Playgrounds, Music and Crafts

This might be one of my most piecemeal posts ever so consider yourself warned.

Lately at the playground I am noticing that I can hang back a little more. Chase navigates better, he is steadier and he is way more daring.

Exhibit A.

How little does he look up there! I think I would be nervous on this but he just climbs sits and slides... over and over and over again.


He has also mastered this part of the playground equipment. Not that I don't attempt to be nearby (and have a hand under him in case of a misplaced foot) but if I am not right there, I am confident that he can make it to the top on his own.

I am not sure how I feel about this new found independence. I, of course, am thrilled that he is growing up and learning to explore on his own... this is what parenting is after all. However, with more independence comes more opportunity for injury and that part scares the daylights out of me.

I don't know if I can accurately describe this part of parenthood but I am going to give it a shot. While your child runs around without a care in the world, your subconscious plays through every horrifying scenario... no matter how far fetched or ridiculous... in a matter of seconds... with surprising and terrifying detail. Like a mini movie in your mind. Except this is worse than any movie... and you are begging your subconscious to stop... stop... for the love of all that is holy, please stop. It in turn it laughs maniacally and keeps coming up with new scenarios to torture you. Oh and all the while you are supposed to be cherishing and enjoying these moments with your young children who will grow up too fast.

Super easy.

I digress. It's fulfilling watching him learn and explore and try new things... I can just feel the grays coming on.

We signed up for a 6 week music class which started yesterday. I kind of did it on a whim... a few of the other moms (re:7 of them) were signing up so I thought what the heck.

Oh.my.goodness.

So much fun. This session is percussion and I think we will be signing up for the remaining sessions... jazz, woodwind, brass and string. Chase had a lot of fun and he is learning some great classroom skills. For instance, the teacher brought out a snare drum and 2 drumsticks. Each kid got a turn to beat on the drum... starting to the right of the teacher. Can you guess where Chase and I were? Directly to the left. So Chase had to wait for all the other kids to have a turn. I kept repeating that it would be Chase's turn when all the other children went (gesturing to the circle we were sitting in) and Chase kept repeating "Chase turn". He jumped up a few times and said "Chase turn" pretty desperately but he waited and he did it well. I was so very proud of him!


Making some noise with the lollipop drums.


Once the free play session was over, Chase took it upon himself to pick up the basket of morocco's and carry them to Ms. Danielle. I like to think that he is just kind, thoughtful and turning into a little gentleman... and that it has nothing to do with the fact that Ms. Danielle is a pretty young blond who can make him smile with one look.

My latest craft has been to reinvent Chase's room. We can't paint (unless we want to paint it back to white when we are done and really, who wants to do all that!) so I am thinking of new (and cheap) ways to jazz up his pathetic room.

Here is my first step:

I was pretty happy with the outcome and can't wait to hang them up. Now to think of some other inexpensive decorations... any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Oh and Mandy, I printed the swing picture as an 8x10 and it's going to be hung in his room... I love that picture! Thanks again!

On the home front... things are busy and kind of chaotic. We currently have our box spring and mattress in the office where we will be camping out for a few nights... until our bedroom carpet dries from tomorrows cleaning. Our dear sweet 'never peed in the house' Riley the Wonderbeagle has done the unthinkable... peed in the house. We are pretty turned upside down because he has never done this... not since the 1st day I brought him home. He tried to pee in the house, I scolded and took him outside and from that day on he has been an absolute angel. We aren't sure if it's us... maybe we aren't giving him enough attention, maybe we don't take him out enough. Or maybe it is him.. maybe old age, maybe he's sick, maybe he's finally rebelling against us for bringing Chase home. Who knows. Whatever it is, we need a fix soon because I don't have the patience (or the money) for this.

I am not sure why that made it to my blog other than the fact that it is something happening in our life. Can you stand the excitement?

And there you go, a quick piecemeal look at what's up in our lives!