The Small Zoo

We visited the "small zoo" today. When compared to the SF zoo or the San Diego zoo, it really is quite modest. I love it because Wyatt can run around to his heart's content and see every animal six times.

So far, so good for spring break. Wyatt and I are having fun adventures and we're enjoying the change of pace.

Long Lizards

My boys love finding lizards in the backyard. The past couple of days we've found some pretty cool ones and Wyatt even caught one that we're calling an alligator lizard. Wyatt and I both have spring break this week although I am expecting more "spring" than "break". I'm not sure how I'm going to do with the lizard catching and spider grabbing but I just have to make it until 5pm when Garett saves the day.

Happy Easter

This has been a meaningful week. Our church held a communion service on Thursday, a Tenenbrae service on Friday night and a very special Easter service this morning. God faithfully met me during these beautifully symbolic gatherings. This Easter I've been struck over and over by the fact that Jesus chose to suffer. I have heard this often over the years and especially at Easter but this year the reality of that choice sunk deep into my heart and mind. A path of suffering was chosen so the world could experience that Jesus is Lord. I just can't fathom the depth of this love but it moves me. This morning we sang the hymn In Christ Alone and I could not agree more.

We had brunch with friends this morning and an egg hunt later.

Such a cute and fun family.

Checking out the plunder.

Firefighters and Mostly Kindness

We had some fun yesterday. Wyatt's teacher coordinated to have the firefighters bring their truck and do a presentation in his class. I got to run over after my class to be part of it and see Wyatt's joy.

Then we stopped for frozen yogurt because Wyatt was kind to his friends at school (well, "mostly kind", according to him) and we love to eat our yogurt on this bright orange bench outside the barbershop. Am I the only one who thinks it's awesome when your child starts spelling words letter by letter and you get stumped at the end when he says, "What does that spell, Mommy?" because you aren't quite ready to introduce the particular word to his vocabulary?

Happy Pre-Easter

We went to an Easter party with friends this morning and Wyatt had a blast. We glued tissue paper to the amazing windows in the house, hunted for Easter eggs and ate yummy treats.

Happiest Place on Earth: Part Two

Last night we took Wyatt to see Rio at the drive in. We took him when he was 2.5 months old but this time was much more fun. And a bit more crowded. We brought Ruby so all four of us were cozy in the 5 foot bed of Garett's truck.

Wyatt caught my enthusiasm and could hardly contain himself as we drove to the theatre. I love to be with him when he is beyond excited about something. Last night it was the macaw movie but it's always something. It might be going on an ogre (pronounced oogre) hunt or finding a "kind of scary spider" under a block on the side of the house. He does not hold back his joy and I am reminded that he is my boy.

It was a crisp night and we watched the coastal fog slowly roll in to hide the bright stars. Wyatt is going through a very demonstrably thankful phase. He must have thanked us ten times for taking him to the drive in and asked when we could go back as we pulled out of the lot. I'm glad he likes the drive in because it's going to be a regular family outing whether he likes it or not.

I posted a couple pretty bad pictures from my camera but one is Wyatt in the car on the way to the movie. Can you see his excitement? The other is Garett blowing up the mattress with Wyatt anticipating the family cuddle to come.

Happy Sixteenth

My mom's having a big birthday this year. I won't tell you which one but Wyatt does accidentally call it her sixteenth and my mom could not be more delighted. We took a walk on the Montana de Oro bluffs and had Noi's thai food for lunch. We also got a sitter so that we could enjoy a leisurely dinner with appetizers and dessert at Windows on the Water.

Here are my boys doing a little stretching.

Happy birthday, Mom. We love you.

A New Era

Tonight Wyatt and I went to the movie theatre together for the first time. We put our Jamba Juice smoothies in my purse while we walked in and watched Hop which is nothing to write home about but was decently entertaining.

Wyatt was hilarious using his loud whisper voice to profusely thank me for bringing him to the movie throughout the course of the movie.

Garett's in Santa Cruz for the weekend fishing and helping his sister move. Today he caught a 20 pound salmon and I can't wait to eat sashimi and grilled salmon this week.

