sun on the carpet

The world has been moving way too fast lately, and I feel as though I haven't been able to catch up. The fall was hard. The spring was harder. And now, we're headed into summer, which I hope will just be nothing but lovely.

In these moments, I tell myself to breath. And, I hold tight to the little things.

Boy Beeton and I stumbled upon this Little Free Library on the way to a birthday party. These gems are scattered throughout our neighborhood, but this one was particularly sweet.

Mr. Beeton was reading poems by Charles Bukowski. I'd never read Bukowski, but I definitely had a clearly formed image of him from my graduate school days. I opened the book to this poem, which took me by surprise. Completely at odds with the poet I thought I knew and so expressive of my own feelings about parenthood. 

Marina
majestic, magic
infinite
my little girl is
sun
on the carpet-
out the door
picking a flower, ha!
an old man,
battle-wrecked,
emerges from his
chair
and she looks at me
but only sees
love,
ha!, and I become
quick with the world
and love right back
just like I was meant
to do.

Keep sweeping,

Martha

Read My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. Watched Carol. Watching Catastrophe. 

we're having...

...snow much fun!

Keep shoveling,
Martha

Watched Sofia Coppola's Somewhere. Finished reading Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies. 

my view at dusk

Today was a good day.

I haven't been able to say that for a while now. When my pericarditis hit this fall (update soon, I promise), I didn't realize how much it was affecting me physically or emotionally until the cardiologist finally said I needed to take it seriously. I had thought - as I did after Boy Beeton was born - that I was just an inadequate mother. I had thought - because I was so tired all the time - that I was just selfish. I had thought - because I had no patience for anything or anyone - that I was just a bad person. But, it was just the illness, which on top of being physically painful, was also making me tired and depressed.

I know this because today was a good day. I woke up with energy. I played with Boy Beeton this morning. I put away the porch furniture. We went to school. I took a walk. I graded. After school, we picked up some groceries. When we got home, we played soccer in the yard until it got dark. I made dinner. We had a dance party. I calmly dealt with a before bed tantrum. I was myself again.

Keep sweeping,
Martha

Watched The Peanuts Movie.

boo

2015 shots of Halloween... and an oldie but goodie. "The sun will come out..."

Keep sweeping,
Martha

Read Mary Higgins Clark The Melody Lingers On.

happy fourth

We are loving our new Fourth of July tradition - the Takoma Park parade at our friends' house on Maple Avenue (they throw a fabulous party!). Nothing says the Fourth like the 9/11 Truth Seekers and the Attachment Parenting Group all marching together in harmony.

2014

And flashback a year...

2013

I realize I've been missing in action a bit lately. I promise to return soon with a more complete update of our summer adventures. 

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch (loved).

so this happened

swatch watch

mccormick and schmick's

republic happy hour

brunch at bread & chocolate - twice

drybar bethesda

georgetown cupcakes

lucky strike bowling

the friends

the family

the exhibit

If this, my friends, is forty, I'll take it. 

Keep sweeping, Martha

sleeeep

A few weeks ago I sent an email with the above subject line to the listserv for my moms' group. Baby Beeton had started to rebel. Nighttimes, as you know, were never easy with him, but in the last two weeks, he began to resist the crib mighty hard. (Being the offspring of parents both born under the sign of Taurus, his stubbornness isn't surprising.) And, now that he's extremely verbal, he could find the words to express his discontent in a way that pulled at my heartstrings. "My crib isn't comfy cozy!" he'd wail. He'd gotten used to sleeping in our "yummy" bed for naps. And, when he was in Pennsylvania for two wedding weekends, he slept in a grown-up bed there. I didn't really blame him. In comparison, the crib wasn't particularly comfy or cozy.

When I sent my message to my moms' group, I was looking for some tips to transitioning to a big boy bed. And, can I just say that my moms' group came through again?! My thread on gmail says there were twenty-five replies to my original post! Just one more reason that the Takoma Mamas 5 rock. Thank you, ladies!

