Little things...

We did have a lovely time with all the grandparent visitors over the last two months and we did enjoy another great (although snow free) trip to Tahoe with even more family, but I'm gonna update you on the little things I've been photographing...  remind me to do the Tahoe post next.

The rain has returned so the grass is greener, the garden is workable again, and the after school activity of choice is puddle splashing.  Interestingly a few days after this particularly wet adventure he burst into tears when the garden hose got out of control and sprayed him down the back.  I guess it's all in the intention.

We went to a most interesting presentation of big cats (real ones) and adopted a baby snow leopard (not a real one).  The presentation featured 5 wild cats that day: serval, Siberian lynx, bobcat kitten, cougar, and king cheetah (gasp!).  Each was brought on stage wearing a leash and hopped up on the table.  While the presenter and handler (owners of the cats) shared lots of entertaining stories and fun facts along with their message of conservation and respect for wildlife, the cats mostly purred and enjoyed many pieces of chicken meat doled out by the handler.   It was interesting to see a different take on the preservation of wild cats from our last experience at Carolina Tiger Rescue.  I think I might be in the "wild cats are not for petting" camp but it was still striking to witness the interactions between handler and cats.

new favorite family portrait

Over Christmas break we went to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park with Mimi. They had a wacky room inspired by an old amusement park in San Francisco. So of course we posed in front of the fun house mirrors.   Silas was there primarily for the electric train display.  The skirt and cardigan wearing attendant was struggling to keep the trains running properly that day amongst the miniature plants, so Silas had a lot to say about proper train set management.

the biggest news of the day...more photos to follow soon

Joy and Love in the New Year!

With peacock and hand-made sheep at Ardenwood Farm

My plans for the new year are pretty much the same as for last year:
spend as much time as possible outside enjoying the amazing natural world,
cook and eat delicious and nourishing local food,
resist the urge to over-consume
pursue joyful balance in work and home life and ...
to teach the reasons behind these aspirations to my son.

Hiking in the Marin Headlands

And I will also be trying to follow Silas's example in at least two ways:
strive to learn new things everyday
savor time with the ones we love

the daily morning snuggle in the big bed

Christmas Tidings

Negative tides on Christmas Eve mean awesome tide pools! Fitzgerald Marine Reserve was very festive with frosty waves, snowy white balls of barnacles, and green anemones.

The Tilden Park Carousel is done up for Christmas in lights and bows, surrounded by decorated Christmas trees, and a Santa outside. Silas was interested in taking a peak but sitting on his lap was not even a remote possibility. But he got to ride a black galloping horse with Mimi!

Silas and I made this winter diorama on the living room shelf. Scraps of fluffy interfacing, a reconstructed cardboard box covered in paper with house details drawn by Silas, branches of evergreens and red berries found on hikes and bike rides in the neighborhood, tiny redwood tree pine cones covered in glue and glitter, and a Japanese made deer from the East Bay Center for Creative Reuse (with a Santa hat added by Silas). This sort of home-crafty-oddity makes me so happy.

The sign says: "Happy birthday Happy Christmas I hope you like your presents Santa's house" (A new holiday ritual this year: you must hold the sign while opening your presents)

A lovely photo taken by Silas of his favorite spot this December: under the tree playing with the presents of Christmas past (trains and crane) and the presents of Christmas present nearby.

Christmas morning. Real joy.

We misplaced Silas after several of the gifts were unwrapped but found him again when we discovered some unopened gifts behind the tree...

He enjoyed opening each and every one of his presents, but there was no way I could sneak a camera on him for each one. So if you sent him a gift or a happy Christmas wish then know this smile is for you...

We had a wonderful Christmas day dinner in San Francisco with Halstead cousins. Palmer (formerly known as baby Palmer) is almost as big as Silas now.

What Silas has learned to do this year (now with video)

Write a list (in school it was a grocery list, at home a Christmas list)

Draw more than scribble scrabble.  This is the solar system; on the back of this page is a cactus.

Ride his pedal-less bike really well down hill from school (and to school, but there's no time for videos at 8:05am)

How Silas likes to have fun

using the telescope to look at the sun, indirectly of course

Sometimes I go through the photo archives and realize there are tons of great photos I haven't shared because they weren't taken of a major event or vacation.  (although sometimes I don't even post those, sorry)  But we try to take regular old "in the life" photos of Silas doing his thing.  And now that he's more amenable to being photographed we have more to share, or perhaps he doesn't always realize that by taking a picture of something he's sitting next to we get a picture of him too? Oh well.  Here's the update on Silas:

Silas is very interested in the natural world.  It is motivating us to learn more so we can keep up with his questions. Kevin got a telescope from Grandpa for his birthday and this has prompted a 2nd wave of interest in space beyond just the vehicles and astronauts. Today he brought home yet another space book from the library and proceeded to read me words like "Europa" and "Uranus" (pronounced the modern way). If you ask him what his favorite planet is he might say Saturn or Pluto (... don't even mention the word planetoid to him, he doesn't want to hear it)

We try to get outside as much as possible and recently went on a hike on the Nimitz trail in Tilden park. (side note: he whines every time the word hike is mentioned but somehow he pulls it together to enjoy himself once we start).  This trail is paved so it works even after the rainy season has started. We used to come here with the stroller and for years I never made it past the first 1/4 mile. But now we bring a notebook and pencil so Silas can jot down his "obsrvashins". And just for the record this is his idea, not mine.  In school he is encouraged to write by sounding out words, and he is into it.  No limits.

making observations on our recent hike in Tilden park

Examples from the notebook:
"Sum trees hav leevs"  "Sum tablse hav life" (the table shown above had lichen growing on it) "Sum conifers hav brawn neetls" "sum hoorsis hav tals difrint culr then its botee"

blocking the trail to make important scientific notes about the horse that just walked past

the view from the Nimitz trail in Tilden

Silly Silas on a drive through Marin County, where we go for some outdoorsy adventure

Although before he started full time school we spent more time out hiking and at the zoo, we still try to go on days off or sometimes after school.  He still does love all the old places and we're starting to branch out to some new spots. I personally can't wait until his reading skills expand to let him read all the science museum placards.  Now when we go he sometimes has me hoarse by the end of the visit from reading all the info to him.

a shy turtle inside his shell at Oakland Zoo

coming out of the shell

boy on a tomato frog

He is making new friends in kindergarten and had some great friends from preschool too but he has a special place in his heart for our neighbors.  Even though these 2 moved to San Francisco recently we still think of them as neighbors...

making art while wearing crowns with Jasper and Zimry

Silas, Jasper and Zimry 3 years ago

reading to his friends

He is really getting into holidays this year. Perhaps it's his new awareness of the calendar and the seasons.  He was truly into the pumpkins this Halloween.

wearing his Halloween carnival prize headband and posing with his second pumpkin of this year

with his first pumpkin 2006, 7 months old

Joey is included in all lists of family members

Darwin is also family, but ranks lower than Joey (perhaps by weight)

fierce carnival masks from Uncle Chris and Lynette

I noticed this photo the other day and thought it captured the same face he made years ago. Sometimes it feels good to be reminded that he is the same person then and now.

same facial expression from the elf days...

the original elf photo