Category Archives: Uncategorized

Unanswerable questions my youngest daughter has recently asked me

  1. “Why are there so many places to go?”
  2. “Why do all the people have names?”
  3. “Why is Santa old all the time?”
  4. “Why are there squirrels?”

My attempts at responses to said questions:

  1. Because … there are a lot of people … and they have to be somewhere … so they make places?
  2. So we have something to call them?
  3. Because he’s been around for a long time? (Sylvia: But was he EVER not old?) Er … Because he’s magic?
  4. Because … evolution … Because they grew … THERE JUST ARE.

Sayonara, Japan; Hej hej Sweden!

Japan Week Collage Well. I do not know WHERE this week has gone. One thing about Camp Nellie Bly is that it’s keeping us ALL busy. In fact, Mama may need to dial it down on the research and presentation aspects of this here camp, because between teaching an online class, blogging, and camp prep I am spending pretty much every moment that I’m not with the girls attached to my computer. The problem is, I enjoy the shit out of researching each country. It’s unexpectedly fun to look at each place from the perspective of what my kids would find interesting or engaging. The nice thing about doing this when they’re so young is that I’m more interested in giving them a little taste of these places than I am in them retaining facts and figures. I know they won’t remember every capital or traditional costume, but I hope they will gain a sense for how diverse and colorful the world is, and how many different ways there are to be a citizen of planet earth.  Continue reading

The Book of Love

I’ve been listening to the latest Peter Gabriel album a little obssessively lately – for whatever reason, it’s the music I need to hear right now – and my current favorite track is his cover of The Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love.” I really wish I had known about this song before I got married, because it definitely would have figured in the playlist for the ceremony or the reception. I just lovelovelove the lyrics and the music is beautiful, too. Have a listen:

More fun with parenting failure

You know that parenting trick where your kid is bugging and bugging and BUGGING you for a sip of your non-kid beverage so you let them have one little sip just to show them that they don’t like it so they’ll stop bugging you? Yeah. Beverages with which this has NOT worked on the Sprout:

  1. Beer
  2. Coke

Srsly. She looooooooooved them. Got about three good swigs of the Summit Pale Ale before Mr. Squab could get the bottle from her. Same thing with the Coca-cola. I’m not even going to *offer* her my coffee.

And now for something completely different

When my nephew, who is now almost twelve, was about one year old, he developed this awesome talent that we called “using the force,” which involved him holding his hands out in front of his body and tensing his head and neck while making a crazy, wild-eyed expression with his face. It was hilarious and gave us many hours of entertainment. When the Hatchling was born, we hoped she, too, would have the Force within her, but alas, it was not to be. Imagine my delight, then, when the Sprout spontaneously busted out with some Force of her own earlier this week. We managed to catch the tail end of one performance on video. It’s funnier in person, but it’s pretty damned funny whatever the medium. Enjoy.

Still here

Whew – sorry for leaving that depressing blog post up for so long. I have to say, you guys leave some damn good comments. Most of the ones to the last post made me cry, sure, but they were tears of being understood and supported, you know? I’ve been thinking a lot about the whole feeding issue and hierarchies of motherhood in general, and there’s a blog post on that a-coming, but probably not for a bit. (I feel a little odd asking Mr. Squab to go on double kid duty so I can blog.) We’re getting into a workable rhythm with the newly expanded family, so now if we can just win the lottery so Mr. Squab doesn’t have to go back to work everything will be fine! Y’all let me know if you have any tips for that. Mr. Squab goes back to work on Monday; I have various relatives in town until April 8th to help make the transition, for which I am BEYOND grateful, but ooooooh I still wish we lived in a world where Mr. Squab got three months of paternity leave. Or, like, a year of paternity leave. Or that winning lottery thing. Do you think he could get transferred to France or some Scandinavian country before Monday?

Robinson 2.0

Elise and I are happy to announce Sylvia Charlotte Robinson to the world. She was born on Saturday March 14 at 9:36am, coming in at a whopping 10 lbs 5oz and 21 inches long. Mom and baby are doing very well, Ellie and I are doing our best to keep up. Posting will be light until Squab gets back up to speed.

The Final Countdown

One week to go, y’all. Which is good, because my ability to perambulate is decreasing by the hour. Think of a lame penguin crossed with an ungainly whale/african elephant mix and you’ll get some idea. I caught sight of a reflection of myself walking from my doctor’s appointment this morning and just about died of laughter. Things that would make this last week a lot more bearable:

1. A Lark.
2. A catheter/pee bag combo. SO SICK OF PEEING.
3. Some kind of weightless sleeping system. A flotation tank, maybe? One of those really expensive Tempur-pedic beds?
4. An elevator, or alternatively a one-story home.
5. Some kind of evolutionary development that eliminates all acid from my stomach. Temporarily.
6. A personal assistant/court jester/masseur/housekeeper combo to cater to my every need.

So, you know. Those should all be manageable, right? Someone get on that.

Shake it

Mr. Squab’s mom was in town briefly this week, and the Hatchling always likes to provide guests with the latest in toddler entertainment. Here’s a little sample of the show she put on. Yeah, the lighting is crappy, but you CANNOT DENY THE MOVES.

Dancing Ellie, February 2009 from Elise Robinson on Vimeo.

Well, this just makes me feel like an underachiever

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) — Catriona Matthew, the 39-year-old Scot five months pregnant with her second child, won the inaugural HSBC LPGA Brazil Cup by five shots over Kristy McPherson of the United States on Sunday.

[…]

“When you play well you don’t feel tired,” Matthew said. “Maybe tomorrow I will feel it a bit.”

Lessee, at five months I was … oh, yes, I was considering it an achievement to get dressed before noon. Or to wake up without ralphing in the bathroom sink. I think that might make me the Sarah Palin to Ms. Matthew’s Barack Obama.

(via Shakesville)