i've been solo with the kids for nearly two weeks, but my reinforcement arrives tonight! praise, jah!

with the exception of the teasing and torment that exists between a five-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother, we've had a good time. well, that, and bedtime. which completely sucks. still.

parker had lango spanish immersion camp all week over in noe valley, which is much sunnier than the panhandle where we live, so we spent a lot of time in the the southern part of the city. we met nairem for a"pignic" (a parker term) at dolores beach one hot, sunny afternoon, then went to bi-rite creamery for ice cream and tartine for coffee. lango was cool, i'd sign her up again, and i hope to enroll her during the school year. we've been successful with our summer camp choices, which according to what i've heard, is kinda rare...

another day, we wandered down valencia street, stopping for baby burritos at el toro. it takes a good thirty minutes to get down a city block with roman but people were so friendly, everyone marveling at his white blonde curls and baby blues. the new trees planted along valencia by the friends of the urban forest are surrounded by groovy brass grates with little dia de las muertas-inspired dancing skeletons welded into the design. very charming. very mission. near the roxie theater, roman was hit and knocked down by an errant skateboarder who scooped him up and put him back on his feet, apologizing profusely.

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we went to the san francisco zoo one foggy afternoon and were mesmerized by the old, clearly pissed off but truly magnificent lion. we were able to get up close to him, incarcerated behind iron bars in the dank lion house. he lumbered up to the bars roared twice, unhinging his massive jaw and letting out the most amazing sound that vibrated and reverberated across the empty building. roman was totally blown away. i felt profound awe and sadness.

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i took parker school shopping after camp last friday. she will be a styly little kindergartner shod in high black boots and brown uggs, and decked in  short dresses with tights, an orange hoodie, black skinny jeans, a red trench, and a paisley skirt. i'm quite sure i'll cry.

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we've had a lot of visitors including megan, angela and layne, and uncle funny who picked up noodles from the citrus club. we also went to a couple of fun parties including a woo-woo barbecue in san rafael. the woo-woos are members of our burning man party crew from back in the day – some of us have kids and mortgages now, some i haven't laid eyes on in years. it was a great reunion. yesterday there was a star wars-themed birthday party for one of the pre-k crew at parkside square park in the outer sunset and today, deirdre and faichra hosted a lavish party at their beautiful home in the richmond. i met one of the owners of the uber-swank bourbon & branch, his lovely wife and baby jack there.

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we hung out at the library and checked out mary poppins, the lion the witch and the wardrobe, the secret garden (really sweet film), and an annoying elmo flick. we made french toast with strawberries and whipped cream and delicious basil pesto.

good times, great summer days with my babies, but now this mama is ready for a break!