Meredith Carson... Across the Pond and Back Again...

... and there's no school, girls just need to go to the mall and find some entertainment.  Today was one of those days.  We browsed in the bookstore and looked at all of the Halloween stuff that is already all over the shelves in the gift shops.  Sophie and Emma squashed any doubts that they are true girly girls by squealing with delight at all of the autumn-themed-fragranced lotions in Bath and Body Works.  They also had their first ever Dairy Queen Blizzard and had their picture drawn in one of those automated photo booths... Pretty cute, actually. I feel like such an American spending the afternoon at the mall.  It is funny to see the kinds of things my kids are excited about since they have been USA-deprived for the last five years.  Sophie, for example, is dying to go to Taco Bell since she has never been there.  Both girls are totally impressed with the fact that one can buy a ready-made pie crust in an American grocery store (which I did toda...

Okay, so it is beyond time to baby-proof this house.  Above Lili is pictured helping herself to a raw potato from the cupboard.  Hey, a girl's gotta eat!   With so much going on, we are only just getting around to installing the annoying but necessary cabinet latches.  Lili, my favorite little curious and persistent imp, you  have scattered the contents of my cupboards all over the kitchen floor for the last time... I hope. "Hey! Hey, Dad! What'cha Doin'??" "Can I help??  This is so exciting!  I want to draw something too!" "I'm really good with power tools.  Just leave me to it!" "Hey! What the heck is this??  I know there are a lot of things in there that ought to be all over the floor!  Why can't I get in?" My dear, you have been foiled by your clever Dad and Mom.  Now if only we could install child-safety latches on the teenage boys who come calling i...

Today, in an attempt to be ironic, I dressed Lili in a cheerful yellow t-shirt which reads, "Make Every Day Happy."  The shirt looks especially fabulous when it is being worn by a moaning child with snot bubbling out of both nostrils.  After two unbearable nights with Lili thrashing about and yowling in our bed with us, I decided it was time to go and see our wonderful new pediatrician.  I just had one of those "Mama Feelings;"  I knew it was an ear infection before the otoscope even got involved. Dr. G. says that waiting almost eleven months to have her first round of antibiotics as a third-born child is a pretty remarkable feat.  Nevertheless I am disappointed.  I am, of course, planning to follow doctor's orders and am looking forward to having my cheerful Lili-pie back on the scene again soon!! On another note, there is absolutely no problem with her growth.  She weighs just over 20 pounds, which I believe to be f...

What a great weekend we had!  On Thursday we were joined by Pawpaw, Barbara and Uncle David, and we were all geared up to help George ring in his fourth glorious decade on this earth.  But, first things must come first... Lili enjoyed meeting her Pawpaw for the first time ever.  She agreed with the rest of us.  That Pawpaw is one funny guy. On Friday, George had the day off, and the gang spent a sunny afternoon playing softball and croquet in our big old Michigan yard.   At some point I sneaked inside and decorated the house with giant posters that the kids and I had made earlier in the week.  They looked something like this... ...and here is one created by Sophie... Somehow I managed to successfully deceive my husband, and he was completely caught by surprise when about 15 of his friends showed up to help with the celebrating.  Yay me!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE!!! Uncle David and I did a little cuttin' up and attempted some sal...

Sophie and Emma went to the fancy hair salon this week to get haircuts before school starts so that they won't start the year being called "those scraggly Carson kids."  In Wales the girls had their hairs cut by our lovely friend, Rhian, who was a mobile hairdresser and would come to our home.  So having a haircut out at a salon and being offered a glass of Sprite while they waited was a hugely exciting novelty for those two. Around 10 months or so ago, I "strongly encouraged" Emma to get her hair cut in a rather short bob.  With the new baby and all of my health issues, I decided that a shorter haircut for Emma would simplify things just a little, and every little bit was worth something.  Ever since then, she has bemoaned her short hair and has been growing it out.  It had finally gotten long enough to be pulled back in pony tails this summer, so I assumed Emma's haircut would be just a trim. She's a big girl now, so I sent her back to the stylist...

