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originally uploaded by Heather of the EO {24 weeks} Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
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a pudgy little hand and a little chocolate around the corners of his mouth.something spilled on his sweatshirt.long eyelashes.chubby cheeks. An IPod and head phones…who knew. ::::: This morning he took a little Lego light saber and pretended to laser off the age spots on my hands. Isn’t that thoughtful? He would say, “This will hurt just a little bit…zzzz…zzzzt.” I was almost convinced it was working so I sat very still.This is a good start to a (finally) sunny day. Happy Monday, friends. Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
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I took this picture with an app on my phone, so I realize it’s hard to see, but hopefully you can tell it’s a little acorn hat. Right now it’s sitting up on a vase on our fireplace mantel, waiting to slide over a new little noggin in June. Speaking of the fireplace, sometimes I think we’re going to need to use it forever. We just got almost twenty inches of snow recently and another bunch is expected soon. I tweeted that the snow was starting to feel like a straight jacket. And so is the cold. We had friends over last night and they liked the fireplace. They asked if we had recorded the news show about me and alcoholism and our family. I didn’t know, but Ryan had it saved on our saving thing-a-ma-jig so we watched it with them and my whole body vibrated like I was nervous. I just […]
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Back when I quit drinking, I gave Miles an explanation I thought he could understand. Then I was a bit astounded at his ability to understand. (I give him all the credit.) This morning Ryan looked at his phone and saw it was the 20th. For us, the 20th always sticks out, a number that shouts SOBRIETY! So he said some congratulatory things to me from the other room, calling them out. Miles figured out what his daddy was referring to and came to me, stood next to me and asked, “Does that mean you had another month of not drinking wine?” “Yes, that’s right, honey.” He beamed and bounced a little bit, gave me a quick little side squeeze and ran off to play. ::::: When I think back on the days when Asher was brand new and Miles was so much smaller, it always stings my heart. It was a hard […]
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21 weeks We are past halfway to meeting her.Pregnancy, for me anyway, is one of those things that goesboth too fast and too slow,mixing itself up to be just the right amount of time. I think back to seeing that faint line on the test, way back in Octoberand it was yesterday and soooo long ago. Before we know it, she’ll be here and we’ll be looking at her likeshe was always hereand that seems really far away,before we know it. It’s just the right amount of fast and slow and thenthere will be this soft and holy HELLO. She kicked right below my belly button right when I typed that. She did. Or maybe it was a hello punch. I’m not sure, of course. But it was just right. Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
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Her profile is so much like her oldest brother’s profile. I wonder if she’ll be more like him, or more like Asher? Or just plain different than all of us? For now all we know is that her profile is a lot like her oldest brother’s profile, a boy who will turn six the week after she is born. Ryan and I walked through aisles yesterday and we talked about six years ago. We carried that registering-for-baby-things-gun that beeps. (Yes, we created a registry for a third baby. We did. For moms and grandmas to know what we need, since we did that thing where we got rid of everything somewhere between colic and hydrocephalus…or maybe that was after…whenever it was it was obviously too soon, but we thought we knew we were done. Stress will do that to you…until time passes…I think I’m rambling like this because registering feels greedy even if […]
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People have been asking and asking, Do you have a feeling? Do you know what you’re having? No, we’d say. I don’t know…maybe a boy? Since we have two of them? I don’t know? That’s why I bought the green oh-so-neutral guggy (our family’s word for a blankie) for the new baby. Then today we had our ultrasound, and when we got our peek… It felt blurry and surreal, just like that picture… a little peek of PINK??? WOW. We’re so happy and excited and totally and completely surprised.(The expression on my face in that last picture about sums up my current state of shock.)(It’s a very very good kind of shock.) WOW. There are just so many things you can’t know for sure until you know for sure. Now we know for sure, and even though this is all kinds of new to us, it is so good. THE ACORN IS A […]
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Now. Can you imagine what that belly is going to look like at 30 weeks? 35?I can tell you. It’s going to look full. And it’s probably going to cover two more rows of tiles on the wall. And then I’ll have a baby. We will have a baby. That’s cool. It will be a boy baby or a girl baby, we don’t know yet. But I’ll tell you on February 1st. Word. Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
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My favorite photos are the ones that capture exactly who they are… Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
