Nov 11 - week full of walks

In early to mid-November, we had a string of warm, blue-sky days - 60's and even 70's warm. So Isaac and I decided to walk everywhere we could - to playgroups, to meet friends for lunch, to the grocery store (pushing 2 sturdy boys plus groceries back up the hill to our house = good exercise for me). Anywhere within 12 blocks. Most of the time, Isaac wants to walk too, so we compromise: I get my exercise on the way over, and Isaac gets to run and explore on the way back. Sometimes the pace is excruciatingly slow (yesterday I was about to fall asleep during an hour-long walk home!), but more often, it's time for Isaac and me to spend together - finding pretty leaves and rocks, walking on every wall, stopping to lounge in the grass or a pile of crackly leaves - while Jonah takes his morning nap in the stroller.

Nov 9 - Who's Teaching Who?

These pictures are unrelated to the post, but I thought I'd include them because they are from the same morning, they show off Jonah's beautiful sweater that a favorite friend made him, and anyway, what's a baby blog post with no pictures?

In case it's not clear to anyone, I'm writing this because of what it says about Isaac, not about me.

We found ourselves in the house one Monday morning with nothing to do - a situation I try to avoid - so I decided it would be errand day. In my childhood, I saw errands as chores - not fun - so I was surprised when Isaac sped through his breakfast and said "Go errands please!"

We needed to go to the bakery (bread heaven right here in our neighborhood), Target (to exchange a newborn outfit that Jonah wouldn't fit into for long), then the grocery store. What I thought would be an uneventful and somewhat tedious outing (getting 2 kids in and out of the car three times) turned out to be a wonderful morning with Isaac and a learning experience for both of us.

I was standing in the Target parking lot when a beggar made his way toward us. I'd just clicked the infant carrier into the top of a grocery cart, Isaac was still buckled into his carseat in the car, and suddenly there was this man with a long beard and wild eyes standing too close, just on the other side of the cart. With my tiny baby between us, and my big baby stuck in the car, we were vulnerable. If I needed to, I couldn't quickly run away with Jonah or drive away with Isaac without leaving one child behind. I just wanted the man to leave.

He asked me for money, and asked again, and I just shook my head and said sorry, not making eye contact or inviting further conversation. Hoping that a polite but minimal response would send him on to the next car as soon as possible.

He looked like he was about to leave, and I felt relief, until he looked straight at me and said the quiet words I heard in my head all day: "I'm just hungry."

And then he moved on.

I'm sure he had no idea what kind of position he'd put me in. And besides, I don't usually give money to beggars because I don't know what they're going to do with it or how much help it could really be. After the eye-opening street life of Paris, I'm a cynic. I always feel like I'm about to get tricked.

I pushed the cart to Isaac's door and unbuckled him, put him in the back of the cart. Relief. Both boys together, contained, safe.

Then I looked for the man. He was asking someone else for money, a few cars down on the other side of the row. I looked for cash in my wallet, thinking I'd give him a five. All I had were ones and a few twenties. I looked at my Highlander, my beautiful boys, and of course I pulled out a twenty. I tucked it in my pocket and put away my wallet.

I thought we'd have to track him down, but just then, he was back in front of us again. He started to talk, then mumbled, "Oh, I already asked you."

He turned, and I said, "Here, I have something for you." Handed him the twenty, watched his eyes light up and heard his gleeful "Yes!"

I wondered what he would spend it on - if he would really go buy food - and I hoped it would last a couple of meals and not fund comforts instead like alcohol or cigarettes. I was still cynical. But then his face changed as he looked at the bill; his eyes looked wet, and he said, "You're going to make me cry." He pointed to a fast-food restaurant across the parking lot and said he was going there right away to get something to eat. His emotion was genuine, heart-wrenching, and I found that even though I thought I was helping someone else, I was the one who came away with a warmth inside that lasted all week. It was such a small thing, and others do so much more than I do with all my unrealized good intentions. But this meant a lot - to both of us.

And to a third person too. Once we were inside, I asked Isaac if he'd heard the man asking for money. I explained that some people don't have any food to eat, and we gave him some of our money so he could go get something to eat. I know that our children learn best from our actions, so I wanted to make sure he understood.
Isaac looked at me thoughtfully, then solemnly leaned over and kissed my cheek. And that was the best thank you of all.

Nov 8 - Buchi and a walk downtown

It was a lazy but active Sunday morning. We finally got a double stroller, so we loaded up the boys and walked to Buchi - a Cuban cafe with amazing coffee and good egg sandwiches - in the beautiful fall sunshine. Leaves crackled under our feet, the air was brisk, and it felt good to walk somewhere that we usually drive.
Isaac brought Mama Duck and Baby Duck, pictured above waiting for their breakfast to arrive.

Jonah didn't fall asleep in the stroller and instead stared wide-eyed at the trees and sky. Once at Buchi, he insisted on being held. I walked him until the food came, but then he sat in my lap and let me eat my sandwich and drink my coffee. It was just in the days before this outing that Jonah started to enjoy just sitting and watching - meaning that Adam and I now get the occasional break from walking and entertaining him.

