For you, Daddy!

This is for Daddy, but everyone else is welcome to watch, too (of course). Gus is walking with more confidence each day, here, he is showing a subtle change in direction, which I take to mean he has reached a new skill level. It's all so fascinating to me. Enjoy!

Packing up

If you know me, you aren't surprised to know that I carefully plot and plan my packing (our trip to Switzerland is coming up Monday). No matter what the destination and length of trip, I gear up for the journey armed with Post-it notes about a week in advance.That's right. I write a list and then I check each item off as I add it to the suitcase...I also carry another Post-it pad in my purse, so I can jot down any additions that I might have forgotten at home, those I add to the original note whenever I pass the suitcase.

I rarely overpack or underpack, I pride myself in packing a mean suitcase.



But - big but - since Gus has started to hog space in my suitcase (just literally, don't worry he won't travel to Switzerland inside BIG RED (that's my mother-in-law's BIG suitcase...and it is big) the challenge of packing has doubled - I'm up to the pressure, but still (another big but) it gives me brief spasms of anxiety. I don't want to forget anything life-sustaining and by the same token I don't want to pack the ball gown (unless there is a ball).

So for the past couple of days, Gus and I have been sitting around Big Red with my lists adding and subtracting things, editing our travel wardrobe, rearranging gifts in the most space-dynamic way. I believe we're going to make it to Switzerland for 2 1/2 weeks in one suitcase (Groma is already buying Gus outfits, so I won't worry about ball gowns for him)

The piece of luggage that gives me fits in the middle of the night is my carry-on. I'm determined to travel light (well, except for the 22 lbs. boy and a jogging stroller. I want to make the 10 1/2 hour trip with my usual diaper bag, so that I can keep it close (overhead compartments spell OUT-OF-REACH to me)

Here is my list so far:

Geraldine:
- Wallet/ticket/passports
-water bottle
- book (that's a maybe)
- cell phone
- 2 energy bars
- camera
- Delta earphones
- Jacket

Gus:
- 5 diapers/small travel thingy of wipes
- blanket
- change of clothes, socks
- selection of small noise-less toys (new to Gus)
-snacks (string cheese, cheerios, raisins)
- Benadryl (yep - and I'm not afraid to use it)
- Jacket

All into this.

Yep, I'm going to try. Do you think I can do it? We'll see. We're off Monday. Wish us luck or whatever I need to survive a cross-Atlantic flight with an 11-month-old on my lap (Awwww what was I thinking!)

Girls (and one little boy) just want to have fun!

Scenes from a successful potluck, girls-night-out party at my house. The pictures say it all...the food was delicious, the company delightful and a good time was had by all - especially one little boy...

Small but mighty

I remember my blog-blubbering about the untimely demise of my tomato plants, so I feel obligated to share this handful of goodness with everyone.

As the sole survivor of the backyard blight my cherry tomato plant seems to want to make up for harvest deficit left behind by its not-as-resistant comrades.

I have not fertilized it and it only recives my daily dish water for nourishment - but it is putting out big time.

This is about an average daily take for the past week - rarely do these tasty mini-tomatos make it into a dish, instead I snack on them until there is none. Still it makes me grateful enough that I now venture out there at dusk with my slopping dishpan and stop to say thanks to my little plant, drooping heavy with fruit, before I shower it with the days gray water.

Maybe there is still hope for me as a gardener?

Catching up

He can catch a mean-Momma pitch at 11 months!

I delight in this child - all the time. He makes it so easy.

Next up: We're working on blowing kisses...

Almost there...(11 months)

Today is Gus' last double-digit "birthday anniversary" for a while. I myself can't quite believe we're already passing this momentous milestone and heading toward that amazing day that marks the time Gus came into our lives one year ago. I still marvel at the rate at which he develops new skills and hones the familiar ones. It's like he waits until I fall asleep at night, and then he gets up and practices walking, talking, fine-motor skills and many more crowd-pleasing tricks, until I wake up in the morning.
Here are some of the new-and-improved skills our pre-toddler likes to show off these days:
- Paddling in the pool
- Mock diving in the sink (sticking his face under water and emerging amidst a blast of bubbles)
- Whipping around on his butt and going down a set of stairs like it's nothing (he just started this one day, like he had finally solved the problem during a sleepless night)
- Crawling up the stairs at a speed that has me huff to keep up
- Saying "tata" "grrrrrr" "kawawa" "ahhhsss" (I know, that one is a bit embarrassing, especially in a quiet store), "gaaa" along with a wide selection of spittle-and-spit producing sounds, including a rolling R, I can't reproduce on the keyboard
- Grating an entire apple with six teeth and eating about half of it
- Signing 'bye-bye" "all done" "stop" and "good job" (still working on "potty" "Mamma" and "I love you"
- Playing his baby piano and ukulele with much delight, drumming on everything else
- Passing a ball (tennis ball, Andy) back and forth with much shrieking
- Playing by himself with lots of humming
- Ullulating with the back of his hand flapping in front of his mouth, while he bellows (this is his favorite party trick)
- Bellowing and whipping his index fingers between his lips to create a babbly stream of sounds
- Drinking out of a cup (with some leakage)
- Eating string cheese like he half-Swiss that he is
- Blowing farty noises on Mommi's belly
- Two words: Kiss Attack - when it's coming you can't avoid it
- Sliding down the slide at the playground and crawling right back up (this startled Mommie big time)
- Walking a good dozen steps, slowly and with tought, sitting down and standing up without support.
- Walking longer distances holding on to an adult hand (this pleases him to no end)

I don't care that others do all this, too - this child is marvelous!!!

One of my favorite things...

..are hand-me-downs.
Like my sister-in-law, Leah, I too once turned my nose up at anything not neat-and-new and store-bought, but three decades later, I love things old and worn so much better than anything new - thrift is my favorite brand, I tell you.
Castoffs given to me by generous friends inevitably end up becoming my favorite wardrobe pieces - there is something inherently good about a "distressed" pair of pants or a washed-soft shirt that someone I love has pre-worn for me.
And then there is that not-me factor. Most of my favorite castoffs are pieces I would not pick for myself and carry to the cash register, either because of cut or pattern or color - but when they are given to me I give them a try - and almost always feel like myself in them.
Funny.
Now that Gus breezes through infant sizes like his last name is Phelps, castoffs have become a welcome infusion into the wild whirlwind that is his wardrobe - what fits one day, may not the next and what looked big one day, is just right the next week - I swear...he is keeping up with the tomato plants in my backyard, and they are making a mad dash for harvest...
The latest box of boy clothes came from my dear friend Brynn. Huge as it was we lugged it home in the bike trailer, loading it up under the "tsk-tsking" of all the SUV-driving post office customers (OK this is where one of those gas-gargling train terminals on wheels would come in handy). Aside from plenty of prefolds and covers to keep us in cloth diapers until potty training and beyond, she packed a generous selection of toddler clothes that had me sit on the floor and day-dream...Gus is pretty much a toddler, and now he's got little boy clothes to prove it.

Thank you, Brynn. No amount of money and time shopping, could have gotten me these kinds of finds. I'm grateful and will take good care of them.
Now on to packing up the too-small, stuff. Cousin Edward watch out. A big bag of big baby clothes is coming your way...