A Bicycle Built for Three

Another holiday season has come and gone, and now it is time to welcome a new year. The last month has been a blur of final projects, events, and time with Little Man as we both are home on winter break. This was the first year he seemed more aware and enthused about celebrating holidays, including seeing cousins for Thanksgiving and Christmas. He was especially excited to light candles on Hanukkah, although for me that time was overshadowed by the terrorist attack on Jews at Bondi Beach. I chose not to allow Little Man to attend a public menorah lighting out of concern, which was an upsetting decision to even have to make. That being said, I've been encouraged to see him become more aware of the different parts of his life coming together in unique ways. We have also started to talk at dinner each night of Kwanzaa about the different values and how those might look in his young mind. Some, like Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) or Nia (Purpose) are a lot to understand, but he is star...

I realized I last attempted to write a post in October, and when I looked at my drafts I made it to one paragraph before calling it a day...and then a week...and then a month. Needless to say, the realities of life won out. Lately when it comes to Little Man I have been thinking a lot about what and how he is learning. At his parent teacher conference we heard a lot of great things, as well as the goal of raising our hands more instead of blurting out answers before others have a chance to think. His enthusiasm for learning is clear, and even when it seems he isn't listening he will prove otherwise. He is honest to a fault, and when he does wrong he has the self-awareness to eventually identify where he could have made a different choice and why. As parents we couldn't have been happier with what we heard.  That being said, he is also still learning how to calm his body -- his brain is always so hard at work that the rest of him has no choice but to follow along. I love his ene...

In the blink of an eye I have turned 44.  Special shout-out to the coworker who was surprised I wasn't still in my 30s; I guess my personality stood out to her more than my gray hair.  As I've stated in most if not all of my annual birthday posts, the number doesn't really bother me.  Rather, I want to focus on what the previous year has brought and what the new year has to offer.  If the last week is any indication, I'm in for quite a ride. Having a birthday around the start of the school year is always an adventure.  Sometimes I get a day off, sometimes I get a mountain of work.  Adding my graduate studies to the mix, as well as a preschooler whose social calendar is often more packed than my own, means long days and hectic nights as I try to make it all work.  I do not burn the midnight oil (or even the 10pm oil), so I'm constantly looking for pockets of time to complete a few lines of writing.  I don't want to miss out on family time, and it's...

It's been awhile since I've had the time, energy, or capacity to post. Summer was filled with my personal studies and other adventures, and now I'm gearing up for year 21 in the classroom. However, we've reached a much bigger milestone in our house -- Little Man is officially a preschooler. Being away all day is nothing new; having been in daycare most of his life, Little Man has had the privilege of so many others besides us loving on him and shaping his early years. Some of those people are still in his life today, a fact for which we are so grateful. This summer he had his first taste of day camp, and though it wasn't so far off from any other daycare experience it also actually was. Watching him stride in and out of the building each day with his backpack (which is adorably almost as big as he is) made him seem so grown up. He still held my hand as we walked across the parking lot, but it was obvious he was ready to tackle the day on his own. Some days he would ...

Little Man is taking the age of four by storm.  After having some really big feelings around that time he has started to somewhat find his footing again; his feelings are still big, but his reactions are starting to very slowly become more proportionate.  However, in an attempt to react intellectually rather than physically he has started to rely on his vocabulary to make his discontent known.  In the hierarchy of harsh roasts of others, young kids can absolutely hold their own. The latest weapon in Little Man's arsenal, like many his age, is to hit where he thinks it will hurt the most -- "You're not my best friend anymore.  I don't love you anymore."  While I obviously realize the intent is not genuine, it's hard not to feel the sting when he thinks he has made his point.  Recently on a night when Husband was away and I covered bedtime duties, we had a rough go.  As I helped him regulate by cradling him in my lap, he mentioned missing Daddy.  I ...

Last year Little Man's third birthday was on Mother's Day  -- this year the celebrations are just one day apart.  He's another year older and -- at least in his mind -- another year wiser.  Looking at him I don't see much difference, but holding up pictures from last year to now it's a shock.  His vocabulary, his interests, his emotions; everything about him is big and getting bigger.  His independence is reassuring and scary, such as when he takes off at warp speed down a busy street or is very insistent in telling me that stomping his foot in rhythm with Lady Gaga is not the same as finding the beat of a Lady Gaga song (both true stories that occurred on the same day).  Needless to say, he keeps me constantly on my toes.  No one can make me laugh harder or clench my jaw tighter than he can. Little Man, on your fourth birthday I wish you the space to continue spreading your wings along with the peace you seek when emotions feel too overwhelming. ...