This Week in Photos

The past week has been a busy one with lots of grading and dissertation work to do, but I've tried not to get bogged down.  In times like these, I sometimes go into hiding.  I try to work constantly (which is impossible with a little one), so we end up hanging around the house and getting frustrated with one another ("Why won't you let me work so we can have fun later?"  "Why won't you play with me?  I will now close your laptop.").  So, instead, I'm trying to get the babe out of the house for fun opposed to holing myself up.  When we can't go off to do something fun, I just take the boy in the backyard; then we all feel much better.

Staring at birds in this last one.  :)

As usual, we went to our playgroup on Wednesday.  We met at a park this time, and Eliot had fun running around with his older friend, Asher.  Then when Asher left, Eliot kept running all over the place.  By himself.  Like, clear on the other end of the park to collect walnuts without me.  It worried me a little, but I wasn't going to chase him everywhere.  He is growing more and more independent, which is great--and difficult.

Thursday was Christopher's birthday!  He turned 27.  Another step to thirty is always a little overwhelming, but I tried to remind him of all of the things we have in the past that we don't have to go through again.  Like undergrad.  It was good back then, but I wouldn't want to have to go through four years (or three) of schooling again with so much more schooling ahead.  And Spanish.  I'm glad Spanish is over.  Yes, the language no longer exists for me--expect for when Chris asks me random words.  "What does 'fuego' mean again?"  Fire.  It means fire.  "Oh yeah."  For his birthday, we mostly relaxed (or I relaxed while he went to the gym), went to the J. Crew outlet (didn't buy anything...), and had a big, meaty feast of ribs for dinner (we generally just get meat for holidays and the man wanted ribs, so he got them--grass-fed, free-range, humane, yadda yadda).  That night, we enjoyed a bonfire in the backyard.

On Friday morning, I took Eliot to the library for story time for the first time.  I kind of felt like I was suddenly in a kids' show at first and I think Eliot sensed my discomfort, but I let go and he did too.  We sang the silly songs, he shook an egg shaker, and we were all happy.  I think I'll start trying to go most Fridays.  I might make it our library day.  Maybe afterward we'll check out books and play on the computers.  Later, we went to Party City to pick out his Halloween costume, but instead ended up buying him a small football for a dollar and a bunch of basketball napkins for Chris (don't ask).  Eliot is still costume-less, and I just don't know what to do.  Ah.

I had a lot of work on my brain on Saturday, but Chris really wanted to take Eliot to a soccer game on campus.  I could have stayed at home, yet I tagged along away to be a good sport.  First, we walked around the stadium since Eliot started yelling, "FOOTBALL!" as soon as it was in sight.  On to the soccer game, Eliot watched from the side and kicked the ball some.  The boy really loves sports.  I didn't want to be the kind of parent that pushes gender roles (especially sports); this is him, though.  He gets so excited completely on his own.

So, that has been our week.  We're meeting Chris's parents in Charlottesville today for lunch.  Then it is more typing for me, which I really oddly enjoy.  A lot.  Every day, I thank God for my place in work and school.  I feel like it is a perfect fit for me.