Popping corn at 7 am

On to catching up...

This event occurred back in the middle of Dec 2012, but since it was in my drafts list, I still wanted to write about it.

On the morning of Dec 18th, I came downstairs to the smell of pop corn and a very accomplished child. My mind raced back and forth as to how to handle the situation. On the one hand, I was very impressed at E.'s autonomy, problem-solving strategies, and self-motivation. On the other, I was concerned about safety. I opted to praise his self-reliance and admire the humor of the situation, considering that the little kid probably had been dreaming about pop corn enough to wake him him. Very gently though, I expressed my concerns about his safety, especially at placing one small chair on top of the other. He understood that he could have fallen and hurt himself, but hopefully that did not negate how pleased I was to see him do something on his own. That is yet to be determined, as in the last six months he has not tried to do it again.

I loved this experience. My little boy is growing up and becoming more self-sufficient. It was impressive that the popcorn was perfect and he was careful to handle the hot bag. E. even got out the hot sauce and had one very tasty treat for breakfast!

I found this experience to be a perfect analogy for parenting. How are parents supposed to balance their influence while allowing their kids to try new things on their own? How does one praise courage and daring despite possible ailments with just enough caution to keep our little ones from harm? How do we assess risk, both short- and long-term? It is obvious that if E. had fallen, bumped his head, or burned himself, this experience would have been awful. My mind races through those collapsed potentials and I am so thankful that he was safe and sound and happily enjoying his treat. Maybe we ought to believe more that most times things turn out ok. I don't mean to throw caution to the wind, but maybe I ought to embrace risk a little more and let the possibility of harm be just that, one out of many outcomes.

I guess I fear too much. My actions are often bound by the believe that we are not untouchable, and I try hard not to tempt fate. But, is there something to be learned from this? Am I "keeping him safe" at the expense of nurturing a more confident child? Who would have imagined these are the thoughts that came to me that morning and six months later I still have not resolved them.

Happy daring child. I ought to let him, just a little bit more.

This is my puppy

It has been six months since I last posted anything. I guess my blogging stamina quickly faded once the holidays hit (yes! I'm taking about the holidays in June) and apparently I had new projects and what nots with the new year.

I have been meaning to get back, and today, I finally took a look at all of the drafted posts. So while I don't promise to make up for the last six months, I do plan on catching up a little.

This is my puppy. His name is Bruno.

My puppy will turn nine years old next month.

Bruno has such a special place in my life. He was competing with my husband for my love the first five years we had him. Then the boys came along. I can tell when I have not spend enough time with him because he gives me those puppy eyes saying, "love me!!!" along with the skeptical look that says, "feel guilty!"

Originally I had wanted to write about Bruno because he is an integral part of our family and with every passing day the idea that he is not going to be here forever sinks in a little deeper. He looks like a pup but he is no spring chick. I want to think of him always with a sparkle in his eye, but even that is beginning to dim. Last winter was rough. He got an infection in his eye and was acting really strange. He started with cold-seeking behavior, where he begged to go outside in frigid temperatures, in the middle of the night, and sit there for hours on end. I became really worried about him. We treated his infection and tried to be more conscientious of him. He got better, and by the time spring came, he had a beautiful spring in his step again.

But with Spring, his allergies have become aggravated. For a dog who is allergic to EVERYTHING, he is doing well. Bruno is allegic to fish, chicken, and beef. He suffers from seasonal allergies in the Spring and Fall, and has even had some localized reactions to vaccines. He is a little neurotic and will bark at nothing as much as strangers and people leaving. But he is MY best friend, and I love him dearly.

Bruno loves, loves, loves to sunbathe. Ever since he was a puppy he would follow the sun light patches and lazily lay there. I love it when he rolls onto his back, with legs bent and spread, and head completely angled; eyes three-fourths shut, and tongue stuck out between his teeth. He sleeps so soundly in this position, until some small noise wakes him, and immediately reverts back to normal dog shape. Then he gives me "the eye", the accusing look that tells me his annoyance at being woken up.

I must confess that last night, he was cuddling sweetly next to me, when I sneezed, and made him jump so high! It was so funny! I laughed out loud but I don't think he found it too entertaining...

These pictures are from early spring. I'll post more recent ones since I feel like there is so much to share about this pup. But for now, here is to Bruno! The fluffiest member of my family!