hard times and good food

these past few days following our very full weekend have been quite trying.  especially hard on the littlest one, which in turn of course trickles out to make it quite difficult for all of us.  we may have pushed her limits a bit this past weekend with all of the to'ing and fro'ing, the going and going.  the hardly-ever-at-home-ing.  seems she wakes on the wrong side of the bed and stays there most of the day, and with restless sleep all night long to add insult to injury.

thankfully today we had lots of tasty food to offset the not-so-pretty moments.  happiness today was brought to us by.......

whole wheat blueberry oat muffins~

pasta carbonara made with some awesome local bacon picked up from our favorite farmers on Saturday morning (and the Abita amber didn't hurt)~

and last but in no way anywhere at all near least, homemade blueberry ice cream~

the ice cream made Claire literally jump for joy, dashing and spinning across the dining room as I scooped the creamy goodness into our bowls and asked (much more loudly than necessary) "does anyone want ice cream?"  she giggled and shouted "me! me! I do! me, mama, me!" just in case I wasn't sure that she wanted in.  I think I told her twice, at least twice that "that's it, no more for tonight".... but that smile was pure magic and it felt like I hadn't seen it all day and so yeah, I gave her more.  and then a little bit more.

sometimes lately when I see she's having a difficult time and feel it starting to wear me down and feel it beginning to put me into my own state of frazzled, I remind myself that I don't remember how hard it was to be 2 and a half.  that it's all so much more frustrating and challenging for her than it is for me.  (and believe me, I get to feeling quite frustrated and challenged fairly regularly)  that I'm the grown up here, the guide, and that I need to find my happy place and look past the twisted expression and the piercing sounds that sometimes accompany the harder moments, right into the beautiful, growing, lovely, magical little person that she is.  the little person who is doing her best to navigate these choppy waters of little-personhood, who brings such joy to our world, and who is, in many ways, my guide as well.

my heart is still practically swelling from those much needed ice cream smiles.