So, we did it. We bought a mattress and a box spring from a little place on Georgia Avenue which should really market itself as a mattress store and indoor gymnasium for children. Baby Beeton ran and ran and ran around that showroom. We ordered crib rails. And, we set the big boy bed up in the same spot that the crib was occupying. We'll be getting a frame from Grammy who - like my mother - saves everything (thank goodness)! Baby Beeton has taken to his new bed like a champ. Tonight, he was playing with his figures (Green Lantern, Batman, Batgirl, etc.), and I heard him say, "Do you want to go up and sleep in my big boy bed?" So cute.

With this new transition, Mr. Beeton and I realized that we'll probably need to move Baby Beeton into the guest room and transform his nursery into an office. He needs more space. The sweetheart room - as our electrician called it - just won't cut it. Plus, I've got big plans for stars on the walls, this tent, and a pirate treasure chest which I will be making from a cool little piece of furniture our neighbor threw in the trash. Of course, I realized as I excitedly began planning this big boy room that I never posted pictures of our nursery. So, here they are! (Right before we took the crib down.)

Sleep tight and keep sweeping, Martha

A full shot of the room. Our electrician said that rooms of this size - which are common in this neighborhood - are called sweetheart rooms.

Baby Beeton's crib 

Our wall collage inspired by this collage over at Young House Love. You'll see Little Mr. Beeton and Little Mrs. Beeton, Tintin and Snowy, and Little Orphan Annie and Sandy.

The banner made by my very talented mother for my baby shower. And a make-your-own mobile off to the right, using alphabet cards like these given to us by Grammy.

A repurposed fruit basket from our old apartment, which housed tiny animals. A great distraction for baby while changing dipes.

Henry and Ribsy!

Another repurposed shelf - this time from the childhood bedroom of Little Mr. Beeton.

A little marble-topped table we found in our neighbor's trash.

What I thought was an insect door stop from my Great Aunt Mary... it's actually a boot remover, according to my father-in-law.

P.S. - My new favorite Baby Beeton saying... "I love you, Baby Beeton." "I, too, Momma."

some type of way

We've been in some serious denial that summer is over here on Quackenbos Street. But, now that Labor Day has come and gone, I think it's time to face the facts - even if select splash parks in D.C. are still open. 

In these waning summer days, I noticed more and more people posting on Facebook about things that they were pleased to note they had finally crossed off their "summer bucket lists." I find the whole concept of a bucket list to be perverse (who wants to actively think about their impending doom?), but I did want to post about a few places that were especially special to us this summer - places that we visited more and more as the impending first day of school loomed.

Trohv - I cannot even explain the magic that is Trohv. If you haven't been, you need to hop on the red line and head on up there. After all, where else can you find an A-Treat soda bottle carrier that you'll transform into bathroom wall art? (Yes, you read that correctly.)

Pleasant Pops - This place was one of my most favorite summertime haunts - the pop shop! (Thanks, MB, for tipping us off to it!) When you combine it with a picnic in Meridian Hill Park, nothing says summer more. 

Van Buren Playground - Yes, folks. The playground is finally open! We'd been dreaming about it all summer, and I have to say that the final product is waaaay better than what we imagined. We spent so much time there the past few weeks that I think the maintenance men thought we had set up permanent camp in the little treehouse. And, again, when combined with a picnic... aaahhh. As Baby Beeton would say, "This is the life!"

AFI Silver Theater - How did we not know this was in our backyard? Mr. Beeton and I had a date night not too long ago (only the second of the entire summer... a crime, I know). We followed it up with a drink at Sidebar. I had a "Tennis Is More Interesting When You're Drunk" in honor of the U.S. Open. It had Pimm's in it, and you know how I feel about that.

