Play Baby Play...

It wasn't all that long ago, just a few weeks perhaps, that we took Calvin to a nearby park with great expectations for his exuberance about the play structures, only to be disappointed when he couldn't see them for the woodchips.  On that trip we spent the majority of our time trying to convince him that woodchips, although very enticing, were not a readily digestible item.  We'd been reluctant since then to try again, but tonight we found ourselves yards away from another such play area while enjoying a potluck dinner with the First Presbyterian Deacons, so we decided to give it another try.  We're not sure what the difference was, although in our eagerness as parents we'll chalk it up to a sudden burst in brain power, but he was enthralled with the playground this time!  Aside from time spent eating dinner he could not be pried away from the play structure without fuss.  He would run to the swing and sign for up, then after a minute sign that he was all done and go climb up the structure to the tunnel.  Or he would run to the slide and make the sign for up, and, after sliding down (sometimes on his butt, sometimes on his tummy), he would sign to do it again.  He was insatiable, which meant that at the end of the evening he was exhausted, and that meant an early bed time and some extra adult time or us.  We might have to consider trying that activity more often now.

New Shoes

It may be mid August but you wouldn't know it by the weather.  Yesterday's high was in the upper 50s and it looked just like a Michigan fall had arrived a couple of weeks early so we did what all responsible parents do at this time of year - we took our kid shopping.  He may not be ready for "back to school" shopping just yet, but he has obviously outgrown all of his cool weather clothing from last year.  In fact, comparing Calvin this fall with Calvin last fall is a bit like comparing a German Shepherd to a Chihuahua.  So we fished out the one warm outfit in his drawer (thanks to his Aunt Patty and her kind family who saw fit to prepare him for the hockey season ahead of time) and hauled ourselves to the mall with all the other families of young children who needed a place to go on this wet, cold, dreary day.  We fought tooth and nail to get in the doors at JC Penneys, then waded through the mobs of families in the mall corridors, and finally found a wide opening right down the center which allowed us to make the final dash into the little tiny Stride Rite store, which was itself jam packed with parents and children of all ages.  Calvin had a great time playing in their little toy corner while we waited for some professional help (of the salesperson kind, that is), and he enjoyed the attention that was lavished on him as said professional measured his foot and then tried a couple of shoes on it.  And then, after one good look at the price tag on said shoes, we did the other thing that all responsible parents do at this time of year - we went and bought the shoes for half the cost at Marshall's.

Shhhh!

Our weekend was dedicated to drying out our basement and reorganizing and boxing our stuff while sorting out what was valuable and what was to be donated.  By the end of the weekend we found ourselves needing a break from life:  a break from the wall to wall, ceiling to floor boxes; a break from the constant drone of the 3 humidifiers and 8 industrial grade fans; a break from the lack of peace and order, and the knowledge that even with so much work behind us, a mountain was still ahead.  Tonight we decided to take a break and get out, and where better to go for a sense of restored order and calm than a library?  The rows and rows of neatly ordered books and the gentle quiet of the air did go a long way to calming our frayed nerves.  Jon picked out a book for himself and three for Calvin, who was far more interested in the magazine rack, and we did our best to cause only a minimal disturbance while we took our milestone recording photographs.  It was, after all, Calvin's first trip to the library.

A new way to ride, a new taste, a new sign...

Sometimes it seems as if life moves in fits and starts. The weeks following Calvin's first birthday were all routine.  But nearly 2 weeks of status quo was broken today by a spurt of growth and change. Calvin's toy car made its way back into the toy rotation today (from the back of Jon's closet), and it did so in a new form: today it made its transformation from useless walker to toy car and won its way back into Calvin's heart.  And while he was busy learning to drive his new car, the UPS man stopped by to deliver his new carseat, a birthday gift from his parents and grandparents.  Of course we had to try it out, so after dinner we headed out for ice cream where Calvin got his first taste of vanilla frozen yogurt. So how was the trip? Well, the new taste was a hit (though not as much of a hit as playing with the other kids who were there), and as for the new car seat, though we have been sold on the benefits of extended rear facing and won't be facing him forward for at least another year, Calvin is very happy with his new big boy seat in any direction, making car trips more enjoyable for all!   And, as though he knew that today was the day for exciting and new things, Calvin surprised us and made us smile when he started signing "rabbit" after spotting one on the path in front of us. His excited "rabbit" sign was quickly followed by "all done," in this case meaning "let me out of the stroller so I can chase the rabbit" which we did. The rabbit got away, of course, but it was a good day nonetheless, and he should sleep well tonight!

A Father's Weekend Hike

Ninety degrees!  Ninety!  Without trying to tell Mother Nature what to do, can we gently remind her that it is June?  The dog days of summer don't come until August!  With weather like this it was too hot to make the 45 minute (or more) drive to any of the zoos because Calvin gets so hot in his carseat, so we took a 15 minute drive to a nature area for a shady picnic and hike instead (and by shady we mean tree covered, not suspect).  Lunch was good, the terrain was gentle, and the shade was kind.  Calvin hiked like a champ, spending most of his time urging his dad to go faster from the relaxing seat in his backpack carrier, although he did get a chance to do some of his own hiking (read: playing in the dirt).  And we played a great game of I spy when we found this waiting for us around a corner...