Princess Mountain Climber

I have been thinking a lot this past week about my stance on some issues. As a mother of three curious kids, two of them very verbal and constantly questioning EVERYTHING, I do my best to stay one step ahead. Alan and I spend many evenings together on the couch discussing and preparing for potential parenting/teaching moments. Sipping a cold beer and discussing princesses.

The thing is, our daughters (and son, for that matter) are obsessed with the movie Frozen right now. In fact, I think everyone's daughters are obsessed with Frozen. The songs fill our house and our car and our heads. I ran 16 miles on Sunday with "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" on repeat in my brain. I suppose there are worse things to complain of. They love the music and at the heart of both the film and the songs lies a good message: trust in yourself, be strong.

Still, I am not completely settled on my stance on Princesses. Or Barbies. Or anything of the like. The thing is, Barbies are plain scary looking. Adara received a Barbie for Christmas last year. She tried to bend the Barbie's legs and sit her down in her paper dollhouse when we realized the doll couldn't sit down because her shorts were too tight! The whole thing was ridiculous with her unnatural proportions and made-up face. But is that what my almost-5 year old is really seeing when she plays with her Barbie? Most of the time the dolls are naked, she could care less whether they have on any clothes because really she is just using them for imaginative play. She uses them to act out a scene, one doll in each hand, two best friends playing "Kindergarten" together or taking a swim in the doll house pool. She can play with these things for hours on end, acting out little stories in hushed whispers, running around the house from room to room with two Barbies.

And as much as I despise their looks, watching her, I am reminded of another little girl who used to spend her days playing with Barbies. A little girl who was obsessed with her little dolls for many years, surely old enough to move on to more mature activities, yet she loved her imaginative play with Barbies. Twenty five years ago, that little girl was me. Watching my girls play with Barbies brings me back to Kelly Nagle's basement. Huddled in her unfinished play-room downstairs, we spent hours simply playing -- with each other and our imaginations -- with our Barbies.

Sometimes while out running, I'll pass a newly constructed fence. the drifting smell of cedar will put me right back there with Kelly, sifting through her Barbie bag together, picking out our favorites and creating our families, preparing for an afternoon full of adventure and imagination. What's so wrong with that? How can I deprive my daughter of a toy that provided some of my very best childhood and adolescent memories (Yes, I played with Barbies until I was an adolescent).

I think everything has a context. Life and lessons are not black and white. To me, princesses and Barbies lie somewhere in the gray. If my girls were sitting there ogling over the fake bodies of their dolls or talking about how pretty these dolls looked and parading them around, I would have a problem. For now, though, dolls and princesses to them are simply girls. Girls, whom, like themselves, are strong. Girls like Elsa who are brave and powerful. Girls like Anna who wear fancy dresses and ride horses and love their sisters.

Last week while Alan's parents were in town, we went hiking on a very steep single track section off Mulholland. Cesia wore a dress. She has worn a dress everyday for the past six months, if not longer. It used to bug me. I used to fight it, insisting she wear a sportier outfit and put on some shorts and a t-shirt to fit her ever-active lifestyle. She fought it more and I stopped caring. Why? Partly because you have to choose your battles and partly because that is just who Cesia is. Dresses make her feel girly and that is just fine with me. Hiking, running on trails and climbing rocks and trees makes her feel strong and adventurous and that is just fine with me. I am all for running skirts and post-workout dresses, in 100% support of embracing your femininity as well as your strength. We admire our muscles as well as our bruises, scrapes and skinned knees -- all marks of an adventurous day.

Hiking Solstice Canyon Saturday morning.

I told her the other day that the top ultra-runner in the world is a woman. A girl, I told her. "Yeah, I know," she responded nonchalantly, "Girls are fast." Later, descending down a rocky trail, very carefully choosing her footing, she looked back at me and said, "Mama, when I grow up I want to be a... a Princess Mountain Climber." Then do it!

My princess mountain climber.

What is your take on princesses? On Barbies? Do you allow your children to play with them? How do you encourage your girls' strength and toughness while also celebrating their femininity?

