Life outside

4/30/08: We have a multitude of bugs this year. Grasshoppers are huge in our yard. I’m hoping they’ll attract more birds. A tasty treat! This guy was sunning himself on the cloth diapers that were drying in the sun.

Leap and the net will appeaar.

4-26-08: I met with a friend yesterday to discuss a possible business opportunity that would enable me to be a professional artist from home and hopefully make some kind of a living from it in the long run. Along with being a wonderful opportunity for me, I would be able to support her in her endeavor and we, along with the rest of the team she is assembling, would be able to follow our bliss. It’s a wonderful idea and the possibilities are endless. I felt like the universe was opening up. Showing me there is always something brilliant and unforeseen around the corner if you are just open to it. Then is a seemingly innocuous twist of fate I was able to achieve something in yoga this morning that I have never been able to do. In the past I have been unable to execute Camel pose mostly because of fear. It’s a backbend where you are on your knees and you bend back to grab your ankles, opening your chest and spine in the process. I have always been so good at forward bends. Calming, and introspective. But back bends?! I have a fear of hurting my lower back, and a fear of not being strong enough to support myself-falling basically. Do to a wonderful instructor, Mary Jo, at the La Mesa Y this morning we did a ton of preparation for the pose, opening the front of the thighs and the chest. Twisting the spine, breathing. And then we just did it! I felt like it was an amazing metaphor for the business idea and venture, and for life in general. I feel my heart and my chest opening up to the future and to love and life and friends. I am learning to trust that life has a plan and the universe can support you if you are open and positive to it. Okay, so some of you must be thinking that I am crazy, or worse, irresponsible. I’m not saying that you have to sit around and wait for things to happen to you. I am saying that with openness in your life and mind you can see opportunities that may not otherwise be seen. And you can seize them! I want to teach my son that anything is possible. That he can dream it, he can do it. I want to live by example. I think this will be my year.

Craft Crazy

4/24/08: Life is swinging along at the Kwasny house. Miles is walking exclusively now- and I think having a major growth spurt. He is eating like crazy. Seems to be starving after a couple hours. And sleeping a lot- or not sleeping. I guess it’s all normal. We are waiting for the talking to start. Right now he has sounds that he makes, and I know what they mean, but they aren’t real words. He seems to say “Duck” pretty reliably. But I think that’s just the easiest sound for him to make. We have been bike riding quite a bit lately. And I have been a crochet maniac.
I even finished a painting recently!

I wish I could take some good pictures but I broke my camera. So I’ll post what I have.


We went to Manhattan Beach for a night with some friends. That was fun…Let’s see- what else. Oh! Miles choked today for the first time. Scared me to death. He finally cleared a monster piece of cheese. Take bites Miles! Bites! He likes to shove the whole thing in his mouth. Maybe this will teach him.

We get together with friends a couple times a week. Not really organized playgroups so much any more as splinter groups. It’s so nice to be making some really good friends at this stage of the game. I hope Miles can hang on to some of these friendships too. It’s a rare treat to grow up with someone. I will always have Aimee- I wonder who his “Aimee” will be. People move so much these days, and in this sad state of economy, who knows where we will all end up. Hopefully here- (but as long as I’m with my man and child- I’m home)

Walking, signing, and crochet

4/3/08: Miles is really walking well now. He free stands and walks catches his balance and keeps on going. We went to the Quail botanical gardens the other day and he loved the bamboo forest. He could swing from post to post and not fall. He had the time of his life.


He is better and better at expressing himself now too. He hasn’t picked up any more sign. I should do a “sign of the day” and sign it all day long and see if that would help. He gets frustrated and signs “more” for everything. It’s his way of saying, ”Hey, I have something to communicate!” The rest is up to me to decipher. So he needs some more sign for sure.

I finished my crochet pig. I’m very proud of him too. Miles isn’t really into playing with stuffed animals right now, but I think he’ll like him in the future. Otherwise, he’ll become room decoration. I started a lion for my next project. I am definitely a hooker now! Ha!

Mindy's last day

3/31/08: Our Mindy dog passed away on Saturday. She had been doing poorly since we started treatment for Cushing’s Disease. I had felt it coming. The vet couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but she stopped eating. I think she decided it was her time and just refused to let us save her.

We brought her home just before Christmas over 2 years ago to be a friend to our older dog Andy. She was so sweet and smart and full of energy and loving. She taught me a lot about dogs, since she was so opposite of Andy. She was a thinker and was eager to please. When we got her from the Human Society they told us she needed to lose at least 5 pounds. But when she was sick she lost that and it was clear that she was really a big boned Min Pin. She was 20 pounds when she was healthy- which is large for her breed. She loved to go on walks and go in the car, she was so excited by car rides that she would be destructive and had to be contained. Best of all she was really patient and loving with Miles. He would pat her a little too hard and she would just lay there and let him- or when she had enough she would move out of his reach. She used to sneak into our bed and burrow all the way under the covers so we wouldn’t know she was there. Sneaky.

Anyway- she was so sweet and she will be missed. We took her to dog beach on her last day with us. She fell asleep when we got home and didn’t wake up again. I think she was so tired. I’m glad she had a peaceful and restful last day with us (not at the hospital). Here’s a picture of her snuggling with me on the beach on her last day. Andydog seems to be taking it well. But he’s never been the brightest crayon in the box, so he might just think she’s at the groomer or something. Ignorance is bliss. Miles turned the garden gnome on its side and put dirt on it while we were burying her. That’s interesting.