What Hike Likes: Being a Giver

Every night before Brad and I leave his room, Hiram finds something of his to send with us. Usually, it’s a stuffed animal, pillow or doll. But he’ll also give us toys or other treasures. I decided this was worth documenting after the story Brad told me about his unplanned visit to Hike’s daycare last week. Hiram was sad to see him go, but was brave. He also insisted Brad take his nap time blanket along with him to work. What a sweetheart!

I’m don’t know what Hiram envisions we do with the things he gives us each day although I’m pretty sure reality isn’t as romantic as what Hiram thinks. We usually just stack them up on this chair in our bedroom.

Kids. They are Amazing.

When I lived in Japan, I remember being struck by how confusing and overwhelming things could be. You hear about crazy experiences in Japan all the time (peeing in a traditional Japanese toilet, cramming into insanely packed subway cars, etc.)

Surprisingly though, the things that were the most overwhelming to me were the little things. The things that happened over and over. You know, eating every meal with chop sticks, confusing the words for “up” and “down”, realizing that when people say “yes” they mean “no”. I remember thinking, this must be what it’s like to be 2. Everything is new and everything is hard.

Obviously, learning to live in Japan is not exactly like being 2. It’s easier in some respects (for example, I didn’t just learn how to successfully swallow a grape). It’s harder in others (preconceived notions about how things should be can really add to the confusion.) 

Now that Hiram is 2, I’ve been thinking about Japan a lot. When he gets a little sassy or mad, it helps to remember that his life is not like mine. Here’s a summary of a typical, breezy day for me:

• Ride the bus while reading a good book
• Decide what I’d like for lunch and enjoy it with friends
• Take care of any personal needs that arise during the day
• Recap all small daily annoyances with a friend over tea

Most likely, Hiram’s day involved:

• Being strapped into a car seat on his way to school
• Dropping food on the floor while trying to maneuver his fork
• Walking around with #2 in his pants until someone notices and gives him a hand
• Trying desperately, unsuccessfully, to say a few new words to his “translators” (He’s saying it just like he learned, but people look at him like he’s speaking a foreign language!)

Is it really any wonder he’s testy sometimes? I mean. There were days in Japan when I was crawling home at 4 p.m. exhausted, confused and determined to be asleep by 6.  Hiram, on the other hand, seems always ready for more. 

“I do it” he says while I’m cracking eggs over a hot pan. 

“Let’s play golf ball!”

“No teeth! No splish-splash! No bed!”

Kiss Cam

Having worked in advertising or some form of marketing for almost my entire professional career, I feel like I am pretty good at spotting the tricks. I pride myself in not falling for pushy sales tactics and always being able to identify the underlying “strategy” for every ad I see.

But you know what? Brad and I went to the Twins Game yesterday and I am ready now to admit, I’m a sucker for the Kiss Cam. Fine JB Hudson. You and your “vote for your favorite kiss cam couple” campaign are brilliant. I want to go to your site and vote and I’ll probably think fondly of you the next time I need jewelry.

Unfortunately, Brad and I have yet to be on a real Kiss Cam, but that didn’t stop me from making one of my own. Lucky Bradly.

 

Makes Sense

They always say English is one of the hardest languages to learn. Watching Hiram build his vocabulary is this case in point. Here are two little oddities Hike has charmingly identified in the past few weeks:

General Rule #1: Pronouns end in “S”

1. If: His, Hers, Yours
2. Then: “This toy is My-s“

Example #2: Sports are named for the ball or item used in the game

1. If: Football, Basketball, Wake board
2. Then: Hiram likes to play hockey puck.

Pop!

Annnnnnd, the world knows I’m pregnant…for sure. My belly has popped.  People on the bus scramble to give me a seat. Maternity clothes look better than regular clothes. I have been called “cute” by friends and strangers no less than 18 times in the past three days.  

I’m not complaining (heck no!) Just noticing. Noticing and documenting so I can refer back when I start to notice my mu-mu is a little restricting about the waist. 

Notes to my future (humongous) self:

• You might be bigger and far less “cute,” but you’re also closer to “kiss e-Lou’s delicious head” day.
•  I know it’s ridiculously uncomfortable to sleep for more than 4 hours at a time, but just think of all the early morning housework you’re getting done!
• How’s that nursery coming along? You might want to get on it.

 

Food and Firemen and Fun, Oh My!

