Post Offices and Parks

Saturday was a rough day for us. I had to mail something out to work and the Pacifica post office was closed. Then the fedex we went to said they can’t mail to a PO box. Then the Daly City post office had a line that was about 30 people long and about 8 parking spaces. Then the mail your own machine was broken…except for the stamp option as Jonas, my hero, pointed out. Done and done. Sunday was much easier. I took Jonas and Nathan to Golden Gate Park to ride bikes. We rented a bike for me and a bike trailer for Nathan and headed out into the park onto JFK drive, which is closed on Sundays. We rode up and done the road and off onto a couple of side roads. Poor Nathan, with the helmet on in the trailer, his head got pushed forward. The next time, we will bring a little pillow so the back of his helmet doesn’t do that again. We stopped at the Conservatory of Flowers to get a couple of hot dogs (veggie and otherwise). The boys played next to a big tree and we got some nice shade for our lunch. After we dropped off our bikes, we got some ice cream from whole foods and ate it in the park before heading back to our car. It was a beautiful, perfect, chocolate smeared ride back home.

This Moment

At the Pacifica Pier after taking you to a mid-day dentist appointment. You complain about going to the beach - you don't want to go for a walk. But, then you see the waves. They break against the rocks and everywhere near is foamy white "milk." You yell that it is awesome, that you wish Papa could be here. I hold your hand and you try to get free. A huge wave comes over the wall, it soaks us. Later on you complain that I held your hand and that if I hadn't you could have gotten away. Even more later on, we watch videos of tsunamis, rivers of debris flooding towns, no one holding hands, but our heads close together watching the tiny screen in the dark of night.

Blankets and Salt

Yesterday Jonas, I feel like we had a small breakthrough with food. You have not accepted new food easily. And it’s not because you’re being difficult. You involuntarily gag when you try most new food. Just recently you have started to eat some pasta. But last night as I was giving Nathan a bath, you said, Nathan has tried more new food than I have. I said, that is true. How does that make you feel? And you said o.k. And then you said that you’re afraid of new food. So I asked what we could do to make you less afraid. And you said add salt. It was the first real and honest conversation that I think we’ve had together about food. Not that I haven’t tried before, but for some reason it was the right timing. But tonight appeared to be. So, that is what we will try. Salt.
Nathan, this weekend it was you and me and our respective colds while Papa and Jonas went to Nevada. I had not spent a lot of time alone with you since maternity leave. And it was such a pleasant surprise to discover new little facets to your personality. You kept pointing at the mother’s day flowers on the counter. Finally I gave in and gave you one, expecting you to pop it in your mouth. Instead, you took a big long smell and then offered it to me. Then of course you wanted another and another. In the end I wound up putting them in your pockets for you so that you could carry them around. You were very pleased with them. Then when I gave you your bath and was putting on your clothes, you were complaining so I put the towel (which was really a think blanket) around you. You loved that. And you insisted on keeping it around your shoulders as you walked around the house. And when you were going to bed you sat up in the bed with it around your shoulders for the longest time. Finally, I had to take it off and away, and you cried for it, so I handed it back, you took it and went to sleep.

Grrrr

Last night as I was putting you to sleep Jonas I said I love you, as I have so many times before. You always tell me that I don't have to tell you that, that you know that. I tell you I can't help it. Then you tell me when you have kids you are only going to tell them once. I laugh and say, I'll bet you that you'll say it more than once. This last night after I said it, there was a slight pause and then you said, "I love you." Then, "but don't say awww!" You did allow me to say "grrr" which has been deemed an appropriate response instead of awww. A pirate mama acknowledging love. Grrrr....

Bishop Takes Cracklin' Oat Bran and First Words

The chess board has sat neglected for a while, but this weekend we started playing again. Jonas wanted to play pokemon, but I told him we could play, but it had to be chess. He agreed. And he’s gotten better during the break – he sees a lot more of the ways in which his pieces may be in danger and is starting to plan ahead a bit. After we finished he wanted to play again. I suppose it didn’t hurt that for the pieces we were missing we substituted Cracklin’ Oat Bran and Goldfish with the rule of if you capture it you get to eat it. The rule was temporarily modified when one cherry chocolate bishop was discovered to have alcohol in it.
Nathan is starting to say more words. Jonas is keeping track of them all, although his total might be running a little high as he includes some “words” that I’m pretty sure were just accidentally sounds likes. Nathan did say “Vulva”, which is what Babushka calls Grandpa. I can only imagine how many times he’s heard this said while staying over there that this is one of his very first words, behind ball, mama and papa.

School Poo

Jonas told me the other day that he doesn’t like to go poo at school. I asked why, worried there might be some weird germ fear going on. He said, I don’t like to miss anything. I know it can’t always be like that and sometimes later on he might want to go to the bathroom specifically to miss portions of class, but for now it is nice to think that he is that excited about his class. I haven’t quite figured out though, how to work that into a thank-you card for his teacher…

Sick Days

Nathan, I left you this morning at Babushka and Grandpa’s after spending the day home with you yesterday while you were sick. You still had a fever this morning, but it was lower, 101.2 compared with 103, but still I wished I could stay home with you another day. You gave me the biggest, longest hug, with your head on my shoulder and I wanted to stay. And nothing I’ve done today has even come close to the feeling of being able to take care of you when you’re sick. Even when you want to be read to, but can’t find a book you want to read, keeping pointing at the bookshelf for the next one, it is a nice feeling. I don’t want you to be sick, but if you have to be, I wish I could be the one to stay with you.