Jamie Oliver would be so pleased if he traveled up here to Midland and paid a visit to Dow Gardens .  I have found my self in a bit of a "cleaning and sorting" frenzy at home lately, and my very tolerant children have been caught up in it all.  Today when a friend called  and invited us out to have a picnic and enjoy the Children's Garden at Dow Gardens, I knew these kids (and their mom) needed a break.  So... after they finished painting the house and re-grouting the bathroom, we climbed in the mommy mobile and met our friends for a really nice afternoon out. Having never been to Dow Gardens before, I was impressed with its sprawling beauty.  We bypassed the stream walk and the color and rose gardens (which will have to be explored on another day), and we spent most of our time in the children's garden.  Scads of happy children frolicked about, and there wasn't a swing set or a climbing frame... or a video game in sight.  What we did find ...

The planets and the stars were aligned last week and when I was home in North Carolina for a quick, dizzying visit, so was my childhood friend Kirk "Twinkletoes" Sprinkles.  I don't have enough friends who randomly burst into song at the grocery store, and I didn't realize how much I missed the fun that he and I used to have.  It was as though no time had passed when we saw each other again after many years... except for the fact that I now have three children, lots of stretch marks and a few wrinkles. This is what happened when I remembered that my digital camera has a video function.  I am only sorry that we ran out of memory space before the climactic conclusion of our song... for the children. Of course I also spent lots of time visiting with family and introducing everyone to the newest little Carson... Mimi and her grand-girls In my grandparents' front yard in Jamestown In bed, eating cookies... just like old times.  Thank You for Being a Friend! As...

I have a new backpack!!  It is so comfortable and allows me to carry a heavy load with ease.  Made by American mountaineers in Boulder, Colorado at Nap Inc. , it is ergonimically fantastic and worth every penny.  I cannot wait to try out my new backpack when we all head down to North Carolina this weekend.  The best thing about it is that I am extremely confident carrying my most precious valuables inside... Did I fool ya?  In all seriousness, this Boba baby carrier is great.  It is made for older babies weighing 15-40 pounds, and since, sadly, the Baby Bjorn is no longer comfy on my aching shoulders with a 20 pound Lili, it was time to find a new carrier.  (Y'all know putting that mumsy little punkin in a stroller reguarly wasn't going to happen.)   I scoured the Internet for reviews on baby backpacks and was seriously impressed with Boba.  It can be worn as a backpack or front carrier.  I have worn it for...

A couple of days ago, Sophie's glass of milk slipped out of my fingers when I tried to sweep it off the counter.  It shattered everywhere, and we did our best to sweep up all of the pieces.  Apparently we missed a few.  Sophie found one with her knee at bedtime last night.  When she stood up and screamed, I very calmly pulled the glass out of her knee (y'all would have been so proud) and called for George as I calmly mopped up the blood and applied pressure with a wet towel.  It was a nice, small but deep, cut.  Eagle Scout George took a look at it and decided that it might need a stitch or two, so he and Sophie (in her pink doggie night gown) headed over the the emergency room.  After waiting an hour and being told that it might be another five hours before they'd even see a doctor, they decided that the stitches could wait until morning, but sleep couldn't. So... all four of us girls got to take a little field trip...

Relax, baby!  Take a luxurious bath.  If someone is already in the tub, convince him to let you join in the fun... "Hey Dad, do you think I could get in on this??" If he seems unaccomodating, just climb right on in anyway... "Alley-oop!  Here I come!!" Once you're in there, let the good times commence... "Would you mind scrubbing my back with that loofa, please?" Splash about for good measure... "Don't get too close unless you want a shower." Finally just let yourself go, and enjoy the moment... "I swear those bubbles are coming from the jacuzzi jets."