Takoma Park Farmers' Market - We loved going to market all summer. Frequently, the much anticipated La Mano coffee bar would host pop-ups, and we could shop for fresh veggies while drinking cold brewed coffee. Baby Beeton loves, loves, loves the yogurt drinks and guitar player. And, this past week, we did our best to convince our former neighbors-now-friends that they really need to move here (please, please, please! we'll watch your cats when you take trips... er... I mean vacations).

When I think of summer 2013, these are the places that I'll think of... the places that make me "drop down to my knees, thankful for life today." If you can guess who made that quote famous, I'll buy you a cold-brewed coffee.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Blue Jasmine.

 

nothing to see here, sheryl

A few more moments of leaning back...

A tea party in a tent with a frog.

A picnic on the bed before nap time with a rabbit.

A swim in a pool with a dog.

A summer haircut (courtesy of Shampoo) with a cell phone and messenger bag.

And what I don't have documented is an extended Momma and Baby Beeton dance party last night after dinner, swimming and picnics at Prince George's Swimming Pool (thanks to A and C), celebrating new babies at Jackie's (can't wait for the newest bean to arrive!), and general summer malaise. It's been a heatwave, after all, Sheryl.

Finished reading Mary Higgins Clark's Daddy's Gone A Hunting. Finished watching Dexter: Season 7 and Top of the Lake. Started Veep. Still into The Killing.

Keep sweeping, Martha

salute

The day started out with freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee, bacon, cinnamon rolls, and a Greek omelet. It ended with Roscoe's pizza and mango gelato. Who could ask for a better Mother's Day?

Keep sweeping,

Martha

great expectations

This weekend did not turn out as I had hoped. I was dreaming big after a wretched week of work. Here was the plan. House of Cards and wine on Friday; a visit to Purcellville on Saturday; cherry blossoms and Mad Men premiere on Sunday.

I feel like a more accurate title for this post would be #lifewithkids. Or kid, in my case.

What I got instead was a very sick boy with an ear infection (his first) and a trip to the Children's National Medical Center on Friday evening. A series of sleepless nights and restless naps ensued. A follow-up trip to the doctor revealed that not only were we facing an ear infection - as diagnosed - but we were also staring down two-year molars - as suspected.

In looking back over the weekend, though, it was surprisingly bright, considering. Baby Beeton was a trooper, and even when sick has a super sunny disposition, so there's that. And, we got gelato for everyone following the hospital visit on Friday night. Delicious. Plus, we had an impromptu get-together with the Purcellville crowd who kindly came out, cooked us dinner, and brought us Easter treats (including a sweet little wheelbarrow for spring time gardening).

So, even though the best laid plans did not come together, we still made it work. Just don't tell me what happened on Mad Men. I still haven't watched it.

Keep sweeping, Martha

PS - Here's a little video that Grammy took when babysitting the other day. I've got to get myself one of these iPhone things.

the feminine mystique in a mad, mad world

I've been thinking about Betty Draper a lot lately.

As most of you know, Mad Men returns tonight after a 17 month hiatus, and throughout the week, the actors and actresses have been appearing on the morning talk shows to promote the new season. The other day, Matt Lauer (poorly) interviewed Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, January Jones, Vincent Kartheiser, Jared Harris, and Kiernan Shipka. Of course, Betty Draper's mothering was a point of discussion. Lauer noted that it's bad, and Jones balked. But, Weiner stood up in her defense.

I've always wondered about people's strong reactions to Betty's mothering. My students hate her, even after we talk about the 1950s, read sections of The Feminine Mystique, even after I ask them to imagine being in her position. I guess it's hard for them to do. After all, they are (mostly) 18-year-old, over privileged white students with iPhones, Louis Vuitton "bookbags," and internships on the Hill. They point to this video to defend their critiques.

And, I'll be honest. I didn't really understand Betty in full until I became a mother, even if I was a bit more sympathetic than my students. Intellectually, I understood her plight (after all, I did teach Women's Studies classes at the University of Delaware), but emotionally, I didn't connect until Baby Beeton arrived. Then, I realized how I struggled to care for Baby Beeton with kindness and patience when met only with screams, how hard it can be to take a shower some days let alone set my hair and make sure my nail polish and toe polish match, how difficult throwing something together in the crock pot can be, how lonely I felt even when my husband would be home long before Don Draper ever made it back from the city.

