Saturday Evening

This evening after dinner, Captain Adorable wanted to watch more tv. I am fighting to keep tv to an hour or less per day (and sometimes I lose), so I had to find something to do, preferably more fun than watching tv. Fortunately the weather was reasonable today, so it was only about 80 degrees outside, so I suggested we go for a walk. Once outside, I realised it was so non-humid that perhaps it would be perfect for a little paddle. Captain Adorable agreed, and off we went. It was not a long paddle (we stopped at the boat the check the bilges and I retrieved the camera) but it was nice.

The canoe cut through the calm water easily. We looked for jellies. We paddled up to a dead tree sticking out of the water and broke off branches so we could poke a jelly if we found one (I want Capt. Adorable to understand what is meant by the word invertebrate). I paddled a bit more, found a couple of jellies, and we poked them. I was still not sure he understood that they are just pretty much snot. I paddled towards the marina, realised there were people crabbing from the floating dock and backed off because I did not want to disturb their efforts. Capt. Adorable then wanted to visit the floating dock by land, so we pulled the canoe out and put it away. The little guy is so helpful!

Again we found sticks, walked out on the rocks to look for jellies to poke, and poked one. Capt. Adorable looked for crabs on the pilings, just under the water, to poke, and found one. I cautioned him to only poke it gently and he did. It disappeared quickly. Then I realised that there was a dead, fish with an intact head but one filet ripped out just lying discarded on the grass. Then I had a closer look at the people on the floating dock and I had never seen them before and I thought, my bet is that these people are not residents of our neighborhood. Then I saw there were also cigarette butts all over and they they matched the cigarette in the young man's mouth. They had a big cooler and lots of empty beer bottles. I don't care if they come crab (though it is a private marina/dock) but if they leave dead fish and cigarette butts, then I think they ought to be asked to leave. Of course I am a scardy cat and did not want to confront them, so I decided that since it was late and time for bed anyhow, we'd leave.

I decided to look for the security guard our neighborhood has on patrol, but he was not around. Because I passed our house on the way to look for the security guard, I had to explain to Captain Adorable what I was doing. I explained that the people at the floating dock were leaving dead fish and trash and they should be asked to leave because they were being rude. We talked more about how it is rude to leave trash around, and how people are sometimes rude.

Once home, Capt. Adorable had the idea that those rude people should go to prison! I explained that of course people don't go to prison for being rude. Then he suggested that we kill the people (as I've said before, I do not think he really understands what that means). I explained, again, that we do not kill people, for any reason, and certainly not for being rude. He suggested that maybe those rude people should be talked to. (I agreed...and yet, I was not willing to go down there with my little child to talk to the rude people. Am I a coward? Perhaps...)

Here and There and Everywhere

My parents and I made big plans for this week, and we've had a lot of fun carrying them out. We had only a little while to chill out at home before the ambitious plans began.

On Sunday we did the meal planning and grocery shopping and some food preparation for the week. Delicious beet salad for lunch and dinner everyday! I should not have told her to put in all six beets...oh well, it was delicious. We also stopped by a friend's house to indulge in her pool, which was fun for 20 minutes until a humongous thunder and rain storm hit! I think there may even have been some hail.

On Monday we drove to a beach in Delaware, about a 2.5 hour drive each way. We left at 6:30 in the morning and got home at 3:30 in the afternoon (as far as I remember). Although it was fun, and even the drive was nice, I would not do this day trip again. It is a long time in the car for a short time on the beach. I'm not trying to take away from anyone else's fun by saying that, just sharing my perspective. Captain Adorable and his Oma and Opa had a fabulous time cavorting in the waves and frolicking on the beach together. I was exhausted from lack of sleep and tried to nap on the sand, but my fellow beach-goers couldn't stop yelling and playing their radios for long enough for me to really fall into sleep. I mostly lay on a towel, guarding our spot and our stuff from the gradual but unmistakable encroachment of others as more and more people showed up. (We arrived at 9:24am.) I did get a bit hot there, lying in the sun and walked down to the water with the intention of getting in, but the water was so cold (Captain Adorable's teeth were chattering and we eventually had to leave because we couldn't get him to stay out of the water long enough to warm up) that I couldn't take the plunge. In addition, I dreaded the whole public shower experience so much that I preferred to avoid the need to use one.

