Can You Hear Me Now?

I'll admit that in the past I often talked on my cell phone while driving. I knew it wasn't ideal but the commute to and from work was boring and a good time to catch up with friends and family. Besides, with all those free nights and weekend minutes who could resist?

After we switched to a minimal Tracfone plan to use a cell phone only when travelling, I started to notice how many near accidents involved a driver on a cell phone. In my personal experience, risky drivers who swerved into my lane, ran a red light, or nearly rear ended me were almost always talking on cell phones.

A few months ago I started doing a little online research about the actual risks of driving and cell phone usage. Today's Salon article here does a fairly good round up of all the latest data. Unless you live in one of the states where driving and dialing is now illegal, it is up to you to decide how much of a risk you want to take. But please consider this post my official request to all friends and family not to call me while driving anymore. You are too precious to me!

Graduation Day

Xavier and I officially completed our Parent & Tot swim lessons today. It wasn't easy, it was relatively chilly this morning (about 75 degrees) and raining through most of the lesson. Without any lightening though, we had the okay to finish up our class by the swim director.

When we started lessons, I thought our instructor, Reed, was being unrealistic with some of the things he asked of Xavier. But sure enough, after an hour of practice for two weeks Xavier can now:

• climb out of the pool with a small boost on one of his feet


• walk in water up to his shoulders


• jump into the pool into my arms upon prompting


• hang onto a noodle and float with his legs behind him (with me spotting him)


• straddle a noodle and sit up straight (with me spotting him)


• occasionally blow bubbles (rare!)


• reach for toys or people when being held on his tummy in the water


• occasionally kick with the noodle or when being held on his tummy


• be passed underwater from me to the instructor while holding his breath


• move along the wall doing a hand-to-hand monkey walk (with me spotting him)

He still needs to work on bubble blowing, scooping and kicking but I'm very proud of his accomplishments thus far.

Well that's one way to clean the bathroom floor

Xavier and I have been attending Mommy & Me swim lessons for the last week and a half. Class runs from 8-9 a.m. By the time we get back home, Xavier usually is sacked out and I hop into the shower quickly before taking a nap myself. I'm usually in a mad dash to get something to eat, get clean, and get in bed so I can actually sleep before Xavier wakes up.

This morning I put my bathing suit in the sink, ran the water, grabbed a muffin, hopped in the shower, and...did you catch it? Thank goodness I take short showers in general. I turned off the water and heard the ominous sound of MORE water running. Yep. I left the sink on and managed to flood the bathroom with a half inch of water.

I threw on my bathrobe and dashed to the garage where we keep about a dozen extra bath towels in various stages of decrepitude. About fifteen minutes later I had a laundry basket filled with soggy towels to bring back to the garage.

My bathroom floor has never been so sparkly.

Some Things Just Don't Photograph

There are so many times during each day that I am tickled by something Xavier does or "says" (still no "mama") or a beautiful sunrise outsid the kitchen window, or the golden goodness of a homemade loaf of bread, that I'm tempted to grab the camera to take a video or snapshot. But the act of getting up, taking out the camera, turning it on, and aiming it would ruin the very moment I was trying to capture. So you must take my word for it that what you see on this blog is just a smidgen of the loveliness that fills our lives.

The latest unphotographed event worth mentioning is Xavier's habit of imitating Tim and me doing everyday activities. Monday I was clearing off the the kitchen countertops and scrubbing them with hot water and bleach. Xavier grabbed a dishtowel off the tabletop and started wiping down his cabinet where we store his dishes and cups. Later that day when I was emptying the dishwasher, he would put his dishes away in his newly wiped cabinet.

But the cutest example by far is his imitation of Dad leaving for work in the morning. He slings Tim's thermal lunch bag over his shoulder, kisses Mommy, waves goodbye and walks out the room. Then he does this again. And again. And again. Once he did it eight times in a row before tiring of the game. Adorable.

Up, Up and Away

Xavier has started to try to climb things. Here he is on a small workout step that I use as a stool in the bath and kitchen. He is so proud of himself! Thankfully we have a few more days before he able to climb up on chairs, sofas or beds. We've already had to reinforce that coffee tables are not for climbing either. I just wish there was a toddler playground nearby to let him burn off all this climbing energy. Sadly, all the parks have "big kid" equipment that is still too advanced for him to use on his own.

The Useful Backyard

Our backyard has been earning its keep lately. While it is considered small (50x15) it certainly has plenty of room for fun, beauty and work. We have a few flowering beds here and there for asthetics and a lovely patio and grilling pad safely away from the house.

My square foot garden raised bed is just outside my kitchen window so I can easily see what needs to be harvested or watered. This year I didn't manage to plant veggies in all of the 16 square feet. The zucchini and hooked yellow squash didn't seem to be very happy there. I think I will try to plant those seeds again in the fall in another place. I have two types of tomato plants both of which are producing fruit as fast as we can eat it. It is a relief that we don't have to worry about somenella from our tomatoes. I've had a few bell peppers this summer, but not nearly as many as last year. In an open spot I planted some cosmos seeds that came free in the mail. I had no idea how tall they would get but they have provided us with cut flowers all summer.

In one corner, partially hidden from the neighbors by a sumac tree, I have my lovely new clothesline that my husband gave me for Mother's Day. I was all excited to start saving money on our electric bills by air drying laundry as much as possible. About two weeks into the project I realized that while our dryer is powered by electricity it is heated with natural gas. I am still saving energy but not quite as much money on power bills as I had hoped. You can't beat that line-dried frangrance though.

In the far corner of the yard I keep a compost pile. I made it about two years ago with $5 worht of chicken wire. I would love to have a more attractive container like this or this, but I can't really justify the expense. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a few pallets to create a two-bin wooden composting station that is beautiful too.

When I first started putting our backyard to work, I was a bit embarrassed to have people see it. It certainly wouldn't be the sort of yard featured in a issue of Better Homes and Gardens. I've been amazed though at how many people admire the work elements of our backyard. At least half a dozen times I've had visitors tell me that they wish they had a clothesline/vegetable garden/compost pile or whatever but they were afraid of what their neighbors or spouse would think.

It has made me realize that there is a certain beauty in a functional outdoor space. It is the outdoor equivalent of homebaked bread or simply furnished but tidy home. It indicates a lifestyle that goes against the tide of "aspirational" decor that dominates home improvement shows and magazines that I find so tempting but that always seem to make me feel a bit shabby(I'm looking at you HGTV!). Instead, it seems to reflect a well ordered home (or homestead).

My backyard is still a work in progress. I'd like to create another bed behind the clothesline for larger climbing vegetables, grow a few herbs in pots on the patio, repaint and repair our two metal patio chairs and perhaps add a table to make the space a little more inviting for relaxing and entertaining. But now I'm thinking in terms of what is useful and beautiful instead of just worrying about how things will look.