Motherhood and other creative adventures
Atti invented a game all by himself the other day, consisting of headbutting me in my soft post baby belly and laughing so hard at making me laugh that he gave himself the hiccups.
I loved it because it gave me more opportunities to get my hands in this kids hair, and because I am just *loving* watching this little guy’s personality come out stronger by the day.
I bought this sampler of oils and vinegar at the chocolate festival over the weekend, and it’s embarrassing how much of it I’ve already eaten. Particularly that sundried tomato bistro oil. It’s essentially a combination of olive oil and balsamic vinegar like you dunk your bread in at any italian restaurant, but with additional flavoring that makes me want to lift the bottle to my lips and just chug it straight.
This company imports their olive oil from Spain and their vinegar from Italy and then adds really delicious flavors. Lucky for me they sold a little sampler pack so that I didn’t have to choose just one. I got a blackberry balsamic vinegar, fig balsamic vinegar, meyer lemon olive oil, and that sundried tomato bistro blend which is already gone. I don’t think I’ve eaten anything but bread dunked in this stuff ever since I bought it. Last night I spread some goat cheese on a cracker and topped it off with a drizzle of the fig balsamic, and then I did a few dozen more times and called it dinner. This stuff is amazing.
I wrote about how leaving my garden was hard for me, but this is making it a lot easier.
My new backyard has the most gloriously flowering rose bushes lining the fence. Plus we have a patch of grass for Atti to play on, so that’s another bonus. Once I get my herbs going in pots, I’ll be able to get by without whining.
On our way out of town we spent a day at Disneyland – Atti’s very first time. I knew he would love it, but words just can’t express how amazing it was. As soon as he saw King Arthur’s Carousel he started bouncing in his stroller. When we walked past it to get to Dumbo he threw an unholy fit. Until Dumbo started moving.
We came back to this one several times. Whenever we’d bring Dumbo up to his highest point Atti would giggle like a mad man.
It’s a Small World was also a major hit. His eyes would widen, he’d fixate on something and stretch his little body around to keep watching it as we passed it. He’d only turn around when he physically couldn’t stretch any further, only to be surprised by a whole roomful of more amazing things to see.
We were really nervous about taking Atti to Disneyland with his physical limitations. The thought of holding him as we waited in line all day made me break out in a cold sweat. Since he’s not old enough to use a wheelchair, we need to use his stroller everywhere. I imagined all the fights I was going to have with attendants unconvinced he was disabled or parents mad they couldn’t bring a stroller everywhere. I brought a Dr.’s note and came prepared to make my case, but as soon as I said he had Cerebral Palsy the gal at the desk just said, “Oh sure! How many people in your party?” and handed me a card that allowed us all to get special treatment. We didn’t walk right on to every ride, but we came pretty close. Disneyland knows how to take care of us special needs families.
As you read this I am at Disneyland with Atti and Bear and the grandparents, trying to soak in the last pleasures of Southern California before we have to leave it behind.
My guess is that Atti is going to go bonkers for it – probably especially the Dumbo ride – and by the end of the day I am going to have arms that Michelle Obama will envy after carrying around my little 25 lb sack of sugar.
Atti is such a little daredevil. Since he was old enough to hold his head up he’s loved being tossed in the air – Up was one of his first words. I think today will be the start of a beautiful friendship.
You know what is a SERIOUS pleasure? A friend who reads this tweet:
There are so many things I’m supposed to be doing now that I’m just paralyzed. Can’t pick a place to begin!
and decides that the perfect solution is to blow off responsibilities and head to the zoo. And then pops over while you’re still in your jammies and talks you into it.
Even though we went when Atti was supposed to be napping, and just after getting a shot at the doctors, he came through like a trooper. He loved every minute, and I got a ton of snuggles. He finally conked out at the very end as we walked through the butterfly jungle, so I carried him, asleep and sweaty, through this magical garden packed with butterflies floating right next to you and landing on your shoulder.
Cynthia was dead right. The answer to too much to do? Escape to the zoo.
Reader Robyn in Australia sent me this picture the other day, and I just loved it. This is her little grandson feeding an orphaned kangaroo a special bread treat. I’ve heard from my Australian friends that kangaroos are really no big thing and kind of a pest sometimes, but to my American experience they are just magic. Imagine! A kangaroo! With a little fuzzy pouch just right there in front of you!
What a pleasure to have the world shrink to the size of an email.
Don’t you wish *anything* made you this happy as an adult? Oh wait. I can think of one thing, and he loves bubbles.
I totally poached this little sculpture from my inlaw’s house.
Well, I couldn’t bring myself to outright swipe it, so I really just wandered around their house for a day saying, “Wow, I sure do like this sculpture! It was just sitting in a drawer in the guest room. It sure would look nice at my house….” Stopping just short of saying, “Hint. Hint.” Finally my mother in law just told me to take it. Most likely so I would shut up already.
It’s a metal casting with a really cool patina on it, and while I’m already so perilously close to crazy cat lady territory I really shouldn’t be bringing cat-themed knick-knacks into the equation, it was just too cool to resist.
I’ve been going through the house and trying to eliminate one unsightly mess at a time. For a whole $5 I bought this little hook system at Target, hung it up on the wall, and all of a sudden the tangle of cleaning supplies and dirty laundry that breeds just outside the door to the garage is neat and tidy.
This simple, stupid change not only makes me feel better about having a cleaner garage, but it’s actually making me keep a cleaner house. Now I’ll actually pull out the broom and sweep up a spill instead of putting it off because I didn’t want to deal with an avalanche as soon as I opened the door. Makes me want to hit my head I didn’t do this three years ago.