Week 29: Tomorrow is Test Day!

What's new?

Week 29!  AAAH! <---(real live action shot of my brain)

:)

Mom came in last night, and for this, I am truly grateful. There is something very calming and steady in the knowledge that she is here, and I can honestly, completely relax because I will not worry about Henry (or a babysitter flaking out at the last minute). If anything, he'll be in better hands than my own. Maybe I will come back tomorrow afternoon, and my Mom will have Henry potty-trained and eating his vegetables? She's kind of like the preschooler-whisperer, so who knows? And as for me, I may be 36, but I still need my mommy during the times I am a total spaz, like now!

I know that at this point, what will be will be, and there is no use worrying. I am not sure that I am worried...I am more excited; like that feeling the night before a marathon. You know you trained well. You know you did your best. You know, realistically, that you are probably not going to PR, but that you'll do well and finish strong. You know things can go wrong, but you also know that even if they do, it is going to be okay. I've run an entire marathon with Plantar fasciitis. This will be a lot easier, I am pretty sure :) Ohm's Law and divergent plate boundaries and refraction vs. diffraction!!!! You are so my bitch. I own you! :)

Week 29 was kind of pathetic in terms of trying new things, but here is some cool newness:

• We got a stonefly (Plecoptera) for our collection. I love them! Brings back memories of playing in the creek at our family's cabin in Northern Idaho...

• New bird book! Eastern Birds (Peterson Field Guide)...I have been surrounded by them for over a year now, and about to be for at least 4 more, so I was pretty excited about finding this used one on Amazon.

• Henry got a new set of John Deere farm toys. I never buy him actual toys. Books, yes, but not so much just for fun toys without any educational purpose. Daddy is much better than I am at getting those for fun things :) So for the first time ever, Henry said "thank you" to something other than juice or new library books. He also, for the first time ever, told me he "likes his new toys". Big Momma win :)

• Discovered a new Bible App (Tecarta). Do any of you Bible thumpers out there use a Bible App? I am not that techie, and I rarely get excited about things like Apps, but this one is neat because you can highlight and email scripture, make notes, "fold" pages, cross-reference stuff, etc. I really like having it on my iPhone and being able to send what I am reading to my Husband, across the World. It's the little things, sometimes...most times :)

Week 25: Look with your Eyes, See with your Heart.

What's new?

"Look with your eyes," is something that I say to my son quite often these days :) Though I mainly say it as a command synonymous to "don't touch that!" - it is something that he understands on a deeper level than most 2.5-year olds. He genuinely seems to enjoy looking "with his eyes", and we have the most fun together reading our Eye Spy books and looking for birds and bugs. In Week 25, I was much inspired to take Henry to his first art museum. We had a blast. He surprises and impresses me with his little brain, and more and more, I love hearing what he is thinking about, as he starts to verbally express himself (though not much...I think he might take after his Daddy just a bit in that department), I find that I just want to show him the World in the way that you want to show off for someone. I want to grab his hand and present him with all of this amazing beauty and life. 

Of course, my expectations were that we were, realistically, going to probably last all of 6 minutes before we were done (because he had to be in the stroller). Not so! He really seemed to enjoy looking at all of the paintings. We tried to play a larger version of "Eye Spy" books, and it worked. He also got a kick out of the sculptures and the sound of his voice as it echoed in each room :) Some of the docents came over and commented on how well he was doing and pointed out some more cool stuff to see. We ended our hour-long visit with a trip outside, which was just an extraordinary terraced lawn/landscape with even more sculptures. I highly recommend the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, should you find yourself in the area. It is free admission, and parking is only $5.

Other Week 25 Newness:

• I received the most beautiful book of watercolors of local landscapes called, Return to Kansas. The artist is J.R. Hamil, a local who worked for Hallmark Cards for 15 years before deciding to open his own studio in 1973. His wife, Sharon Hamil, was a teacher and writer of curriculum materials in Kansas. She wrote the accompanying historical text in the book, a really wonderful gift from my peeps that just moved away. I will treasure it, always.

• We are now hamster-sitting for 5 weeks for some neighbors who are on vacation. Henry is obsessed with this mangy little thing, and I will admit, it has grown on me. She follows me around in her little ball and just mostly wants to be held. She rolls in her poo and pee, and I try not to think about it too much because she really is pretty cute. Messy little creatures...

• Henry and I are learning our owl calls. He memorized all of the species of owls in my bird book and then kept asking me what they sounded like...uh...I knew 3? So, we have spent some time on YouTube and in the Ornithology Institute's library :) 

• I learned that milk thistle greens are edible.

• Tried a new green smoothie for the week: Kale, cucumber, granny smith apple, and banana (just a little bit to sweeten, otherwise it is very "green").   

• Conducted my first interviews of preschool potentials for Henry and found one whose director I think I may have a small woman crush on who JUST SO HAPPENS to be the teacher for the 2.5-year old class! I am so excited to have found a preschool that has a 2.5-year old class that is a perfect fit for us, and we meet next week for the tour! I think Henry is going to have the best time. 

