Man's Law

Folklore and Fairytales

'Beep, beep, beep.' Its that backup beeping of a truck and I know before I turn around that Wyatt's eyes are huge as saucers waiting to be whisked into my arms so we can check it out. I run with him in my arms to the front door and find an Emergency Rescue truck and two police officers climbing out. I explain that I am not trying to be nosey only that Wyatt has an insane fascination with anything that beeps. The one cop tells Wyatt he can watch the truck for them as they move down the street to our neighbors house.

Of course, I might pretend to not be nosey but I am. Conveniently, our new back deck gives us a clear view to the rest of the block. Rebecca, seated at the kitchen table, has been watching several people comment about something stuck in a tree nearby. Wyatt is more interested in the truck outside so I decide to wait patiently using the cover story of entertaining a baby. Finally, one cop walks back up talking on a cell phone, spots us, and gives me the one minute sign. He starts the conversation with "So, how well do you know your neighbors?"

"Well, they just moved in. They've got a lot of kids..." I return not wanting to gossip with authority.

"He seems to believe that there is a three foot Monitor Lizard in their tree. He's pretty convinced that its a Monitor but we can't see it and he can't find it anymore. I'm not climbing 9 feet to find out. Do you know of anyone that has lost a lizard or do lizards grow really big around here?"

"Umm, no. But if I saw a three foot lizard, I would have probably called to you too."

"I just wanted to let you know because you have a kid and some cats running around. Your neighbor seems really positive its there and is concerned about his kids." He shrugs

"Thanks for letting me know." I bundle Wyatt up in my arms and we wave as they pull back out down the street.

Typical story of my life: huge prehistoric beasts wandering around my normally peaceful neighborhood. After sufficient Googling, I have decided that I am terrified of three foot lizards regardless of what tree they are in. Every time I see even the slightest movement in the backyard I am convinced its that fabled lizard. I am confident that our cats can take care of themselves but Pup faced with that beast is definitely a goner. He won't go down the deck steps without an escort. Wyatt will probably want to befriend the beast and I will, guaranteed, be running in the other direction.

The Prom Queen in the Week of Her Departure

In the Wood

Tigger and Eeyore have spent years running around the Hundred Acre Wood together as best friends. They have a lot in common and have a blast together but for several reasons their relationship has never gone further then friendship. Tigger has always believed that there was something special between them. A level of trust, compassion, and honesty that comes only with a few friendships.

Its only a matter of time before Tigger starts questioning. They have always been a little bit more then friends. Why not go there? Lets see, take the jump. They have always gotten along brilliantly and relationships based in friendship are the ones that tend to last. And Tigger thinks that maybe this is our time. Maybe there has always been something more but she was too blind to see it. Maybe, just maybe, they could be something great.

She wasn't asking marriage or commitment but simply an open heart and a progression of something that had already been started. And the answer was no. After all they have been through. After all the laughter, tears, and dreaming, Eeyore had no desire to give it even an inkling of a try. Eeyore was being honest, you must give him credit for that. Tigger, oh Tigger, the foolish eternal optimist was like a child with her eyes shut and fingers in her ears. No was not the answer she wanted to hear. What devastated Tigger most of all was that Eeyore was simply unwilling to try.

Tigger was foolish to have any hope in the first place. They are so different. Tigger: bouncy, jovial, outgoing and energetic. Eeyore: quiet, lonesome, reclusive, and always loosing that DAMN TAIL. Can you imagine? Tigger and Eeyore settling down in Eeyore’s 3 post tent. Tigger's perpetual pleasant liveliness would surely drive Eeyore mad. Tigger would eventually give up trying to break through the impenatrable emotionless fortress surrounding Eeyore. And giving up on anything is the beginning of the end. Do they wait, hope, pray for each other to change or call a spade a spade? Asking each other to change, is asking too much.

Now Tigger is having a hard time seeing friendship in Eeyore. There are only so many times you can be hurt before you realize that they just don’t have your best interest in their hearts, which every true friend should. Losing a lover is one thing but losing a friend that has been woven deep into the fabric of ones heart is a far deeper cut. Tigger is trying to rebound, bounce back and just can't. This new world is strange, untrue, and ominous. Tigger woke up one morning to find that the world had turned upside down and she is learning to walk all over again.

