Week 2: Moo! Oink! Croak! Bzzz!

This week, we spent a lot of time being cows, which led to a lot of time being pigs, frogs, and anteaters (he licks the floor for that one since I told him that anteaters suck up ants off of the forest floor). Also, attack cows, and of course, steamrollers, which led to time as dump trucks, race cars, and choo-choo trains.

I think pretend play is about the most fun activity, ever, and all of this started when we got our fish, Sharkbait. Maybe we should get some more small, non-hairy pets? I think pretending to be animals and machines is a pretty cool concept because in some way or another, if you can learn to put yourself in someone or something else's shoes for a few minutes and change your perspective, you have learned compassion. You have learned, for 2 seconds, that you are not the only thing on the planet. 

Many of us never learned this. And if we have, it has been long forgotten. Perhaps we should all go back to more pretend play, from time-to-time? :)  

Week 2 also brought with it a little neighborly dinner party inspired by The Co-operative Food Magazine, a British food co-op app I now subscribe to. I love rustic fare! Meals comprised of hearty, whole comfort foods, I have found, since losing weight, keep me from snacking and craving empty-calorie foods throughout the day.

On our menu were deviled eggs (which I only made since I didn't want to make Scotch eggs), andouille sausages and lentils, with sausages picked up from The Local Pig in Kansas City (amazing place that I only recently found out about from my awesome neighbors); steamed, herbed, ginger carrots, blueberry and apple eve's pudding (which was basically like a thin layer of really light cake on top of the fruit), and Boddington's Pub Ale and Guinness to drink. All was very easy to prepare and delicious, but the company was the best part :) Good conversation is a treasure, indeed. 

Other new things that happened in Week 2:

• I signed up for a half marathon in May. I had not planned on doing any races this year, but was happily peer pressured by a certain friend who wants to do this also. 99% of training for this will be on the treadmill, which will be a definite first!

• found out a good friend and her son, who is Henry's age, are coming for a visit this spring (yay!)

• We met our new neighbors. Henry ran into their garage, climbed into their wagon, and 10 seconds later, their 3 year old was giving him a ride down the sidewalk; he was smitten; and I had already fallen head over heels in like for her parents.

• We visited Powell Botanical Gardens, which is 952 acres of pure amazing.

• I started taking an SAF, which has helped so much with my sleep, though I feel that I am, inevitably, becoming my father, who can oft be found brewing coffee and whistling a happy tune at 3 in the morning and passed out in his chair by 8 at night. I think this is just my natural sleep cycle, and I am tired of fighting it.

• My new nephew (Nephew #5) came into the world, and he's the most beautiful baby I have ever seen! I can't wait to meet him.