Our last batch of photos, which feature us exploring downtown and doing some very touristy things: taking a carriage ride, visiting Chinatown and Fan Tan Alley (Canada’s narrowest street), and riding through the harbor in a water taxi. A gorgeous city, and I can’t wait to go back!

-M

More pictures from our trip, which included a lot of show-watching and family time. Zoe, in particular, loved watching the performances (acts from acrobats, dancers, magicians, circus-type performers and the like), but when I asked her what her favorite part of the trip was she told me, “playing with Uncle Gil.”

-M

Many readers know we were on Vancouver Island, Canada for the last several days (and some of you were even with us!). We went to meet family and watch the Victoria International Buskers Festival, but our first afternoon was spent at the highly-recommended and gorgeous Beacon Hill Park near downtown Victoria. It was the absolute perfect place to spend my birthday afternoon!

-M

Speaking of slowing down, I couldn’t help but appreciate this blog entry that a friend recently posted on Facebook. It’s written by a mom who resolved to change after learning the hard way that she was rushing her two young children too much. This story, from after she stopped saying “hurry up” to her children so often, brought tears to my eyes:

[My 6-year-old daughter and I] had taken a bike ride to a sno-cone shack while on vacation. After purchasing a cool treat for my daughter, she sat down at a picnic table delightedly admiring the icy tower she held in her hand.

Suddenly a look of worry came across her face. “Do I have to rush, Mama?”

I could have cried. Perhaps the scars of a hurried life don’t ever completely disappear, I thought sadly.

As my child looked up at me waiting to know if she could take her time, I knew I had a choice. I could sit there in sorrow thinking about the number of times I rushed my child through life … or I could celebrate the fact that today I’m trying to do thing differently.

I chose to live in today.

“You don’t have to rush. Just take your time,” I said gently. Her whole face instantly brightened and her shoulders relaxed.

-M

We went to a new playground for a recent birthday party, and the girls showed no fear of a giant, dragon-shaped play structure there…

-M

I’ve written a lot about my desire to slow down, savor each moment, stop to smell the roses, etc. etc. I know these things are important, but its an ongoing struggle for me to actually do them. What I discovered lately, though, is that it often starts with a deep breath. The other day, for example, I was rushing to get ready for work when Zoe said to me, “Mama, will you play with me?” My instinct was to say “no,” that I wanted to but couldn’t – there were lunches to make, showers to take, and e-mails to check – but I instead took a quick breath and said, “Sure.” We wound up not playing for long (and I can’t remember what we actually did together), but I like to think even those few minutes made a difference to her. And to me.

-M

We’re going away (Vancouver Island) in a few days, and one of our pieces of cargo is ready to go!

-M

It’s my birthday tomorrow, and a few days ago Avery asked Q how old I was going to turn. After he told her, she said, “Oh, she’s going to be way taller.”

-M

I took Zoe and her friend Zachary to a birthday party on Sunday, and the two were quite excited about the vanilla cupcakes…

-M

With nothing on our calendar on Saturday, the four of us left the fog in the city to get some sun in nearby Burlingame. I did some outdoor shopping while the girls did some playing – and I thought the colorful mural at the playground made for a nice photo backdrop.

-M

As a follow-up to my recent post, a few miscellaneous thoughts about life these days:

-I’ve always counted myself lucky that the girls get along so well. Lately, though, they’re been quibbling a lot: For the last few weeks there has been at least one big incident a day, and I’ve even seen some hitting and wrestling. Q and I try to stay out of their feuds and let them work things out themselves, but more than not, one of the girls will come to us to complain, tattle or ask for help in resolving the situation. And whether that happens or not, it’s no fun when both girls are crying and/or screaming. I’m really hoping this is just a phase – and not the new normal!

-Speaking of things not quite normal, Zoe – as I mentioned earlier – had a really hard time her first week of camp. “I don’t want to go,” she told me more than once, and she even got in trouble with her counselor a few times for not behaving. Now she loves it – as well as her counselor, Geoff – but there were a few days there when I found myself in new territory. I’m not used to Zoe not wanting to go to school or camp, and I’m certainly not used to her getting in trouble. We got through it, of course, and it was a good reminder that there are going to be times when she acts “un-Zoe like” and we need to respond accordingly. As old as she sometimes seems, she’s still a kid!

-I’ve mentioned this before, too, but Avery has really blossomed – and we’re seeing it so much this summer at camp. My (once-on-the-shy-side) girl has made so many new friends and talks constantly about them. (She even wanted to take one of them on our plane ride to Madison.) She seems so happy, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

-This falls in the bragging category, but I have to share a few recent happenings that reminded me of what a sweet soul Zoe has. Yesterday I told the story of her and the boy at Gilroy Gardens; along the same lines, we were at the park one day when a little boy (about Avery’s age) lost his balloon. Zoe had gotten one at a store earlier, and when she gave me a look I knew right away what she was thinking. “Do you want to give him your balloon?” I asked her quietly, and she nodded and walked over to hand it to him. Not long after she was getting ready for a playdate with one of her friends, whose lovie is a stuffed monkey. Before the boy came over, Zoe drew pictures of monkeys and taped them up around her room (“I want him to feel at home,” she told me). As I told her that day, I’m proud of her for a lot of things – but nothing makes me prouder than when she is kind to others.

-I talked about this earlier, too, but time is just going so fast. Zoe approaching first grade? Avery four? Our family about to experience our last year at the (beloved) preschool? Hardly seems possible!

-M

There’s a water area at Gilroy Gardens, and during our visit there last weekend Zoe waited patiently in line (under the hot sun) for the chance to use the giant water guns. After doing a bit of squirting she saw that a small boy had gotten in line behind her, and she abruptly stopped. When I asked why she didn’t play more there, she told me, “I didn’t like having to wait, so I didn’t want him to have to wait.” (So sweet.)

-M

Continuing on the girl theme, Avery declared on the drive to camp today, “I like being a girl because I’m pretty.” After I laughed (and made a mental note to perhaps cut back on the compliments), she asked, “Did you like that I said that?”

-M

Zoe has quite a few girl friends, but – as discussed here many times – she’s always gravitated towards the boys. Which is why, perhaps, I’m getting such a kick of watching Avery’s blossoming friendships with so many girls from school and camp. (“I only like ghouls – not boys,” she has told me more than once.) Over the last few months, she has gotten super close to several female classmates – and we’ve had two outings with such friends recently (first at Fairyland and most recently at Gilroy Gardens). The most fun thing: They’re all just so girlie together, squealing and laughing and reminding me at times of miniature college buddies.

Below are photos of Avery with two other little friends.

-M

Zoe made me laugh the other when she asked (out of the blue) if I liked it when she and Avery misbehaved or ran away from me. “Zoe, do any moms like it when their kids do that?” I asked. “Do you think you would like it if your kid ran away from you?” Zoe just shrugged and said, “Yeah, I wouldn’t care. I would just get another right here.” And then she patted her tummy.

-M