Last Week

We had a hot spell last week and spent some time running through a sprinkler in the front yard. Wyatt is going through a stage where he loves being naked. All was well until our neighbor walked over to say hello and Wyatt marched up to her, thrust his naked hips forward and said, "Do you see my big penis?" He then proceeded to pee on the sidewalk and narrowly missed her feet.

We also had a nice trip to the beach in Cayucos. Much to my surprise, it appears that Wyatt is no longer in the dirt-eating phase. Finally.

Halfway Over the Pacific

My folks invited us to spend a long weekend in Hawaii and it was the most restful, soul-filling time I've had in a long time. Garett and Wyatt ended up staying home (Perhaps this contributed to the restful part of the weekend?) and my Mom, Dad, brother and I spent four days reading, swimming, snorkeling and eating fresh fish. Over a leisurely meal, we got to hear the slightly more scandalous than we remember story of my parents falling in love. I got to miss my boys which is actually a very good feeling. Swimming in the warm ocean is up there with my favorite activities of all time. There is something so invigorating about the combination of clear saltwater, blazing sun and tropical fish. The last day my dad and I found an area with so many sea turtles that we were literally tripping over them.

My flight home was a little less idyllic. My original flight was scheduled for 2pm on Monday and after a few hours of delays it was cancelled due to mechanical difficulties. I didn't want to have to cancel both of my Tuesday classes so I spent an hour on the phone with a United representative working to get on an 11:45pm US Airways that night. I took a cab back to our rental house and spent another couple of hours in the hammock sipping a Mai Tai. Olifino, my favorite Kona cab driver, picked me up and brought me back to the airport. After checking in curbside and scoring an emergency exit, Economy-Plus seat, I was denied access at the gate because United didn't ticket my seat properly. By this point it was 11:30pm and it was eerily quiet at the airport because all of the desks were closed. I knocked on every door I could find and finally found someone to help me figure out the problem. I called Olifino and he brought me back to the rental and we arranged for him to pick me back up at 6am.

My 8am flight (interestingly the same plane that was cancelled the day before) left on time and I was relieved to finally be headed to the west coast. About two hours into the flight, the pilot calmly told us that "due to engine issues, the flight is turning around and heading back to Kona and that oil is leaking steadily from the engine and turning around is merely a precaution." I probably should have been at least a little bit afraid but all I could think was about the fact that it seemed like we were almost halfway to LA so why couldn't we just keep going. I think this reveals something about my personality. We landed in Kona awhile later, waited another three hours and then got on a plane that made it all the way across the Pacific.

My experience in the Kailua-Kona airport was intensified by the fact that my driver's license was expired and United accidentally re-ticketed me as Amy Strapp. Each trip through the security line resulted in large numbers of airport security workers checking me out and hesitatingly allowing me to proceed to the gates. In addition, I paid $160 to Olifino for four trips back and forth to the airport. The last exciting thing was the gate at the house not working and needing to climb over a 5 foot tall iron gate in a dress three times. Very graceful, I must say.

The trip was a gift and I'm thankful that we enjoy being together. I am especially appreciative that we can still laugh so hard my cheeks get sore and that we are learning how to cry and be honest when we're feeling sad. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Sheep and Swine

Last week Wyatt's class took a trip to Cal Poly to check out the sheep and swine units. We've never been before and he loved it. We got to pet a lamb born two hours before we got there and hear a baby pig squeal very loud. We also got to bring home a little wool.

Hyena

As we've reflected on Wyatt's birthday party, he has informed me that he wants a hyena party next year. Seriously, a hyena party. He wants me to call the baker (my mom's friend, Shelley) to make sure she can make a hyena cake. I'm not sure he could pick a more violent creature. My wild boy and his love of wild animals... I want to celebrate his wild spirit just not at the supermarket or when we're crossing a busy street.

Wyatt's Wild Wolf Party

Wyatt turned three on Saturday and since December he's been asking for a wolf party. We obliged even though we weren't really sure what that meant. It's always a treat to have friends and family under the same roof and even my Grandpa (known as Bumpa to Wyatt) joined us.

This is my mom and dad sporting very cool wolf t-shirts.

My dad pulling around Wyatt on the cake box.

