Linus Turns 6

Linus celebrated his 6th birthday in San Francisco this year, with a small party at the Koret Children's Quarter Playground in Golden Gate Park.  We started the morning with some gift opening with the grandparents.  Our household is obsessed with Star Wars, so naturally we had A LOT of Star Wars themed gifts.  

I got back into piñata making, and crafted this passable rendition of the Death Star.

Kerstin pitched in with decorations and Darth Vader & stormtrooper sandwiches.  We had a great mix of old friends and some of Linus' new friends from school.

Me and the womenfolk ran around like crazy, setting up food, supervising the children, and getting them to eat, while the men stood around and talked tech.  We were able to bribe the kids to eat with a ride on the vintage carousel.

Then it was time to destroy the Death Star.  As the kids get older, I make the piñata a little tougher to crack open.

We had cupcakes representing the Dark/Light sides (red & blue) with matching cupcake lightsabers.

Instead of gifts, I stole the idea of a book exchange from a friend.  Every child brings a wrapped, new or used book to exchange.  The party ends with a bunch of kids reading, no one has to spend any additional money, and we had nothing to lug back to our small apartment.  Win!

Finishing kindergarten and turning six are clear qualifiers of being a "big kid".  Linus gets himself ready for school, pseudo-babysits his baby brother, and no longer wears shoes or clothes that look like they fit a doll.  This transformation, while gradual, hit us all of a sudden.  Now he is a boy with friends, interests, and memories independent of our little family.

Sharing Our Favorite Place

Two weeks ago we invited two of Linus' best friends and their families over to the Karlsson cabin for a weekend of outdoor fun.  Since the cabin itself can't sleep many people, we set up several tents in the area immediately surrounding the cabin-- the first "real" camping trip we've done since the infamous Seneca Rock trip.  You know, the time we decided that having two kids was enough for us.

The weekend started out nice and easy, with a hike up to and along the aqueduct.

There were three 1st graders, 1 preschooler, and 3 baby/toddlers.  To babies, hiking time= napping time= no annoying fussing time.  The relative silence was priceless.

We ended up in a gorgeous meadow with lots of wildflowers and birds.

By the time we got back to the cabin it was warm enough to swim and explore the river.  The big kids + Magnus crossed the river by climbing over rocks, and had a little adventure on the island.

An bunch of us stayed behind to enjoy the sandy beach.  A couple of us tried our luck at gold panning. One baby climbed a huge boulder on his own.

Surprisingly, mealtime was not as chaotic as we expected.  

Often times we found ourselves enjoying a quiet peacefulness that we don't get in our everyday lives. Like a utopian hippy commune, the children played together somewhat harmoniously while us grownups worked around the cabin, rested, or talked.

Wild sweet peas  were in bloom along the riverfront.  Despite visiting the cabin many Spring times, this was my first time there for the sweet peas.

The campfire had a primitive draw to both the men and children.  All the kids were more than happy to help collect firewood and sat in silence while the fire built up it's glowing embers.

They knew the reward: s'mores!

It's been 5 years since we last took friends up to the cabin, and because it's usually just us with Kerstin & Magnus I forget how special this place is. Sharing the experience with friends reminds us of how lucky we are to have such a magical place, to have wonderful people to enjoy it with us.

Mile markers

 Last Sunday I woke up early and drove alone to Alameda to run my very first race, a half marathon.  I never understood why anyone in their right mind would want to run a race, the same way most people don't understand why I wanted to experience natural childbirth.  Why go through all that pain and suffering?


Yet there I was,  waiting at the starting line.  So here's how I got there... Back in January I decided I needed to find a free and quick workout regimen that I could fit into my packed schedule.  Running around the lagoon next to my workplace in Berkeley was the obvious choice.  Before I knew it, I was discussing fitness goals with a colleague who suggested we sign up for a half marathon as a group.  I whipped out my credit card and signed up for a race 5 months away, but no one else followed suit.

My training regimen consisted of 2 runs per week: one "short fast" 2.5 mile interval run (9 minute pace) and one "long slow" 5+ mile run (11-12 minute pace).  The longest distance I ran prior to the race was 12.5 miles to Ocean Beach and back home, so I felt confident and capable of 13.1 miles.

I was scared more than anything at the start, but having pacers to follow made me a lot less anxious.  Alvin sent me a custom playlist, which made me feel like he was cheering for me the entire length of the race.

While they stayed at home, the boys still showed their support.  Linus said " I hope you win the race mamma."  There were several kids on the race course cheering for their mothers, and in a weird way I felt like they were rooting for all of us mothers.

 

 We were rewarded with views of San Francisco between miles 7-9. I thought of my family and wondered what they were up to.

By the time I reached the finish, I got extremely emotional, and I was warned this might happen.  There I was, accomplishing a goal I never dreamed possible.  I was surrounded by women of every age and shape, mothers and grandmothers, who took on a challenge as mental as it is physical.  More than proud, I was inspired.

The last month of training brought additional stress to my life that I felt was untimely.  Both Mattias and I have been plugging away on time sensitive work stuff.  There were birthday parties and weekend travel plans to work around, a business trip and a memorial.  But then something unexpected happened last week while driving Linus to summer camp.  I realized: I've become the person I've always wanted to be.  I'm living the life that I'd envisioned for myself as a young adult.  This feeling had nothing to do with reaching any specific goal; it had more to do with being a person others can depend on, having a skill set that others seek, and being surrounded by people I love, and who love me.  

The half marathon was an opportunity to reflect on this new mile marker in my life and what it means to me moving forward.  More than ever I know I'm running in the right direction, I'm moving at the right pace.