Currently Issue 5

I absolutely love doing this currently link. It has brought me to other blogs of other mothers whose kids are around the same age as Cole. To me, that is the cat's meow. I really try to stick to the theme, so this week was a bit of a challenge because a lot is going on in my head right now, but I can't share everything just yet.

Mama is currently ...

remembering what it's like to not have homework hanging over her head. Remembering what an awesome lady her grandmother was to her and wishing she had the energy to drive down to LI and visit her. Remembering that I signed up for an evening yoga class that starts next week. When next week comes, will I remember to go?

learning how to enjoy the summer without worrying so much.

wishing for oodles of cucumbers next CSA pickup so that I can make my yummy bread and butter pickles. Wishing for a Tried and True way of easily falling back to sleep at night. I've been waking up every night worrying about this or that and it sometimes takes me an hour or more to go back to sleep. Sometimes I'm up for so long I realize I'm starving and then nothing is going to get me back to sleep except food.

considering getting a pop-up camper. We're big tent campers, but this pop-up camper would be a gift and we'd just have to pay for some repairs and to get it on the road. However, we'd have to store it on the side of our house and we'd be one of those people with a (sort of) vehicle parked on the side of our house. That and it'll probably cost around $500 to get it on the road. The upside is that it'd be great to have if we encounter rainy or cold weather and it could extend our camping season by another month or so. Did I tell you about our rainy but fun weekend camping with the Canadians? I will be posting about it soon. (Have no fear Randalin, I'm married to a photographer. I assure you he took several hundred pics. I distinctly remember an adorable one of Kale with marshmallow all over his face.)

cooking dinner again. Ever since I was placed on 4 months of pregnancy bed rest before Cole was born in 2010, Keith has taken over the duties of cooking. As a result, he's a bit controlling now when I'm cooking. And me cooking happens about once or twice a month during the school year and much more often during the summer. I try to welcome his advice, but when you're being critiqued on how you cut the mushrooms or which goes in the sauté first - the garlic or the onion - it's hard to be comfortable in the kitchen. Last night he showed a good amount of restraint. He volunteered to cut up the garlic and the onion and then when I gently reminded him that I was going to continue cooking, he graciously stepped away and let me at it. The result? A yummy pasta dish with leftover chicken, garden peas (shucked by yours truly), farm spinach, garlic, and spring onion.

Cole is currently...

remembering he has a toddler kitchen and cooking up yummy goods. For the past few days, he's been making pizza in the oven and cutting up fruits and vegetables, baking cupcakes and offering them to us. "Happy Birthday!" he'll exclaim. Or "Happy Father's Day!"

learning how to fall asleep on his own. Sometimes I'll tell him I'm going to make him another bottle or go to the potty. If I don't hear anything for a few minutes, I usually don't return and know that he is falling asleep on his own. Last night I crept back in to see what he was up to and he had the blanket (which was hanging from the crib) covering his face and he was kicking his leg. But he was trying. I crept back out and he fell asleep.

wishing he could watch Fresh Beats meets Gabba Gabba over and over and over again. This special episode drives the kid totally bonkers. He's practically electric with excitement while watching it. He squeezes his fist, squeals, and laughs at everything. That had to be the most clever merge of television shows they could have ever come up with.

considering quietly walking over to one of the cats, but then thinking better of it and screeching and running.