Week 19: A Flavor Explosion

What's New?

Week 19 was cut a little short by a nasty momma flu virus (ew!). Damn, I really need to stop licking the carts at Walmart :) Luckily, we started the week out with a bang and didn't lose any time in trying new things despite the midweek bump in the road. We were also able to get in some fantastic toddler bird-watching, and my kid is so into it! I never expected that he would be at all, but he is really good at remembering the names of things and at spotting critters. I will probably cry when he gets his first pair of binoculars. And he will think I am nuts. And that will be us for the rest of our lives together. That is all.

So, yes. I tried a new coffee, which is one I bought from the Coffeehouse at City Market in Kansas City the previous week, along with my loads of black jelly beans. It was bright, spicy, and a little green...they would hate me for saying this, but it reminded me of Starbuck's coffee. A lot of folks LOVE that, but I am going to stick with my Pete's Major Dickensen's blend, thank you very much. All time favorite is still Caffe Vita from Seattle, or Tully's, if I am near one somewhere on the West Coast. I'll try anything twice, but am a tough sell on replacing my true favorites (again, a reason this blog exists)!

A friend down the street surprised me with a jar of her homemade pineapple salsa. Since chips and salsa are a staple item (one of the 4 food groups, actually) in this household, and I have a salsa addiction, I was excited. I had never tried a tomato-based pineapple salsa before, and I have to say, I liked it! It was definitely different, and I ate the entire jar in 2 days, so I guess different is good :) I think this would be amazing on grilled tilapia, or mixed with rice and beans. A nice change of pace from a lot of cilantro.

Josh Cabernet (Vintage 2011) was actually something I tried a few weeks back, but I somehow forgot to mention it. This was a recommendation by a friend whose palate I trust more than just about anyone else's. I love how winemakers describe their wines as "approachable". What does that even mean? Have you ever met an unapproachable wine? C'mon. Yet Josh is one that I have approached several times already and loved it each time. I always love a confident cab with a soft finish that doesn't overpower everything. I think that's what "approachable" must mean :)

New Henry Stuff for Week 19:

• First time he reached up and held my hand while we were out walking. He even said, "holding momma's hand" and looked up at smiled at me :) MELT. Of course, on another occasion out walking, I reached down to grab his hand as we were crossing an intersection, and he had a complete meltdown the whole rest of the way home...

• Got our first library card! This boy loves his books, and we go through them pretty quickly now. Even with eBaying, a children's book habit (or an adult one, ahem, my HUSBAND) can spiral out of control REAL fast. The library (L-I-B-R-A-R-Y) is loads of fun :) xoxo

Week 17: Exploring Kansas City with the Mad Ones

In Week 17, we explored some new parts of Kansas City with some very dear Fort Leavenworth friends of ours who happen to be moving way [too] soon. It is a funny concept, time, because one year is not enough time to get to know people you don't initially (really) click with on more than a surface level. Yet for those rare souls of whose intensity Love will only ever partially satisfy (the ones you seem to know immediately), one year is but a blink of an eye or a thousand years, you know? Like either way, the concept of a year is pretty meaningless. 

These friends are of the latter sort - The ones you'd still be friends with even if Facebook wasn't around after they moved to create the illusion that you are somehow going to be friends for life :)

I promise I have not even had a single glass of wine while writing this. In case you're wondering.

 “the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.”
 -Jack Kerouac, On the Road

City Market

This place is an outdoor market that has been around since the 1920's, in the style of my beloved Pike's Place Market in Seattle. Though nobody was throwing fish, we still enjoyed a fresh cup of coffee and a good chat with the owners from City Market Coffeehouse. I bought black jelly beans from Plantars Seed Co Herbs and Spices, watched the giant riverboat wheel spin at the Riverboat Museum, enjoyed yummy gyro meat and hummus from a Mediterranean cafe, and best of all, bought cumin and anise for $1 a scoop from the Arabic Market. Amazing find and a wonderful day out with JUST mommas :) We need some more of those. I look forward to heading back down here when the weather is a bit warmer and all of the vendors are out!

Sea Life Aquarium

I would recommend this as the perfect weekday place for kids 5 and under. Henry went with his 2 best buddies, and I think they all had a marvelous time, but it is small, and I would definitely not recommend ever going on a crowded day! We were so lucky to have experienced this with only a few other families and one school group on a weekday! The whole thing takes only about 30 to get through, and I highly recommend getting your tickets in advance, online, rather than at the door. Not only do you save $4, but you actually have a chance of getting in. I am so glad we finally did this and that Henry is at an age where we don't (usually) need the stroller anymore. Pretty good find...just plan accordingly :) 

Week 15: Pure Goodness

In Week 15, my 2-1/3 year-old said bye-bye to his binky forever (pacifier). He still had been using it for naps and nighttime, but one day, it went to the play with Bambi, and it started to rain. Since binky doesn't like getting wet, he just stayed with Bambi and Thumper, warm and dry. We'll probably see him again, but he's decided to stay for a while :) In the meantime, Binky has been replaced with bedtime stories, which seemed to be a pretty smooth transition.