On Tuesday we went to Port Discovery, a fabulous children's museum in Baltimore, then went to visit my sweet MIL at her house, then home for dinner. Of course we had a wonderful time at Port Discovery. Bob the Builder is there now, a favorite of Captain Adorable, so we plan to go back often. My sweet MIL wanted to meet us out somewhere, but I did not want her to have to make any effort (she did have surgery less than 3 weeks before!) and I wanted my parents to see her house, so we went there. Unfortunately, Capt. Adorable was so difficult to handle (he was also tired from a very full morning at the museum) that we had to leave before we were really ready. Ah well, I tried.

On Wednesday we went to the National Natural History Museum in D.C.. The idea was to go there to see the Hall of Dinosaurs and the Hall of Mammals or the Oceans exhibit (Captain Adorable has an interest in both dinosaurs and whales). Perhaps a stop in the Insect Zoo to see some millipedes....but we ended up doing something different. We went to the IMAX theatre to see a dinosaur movie. It was only 40 minutes long, and not so scary from an adult's perspective, but what with the gigantic screen and the 3D viewing, it was an intense experience for my little guy (at about 30 minutes in he asked when it would be over). Captain Adorable was so overwhelmed by this experience that he could barely eat lunch (I ended up hand feeding him bites of his sandwich). After lunch we went to see the Insect Zoo, but in the exhibit (skeletons of familiar animals) we had to walk through to get to the Insect Zoo, Captain Adorable was already kind of losing it. When he started kicking the walls I knew I had to get him out of there! The Insect Zoo entertained him for about 10-15 minutes, and then he asked me when we would go home! He did not want to see dinosaurs or anything else, just wanted to go home. Fortunately I had brought along the Ergo; he got in and fell asleep in short order. Then the adults wandered a bit in the exhibit on minerals and gems (saw the Hope Diamond again) and after about 30-45 minutes, Capt. Adorable woke up (but was quite unhappy about it and cried loudly, refusing all my attempts to cheer him up/address his problem) and we went home. His favorite part of the day was the Metro. Of course there was plenty to do at home too. First they helped me with a surprise for the absent Captain Obvious. Then they packed their car (this is very exciting for Capt. Adorable, as it involves using a dolly, you see) with some of the things from Old Grandma's apartment to take back to Tennessee.

Today Oma and Opa are going home. Boohoo. But right now they are on the deck with their grandson, using the chemical reaction that occurs when you mix vinegar and baking soda to fill a balloon with carbon dioxide. Now Oma is trying to convince him to go for one last bike ride before they hit the road. Because that's how my dear hands-on parents roll.

Anchoring Out

I've not had time to blog about this, but a couple of weeks or so ago, we did our first overnight on the boat. I want to try it again (we've got the plans in the works) and correct several of the mistakes we made. Because some people have pointed out that I rarely post photos, here are some pics from our little adventure. (Also, because I cannot figure out how to add this at the bottom of the post, I will record here that this morning I turned Captain Adorable's bed back over. He says that he is going to sleep in it again now. I'm not holding my breath. smile)

As we approach the Bay Bridge. Captain Obvious enjoys the shade provided by the new bimini.

A different perspective on bridge traffic.

This was our first time under the Bay Bridge on the boat.

We were passed by a big cargo ship. It made a huge wake and Capt. Adorable got very excited.

Our destination is in sight!

Once we were securely anchored, Capt. Obvious set about making dinner.

Then went for a swim.

Sun setting over the choppy waves.

Dinner time! Terrible pic of Capt. Obvious though...

Bedtime.

Capt. Adorable sleeping in the vee-berth. At least one of us slept.

Next morning, he awakens and comes to the cockpit. We've been underway for over an hour already.

Mid-morning nap in the cockpit.

Such a gorgeous day on the water.

 You can't really tell, but that's Annapolis!

Sometimes It Don't Rain But It Pours

Captain Adorable developed 25+ red blotches on each leg and a fever. The blotches spread and the fever climbed. We didn't know what was going on (could he have chicken pox? But he'd been vaccinated! But you can get a mild case even after vaccination...) and had to cancel all our playdates for the week, which made him (and me) extremely sad.

