You can always tell when a new kid has been born into a house with a lot of other kids. There is a mob scene. I was at the SLC airport when the Flindt kids flew in from Florida in spring 2005 and saw their baby sister Alyssa for the first time. They nearly overturned the stroller, as they rushed to cuddle and kiss. I was also at the Ebert house in Boston when Miriam arrived home last Sunday. Another mob scene as Emilie, Jono, Annelise, Sophia, and Ezra all reached for the baby at once. There was an overflow of love.But what about the mom who's been through this again and again and again? Camille arrived home at noon. At 12:05, I caught her with a broom, sweeping the kitchen floor!
Miriam was born on Friday, May 22. I asked Camille, when I arrived on Thursday night, "What is my highest and best use while I'm here? I can scrub floors, sort clothes, anything." "I just want you to make memories," Camille said. "I want you to have fun with the kids." I took her at her word. I had so much fun that I forgot to take pictures of 1) my whale watching trip with Emilie, Jono, and Annelise (we saw 50 ft. humpback whales pull their heads, their tails, their whole bodies out of the water), 2) Annelise's and my foray into the American Girl store for the fanciest and priciest "accessories" (Annelise's word) I've ever seen, short of my own forays into Nordstroms, and 3) the family gorge-athon at The Cheesecake Factory, as Steve and I ordered a buffet of appetizers for the kids--deep fried macaroni and cheese balls, popcorn shrimp, miniature hamburgers with giant-sized fries, all washed down with raspberry lemonade.
I did have the presence of mind to snap pictures of the field trip Sophia, Ezra, and I took on Friday morning to the Children's Discovery Museum in Acton, just down the road from their house. There was a pirate ship and dingy to climb in and out of, but the funnest part was climbing in and out of the life vests!
There was a "safari room" to explore, with monkey and lion suits to try on and a tree house to crawl through and hide in.
There was even a contraption that you stood inside, pulled a rope, and it created a giant bubble around you! Sophia created the bubble; Ezra popped it.
And, when we were all through, there were "holiday" donuts, decorated with blue and red sprinkles for Memorial Day.
One last shot.... Sophia is becoming as much a fashion plate as her sister, Annelise. Here she is in a stylish black hat from who-knows-where. Sophia couldn't remember where she'd found it, and nobody else had a clue!
