watching the swifts

bike ride to bob's

d.j. k.zay works it

pretty corn from my garden

d.j. k.zay

a walk during the "super harvest moon"

slug-a-rama

Kaemon Ze continues making sentences (and cracking me up):

"I found a slug on a stick!
Pick it up with a leaf.
Come here, slug.
Get down."

on the cusp of 23 months...and the start of the terrible twos?

The BLESSED Two's.

Kaemon Ze is starting to compose sentences more and more. Yesterday, on the way home from Grandma and Grandpa's house, he was chatting to himself in the back. A sampling of what I was able to hear, "How about... apple juice?" followed a bit later by, "How about... get in the car."

This morning he was playing on the bed and said, "owie -- that hurt."

He loves to run and often asks, "More running?" More running, mama?" Which means he wants me to run with him. :)

The TERRIBLE Two's?

Last night he had his first tantrum...and it was a biggie. He was crying, screaming, and this was frightenly new: hitting his head on things. Once that started, my mama instinct kicked in and I just scooped him into my arms and started rocking and talking to him in soothing tones. He clearly did not want to be held, but I would not let go. I sang "You are My Sunshine" to him over and over (while sitting on the floor). After two minutes of this (I had inadvertantly set a timer), he calmed down a little...enough to where I was wondering to let him go or not.

I gently released my hold, and even nugged him a little upright. He wouldn't have it...which perplexed me until he said, "rock." Ah-ha... he wanted me to rock him some more. I was so appreciative of this request...it meant he was finding solace in my arms and recognized that it was a really good place to be. We rocked and I sang for several more minutes. After his breathing returned to near-normal, I asked him, "Would you like to help Mommy make dinner?" He looked at me and calmly said, "Sure." I love when he pulls that out as a reply.

On the way to the kitchen, he asked for milk (a comfort). While I got that for him, I offered him the choice of helping cook dinner (he loves this) or rock in the rocking chair with me. He opted for the rocking chair. He was alseep by 6pm, (Daddy brought dinner home) and didn't wake up again until about 12:30am. He was quasi-up between 1am and 3am before Daddy took him and rocked him back sleep. Blessedly, he slept until 6:30am.

I'm sure hoping that's the last we see of that behavior. I can hope, right? :)

a year ago today...

busy homebodies

Asian pears, spaghettii squash, cabbage, and grapes harvested.

Toe fun.

More grapes harvested.

We washed the grapes (tedious as all get-out) and
put it in the juicer-thingy a neighbor loaned us.

Our own, homemade grape juice! Though it looks more
like a blushed wine. A first for us!

These are call "ground cherries." I planted them just to see
what they are like. They are so interesting. Everyone who
tries them has a different flavor experience.

I made a curried chutney from the first batch using
onions and peppers from the garden. :)

Next, I want to make a ground cherry pie,
and I hope I have enough to make a jam.

sunday play

Jump!

Playing "pretend" soccer with Daddy.
Kaemon Ze dribbled the ball all the way down to the goal, and shot it in!

next greatest thing?

Chocolate dipped bacon... we didn't try it. I've heard it's pretty good - it small bits. :)

opposites

My handsome boy, taking a morning nap.

My active boy...being a boy. He's loves sticks these days.

funny in the morning

last day

(On airplane)

sunday family goodness

Breakfast at Bonnie's - a great gathering of cousins. :)

Spinning Cousins.
Bonnie put the boys in an office chair and spun them round and round. Kaemon Ze's looking a little like he's trying to convince himself it's fun. Heh!


Rowan spun by himself and then Kaemon Ze took a turn. Kaemon Ze wanted to go as fast as Rowan, but did not have Rowan's sea legs...this was obvious when, I took out of the chair, set him down and he walked into the furniture, three times! Heh.

Later that afternoon, we joined more cousins at a local park to celebrate another cousin's birthday. Rowan and his dad were down catching fish in the creek.

As soon as Dave hauled this one in, Kaemon Ze touched it and immediately wiped his hand on his shirt. "Slimey" he said. I also let him touch the teeth, and he said, "sharp!" Dave released the fish; he'd already caught several.

Bonnie with her niece, Athena.

Cute cousins.

Playing with Riley, another cousin.

Run, Riley, Run!


Later, raking up debris at Bunny's.

And even later, dinner with a dear friend.

Hide-and-seek boy. :)