Life Lesson

We're getting ready to go to Fun Central. Usually, when we go there, I end up climbing around in the tunnels and slides with Mase, acting like a giant five-year-old. Don't get me wrong, I love it. Today though, I'm in the middle of a really good part in Infinite Jest, and it'd be awesome to just be able to sit in the chairs with the slightly-more-normal parents and read a little.

So I ask Mase, "If we go to Fun Central do you think you can play by yourself this time?"

He says, "Yeah, Mommy. I'll find a friend!"

Me: "Okay, that'll be nice."

Him: "Yeah.. A NICE friend. [long pause and a little sigh] Because, Mom, I think some people are kind of mean."

Planters

Mase really liked helping Megan plant her tomatoes on Saturday, so I think we're doing to do our own little garden this year, too.

Oh, and I got sunburnt on Saturday. A sunburn on St. Patrick's Day might be a first for me.

Sunny Smiles

We've had gorgeous weather now for a week and counting. 60s and 70s and cloudless skies. Not too shabby for mid-March.

We love it and Mase and I can't get outside enough. A little sunshine makes everything seem so much better.

Unfortunate Side Effect

All this grad school

is rotting my kid's brain with way more television than I'd like.

Hurry up, May.

Well, if You Say So

Happy St. Patty's Day from my 1/4 Irish kid.

True Story

I've gotten some good fortunes before, but never one like this:

Oddly enough, I started something new the day before I got this fortune. I think it's going to be good. Now, if only I can find a little more time in the day to work on it and learn to be a little less critical of my own writing. I would be thrilled if I could finish something publishable by August. More than thrilled.

Happy Birthday, Grammy

Because my mom does so much for us and because I know how badly she wants a mention in a blog, here's what Mason got her for her birthday:

Mase must really love his grammy.

Dinner Date

Steak, shrimp, and a cute kid eating a toasted cheese sandwich.

There is no one on this planet I'd rather have dinner with.

Look-Alikes

I'm not sure why I was taking our picture the other day, but I don't think I realized how much Mase and I look alike until I saw this one:

I guess he is for sure my kid.

Piggy

A couple weeks ago, Mase and I were on our way to daycare and work (respectively, obviously, and in the same car, also obviously), when we almost ran over this:

I stopped, got him to jump in the passenger seat and, after he had drooled and shed all over my car for an hour, found his home. That was two weeks ago and Mason is STILL talking about him. Piggy. As soon as he jumped in the car Mason could not stop laughing. Maybe it has to do with how Piggy breathed so heavily, or how his tongue hung down to his knees constantly, or how his eyes bulged out of his head... but Mason fell in love with that guy. And if Mase can love him... well, I'm starting to think we're going to need a dog.

Movie Date

Almost four years old, and Mason had never been to the movies. Granted, he still doesn't even watch much TV so he never knew what he was missing, but still. He saw a preview for The Lorax and wouldn't stop talking about it - it's one of his all-time favorite books (and mine, too, so I can't really blame him).

Anyway, when it came out last weekend, him and I made a date of it.

I've never had a date sit on my lap throughout an entire movie before (or throughout any length of a movie, I would imagine, hah), but Mason wasn't heavy enough to hold the seat down, so we didn't have much of a choice. My legs went numb, but the movie was cute. Maybe a little flashy and over-advertised for a movie based on a book that condemned commercialism and corporate greed but, well, I'm the only one who thinks about that stuff. Dr. Seuss probably wouldn't have loved it, but Mase definitely did. And I'll admit, I did tear up a little, at the end.

Way-buttery popcorn and an hour and a half of TV, what's not to love?

I Can Almost Smell the Ocean

It's supposed to be 60 degrees on Wednesday. I'm way overly excited. I'm ready for summer. I'm ready to wear a bikini instead of a coat and take Mason to the beach for the weekend instead of sitting around watching it freezing rain. I'm ready to take walks through Blacky during the day and sit on the porch reading at night. Trade in the anti-depressants for some Vitamin D. Even Mason's sick of sitting around in the house and riding his bike in snow flurries.

Now, if only I didn't have so much to do this week. A big piece of my research paper is due on Thursday and I'm taking the reading Praxis on Saturday morning. Add that to the fact that A) I've been sitting around doing absolutely nothing but listening to music and staring at the ceiling for the past three hours and B) I've been retail therapy-ing myself into a financial abyss for about a week now and I think we might have a slight problem.

Oh well. Summer. It's around the corner. Right around the corner.

Pants-less and Stuck at Home

Mason just loves the song Fast Car by Tracy Chapman. We were singing along to it the other morning when I caught what Mason was actually saying.

The real lyrics: "I got no plans I ain't goin' nowhere".

Mason's lyrics: "I got no pants so I can't go anywhere".