A good day.

Doing this was a good idea. Starting this blog was the creative outlet I needed. It's a way for me to reflect on the good parts of my day. Like writing something down to remember it better. Reviewing the pictures and smiling. Putting the thoughts down and understanding them better. Journaling life, the mundane, the routine, the monotonous and reminding myself how beautiful it all is.

And as stressed as I feel all the time, today was another good day.

I took Jack to school this morning for the first time. I forgot my way to his classroom and stopped at every door, peeked inside and closed it again. He just followed. The minute I put my hand on the handle of the door to his classroom, he started crying. You knew where your class was the whole time and didn't help me out? I had to laugh.

Jack's face when he first saw me after school.

We stopped to see Dr. Usmani after class for a shot. Two torturous events in one day. We saw Mrs. Usmani (there is a Mr. and a Mrs.). I'm on a different planet. I don't trust one word out of any doctor until I research it myself. I realize some perceive doctors as mini gods and think they perform miracles. No. It's regurgitate and spit. Read up on it and translate the message to patient from medical jargon to simpleton. I know this, I work with these gods.

Dr. Usmani wants to give Jack the flu shot in two months. She wants to start him on vitamins with iron since he's not on formula. "He's never had formula. Only breast milk." She is surprised. She wants him to wear sunscreen, the kind with numerous chemicals. Carcinogens. We stay out of direct light. She wants me to use toothpaste with fluoride. And she's happy to hear that he drinks plenty of filtered tap water so he gets enough fluoride. Do people really believe this?

Our day ended with three flips-all-by-himself in the pool! Then I power walked him in his stroller, listening to him point out every lizard, caterpillar, bird, airplane, helicopter, tree, sign, car. We played steamroller on the carpet, swept crumbs off the floor and read books. And review all the wrongs I had to right, several school assignments, the chores and the no-nos, Jack's new whine and clingy attachment... today was a good day.

Determined to get my keys in his pocket.

Not quite our box, not quite the right key.

We keep the sunshine at our house.

Pictures and mishaps.

Yesterday, we went to visit Jana and Callie at their big new house. Babies love playing with other babies' toys. And play-dates are perfect opportunities for moms to relate. Play-dates were meant for moms. But they're also perfect opportunities for some cute candid moments.

Note below, each baby started with a pacifier. Jack - white, Callie - pink. But Jack forgets he has a pacifier in his mouth and covets his neighbor's goods.

Callie won't be empty handed (or mouthed, in this case). She snags his.
And Jack offers to split the winnings with his accomplice. Mrs. Bear gets five seconds of NUK.

But wait, that one looks familiar. Could it be mine?

I'm pretty sure I recognize the detail around the handle. I prefer the color.

Callie got stuck in the basket. I made Jana wait it out before coming to her rescue, so I could bring home this cute shot.

If you want to impress a lady, you have to show her how strong you are, do some push-ups.

If you know any good dance moves, let her know it!

And if she'll let you, rock her gently.

But if you're thinking about plopping a wet one on her, make sure her Daddy says OK.

We pulled out some chalk today and soaked in our fifteen required minutes of pure Florida sunshine. My little street artist worked on his masterpiece while jamming out to his Fisher Price boom box.

Could he be right-handed?

Or ambi-dexterous?

Yup, he's a genius. He can draw a perfect five-point star without a ruler!

Told you he was smart.

So I ponder most of the day about what my next subject will be for picture taking. Well, of course it is always Jack. But what new and exciting object/food/activity can I introduce to my little brain that's always growing?

So today, I thought of popcorn. He has never had it. I imagined us standing in front of the microwave, listening to that pop-pop-pop. I'd give him his first popped kernel after it had cooled and he would get all excited, making it crunch in his mouth. I even bought new plastic bowls!

No no no. He had no interest in the popping in the microwave. I burned the popcorn. How did I burn the popcorn? Then, after I picked all the good pieces, otherwise non-burnt, and put them into one of the new plastic bowls, I placed it on the table for ONE peaceful picture of proof that I made popcorn... before Destruct-O came and overturned my bowl onto the carpet and stomped all over the popcorn. At least I got to see him smile while enjoying the crunching sound.

Don't worry, Daddy. Not a morsel of popcorn to be found when you get home. I vacuumed twice over and did a double inspection with a magnifying glass. Wink.

Small amusements.

Long time since pictures. I haven't been home to take them. Some small favorites of Jack's little enjoyments on my first day back.

Hiding under the umbrella.

And smelling feet!

Higher education, higher soaring.

I never want to leave my family again.

I've been in Kentucky the past few days. The overwhelming anxiety I felt days before my flight drove my husband crazy. My intermittent sobbing en route to the airport amused him. I've never left my Jack before. And the guilt was noticeable through my ever changing temper from the moment I booked this trip.

And I wonder to myself. How can I do this to my family? How can I leave them for days at a time? How can I focus on writing a paper with Jack pulling at my pant-legs? How could I add this stress to my household when I'm pulling my hair out over a deadline and venting to those closest to me, taking it out on Jack, Jose, Mom?

Then I remind myself. I'm doing this for my family. I'm doing this to show Jack that achieving higher education is possible, regardless of your commitments. I'm demonstrating the importance of dedication and pursuit of more knowledge. I'm learning about healthy living and instilling this information in my children. I'm doing this for them.

As I sat on my sixth and final flight of the week (several cancelations and delays added more flights and tons of stress), I had to resist the urge to tell my neighboring passenger of my fear of flying. The smallest disturbance to the water in my cup on my tray table, due to any minor turbulence, made me want to grip tightly to the nearest knee and bury my forehead in their shoulder. No physics lesson can convince me how a vehicle weighing several tons, carrying six dozen passengers and loads of luggage can float in the air for two hours, defying gravity. But I'm home now. And I'm not leaving my family again without a stubborn-bull-resistance. Not this Taurus.

Because he was born in the water.

I want Jack to love the water. No fear. When you're on boats and living near waters, it's important to know how to swim. Today, he lost his fear of the water. We have taken him to swim lessons and practiced with him almost everyday. Normally he's reluctant to hop in. Not this time. We couldn't pull him out of the pool!

Jack not-so-accidently dropped his lollipop in the pool and caught his look surprise, "uh-oh".

The tent that Jack built.

Daddy bought Jack a tent at the toy fair at work. It is actually two tents attached by a small tube he can crawl through. Amma tried to crawl through it and got stuck!

Where'd Amma go?

Finally free!