Summer Adventures

It has been another lapse. Another lengthy time between posts. The lapse has all been for a good reason. We have been busy -- good busy. In an effort to simplify this life and enjoy my three precious little ones who are growing bigger and stronger and faster by the day, I have made a conscious effort to write when I have time and only then. I love writing and it brings me peace and calm but only when I do not stress about it. I find some irony or hypocrisy, even, when I sit here and write about simplifying my life while simultaneously wringing my hands over when I can find the time to blog.

Some of the incredible mamas and bloggers out there whom I follow post at least once/week if not 3x/week. I find myself wondering how they do it. And I love that they do post often because their writing inspires me, feeds me.  How do they fit it in? Then I am reminded once again that everything in life is all about priorities. How did I find time to run 40 miles last week with a long run of 14? How did I find time to run 14 miles and then cook an elaborate dinner? We all have our priorities and as much as I love writing, at this moment in my life it simply sits mid-list. Mid-list behind child loving and caring and feeding and everything else child-related, running and being a centered-peaceful presence as a wife and partner. I suspect those other mama bloggers who manage to post with much more frequency simply need it more. I need running, we all know that, and so running never lapses. I can't say the same for my writing right now...

So, here I am, lied out on the couch between my two girls who are elatedly watching Tangled for the very first time. Typing away between glances at the film and my girls and the baby monitor, fitting it all in the best way I know how. I awoke this morning with a nasty bout of food poisoning (I suspect, from some of the veggies in the delicious green-stuffed portabella mushroom quinoa cake dish I made last night). My stomach seems to be more sensitive these days from bacteria or bugs in veggies as this is the third (suspected) bout of food poisoning/violent stomach illness I have had in 2 months. I am not sure if it's due to increased running and general stomach sensitivity issues or a decreased gut-flora good-bacteria level, but I do know I will take my probiotics religiously and pray the worst of it is over. So anyway, I find myself lying on the couch typing and not feeling guilty that the girls are watching a movie mid-summers day because I am sick. Mama needs to rest, but isn't so good at resting (I'll share that little secret with you) so at least she's lying down and getting something accomplished via computer at the same time.

I have about 10 different posts competing for attention in my head right now. I have been desperately wanting to share my now-very-postponed Trail 1/2 Marathon Race Report with you from the Valley Crest 1/2 Marathon I ran (and wiped out and had stomach issues-mid race and ultimately finished third) on June 8th. I have also been antsy to write about our two-weeks in Chicago and how it felt to be back in the midwest. Or I could write about our two-week road trip that followed soon after and how I felt deeply connected to Oregon and hope to find my way back there soon. I could write of my first ever marathon training and how I plan(ned) to run 16 miles tomorrow, though post-food-poisoning weakness will have to determine whether I get to do that tomorrow or must wait a few more days. I could write of how much I have enjoyed summer and its long days and these kids and exploring and getting dirty (Isaac dirty, which is a whole new level of dirtiness) and making s'mores and daily family trail runs (where Alan pushes the triple stroller!) and beach visits and spending time with extended family and how their love and help is so appreciated.

Someday, I may write about those adventures. But right now I think I will share some photo highlights from summer adventures and then get back to watching Tangled with my girls. It's all about priorities, right. : )

Lincoln Park Zoo with Grandma.

Sisters.

Cesia being Cesia.

Daddy joins us for the weekend in Chicago. Navy Pier Ferris Wheel.

Ghiradelli Square, San Francisco.

Lake of the Woods Oregon, right outside our perfectly snug little cabin.

Building our evening campfire.

Little boy and his rocks.
 

Cesia and Alan on the paddle boat.

Early morning lake walk.

Love.

I hope your summer has been full of adventure, long days full of sunshine, sticky sand, dirty feet and sun screened babies. The days are slipping by slowly and school will be here before we know it. I have a daughter who is about to turn 5 and life just moves too fast. Enjoy it and celebrate it! Happy Summer!