Back in PA

A lot has happened since we made our way back to PA three weeks ago. For starters, Anna turned three back on May 29th. We did our best decorating our interesting little temporary house by the dog food factory here in Quakertown with streamers and ballons. It was sub-par at best, but Anna was completely thrilled. Her big gift this year was a bike. She doesn't exactly get the concept of peddling, but she sure looks cute in the helmet. (I love this picture of her going cross-eyed trying to look at it.)

Since we got back, we've been spending lots of time catching up with family which, unfortunately, means driving 45 mintes back and forth from Quakertown to Lansdale and Hatboro over and over (sigh). Anna got to hang out with Eowyn a couple times already, including a trip to the sprinkler park. I was really happy that we were back in town for the last Kulp family event at 544 Melody Lane on Memorial Day. I forgot my camera for the big event, but my cousin Melissa took this great picture of Jack that I've shamelessly stripped off of her blog. So anyways, we're definitely anxious to get into our new house so that we can be closer to civilization (and have cell phone service!) again. We also can't wait to enjoy our big new back yard... we're already making plans for an Octoberfest complete with a Lederhosen-wearing accordian player we just met this weekend (long story)... more details to follow...

Goodbye RI

This is it. Our last night in Rhode Island. When we moved here three years ago, you couldn't have convinced me that I'd ever shed a tear over this place and yet here I am getting that lump in my throat for at least the sixth time today. I still vividly remember sitting in our bedroom one of those first February days we lived here, staring out the window at the abysmal winter weather, listening to the unfamiliar snap and bang of the steam radiators, feeling horribly homesick and absolutely certain we had made the worst mistake of our lives. But here I am on the last night and my heart aches even thinking about taking one last look around and then closing the door behind me forever. While it was only three years, it felt like a very long and very full three years. This house will always hold a special place in my heart because this is where I brought two of my babies home and because I feel like this is where we became our family. So as I think about leaving tomorrow, I have that sad and creepy feeling I get every time I consciously take a turn down a different path, abandoning another possible path forever. It's a feeling that's always been hard for me to put into words, so I'll steal someone elses:

Time present and time past

Are both perhaps present in time future

And time future contained in time past.

Footfalls echo in the memory

Down the passage which we did not take

Towards the door we never opened

Into the rose-garden.

Last Weekend In Rhode Island

Lately our weekend routine has largely been dictated by Jack's nap schedule and his marked aversion to riding in the car, but since this was our last weekend in RI, we decided to live it up for better or for worse. We packed a picnic lunch and drove to Sakkonet Winery in Little Compton (yes, there is a Little Compton, RI), taking one last opportunity to slowly wind our way through all the charming, quintessential RI towns along the way. Wind gusts aside, it was the perfect day for a picnic and Anna had a great time chasing butterflies, picking peanut butter cups (i.e. buttercups), and taking her first crack at watermelon. (For the record, we didn't purposely dress her in that watermelon skirt... sheer coincidence). Jack sat happily in his car seat like a champ and Josh and I got to enjoy a nice bottle of red wine with our lunch.


On our way home, we decided to pay one last visit to our favorite RI beach, Second Beach. It was definitely way too cold for my taste, but I firmly believe that given the chance,Anna would have thrown on her bathing suit and made a day of it.The whole way back to the car, she kept stopping to dig holes in the sand, merrily singing the Seven Dwarves "Dig, Dig, Dig" song as she went. We gave her a good long time to say goodbye to the beach and then put our two over-tired munchkins back in the car and drove home from the beach for the last time.

Photo Update (Delaying The Inevitable)

Sooner or later I'll get around to writing something substaintial about our impending move back to PA. At the moment, however, it's all still a jumble of emotions that I can't quite sort out, so for the time being I'm just doing a plain old photo update. Of course, come to think of it, the photos themselves speak volumes about why the move back to PA is bittersweet. I'm happy to get back to family and friends, but at the same time, this is home. This is where we brought our two babies home from the hospital and this house is filled with many of the simplest and sweetest memories I've known. (tears starting... let's move on)
Recently, I've been plunking Jack in his little chair while I get Anna dressed in the morning. Now she's taken to giving Mr. Jack a fashion show following each dressing session, including commentary such as, "This is from the TV store (Gymboree), baby Jack," and "I'm wearing three hair clips, baby Jack."
Here's another picture I love. Josh, Anna, and Jack took me out to breakfast for Mother's Day and since we knew it was likely our last trip to our favorite breakfast spot, we finally let Anna order a chocolate chip pancake. She liked it. A lot.

Revenge Will Be Mine

I'm convinced that Jack breathes a sigh of relief every day at 6 p.m. when daddy gets home and rescues him from the estrogen party that goes on every day here on Pleasant Street. Given Anna's affinity for all things pink, purple, and princessy (and my unwillingness to break the obsession), Jack is pretty much subject to every last one of Anna's girly whims including being dressed up in doll clothes and accessories. Revenge, I suspect, will one day be his...

Along those lines, allow me to extend a challenge question to those of you who regularly read and comment on this blog. Please properly identify the item I found jammed in my nail clippers this morning, as pictured below:

Summery Day

After surviving the rain storm of the century last week, we were glad to finally see some sun yesterday. Anna and I took full advantage, playing with chalk in the driveway for what seemed like a good five hours. The best part was Anna's creative version of hopscotch... but hey, whatever gets the wiggles out.
In other news, Anna had her first trip to the dentist this week and did a great job sitting still for almost 30 minutes and not freaking out when they used "Mr. Thirsty" to suck the water out of her mouth. Unfortunately, I'm afraid most of the anti-sweets talk will go unheeded. Here she is licking the Jello section of her plate clean after lunch yesterday.
As for Jack, thanks to Gigi (Great Grandmom Turner), he's all set for the beach this year in his new plaid swim trunks. He's got a little room to grow, but that's probably for the best since this chubber is packing on the pounds and inches like crazy.

Snoring Jack