The Wild Rumpus

When Dagny was about 4 she announced to me that my services would no longer be needed at story time, from now on she would do the reading.  I think her exact works were, "Mommy, you don't need to read to Dane anymore, that is my job now."  She took her job very seriously, and she read to him everyday for years and years. She read him all her favorite books; Curious George, Clifford, Berenstein Bears, Madeline, Dr. Seuss... but her all-time favorite book was Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and she read it to Dane everyday. I had been reading that book to them all their lives, Max and the Wild Things were a part of us. 

reading with Grandpa

 (Dane with his Wild Things toys in his lap)

Just about every afternoon at that point in the day when a mother has had just about enough and starts looking at the clock to see when Daddy will be home, we would have a wild rumpus.  Dagny and Dane would yell, "And now, let the wild rumpus start!" Sofa cushions and toys would fly through the air, then came the dancing and jumping, singing and running, climbing, laughter, and general mayhem.  All the things a good rumpus should have. Let me just say, some of the fondest memories I have of those years are joining in the rumpus with my Wild Things.

Dagny and Dane could start a wild rumpus anywhere

At the Metreon in San Francisco they used to have this AMAZING Wild Things play space.  I can't even begin to adequately describe it's awesomeness, it was truly magical. Once you stepped in you were completely immersed in the world of the Wild Things, and like the book it was just the right amount of frightening and wondrous. We used to go there a lot, and we always marveled about how lucky we were that a place like that existed. 

 

Where The Wild Things Are is not the only Maurice Sendak book that we loved, we were amused by In The Night Kitchen and appropriately scared by Outside Over There and completely enchanted by his illustrations for the Little Bear books. I consider Maurice Sendak one of the most important children's authors of all time.  He changed children's literature, and he changed our lives.  Mr. Sendak died today, and I would just like to say thank you.  Thank you for sharing your imagination and for teaching us how to be wild. 

Rugby

They say that soccer is a gentelman's sport played by hooligans and that rugby is a hooligan's sport played by gentlemen. As violent as rugby is (and it is violent) I have to agree that it is played by gentlemen.  The rugby teams foster a sense of community on and off the field.  They play against each other, but ultimately they are all rugby players.  Dane loved playing rugby, everything about it.  He came home from his very first practice and said that it was the most fun he had ever had.  I certainly had fun watching him play.  His games were all over the Bay Area so we ended up in some new and interesting places, every weekend was an adventure.  I watched the games with both excitement and terror.  Every play has the potential for injury, (and we saw plenty of injuries; broken fingers, broken legs, bloody noses, concussions..) Dane managed to make it though the season with only minor cuts and bruises so I was lucky to have slightly more excitement than terror.  Rugby is an awesome sport, fun to watch and fun to play.  Can't wait for next season.  

in the ruck #3

the lock in the middle of the scrum

 #20

Replaced

Gavin makes me feel like that guy in the Simon and Garfunkel song Cecilia   

...I got up to wash my face,

when I come back to bed,

someone's taking my place...

Whenever I leave Gavin moves over and makes himself comfortable on my side of the bed, right in my spot.  I think he's trying to replace me. 

My Heart Tree

It rained, and rained, all of March and April around here. (that's what it felt like to me, the person who grew up in a desert and lives in California)  It rained so much that you could literally see the plants growing.  I do not enjoy the rain, but it has left everything impossibly lush and green and spring couldn't be lovelier.  My favorite spring sight is the tree in my backyard that for a few weeks every year is covered in red hearts.  

Happiness Is...

"There is a direct correlation between the level of happiness in one's life and the the level of silliness they allow into it. "

5

Happy 5th Birthday Gavin! 

Darci and Taylor

I always love when my guest room gets put to use, houseguests are always welcome around here.  Darci and Taylor spent the weekend with us and what lovely houseguests they were.  They are interesting and fun, very good company, and up for anything.  We had lots of San Francisco adventures that I'm sure we'll be talking about for years to come, it was good times.  Something I kept thinking was that I have known Darci all her life, (literally, from the moment she was born) and it is amazing to see the child that I adored grown up into an adult that I like. Darci and Taylor are awesome, they are welcome to our guestroom anytime.