sperlygirl

sei anni...

while the espresso was reeking havoc on my laptop, we celebrated a milestone birthday around here, numero sei. 

buon compleanno, amore

the night before your birthday, you had me tell you the story of the day you were born. you hung on each detail of my day up until the moments when you were placed on my chest - teeny, pink and swaddled carefully. and as i told you the story, it was if i was recounting a dream. a delicate and beautiful dream that i had and held onto, memorizing each and every detail. mid story, i realized i was telling you this as the following day we were celebrating your sixth birthday. suddenly, i felt a bit awestruck. my arms still felt you warm and small nestled lovingly there. we both gazed up at the stars above us on your bed...and laughed at all that tomorrow held.

kai, you are my greatest teacher. your beautiful tender heart is just what the world needs more of. it is my hope that you will always find a way to keep your heart open, welcoming, generous and abundant no matter what life may place in your path. may you strive always to seek possibility in every challenge. may you pause daily to uncover beauty in the world around you. may you never take for granted the healing power of nature. may you gain wisdom from the difficult times and savor the joyful ones. may learn the value and power of responding rather than reacting. may you learn how to confidently stand your ground without the intent to assign another your beliefs. may you appreciate the beauty and significance of authentically connecting with others and the world around you. and may you never shy from honestly expressing what is in your heart. 

*this tune is just for you as it reminds me of your fantastic dance moves*

welcome 2012...

enjoying the very last bits of vacation time around here. the reality of it sounds more like this: two little boys yelling, laughing and tearing through the house leaving a trail of toys and whatnot behind them until one ends up in tears for whatever reasons. then repeat...only with more volume and greater momentum. voices become raised (even though i sooo wish they didn't), tempers grow shorter....and then ryder out of the clear blue looks up at me and says, "Ommmmmmm".

what's a mama to do? in that moment, i melt. all frustrations fade away and i am reminded of the wisdom our children can hold (even if they are only trying to crack me up for a moment...that's a big lesson). he does this, ryder. he says "Om" at the perfect moments, completely in context to a chaotic or frustrating situation - albeit at home or out in public. he doesn't make a production of it, doesn't call attention to himself, it's merely a subtle reminder, and it gets me every time. 

let's step into this new year with some inspiration, shall we?

this story and sculpture is wonderful - take a moment and read, please!

i am so taken with her beautifully crafted words

this one has made the rounds, but i seem to watch it every time - such a powerful reminder

she is such a bright light, loved listening to her speak

this one is pure inspiration

welcoming autumn...

...with a bucket full of treats, an evening echoing of giggles, a crescent moon hanging brightly in the sky, and the promise of autumn with every changing leaf

an afternoon of absolute perfection...

this weekend i had an afternoon of pure perfection. i packed up the little guys and headed to the seaside (giving j some much needed time to write). we picnicked by the water, then spent the afternoon gathering seashell treasures and sprawling on a blanket in the sunshine to watch the surfers ride in along the horizon. kai brought along his drawing essentials and stopped to draw things he deemed 'cool' along the way back. we talked about seeking out the details around us for inspiration and the fact that sometimes those are not always the obvious things. he asked me, "why do people forget about the little things, mama?" i don't know, kai, but i love that you find inspiration in that teeny acorn.

*a soundtrack for your own afternoon of awesomeness*

 

leading...

it used to be that the span of five years felt like an eternity to me - spacious, vast, and seemingly never-ending ...that is until having babes of my own. it's now i realize that five years is a blink of an eye, a wink, a short exhale - and all of a sudden you are sending your oldest off to his first day of school (*sigh*). and in that very moment, culminates what i have come to realize as the truest expression of motherhood. it is a mixture...a deep inhalation of pride, joy and excitement at the experiences your child is about to embark on coupled with a shallow exhale of bittersweetness at the parts you are reminded to gently let go of. outwardly, you are expected to appear strong and encouraging, when the reality is the rawest parts of your heart seem to be floating along the surface and all you wish to do is turn back the clock just a little and marinate once more in his baby days. such is the dance of mothering...yet now, he is leading. 

and like that, he turned two...

