Home from New York

Not much time to write before I fall over asleep on the keyboard, but I have to say we arrived home safely from New York today. Rowan slept most of the drive (two hours driving to the Ferry, awake for the 2 hours of Ferry time [including loading and unloading], and two hours driving from the Ferry to our home), slept like a complete utter log when we stopped to get cat food on the way home (the cats would have rebelled if we'd not brought extra home when we finally got here, after extending our trip by a day) to the point I was ready to check her breathing. Now, the sleeping I understood, she had a very, very full visit with her great grandparents, including late nights, but no late mornings. But the thing that broke our hearts was that every time she was awake and started thinking about the trip, she'd start crying about missing being there. And missing her cousins. Because, unbeknownst to pretty much anyone before it came to pass, all ten of my grandmother's grand children, minus one stubborn high school senior, were together for the first time since Gary and I were married. See, I have 9 younger cousins, the oldest three being ten years younger than me (they were born in June, July, and August the year I'd turned ten - until then, I'd been the only grandchild). And for whatever reasons, which I can't really say I understand, but whatever, families are just weird, aren't they? for whatever reasons, everyone has pretty much grown up separately, even those who live fairly close. I should have noticed this more when Rowan was so thrilled to find out - through the small-worldedness of Worcester - that she has an Aunt Jozefina who lives in Worcester (she'd met her a few times, but not in years). Well, when Rowan really realized that she had TEN cousins (yeah, yeah, second cousins or first cousins once removed or whatever - they're just cousins to us) she'd not met since she was a baby or toddler... and then when they were all in one place, she was THRILLED. Rowan has yet to meet someone she doesn't like, really, but this was special. She was in love with having family (she forgot for a day, at least, to remind us she wants a sister). Sure made me feel guilty that we don't visit much, either. So, the whole ride home, every time she'd wake up enough to remember we were going home, she'd break down crying about missing Long Island and her cousins. :( *sniff* We're not talking whiney annoying kid stuff, we're talking crying as if we'd bought her a puppy for Christmas then fed it to a snake in front of her. Most. Pathetic. Day. Ever. I'm curious to see how long this lasts. Now I just need to download all the photos off of my new digital camera (bounce!). Yikes.

Magic amid the madness

Rowan watching me putting on make up (a rarity), and curling her hair. Discussing proper theatre behavior on the way there, with no real doubts she'd behave just fine. Second row seats with an unobstructed view of the stage. Rowan's little gasp when she saw the tree start to grow, and pout when the Mouse King was killed. Eating nutcracker-shaped Snickers candies together during intermission (my original plan was to give one to her in the early afternoon to surprise her that we were going. Alas, without thinking about her reading ability and tendancy, I wrote it on the calendar for today. Whoops). Her snuggling up on my lap for the finale, which coincided with her normal bedtime. Her being able to tell me at the end what her favorite and least favorite parts of the ballet were, using the correct character names (she'd read the story synopsis in the program beforehand, but I really didn't think it would set in). Tucking her into bed, deciding this would be an annual mom-daughter event... So, I have 10 million and 3 things to do in the next two weeks, and my head just spins thinking about it so much I just stop even trying to think about it, but I had a couple of hours tonight with my little girl, who before my eyes is turning into a big girl. Officially, apparenlty, at least in marketing terms, she'll be a 'tween in 11 months. I shudder to think. In the meantime, I'm just going to enjoy the magic when it comes. And try not to freak out if I ever actually type out a full to-do list.