5/27/07 Park BBQ

Today's only redeeming event was going to a park and barbeque. I got to chat with friends, Katrina got to smile at people and do cute-baby stuff, and the boys got to play with friends. There were lots of kids there, so there were various combinations of kids playing, but since the boys see so much of the White family, inevitably they gravitated toward their respective peers.

Julian and Andrew played together a lot today,

as did Gina and Gabriel, "racing."

Gabriel discovered a "forest" in a corner of the park, and was unusually excited, for him, about exploring it. I didn't see this myself, but he was coaxing Gina into places that she wisely thought better of going, though fortunately this particular place was safe. They were looking for dinosaurs, but were very excited to discover a cat too.

On the way home, Gabriel asked again and again about going to explore in a forest, can we go now Mom? This kid needs to go camping. Is this a new side of him, or one that's always been there that I haven't fostered somehow? (Isn't it amazing how modern moms can turn a positive thing into a guilt moment?)

Katrina's morning nap got all screwed up, so she was a ticking time bomb while we were at the park. Fortunately she stayed sunny and happy, but we were pushing it. I called it right and got everyone organized to leave early, and with Gabriel's help, managed to keep her awake in the car. The moment we got home, I nursed her and she went down happily for a 2.5-hour nap. And so did I, as I've been fending off a headache today.

I'd hoped to take Dave to an open house today, but alas, it's impossible to fit in multiple things with a nap-needing baby in tow. (Fortunately, or unfortunately at times, Katrina's inflexibility quells any temptation I might have about having her nap in the stroller or some non-crib location. Such as my shoulder, never an option for her.)

I don't want to lose momentum on this massive remodel project, I just want to get it done! Well, started. Sometimes the only way I can keep up with a project is to make sure I do at least one thing a day on it. If that's just sending an email message, so be it, at least it's something. I guess talking with Stacey and Betsy about the virtues and downfalls of interior windowless bathrooms will have to count for today.

I love living so close to Rancho San Antonio. I hate that millions of other people do too, and that tomorrow, especially being a holiday, going to Rancho would mean spending much of baby's happy window circling the parking lot. Maybe I should find a forest for Gabriel to explore tomorrow. It'd be fun to do that with him...except for that nap-needing-baby-in-tow thing again. Sigh. Caught between two lives. Well, three.

5/27/07