Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs

R's school was closed today, and A had to film a video at work, so I got to stay home with R. Yay!

It finally feels like spring, and today was beautiful. After a leisurely breakfast, R and I packed some snacks and water in the backpack and drove to our local Audubon nature center. I swear there is nothing better for a four-year-old boy (well, at least my four-year-old boy) than going for a walk in the woods. There are giant sticks for poking things, rocks and old trees to climb, endless space in which to run, mud to stomp through, and you can shout without bothering anyone. Plus, we saw lots of turtles and two woodpeckers, and we heard frogs calling to each other. (We never could spot them.) I love doing this with R, and it makes me so happy that he enjoys it, too. We came home with a large stick (because it looked like a gun), a pocketful of teeny tiny pine cones, an eye dropper (used for getting samples of pond water), sneakers caked with mud, and - hopefully - no ticks.

When we got home again, I fixed lunch, and we ate out on the patio (first time this year!). We puttered around the house - playing trains, making a satellite out of egg cartons and plastic forks (R's idea), listening to a Magic Tree House book on CD - and in the yard - playing baseball, pulling out maple seedlings out of the lawn and garden. We had many sweet moments of snuggling, of R telling me how much he loves me and smiling at me with his squinchy grin, and laughter. At one point, R told me that he was glad that he was part of our family and that he was happy to be born. And, he asked me why I had him. I love being able to tell him how much he was wanted and loved before he was even a speck of cells. (Speaking of which, he has been really interested recently in human development after seeing an exhibit at the Museum of Science. He was absolutely fascinated by the fact that he was once the size of a lentil bean. And, by how I told him that when he was at that stage, I called him "Lenny.")

In the late afternoon, we picked up A at the train station, headed home for a quick snack, and then headed to the Boys & Girls Club for Family Swim time. We went to it last Friday for the first time and really enjoyed ourselves. R's swimming lessons there have really paid off, and he's quite comfortable swimming now. And, even though A and I were exhausted last week and tonight and not interested at all in going beforehand, it was great, and we're glad we went. We had fun together, plus a lot of R's friends from school and their families were there, too. And, we'll all sleep really well tonight.

So, to sum up - a really good day. (And, happy birthday to my friend Stef!)

Of course, I forgot to take pictures today. But I had to share this one with you:


This is a sign that R made at school one day and brought home. Actually, this was the second draft. He also brought home the first draft. He taped it up himself on the bathroom door. Any guess as to what it says?

Well, first, I have to say that I find it absolutely hilarious that R was thinking about this particular thing at school and that it was on his mind enough that he sat down to draw a picture in protest. Twice. And, then he saved it and made a point of barricading me in the bathroom until he could hang it on the door.

Because you know what it says?

No toothbrushing allowed.

The little bugger. :-)