Because I don't have enough to do

I craft. I bake. I cook. It is my thing, it makes me happy to be that crazy person who makes tiny hamburgers out of cupcakes and brownies.


Alex's cousins Danny and Jack were visiting from St. Louis and I thought it the perfect time to make the faux-burgers, after seeing them last year on Bakerella. There was initial disappointment upon learning they were not actual sliders...
But that transitioned quickly to excitment about the deliciousness that is cupcakes, brownies and icing smushed together.

While we were away

This past week Alex and I went on a lovely, relaxing, quiet (which = no Zachary) trip to St. John in the USVI. The Wall's kept Zach and I received this picture while we were gone. It was nice to see that they kept with my tradition of a pants-less child. Wouldn't want the shock of wearing pants to upset him or anything.

In the Hoop

A little bit ago we got Zach this small slide/climbing combo. Well, I got it and Alex asked what it was and "didn't we need to discuss these purchases". Once I got up off the floor where I had fallen down laughing, I scooted him outside to put it together. I had hoped that it would give Zach something to do outside so I could sit and watch him and provide motherly support from a comfy yard chair.

He liked it for about 3 climbs up and then just wanted to put the ball into the hoop. Over and over and over again. He was about 1 inch too small so I had to stand next to him and put the ball in. This was really cutting into my sitting time. Finally he must have grown as he can do it himself. He still boldly refuses to slide down the actually slide part, preferring instead to bump down the climbing part. Whatever keeps him happy.

The mouth never stops

Not to any one's surprise Zach is a talker. Well, it is not really fair to call it "talking" since only I (and sometimes Alex) can really understand him. I used scoff at my friend Sonia for saying that her son talked all the time when I could not understand him. Ummm....payback is a you-know-what and that is now my child.

Even if no one can understand him but me, he has a lot to say. A lot. We can hear him in his bed first thing in the morning, running through all the words he can say, including shouting "Mine!" to his stuffed monkey, pointing to the "eyes" on his frog and singing Baa, Baa Black Sheep. I finally got a video of him saying some things (pretty) clearly. All the others where I was sure he was going to be seen for the child talking genius he is sounded like I was recording a bird chirping. Which is probably why only I can understand him, as I have been known to speak/shriek in such a pitch only dogs can hear.

Used to

This water table used to have legs. This water table had legs until a baby figured out he could climb into it and pretend it was a pool. A pool that was about a foot off the ground. A pool that was not unlike the other pool that is already on the ground out in the yard.

This baby used to have pants. This baby had pants until his mom realized he was not wearing a swim diaper and was taking all the water out of the pool with him into his diaper.

Little Helper

Most days I try not to cook dinner while Zach is awake. It always leads to a battle, both with him over my attention and with myself by feeling guilty for not interacting with him. But sometimes it has to happen. I finally got the idea to have him "help me" make dinner. He sat and played with these three (empty) bowls for a good 15 minutes. It was lovely.

Until he abandoned his utensils and decided to climb up my legs and attept to kick my sore foot to get attention - while I was stirring a hot pot of cheese sauce. I wish I could say I came up with a great parenting technique to handle that one, but alas, I just stood on one foot and said "Zach, no! That is Mommy's boo boo foot. Stop kicking Mommy's boo boo foot!" until the sauce was ready.

If only he cared

When I picked him up from daycare I saw this:

That is not the outfit I put him this morning. Turns out that is the "backup" outfit I had at school. Apparently I need to update that backup plan to include clothes that fit, are in season and do NOT include socks with sandals.

5 Years

Today Alex and I have been married for 5 whole years. He is no longer my shiny new husband as he was in 2005, but my smells-like-new, low mileage but has some dings here and there husband. I thought I would take this time to note 5 things I have learned leading up to our wooden anniversary.

1. The first year of marriage was harder than any year yet. The first year of marriage WITH a child is really, really hard. But still not harder than the first year. i can not imagine having a baby during that first year. I take my hat off to people who do that. Or send them on the crazy train. I didn't really know it at the time, but looking back I can see the adjustments and compromises that we just didn't see coming (what do you mean he gets to leave his shoes in the bedroom just because it is HIS bedroom now too? oh the horror!)

2. It is really important to have TWO parents. Vitally important. One parent is just not cutting the mustard. Things like the below happen. Which is why I am thrilled to say that as of yesterday Zach will have both parents at home in evenings! Alex has left his job/abondonment of his family at RBC to take one with Rosetta Resources (not to be confused with the Stone. He is not teaching anyone Madarin). Yipee for all of us!

3. I love seeing my husband with my child. I love seeing the way Alex holds him and talks to him but especially the joy that it brings Alex when he teaches Zachary to do something. Even push a button or pretend to dribble a ball. They both look so proud.

4. All those vacations we took before we had Zach were 100% worth it. I am so grateful that we flew off overseas and to the Carribean and did all that fun stuff that non-parents can do.

5. Being married for five years makes me feel like you can make it for the long haul. I mean, hey, five years is nothing to scoff at. Not like 35 years, which both my parents and Alex's parents reached this year. But that just gives us something to aim for.

Long Afternoon

Technically every afternoon is a long one with my busy, busy bee. With my foot still recovering though, it does make for longer than normal afternoons since we really can't go anywhere but the backyard. Usually he loves it! He runs about chasing Norman and enjoying his little pool and water table.

But not today.

Today he discovered he could do this:

So I did this:

And after much screaming, crying

and the carrying of a wet and stinkin' mad baby

in the house, I did this:

I am not implying that I HAD to drink to finish out the day with my child...but it did make it go a bit smoother, especially after his refusal to eat dinner and insistance upon watching Thomas the Tank Engine and attempting to eat Norman's dinner.