Today I took Jonah to Fred Meyer for some sunglasses.  I told him to point some out that he liked and his first favorite was a white pair with flowers, followed by a purple pair with hearts.  My first instinct was to direct his attention to the more “boy” colored sunglasses and then I just about kicked myself because why the hell should he need “boy” ones? Argh!  Can’t he sport pink ones just like his lady friends?  Right then and there I felt like a failure as a parent.

I want so many things for my boys.  I want them to be happy and healthy.  I want them to find love and satisfaction in life. I have to admit though that there’s a part of me that also wants something for myself.  I want to be proud of them.  As in, I want them to be good people.  I want them to have good principles.  I don’t think that’s so selfish of a wish since society at large will also benefit from my kids not turning out like assholes but here’s the rub.  At what point do I start to teach them about gender roles (or even other such directives that I happen to hold dear)? I don’t know the answer to this.  It’s great that we take dance classes and like dolls and purses but at what point do societal pressures become a factor in hindering their socialization?  I want to teach them to question rules about what “girls or boys” like, what they should do in life and most importantly, who they should love.  I want them to be smart like that.  But does it start with the pink sunglasses?  I just don’t know.

We ended up with these.

The Shades

1.  Thought some of you might be interested in Format 126, a pretty cool, free, iPhone app.  Here are some photos I’ve processed with it.

2.  i’ve heard that there will probably be a new iPhone this summer, hopefully with a 5 megapixel camera.  at first i was really excited about this.  easier to get clear photos!  especially of moving children!  but then i started thinking about how part of the charm of iPhone photography is the imperfections.  would i start looking for apps to add in imperfections??  maybe i’ll just stick with the 3G when we move to colorado.  thoughts?

3.  Screamlet.  it’s my new favorite word.  love it!  it’s so completely perfect, and should definitely be in the dictionary.

4.  i never, ever, ever, want to do an international move again.

5.  eve has got me thinking about baby-names-that-never-were, and i’m getting sadder and sadder about philippa.

4.  there is a photo of mine up at Pixels at an Exhibition.  i don’t know if this is an honor or not.  their submission guidelines don’t seem to mention any hows or whys regarding acceptance.  i submitted five photos, and only one is up, and i’ve noticed that other photographers have more than one photo up….so i’m leaning towards honor.  i hope!  we’ll just go with that.  so…yay, me!

5.  i am thinking of getting Photoshop and taking Photoshop classes in the fall.  but i’m a little unsure about my ability to fully and effectively utilize the program.  i get worried about overediting photos.  i feel like i have an okay eye (with tons of room for improvement) for taking photos, but the art of enhancing???  it could very well be like painting, or interior design, or fashion.  i know what i like, but have no ability to do anything with the aforementioned arts myself.  and Photoshop + classes is a fairly large investment for something i’m not sure about.

6.  speaking of fashion i’ve been trying to incorporate scarves into my wardrobe.  something i was staunchly against for myself until about a year ago.  how do you feel about scarves?  yay or nay?  i’m still not sure if i’m able to pull this off without it looking all contrived, but am forging ahead anyway.

7.  business trips suck.

8.  miss you guys a ton and wish we weren’t moving to colorado.

9.  the morges book club is reading Eden’s Outcasts:  The Story of Louisa May Alcott and her Father.  it was my choice, and started out a bit slow, but after that really picked up.  i loved it.  i’m hoping that it will be a good book club book, with a lot to talk about.  i had no idea that bronson alcott was anybody of any importance.  it was fascinating to read about him, louisa, and their relationship with other transcendentalists like thoreau and emerson.  did you know that ralph waldo emerson was a unitarian pastor?

10.  seriously.  no more international moves.  none.

Someday soon someone is going to get bored of seeing my pictures and post something else!

I swear we do other things besides play with sidewalk chalk out in our front yard.  We do have a back yard but I’d have to go on poop scooping runs every time we went out there and I’m much too lazy I don’t really have the time to do that every time we go out.

Rain doesn't stop us

Chalk fun. It never ends.

I wish these blooms on my trees outside lasted more than a week.  Yesterday when it was windy my brother and I looked out the window and it was as if it were snowing.

Blossoms at the sidewalk

Jay and I had our ultrasound today — looks like we’re having a girl!!! Let the ‘discussions’ over names begin!

Possibly a less-than-interesting post for many (or all) of you, but here’s what you get for a little new reading material (tomorrow, if we’re lucky, the answer to boy or girl?).
A month ago or so, sleeping became a bit uncomfortable as my hips would start aching by the end of the night (and not only can I not sleep on my stomach, but no back either – !). I mentioned this to my friend Jennifer and she told me about the Snoogle pillow. Ok, she raved about it. As soon as we got off the phone, a link to the pillow on Amazon was in my in-box. A couple days later, I ordered it and since its arrival, have been sleeping more comfortably. It’s kind of a large ‘C’ shaped pillow that goes around the neck and then down between the knees – the idea is to help keep you aligned. Jay jokingly says he feels a little replaced – or maybe literally feels replaced as it takes up just a little space in the bed… just a little… It required its own suitcase when we went to the Salish… but it’s so worth it (Sorry Jay!) to be able to sleep for longer stretches!
I’m going to attempt to post a link (the pictures of the woman resting with it are humorous) but no Jay here to guide my way (yes, I am that lame) and I might give up…

Flowers from my Grandma’s place..

Primroses

Yellowness

Jonah’s gotten pretty demanding about his music lately, especially when we’re driving. For instance, today while driving we had to listen to a swing version of the five little monkeys jumping on the bed.  The entire time we were driving.  Like on repeat.  Good thing I’m pretty darn tolerant of that sort of thing.

EKBO has given us a bunch of kid’s CDs and there’s a song at the beginning of one that Jonah likes a lot.  I think he’s also heard her sing it and talk about how her preschoolers like it (I’ll let her detail that for you all) so it has special meaning for him.  I do admit that it’s pretty catchy sounding.  From listening to the musical tune, minus the lyrics, you might assume that it’s more complex than it actually is, but you’d be wrong. It’s a straight forward song involving a series of movements kids can follow.  Anyway, the rest of the CD has some good songs, some departures from the run of the mill children’s chord progressions (read simple and Western), a few annoying ones and is a refreshing change from something like a Raffi CD.

The album is called “Down in the Valley” by the New England Dancing Masters.  I looked them up and apparently they are a group that produces albums and books about singing games and dances, specifically geared towards teachers.  I’m not sure where their influences come from but the “Down in the Valley” album really does have some unique stuff on it.

Since I don’t have any other place to put the ones I like, I’m posting here. The other day we went to see the (almost gone) cherry blossoms at UW, which has become a tradition for us (see other blog).

Here’s another of Mr. J playing with chalk outside. Chalk is a big hit at our house. Except when it goes away after it rains. Then it’s a sad day.

Sidewalk Chalk

The toddlers are hard to get in focus on the iphone and the wee infants are getting hard as well. Notice the blurry arms.

Cjay and Slanky

My friend Kara, who’s son Phoenix is one of Jonah’s closest buddies, told me that Phoenix said he’d like to name his little brother Jody! His little brother will be here in May.

Luckily for them, Jody spelled with a “y” is how you spell the boy version of my name so it’s really all covered.