Dance Till The Stars Come Down

Another kindred spirit...fills my heart with joy!


Satch and I love to dance. We dance for no reason. We dance for joy!
(Here he is holding dada's hands while mama's behind the lens)


Diaper Dance on Vimeo

"Dance till the stars come down from the rafters
Dance, Dance, Dance till you drop".
~W.H. Auden

Satchel's Dada

I wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me, "Do you know your husband looks like Robin Williams?".


My reply is always, "Yes I know he does, but he's not as hairy".

(I'm a big Robin Williams fan, by the way.)

• He has a smirky grin that makes him look as though he's up to some mischief.
• He has wonderful blue eyes framed by small wire spectacles.
• His hair sticks straight up in the morning like rooster.
  
• He walks on his toes with a happy-go-lucky kind of gait, like a boy who scored his first homerun of the summer.
• He's a loyal Royal's fan (even though they suck).
  
• He hates squash of any variety, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and beets.
• He LOVES peanut butter.
• He drinks chocolate milk with a spoon.
  
• He is a devoted daddy.
  
• He has a terrific sense of humor.

Dadaisms aka The Jocular Vernacular of Satchel's Dada:

1. Maters = Tomatoes
2. Taters =Potatoes
3. Crakes = Pancakes
4. Spin Och = Spinach
5. Posster = Pasta
6. Paramecium = Parmesan
   
7. Sloppy Bro's = Sloppy Joe's
   
8. French Roast = French Toast
9. Scrubway = Subway
10. Stupidity = Humidity
11. Code = Cold
    
12. Fadge itus = Fajitas
13. Samich = Sandwich
14. Booger King = Burger King
15. David Buoy = David Bowie
16. Miluk = Milk
17. Co Kola = Coca Cola
18. Ah Guar = Agua/Water
    

"Cool Beans"!

New Moves

Dare I say that Satch slept for 6 hours straight thursday night?!?! Even though my boobs woke me up for every missed feeding, I felt rejuvenated.






Today I loaded up the wagon with toys, snacks, water to occupy Satchel while I weeded the flower bed. When he got bored with the toys, he pulled himself up and practiced skirting around the wagon. After that, and one minor tumble, he figured out how to pull the handle down, sit on it and climb over it. I'm impressed!





















































Satch doesn't care for the sippy cup, but really digs his new Podee bottle because he can drink it upright with out having to tilt it. After he sips his water he makes an "aaahhh" sound that is truly adorable. A word of caution on the Podee: always check the nipple! Our first one ripped after two uses. The company sent us some replacement nipples.

Love Bugs

"The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware." - Henry Miller

The passing rain showers did a fine job of coolings things off, however it somehow managed to ignite sparks of a different sort.


Satchel and I went for an early evening stroll and got quite a show. A peep show of the insect variety on a leaf in a curbside flower bed.















(I'm not sure which species they are, but I'm guessing they are of the asian variety due to the marks on their pronotum.)

Motherhood leaves me virtually no time for art, so I've turned my attention toward photography and journaling as a creative outlet. There will be more time for art as Satch gets older. As for now, I photograph our moments: the things we do, the things we see, so that we do not misplace them in the folds of memory and so that he will have these things to reflect on for a great many years. There are things in this world that are dark and sad, one must know where to look for the antidote. I hope that my images and words knit a sparkling cloak of protective joy around my boy...a magic elixir, a remedy.

I enoy our strolls together immensely. I pack the pram with snacks, water, a sheet for impromptu picnics, a stick of chalk for leaving messages, and a camera. When we set out for a stroll, I go with an awareness and the intention to see something wondrous to record for Satch. And that is how I happen upon things like the six spotted tiger beetle and amorous ladybugs. I either stumble on the magic or it finds me, I'm not sure which. What I do know is that I'm never disappointed. Goethe once wrote, "The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone". Satch and I...our two souls walk together.

We pause to pick two wild spearment leaves, one for me to nibble on and the other for Satch to explore. I spot a patch of lavender and rub a bud between my palms to release the scent then hold it to Satchel's nose for him to smell. I point out all the animals I see. We welcome the licks of friendly dogs and cats. We watch squirrels dance across tree tops with amazing agility. We walk with patience and awareness. We soak up the colors, the scents, the sounds, the sights.

After dinner we played Satchel's favorite song, "24 Robbers" from the birthday cd that cousin Kate gave him. Satch danced wildly!

Satch is very interested in the electric fan. He points to it and says, "Ffffff", but he hasn't yet figured out how to complete the word. He learned how to sit up on his own in bed last night. He went from pulling himself up to stand without learning how to sit up on his own. (He also bypassed crawling and is trying to walk instead). He was so pleased with his new maneuver that he clapped loudly for himself and repeated his new skill over and over until he was too exhausted to continue. His noggin wet with sweat, he finally succumbed to sleep. He woke up twice during the night and sat up on his own as if to be sure he still remembered how he did it.

Satchel wouldn't nap at ALL today. Every time I took him to bed to nurse and nap, he rolled himself over and sat up, just like last night only he wouldn't give in to sleep. He's very cranky as one would imagine. I only hope that he sleeps well tonight.

For the next three days Satch will be going to the office with his Daddy as is the case when I am scheduled to work. (Satch is an A.P. baby and is always in the care of his parents) I have belly photos scheduled and other assorted obligations. I will look forward to the weekend with Satch and will return to the page once again with a smattering of words and a moment frozen with the click of a shutter.

More Fleur

"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in." - Rachel Carson (Sense of Wonder)

Satchel spotted his pram very early this morn and immediately began gesturing his desire to stroll. So off we went in the hush of the early hour before the sun and the heat became overpowering...and before Robert's predicted mid-day deluge.