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This post was originally written on January 19th, almost a year ago, and on the day before I quit drinking. The experience described in this post was a catalyst for change in my life. Because it’s true, what are we here for, if not to feel fully alive? To take risks and let go…to strive and overcome…to find ourselves wrapped up in the journey while we tell our truths and help each other. The moments with my boys in this post were just the taste I needed of all of that, and I’m so grateful. ::::: We laughed until our cheeks hurt. We burned down that hill like gravity itself with our coats and mittens crackling under the cold and we just couldn’t stop laughing. We bounced and spun and grabbed tightly to each other. We even face planted once, spilling off the sled in a pile, me on top of Miles on […]
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Miles and Asher played a significant role in the Christmas program at church… They were a bored and tired shepherd and his lost and lazy sheep…(Yes, shepherds wear black tennis shoes and sheep wear jeans…and glasses.) They totally engaged the audience… and sat poised and ready to sing along with their stablemates…yeah…that sheep was having some issues… and then at the end it was time to stand up and be clapped for, because of all of that effort…would you just look at their hands? just one more time… when you feel shy and nervous and way too over-tired to play your part,reach for your brudder’s hand. The End. Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
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It’s known as the BGE. Or Best Gift Ever. If you got one for your mother-in-law (or any generally hard to buy for person), you’d finally be able to sit back and relax, maybe even pat yourself on the back a little for your unique and useful gift-finding ways. No more gift cards or guesses at jewelry or clothes. Sound good? Okay then… I give you,the Moji Tension Release: I’m telling you about the Moji Tension Release today because I have one and I use it, love it, and want everyone I know to have one. I would say this is the perfect gift for every pregnant lady with a sore and tight back from all that front carrying and that would be true, but that would also be a bit biased and exclusive. The truth is, the Moji Tension Release (or MTR) is not just for we gestating mothers. You know, since […]
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I came around the corner ready to remind Miles (oh so gently, of course) for the eighth time to brush his teeth and put his pajamas on. Then I saw something that made me have to run for the camera. (Pregnant lady running!) Because strangely enough, in a light bulb moment, Miles had suddenly realized that if he moved the play book stand on the piano, he could stand up, push the keys and watch them move on the inside of the piano…Please forgive the quality of this photo, I was straight up rushed.And yes, the picture on the wall is all kiddywampus, and so is the lamp.most things in life are kiddywampus, no?We need to start piano lessons, actually. Miles is really interested and when he makes up songs he calls them happy or sad or angry and he makes them sound exactly that way. And we didn’t name him M*les K*ng […]
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I was on the other side of the glass, toasty warm. I needed to watch their joy…without putting boots on. They came in quickly and had hot cocoa. {Don’t call it hot chocolate, Asher will tell you it’s cocoa.} Last night we had our first fireplace fire of the year. We all lounged around on the floor and the couch and we told Christmas stories in the dark. Then we remembered Thanksgiving so Ryan and I told the boys about The New World and a fine feast and we figured there was a lot of corn. Asher thought Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria were hilarious names for boats. Things can change really quickly and I have friends with that kind of hard change in their lives so heavy right now. It makes me turn to look around and find thankfulness in white snow and good questions and hysterical giggles. I have no other […]
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Hello acorn belly, it’s nice to have you back.Seriously, friends. I’m only five weeks pregnant. In an effort to be honest, I will now tell you that I even cropped off part of my “backside” in an effort to shrink the entirety of…me. 5 weeks! It’s pretty crazy, what a body remembers to do. I really like it. ~~~~~ This post is dedicated to Kristen Howerton because she often says “remember that one time” before saying something that just happened, and it always makes me laugh. Just like her blog, Rage Against the Minivan, often makes me laugh. And this post is also dedicated to her because she has lived a very very long road to motherhood, in so many ways, and thinking about that helps me keep the perspective that I want to have. (Yes, I’m pretty sure you can dedicate posts to people…like the post is a book or movie or […]
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They rowed their boats… They walked through the tall grass… They…um…became crocodiles. (Apparently Asher thought that meant downward dog.) and…I can’t remember. Ride a bike? (or something)I met the lovely Karen from Playful Planet last weekend and she was kind enough to give me a Storyland Yoga DVD for Miles and Asher. They tried it out with their lovely friend, Miss M yesterday and they loved it. And I love that they’re getting exercise while engaging in story. Perfect Minnesota winter activity, no? I just wanted to tell you that.(Inevitable Disclaimer: I did receive the Storyland Yoga DVD free of charge, but I was not paid to write this post.) Speaking of yoga, I have a question about Montessori….(okay, yes…I realize that was not a segway at all, but anyway…) Are any of you Montessori experts? I ask because there isn’t one in our small city and I think it would be a […]