Maybe Eeyore was right to stop it before it started. Whether now or later, it was only a matter of time before they arrived at the same conclusion. But just because Eeyore might have been right doesn't make it hurt less.

My Piglet, I hope that maybe this will help to put some pieces of your puzzle together when you are searching. Because you might not be now but eventually you will want to know.

The Red-Head Convention aka Our Neighbors

On My Way to Where the Air is Sweet

We certainly got around last week, Wyatt. On a last minute impulse, Dad and I decided to take you to Sesame Place. We have been trying to plan this short 2.5 hour trip to Pennsylvania all summer and never seemed to be able to get it together. Then Dad had to do some simulator training in PA and POOF the seed was planted. I booked a hotel on Friday for our trip on Saturday-Monday. Give me a few hours and I'll give you the world, my little Wyatt.

Of course, we get there and have less then perfect weather. Remind me to tell you the time when Gammy let a 5 year old me go with a 18 year old Uncle Tim to Sesame Place. At least it wasn't struck by lightening. It was kind of cloudy and slightly overcast but we were lucky enough to hit the park in between rain storms. You adored the Count's Splash Castle although a little intimidated by the water splashing in your face. In all honesty, it was barely controlled chaos with children running in every direction and water turning on and off, shooting all over the place. I was a little intimidated.

We hit the carousel, a great time. Dad took you on this flying Dorothy Fish ride that you seemed to enjoy. Funny story about that, Dad seemed to have a hard time getting your fish up as high as everyone else's. I had to speculate that he was probably the only pilot on the ride that couldn't fly his fish. He said there was some kind of malfunction but it seemed to work just fine for the rest of the day. I think your favorite was this Big Birds Nest thing, which was just a bouncy pit with tons of huge blocks in it. You ran around with abandon, never looking back to see where we were. You loved stacking these blocks up then flopping yourself on them and rolling to the ground. We spent a lot of time there.

Thankfully, day number two turned out to have a heat advisory. All I wanted to do was go on the Lazy River. You weren't thrilled about wearing a life jacket but once we go you in the water you really loved it. We pushed Dad through a lot of the waterfalls and even got him to flip his tube over. You kept pointing at the roller coaster all day and pulling me towards it. I know you really wanted to go on it. I had to keep on explaining that it looked like great fun but you would probably puke. I am sure it was a fast train to you. Next time, buddy, next time.

Time for a Hair Cut?!?!

18 Months

My Wyatt,

So, I got you a puppy!! The cuteness level has blown through the roof. Your favorite activity together is running pell mell through the backyard. You take off running and the puppy starts chasing after you. You keep looking back to make sure he is following you, then you both land in Gammy's garden pulling out her hydrangeas. Unfortunately, I am still unable to decide on a name. You call him Pup. Pup will gnaw on one of your cars and you will cry after him "Pup!!! Pup!!!' and hastily grab it away. I am afraid that in my indecision you have named him. I'm not sure if I can change it. Naming him Pup by default is a little lame but when young kids name animals they usually are pretty lame. In your defense, you're a year old. It was either Pup or Tractor.

Your love of the pool has transfered over to a general love of all things water, especially since its so hot. We walk down to the beach almost everyday, toting pails, shovels, and more recently Pup. We swim. You are so unafraid. Its kind of awesome and kind of terrifying. I hold you under your arms and swing you around, kicking your legs. You have a water table on the back deck that is also a huge hit. Gammy decided to sit you in it to get you clean and now you keep on trying to climb in it. Then, today, I found you with a spoon scooping up water and feeding it to your cars and then the puppy. The full sprinkler scares you a little but as long as you hold my hand and we run through together, you're fine. Most days you will find two wet butt marks on our couch.

Daddy and I took you to the beach the other day. I stood by the shore while Daddy laid on the blanket making sandcastles with you running in between us carrying watering cans. By the time you got to Dad they would almost always be empty. When we got home, you chased each other around the yard, Pup yearning to keep up. Daddy catching you and rolling you around on the ground then the puppy seeing his advantage and licking your face. You both were laughing so hard you could hardly breathe. By the time I got the camera out, you were lounging on a chair, deep in conversation. I felt like I was interrupting a private moment but you didn't seem to notice I was there at all.