this weekend, we celebrated a birthday - birthday number two for ryder. there was a cake with sprinkles and a candle that played happy birthday, presents wrapped in colorful papers, a dining room that kai stayed up late the night before to decorate with streamers, colorful balloons, and handmade signs. this morning there was one surprised little ryder who walked out and squealed with delight at all the colorful treasures sprinkled around. amid the gifts, there was even a very special original painting made just for ryder by his big brother.  

dear sweet ryder, 

you make us laugh each and every day. you are pure joy! you greet the world (and whatever you eat, i might add) with pure passion and sheer delight. we adore you and all you have brought into our world. happy birthday, little one!

a milestone...

this weekend, we celebrated a milestone as kai 'graduated' from asilo. there were games, 'diplomas', food, laughter and many a proud parent as we all gathered together to celebrate the end of the year.

dear kai, we are so proud of all that you have accomplished and all that you are growing into. it was just two years ago when we dropped you off here where you spoke not a word of italian. it took some time to adjust, but you soon found a groove and this year alone have completely embraced your new language...so much so that mama feels left completely in the dust and struggles to keep up.

your have the tenderest heart, know that she will always guide you in the right direction. the journey is to have the courage and the stillness to listen to her. you are cultivating your 'force' and you are learning that life is always a choice, sweet one. that is the option we always have before us - the ability to choose - whether we will react or respond, love or hate, help or stand by, seek a solution or add to the problem, try or give-up. you will trip along the way, we all do, it's part of the journey. but we all have your back and will help to dust you off and set you straight. today, your papa, ryder and i (and all your family & friends scattered all over the world) lift you up with cheers and love as we celebrate with you. for you see, sweet one, it is you, that is the gift.

**a celebratory tune, because we all feel like dancin' tonight**

 

the power of a BFF (and a little gift)...

recently we went to a carnival. kai brought along his BFF. armed with his best buddy by his side, he discovered a new found courage. side by side, those two mastered the rides on their own, giggling the whole time. they ran through the carnival, laughter trailing off behind them. and it got me thinking of the importance of the BFFs we have in our lives. how the presence of one special person next to you can help to muster up courage you might not have otherwise known you had.

i thought of my own BFF's - they know who they are. they are the ones who have stood the test of time, distance, life changes, adolescence, and adulthood. they are the ones who have provided a strong shoulder when life felt heavy, a compassionate ear when life felt messy, and an open heart when life felt full. they have tenderly held my secrets, offered sage advice, made me laugh until i cried, and created some of the dearest memories that i hold to this day in my heart. being in their presence gives me courage - sometimes more than they will ever know.

today, i am giving a little shout out to all the BFF's out there and am offering a give-away...a 5x7 copy of this photo (watermark does not appear on the print). a caffè with a friend has the potential to unlock magic ~ brighten up your wall or surprise your own BFF with it. in the comments below, simply describe your BFF in one word. a winner will be announced on monday. to my own treasured friends, i hold you close to my heart everyday.

meditating on a moment...

that is just what life is, isn't it - a series of moments linked together - how we choose to perceive and respond to them is our journey.

these days, i am choosing to focus on those moments involving laughter, lightness, and love. always my greatest teacher he is, while out on a walk (in full costume, mind you - 'cause that's just how he rolls) kai hops up on the pillar and blisses out with an "ommmmm".

living in a household of boys, i am discovering and experiencing the force on a daily basis, understanding the vast and far reaching powers of all things star wars, and seriously believing that legos multiply like bunnies!

but i will tell you...all this grounds me in the those everyday moments (and the laughter that usually follows).

here's to the journey...may the force be with you (i couldn't resist)

with gratitude...

we wanted to thank each of kai's teacher's at his asilo for all that they have provided for him these last couple of years. as a parent, there is no greater gift than watching your little one flourish, and he has there at this sweet school. as a teacher, i recognize and understand the challenges and obstacles that come up in a classroom so i am deeply aware of the work involved.

so i decided to whip up something useful yet fun for each one. this is such a simple project (a little time consuming but well worth the effort). i simply found some beautiful papers (these are what i used) rounded the edges and layered for contrast. i used modge podge to adhere them to the clipboards and then smoothed out with an old credit card to be sure to get out any air bubbles. then i sandpapered the edges to create a more unified look. and finally finished them off with a butterfly and pretty ribbon.

we will write each teacher a special thank you note and kai is busy creating a drawing for each.