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I like to just say it like it is. So here’s the dealio. Word on the social media street is that the Creative Alliance event was thought to be some kind of elitist thing. There was an impression that there were secret invitations sent out and that everything about it was exclusive and somehow fancy. That’s okay. Those are the misconceptions that happen all the time with this kind of thing or that kind of thing or all things. In reality, this event was more of an experiment than anything else and therefore it was casual and profoundly simple in the best kind of organic-focus-on-what-matters kind of way. As a member of the team that was involved in making it happen (I take only a very very small bit of credit for that), I can admit that none of us really knew anything except that we trust Lee and her vision and her […]
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You’re welcome. I’m totally not as freaking hilarious and adorable as these two toot knockers, but if you’d still like to meet me and hang out and stuff, I’m giving away a ticket to the I_Blog Conference in Iowa this November 5-7! I’ll be there, waxing philosophical on all things blogging as a speaker, and then at night I will be happily tucked in my bed at the beautiful Hotel Pattee, where the conference is being held. It’s truly an honor to be a part of this enriching and well-planned event full of great informative sessions and opportunities to get your chat on with fellow bloggers. To enter for the free conference pass: Leave a comment on this post. (If you have trouble with my comment thingy, please email me at heatheroftheeo(at)gmail(dot)com with your entries. I apologize if you have to do this, but sometimes that thingy is wonky and I just don’t […]
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It feels too flowery to say he’s my sunbeam.But he just is, this boy. He was very very sad and scared a couple of nights ago.I took he and his brudder to the firehouseand there were so many peoplein crowds waiting to check out the enginesand lines for the bounce house,some people sitting and some standingand in just a flashhe was gone. We looked up and aroundand back and forthand I felt the panic. The longest minutes went bywhere I thought the thoughtsthat kill a mom’s insidesand thenthere he was.His face was crumpledand his tearswere so bigand he thought I left him. I ran for himas he held a stranger’s handand it seemed like a really reallylong timesince I’d seen him last. And it felt too flowery too say it to himbut I said those things you say right then,I’d never ever leave youI love you so muchI don’t know what I’d do […]
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I love October. You should see how it waddles when he walks. It’s the absolute most hilarious and adorable thing you’ve ever seen. And he wiggles it on purpose and calls it his chubby butt. October brings that feeling with it, you know? Like things are about to get hard before they get better. Like you’re dressing up for something you don’t want to wait for and you don’t want to recognize that it might be cold and tiring when you try to live it out. And it’s exciting and depressing at the same time and it leaves me in the throes of fighting the funk and I am. I was a stay at home mom who blogged as a hobby before. And now I’ve somehow become a writer and I feel like I’m embarking on winter, a season to hibernate and rest but there’s no time for that. A book proposal won’t […]
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On this day 3 years ago, I published my first blog post. October 3, 2007. It was a simple post sharing pictures from a day at an orchard. This space had an entirely different name then, and I had very little idea what the blog world was all about. I certainly had no idea what this blogging gig would end up meaning to me. I had no idea it would be this meeting place, this connection to people I’ve come to know and love, people who have supported me with or without telling me they’re reading, through so much. Three years ago, I had no idea, about so many things. In these last few years, our family has walked through Asher’s diagnosis and surgery, moving, my addiction and decision to get sober, and all the changes that every new year brings for any family. I’ve shared so much of our journey in this […]
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I am from the wooded countryside, Little Debbie snacks and Grandma’s homemade toast with cinnamon and sugar. I am from a gray split level with a basketball hoop and a crunchy gravel driveway. I am from The Cosby Show and The Smurfs. Dad and Grandma – two weeks ago (Kensington school) I am from lilacs and sunflowers, oaks and pines and crawly things. I am from where the lakes begin and Runestone country. I am from lefse and lutefisk, but I never eat the smelly lutefisk. I am from cribbage players and golfers, ice cream lovers and hot dish makers. I am from Colleen and Dale and Helen and Glenn. I am from humor with loud bursts of laughter and long naps in the recliner. I am from work hard and overcome and trials that make you stronger. Mom’s childhood home I am from pull yourself together and you always belong. I am […]
