At the Pond

Sunday...another beautiful day! Satch watched his mama and dada do their yard work. Daddy repaired our fence that took a beating during the winter while mommy planted seeds in the flower bed. "Dirt Therapy" is what dada likes to call it.

Afterward we took satch to the pond to feed the ducks. An enormous swan glided over to greet us as sparks of sunlight danced upon the ripples.









This morning, as the sun was coming up, I heard a flock of geese fly over the house. I couldn't help thinking about the beautiful film, "Winged Migration". I've always been an early riser, but never imagined that my sun salutation would start when the birds wake up and begin their aubade.










(Thank you, Satchel, for this gift)

Fun

"Fun is good" - Dr. Seuss

Above are two very cool classic re-pro toys I've discovered and want to get for Satchel's birthday.

(Click on the toys for links)

I think these toys have much more character than those plasticized creations with all the bells and whistles.

I want to make Satch something with this bubble fabric....and this sock monkey fabric too! I was lured to the site via my muses, Georgia and Frida.

Pixie Sans Pixels

I received a wonderful card from Pixie.
Although I've missed her by pixel glow,
it was a real treat having her near in ink.
Inside was a tasty tea of white sage and mint
to sip from my favorite tea cup.

Thank you, Pixie...how I adore you!

Afterbath

I held his hands and he walked to the tub. He lifted his leg and tried to step into it. He loves the bath. The moment he sits down, he grabs for a toy and splashes with his free hand. I let him play while I bathe him. I ask (and sign), "Are you finished?" and he shakes his head "NO". When he's had enough he will hold out his arms for me to pick him up. Somehow, he feels smaller without clothes and I wrap his slippery, wet body in a towel and hug him tight for warmth.

Satch has a family of rubber ducks to play with in his bath. One of them, by Munchkin, has a temperature sensitive bottom that turns white when the water is too hot. Satchel really likes the floating fish thermometer (pictured). I still triple check by testing the water on my arm. Satchel also gets a kick out of the bath critters that his Great-Great aunt and uncle gave him.

Sound Bites

I love watching his little fingers pick up his Cheerios and the look of concentration as he slowly brings it to his mouth. When he likes a particular taste he nods, rocking his body forward and back while making a "Num Num" sound. We've been slowly introducing Satchel to finger foods. We've tried 3 teething biscuits before we found the perfect one. The first one we tried was a wheat free biscuit by Earth's Best that was made from barley, but it was too soft and kept breaking off in Satchel's mouth. The second was Healthy Time's maple teething biscuit. It was hard enough and didn't break apart, but the smell was so strong that Satch still smelled like maple the following day. I love the way my baby smells...I don't want him to smell like maple. Finally we tried Healthy Time's vanilla biscuit and this one was just right.

We checked out the Gerber fruit puffs and noticed that not only did they contain a lot of sugar, but they also contained strawberries! We were surprised as strawberries are an allergen. We found that Gerber Graduates makes an apple snack that is simply freeze dried apples (no sugar) and disolve quickly in the mouth, but Satch has a hard time maneuvering them in his mouth and often gags.

One thing he's wild about is YoBaby yogurt...and of course, Cheerios.

The lovely Joan Davis (a pediatric dietician in NYC) sent me this wonderful book, "Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense". Our beloved Rochelle Sirota, also a registered dietician...and also known as "Shellsteak" sent us a video related to the book.









I also really like, "The New Vegetarian Baby". Both books are packed with excellent information.

Out Came the Sun

Out and about... with raspberries ala Satch














cherry blossoms and magnolias galore!

A Good Nap

Rolling around in bed with Satch.










He actually napped in bed
this morning and awoke
with a grin! We're going
for another stroll after a
lunch of yogurt and fruit.

Nap Du Jour

Satch goes to bed willingly, eagerly in fact, at night time.
Napping is a whole other story.
He will nap in the stroller, car-seat, or even the high chair...
but not the bed.

Easter Egg

Getting Satch to nap is a challenge these days. I used to be able to take him to our family bed and nurse him into a nap, but he's on to me. Now I have to work for it. A stroll with Mama or a drive with Dada seems to be the method du jour. During our stroll today, I found this little robin's egg near the sidewalk. No nest anywhere near by that I could see. I'm hoping it is an unfertilized egg, unwittingly ovulated.

*Easter is named after the pagan goddess Eostre (Latin: Oestre), an Anglo-Saxon maiden-goddess of fertility.

