All Better?

Oh please, let us wake rested and well! We seem much better, but having Chris at home for a couple of days may have been a temporary fix. Oh, I haven't updated for a long time...I got sick too. It was miserable. Felt like the flu. But I'm so done being sick!

So look at my beautiful Bowie taking a swim in my parent's big soaking tub this morning. As soon as we got out to their house, Bowie went into their room to strum Gramps' guitar and then wandered into the bathroom. "Swim," he said so in he went.

Yesterday we wanted to get out of the house (I had left our property twice in the past week) but it was all muddy from a much needed recent rain and we didn't want Bowie to be playing wiht other kids when he still had a runny nose and cough, so we went to a skatepark! Earlier in the morning I made a little cardboard skateboard for Bowie in an attempt to save the remote controls and telephone from being ground in to oblivion. He loved it even though he did notice that it didn't have wheels. Well, the skatepark was an amazing success! He was mesmerized for over an hour in our arms. I totally enjoyed watching all of the youn skaters. Chris and I have many fantasies about us all getting into the skate pool.

TV Sitter

A sign of how much I am losing it...I turned on the tv today. This morning I woke feeling worse and more tired than when I went to bed so we watched Sesame Street, me curled up on the couch under a blanket. Chris asked Bowie, "What are those?" "Puppets."What? How did he know they were puppets?! And this afternoon I put on our Dogtown and Z Boys dvd. He was actually really interested for about the first 40 minutes. But his interest waned and he started pacing in front of the tv. It's interesting how he reacts to tv and movies. He doesn't ask to watch it. I don't think he even thinks that it is an option as an activity. That's cool.

Falling Down

I don't believe that cold temperatures cause cold viruses. Bowie played outside today several times. He actually was willing to be out of arms for a few minutes. Long enough to crawl on top of last summer's pool and soak up the rain collection. I am a zombie, feel like I haven't left the house in weeks, and now I've got a sore throat. It is harder taking care of him with a cold than a stomach bug because he is awake and has energy but we can't go around infecting people and he feels so crappy so needs me non-stop. It will pass. I'll barely even remember it. But man, I am falling apart right now. I've worn the same clothes for three days. Why bother?

Sick Again!

Bowie came home from the cabin trip sick with cough and runny nose. He's not lethargic and limp, but hasn't had much of an appetitie until today. He ate oatmeal, egg, toast and peach butter, a few bites of bean taco, spinach pizza, corn on the cob, a little raw carrot, 3 big strawberries, and gumbo with okra and rice. Oh, and a peanut butter cliff bar. So I'm hoping he's truly on the mend, but I expect the cold to last at least 2 more days.

Bowie has been nearly inconsolable a few times today. He woke up from a too short nap and the only thing that could shake him from a crying funk was the suggestion of driving the Trooper. So he happily hung out in the car while I wrote the alphabet on the sidewalk. Today is national handwriting day (according to a local public radio show). I used the sling twice today when he was demanding, "eat!" but wouldn't be out of arms, so he "helped" me cook ridng on my hip. I don't know what I'd do without it! When he gets upset and wants to be close but we are in a busy time, I ask him if he wants to ride in the sling and it always sounds good to him! I can go months without using it, but there are times when he is just obviously out of sorts and it's a lifesaver. As are the cars. And any kind of berry. These are my sure fire cures for helping him out of a downward spiral.

Bastrop

Bowie and I spent the past few days out at a cabin with two mama friends and their sons. Bowie was the big boy of the group. It's really fun to see him interacting with other children. It was so beautiful out there. Pine trees everywhere. Lots of rocks and pinecones to explore. I love the rustic buildings, built by the CCC. I love that Bowie spends so much time outside.

The Zoo

We went to the zoo today. Appropriate outing for the gorgeously warm winter day after seeing King Kong. Going to the zoo is so fun and so exciting, but also so sad. Just being near the animals is amazing, there is something really powerful about them. But they are so so heartbreaking, too. And so many people are so crude and mean towards them. And it tmakes me to outraged and ashamed. But I think that having even these brief, false encounters are so inspiring and cause so many things about our world to be wondered at. It is a wonderful experience, for us. At their expense. My opposing thoughts give me much to ponder. Expecially since it is such a massively strong event for a child. For Bowie it is clear that it filled in a lot of areas of knowledge, gave him context for so many books and stories and drawings and photographs. He must have learned at least 10 new words today. He was so observant and drawn in by the animals. And he was so physical, running from place to place, climbing against the fences. I could almost see the brain synapsis firing. But I kept thinking of the sad, sad story of King Kong.

Country Band

Chris's parents came to visit this weekend and brought MORE Christmas presents. The one that we all kept playing with all day was a box of musical instruments. Bowie was handing out instruments and directing us, dancing when we put together a jam.

Creekbed Hiking

Went hiking on the greenbelt with friends today. Three mamas carrying our sons in backpacks. The creekbed was completely dry which made for some awesome exploring.

Bowie's Room

I was inspired by a group blog that showed little areas of people's houses. So while Bowie was sleeping away his sickies the other afternoon, I took some pics of his bedroom. I am excited to see what choices he makes for his decor...will probably be a bit different from mine.

