Random Selections

I've been keeping a running list of things to add to this blog and while part of me thinks its because Donovan is going thru a "talking phase" right now, I'm starting to think part of it is that I'm going thru a "listening stage."  Meaning, underemployed as I currently am, I have the time and attention span to listen to him and talk to him in ways that I havent really done before.  Chalk that one up under Big Advantage/Major Blessing

• The night before last Donny was fussing and crying and fussing and crying when he should have been asleep.  Usually I wait for him to just go to sleep but he did'nt show any signs of slowing down.  I went up to check on him and he was inconsolable. I asked him what was wrong and after much crying and snuffling he said, "I wrote D-A-D in my bed."  "Why?  Do you miss Daddy?"  Mike was out with a friend from out of town that evening.  I tucked Donny back into bed, went downstairs, and the fussing started back up.  I was ready to let him work it out until he started saying, "Mama! Hold my hand, please!"  So up I went again and the kid was out of his bed standing by the window. "Mama, hold my hand, please! I'm waiting for Daddy."  Yep--kid was looking out the window towards Gooski's, waiting for his Dad to come home.  At 11:30 at night.
• Last night I was in the office working and could hear from Donny's room next door: Thump, "Almost!" Thump, "Almost!"  I went in to check and the kid was laying on his bed with his stuffed animals strewn all around him.  His comment is the punchline, "I can only juggle 3 balls at a time!"

There are others I can't quite conjure up now but he's been alot of fun as of late.  Now I just need to figure out what he and I are going to do tonight when Mike works late.  Probably something involving the sprinkler.

My Son Sybil

Donovan told me a long story tonight about how it was Alex's birthday and there were cupcakes that said "Happy Grandson" and each one had a G on it and Donny was allowed to dance so he spun around and jumped and "kicked [his] heels together" and all the kids who did'nt dance before danced with him and it was Alex and Leo and Lily and they danced to the music and the music was churchbells.

That same angelbaby is now pitching a HUGE, We've Never Seen The Likes Of It With Him Before Tantrum because Mike filled the watering can half full instead of all the way full.  I'm hoping the Terrible Twos Donovan chose not to cash in have not accrued interest.

Also, when he was being sweet tonight, he pointed to our lovely purple hydrangea and told me that those flowers were called "Dandipierogies."

Dandipierogies.  I guess I won't give him away just yet.

Only Happy When It Rains

The evening of the 4th of July, we went to Mike's folks place for a cookout.  The weather held for a little while and then the skies opened and the rain poured down.  Donny and I were sitting on the porch and at first he seemed sort of freaked out by the thunder.  I don't know how I explained thunder to him but soon I had him High Fiving me everytime the thunder came.  Its so good to know that, reasonably soon, we will have a porch with a roof and everytime it rains, Donny and I can sit out there, count Mississippis when the lightning comes and High Five on the thunder.  Slowly, ever so slowly, I will impose my goth sensibilities on him.  This one was especially sweet as my Dad and I always sat out on the porch back home for thunderstorms.  And, might I say, Pennsylvania thunderstorms?  Refreshing, pleasant even, but no match for the grandeur of Northern Ohio

Next on the Goth Syllabus? Maybe a cemetery picnic...

Postcard from The New Life

In 4 days it will be a full month since I left my old job.  Right now, we are basking in the illusion of financial balance--my last Big Time Career paycheck came in last week with a full month plus my leftover vacation days, so the checking account looks nice and fat.  Also, the New Life I've been living is, so far, less expensive than my old one.  I still havent had as many No Spending Days as I would like but there will be time for that--especially as reality sneaks up on our sweet little checking account and starts nibbling away at the edges.

This is a quick entry as I'm about to go get the kid from Waldorf.  And, really, that's where the New Life part really kicks in--yesterday I had time to sneak Donny from his bed into ours and so we got to good around and roughhouse before he had to get ready for school.  Today after Mike took him to school, I was able to do several buttloads of laundry, put away another few buttloads of clean clothes.  I did the grocery shopping using my sweet little old lady cart, thus freeing up Mike's free time from that particular task.  I mailed a holy card I found in an old book to the Historical Society of St. Cloud.  I picked out two recipes for Donny and I to make when we get home.  I also got some plotting and planning done on the CFA book.

Did I get everything done that was on my list?  No.  Is my/our life/lives just a little bit better because I've downshifted?  Yes. 

And now to get the boy.  Which is good.  'Cause I miss him.

Amber Waves of Grain

For July 4, Donny and I made vaugely patriotic suckers,

Then the three of us went to Schenley Park for a picnic.  For some reason, the park was deserted so we had the Gazebo all to ourselves

Then we went Downtown to The Tomb of the Unknown Bowler, where there is a great fountain just made for running around.  Donny was a little timid at first but then he really got into it.

He took a pretty nasty spill and hit his head so we slowed things down.  They have three dinosaur sculptures in the same area so we went to visit them.

Next on the agenda; grilling out with Grammy and Grandpop. 

Obscure Our Gang Reference

I just heard Donovan downstairs yelling, "MAMA! COME HERE AND LOOK!" I told him to come up to the office and show me whatever it was. And it was a sign he had written:

Translation: "GO TO BED AND SNORE NOW" 

That is a paraphrase of a line from the Our Gang short, Hook and Ladder.  My kid is nothing if not Old School...