Raindrops and Puddles

I put a rain shield on the stroller, donned a raincoat and took satch for an afternoon stroll. I could see satchel through the sunroof of the pram. Every so often, he would look up at me and smile. He was enjoying our rainy day parade. The scent of the air was fabulous. We could smell the new grass, the damp earth and there was a faint scent of early blooms. I kept my stride slow and mindful so that we could clearly hear the patter of the raindrops hitting the stroller, and so that we wouldn't miss any wonders or beauty. The gentle pattering and my deliberate gait lulled satchel to sleep. after he nodded off, I shot this photo of the perfect raindrop.











I stopped to photograph this puddle and noticed that the rain drove the earth worms to surface from their dark, dank homes. Befuddled by the morning light, they try to find their way home across the dry, rough pavement and become easy targets for birds, cars and the heat of the sun. I saved 8 wormy lives this morning. That must be worth something.

Rusticated

Our home is an ecosystem. Birds live in the eaves and we are in need of a humane deportation. Carpenter bees live somewhere near by because woodpeckers tap at the shingles. A skunk marked the side of our house twice, for good measure and portly woodchucks have been seen "getting jiggy" on our deck. Spiders of unimaginable proportions make intermittent appearances, as do the speedy centipedes which eat them. They move incredibly fast, must have something to do with all the legs. I'm guessing that they have lived in this house long before we moved in. Perhaps they are the ancestors of the original settlers of 1911 when the house was built. Judging by their size and sassiness, I think it's a pretty safe guess. I created a treaty in mind: they can live in the basement, but not in our house. (it helps me to feel less guilty about squashing them) Of course, they are too big for me to squash. I run and Robert squashes. We also live with a number of small, shy spiders whose presence is marked only by our weekly "battle of the webs". I vacuum, spider rebuilds....keeps us both busy.

My cat, Elvis, enjoys both the spiders and the centipedes although the latter bites him. Arachnid or arthropod...he's not choosy about his snacks. Should said snack get away, he'll hunt for hours until he finds it. He will crouch patiently with his head under the sofa. He will sit in the bathtub scanning the walls and ceiling. He will sit in front of his bowl of dry food as if it were bug-bait. He stalks his prey like a lion and I am grateful for his instinctual wildness.

In sussing out info about the carnivorous, venomous, biting centipede (and how to be rid of them), I learned that they live for six years and that while some lay eggs, others have been known to give live birth. I'm completely grossed out by the thought of this...all those legs. I also learned that sow bugs (the little gray bugs that roll up into a ball) aren't actually insects at all, but crustaceans. Makes one looks at lobster in a whole new way, doesn't it?

I am considering purchasing one of those sonic anti-insect devices. Does anyone know if they actually work? Though I like to live simply, I do like a good gadget...providing it works and doesn't end up in the appliance purgatory i.e. the cabinet above the fridge, home to gizmos that one thinks they need, but really doesn't.

Delight

"I think I know what love is.
Delicious, delovely
Delectable, de-vine" - Dee-Lite

symphony

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; - this is my symphony". ~ William Henry Channing

Careworn

Today is horrific. My nerves are taut and I feel raw. I'm sure I'll cry before the day ends. Satchel has napped for all of 15 minutes this morning. He is irritable and clearly in need of sleep, yet refuses. I put him in his play-yard so I can peck out these words for my own sanity. A moment to breathe and feel grounded again...so I can go back to him feeling soft and loving. (He has taken rolling to a whole new level and I can not leave him alone, even for a second...he travels quickly). The clicking of the keys are drowned out by his persistent high-pitched, no sleep, protests. These sounds are hard for me to ignore...and cause a visceral response.

It is times like this that I wish I could spend one night in a hotel room and sleep for 8 hours. I have not slept more than 3 hour stretches for over 10 months...not including the pregnancy sleepwalks to the bathroom to pee. By my calculations it's been almost 2 years since I've slept through the night.

This is not a rant.
This is truth.
This is my "today".

The truth is also that I couldn't sleep without my babe, even if I wanted to. I would feel quite alone...and my breasts would wake me for every missed feeding. When my husband returns, I will ask him to take Satch for a car ride...a sure remedy for the both of us.

Being A Mother

"Being a mother is a lesson in wonder. All the 6,502,679,491 people in the world—every single person I encounter each day—spent dark watery months inside a womb and was birthed a mother." - Christina Rosalie (excerpt from Maternal Code)

My accomplishment for today...this sign!