After an extremely long nap and a dose of antibiotics, Zoe was (almost) back to her old self by bedtime last night. (It was so nice to see her actually smile and laugh a little!) She’s still resting today but should be good as new by tomorrow… Thank goodness for the power of rest and modern medicine!

-M

Hours after the last photo below was taken, right around the time we arrived home from our weekend away, Zoe began complaining that her ear hurt. The pain got worse and worse throughout the afternoon and evening, and Zoe was suddenly not like Zoe at all: Not normally one to complain, she couldn’t stop crying and moaning and complaining that her “ear was paining me.”

Last night was a difficult and sad one, with Zoe waking up every three hours or so and tearfully asking why she was in so much pain. (Taking me back to the days with an unhappy newborn, I just kept singing to her and telling her that “Mama’s here.”) None of the things that Q and I tried – first Motrin, then Tylenol; a warm compress to the ear; some time sitting in a steamy bathroom – helped her that much, and to add insult to injury she began throwing up this morning. A doctor’s visit pointed to the culprit – a “nasty” double ear infection – and even the doctor said she has never seen Zoe like this: so unhappy and in so much pain.

I’m hoping things turn around quickly (as I type this, she’s in the middle of what I hope will be a long and helpful nap), and I hope we don’t have another night like last one. It’s heartbreaking when your little one looks up at you, with eyes that look more like a baby’s than a six-year-old’s, and begs you to make the pain go away, and there’s nothing you can do… I could do without ever seeing that again!

-M

Zoe doesn’t remember our last visit to Lafayette, of course, but I do! And what a difference five years makes.

-M

We headed over to the East Bay this weekend and spent part of today at the Lafayette Reservoir – a place we hadn’t been to in five years. Avery, who had gotten up early and done a lot of swimming at our hotel this morning, was perhaps too tired to fully enjoy our boatride (see second-to-last pic), but Zoe really liked it. And it was a far cry (no pun intended) from our last time there, when the then-one-year-old Zoe spent a good amount of time on the boat crying.

-M

Before I left for dinner with friends the other night, Zoe asked me to call home at bedtime and sing the girls a song. So – shortly after ordering my food, I slipped outside with my phone and sang loud enough for them to hear over the Munis. (Both girls requested the lullaby I made up for them long ago, and Avery also wanted the “ABCDE Song.”) When I got home a few hours later, Q showed me the photo below and reported that Avery smiled throughout our call…

-M

After a friend’s birthday party on Sunday, Zoe and I stopped at a little playground in Noe Valley before heading home. We hadn’t been there in a long time (it’s a small one that’s mostly geared towards toddlers), but I was taken aback when Zoe walked in and declared, “I’ve never been here before.” “Zoe, you’ve been here bunches of times!” I cried out, and I immediately flashed back to our many visits when she was much, much smaller. (Of course she didn’t remember, I later thought. It was years ago.)

Zoe went on the slide a few times before getting bored and settling down with me on a bench to enjoy a book under the warm sun. Before we left, though, she jumped on a piece of equipment that looked like a bouncy horse: It was too small for her, yet she still bounced back and forth – her hair flying and her long arms and legs spilling from the sides – and laughed like she did when she was younger. I didn’t take her picture, but the sight is still etched in my mind: My “little” girl, on the cusp of being too big for the playground (or, at least, this playground), on the cusp of being too big for so many things that she enjoyed in her pre-school life. And, yet, still so innocent and sweet.

How time flies.

-M

A few (very) quick words from Avery on her favorite Giant.

-M

Last night I came across an article on working moms, which promotes the idea that a mother’s life doesn’t have to be “perfect” but instead “good enough.” It’s a great read – I completely agree with the writer’s sentiments – but it was the ending that got to me. Not only does it remind me of Zoe (I can totally see her doing this), but it’s the perfect reminder that kids don’t need “perfect:”

…My daughter came home from school one day and announced that she’d had the best day of her life. When I asked what had happened, she said it was just an ordinary day. I pressed — certainly something different must have occurred? She shook her head. Intrigued, I called her first-grade teachers and asked if anything special had happened in class. No, they repeated, it was just an ordinary day.

It took a minute or two to sink in. All this effort to create the big moments that working mothers everywhere strive to produce, all the bells and whistles I was madly trying to clang, and my daughter said the best day of her life had been an ordinary day. A good enough life.

-M

When Avery got home on Sunday afternoon, I asked her what her favorite part of the game was. “Dessert,” she replied.

-M

Zoe has gone to a lot of baseball games with her dad one-on-one, and yesterday was Avery’s turn. While Zoe went to a birthday party and spent some time shopping and strolling around Noe Valley with me, Avery cheered for the Giants, snacked on Cracker Jacks and cotton candy, and enjoyed the sights of AT&T Park. Q promised to take a lot of photos – and he did!

-M

We took a day trip to the East Bay yesterday – first to shop and roam around the very warm Walnut Creek, then to visit friends (and see Cousin Isaac) at a friend’s baby shower. Here are some pics.

-M

Yesterday marked a big day here: We officially started a project to convert part of our garage to livable space. In just a few months this large concrete area will feature a bedroom, bathroom and living room/play area for the kids, and though Zoe said she’s sad this area is changing, I think she and Avery will be super excited with the finished product.

-M

One of my favorite dresses of Avery’s is her pink-butterfly-and-striped one; it’s particularly bright and cheery, and it just seemed so Avery-like when I bought it two years ago. Sadly, we discovered today (after not having worn it for several months) that the once-to-the-knees dress now fits more like a long shirt – so it’s time to pack it away.

Bye-bye, butterfly dress! We had a nice long run…

-M

This is one of my busiest work weeks of the year, and I dozed off on the couch after picking up the girls one particularly long day. Zoe, always the independent one, didn’t seem to mind – but Avery clearly did. “MAMA, wake up!” she cried out at one point, her little face pressed up against mine. “You’re supposed to be taking care of us!”

(Woops.)

-M

…And a few videos from their last playdate. (As you can see, it was a fun – and loud – one.)