Other new goodness for Week 15:

• Poop on the Potty: We had several days in a row of him telling me he had to go, me listening, and then him going. We also had a couple of him not telling me until after he had gone, or him telling me and me not listening, or him telling me and then not going until I put his pullup back on. But progress!!

• Roasting sticks: Our amazing friends who happen to live across the street came over for dinner and brought one of the best presents, ever, and they had them handmade by prisoners! They are amazing and so well-crafted, and I have always wanted fancy roasting sticks! The memories I have of camping and roasting marshmallows with my family as a kid are not only some of my favorite; they have become somewhat sacred because they include my sister when she was still innocent - Long before the vicious cycle of addiction became her. It is amazing how you preserve the people you love. Everyone does it differently. In my preservation of her, we happen to be camping, and she has a face covered in sticky marshmallows and dirt.

• The BOB: I have been running with Henry for almost 2 years in the JEEP. The JEEP has served us well for $175. We have logged many, many miles, both on and off-road on that thing. But, after 6 miles the other day, we blew a flat. The following day, I borrowed our friends' BOB Revolution. It was like nothing I had ever experienced running with Henry. First of all, he was completely weightless (vs. the Jeep where it feels like I am pushing 50 lbs). Second, the shock absorption? OH MY GOSH: phenomenal. I felt nothing. And finally, the turning capabilities - This thing turns on a dime. Now, ideally, for running 5-6 miles, you would want a fixed wheel (and a 16" rather than the 12" front wheel), so after much research and emailing random marathoners, we decided to purchase the BOB SUS. Apparently, this model has even better shock absorption than the Revolution (which is insane to even imagine), and is truly off-road capable and durable. We found a pretty good deal (about $100 less than the sticker price) from a dealer on Amazon. Extremely excited! I honestly did not think that by this age, Henry would still like running with me! If anything, he likes it even more, and we are able to go longer distances, which is great! My sweet buddy bee. He has probably figured out that Momma is a lot less grouchy when she runs, haha.

• Lab Safety Procedures: I know you are all at the edge of your seats with the excitement of our lives right now, so you will be even more excited when I tell you that this week, I memorized the Lab Safety Procedures manual for teaching science labs to Jr High and High-schoolers. Someone gets HCl on their skin? I can handle that. A fire in the lab? No problemo. A funny smell? Evacuate. Oh yes. Your children will be safe with me. And they will map recessive alleles in fruit flies like there is no tomorrow.

• Five Guys Burgers and Fries: There is a first time for everything, but few are as memorable as this cheeseburger. Danger, danger, danger. Hands-down, best burger and fries I have ever had. Unbelievable.

Week 11: Marshmallows on the Potty and a New Running Partner

What's new for Week 11? What? Where? How am I supposed to keep track of the weeks when I don't even know what day of the week it is? Well, friends, that is what happens when you spend 85% of your time in the bathroom and/or talking about the bathroom and/or making the bathroom the place to be. We have books...stacks and stacks of glorious books. We have marshmallows for a successful potty, and we have the portable DVD player, complete with Blues Clues and stacks of clean undies. Who wouldn't want to hang out in this bathroom, I ask you? Is it working? Well, kind of. I have noticed he is dry a lot more when I go to check him, and he seems to like going in there. My gut tells me he may be on the early end of the spectrum for all of this right now because he doesn't always wake up dry, but we have time, and he is willing, so we're headed down the path at least. 

Other new things for Week 11:

• A new running partner! I prefer to run solo 99% of the time, but my friend, Meghan and I went for a short running date together early on in the week. We did good! That particular day, I don't think I would have run had we not been meeting. It was cold, rainy, windy, and it was my first real run after being sick for so long. I would have bagged that run for a mug of hot tea and building Duplo houses in a heartbeat. And thus, the reason we need running partners from time to time. I think M will be a good running partner because she has that quality about her where she will try anything, and she's fun. The thing with Meghan is that she is built like a super model, so one of her legs literally comes up to my head, and one of her steps is 3 of my hobbit steps :) 

• First lot box of used children's books from eBay: $6 for 30 awesome books!!! So fantastic.

• Memory! Remember that game? Henry and I have been playing it a while now, and he finally gets what a match is. Super cute, and probably my favorite game besides I-Spy. Kid games are so fun! 

• Henry's first chest cold: Terrifying experience, in general, and yes, I woke up every 2 hours for 3 days straight to check on his breathing. And yes, he's getting better. And yes, I am beyond tired and beyond thankful for my healthy little chubby-cheeked boy. Words will never express my gratitude for his health or for the listening ears of family and friends who kept me sane this week.