Day #51: Why We Should Really All Listen to Max
Max is 20 months old and obsessed with his shoes. I've never seen a toddler who liked shoes so much. He likes to talk about shoes (it sounds like "foo" with extra emphasis on the f,) he likes to wear shoes, he likes to bring other people their shoes. The Easter bunny brought him Sketchers that light up like his brother's (or like his brother's used to, they were a back to school present from Gramma, they have been loved and don't really do that anymore.) When he wants to go outside (which, let's face it, is pretty much all the time, outside is the best,) he will say "shoes, gock gock (socks,) doggie!"
So this morning when James was in his Zoom meeting (which is the only school we did today, oh well,) he started talking about shoes and then he kept saying wa-wa (walk,) doggie (this one meant Daddy, it's a subtle difference,) mama. So we asked Daddy if he could beg off work for a bit and go on a long walk with us, to downtown to get some lunch. He got to ride his "ta ta" (trike,) and James carried the stuffed duck Grandpa got him for Easter.
It's about a 5 mile walk round trip and I got a charley horse...I really have to work harder at staying hydrated...so I favored my other leg and my knee hurts, but it was really so nice. The weather was perfect, dry but not too hot, warm enough to walk in shirt sleeves. Max talked all about the flowers and doggies we saw on the way. James was being very James...he is such a chatterbox that kid and has trouble listening, but he walked every step and didn't complain. He even slipped his hand in mine on that last stretch...it's so easy to forget how little he is. I walked it slow...man, this is messing with my stamina. I'm not the most physically fit person on the planet but in normal times I walk James to and from school and that's half a mile one way up the hill...the first hill today had me winded, man. We need to do that more.
Max, when we told him we were going to listen and take his advice, said the longest sentence I've heard from him yet: "Go go wa wa!"
Really, Max's world is pretty simple. It's the big people who complicate things. Get outside, take a walk, spend time with your family, have yummy food, wear cool shoes. Does being shut up with his family every day bother Max? Not in the slightest as long as there are walks outside. He's even started sleeping through the night since this started, having big brother home all day every day is exhausting. And I'm grateful that James sill loves him after 20 months, the shine does not seem to have worn off, and wants to hang out with us.
When we got home I did my first grocery run since I decided the store was sad. I went to the fruit stand first which was a good idea...the produce section of the grocery store is grim. See also the condensed soup aisle. I had a great chat with the clerk at the drug store...I found limited supplies for James's birthday decor, the two colors of streamers they had were pink and ugly pink, but there were indeed balloons. And the grocery store...well, it's still no fun but they played Janis Joplin at the fruit stand and CCR at the grocery store and it turns out no one notices when I sing behind my mask. Had to keep taking it off, though...I can't drive with it on, the glasses get too foggy. Had to leave the glasses in the car each time and fly blind. But can't drive that way. Masks are on my list. We don't wear them enough because the strings are jacked up, I need to add elastic. But no way could I have worn it on that long a walk the glasses situation makes it untenable. In some places you have to wear them if you go out at all, that might happen here, not sure what I will do. The clerk in the grocery store is a glasses wearer, says breathe through your mouth.
Anyway, it's supposed to rain tomorrow but everyone is what I like to think of as the good kind of tired (tired from physical activity not from stress,) the fridge is full of food, an there's no kindergarten Zoom meetings until Monday. That's a good night.
Media consumption today: more of the same. Had more reading time than you might think, sadly the book still drags. But not enough to abandon it. Yet. The Graveyard Book has gotten better.
Today I'm grateful for Max, my husband, James's stories, walking, music to sing to, favorite foods on sale, surviving a grocery run, the good kind of tired, sore muscles (sort of,) relaxing TV and good health.
So this morning when James was in his Zoom meeting (which is the only school we did today, oh well,) he started talking about shoes and then he kept saying wa-wa (walk,) doggie (this one meant Daddy, it's a subtle difference,) mama. So we asked Daddy if he could beg off work for a bit and go on a long walk with us, to downtown to get some lunch. He got to ride his "ta ta" (trike,) and James carried the stuffed duck Grandpa got him for Easter.
It's about a 5 mile walk round trip and I got a charley horse...I really have to work harder at staying hydrated...so I favored my other leg and my knee hurts, but it was really so nice. The weather was perfect, dry but not too hot, warm enough to walk in shirt sleeves. Max talked all about the flowers and doggies we saw on the way. James was being very James...he is such a chatterbox that kid and has trouble listening, but he walked every step and didn't complain. He even slipped his hand in mine on that last stretch...it's so easy to forget how little he is. I walked it slow...man, this is messing with my stamina. I'm not the most physically fit person on the planet but in normal times I walk James to and from school and that's half a mile one way up the hill...the first hill today had me winded, man. We need to do that more.
Max, when we told him we were going to listen and take his advice, said the longest sentence I've heard from him yet: "Go go wa wa!"
Really, Max's world is pretty simple. It's the big people who complicate things. Get outside, take a walk, spend time with your family, have yummy food, wear cool shoes. Does being shut up with his family every day bother Max? Not in the slightest as long as there are walks outside. He's even started sleeping through the night since this started, having big brother home all day every day is exhausting. And I'm grateful that James sill loves him after 20 months, the shine does not seem to have worn off, and wants to hang out with us.
When we got home I did my first grocery run since I decided the store was sad. I went to the fruit stand first which was a good idea...the produce section of the grocery store is grim. See also the condensed soup aisle. I had a great chat with the clerk at the drug store...I found limited supplies for James's birthday decor, the two colors of streamers they had were pink and ugly pink, but there were indeed balloons. And the grocery store...well, it's still no fun but they played Janis Joplin at the fruit stand and CCR at the grocery store and it turns out no one notices when I sing behind my mask. Had to keep taking it off, though...I can't drive with it on, the glasses get too foggy. Had to leave the glasses in the car each time and fly blind. But can't drive that way. Masks are on my list. We don't wear them enough because the strings are jacked up, I need to add elastic. But no way could I have worn it on that long a walk the glasses situation makes it untenable. In some places you have to wear them if you go out at all, that might happen here, not sure what I will do. The clerk in the grocery store is a glasses wearer, says breathe through your mouth.
Anyway, it's supposed to rain tomorrow but everyone is what I like to think of as the good kind of tired (tired from physical activity not from stress,) the fridge is full of food, an there's no kindergarten Zoom meetings until Monday. That's a good night.
Media consumption today: more of the same. Had more reading time than you might think, sadly the book still drags. But not enough to abandon it. Yet. The Graveyard Book has gotten better.
Today I'm grateful for Max, my husband, James's stories, walking, music to sing to, favorite foods on sale, surviving a grocery run, the good kind of tired, sore muscles (sort of,) relaxing TV and good health.
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