What a Lovely Day Indeed

I had such a lovely day. Really. Lovely. Raph took me on a new hike and we sat on rocks in the sun with Makili and watched the vultures soar above in the blue sky. Makili fell asleep in our new ergo carrier (no excuse not to hike now), with his head tilted back, holding on to the hood of my jacket, like there was nothing that would keep him from that sweet sleep. We had a really swell breakfast at the Stolen Menu Cafe, grilled bread, with mozzarella, fresh basil, ramps, patty-pan squash, and a side of delicious potatoes. Ahh. Good. I worked in the garden, stopping by the first bed to see the arugula, parsely and lettuc poking their little heads through the dirt covers. Aside from my first tick bite of the year, it was pretty idyllic. Raph came home from finishing his final project for his graduate class and made me dinner. MAkili and I practiced his newest skill - putting things IN the shape sorters. That's a big step.

He is such a little communicator these days. A typical conversation goes like this.

Makili: Heee Heeee Heee (panting)
Me: No Booba right now.
Makili: Looks at me with puzzlement then shakes his head no as in really?
Me: That's right, no booba.
Makili: Tries the cry.
Me: Sorry, no booba right now.
Makili: Shakes his head no again.
Me: Do you want a banana?
Makili: (head whipping around faster than you can believe) Yeah! (He really says yeah)

This conversation gets repeated in some form about 100 times a day. Since he learned to ask for nursing, he seems to think he should do so at every possible opportunity. Another of his favorite tactics is to push me into the red chair, which he knows is my favorite place to nurse. He sees the red chair or a banana, and the panting and pleading and pointing all start anew. Really cute. You know in the movie Spanglish, how the mom freaks out and says "Do Not Throw the Ball (for the dog)!" In our house, do NOT say banana unless you intend to give one to Makili. Do not even say a word that sounds like banana. Sometimes it is even dangerous to say "do you want" since he will want whatever you say next and will not get up until what comes after is something that he actually wants. What a little trouble maker!

Makili has also been taking after his cousin Jenna, who did not like to be told "no." Makili will stop and freeze in the middle of an action if I say "eh, eh, eh!" Then he will either cry (which is such a fake cry it is ridiculous) or look at the forbidden object and shake his head, reminding himself that it is off-limits I guess. I love him more and more and am so glad to be where I am with such a wonderful husband and a fun kid. I'm a lucky mom.