do what you gotta do

I've been absent here on the blog because I've been struggling with headaches again. Silly--when I was sick recently I took to drinking lots of hot tea; it would clear up the congestion, if only for a moment. It wasn't until days later that I realized that the lovely blueberry tea I was drinking was not caffeine free. ha! So headaches I had for about 5 days. Now it's better.

Here's the new thing: I'm boycotting cooking dinner.

Two days this past week Mitch was at school late. My sitter was here to help and instead of cooking I ate leftovers while standing next to the fridge. What I discovered was that we got the kids in bed much earlier, got the toys picked up and family room straightened and dishes washed and kitchen cleaned with all kinds of time for me to relax and get in bed early.

So I've decided, at least for the time being, it's takeout and leftovers only. Once in awhile I'll cook something during the day if I have some spare time, like this morning I cooked up a whole batch of sausage while Clark slept and Frances watched Dora. Now I have that in the fridge to go with whatever else I can find. I also have some containers of things already in the freezer I can pull out, like chili or butternut squash soup which I made double batches of last month and froze half. Of course, we're going through our freezer stash but I suppose that's what it's for.

I now understand why everyone complains about the winter here. Have I said that before? I love the snow on the ground all the time, but damn is the wind cold! Like can't-go-out of-your-house cold. We've all been sick all winter and that's wearing thin... But now Frances and Clark and Mitch are all on antibiotics and things are improving. I can see how it will feel like Spring takes her steady sweet time.

Clark is hilarious. He does this thing we call the "Clarkman salute" where he holds his arm straight up like he's reaching for something in the air. When we're reading books he leans back in my arms and looks up at me and wants me to touch his nose with mine which makes him giggle that sweet baby giggle. He's climbing everything everything everything and I find myself having to vault over furniture to get to him before he___ (fill in the blank). He can entertain himself for long periods of time going from his wooden box of baby toys to the toy mop in the corner to the rocking horse to the doorstop which he sproings over and over. He wants to walk with Frances's firetruck but can't figure out to get behind it so holds the back with one hand and the handlebars with the other and goes in circles, around and around. I hope I can get around to posting this little video of him jumping with his walker. Very cute. Also, there have been some actual first steps the last two days. Changes to come!