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First glimpse (isn’t glimpse a weird word?) (Gu-limp-sah)Dining Lighting (and orange curtains and gray paint) About one hundred years ago, I started a new “series” here on the EO called One Room at a Time. The idea was to show you a before and after photo as we finish updating each room of our not-so-new-to-us-anymore house. I said that we were doing one room every weekend. (I have no idea why I would say such a completely ridiculous and unfeasible thing.) We’ve been plugging away slowly but surely (and sporadically) on The House of EO, yo. So…I haven’t completely forgotten about the One Room at a Time thing. It’s just that we have yet to entirely finish even one room since the office. If we were artists that paint, let’s just say that we’d be the type of painters that draw something out and start to fill in the green of the grass […]
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It seems like they were just babies. Now they’re building a play house in the backyard and I don’t know how that can be. They are exactly who they are for exact reasons. One hides often and the other throws things a lot. They balance each other out and are just exactly perfect exactly how they are. They are good friends, our boys. Every mother wants her children to stay friends for their lifetimes. I’m no exception. I hope they will always put their heads together to find answers and stand up for each other. We all need someone who is always on our side. There are so many exciting things happening for us these days. Our family is in an entirely different place than we were even one year ago. And even with all the changes and so much on our family platter, Ryan and I can still so often be heard […]
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All week I tried to prepare for speaking to my Minnesota blogging cronies. I tried and tried and felt more and more scattered and then more and more anxious due to the unpreparedness. I got in the elevator on Saturday morning with Minnesota JoY (who saved me in the parking lot by generously giving me the parking fee I neglected to remember to bring) and Matt Logelin and Chris Ann from LoveFeast Table. That was a really good start. I asked Matt if he wasready for his keynote.He said no.I felt better.(Did you notice how I just said that last thing Logelin-style?) (Am clever.)Check out the lovely place we were able to call home all day Saturday. (A big thank you to CoCo for allowing a bunch of Internet Geeks to take over their space.) Yeah, you betcha. I want to work there. The commute would be Uff Da Long, but the huge […]
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When my head is full and my heart is hurting, I need the lake. I need the lake because it claps and waves and pours out. It is music and art and an open willingness. When I think I’ve figured it all out and my end answers bring pain, the lake laughs with its ever-changing redemption, rolling over the rocks and springing up, alive like its breathing and talking. The great pretender, the lake says watch this, and then steals the thunder from the sky and tosses up some rain. I need the lake because it is proof. That there is always a washing away and a miracle. This post is a part of Tuesdays Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
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The thing about summer in Minnesota, is that it’s so precious, a person hardly even knows where to start to make the most of it. It seems as if it flashes by in a moment and every fall, we Minnaahsoohhtons are left wondering if it really happened or not. We stand in the crisp turned frigid air and wonder how one point on the map can be so full of warmth and vibrant color and then, in an instant, so full of ice and gray. So we gobble up summer, I guess that’s what I’m trying to say. See? Miles with friend, Marin oh my, I can’t stand it… look across the lake, at the rain falling over there, but not here um…seriously… little T is such a tasty little morsel.(my life-long friend Jenna’s little girl) Meet Lucy. She is my sister and her family’s dog.Her head is not floating…she’s simply begging to […]
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On Friday morning at BlogHer there was a 5K through Central Park, honoring Tanner of Tutus for Tanner. Tanner himself saw us off from the hotel lobby, and then as you can see, we sprinted the entire way. I am so in love with this picture. It is friendship and connection and it is spreading the word for a good cause. I have my hand on Allison, my fellow Minnesotan blog friend. She is one of the kindest people I’ve ever had the honor to know, so I’m really glad my hand is on her. Hopefully her goodness wore off, adhering itself to my palm a bit. ~~~~~ For the rest of this week through next Wednesday my family (extended and immediate) has the use of a cabin on a lake. We’ve already been making use of it this week. I have to show you some of the photos from out there because […]
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I feel like I just got home from summer camp. I want to pontificate on my many layered feelings about the BlogHer “camp” experience, but I don’t know that any of us can truly articulate what it was like. And some of us are going to avoid sharing our true feelings in their entirety because let’s face it, everything in life, even beautiful things, have their share of yuck. I returned home last night exhausted, with nothing left but a need to decompress.Ryan wanted to hear about the weekend and I started to tell him stories and then I just stopped and said I was too tired of thinking about it all, even if most of it was absolutely good. There’s just too much to say.For now, let me just tell you the story of Wednesday, the day I flew in to New York City, hopped in a cab and 50 bucks later, […]
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