Let the Wild Rumpus Start

Fifty Eight Weeks

Holy Snow!  Madison was finally hit with winter this week. 

On Sunday, it was warm and sunny.  Liam loves this playground, it's low to the ground so Mommy doesn't have a heart attack and Liam can really have fun. 

Being surprisingly cautious on the bridge.  Later he stood up and tried to fling himself off.  Visions of broken bones and sharp gasps followed.

Then, the snow.  First a nice dusting, so it was fun to bundle Liam up and take him out. 

Well, fun for me. 

Doesn't this one seem like he's mumbling swear words under his breath?

 

Then the real snow. 18 inches in 24 hours.  The whole city shut down and everyone got a snow day.  Malls, schools, and even the University closed.

 

 

He just stared at the snow, but it made us reevaluate our layering strategy for the little man.  Yes, to those that live in warmer climates, you need a strategy.  (Because there is a high of six degrees this week.)  Yes, we need more gloves (we used socks).  Scarf? No, wraparound ear cover for his neck.  One hat?  Two?  Hoodie? 

When we packed him up the second time, he was more comfortable and was able to walk around and look at things.  I showed him how to eat the snow and he loved clapping it in his little hands.  He slipped once, but didn't feel a thing.  We're excited to go back to GR because my Dad has a sled for Liam. 

I'm thinking it will be a little different than last year:

 

(Oh, I miss that little reindeer outfit.) 

When we came back in, we played and played.  Liam loves Dr. Suess books now, so we read Go, Dog, Go over and over again.  He is back to his old eating habits since we discovered that he just wanted to feed himself.  Seriously, if you give him a spoon and a bowl he will eat anything.  Even things he didn't eat when I was pureeing stuff - like cut up summer squash!  This is the best!  :)  

We ended the night with a nice, warm bath. 

 

Do you love the modesty patch, I mean, duck? 

We swear we won't embarrass him with these bath pictures when he has future girlfriends over.  I'm sure we'll find something embarrassing to do, but these bath picture will stay in the album where they belong.  

Overall, great week.  John worked like a dog on his papers, grading, etc and I had a photo session last Saturday that has kept me busy editing and posting galleries like a madwoman.  Thankfully, John got a picture of me during this nutty computer/cross eyed/crazy time:

In case you were wondering, no, that is not a bag of York Peppermint Patties.  And no, I did not finish the bag in one sitting, thank you very much. 

Much love, more next week. 

Ride the Drive

John, Liam, and I decided to go for a walk yesterday morning.  It was a beautiful morning, a crisp 65 degrees.  We packed little man in the stroller, got some some chais and muffins and took off. 

Little did we know it was Madison's first annual Ride the Drive.   Six miles of busy streets were shut down so the bikers and walkers could walk the city.  It was so cool!

Beautiful day.  Beautiful city.

Dusk at the Coal Plant

Capital Building

Beets, Beets, Beets

Rose Garden

Cluster Tomatoes

Every Fifteen Pedals

July 4th

We drove to Winnequah Park in Monona and sat together,  Liam, John and me.  

Bedtime came and passed and we all cuddled under the stars.  Liam's first fireworks, and he smiled the whole time. 

Twenty Eight Weeks

Here we are at week twenty eight.   It's was about this time last year that we first saw our little Liam, who loved to have his hands at his mouth even then.   It was that beautiful time of pregnancy where you aren't sick anymore and you aren't as big as a house yet.   A beautiful, unappreciated, time when you could go out to eat without a duffel bag diaper bag and 30 different toys.  I would say those were the good times, but these are the good times.  These are the best times.

We have an interesting development this week:

A  quick camera pose

And then, after all of that work, he was satisfied.  He brought himself closer, rested, and then got down and continued his lifelong dream to shove as many things into his mouth as he can.

Watching this new development in action reinforces why I love Montessori education.  When you provide an environment that is conducive to learning and step back, a child can really take off.  Liam did all of this on his own, learned from his own actions and consequences, and when he was satisfied he started another activity.  If I had pushed him, then he might not be developing like this or have the will to do it on his own, with his own consequences.  He might think that he can only do it with my help.  Who knows what might have happened - all we know is today, when Liam woke up from his morning nap ...

...he was ready.

This week was great.  Last Saturday John took his comprehensive exams.  Now he has to write his papers, grade his student's final exams, and defend his answers to his professors.  I can't believe what he does in a semester.  It can be so hard, but John is so talented that he can do all of his work, and be a fantastic husband and father as well.  Why, just this morning he wrote 9 pages for one paper and still had time to play games with Little Man.

Liam's new favorite food was discovered this week.   I made lunch for the two of us and sat down at the table, serving us both.  Liam was working on his usual apple puree...

and I had miso soup.  I figured that my soup was good, so I gave Liam a bite and he LOVED it!   He has never reacted like that to a food before.  When I lifted my spoon out of the bowl, he reached for the spoon and opened his mouth wide.   His eyes were wide and excited for the taste of miso, tofu, and seaweed.  (?!?!?!?)  I just hope this good eating continues and we have a happy, nonpicky four year old!

We have been walking all over Madison this week.  The weather is finally reflecting the date on the calender and we can see trees sprouting leaves and flowers blooming.  Soon it will be pool weather and we can get those little chubby thighs into a swimsuit.  This weekend is my first Mother's day and I will be celebrating by starting our own balcony garden!   I have already picked up some white lily, dutch wildflower, and shooting star bulbs and I am planning on morning glories, begonias, hens and chicks, and much more.  You can consider it our  4 x 7 foot Eden!

As always, thanks for reading.  It is a pleasure to share our stories with our friends and family.

Much love, more next week.