Idyllic

I feel a kinship with other parents whose baby is the same age as Levi.  I love hearing their stories.  Okay, I like to compare and contrast our babies.  It's very English major of me--to compare and contrast  in order to gain a better understanding of the world.  

My conversation with other parents usually goes something like this: "So what is your baby doing now?" "She's talking nonstop!"  "My kid too!  He's also climbing on everything."  "Really?  My girl got over that months ago."  That's a typical conversation.

Last Friday during a typical compare-and-contrast chat with another parent, he tossed the word idyllic at me.  He said that my life appears idyllic here.  That word stayed with me.  Idyllic?  

I choose to focus on the good moments because we humans have a funny tendency to dwell on the bad and forget the good.  In addition to wanting to record the good moments, I also want remain true to who Levi is and what mamahood is.  

So, idyllic?  Life is far from idyllic.  Lately life has been sticky, hot and messy.  We have no air conditioning (that's another story) and we are going through a renovation so our home is still in upheaval.  And most importantly Levi is going through changes.  He ate practically nothing for days, sending me into panic.  

Then, boom, one day he asked for orange juice and crackers.  

Now he is eating and nursing like a madman.  I feel as if I have the hungriest, thirstiest baby in Williamsburg.  Also the stickiest--Levi has turned into human Velcro with a shoe fetish.  

I.  Cannot.  Put.  Him.  Down.  That's the human velcro part.  

It was flattering for a few minutes but now when I need to go to the bathroom, things get a little complicated.  Balancing a 22 pound toddler while trying to do a very basic thing requires strength, stamina and a sense of humor.

The shoe fetish part comes when he is feeling cranky or out of sorts.  Levi demands to put his shoes on.  He has a preference for the red sneakers that are now too small for him, but he is placated by other shoe choices sometimes.  

I suppose my pictures betray those little moments of reality.  I suppose that is because every now and then Levi detaches himself from me, perfectly content.   My arms are free so I am able to grab my camera.  

In the picture above, Levi actually was having a rough episode and the only thing that seemed to soothe him were his yellow boots.  After I put them on, Levi happily said, "Levi mama camera!"  He asked told me to take a picture of him in his boots!

That is the kind of moment I choose to record on this blog.  When I see the silver lining, I see that split second of idyllic.