Last weekend, I hosted some friend from my mom’s group for a Sunday brunch in our backyard. I was a little nervous about the weather being too cold. But although the morning started in the mid 40s, by mid morning, it was into the low 50s and the sun was out. Sunshine always makes things warmer.
We don’t have any real play structure in the back yard, just a couple logs and a baby slide. (Oh and a water table, but that’s hardly a November activity.) At first I thought it might not be enough to entertain a bunch of kids. The Husband kindly opened a section of his garden for digging, and we put out his childhood Tonka trucks, and I threw out a bunch of balls and some books. And you know what? That plus the bagels and hot chocolate was more than enough to keep them busy. I’m glad I thought to put some books out; it gave the kids an excuse to sit quietly between bouts of frenetic activity.
My favorite thing the whole morning was the nine year old taking upon herself to entertain the younger kids. She read to them, she set up obstacle courses, she threw balls for them. She already has job offers to be a Mother’s Helper!
It was probably a little too much to try to squeeze in the morning get together between church and the four year old’s Mandarin class. I had to leave the kitchen a messy pile of dishes and hot chocolate and cream cheese crusted knives. But I think people are itching to gather again, and I’m eager as well. I do wonder when I’ll feel comfortable hosting and attending a large indoor gathering again. We’ve been over to friends’ houses and hung out indoors, but only when it is just their immediate family and the five of us. I feel like for now, it just feels safer and perhaps more cautious and easier mentally to decide that all gatherings should happen outdoors.
In other thoughts: Because we were a little concerned that the baby wasn’t speaking, earlier this fall, I started to keep a list of the words that she says. In September, it was mostly “b” words: ball, beep, baby, bu(s), beh (bear). In October, the list grew: cake, read, see (usually said after I take a picture of her because she wants to see the result), milk, Max, Mama, Dada, Walk, Me, (s)nack, up, yup, duck, Crocs, Bacca (for Chewbacca or really anything Star Wars related). Her vocabulary is such a microcosm of her world and the things that are important to her.
So far in November she has added: digger, moon, rock, bike, ca(r), pie, mitten. Also jie jie (older sister) and ge ge (older brother). And- a big milestone – she has started to put two words together. The first time being “No, mama!” She actually didn’t start to say “No” until quite recently. When asked a question, she usually would say “Yup!” if the answer was affirmative, or just give a nonchalant shrug for negative answers. But this month, she has started to say, “No!” And she is not shy about using it.
Other two word phrases so far: “Wake up!”, “Milk pees (please)!”, “No way!” All very loud declarations.
On the way home from Mandarin classes last weekend, the four year old said, from the back of the car, “Mama, my face is the whole world!”
I’m not exactly sure what he meant by the phrase, but it struck me as such a profoundly simple statement. I read somewhere that according to the latest census data, multiracial people are the fastest growing racial group in the United States and that they will some day be the majority racial category in this country. I find myself coming back to this prediction as I look at my son. As someone who grew up in a very white small town, watching mostly white people on tv, I do love the idea that my kids are seeing people who look like them in the media.
When I look into my son’s face, I do see so many things. On one level, I see Taiwan and the American Midwest. But I also see so much happiness and pensive thoughts and frustrations and tears and concentration and the light of discovery. I see the Husband as a child, and I see the potential of children for many things. Oh my goodness, “the whole world” indeed.