Reason no. 139

Dear Dallin,

You know what I love about you?  You are focused.  You are not easily distracted from something important.  You are consistent and attentive.  And, because of you and your lovely qualities, our little indoor vegetable plot is thriving.  Our happy tomato plants thank you for being so diligent a water-er, and so do I.

Love always, Liezel 

Guilty Pleasure

I went to a garden center today to do some research for a little landscape design I am working on, and left with very itchy (figuratively-speaking) fingers.  I was touching and smelling everything in sight, all ga-ga with the plant pretties.  It was all I could do not to gather up a whole armful of 4" pots and race gleefully to the cashier.  With great restraint, I left empty-handed, though I might have salivated on a few perennials on the way out.  Supposing I had a yard, and supposing there were discretionary income (and time...) I could be a garden center junkie, no problem.   

Learning Together

My sweet little Ezra had a developmental evaluation recently, and it was determined that he has some gross motor delays.  During the evaluation, an early childhood educator commented on one of Ezra's behaviors.  She noted that at least seven times during the evaluation he would grunt and then look at me if he had a need, such as a toy that was out of reach.  Apparently, he has learned that I can solve his problems, and I probably have, unknowingly, responded to his simple communication pattern many times.  The early childhood educator didn't have to do anything more than bring up the observed behavior; I got the message.  Over the past few days I have thought of that little experience at least a dozen times.  I am impressed with Ezra's desire to communicate, with his understanding that I can meet his needs.  I am also more cognizant of my interactions with him, seeing now how observant and interactive he is with me.  I recognize that, even as a baby, he needs to develop certain "self-help" behaviors, and his primary means of learning that is from me.  It is very humbling.  Everything I do teaches him how to approach his world.
It is a fine line that I walk as a good parent.  I need to help without hovering.  I need to guide without smothering.  I need to give him room to grow.  I recognize that he is a happy little sponge, absorbing from me emotions, skills, mannerisms, and stimuli.  I feel so grateful to be a full-time mom and help shape his world in the best ways.  

Moon Gate Revisited

We are members of the botanic garden and visit many times a year. On those occasions when we are visiting the garden with other family members, we make it a point to have our picture taken at the moon gate in the Chinese garden. And, in the past two years, those pictures have captured various stages in our family progression. Here is our latest from the week before Easter when my mom and sister were visiting us. I think a family tradition is born!