Berkeley Aquatic Park

I have driven by the Berkeley Aquatic Park for nearly sixteen years. Not once had I stopped the car and stepped foot in the park. Perhaps because of it's close proximity to the I-80 I dismissed it or because I was usually making my way home and another stop was not in the plan.

That changed when I had heard that Monarch butterflies had made the park home for the first time in over a decade. The idea of seeing hundreds of butterflies had me up early on  a Sunday morning with camera in hand.

While we did eventually see the butterflies (which was quite a site to see) (blog post to follow!), our family was delighted by the quiet beauty of the park. The crisp, cold morning air, the reflections of the water, the variety of birds and the green of the trees all made for a lovely playground for us to explore and ground.

Nature is sacred, creative, peaceful. The importance of spending time in the natural world is a priority for my family and I am grateful for that.

Two monkeys climbing on a tree branch!

Briones in Fall

I am not sure why, but for far too long we have not hiked in Briones. Here in the East Bay, the park is by far one of my favorite places to get lost in nature and yet, I have been a stranger for longer than I care to admit. A couple of weekends ago, we decided to make our way back to the place that is soothing and peaceful. 

A hike with friends was more like a sprint with girls but nonetheless, it was a sweet way to reconnect with the earth, trees and sky. It is amoungst the earth, trees and sky that I also find it easiest to stay connected to myself. There is something significantly important about getting lost in nature in order for one to not get lost in Self.

                            

The Whole Tooth and Nothing but the Tooth

Baby Girl lost her first front tooth. For over a week she was quite eager to get that tooth out. She pulled and twisted, all to no avail. The tooth was hanging on by barely a thread for a long time. During which Havana seemed to take great pleasure in freaking me out by twisting her tooth so that it protruded forward! It was lovely! (not!)

Then one morning, Havana woke to her tooth having fallen out. Thing was, the tooth was nowhere to be found. Havana was quite sad that she may have swallowed it. (She had swallowed her first tooth and had only had one another fall out. She was afraid a pattern was taking place.)

When this Mama Bear got home later that day my instincts told me just where that tooth really was. And it wasn't her digestive tract! Sure enough, within minutes I found that sucker under the bed, nestled in the crack where floor meets wall. Havana was ecstatic!

A letter was written to Tooth with hopes for a response (she just had to ask what 100x100 was). Havana awoke the next morning to not only a note but to money and a silver coin, similar to one her sister had gotten. We were all excited to learn that another fairy had responded to Havana. Apparently Tooth was having a busy night so Raina the Rain Fairy was helping out (Raina was not that busy; no rain until later in the week she informed us). Havana was also left a pair of small gold hoop earrings. I am starting to wonder if I would get that lucky if one of my teeth fell out!

We are not sure how much longer the Fairies will continue to visit us for losing teeth but until then we are so excited about the magic and mystery that losing teeth has brought our family.

Rain!!!

We have had Rain! Rain! Yes, that elusive substance that falls from clouds in the sky has showered us on several recent occasions. Not only have we been blessed with big, fat raindrops but with thunder and lightening. Thunder and lightening bring back happy memories of my childhood in New York. Here in California, thunder and lightening are a rarity. On these recent storms I felt like a kid in the candy store.

I am not quite sure what it is about rain but it makes my girls all riled up to go out in it. They both did their best to convince that I wouldn't melt in the rain, so off we went for a walk.

It turned out we didn't really walk. There was hopping and skipping and plenty of puddle jumping. As we hiked up and down various streets, I think the girls hit every single puddle.

It never ceases to amaze me that it is not the toys or books that bring the girls the most joy in their young lives. Rather, it is the time out in nature enjoying life's simple gifts that seem to light up their eyes the most. And it is those things that we will remember most fondly.

Squeegee Girls

 

 A few weeks back, while filling up the fuel tank, the girls decided to help Papa Don clean the car windows. In true Coughlin fashion, it became a bit of a competition ("I'm gonna do it." "No, I am." "I get to go first." You get the idea!) Once they settled into the actual window washing, I sat back and watched. I got a kick out of how serious they took their task and how they each had to do the same windows because G-D forbid one didn't try to out do the other! But when all was said and done we had some pretty clean windows. Now, if they would only clean the inside of the car!

Tooth Fairy

For the past week, both girls have been wrestling loose teeth, making determined efforts for them to fall out. Havana has two front teeth on the verge of liberation. Amara only one.  The girls were in not so silent competition of who the tooth fairy would visit first. Amara won this round. But Amara being the ever inquisitive monkey, who also worries too much for her age, decided to write the tooth fairy yet another letter asking that her tooth be left behind. This time however, she had a few other things on her mind for the tooth fairy. So after taking her time to write a well thought letter, Amara went to bed with anticipation and excitement.

The next day, while at work, I spoke to Amara who informed me she was left money and a mermaid trinket but no letter. She described in detail the silver charm. When I asked about the letter, I was told there was none from the tooth fairy. I could tell from her tone that she was disappointed. But like most kids, who are filled with hope and imagination, Amara quickly reminded me that Santa once left her a letter in the car so "maybe there is one in the car from the tooth fairy." I gently told Amara that I had not seen any notes. I didn't want her to be disappointed.

Later that day, when I arrived for pickup at school, snacks were the only thing on both their minds. I was relieved. But then, when Amara picked up her water bottle, tucked underneath and folded in a neat triangle was a note with the initials 'AC'. How I wish I had a camera in hand to capture the way Amara's eyes light up and the grinned that was spread across her face. The tooth fairy had left a note after all!

Havana was just tickled that Tooth mentioned her. She startled formulating her letter on the car ride home that day.

Tooth is one smart fairy. She knew that Amara loves mermaids as much as fairies. Amara loved that Tooth knew that but couldn't help but ask how Tooth knew that. She sure is a curious kid.

It's pretty amazing that losing a tooth generate so much excitement and intrigue. We may not have all the tooth fairy answers for the girls but we are eagerly awaiting her next visit for Havana. Who knows what she will say and leave next time.