Cold Spaghetti

New foods: baked beans, whole banana (just hand it to him, no cutting up necessary — although cutting is still our preferred presentation), peeled apples, broccoli, Kraft mac-n-cheese

New word: Nan-na (for banana)

Teeth? Still at 8 solid choppers. Drooling and chewing have picked up again… more could be on the way soon!

New game: Bucket head. His head, your head, anyone’s head. Any bucket, anywhere, any body, any time.

New fun spot: Playground at Annunication and Eleanore (a few blocks away). Will likes the slides (particularly going head first) and especially climbing the stairs. He’s not into swings right now, but we’re working on it.

Actually, it’s been Carnival time since January 6th. But with Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras right around the corner, things are heating up. We are learning that Mardi Gras is SERIOUS business around here. Some of the interesting things we are learning:

– Local non-profit “Save our cemetary” sells St. Charles balcony space ($50/person) at the local funeral home for the “Krewe of Bacchus” parade. But, the draw isn’t just the parade. The balcony attaches to a large viewing room where a large screen tv will show the live broadcast of Superbowl.

– This Sunday is the parade for the “Mystic Krewe of Barkus”. This Krewe held a press conference on January 20th to announce it’s parade theme and crown King Barkus XIII (his name, “Bee Bop”). This year’s theme: “Hairy Pawter and the Sorcerer’s Bone.” The picture (on the front of the local paper) showed King Barkus licking away at his royal milkbone septre.

– Not to be left out of the fun, this Saturday is the annual bal masque of the Endymeow Krewe. Their theme? “Whiskers of Oz — There’s no place like home.” All attendees receive complementary photographs and prizes will be awarded for costumes (which are highly encouraged) and floats.

I promise, I am not making any of this up.

Will — chilling out with his milk. 

Now that I am a parent, I’ve found that I say the strangest things. I’m compiling a list. Here is what I’ve got so far:

— His poop is getting poopier.

— Cat food is not for babies.

— We’re not going to play in the toliet right now.

— Where are your pants?

— Don’t eat the buttpaste!

— Did you eat your sock?

— Did you feel his butt?

— He’s learning from the cats.

— You can tear the cover off this.

— Plastic bottles are the best toys.

— Put your finger in his diaper.

Endless fun with Mommy’s shoes! 

Mommy’s shoes are the best toys!! 

Will and I have had a fun weekend in Mobile. I took Saturday “off” and spent the day playing with Will and Granna — including spending a good hour in the spa tub. Will and I went out to check the water while it was heating up and he tried as hard as he could to throw himself out of my arms and into the water. (It was only about 85 degrees and still too chilly.) When we went back inside, he was VERY ANGRY. He wanted in that water — no matter what the temperature!! We got in when it was about 90 degrees (still a little too chilly for a spa tub) and Will had a blast. His favorite toy is the tub thermometer, which he uses to beat his other toys in the water. When Granna joined us, we threw he back and forth, blew bubbles (the kind you blow out of a wand — he calls them Buh-buhs), and encouraged him to swim in the water. He and I blew bubbles in the water (his way of doing this is dunking his face in the water) and splashed and splashed.

We thought we had tired him out. Ha!

When PapPap came home 3o minutes after we got out of the spa… Will and PapPap went back in! For another hour! When they got back out, Will played, walked around, and got into every drawer, nook and cranny he could… and still no sleep for another 2 hours. What a wild man!!

At Granna and PapPap’s house in Mobile. Will is helping PapPap build a “car town” (a present for Will). Will is being extra helpful by taking off all the parts that PapPap puts on the town. Will also found Granna’s visor cap on the bed and decided to wear it in his own special way. 

Sometimes, Daddy gets to wear the bucket. (Saturday morning, before leaving for Mobile.) 

Will and I left this morning for a quick weekend in Mobile. We cleared out to give Paul the house for his massive on-going electrical project(s). He has been slowly re-wiring the entire house — a difficult, time- and labor-intensive effort! He’s been doing a great job and we are certainly much safer because of his efforts. So far, he’s actually found 6 cut off wires, 4 with current, one of which was attached to a live telephone line (major fire hazard). One of the live wires was right underneath Will’s crib… so, should a fire have started…

It is a good lesson in old homes — home inspections can’t get this kind of detailed information — you literally have to crawl under each beam and look up at what is there. This is what Paul has been doing, room by room, separating and investigating each circuit and creating much needed additionally outlets. Definitely, this is a plus in the style of home we have. Our shotgun double is typical New Orleans’ style in that it is up off the ground on pylons — making it fairly easy to crawl under. Still, it’s too high to lie back and work and too low to be seated and work, so it is physically rough.

Definitely, I have the better end of the deal with taking Will on an overnight road trip! (Especially one where I get free babysitting and a spa tub!)