Then we heard the official diagnosis for my sweet MIL and she's got a long hard road ahead of her. Captain Obvious have been doing a lot of brainstorming on the ways that we can help her. I've been suggesting resources I think she should pursue for herself and for her family (like counseling services). Captain Obvious has been sharing advice and help with her also. I think we have a lot to offer and I hope she will let us help in the ways that we can help. After all, we've already traveled the cancer journey road. We've also both shed tears over this; I feel especially protective of my husband, who in the space of 3 years has had the two most important women in his life get diagnosed with late-stage cancer. I know he is a strong guy with a buoyant core but, well,

Just to top this off, while I was on the phone with my MIL (my sick little guy was watching tv) and I noticed little bloody splotches on the off-white tiles in the foyer. I wondered where they could be from until I finally realised that they are the bloody footprints of my beloved but much maligned cat, Trout. His eosinophilic granuloma complex is acting up again. So now a few days of steroid pills for him. Good thing he does not mind taking pills (the only cat I know who cooperates with being forced to swallow pills!). I feel bad for him now that I know exactly what steroids do to one! Seriously, I know exactly how the pills make him feel as we have both been prescribed the exact same steroid (dexamethasone).

Captain Obvious left for a business trip (8 days in Hawaii, poor thing) at 5:00 this morning. Oma and Opa arrive tomorrow to keep us company in his absence. I hope Captain Adorable is rested up enough to do all the things we've got planned!

Good Fun In The Summertime

Well, we've been having fun in lots of ways since I last posted. Capt. Adorable and I have a new past-time: canoeing. We've only done it once (on the only day this week that was cool enough!) but ahhh so awesome. Will definitely be doing more of that. Had a couple playdates (out in public and at home) and we will do more of that. Our neighbors who have a pool invited us to drop by and swim again--hoping to do more of that. Captain Obvious measured Captain Adorable this morning and he has grown an inch since June 20! I expect he'll do more of that, too. ;) The afternoon nap has made a reappearance lately and now I know why--that boy has been busy growing!

He has also been making lots of funny statements lately. Here is a sampling: "mama, let's cut you in half, fill you up with milk, and sew you back together so there will be milk in your boobies again." "Mama, there's a big storm coming and it will knock down our house and we will have to go live in Tennessee with Oma and Opa." "I need a kid's paddle so I can help paddle the canoe!" Goodness knows he is full of ideas, isn't he?

This afternoon my darling husband and I insisted that we be allowed to remove the splinter that has been festering in his heel for days. He was very frightened and so I bribed him with a lollipop. Which I was unable to find, so I gave him a piece of chocolate and promised another after the splinter was removed. Well, he cried and cried so hard that eventually Capt. Obvious stopped (after only very gently trying to remove the dern thing!) and Capt. Adorable only agreed to continue if I took over. Fortunately for me I got to look like a hero because of the work Capt. Obvious had already done and I had it out in a flash. Then in another stroke of inspiration I found the lollipops (which I bought to reward him when he had his blood drawn, as you may remember) so our little guy was happy in the end after all.

One bad thing happened this week: I had a headache for 2 days. Actually, 3+ days. The first 2 days were really intense, and none of my homeopathic/alternative methods were working, so I went to the doctor, who diagnosed me as having an atypical migraine (because the symptoms were not typical). I was given and took a migraine medicine, which cut the pain by 80-90%, which means it was indeed probably a migraine. Note that I said the pain was cut, not stopped. The third day was still rather unpleasant, but bearable, though I did have a rather short temper on day 2 (yelled at the doctor) and was not my patient self on day 3 either (after getting whacked repeatedly by Captain Adorable, yelled at him in front of my sweet MIL and her daughter, my sister-in-law). Today was the fourth day and there were still twinges of pain, but 95-98% gone. Yay!

My Heart Aches For Her

I did not want to post this before because this is her news to share, in her way, in her time, but Capt. Obvious told me that "everyone knows" now.

My sweet-MIL has been diagnosed with endometrial cancer. This has just happened. This is the beginning of her cancer journey. I ache for her because I love her and because I've traveled the road she is starting down.

Obviously, I will do everything I can to help her.

Half Birthday

Today Captain Adorable is 3 and a half. To celebrate, we turned his bed over. This was much discussed for several weeks in advance. (He has an IKEA bed which can be turned so that you sleep on the top or the bottom. Not a bunk bed, although you could easily use it as such if you just put the bottom mattress on the floor.) Anyhow, the poor guy doesn't seem to like it at all. :( We will see if he warms up to it or not...if not of course we'll just turn it over again. What does Capt. Adorable actually want? Cupcakes! ;)

Soccer Camp

Captain Adorable loves soccer! He tells me so everyday, both before and after soccer camp. This is one hour a day each weekday for one week (so, five days in a row). He really enjoys kicking the ball and, I think, being part of a group. I am now beginning to look for a soccer group/camp/lessons/whatever they are called for this fall since he enjoys it so much. He's also been taking naps this week. Well earned, I'd say.