The Latest on the Lowes

We started this blog to share the transformation of our 1926 fixer...but with time and the addition of kids it has become my way of documenting two childhoods...the triumphs, moments of hilarity, lessons learned and everything in between.

Friday, August 30, 2013

2 weeks here, 2 weeks in Bulgaria

August kicked off with a week of Mama-Kiddo Fun.  Matteo's school was closed the last week of July/first week of August so I took vacation time, pulled Lily out of her summer program and took the kiddos everywhere.  And by everywhere I mean:
Mounger Pool
Aquarium
Children's Museum
Zoo
Golden Gardens
Remlinger Farms
The car (Matteo can sit in the driver's seat for an hour, easily - unfortunately for me he prefers I am a captive passenger and that I refrain from reading a magazine as he "drives")
The weather was great for all of it except Remlinger, which was rain soaked...but all things considered, that's better than too hot, right?  Katie was an angel and went with us, which meant Lily and Matteo each had a companion for the rides.  And to top all this off, there was a meatloaf contest one night on our block, complete with a fruit sculpture contest for the kids (Lily won 2nd place with a grape-and-toothpick playground set). A picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a few thousand for you:



The following week was less idyllic. Great Grandma Kate hasn't been doing well, so we took a quick trip down to Arizona to see her.  To our enormous relief, Matteo handled the plane ride like a pro.  He was downright giddy in the airport, exclaiming "AVIOOOOON!" every time he saw a plane (every 20 seconds) and was excited to be onboard.  He definitely gripped the sides of his car seat when the plane actually moved, but otherwise he was a trooper - he even napped!  To say we were relieved after the Disney flight nightmare would be a huge understatement.  And most importantly,
Kate got to see both kids and they got to see their Great-Grandma.

As soon as we got back, I unpacked the family and re-packed myself for two weeks in Bulgaria for work.  Sadly there isn't much I can write about the trip as I was filming pretty much the entire time and until it premieres in late October I can't show any stills.  Lame.  I can say that the studio, Nu Boyana, is also where the latest Expendables film is shooting and that I had not a single star sighting.  I can also say there are a heartbreaking number of strays, that I found a litter of tiny puppies, and found fellow dog lovers to find them homes.  I can write that Bulgarians are overly fond of tomatoes and cheese, often wear oddly nonsensical shirts, Zagorka (the national beer) is delicious, Corny Big is not only a hilarious name but a delicious treat, that I had to use way too may outhouses, and my shoot locales included a UN building, a mountain top, a mine shaft, the woods, a gladiator arena and sound stage.  I can also report that I was thrilled to come home.  Another four thousand words for you here:

Homecoming was bittersweet.  Chris was dad extraordinaire while I was gone - he took them to ride the train in Snohomish, hit the Viking festival, and even found time to remodel the bathroom (YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT!).  All amazing.  But Matteo hadn't slept well the whole time I was gone and Lily's teachers reported that she would say "My Mama is in Bulgaria" with both pride and tears in her eyes.  Being home is FANTASTIC, but the guilt over the rough time my family had is overwhelming.   Fingers crossed next year's title will require only quick trips.


Despite my long absence, I do have a few observations to share.  My kid's manners are fantastic.  Seriously.  They say please, thank you and you're welcome consistently and appropriately and know to ask nicely.  In comparison, several kids were over last weekend and to my horror NOT ONE said please, thank you, all expected to be served and two, after demanding a snack, decided they didn't like it and shoved it away, presumably for me to clean up.  Rude, rude, rude.  I was appalled and made a point of telling Lily how much I appreciated the way in which she conducts herself in comparison.  As a result she's upped the ante manners-wise and I'm certainly not complaining.  My other observation is that Doodle is becoming (hopefully) a luxuriator.  He's sleeping again and when he wakes up from a nap, he wants you to acknowledge he's awake, but also wants to lie for a while, collecting himself.  Likewise in the morning he's actually cuddled with me for 20ish minutes rather than springing into action.  This may be his missing me, but I am hoping it's a sign of him embracing the joy of sleep.  Oh, and he's become a little parrot.  I need to watch my cursing.

And finally, the quotes:

Chris: Hmmmm...there are instructions in 4 languages, but none of them are English
Lily: We're doomed, I tell you! DOOOOMED!!!!


Lily, seeing Matteo's favorite train video come on for the 328th time: No!!  It's horrible music!  It burns...it BUUURNS

Matteo, any time we drive downhill: WHEEEEEEE!!!!

Lily: Paco's butt SMELLS
Me: I'm sure your butt smells like daisies
Lily, totally sincere: Thank you for telling me my butt it smells like daisies

And to wrap it up, a shout out to Paco - he may have a smelly rear at times, but he is genuinely the sweetest dog that ever lived.  And also the saddest.  Yes, thanks to a hot spot, this is him for the next two weeks.