Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sharing love through Sugar


I love family traditions. I especially love finding new ones to share with my own family.


Screaming because he has his own cookie and frosting and nobody is taking it away!
Kajsia is explaining that she needs another frosted cookie to put candy on!

A few years back, in the Harlem Cookbook, Jamie Wride shared a sugar cookie recipe. At the end she wrote how she remembered spending hours eating red hots and frosting them with her mom and sisters for hours. With a batch of Jamie's amazing cookies, I set out to start our own Valentine traditions. With more frosting on their faces and in their tummies than on the cookies, it still was a wonderful afternoon. The best part was giving them away to our neighbors and friends. One even said, "this is better than cards and flowers!" It's the Wright's way of sharing our love through sugar.

Dad even got in on the decorating.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Plum tuckered out


My sweetest Kajsia,
Today was a rough day. You woke up before the crack of dawn and with all your stubborn effort (you get that from me) you fought through the sleepiness and made yourself stay awake to bid your father farewell. You shed a few tears when he left and didn't find solace in my rocking arms. You were extremely upset about the sparkly belt you were wearing and did all you could do pull it off on our walk in the 14 degree weather to music class. Your favorite plush pink blanket was lost along the hurried way!

I know you are pushing your boundaries, figuring out when "No" means "NO!" My patience has worn thin! It has seemed like the time out corner has become more of a respite for you. After a gentle reminder about patience from mom's quiet class today, I resolved to be better for the remainder of the afternoon (at the very least). I did pretty good considering Brannick didn't take a nap, we had a lunch guest and you only slept for 45 minutes. Dad was going to be my Savior and he answered the call about 4:50. It was an answer to prayer until I heard his phone needed reconfiguring because it died today and the cable box he picked up still needed to be installed...all before 8pm. He had a boys night planned! I'm sorry that it wasn't the evening we had originally planned. I'm sorry you were left to your own coloring books, books and ipod for a good part of the evening so I could tend to your exhausted brother. I put him down at 7. I tried to feed you, but mac and cheese (your favorite Ariel shell's) didn't beckon to you. Neither did baked ziti, peanut butter and jelly or quesadillas. The kitchen looked like I had fed an army, but you didn't have one bite. All you wanted to do was watch Peter Pan with daddy's headphones. I lifted up one of your headphones to ask if you were hungry and you said, "no." I asked if your tummy was owie, you said "no." Then you said, "I just want to leave my headphones on mommy."

By 7:53, I made myself on omelet so I could eat before 8pm. I took a bite and came to check on you. All wrapped up in your pink and chocolate striped ribbons, camel back still in hand, propped up on your backyardigan chair with daddy's skullcandy headphones still affixed to your ears with "You Can Fly" playing in the background. Kajsia, you were passed out cold.I didn't get to tell you I love you, sing you a song or even say goodnight. Maybe you fell asleep hoping you could fly away from this home for a few days. I promise tomorrow I will be better. I love you more than anything in this world, sweet dreams my love muffin!