Chuck D & Mr. T

I don’t like the parental line “because I said so.” Children should be respected as anyone else and deserve explanations. In fact they more than adults need them so that they can learn and understand what is going on.

Snuggling Teddy to sleep and when he gets in my bed every morning is perfection- his little body fits right into the curve of my hug. And even though Charlie is getting bigger he also fits right into my hug. I guess nature designs this. The girls fit right on my hip and however I hold them though when I snuggle them to bed at night all they do is chat.

I had such a hard time going to sleep when I was little-I was always scared and lonely. When I was really little like around 3, I’d make my father sleep on the floor next to my bed until I fell asleep. My dislike of sleeping alone encouraged me to sleep train the children so that they’d be happy and comfortable going to sleep on their own. But it’s hard for me because I would love nothing more than laying next to them and cuddling them to sleep each night. Instead I just cuddle
For until they are almost asleep. And every night sing
Lullaby
And goodnight
Go to sleep my sweet baby
Lullaby
And goodnight
Go to sleep my sweet bear

I looove when they song along with me.
Sweet dreams.

A dreamy day…cuddling and Olympic hockey in the morning followed by sledding at BK then the lego movie then family pizza at Pete’s then the boys playing Lego and the girls playing baby chicken (apparently that’s a game where they get totally naked and Tackle each other on the ottoman yelling “Baby chicken!” There was a lot of excited chatting during the movie and attempts at whispering. Charlie is getting so much older and gets all the jokes. Scottie and Nelly actually watch them whole thing. Teddy is so perfect to have on my lap during a movie btw.

One of the girls’ favorite books is Farmyard Counting which is a big board book with different number of farm animals on each page. They love the horses (they love pretending to be horses, talking about horses, reading about horses, coming with me to ride) but they also really like the page about the goats and bend their knees in a kneeling fashion and say “Look like the goat! I bend knees like goat!” They are also very curious about what is going on with the cows’ udders. I explain but they aren’t so sure I’m correct.

I love Valentines Day and holidays in general. I love celebrating and how there is a communal sense of everyone marking the same
Occasion. And I love giving Valentines to friends and everyone i care about. And I love giving Scottie and Nelly princess paper dolls and pez and Charlie and Teddy Lego, beyblades and pez. And I love making valentines and decorations with the children. And watching them open their valentines. So much love.

I love reading the book Mommy Loves which is about animals mommies loving their babies and it has the line “all mommies love their babies but most of all my mommy loves me. ”

I ask the littles all the time “Did I tell you yet today that I love you?” And they laugh and say yes and I tell them again.

A romantic lunch with MJ at Dino’s in Boston after our doctor’s appointment.

I hope my little valentines are feeling my love for them even though I’m far away. I know I’m feeling MJ’s love with him right here at my side. I long to get back to them to cuddle and kiss them and tell them how I love their laughs (and cries), their voices, the silliness and playfulness, their kindness and gentleness, their clever minds and physical abilities. I love you little ones. Xoxo

I’m at the airport thinking of all the places I want to take the littles and see with MJ. I would love us all to go to Scandinavia, St Petersburg, Morocco, Iceland, Asia, the Grand Canyon, Israel, Vermont. Teddy really a to go to London to ride a double decker bus and Charlie wants to go to Spain and I can’t wait to take them. I want to take them around the world and to see all the things out there together as a family. And of all the places MJ and I can go. And all the places the children will go on their own. And they can have so much fun exploring, and seeing things, and trying new food, and listening to new music, and packing light, and wearing nice clothes on the flight.

In a Vogue article I just read someone say Olympic ski jumper Grete Eliasson “just really likes life. ” that is exactly
How I always feel. I just really like life and always have felt that way. I’m so lucky to always have that.