Balancing Act

eaw had his last day of little gym for now...he has had so much fun, and Miss Emily (pronounced "mmememlii" by eaw) will always have a special place in his heart.

Snow (i.e. sheet of ice) day!

mtw woke me up at 5:30am with his i-touch screen announcing school closure for OSU today! Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I feel like a kid myself. The five of us are going to stay in (although the dogs are desperate for a run - this horrible climate does not support the needs of 3 walks a day). Unfortunately the ground right now is layers of snow and ice - it looks like an ice skating rink in our back yard. So far, the agenda includes blueberry pancakes, free play, abundant naps (if eaw is willing), and perhaps a warm bubble bath at some point (for me!)

Chuck E Cheese

eaw was invited to (what we thought was a birthday party, but ended up being just a very generous playdate at) Chuck E. Cheese on Saturday. We showed up with a gift and all, and the hosts were very gracious, turning it into an unbirthday party for everyone. It was a first time event for all of us (although I have some vague memory of going to a Chuck E. Cheese establishment as an adult in North Carolina, but it's a little fuzzy). Regardless, the anticipation was great and I'm still not sure who had more fun between mtw and eaw. Except for the adult size mouse character roaming the place, eaw was in heaven. He definitely shows promise in the arena of amusement rides, video games, and perhaps, gambling (he really got into "winning" the tickets just for playing a game)- how proud can a mother be! I didn't know what a system they had going there - we even were branded as we entered, with adults and children in a family/party given a fluorescent matching number hand stamp so that the same people who enter together, leave together. There's an official checkpoint to exit...and that's how children are not abducted from Chuck E. Cheese. We had a great time, and enjoyed the crowded energy, bright lights, and party like atmosphere to break up the winter doldrums a bit.

Turtles, Sting Rays, and Friends...

...oh my! eaw's latest animal of choice is the turtle. He had one in his old daycare center, and speaks frequently about them, "tuhtel" "sloooo" "geeen" - lots of interest. mtw and I are even thinking about researching the care and upbringing of a turtle as eaw has a perfect place for a turtle aquarium in his room. For now, we are able to satiate his desire for turtle time at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, where we recently became members. The aquarium has this wonderful open, deep pool where you can view turtles, fish, string rays, manatees and other aquatic life. It's quite mesmerizing to watch them swim, eat, play, and maneuver through the water. The manatees are especially amazing - not something you see every day. mtw and eaw spent an afternoon there a few weeks back, and eaw was begging to go again so we made a playdate with his friend, Hathaway (and her mom Barbara) and headed out on a cold afternoon. The turtles put on quite a show for eaw, plus we ventured out into the cold to see penguins, elephants, and a hibernating bear. We warmed up at the petting zoo barn where eaw and Hathaway enjoyed a snack (let's hope that's not the feeding pellets they are eating:). We also learned that Hathaway will be joining eaw at his new daycare so they will have each other to make the transition. eaw has finished his first full week at the new center, and although we greatly miss the people at Little Dreamers, his new placement feels like the right choice. We attended a family pot-luck last night and were thrilled with the diversity and support of the parents and families.

First lady

The hands of a woman hold the word of god that holds a man's promise to a nation of peoples who are holding out for hope:

photo credit REUTERS/Jason Reed (US)

Go Michelle!

Happy MLK Jr. Day

Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.
-Martin Luther King Jr.

That's right - the artists, geeks, nerds, outliers and misfits are the answer.

Family Day

Today marks the one year anniversary of our family becoming official/legal/permanent in the eyes of government officials, although I believe our family-ness was established by other means and governing powers. Still, today is an important day to mark and to celebrate. As seems most fitting, we are spending the day at home with a sick little boy, trading off caretaking duties with half days at work. mtw and eaw shared the morning with naps and Elmo while mdw taught two classes. We just completed a lunch trade-off and now eaw is cuddled up next to me, while the snow falls outside. mtw headed to campus to fulfill afternoon obligations, and we will re-connect for a special meal tonight (if eaw and I are brave enough to venture out in the storm with a fever:) If no special meal appears, we will enjoy left-overs, and celebrate the day-to-day status quo of our family existence (which, thinking back to a year ago, is a wonder to behold).

p.s. Thanks to Lindsay Browning for this family portrait from a summer trip to Philadelphia.

What a trooper!

In total solidarity with my uncle ghd3, a little new year's "hospital"ity:

Before...
...and after:

As always, the nurses were doting and cooing over eaw, and asking to take him home with them. The surgeon saw him 30 minutes after surgery and couldn't believe he had even had a procedure, given his cheerful mood and sweet demeanor. You continue to amaze me, eaw. Day after day I realize how little I knew about love before you entered my life.

Happy New Year!

Here's to the promise and wonder of a new year. eaw and I ventured out to a gorgeous park to enjoy a gathering of ducks, swans, and geese in the sun (and freezing temperatures). I love the goose as a symbol of hope, direction, and endurance:

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Mary Oliver, "Wild Geese"