I was glad that Weiner defended Betty a bit. After all, her life is filled with difficulties, and while she is far from perfect, I think a lot of her characteristics are understandable given her situation. Admittedly, I was concerned for her further character deterioration in Season Four, afraid the writers were listening too hard to my students (after all, villains can be fun... isn't that why we all love to hate Thomas?). One of the reasons Mad Men is so successful, I feel, is because the characters are all flawed; they are round, not flat, and I hope that sentiment is remembered in Season Five and that Betty is fleshed out once again.

So, when I put on my Betty Draper inspired, houndstooth shirt dress that I found at Polly Sue's for our premiere party tonight, I won't be thinking about the Vulture video. Instead, I'll have this image of Betty in my mind. Because after all, doesn't this scene really say it all?

Keep sweeping, Martha

super hank

One of Baby Beeton's friends in our moms' group has a baby doll. It's so cute to see him snuggle with it. When he brought it to our house, all the other kids wanted to play with it, too (okay, well, they mostly wanted to chew on it). It got me to thinking that Baby Beeton also needed a doll. And, since I've been forbidden to take him to the American Girl Doll store, I settled for buying him a super hero doll - a good compromise, I thought. Check out "Super Hank." Isn't he adorable?

You can see more super heros at "Joy Made It" on Etsy.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watching New Girl (living up to the hype).

my little gourmand

In being all caught up inside my own head, I've been forgetting to record all of the really fun things that have been going on around here. One major source - solid foods!

When the pediatrician first told us about starting solids, I looked at it as a welcome break from nursing. Little did I know that it was just a chance to feed my little man three times more a day than I already was feeding him. Grr.

But, actually, it's not been bad. He really likes everything he's tried and sits so good in his highchair for us. He likes it so much that in the evening, after he's done, he'll continue to sit and play while Mr. Beeton and I eat our own dinner.

Baby Beeton's menu choices are as follows:

• Proteins = chicken, beef, turkey
• Vegetables = sweet potato, squash, corn, green beans, peas, carrots
• Fruits = peaches, pears, apples, bananas, prunes, avocado
• Grains = oatmeal and rice cereal

And, because of his fondness for mealtime, we've become more adventurous about eating out. So far, Baby Beeton has been to Everyday Gourmet, Roscoe's, Mrs. K's Tollhouse, Clyde's at Willow Creek, Olive Garden, Mark's Kitchen, Austin Grill, Il Fornaio, and Potbelly's. I'm working up the nerve to make some Valentine's Day lunch reservations at a landmark D.C. spot with Baby Beeton in tow as a surprise for Mr. Beeton. I'll let you know if that works out.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Tea Obreht's The Tiger's Wife.

100 days of...

Yesterday, at the Takoma Mamas group, one of the group members brought all these amazingly beautiful and yummy treats (I had this little puff ball thingy that melted in my mouth and exploded with the most delicious flavor) to celebrate her baby's 100 day birthday. In Korea, she explained, the 100 day celebration is incredibly important because it means that the baby has overcome some of the most difficult, early day obstacles and should be on the road to good health and happiness! On the day of the celebration, the family is to share with as many people as possible these special treats. The more people who eat; the more good fortune for the child.

It made me curious as to when Baby Beeton's 100 day celebration would be. Turns out it would have been on September 7th, if I calculated correctly, Grammy and Papa Beeton's wedding anniversary! What a coincidence. I have to say that can only mean good fortune.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Little Children by Tom Perrotta (I do not recommend reading this book if you have just had a child or are in any way experiencing any kind of marital strife at the time of reading. Of course, it you don't have a degree in Women's Studies or a penchant for Patrick Wilson-types, you'll be fine.)