oh boy... this can't be good

While Steve was in China, I got into the practice of paying Declan $2 per day so I could take a shower. By Myself. Without a Baby. It is probably worth eight times that much, but $2 seemed reasonable for 20 minutes work. Since his return, I often still employ Declan for two reasons ... first it is more convenient to shower during daylight hours. The evenings just get too crammed between dinner and lacrosse practice and general life. Secondly, Declan is trying to make a little extra dough. This arrangement works out well for both of us.

However.... yesterday, I came down from my shower to Declan excitedly relating a new skill Isaiah took on while I was busy sudsing my hair.

Take a look for yourself:

We are busy preparing for our trip to Washington DC. So I'll leave you with a few pictures...

Head Injury

Angus suffered a concussion yesterday at recess  during school. He slipped on some sand on the Plaza (painted concrete) and his feet went right out from underneath him! Poor guy has a goose-egg on the back of his head but all neurological testing showed nothing out of the ordinary. We watched him pretty closely through the night, waking him up to make sure he was responsive and rousable, and he looks much much better this morning! WHEW!

But I'm afraid he is out of lacrosse for a while. 

First Cold

dang. I knew this would happen eventually.

Poor little guy is terribly congested and was running a fever last night. Sleeping and nursing are particularly challenging, which is oh, about 85% of our existence these days.  The other 15% is spent trying to get into/onto stuff he shouldn't (like climbing the stairs). Favorite objects of his desire are: dvd cases, electrical outlets and wires, cat brush & bowl, cat, stone fireplace hearth, magazines.

On a positive note, yesterday while at story time, Isaiah demonstrated more independence and ease with strangers. He seems to really look forward to our weekly excursions. This week he was anticipating the adventure as we climbed the stairs to the third floor. As soon as I put him down on the floor, he was off exploring, crawling into other mom's laps (!) and investigating other children. He really can be quite social!

short video of the lil guy and some quiet time with mom...

Biking with Baby

We got our new bike trailer last week. Isaiah and I have been going out for a bike ride every day ever since. :)  My butt is a little sore but I can't help myself but to go. It was especially nice because Steve was gone all week in China but I still got to work out every day. I have been running with the jog stroller but I didn't really get to ride much last year so this is a welcomed relief for me ~ to get out on the bike and just move.

We go late morning, after he has eaten and is quite tired from playing, so he just naps most of the time. He seems quite comfy and content in there with his blankie and stuffed animals. Yesterday he woke up about 5 miles from home and started singing. What a delight!

peacefulness

lazy mornings

Angus and Declan are so helpful with Isaiah, especially this week while Steve is gone. I am never without an extra set of hands around here, offering to hold him for me while I get a task or two done...

Declan's Music

Declan, a member of the Middle School Choir, performed this past weekend at MICCA (Massachusetts Instrumental & Choral Conductors Association) Festival. The choir took home a gold medal (superior rating), the highest honor available.  They will be invited to participate in the Stars at Symphony 2009!  Quite an achievement!

Link to local article here: 

http://carlislemosquito.org/2009/2009-04-10/index.html

Angus' Art

Angus recently was selected by his art teacher to submit a self-portrait to the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers competition in Boston. He was awarded a Silver Key for his piece.

You can see it here, in the top left-hand side (making a face), on display at our local public library.

A Tooth!

wasn't there when I woke up this morning.

by noontime it had poked through!

looks like the second one will be here by the end of the week.

music

a sound only a mother could love

Lazy days

mmmmm.... first warm days of spring are here. It is nice to be alive.

Signs of Independence

Cool. It worked and was much more efficient than the other system we were using. Welcome to our new bloG.

Isaiah is very attached to me... which  is okay, because I know it won't last forever and he is gaining so much information about his world and how to trust and blahblahblah, but it can suck the life outta me sometimes.  The fact that it is difficult for him to be more than 11 inches away from my body can put a wrench into simple activities, like going to the bathroom or answering the doorbell. The only place where he will consistently be happy and not be attached to me is when we are outside. I rake the lawn while he supervises me, eating grass and playing with deer poo. Okay, not really playing with the poo but goodness there is an awful lot of it out there. But yesterday, something HUGE happened in two stages.

First, while at the library for story time, he sat happily in my lap for all the stories and songs like he usually does. At the end of the program the leader always blows bubbles. Lots and lots of bubbles. They are small and bountiful and float slowly to the ground. The kids love them and a few weeks ago Isaiah noticed them for the first time... tracking them with his eyes and then trying to catch them in his hands. Yesterday, when bubble-time commenced, Isaiah actually hopped right off my lap and scampered (read "crawled as quickly as he could") to the middle of the room... eight feet away!

He sat there quite contentedly, amongst the other children who threatened to unknowingly trample on his little body, for 5-6 minutes with bubbles flowing all around. He tried to catch them (harder than it looks) and popped the ones that landed on the ground in front of him. After a while he looked around for me.  We made eye contact, he smiled, and went back to popping bubbles. When he had enough, he crawled back to me. It was amazing to say the least. This was a giant step for him and I was so pleased to see him make the transition to minor independence so easily and naturally.  I knew all this attachment parenting was for a reason.

I thought that would be the highlight of the day, but that actually came later on at home. While sitting on the family room floor, where again he usually has to be in very close proximity to me, he crawled away and spent 30 minutes exploring other parts of the room all by himself. Every now and then he would check back to make sure I was still there, but he never panicked, wasn't stressed out at all about the separation, but was instead quite content to be in his own space. He looked out the windows, played with the door stopper, laughed at the heat vent and then did this...

That took all of about 8 seconds. To see the open cabinet, position himself in good striking distance, and proceed to wipe the shelf clean.

No comment on why cabinet doors aren't up yet.