Category Archives: Stella

Keep her away from the sugar.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

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Thanks to all who sent the good thoughts, well wishes and calls for status update. It must have worked, because Dore called yesterday to update me that everything went well. In fact, very well. They removed all new growth and even some additional pieces that they couldn’t get at the first time around. I have received so many medical-related calls from Dore over the last couple of years where the news wasn’t good, it was wonderful to hear that positive tone in her voice when I picked up the phone.

As Steve and I discussed all of this over the course of the last day or so, Little Big Ears seemed to be listening in the distance, and we began to be peppered with a myriad of incredulous questions about the hows and whys of brain surgery. I am hoping the seriousness in which she digested the information will cease all future references to pooping in your brain. One of her more ridiculous insults of late.

In an effort to kick-start myself back into posting mode, I will provide all you Walstonling-deprived souls with this series, wherein I actually had both of their attentions at one time for about 6 and a half seconds. Then, quicker than you can say Inevitable Sibling Meltdown, it was gone.

stella and porter
(And yes, there are more. Just click the photo.)

Quality Family Time

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One of those days right around Christmas, Steve decided it would be a good idea to engage both of our children in the task of making bread. Yes, really. He has been doing this more and more lately – suggesting activities out loud, in front of the kids that he knows have a success rate hovering somewhere in the single digits. And when I say ‘success’ I don’t mean that the project reaches full completion, but that any of it gets completed without one or both children or parents experiencing complete emotional breakdown. He did it again this week, when he suggested that we do finger painting. Indoors. With both children. He might as well have just opened the knife drawer and told them to go for it. I also find it quite odd that it is he – the one with the irrational fear of messes – who suggests these activities. I can only imagine that it is akin to throwing someone out of a plane to cure their fear of heights.

After suggesting the whole finger painting fiasco activity, I told him it would require that I had a cocktail in my hand. That day, happy hour began at 3:00pm. Steve was mopping the floor within the first 15 minutes. He was rocking in the corner within 30.

The bread making digressed not so much because of the floury mess that was created, but rather due to the volatile nature of the participants. If you lean in close, you can hear the anguished cries of Porter’s protest from pretty much the first moment he joins in the process.

stella and porter
(click photo to see the entire set)