Dandelions and ice cream
We went over to the arboretum again this afternoon. It's hands-down a much better place to walk than, say, the mall. The mall is sort of the cliche place where a pregnant woman who is desperate to have her baby goes to walk and walk. Since I go to the mall maybe once a year, if that, you can see how much appeal that has for me.
When we go over to the arboretum, it seems that one special thing strikes me every time, whether it be birthday daffodils, exhilirating flowering trees, or fiddle-headed ferns. I never know what it's going to be until I get there. Today it was dandelions. Last week, my mom showed Ellis how to Pick a Dandelion and Give to Your Mom. We walked along, and he picked a puffy dandelion for me. I showed him how to blow the puff (sorry, arboretum). Before I knew it we were plopped in the grass blowing puffs and sniffing buttercups. It was magical in the way only a kid can make an pesky weed be.
Before we went over to the arboretum, I was in a majorly crabby mood. I didn't sleep well last night. I'm cumbersome, tired, and huge. blah, blah. I know it sounds cheesy, but being there in the quiet with the green and the trees and the scent of honeysuckle in the air was incredibly soothing. Yes, it really is that idyllic there. Communing with nature is in my roots, and it comforts me in a deep primordial way. I hope I can give my kids a similarly satisfying experience, of pointing out all the details that my parents showed us, to show the pleasure we take in watching the ordering of the seasons, first the bulbs, then the trees, trillium, lilacs...
Ellis noticed the pollen strands littering the sidewalk underneath the oak trees. I showed him a branch with a few strands still attached, and we watched them blow down in the breeze.
We stopped by the little cabin that sits next to a gurgling brook. I sat on the bench and Ellis threw bits of leaves into the stream. I saw a woman painting with her easel set up on the bridge. I thought that if I could paint, I would want to capture the way the sunlight glimmered through the young maple leaves.
I enjoyed this afternoon with E. We have so few remaining, just the two of us. He probably won't remember his life before his brother, but I will.
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He might...he might just ask you to take the baby back to wherever it came from! :)
Cute ice cream drool! (And I'm glad M's not here to start relentlessly begging me for some.)
Posted by: Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt | May 6, 2008 08:30 PM
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Sweet. =) You did pretty well at capturing the sun through the leaves with your photographer's eye, there. Looks like a gorgeous place to immerse oneself in.
I was one of those pregnant women walking around the mall when I was in early labor and wanted my contractions to speed the heck up already. We walked around our neighborhood that morning, but Louisiana in July doesn't lend itself well to outdoors walking. Hence the mall. I'm glad it's cool enough there that you can enjoy nature and your awesome little boy at the same time.
Posted by: Erica | May 6, 2008 09:01 PM
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"He probably won't remember his life before his brother, but I will."
*tears* I remember being oh-so-pregnant with #2 and sitting on the couch with Hubby crying and crying. "I don't want our little family to change! I don't want to lose our perfect little family." At that point, as miserable as it was, I really wished I could be preggers forever just so that we could keep it to just the three of us. And then T was born. . . And it was all okay. Our little family was still just right.
Posted by: TulipGirl | May 6, 2008 09:51 PM
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How wonderful that you live close enough to your mom to enjoy this time with her too! That is 3 generations, loving nature together, and yes (IMO) E will totally absorb that love from both of you. BTW - have you ever taught E pooh-sticks? Find a little bridge (if there's one in the arboretum, that would be perfect!), and each of you drop a twig (or any chunk of nature) at the same time from one side of the bridge. Then you rush to the other side of the bridge to see whose twig wins! Our kids loved that game for many years.
Posted by: mary kathryn | May 7, 2008 07:04 AM
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Well, if E doesn't remember his vairy early childhood, it is certainly well documented! I love the pictures. I'm impressed you get yourself over there at this phase. I remember just getting through the visitors center would wear me out at Longwood... when I was pregnant, that is!
Posted by: mom1 | May 7, 2008 07:05 AM
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Lovely J'nette, just lovely.
Posted by: anilia | May 7, 2008 08:41 AM
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So glad--even though I'm positive you don't want to be pregnant at this point--that you're having special time with The Boy.
The Boy who's so adorable I wish I could give him an absolutely enormous hug, sticky ice-cream face and all.
*hugs*
Posted by: Jo | May 7, 2008 09:20 AM
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Hey....I tagged you.
Posted by: Erin | May 7, 2008 09:59 AM
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Beautiful posting.
You'd be surprised at how much children remember :o)
Even with two children, my husband and I make quality time for each child... like mom/daughter time, mom/son time, dad/daughter time, dad/son time...
:o)
Posted by: Karen Mayes | May 8, 2008 08:41 AM