This past weekend we made our way south to Iowa, for a change. It was the annual family picnic with my mom’s side of the family and, as just like last year, tremendous fun. This year was especially exciting for Hiram, who is starting to notice all the other kids available to watch and play with.  

The highlight, though, was our trip to the local fire station to see how the heroes live. My cousin’s husband is a fireman and he hooked our huge family up with the MVP version of a fire station tour. Here are a few photos:

Here are Brad and Hiram getting ready for a ride in the fire truck.

We also took a walk to the marsh, which Hiram enjoyed– most likely because he thought it was fun to say, “Marsh!” We saw at least 2 frogs, a moth and numerous flowers and grasshoppers along with a huge weeping willow tree. Hiram also collected some precious stone (pebbles).

On our walk back from the Marsh! Hiram wanted to stop and rest on this bench.

There were many more things I wish I had a picture of, including all the fun we had swimming on the beach, playing with various kinds of balls, “fishing” and throwing a 4-foot long stick into the lake for my cousin’s dog Zena. I miss everyone already!

Oh Boy.

Despite what I feel like is a good faith effort to show Hiram that there is more to life than sports, Hiram is a jock. A boy. A big-time sports-stuff-nut. He likes hockey pucks, basketballs, footballs, soccer balls and baseball bats. He likes to saunter. His favorite shirt is his football jersey and he lobbies for his fleece ball pants, even when it’s 95 degrees outside. My baby boy is a boy’s boy.

This isn’t to say he doesn’t enjoy a good tea party with his baby doll or a dress up session in Giki’s jewelry. It just means that he trends, quite significantly, boy. So when Brad told me Hiram dressed up like an angel while I was away last weekend, I was intrigued. Then he showed me the picture.

I love you, my little angel.

Nook Report

Uh oh. 

I am developing a bad nook habit. I’m sensing the need for some restraint. A Nook budget perhaps?

Typically, I report back here each time I finish a book. But lately, finishing a book has been so commonplace, it hardly seems worthy of an update. Since my last Nook update, I’ve read:

• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (Great! you should read all of these)
• The Hunger Games #1 (Awesome! Saving the rest for winter)
• The Reliable Wife (Verbose and not my thing, but the ending gave me shivers)
• Some of Bossypants (hahahahahaha)

I’m averaging a book every 4 days people! I’m carry that cute little nook around with me and read whenever I have a minute. I read on the bus. I read while the microwave is heating up lunch. I read on the elevator for Pete’s sake! I am consuming books at a faster rate than ever before and my modest little book budget, which was always satisfactory before, is getting creamed.

I know I need to look into the library feature. I’m sure that will help a little. But my problem is reading has just gotten so easy. No need to have a “wait for paperback” list. No need for a trip to the store. Now my Nook is all books. Everything at my disposal. Mine all mine. Oh man.

Hopefully this novelty wears off soon. I’m exhausting myself.

Hike’s Dictionary: Wak-in-Shoo

Wak-in-Shoo

– (noun) a small stone or pebble which has become trapped inside one’s shoe and which is irritating to the foot. The walking tour would have been more enjoyable had it not been for that wak-in-shoo.

Note: This phrase should NOT be interpreted to mean Hiram wants to WALK in his shoes. This interpretation and any resulting suggestion to “take a walk” will result in outburst.

You’ve Still Got It

As a parent, it might be easy to get a little hard on yourself for (what seems like) the dismal productivity numbers you’ve generated from periods following the birth of your first child until present. But after this last weekend, I’m here to say, “You’ve still got it.” I have proof now.

Megan and I took a girls weekend up at the cabin. It was intended to be a super casual time when we could work on little projects, do yoga and be all-around lazy. I made a small list of large projects I’ve been wishing I could tackle for months:

• Sew a cute little stuffed bear for e-Lou (like the one I made for Hike)
• Write an ABC story about the cabin

In addition to these two things, I also hoped to show Megan a little fun. Things on the fun list included:

• Yoga on the dock
• Find and pick wild berries (and make pancakes?)
• Eat dinner on the screen porch at Arcadia Lodge (45 minutes from the cabin)
• Swim to the sand bar
• Sleep, read and be lazy
• Not act like crazy people trying to accomplish all this

I wanted to prioritize the second list over the first, since Megan and I don’t often have a whole weekend to hang out. But I secretly hoped I would at least get a good start on one of the two large projects over the weekend too.

In the end, I (and we) did everything. Everything.  Including  being non-crazy. How about that?

Here are a few photos, since I promised proof.

Berry pancakes!

I know. He still needs eyes.

Not crazy