It’s hard having conversations with other parents at the playground when I have to keep eyes on Chas. He is fearless and out of control. Ford and Chas are so different at the playground. Chas’ proprioception keeps surprising me; he always seems to correct himself when he starts losing balance; just when I think I have to step in and save him, he saves himself. Mostly. And he has more self-confidence in his physical ability than Ford did at his age.

It’s been a good, long day. I’m going to keep staring at these precious feet for a while longer. He will outgrow these shoes within a week, I’m afraid.

It’s been a good, long day. I’m going to keep staring at these precious feet for a while longer. He will outgrow these shoes within a week, I’m afraid.

It’s been a good, long day. I’m going to keep staring at these precious feet for a while longer. He will outgrow these shoes within a week, I’m afraid.

Trust me, he wasn’t thirsty; he’s just discriminating.
Which reminds me: Today at lunch, when mom placed a plate of lentils in front of Ford, he shot me doe eyes from the table and fawned, “Aren’t we having wine with this?” We laughed at what he might be asking for during snacktime at school a few hours later. Mint-infused sippy mojitos? Icy Kool-Aid cosmopolitans?

School. It has been a very good thing. We start the day with breakfast and either go somewhere for the morning or have fun at home when he’s fresh. Then we lunch, read and rest until 3pm, when off we walk to the schoolhouse. When we arrive, he lurches out of the jogger onto the playground, dismissing the teachers and plunging into play. I chit chat with faculty, and leave to run errands with Chas. All the while, Chas is either asleep or restful, engaged and content; it’s a lot of fun having the one-on-one time with him. Three hours pass, we return down to the school, and Ford pours bubbly bucketfuls of enthusiasm in my ears. I give him a juice box, we walk home, eat dinner, clean up and read Harry Potter. It really has been that perfect. The best of both worlds: having him home when I’m at my best, having a break when I’m more tired in the afternoon–he benefits from having playpals and square footage when he’s his most physically atomic, and time with me when he’s most quietly engaged. Way cool.

Mom and Dad arrived this evening with a truckful of potted plants from their home in Houston, and with the refrigerated rain they are all perky and ready for me to spend time with them, rearranging them in the garden while Chas chases balls into the street and Ford runs around the yard in the buff. But seriously, when I do get a moment, I’ll enjoy putzing around the garden, rearranging them. To distract me even more, the Wildflower Center is having their Fall plant sale tomorrow morning.
I’m beginning to get more excited about the land again. This weekend we will scatter and stomp wildflower seeds around the grounds, tuck a few perennials here and there. Add a totem or two. It’s time.

This just in–new phrases from Chas: “All done” (sounds more like “ah-duh” followed by a flinching refusal to eat another bite of food), and “Woof!” He is also less afraid of dogs, but at the same time Clingy with a capital WTF on me. Annoying, but with so many lovely chunks to hold, how can I really complain?