During my pregnancy, I began turning inward quite a bit, "nesting" and preparing my home for our new little one. Now that we have a newborn in our midst, I continue to feel that pull of home. The need to just be present here, even if it looks to everyone else like I'm simply puttering around the house. I feel that urge to slow down, to take things a bit easier than my full-speed 90-to-nothing pace from earlier this year. Nowadays, laundry calls my name during all my waking hours. Little onesies, blankets, burp cloths and diapers all beg to be washed, dried, folded and put away. There are chores to do and little lunches to make for Lila. Parker's bus stop reminders on my iPhone often wake me from my nursing-induced nap in the afternoon. It's still a busy time, but it's busy in much different ways than it used to be. This day, however, was relaxed and wonderful. No agenda. No plans. Nowhere to be but here. What a lovely idea.
The perfect blanket to snuggle up and watch the drips on the windows, don't you think?
Chris and Charlotte watched a little football together. Online. Chris is already trying to find her a Redskins jersey/onesie to wear on game days. We had one when Parker was a baby, but I put it up somewhere to save it, and apparently I put it up a little too well... and now we can't find it!
And what sort of rainy day would it be without a little baking? Lila and I made a fresh cherry cobbler.
Her first and last bite. I have to say, she appreciated them a little more once they were cooked in a sugar syrup and baked under a crust. Girl after my own heart.
This cobbler was absolutely delicious. Oh it was. I might even share the recipe with you. It's from one of my favorite cookbooks... an autographed copy of Paula Deen's The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook. It's a spiral-bound book, just like all of the church ladies used to sell at the fundraisers. It's comforting to me just to flip through all the dog-eared, flour-sprinkled, sticky-finger-smudged pages. It's well-used and well-loved, as you can see...
And this is how I cooked dinner. This child loves the Moby Wrap. Thank goodness for it, too. We decided to forgo the bulky infant car seat this time around, because I really didn't want to schlep that heavy thing all over town. Plus, germ-infested strangers are a lot less apt to try and touch your cute little baby when you're wearing her. :) She rides in this, this or this for now. (Another post to come soon about baby-carriers!) :)
After dinner and bath time, I put Charlotte to bed and the older two continued to be their goofy selves in the kitchen. Pardon the way they're dressed. This is real life, is it not? This is the preferred weekend attire for my two, and is more than typical if you knock on my door on a lazy weekend afternoon.
*Sidenote: If you follow me on Facebook, you'll know that Lila wears this purple Rapunzel costume just about every day. She wears it around the house, she plays catch with Parker in the backyard in it, she wears it to Target and to the grocery store. I pick my battles with this one, and I choose not to fight over this! The Rapunzel dress has been mended twice, and this week I'll have to stitch it up again because it's unraveling in two more places. But that is to be expected with a garment that is worn everywhere, everyday, for a month.
Anyhow, I love these photos partially because she's wearing that funny little dress. It will always remind me of this stage in her childhood.
Then the four of us played Sorry on the coffee table. Parker won, as usual, and Lila made up her own rules, as usual. Some snuggling, two sweet bedtime prayers, one more drink of water, a few tears... and our lazy rainy day was confirmed a success. Can't wait for the next one.
What would you choose to remember from YOUR rainy afternoons? I'd love it if you posted about it on your own blog! Include a photo of course, and please link back here in the comments. I would love to see how others spend their rainy weekends. Do you bake cobbler and play board games? Do laundry and read magazines? Or do you grab an umbrella and run outside in the middle of it all?
In the meantime, this little girl here is one of the main reasons why I keep shooting. This sweet girl, her older brother, her soon-to-be-born baby sister, and their amazing Daddy are what makes my heart beat, and they are why I will continue to document and preserve. At the very least, our family's story must be told, and must be shared with future generations someday.
