There’s still snow on the ground, but it’s fading fast. The past few days have been delicious. Sunny and hopeful.
Yesterday we all went down to the river and hung out at the playground (where Scott was confronted by a gaggle of kids who forced him to play tag with them). Today I took Dev to the Meijer Gardens to see the butterflies and walk run around and check out the sculptures outside. We had a great time. The weather is supposed to be lovely for the next couple of days so we’ll be outside every chance we get.
He nicely wore the new blue shirt I got him a couple of weeks ago, rather than his standard gear of Star Wars t-shirts. I batted my eyelashes at him so I guess my power of persuasion still works.
We made muffins today. And pizza.
I don’t cook or bake nearly enough anymore. I get claustrophobic when it comes to cooking. I have to have enough time to plan and execute. But I actually put the muffins together spontaneously. Just grabbed a Cooking Light volume and fingered a recipe that seemed to match with the limited offerings in the pantry. We didn’t have quick-cooking oats but the regular kind seemed to fare just as well. And I recreated buttermilk with a bit of skim and some lemon juice. The smell lingered in the house for a couple of hours too. Always preferable to that of the hard-boiled eggs my husband sometimes cooks up on the weekend.s
Experiencing a teensy little bit of stress. (Well, OK, a little bit more than teensy.) Figured I could use a reminder not to let the pessimism overtake my thoughts.
All mommas love their kids.
That’s not a revelation.
But it really is amazing when you become a momma, when you have a kid of your own, and when you experience that love for yourself. It’s not just love…L-O-V-E. It’s LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEE. Only longer, but since I don’t have oodles of room, you get the picture.
When I looked through the photos we took the other day, as we were goofing around as we like to do, this one just summed it up. All the love. Right there in those rabbit ears and those sweet little dimples.
Lemons being February in Michigan.
The lemonade being a kite festival on Reeds Lake.
We happened upon the event when we visited the library and took a trip out on the back deck to watch the crazy people walking around on the ice. (Crazy, yes, because it gives me the heebie jeebies to even think about walking on ice. I don’t care if it’s 12 inches thick. I’m not going to be the one dropping like a stone, clad in my winter layers, to the bottom of the lake.)
The sun and the blue skies certainly were a grand backdrop to the event. Although we lasted only a couple of minutes as spectators. T’was cold and the kiddo left his gloves in the car.
I’ve documented plenty of Dev’s Lego creations. He makes them all the time after all. He’s slightly obsessed.
Last night he asked me to play Legos with him. I often groan at this request. My grown-up mind isn’t as interested as my childhood one once was in creating things without boundaries. At least not things made out of little plastic pieces.
But for some reason I was in the groove, plugging pieces here and there and borrowing on Devin’s imaginative approach to brick-building to come up with something that wasn’t pre-planned at all, yet had a definitely structure and purpose to it. The purpose. To fly through space and assist other weary Star Wars types. There’s a handy carry-all on the back with tools and, well, a weapon to defend oneself. And the ship is streamlined and compact.
I’m obviously ever so satisfied with my efforts. And he was too. “Wow, Momma, I really like your creation!” Grin.
Rather than complain about the frigid arctic temperatures, which I’m tempted to do, I’ll be grateful for:
1. The sun that came out this afternoon.
2. The friendliness of Laurel’s cat, Molly, who didn’t run away from Devin today.
3. My dog resigning herself to the fact that I’m too cold to walk her tonight. (I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, Juliette!)
4. A yummy red pear with dinner tonight.
5. And, of course, goofing around with my favorite boy.
When I left work the other night, something seemed different. I was walking across the parking lot as I always do. Then it dawned on me. It wasn’t dark outside! It was 5:00 and there was still a slice of light lingering in the sky. The simple fact that the days are getting longer puts some optimism in my attitude. I struggle to be cheery during January and February when the grey dominates the sky and slushy snow dominates the sidewalk. Knowing we’re moving toward spring, slowly but surely, makes a big difference in my outlook.
We visited my mom this weekend. Devin and I. I persuaded the two of them to join me for a coffee outing at the very excellent Water Street Coffee Joint. This mocha was truly as dreamy as it looks.