Here is the pitch perfect wolf cake. Thank you, Mom! After singing Happy Birthday, we all let out a celebratory howl.

Garett created this wolf den and we hope to enjoy it for years to come.

Notice the wolf mask that our friends Uma and Marissa shared with us for decoration. So special.

This is a cape made by an especially creative and talented friend Molly. Wyatt already believes he's a super hero and this cape only strengthens his resolve. It's reversible, lined with Superman fabric and closes with two snaps to prevent an itchy neck. What a perfect gift for my wild three year old boy.

My sister-in-law came for the party and we welcomed Coco, her new white German Shepherd puppy, into the family. She fit right in.

Wyatt is a boy with gusto and he brings enthusiasm to nearly all situations. Passion for garbage trucks, finding a jackpot of earthworms and wanting to play and win the "spot and name construction equipment" car game, the things he loves, he loves. It's a joy to see him discover, imagine and create and I'm looking forward to seeing what three brings. For the record, I'm still happy to see him age and continue to be thankful that we've made it this far. 15 years to go?

Fight!

I want to do a few blogs about a very meaningful long weekend with my folks and brother in Hawaii and a return flight that turned around halfway over the Pacific due to "engine issues" but until I do, here's a conversation that took place at our dinner table tonight.

Me: How was school today?

Wyatt: Today, Xander and me were walking and Derrick was behind us and then I said fight.

Me: Let's thank God for our food. "Dear God, Thank you for our food. Please bring us your peace. Amen." (As a violence-averse mother, I could not bring myself to ask a follow-up question.)

Garett: So, tell me about about that Wyatt.

Wyatt: Today, Xander and me were walking and Derrick was behind us and then I said fight!

Garett: Wyatt, what do you mean by fight?

Wyatt: Like when someone comes to my birthday party.

Me: Do you mean invite?

Wyatt: Yes, Mommy, invite, like when Derrick comes to my party.

Fruit Trees and Identity

We've been busy planting fruit trees. In the front we've got a Caty apricot, a Black Mission fig, a Meyer lemon and a Cara Cara navel orange (my favorite because of his low acidity). In the back we planted a Dancy tangerine, Satsuma mandarin and a Nagami kumquat. It's a joy to see Wyatt work with his hands alongside Garett.

In addition to looking forward to fruit in our future, Wyatt is growing in his independence and we are discovering new ways to be his parents. I find myself worrying about it more than I was before and I get really discouraged when I see him being rough and unkind with other kids. It's a challenge to know how to set firm boundaries and also remain gentle and patient. For me, harsh often accompanies firm even though I wish it didn't. I'm feeling at the end of myself in this area and it's a good (though often unpleasant) place to be in terms of dependence on our faithful God.

I'm resisting the urge to read a million parenting books and wanting instead to look for opportunities to develop a balance of grace and truth in my love for Wyatt. It's so easy to want "the answer" (as if there is one answer to fit all parent/child relationships) but I think God is interested in what is happening in my heart and Wyatt's heart as we face these explorations of boundary and choice. I surely don't want to raise a boy who thinks the world revolves around him but I also don't want to raise a robot who responds to my commands out of fear. Thankfully these are not the only two options. My hope is that God's grace allows Wyatt to become a boy who responds appropriately to authority and demonstrates love and respect for others and the world around him.

It's so easy to be smug and proud when Wyatt's is obedient and charming, inside believing that I am responsible for his positive traits. I am also ashamed when he's not so charming and I quickly allow my mind and heart to travel down the path of believing that it's all my fault and somehow is a reflection of me. For example, this week when we were checking out of the library, Wyatt found a large map, unfolded it and ran around the main floor shaking it over his head wildly. I asked him to stop and he decided to continue on his merry way. We've been reprimanded at the library multiple times before and I could see another one coming. I was embarrassed and frustrated as I chased him down, picked him up, informed him of his consequence and then tried to pay my $32.47 late fee while holding my screaming, flailing child. These are the moments where what I actually believe about God and who I am in him are revealed. Am I defined by my parenting abilities or lack thereof? Or is it something or someone else altogether that defines my true identity? And I thought the baby stage was exhausting...