Not the best picture of Isaac, but better than nothing, I suppose...playing with his water, as usual, occasionally stopping to turn toward the kitchen and call "Foo-ood!"

We walked back home to feed Jonah and then went out again, crossing the pedestrian bridge to the paths along Cherry Creek. There was a fun playground we'd always seen from Speer, and I'd never known where to park to get to it. So we walked there, the four of us plus Smokey.


Adam with the stroller and a cool old bridge across Cherry Creek.



On the walk home, Isaac insisted on walking for much of the way, which made it a little longer. He ran more than he walked though, stopping every so often to look at me with great seriousness and say:
(pointing to his shoes) "Those are your running shoes!"
(pulling on his shirt) "This your running shirt!"
(pulling on pants) "Those your running pants!"
And then he was off again, running in that adorable see-saw toddler gait that I know he will grow out of soon and that I will hate to see disappear.

We stopped to discuss the locks. Isaac said "You don't go in fast water!" Good job.

Almost home, we passed by this rotting pumpkin. I said, "Look Isaac, that pumpkin looks sad."
Isaac stared at the pumpkin, disturbed, and said "Make him feel better!" Then he wanted to go home and see if our pumpkin (still uncarved) was sad too.

Nov 5-7: A few shots of Jonah

Jonah at almost 6 weeks. These are just cell phone shots, but he is growing so fast, I thought they were worth posting for those of you who are far away.

Nov 4 - morning at the park with friends

Since our October snowstorm, we've had a spell of beautiful days - sunshine and temperatures in the upper 50's - 70's through the first half of November!

On this Wednesday morning, Isaac met his buddies Jack and Oliver at a playground.

Here we are getting ready - Isaac in his cute new flannel shirt from Deedah, Jonah in a gorgeous sweater made for him by a very talented friend.




We have so many playgrounds in our neighborhood, that somehow we'd never been to this one before. The boys loved it.




Last year's pants...





Isaac always wants whatever food Megan brings...This time it was almonds. See how he is eyeing his next bite even while he still has one in his hand.


Jonah slept through the whole playdate.

But that meant Isaac and I had a lot of time to play together. He has missed me a lot, and after visiting with his friends for a bit, he just wanted to play with me. We drove the bus to school again and again, stopped for snack breaks ("watermelon" anyone?), sang silly songs, and crossed the wobbly bridge together. My mama friends kept an eye on Jonah for me so I could focus on Isaac - the best gift possible for us on that day.


How do you get a 2-year-old to follow you to the car when you already have a child to carry? How can my distractions compete with a fountain to play with? Isaac still loves water...and we eventually got to the car. Mainly, you just can't be in a hurry.

Halloween!

For a month before Halloween, Isaac knew what he wanted to be: a wy-on. I didn't want to spend $30-50 on a costume he would only wear once, so I searched the web for lion hats and tried to come up with something homemade and recognizable. I kept my eye on the Highland Mommy classified ads, without much hope. Then came the ad I'd been wishing for: Lion costume, size 2T, $10. Perfect. I picked it up that night, and when I walked in the door, Isaac came running to me with arms outstretched and his face radiant. He took this large, floppy lion (costume) from me, and we spent the rest of the evening changing Wy-on's diaper and offering him water from Isaac's Klean Kanteen.
The lion had arrived freshly washed, but by the time Halloween came around, he had been dragged around our dirty house - by his previously neat and tidy mane - for two weeks. However, Isaac's eyes saw no flaws. Here he is becoming the lion for the first time.





There's a fun tradition in our neighborhood called Trick-or-Treat Street. We have three historic commercial strips lined with independent shops and restaurants, and the stores in each district give out candy on Halloween day or the Saturday before during designated hours. The two older events are packed with kids, parents, and strollers. The one nearest us (walking distance) is just in its second year, so it's less crowded for now.
Below, I took the boys (Jonah in the sling, Isaac in the stroller) to our event on 32nd Ave.

Look at all the snow we had left! (See previous post.)

Lions need to drink a lot of water.

Looking down our street on Halloween day...snow and fall leaves.

At the ice cream store, where Isaac doesn't care about the ice cream that much but loves to push the red button and watch the trolley go down the track.


Mr. Lion.


Kind of hard to see under this thing...

On the way home...Isaac insisted on pushing the stroller with his feet. Made for a slow, slow walk.



We spent most of Halloween night at a party with our wonderful playgroup and their families. Below are friends Oliver and Thrace. Oliver's talented mama made this costume - his choice, but very appropriate for the son of two Mainers!


Isaac walked in and went straight to the toddler food table - just the right height for grazing. I think he added some hummus and salsa to his costume, poor Wy-on.
We were among the last to leave, and by the end of the night, Lion was spending a lot of time on the floor. I imagine there was some food down there.



Playing with Farmer James.

Eventually, all my boys retreated to the family room, where Elmo was putting on a show. They were mesmerized. Elmo is like a drug. Jonah is starting early.

End of the night...The costume was perfect for outdoors though too hot for inside - but look at those curls.