In an attempt to take more day trips, Auntie B, Gammy, you and I, went to White Post Farms. There were tons of animals to feed, fake tractors to play with, and a train ride. I got you to ride on this miniature pony and at first you were all love. Then we rode past this large wooden John Deere tractor and you were like "Woman, get me off this horse! There is a tractor over there." So much for your career as a cowboy. You loved the little train ride most of all. You were all smiles, waving at Gammy and Auntie B, and making little "choo choo" noises. It was so fitting that I had you dressing in your conductor overalls.

Aunt Em and cousin Will come over a lot to say hi to us. I rarely get to hold Will cause you get a little, tiny bit, jealous when I get anywhere remotely near the baby. When I finally got my hands on the cute chunk of a boy (while you were preoccupied with a truck), I couldn't remember you ever being that little. I was nervous and awkward when I was so natural with you. It was like I forgot what it was like to have you in such a small form. You are such a growing boy, with agendas, becoming more and more independent. I forget that you started just like Will. It is shocking how fast this is going.

I love you everyday,

Mom

Crusing

I have been growing more adventurous the older Wyatt gets. I made two trips this month, both driving, that were extremely successful. He is always very well behaved but for some reason when I take him out of his comfort zone I expect him to freak a little. He never does. It always takes me by surprise. I guess it shouldn't. He is so happy ALL THE TIME. Its unnatural really.

Lizzy needed to head down to Baltimore for college orientation at Loyola. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to test out the trip to Baltimore with Wyatt since Terry lives there most of the time. Then Rebecca decided to join us for the pool and free dinners. I booked a hotel downtown by the Inner Harbor for 2 nights and called it a vacation. The ride down was extremely pleasant because Rebecca had the foresight to get Wyatt the Cars movie. Oh my God, I have seen that movie about 1472 times since. He is in love. Big time. He slept for most of the ride, then when he woke up Lizzy put the movie on and he was content. Driving at high speeds with a screaming toddler while reaching behind you trying to console is the definition of accident and perhaps my worst nightmare. But seeing how smoothly the ride went I would definitely give it a shot by myself.

Then, of course, in classic Lizzy fashion when we get to the hotel she goes and asks the concierge for an upgrade. Literally, she makes up some HUGE story about her sisters boyfriend coming home from Iraq, he's surprising her, so we need more bedrooms, and he has never meet his son. Lies, upon lies, upon lies. But it works and the hotel is in love with us and thinks its the cutest story. So they give us a 2 bedroom suite, with jacuzzi, harbor views, which is normally priced at $800/night. I felt like I was a princess sleeping in my king size, 4 poster bed, with french doors opening our two harbor view bay windows. Terry feels that is is highly immoral when I fill him in on the plan but he stopped complaining as soon as he saw the room.

We had a great time, letting Wyatt run around the hotel room, around downtown Baltimore, around Loyola. He was so excited by his new surrounding that he went to sleep around 11 each night. We took advantage of the indoor pool, also a Wyatt favorite. He charmed the pants off of every hostess we encountered. Even managed to get free gummy bears from a closed ice cream shoppe, which he loved so much that Rebecca, Terry, and I had to take turns to get him more. Rebecca and I took Wyatt on the water taxi. He enjoyed the boat ride but LOVED the hand stamp. Typical kid. Happy with a paper box.

My second trip, I made by myself to Connecticut to visit my friend Kelly. To break up the trip we took the ferry from Port Jeff to Bridgeport. I thought Wyatt's head was going to explode. Seeing the cars go on and off the ferry, then actually being on the boat. I thought it might be too much for him. He grew so over confident on the boat that he wanted to climb the stairs leading between decks by himself. At Kelly's, he was as comfortable as anywhere, running circles around her house, helping himself to anything in Kelly's fridge. We also made his first trip to Chuck E Cheese. Seriously, this place is like crack for kids. He ran himself insane but made for a great nights sleep afterward. It was truly a great time and has now got me planning many more trips.

The Beach Bum