Molly threw a birthday party for her toy story loving 2 year old Luca.  It’s so great to get the kids out and let them discover each other and the world around them  - as well as relax with my baby-mamas.  Our lives are so much more hectic now that we’ve had more babies and started to connect back to our pre-baby selves.  While I still see them every week or so, our paths have begun to separate back making these dates so much more sacred!

That being said, i was a little nostalgic watching all our babies…  It is truly magical having kids as everything else just stops while you acclimate and change!  Your struggle and growth, elation and exhaustion all feed into this awesome life changing thing.  I am so thankful we’ve recorded these moments and discoveries as I can scroll through and watch our little ones grow into people.  I’m awed as these woman have helped shape my little ones, but most especially me, to be better!!  Now as I look at Ima trying to navigate through her frustrations – walking, climbing, talking –  and listen as Noah strategizes his argument for “5 more minutes before bed”  I’m blown away at how far we’ve come!

There were so many moments from this trip!  Thank you jas and em for sharing yourselves with us – i’ll send you money for the blinds;) Thank you to my uncle and aunt for hosting and opening your lives to the chaos of our entire elam-davenport -and hopefully next time-anderson clan!  you have a truly beautiful and tranquil home that is a perfect backdrop for the trash-talking, baby crying, celebration that is our davenport games. Thank you Mary Katharine! as you not only reminded me of my CPR training, but captured such memories with your camera and talent!  You have done such an amazing job of embracing and sharing our spirit!  Check out our other moments!

What a completely totally awesomely unexpected day!  I think Mother’s day is slowly climbing to the top of the fun filled holidays as I felt wrapped in luxurious doting for 24 hours and I couldn’t think of anything but reveling in that!

HAPPY MAMA’S DAY!

Every night after baths we have each kiddo pick out a story to read.  These books vary from a quick picture book to “the hobbit” novel.  Tonight Ima’s pick was Puff the Magic Dragon.  As jaythan and i belt out the lyrics, synching our dubious 2 part harmony, Noah starts to sing with us!!  It was such a moment.   When I looked over and saw him trilling this epitomy of a childhood song, I wanted to cry.  I feel that everyday, if we have a moment where we synch, where we connect as a family, as our own little island, I am truly blessed!  Tonight’s’ moment, as jaythan’s howling “OHHHH puff the magic dragon” to the heavens and Noah is dancing to the music between us, Ima looks on in fascination with her 2 little fingers stuck in her mouth, I can’t ask for better.

Night. Night.

We met up with our friends and hit the zoo for a totally chaotic intro into spring.  6 3 year olds, plus siblings, and a bunch of wild animals was truly livin on the wild side

So we braved the A-Z farms’ lamb birthing day to witness in actuality, no births!  Here’s some of our moments…

This date reaffirmed the complete emersion that can be the concert experience.  i.e. there’s music you like, you go to a venue, hear them and blessedly share that excitement with thousands of others channeling the exact same sentiment!

We had no theatrics getting there.  We left our delightful children in completely capable hands and set off for Milwaukee slipping into the theatre just as they were letting the throng through the doors.  So fantastic!! as that brought us great seats and access to the pit! We danced, we sang, we shared sweets with our neighbors  I tried talking jaythan into following them to chi-town for their next concert but he dutifully reminded me of the 2 little bumpkins waiting for us at home, so we came back…this time.

Jaythan tells me before the show that Wilco is our generation’s Rolling Stones; that we’ll look back on this concert and be proud we were able to see them!  I keep all this in mind as I begin my fight.

Getting a night out together is such a crazy show.  Everything has to click “just-so” to get out the door.  Tonight, I feel confident in our execution and prep!  we have the kids set, the babysitters’ checked in, both Jaythan and I are dressed and pretty  Ima’s throwing a fit on the floor and Noah’s running around celebrating naked time.  All seems to be pretty normal I reach for the tickets, grab the envelope and watch dumbstruck as one ticket slides out, slowly falling – and by sheer karmic wind current – is sucked effortlessly between the tiny space outlining the matchup of our kitchen counter and the cement wall.  I idolized that wall when we moved in. I thought “what a cool way to do this space.” I look at it now and wonder if we can hack into it.  I have to get that ticket!  I turn around betting on some sound assurance from Jaythan,  instead I watch as he patiently takes off his jacket, lays it neatly on the back of the chair and picks Ima up in resignation.  I want to cry.

There was a time awhile back when i painfully went through some soul searching.  I had a friend point out that it always seems we have SOMETHING happening.  Some freakish, out of the ordinary “You’re not going to believe this!” thing.  I emphatically denied said accusation as I had just always assumed everyones’ life, while different, followed its’ own crazy road.  I still believe in that, but I’ve also come to realize that our choices, our happenstance, our fate and karma all come together and seem to totally freak out on road Jennifer.  I don’t feel its’ bad luck, quite the opposite as it always seems to right itself into something great.  That being said, this thing, this happened in another life – situation making me stronger – have to look at it in a different way -sometimes sucks, sometimes karma’s a bitch

So, the ticket.  I call the wilco venue and explain our plight.  I beg for assistance and hope for empathy.  I do not receive it. We go anyway.  We arrive at the Overture center and descend on the will-call window.  I again explain the crazy, freakish, unbelievable luck that is now our ticket.  We soon have an audience.  I use this to my advantage and raise my voice for help.  It works

The concert rocked.  Wilco was intoxicating.  We came home different people having been able to break from mom and dad back into Jaythan and Jennifer.   Always makes the fight totally worth it!

I played my first concert with the MADISON ORCHESTRA this past weekend.  It was a nerve-racking, exhilarating, and ultimately humblingly proud experience as, for the first time, I looked out into the crowd and saw my son, completely awestruck and seemingly mesmerized with the stage! It was such an amazing moment for me as I could see everything register to him; the music (fyi – Mendelssohn: Hebrides, Glazunov: “From the Middle Ages” Symphonic Suite, and Stravinsky: Berceuse and Finale from Firebird 1919) my cello, Blake our conductor,  all swam across his face!!  I also saw my husband, looking back at me with such pride and strength – it was staggering the love I felt from him.

Jaythan, you are my partner in crime, my best friend, my lobster. I would never be the person I am without you.  You who picked up the slack so I could practice, who nudged me on when I was too tired to go, who shouted from the rafters that I made the MCO, and who never missed a beat.  You are my quan!