Where's Waldo?

Amused.

So Green

With all the rain we've had this spring, our grass is growing like crazy. It's also a nearly-neon green.

I have high hopes for tonight. Iain's lower canines have finally popped through, and I'm going to tell myself that these night wakings (last night: 3:45 to 4am!!) were the result of gum pain. If I say it enough, it'll be true, right?

In other news, today was my last day on campus. I collected final exams and final papers, filled one last box with my desk mess, rolled up the carpet and shoved it into the trunk (with help from Dr. S - thanks, Cat!), and tossed my keys to a grad student. Now I need only grade, grade, grade.

Oh, and meet the movers, close on the house, pack the rest of our stuff, transfer Iain to Callie's house, send off Charles and Grandad on their cross-country odyssey, clean everything, endure two days of toddler without daycare (!!), and fly across the country with The Moose.

No problem.

Time: It Do Fly

Last summer. Note small moose in dress shirt. Note exceptionally well-preserved bunch of friends who once shared a smelly dorm. [NOTE: THAT WAS NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO ZOMFG.]


Above and below: this summer. Ok, it's only May. But imagine how much growth is yet to come! Climbing steps, going up and down stairs on his actual feet, speaking in phrases and sometimes short sentences, throwing massive tantrums related to his profound ambivalence about toast ("Toast!" "No Toast!!!" "TOASSSSST!!!")...it's amazing how much he's changed.

We, of course, are the same old folks we were then. We're entirely content to sit around with a bowl of ice cream, a DVD, and some chums. We miss you, boys.*

*P.S. Have fun kicking GB out! What's the procedure on that, anyway? Does he just slink out the back of Number 10? Does he have to face the Fleet Streeet folk and do the political Walk of Shame? Do you pelt him with shrimp-flavored crisps?? Do tell.

And Another Thing

Did I mention that I dreamed (between 4 and 7) that I was on a job interview?

1. They handed me the roll, and instead of giving a guest lecture I was told to figure out which student was which and give them back their quizzes. All the students were in bed, under the covers.

2. As I gave out the papers, students began to ask me about a Joan Jensen book I've never read. They wanted me to help them parse its thesis, debate its use of evidence, and otherwise demonstrate that I'm not an idiot. But I hadn't read it. So...

3. The faculty kept popping in, watching me, frowning, and then stomping off. I realized it was lunch, but no one wanted to have lunch with me.

Things were getting really bad, in other words. But then, just when an anxiety dream starts to make you sweat...WAHHHHHHH! MOMMMMMYYY!

Saved!

Not So Fast, Little Lady...

Up at 11.
Up at 12.
Up at 2.
Up at 4.
Up for good at 7:09.

Yay!

Swing Your Partner 'Round and 'Round!

Yesterday was poo. Today? Rainbows and unicorns.

Iain awoke at 7:28 (in other words, slept through the night), ate a good, happy breakfast, snack and lunch (waffles!!), napped, and spent a goodly amount of time smiling, giggling, and squealing. Yes, squealing.

Meanwhile, the heavens have opened and the plumbing ain't working right. See below:

It's been raining cats and dogs for about 48 hours. Raining so hard that the fish pond is overflowing (Callie's Dad was all, "You might wake up to find the fish swimming around the yard!"), raining so hard that our mail yesterday was soggy, raining so hard that a student emailed me to say she couldn't leave her home because police closed off the road. Could she email her final?

Wow. Lotsa rain.

About 4, Callie showed up with her entourage. I'll say this for that crowd: they're handy. They packed, and moved furniture, and entertained Iain, and watched Sesame Street (both Lena Horne and Johnny Cash appeared). We had home made pizza and ravioli (for the younger set), and cara cara oranges for dessert. It was fun, except when Callie's Mom saw the state of my bathroom.

Sorry, Sarah! (Her eyes'll burn for a week.)

After Callie departed for home, Iain bathed, watched a bit of Bob, then went sweetly to sleep.

Ah, Yesterday

Yesterday, when Daddy showed Iain how to operate the play digger at the park. In the sun. With no tantrums.

Today began at 5am. Iain woke screaming. It took 26 minutes to calm him, including a period of about 15 minutes when he was just out of his mind. After that passed, he sat in my lap while I talked about the mountains and when he was a baby and what his new school would be like.

At 7:30, he woke again. Screaming. Charles took over, while I slept a bit longer. But the screaming was a sign that today was not meant to be pleasant. It echoed the thunder that began at 6 or so. Oh, and the torrential downpour.

Anyway. We had to take the Jeep in for a repair at 9, and Iain didn't want to go. He protested. Vociferously. Then, at lunch, he took a big gulp of hot soup and burst into frantic tears. Then it was naptime.

Oh, no. No, no, no. There will be no nap. He screamed in bed, then he sat with me in the rocking chair, clearly tired, then he screamed in his bed (again). Finally, after Charles tried to settle him, I let him watch Bob the Builder in our bed. Maybe he'll fall asleep. No. I fell asleep, but not him.

Then it was time to retrieve the Jeep. Iain dropped off on the way home, so we let him sleep in the car with Daddy while I gathered our things for our evening at Callie's house.

And here's where the happy ending appears. Iain was fine at Callie's. He didn't eat much and had 2 poopy diapers (!), but he played and he watched the Derby, and he experienced a cannoli, and he ran riot outdoors (getting soaked to his knees). Even when he slipped and fell on the brick path, he shook it off.

Bedtime was late but effortless. So that's something.