Mr. Maniac

Today, Ezra turns 4 years old!

And he is also debuting a new nickname: Mr. Maniac.

Over the past month, Ezra has become a climber.

He scales up conventional climbing tools like this ladder to the top bunk.

It did not take long before Ezra was testing his emerging skills at every possible opportunity.

I began discovering Ezra perched on high places all around the house.  

He really enjoyed the location of this side table.  He would use the rocking horse to climb up and then pivot around so he was reclined.  This was the best position to check out the ceiling fan.

Ezra would turn the ceiling fan on and off with his toes at the wall switch....of course.

Sometimes I would discover him practicing headstands in his crib.

Every day a new summit was attempted and conquored.

And then came the realization that he could drag chairs around to facilitate out of reach platforms.

All this activity has introduced a parenting dilemma---we are thrilled by Ezra's developmental leap and are so excited for him....but we don't want him to think that standing on the dining table or kitchen counter will earn him a round of applause....or, at least, not every time!

Jesse and I see a reflection of our own personalities in him as he finds joy in exploration.  We recognize his persistence and inquisitive nature are utilized for creative problem solving.  A lot of Ezra's physical limitations make his methodology seem a little odd.  But where a typical child would rely on strength to muscle through some of these climbing challenges, Ezra is very thoughtful, careful and in many cases, makes smarter use of balance and leverage.

It's also really fun to see his sly smile as he admires his accomplishments.

His climbing abilities allow him to explore areas of the house which were previously less intriguing. 

Ezra's new favorite hiding spot is inside the drum of our washing machine....when I can't find him, that's where he is playing.

In addition to climbing UP Ezra has been experimenting with balancing on unstable surfaces like soft cushions and skateboards.

Well, Mr. Maniac, you have earned that title.

A year ago, Ezra was just starting to walk independently.  And before that, Ezra could only walk with maximum assistance or a supportive device.  

And now he's figuring out center of gravity. 

We are so proud of you Ezra!  Happy Birthday.

 I'll leave you with a short video of Ezra playing at the park....he's come a long way!

Rescued Plants

After I harvested our garlic, there was a large void in the garden.  It was an awkward time to plant anything because summer was in full swing.  Plants that would enjoy the heat wouldn't have enough time to produce if I started them from seeds.  I needed starts--but the season for that had passed.

Behind one of my favorite organic garden stores I discovered some plant starts.  

The sign said FREE and there was a reason.  These were the leftovers...they were sad little plants, yellow leaves, root-bound in their containers, and hadn't been watered.

Free plants was just my bare plot needed--they wouldn't be any worse off and maybe they would grow.

Thanks to fluffed up soil, chicken manure, sunshine, and water---the neglected plants came back to life.

At the time of planting, I wasn't sure what I was even putting in the ground because the plants were no longer labeled.  I could tell generally that I was planting some kinds of peppers, eggplant and some vines...watermelon?  squash?  It was fun to discover what was actually growing.

Today the weather shifted; it is much cooler and we are going to have rain for several days.  It was time to harvest all the heat-loving veggies and fruit.

I also picked my flowers and made two lovely dahlia bouquets.

I'm so thankful for the rescued plants....

....and to have so much color to make the grey days cheerful.

Thank you Nanna for the gift certificate for the dahlia tubers.   And thank you Mom for the chicken manure.

Blueberries

This morning we headed out early to pick blueberries with Nanna.  It's an annual tradition that we enjoy doing every summer together.  Here's a look down memory lane: Plenty

I told Jonah he could eat blueberries for breakfast...and he did.

We picked 7.5 pounds which came to a grand total of $11.25.  Worth it!

Jonah's six year old "blueberry eyes."

Have a lovely weekend!

xoxo

The last hours

Dear Jonah,

In a few hours it will be a new day....your birthday.

Right now you are sleeping.  Sleeping in the forest where tall cedars will shade the morning sunlight and the hushhhhh of the creek will muffle the sounds of other campers.  Because, for your birthday, you asked to go camping.  And go fishing.  And ride your bike.  And play frisbee golf.  And go swimming.  I love that you want to do it all.  And I especially love that being outdoors is essential to your ideal day.

You are incredible.

The video is a "rough cut" of the ad that Jonah did for Cleary Bikes last autumn.  The final was too big of a file for me to upload....and since we are moments away from you turning six...I thought I better post this while you are still five!  If you click on the Cleary Bikes hyperlink and scroll down the bottom of the home page, there's also another movie under the Trail Videos heading which features Jonah riding with his buddies Rocket and Sierra (the video on the left).

We love you Jonah!

Happy Birthday