We are über super fortunate as it turns out… Not only do we have Jo, but Jo has another au pair friend from Germany living just four blocks from us. And this au pair, her name is Rafaela, is taking care of another baby even. Her baby girl is just two months younger than Lake. Rafaela is a lot of fun and she and Jo get along really well. And the babies are thus also getting acquainted. It’s really cute! Today they got together as they often do to take the babies out for a walk in the fresh air. Sometimes they meet up at Greenlake. First they played a bit here at home before walking to the University Village. So I finally got to meet Rafaela and Piper. So sweet! We had a good visit. Come again, neighbors! We are so happy to be friends. 

This afternoon when I was home sick, the cats were showing me how it’s done. The resting napping thing. I’m not very practiced at it. I could really use some guidance and mentorship. I thought it remarkable they had chosen nesting grounds to suitably coordinate with their furs. Well, I’m still pretty sick and hacking up a lung, so tomorrow I’ll get another chance at a cat nap. Maybe I can find a golden blanket to curl up on. I have no excuse that I really don’t have the very best teachers!

And then again this evening:

When I read Marie Kondo’s book, the life-changing magic of tidying up: the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing, at the end is 2015 I got super excited. Her story really resonated with me. I hung onto every word. I studied how to correctly fold clothes. I paid attention to learn how to best honor the spirit of the home and the resident pieces. See, I’m the person whom my parents nicknamed Little Miss Busy Fingers when I was a wee lass on account of I was always tidying and organizing my things. So for the New Year last year on January 1st, 2016, I Marie Kondo’ed my place. I started with the clothes with a boost of inertia from our friend Miranda. I powered through the categories over the course of several months.

It was amazing and I was able to make room for the entrance of Lake in our life and our little condo. But at the time some things were still in off-site storage. When we moved to our new house we brought them back to us. Then, there they were: filling the entrance to our beautiful home to the brim. I was afraid to open them for almost two months. I’d been living without these “treasures ” for two years. We have actually really not significantly more closet space in our huge house as compared to our compact condo. So, if I did unpack, where would my beloved things go? Many of these things belonged to my grandmother, or I’d had them since high school, or worn them as a businesswoman when I was the owner of the SPAhT Homeopathic Medical Spa. I was afraid there would be a sentimental attachment, I’d held onto them at great expense thus far, right? And really no where for them to go. There was also a substantial Steel Age filing cabinet full of files awaiting my attention. When I Marie Kondo’ed a year ago, I turned my then current filing cabinet into a 1″ binder per her instructions and with her guidance. But this cabinet was in storage at that time. What important files were really waiting for me in the cluttered entrance with the heavy filing cabinet and the humongous wardrobe boxes?

Files and Boxes: I used to create go-to outfits out of my wardrobe and file the results

So then, what do you do when you’re home sick from work? Time to tackle this project. Get to this lingering tidying project that’s been sitting in your entryway for the past months. Face it! All I needed was a little help from a friend. Turns out having a 20 year old European is very useful for in-home, on-the-spot style consultation! We had a lot of fun in the process of turning the three huge wardrobe boxes into just a small container of folded summer clothes, plus an organized shoe ottoman.

The fun-filled tidying process of January 2017…Thank you Jo!

Beautiful evening gown for just the right occasion…

The beautiful and functional results:

Plus, the magic of gaining a light filled tidy entryway in time for Spring!

Jo and Daddy were out doing errands today when they dropped by to bring Mummy her Lake for lunchies. Surprise: coordinated outfits! Lake and I could hardly be sicker and still up and functioning. So we take comfort in how cute we look in spite of how unwell we feel! Tonight I officially have a temperature though, so tomorrow we are staying home to recuperate. It will be a great relief to hopefully rid ourselves of the unrelenting lingering winter daycare crud once and for all. It’s been two months of solid sickies! Spring we are ready for you!

Lake is sitting up now for a minute at a time! He is gaining more steadiness. He will still topple over after a bit, but it’s like watching slow motion. He can move around pretty well too with his inchworm maneuver. 

Daddy was watching him for a long stretch this evening and said it was like witnessing the birth of greed and destruction in man. The way he would motor around the room after things that caught his eye, grab them and yell while shaking them to bits. Then on to the next one. I showed up just as his eye caught sight of Mr. Cat. 

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Errands with Nana today! In the Baby Björn for Lake. With some time for playing together at the beginning and the end. Happy Weekend!

When Lake and Daddy play, Lake has so much fun. Tonight they were playing “screech conversation” whereby they take turns screeching and yelping, and making other variations on delighted outbursts. Back and forth with each other so merrily. Catching a laugh intermittently for punctuation. 

Here we are post-bath yesterday enjoying our sunny Saturday morning. It’s fun to get to spend more time together on the weekend and get back into our coordinating outfit theme. I love this little guy! He cuddled up alongside and next to me in the sweetest way!

Clarence treated Jo and me to a Welcome and Birthday lunch yesterday at Go Poke (gopokeseattle.com) in the International District (the ID). It was great! I love this place; think live edge wood tables, an Aloha spirit and super fresh delicious fish. It’s definitely worth checking out if you can get yourself into the ID… perhaps by Link light rail?!? Clarence introduced us both to some of the best poke in town, outside of Wallingford. Jo tasted octopus. Lake had his luncheon and we had ours. 

Then Mummy said goodbye to the festive midday party and went in to work at the Pioneer Square Clinic for the afternoon. 

And Clarence graciously carried him back up the hill to the Harborview UW Tower shuttle for Jo to take him home. 

Swell! What a perfect (mid)day! I’m glad I spent it with you!

This morning I had a few extra minutes so I did something my dental team wants me to do every morning. I brushed my teeth before running out of the house. But since Jo was not officially “on duty” yet and Lake’s decibel level inversely correlated with how close he was to me this morning, I was holding him. When I started the electric toothbrush, it revealed itself that it was a new experience for Lake. So I’m holding him on my hip with one arm, brushing my teeth with the Sonicare with the other. (Something I’m sure I’ll be doing more and more of soon.) His eyes immediately go full round. He’s so intently interested in this new sensory phenomenon. Mummy brushing her teeth and it buzzes, vibrating ultrasonically. Wow! He’s thinking: this is really something! Super sonic! He didn’t make a noise or move the whole time. I could practically feel new neurons synapse and his brain creating new neural pathways right in front of my eyes. I really should be brushing my teeth more regularly. And taking my fish oil. 

Last night Nana pulled an all nighter. Yesterday we had an unfurnished apartment thinking of selling; today we have a furnished apartment ready for letting. Grandpa got out of bed to babysit over coffee this morning. Plus installed lights where there were none, light switches where there were none, secured an insecure circuit, consulted with experts on our behalf. There are doors where there were only drafts. There are covered outlets and locked cabinets where previously there were only seriously dangerous baby traps. 

This is the kind of guardian angel grandparents Lake has. The kind of guardian angel parents Michael and I have. That we are blessed with. 

Have a safe journey home today in the rainy trafficky weather. We appreciated having you here these past ten days more than words can say. We are so glad we have a dry ground floor apartment to host you in. Come again soon! Cozy Base Camp beckons!

As the Irish blessing goes:

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warmly upon your face, and the rains fall softly upon your fields. 

Thank you for blessing up and watching over Lake and our family.