Wednesday, January 27, 2010

365 Days of Cam


I'll repeat the mantra of every parent (or anyone, really, enjoying life): 'I can't believe how fast it's gone!' Tomorrow we will celebrate 365 days of Cam. 365 days ago tonight, I was sitting on this very same green couch, but much less comfortable. More than ready to meet this new little combination of Jamey + Lisa.

I try not to make broad comparisons between Cam and Willa, but often it's just so blatant that I have to acknowledge. Cam seems so violent with his toys - beating them together or throwing them on the ground. Willa clopped toys together, but it seemed more in the spirit of making music than destruction. On the other hand, at this age, Willa went until she crashed, while Cam finds moments of calmness. I turned around last night from cleaning up dinner dishes, and he'd drug a blanket into the dining room and was just laying there quietly resting. Frequently he walks up to me, and just rests his head on me - anywhere, as long as we're touching.

Living in this house is like constantly being in the middle of some type of psychology experiment. I'm looking for the two-way mirrors or discrete video cameras. I am waiting for the psychologist to come out and explain that Cam's behavior is normal for a one-year-old male, that Willa is going through a phase clinically labeled the "seven-year bipolaritis syndrome' and she will soon grow out of radically shifting moods and easily bruised feelings. The professional will also tell us that we are model parents and he/she would like to feature us in a book about his/her research. Yes, that's what my fantasy's are now featuring!

On day 354 I will dream about my babbling, wobbling, beautiful boy. Tomorrow we will put a chunk of sugary cake on his high chair tray. He will either smash it into his face, savoring, finally what has been withheld. Or he will simply throw it, just like everything else.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Having Our Cake

Things don't always turn out like I plan. Actually, things rarely turn out just as I plan them, but almost always things seem to turn out OK or better.

Cam and Willa both have January birthdays. Considering we live in the midwest, I should count it lucky that this is the first time we've had weather-related issues surrounding a birthday.

Our original plans involved meeting up with Gramma and Grampa, Uncle Steve and Aunt Kelly and the boys, at a water park near Minneapolis for a weekend. We'd celebrate three birthdays: Mom, Willa and Cam are all within seven days.

Instead, Mother Nature intervened. SD had warnings for freezing rain and ice. We had rain, rain, rain. Despite my disappointment, I couldn't blame them for not wanting to drive in those conditions.

I think I was more disappointed than Willa. She was awesome. Cam didn't seem to mind one way or another. We went to "Plan B" & met some friends at a new local aquatic center, went out for pizza, then back to their house for cake. I'd ordered this cake from Jules Bakery last week, and was so looking forward to her delicious cake. Even though I knew we'd be eating it all week, I couldn't bring myself to cancel the order. It continues to be DELICIOUS!

Of course the birthday celebrations continue...Willa has a party with school friends at a local gymnastics center on Saturday. And we'll have to let Cam smash cake into his face on Thursday. Mmmmm....more cake.