit chilly when we first arrived, but the farm grounds are located at the bottom of a little hill, and it was sunny and protected from the wind.  I knew the farm would be hit or miss for my animal-averse crew, but I was glad we gave it a shot because the kids had SO MUCH FUN.  We said hello to chickens, goats, cows, horses, sheep, and we finished it off with a hay ride.  I ended up buying a membership so we are looking forward to a return trip in the not too distant future.

Harper was more than a little excited to see little Lou!

Farm friends!

Hay riding with my little man

As far as spring fashion goes, the Hs and I were thrilled for a change of footwear this month.  Finally, no more snow gear!!!  Hunter welcomed the spring with his very first pair of Hunter boots, a moment I have been waiting for pretty much since he was born.  His excitement did not disappoint!  And Harper and I ended up with matching Toms, which she likes to make sure that we wear at the same time, in true mother/daughter fashion.  It gives me flash backs to the Christmas and Easter photos of my siblings and me in matching brother/sister fashion.  Classic New England.

Hurray for Hunter's first pair of Hunters!

The only thing cuter than Hunter's little Hunter boots
are those chubby little legs!

Out for brunch in Boston in mother/daughter Toms

This month, I am holding these little Hs nearer and dearer than ever before.  I have also learned an important lesson about Hunter, that he is mostly fearless (unless it involves squirrels--sigh) and will just go, never looking back.  It's hard to feel safe sometimes, and this experience has made me feel less than the super mom I wish I could be.  

Fortunately for me, my kids forgive and love unconditionally, and they have helped me go forward with humility and optimism.  Next on our agenda: May!