Lest I Forget

This morning, as I got ready to take Anna to band, Peter looked at me with his big brown eyes and those lashes that go for miles and asked if he could come on my rosary walk with me. Umm, there is no way to say no to that, so off we went! Usually I walk along the sidewalk near the school. Today, though, I had planned to go just outside the base and take one of the German paths. Then, as I drove past the school, I noticed these little signs with arrows, pointing to a wooded area. Well, I have not noticed them before, so I decided that it was where I supposed to go. I parked the car and we embarked on a little adventure, just Peter and me and our rosaries. ( And my camera too ;) ) The path was laden with a heavy blanket of brown leaves and so many branches that we had to be deliberate where we stepped. Which is good because we took our time, praying and observing. We watched little birds flitting nervously from tree to tree as we walked by. We saw a pair of hawks coming to their nest ...

Poor Peter. His birthday was going along just nicely until his mother interrupted the fun by breaking her arm at the actual party.  A couple of days before, Jack and I went shopping together for gifts. I always like those rare days where I get time to focus on just one kid. Jack and I had fun searching through the German toy store. He also made note of several items he wanted for himself. We brought home our stash and hid it away. On the morning of Peter's birthday, I let all the kids wrap the gifts for their brother. I was hoping to avoid that moment when another kid gives in to jealousy by getting them involved in the giving. It worked. I simply cannot fathom how my baby, my youngest is all of a sudden four. His bright eyes, and the dimple on one cheek when he smiles melt my heart every time. He amazes me with his insights and attention to the little details of life. What a blessing he is! Happy fourth birthday Peter! "I'm four!" Now he has his own...

One dreary gray morning, Peter toddles over to his mama in his gray robot pajamas. Pulling on her skirt and peering up with his big brown eyes, he says "Egg." So Peter's mama scoops him up and goes into the kitchen to make breakfast. She sits him on the counter while she gets the eggs and a pan. Peter likes to help. He reaches out to grab an egg. His mama gently places the egg in his hand, and holding his hand in hers, shows him how to gently tap, tap, tap the egg on the edge of the counter. He grins and picks up the next egg. Before his mama can help, he firmly smashes the egg into the counter! Oops! It did not do the same thing as before. But it makes Peter laugh and laugh. His mama scrambles the eggs, puts them on a plate, and sets them on the table. Peter uses his fork all by himself, for the first few bites, then growing impatient with those eggs, he picks them up in his little fingers. Much easier! Peter likes to climb. He is very good at it, most of the time. The...

This does look fun, doesn't it?

I did it. I blinked. Shame on me because look what happened... brand new! one month two months 3 months four months five months six months seven months eight months nine months ten months eleven months one year! Yesterday, we celebrated one whole year with Peter in our family. I made a chocolate zucchini cake which may or may not have been less fluffy than the one my mom made. (I did not sift the flour like she does). I bought him two toys. A wooden cube toy and a wooden racetrack type thing. He still prefers climbing onto the table. We tried to get him to blow out the candle. He is all boy, for he grabbed the candle before we could stop him and snuffed it out with his bare hands. Thank goodness he was not burned. Happy Birthday Peter!

Wednesday, July 17 -going to the Botanical Gardens with good friends. Expect a great day. Don't forget to pack chair that I sold on craigslist. -get to the gardens to discover that child in charge of packing chair packed wrong chair. -the gardens are beautiful but it is sure hot. -get home, notice that Peter seems hot to the touch. Give him cool bath. -Peter is still hot. Take temperature. It is 103. -Google heat stroke in infants. Freak out. Head to ER. -Doc thinks it is only a virus. Big sigh of relief, still feeling guilty about taking him out on hot day. -get home. make pizza. watch movie. Peter still has fever. Thursday, July 18 -long, long night. Peter's fever is so high. Over 104 most of night. Many cool baths. -start packing for trip that may not happen if he is not better. -this fever just won't break. Keep giving meds and cool baths. -decide to postpone trip for one day. maybe we can still make it to the reunion. -Oh, my. Sophie's birthday! Sh...

Peter's month of confinement in a cast is done! He was a real trooper. He adapted very well and could still get everywhere, and I do mean everywhere! The stairs? Not a problem. He could navigate them up and down. The potty? He discovered it's a splash zone in there and we are currently training the rest of the troops to keep that door closed. As soon as we got home, I gave him the first bath he's had in a month. (Not in the potty, in the tub ;) ) We are all very thankful for that bath. Even a cute baby foot can get very stinky in a month. I'm betting that he will be walking in no time now that he is free.