never again will she take away my freezer.
an ode to my odd little muse.
There is so much newness right now. Do you feel that? It’s Aries season:
“Aries season asks us to birth ourselves anew and reminds us that every day contains the promise of a new beginning.”
It’s spring. (well, almost.) The birds and flowers are singing in Seattle. A hummingbird buzzed around Marcelline and me for a good half-hour this afternoon while Marcie climbed a cherry tree.
The past four days have been absolutely GORGEOUS. It makes me laugh, because the first few sunny days in Seattle it’s like the beginning of a Disney movie. Everyone is so damn happy and friendly.
And my newborn baby just somehow turned FOUR YEARS OLD. Wow. Four feels like a whole new ballgame. Maybe it’s because she’s getting older or that we spend a lot of QT together, but Marcelline and I have been connecting more. We make eye contact across the room and she’ll give me a thumbs up or WINK AT ME. It makes me chuckle every time. I love this connection.
At her birthday party this weekend, I took barely any photos. She caught me with the camera trying to catch her eating a cupcake.
So because it’s sunny and I have spent the last three days outside instead of inside and writing and I’m celebrating ALL things Marcelline (good and bad), because she’s FOUR, here are some of my favorite interactions as of late…
Marcie has this little wooden snail we call Speedy. She’s loved him since she was able to walk.
The other day I was sitting on the couch and Marcie jumped up with Speedy in hand. Speedy hit me hard in the shin (it was an accident) and I jumped and got upset…
– Marcie, you hurt me!
– No, I didn’t. Speedy did.
– No, he didn’t.
– Momma. Speedy is a girl.
Oh my god. Now I’m the asshole for misgendering her snail.
The other night I was getting ready to go to a friend’s concert. Marcie got upset that I was leaving until I told her that I was going to see a friend who played music, because I wanted to support him. She immediately perked up and said, “Oh, you’re going to cheer on him? You better go!”
At Evan’s mother’s house a few weeks ago, Marcie walked in and took inventory of her toys. She found a firehouse and firemen and pointed her thumb to them and asked, “Baba, can I play with these fire truckers?”
My brother got Marcie this shirt and a giant stuffed snake for her birthday. Over and over, Marcie kept calling the snake “that worm” and every time I would reply, “it’s a snake.” She did it probably seven times. Evan and I couldn’t figure out if she was yanking our chain or really kept thinking it was a worm. When I tucked her in bed that night, I picked up the snake and said, “Move your worm” so that I could sit down on her bed to read her a book. Without pause, she replied, “It’s a snake.”
Marcie goes to dance class every week and let me tell you, she is a spectacular dancer. But she’s more of a free-form dancer… v much a free spirit. I end up with my head in my hand every class every week, because Marcie spends so much of her class saying, “Teacher Kate! Teacher Kate! Or we could do it like THIS” or “Teacher Kate! Teacher Kate! Teacher Kate! Watch what I can do!” Just making suggestions for her teacher who went to an actual prestigious dance school… and who is an adult! I don’t know why, but it’s very much these vibes to me:
(at the 1:24 timestamp… Marcie is Jenna Maroney… every class.)
Marcie is OBSESSED with the Matilda Musical on Netflix. She particularly loves the song “Revolting Children.”
Her own recording of it is my favorite thing ever:
And I know—like the sunshine in Seattle—the joyous and beautiful and hilarious times of parenthood may not be here for long. Storms are always brewing, but when it’s good it’s goddamn gorgeous. And overall, it’s a beautiful place to be.
Quick Hits:
Jam of the Week: Bad Bad Hats – My Heart Your Heart.
(this quick little JAM has been six years in the making and I think the wait was absolutely worth it.)
My Debut In The Stranger!!!
(v proud of this piece of writing. cannot wait to see it in PRINT on Thursday. also, if you’re not following Arson Nicki, get with it.)
Evan And Me Playing Darts The Other Night.
(it’s so true.)New Favorite IG Account?
(probably.)I Love Abbott Elementary.
(this profile on Quinta Brunson is everyting. “Comedy—it’s wack to say, but it is kind of a religion,” she said. “It was, like, ‘This is it for me. This is what I believe in.’”)
HA!
(I’ve been seagan for three weeks now [vegan + seafood], but traditionally this has been me with butter.)
Thank you for being here, friend. You rule. So hard. Enjoy this newness!
xxo,
rachel.