Although the air was still heavy with heat and humidity, we sauntered along our usual path admiring nature's latest show:

• wild alpine strawberries
• climbing roses
• dainty purple blooms resembling mini chandeliers
• a sensuous summer peony, given to us by the lovely, lanky scott (our neighbor's gardener)
  

And if that isn't wondrous enough, Satchel is signing "More". (click here for video)

And my friend Abigail's beautiful, talented daughter Isabella is playing Hippolyta in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (my favorite of all Shakespeare plays). Here she is as "Hippolyta" lying at the feet of her lover. For reasons like this and this and this, I wish we were back in New York.

We chalked a single word on the sidewalk today...."glorious"!

90 Degrees

It's Father's Day.
It's 90 degrees.
Satch is napping.
Dada is mowing.

We purchased a little baby pool for Satch and it sure came in handy today. After a lunch of faux tuna salad (made with tofu) and some melon for dessert, both of which Satchel enjoyed, we went out on the front porch to splash in the pool.

Satch loves water and loves being naked!

Robert and I made our summery craves: he made a strawberry shortcake and I made iced tea.

Though the tops of the enormous maples were swaying with the breeze, one look at the sky would tell how hot it is. Everything is veiled in haze. It occurred to me today that I haven't heard any cicada songs nor the nightly cricket lullabies this season. I haven't seen any fireflies either which reminds me, I must order one of these for Satch immediately.

For the epi-curious epicures, here is the recipe for the faux tuna salad:

• 1 lb extra firm tofu (frozen over night; thaw; squeeze out water; crumble)
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/4 medium red onion, chopped
  
• 1 carrot grated
• 1/2 c Nayonaise
• 2 Tbsp Braggs or soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp kelp powder

Mix well, and serve on wholesome bread. (adapted from, How It All Vegan)

*when making this for Satch, I omit the hard to chew veggies and use onion powder.

Comfort

"Sleep, sleep, beauty bright
Dreaming o'er the joys of night." - William Blake


A glorious nap for my sweet boy...in our cozy, comfy family bed with his toy dog, Douglas.

When the sun dips below the horizon our bedroom will be aglow with most gorgeous, golden light. It will linger just long enough to tickle our hearts before disappearing under the blanket of night.

Satchel Science

"The child is curious. He wants to make sense out of things, find out how things work, gain competence and control over himself and his environment, and do what he can see other people doing. He is open, perceptive, and experimental. He does not merely observe the world around him, He does not shut himself off from the strange, complicated world around him, but tastes it, touches it, hefts it, bends it, breaks it. To find out how reality works, he works on it. He is bold. He is not afraid of making mistakes. And he is patient. He can tolerate an extraordinary amount of uncertainty, confusion, ignorance, and suspense" - John Holt (How Children Learn)

Satchel has been experimenting with putting different objects in his toy gumball machine.



In order from top to bottom:

• a bird from his Peek and Put Birdhouse
• a block from his Peek-A-Blocks Crocodile
• a green ball his daddy bought him
  

A surprise came in the mail from Miles today...a birthday Bee, and Satch adores it. See video
*There seems to be a bug in the vimeo program. Some videos get flipped sideways. To view them in the original format, click "download", then"Quicktime (original)" below the still image rather than clicking the play button/arrow.















This age is amazing. Every day there is some new development. Satch now points to things and asks what they are, "dah?" (that?) and we answer his questions. If I ask Satch where his bike or his horse is, he will point to it. He stacks his blocks...up to three high. In addition to giving kisses, he now makes a kissing sound and he has a new gesture that we call "the strong man" that is quite funny. (He squeezes his fists tight and makes a grimace).

This morning Satch was sitting on the floor in the living room playing and I went to the other room to send a quick email. When I came back to the living room (3 minutes later), Satchel was on the other side of the living room STANDING next to the sofa and petting the cat. Please note, that he does not walk on his own yet, but rather holding our hands...nor does he crawl. I imagine that he used the table to pull himself up and held it for balance as he made his way stealthily toward the cat.

Happy Birthday, Daddy-O

"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you"
- Winnie the Pooh

Satchel and I wish you could have joined us on our morning walk today because we saw these gorgeous seed pods hanging from a Japanese Maple. They look like tiny, scarlet faerie wings. We met Marshall who owns the little bungalow on the ridge and he invited us into his backyard to see his Kousa Dogwood. A robin made her nest in his lilac tree and we could see the mama's tail feathers as she sat on her eggs, waiting for her babes to hatch. His garden is extraordinary. He said, "I've lived here 30 years so that's my excuse".

We will be asleep when you return tonight, but there will be a surprise awaiting you in the kitchen.
Happy Birthday!
We love you,
Wendy and Satchel

In Other News...

"There were others. ...They've been lights for us to see by."- Madeleine L'Engle (A Wrinkle in Time)


Our friend, Lauren, made the cover of Hudson Valley Magazine. Those of you who know Lauren won't find it surprising that she's been rated as one of New York's top family docs. What IS surprising is that it took this long for the media to validate what the rest of us already knew.

Lauren, you are a beacon!

Gifted

"Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon." - Winnie the Pooh









Satchel received some wonderful gifts for his birthday:

• From Grammy Joyce and Grandpa Lee
• From Great Aunt Cackie and Great Grandmpa Gully
• From Grandma Sheila and Grandpa George
• From Aunt Laura
• From Cackie J, Rebecca and Aunt Winnie
• From Uncle Will, Aunt Joann and Giovanni
  
• From Great-Great Aunt Marie and Uncle Fred swell zutano striped shorts, Tees and a Newsboy Cap
• From cousin Kate who is also making something spectacular
• From Uncle Chip a U.S. Savings Bond
  
• Surprise on the way from pal, Miles

Speaking of gifts: Darling Andrea has received the greatest gift of all...we are all so happy for you!!!