Getting Better

A smile! He's much better but still pretty weak and wary of food. It's sort of like having a 27 lb newborn. Thank goodness for the sling! I was able to vacuum and he was able to be held (there was no negotiating that point.) Here's hopin' that's that last we see of that bug.

Still Sick

I think that he's on the mend, but he's still sick. He slept throughout the day. And played a lot less than he had yesterday, but I think that was because he peaked today. But goodness, how can it be so cute to be so sick?! At dinner he did not want to eat but sat in his chair and laid his head on the table smiling and giggling, saying YUM but turning down all offers of food.

Sick Baby

Our poor baby woke up last night sick. He was throwing up all night and morning and a few times this afternoon and evening. He is running a raging fever so his cheeks are as red as cherries. Poor dear. This morning he was singing and playing through it all, but by the afternoon his energy started to wane. Poor dear was like a wet noodle. We are so hoping that it's just a 24 hour bug and that he'll be fine soon...and that we won't catch it. Taking care of him in this state is a near constant connection. How to do that when one of us is so ill?

Chris did comment that as sad as it is to see him so sick, it is a sweet thing for him to be so cuddly. Bowie and Chris took many naps together today.

Good Morning

What we wake up to!

Little Boy Buddha Beneath the Bodhi Tree

I don't care how narcissistic or self indulgent this may seem. I am head over heels for our son. Not just because he has my blue eyes, Chris' full lips, and a golden mop of crazy hair. But also because he is joyful, inquisitive, silly, brilliant, independent, cuddly, reckless, cautious, on and on and on. All the things all babes are. All the things we were and can be again. He shows me this everyday. And he makes the world beautiful by being here with us.

He is now saying, "I love you!" For him to hug my knees as tightly as he can and say, "I love you, mama" is utterly transcendent.

Window Into Another World

This is my ode to Andy Goldsworthy and CS Lewis. Although, unlike Goldsworthy, I did not create this perfect circle subtly and stunningly floating in a stagnant pool, I find this image calls to mind his beautiful natural sculptures in water. And I have just read the first two books in the Chronicles of Narnia to Bowie (it is our "nursing book" as Bowie calls it). In The Magician's Nephew the world in between the worlds is linked by ponds. Michele and I immediately thought of this when we saw this pond.

Mother Nature's Son

We spent our new year's day camping out at Pedernales State Park. It was unseasonable warm (in the 80s) so of course we went dipping out in the river. I can't look at this photograph without singing the Beatles' Mother Nature's Son.

Michele, Jack and Finn spent the night with us. Our campsite was littered with a little pedaling Harley, tricycle, soccer ball, basketball, bouncy ball, hats (good luck keeping a hat on Bowie) and dogs. Our neighbors, the Groces, came out for a hike. We must have been quite a beautiful sight- three papas carrying their sons in backpacks along the trail.

Do Re Mi

One of the songs that I sing to Bowie is Do Re Mi (well a portion of it) from The Sound of Music. Bowie sings along with me, especially supplying the last word of a phrase. The other night we were all in the family room together and Chris started playing the song on a bamboo flute (without any sheetmusic...just picked it out of the air, musical genius that he is) and the third phrase into it, Bowie started singing. Not from the beginning, but at "Mi, a name I call myself" (of course not quite that clearly, more like "Mi, name i ll melf"). My jaw dropped! He totally recognized the tune on his own and joined in at the correct time! I am completely amazed. And so pleased, of course.

What the Elves Left

We got a wheelbarrow and garden tools for Bowie's Christmas morning gift. We put a tag that said "For Bowie" on it and put it on the backporch (Chris was worried about the damage that could be done with for metal tools on long poles). Bowie hasn't quite got the hang of pushing his wagon, yet. But he likes to copy mama and put sticks in it (we are trying to make some improvements in our sorry backyard). I am glad I have a picture of Bowie wearing these pajamas. At first I was disappointed that I didn't get him some cute snowman or snowflake pj's, but now I am glad that I got to capture Bowie in what are my favorite pj's.

Honey, Bowie's Beautiful Cousin

One of the great things about Christmas was that my sister, her boyfriend and their daughter came out and stayed overnight, too. We were all together and that has happened since...well, I don't know when. Bowie LOVES Honey and talks about her all of the time.

I was Home for Christmas

We spent Christmas Eve night out at my parent's house in Driftwood. They decorated it stunningly! We ate our traditional velvet chicken and dumplings with broccoli. Bowie could not get enough of the lttle green trees. We then watched March of The Penguins in their theater room (adults sipping egg nog with brandy). It was a wonderful experience. Bowie mostly played bongos and danced but did find himself momentarily fascinated a few times, and Honey was completely transfixed by it. She was bursting with excitement when the chicks hatched and so sad and afraid at the dangers that the penguins experience. After getting Bowie to sleep, Chris and I put together our gift to Honey- a beautiful doll tree house. It was so magical to sit in the lights of the tree and assembling toys, feeling quite a lot like elves.