Father's Day . . .and summer is almost here!

These two are cracking us up lately. Our friend asked me recently, "Does Avi say, 'for real,' a lot?" In fact he does, though it looks like Lilit is the one saying it here.  I can't get enough of her in this romper, another great gift from Auntie K.  She is very fashion-forward with her choice of footwear, I think.

 This was last night, just after we'd buckled her in for the ride back to Berkeley from Monterey.  She was one tired girl but lasted longer than her big brother . . . I finally looked over my shoulder and said, "Nigh-night, sweetie." She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, the tupperware she clutched (it was empty and it had taken a long time to figure out it was the thing she wanted . . .) clattered to the floor. Nobody in the backseat stirred, which was a good sign.

 These two were a bit sad to part ways after they spent the whole week together before Avi started summer school.

We had a good Father's Day weekend even though Saturday morning got off to a rough start; Avi had a mega-meltdown after we'd buckled the kids into the bike trailer.  We knew he was tired and hadn't eaten enough breakfast.  Leeor and I hadn't eaten (and I'd had no coffee so obviously, I was not at my best) as we were eager to bike to 900 Grayson, one of our favorite breakfast joints.


There was a time out, a ride around the block by Leeor and Lilit, string cheese sticks for the little people and a happy reunion in front of our place as we respectively re-strapped our helmets.  A good do-over.

Then Lilit wailed, "too tight!" the duration of the short ride.  But breakfast was good and appropriately Father's Day-y.

 Leeor turned to me as we snarfed our food and quipped, "Another relaxing meal out with the kids!" We have been laughing that Lilit has reached the age of unbearable restaurant behavior.  But we don't really mind--what's a little indigestion from hurriedly devoured food amidst such sweetness?

With full bellies we biked our way to the North Berkeley library and my mom met us there, having spontaneously decided to drive down for the day.  We were thrilled to see her and Lilit promptly lead her to the children's books, "Sit. Your lap," she directed, and grandma was thrilled to comply.  Which left me free to wander with Avi as he waited his turn for the computer.  These digital kids!

Lilit water-logged herself at the drinking fountain; Leeor and I got all judgy about a screaming kid, "our kids would never act like that for *that* long," he whispered to me, "right? At least we'd take our kid outside," he continued, "am I right?"

"Totally," I confirmed, and we went about our library business. More holocaust books for him, special books for the kids.  Avi and I started his Norse mythology that night (and I couldn't believe how much I remembered about my high school mascots, the mighty Vikings) with a chapter book about Thor, "I decided I don't like chapter books," he announced after I broke the news we wouldn't be finishing the whole book in one sitting.

***

We are looking at plane tickets for a fall wedding back east, planning our camping trip up the coast later this summer, anticipating visits of friends and family over the next few weeks and also hunkering down in the present moment of our laptops--literally on our laps! while we sit in the comfort of our living room.

Leeor loved his Father's Day weekend even though it included a girls' night out for me.  He's quite a guy.  We celebrated him with food, homemade cards and the possibility of a La-z-boy chair.

While we were at his parents' house on Sunday, he showed me a card I'd given him for his law school graduation.  I read it and marveled at my 28 year old self--I was wise, loving and, well, wise!

I also read a letter he wrote for his school newspaper at the tender age of 16 and couldn't believe how similar he sounded to his grown up self.  We cracked up and I left him to continue sifting through his memories as the kids and I made a mess of Saba and Safta's living room.

PS.  Lilit gave Saba a new nickname, "Guy." As in, we went to see "Gaga and Guy" on Father's Day. Good thing she's so cute or she wouldn't get away with any of it.

Summer is peeking from just around the corner ahead of us.  We have had plenty of hot, summery days and now a cool-ish one to remind us where we live, that the Bay Area promises breezes that balance the heat, the sun shining in the East bay to warm us up after a day of work in San Francisco.  Our kids stay on this side of the Bay Bridge; Lilit tucked into her familiar crib while Avi occasionally naps at his school. "It was a circus day today," he explained as he grazed through his dinner of yogurt, string cheese, carrot and bread," I couldn't sleep during relaxation time.

I know how he feels as I sit here tonight, excited by the shift in seasons, looking forward to what is ahead while allowing myself to settle into the present.