In the Weeds

It's all a big mess: the house, the garden, the bedroom, the yard, the chicken coop, my brain. I'm always one step behind. I'm starting to understand the lure of daycare. It allows you to function as you did before your child arrived. But I don't want to function the same way. I want to devote my time and attention to my child, not my laundry. (Or my job, for that matter.) I'll live in a total sty if I have to. But I'd rather not. I do miss being able to garden. My lesson this week is about letting go. I have let go of the garden. If the weeds take over, well, let them have their victory this year. I put up a good fight. What really irks me, though, is not having time to harvest the food I so lovingly planted! Here I sit on the computer, as the peas go by on the vine, unpicked. But I have to document this time, too! I can't just let the days go by without posting thoughts and comments on my life and Mazin's development.

He's such a busy-body these days! Cruising around, picking up speed on all fours, standing everywhere he can. Eating as much paper as he can get his grubby hands on. Why does he eat paper? I don't know. Is he missing some essential mineral? Should I get him a salt lick? I was concerned that already, he clearly prefers the white, vapid foods that are the choice of all toddlers everywhere: pancakes, rice, pasta, bread... paper. But the other day in the garden, I tossed him a snap pea to examine, and he took a bite... and another... and another. He ate the whole thing! It was slightly nerve-wracking, but I didn't stop him. I want my kid to eat green things! I'm thinking the satisfying crunch is the main attraction, but maybe he likes the taste, too. So now a couple of snap peas buy me maybe 10 minutes in the garden. Enough time to pull a few root vegetables for dinner and do a cursory weeding of the chard.

We also have blueberries coming in now, most of which are languishing on the branches, of course. (I was out there in my white bathrobe and pink hat at 6 am this morning before I decided a shower should take priority.) I managed to pick half a quart for Mazin to snack on today, throughout his day with my mom. He LOVES to squash blueberries with his four front teeth. And they are also good for smearing, but not as wonderfully messy as strawberries. Red stains have given way to blue ones, and our lives just get messier... I'm just hoping to stay afloat and focused on what really matters.