Unstoppable!

AwesomeCloud is really, really good at having new experiences. Astonishingly good. He must be every first-time parent's dream - he's almost more of a companion than a kid. A companion who laughs all the time but can barely talk, who wrenches your fingers out of their sockets with his tiny hands, who needs diaper changes and asks to be carried frequently, and who strews the contents of the kitchen cupboards all over the house. But a companion nonetheless.

When I feel like hanging out with a friend over coffee and laughing about the absurdity of life, I can do that with him. The absurdities tend to be funny faces and sound effects rather than wry observations. And one of the coffees is replaced by milk in a sippy cup. Otherwise, it's the same.

He eats my cooking. That's huge. Whether it's something frozen i threw together quickly, or something elaborate that took me an hour, he loves it.

If I want to enjoy a few moments on the beach with a friend, I can do that with him. He loves to look out at the water as much as I do. In fact it's not much different from strolling on the beach with an adult, except that my fingers get wrenched.

I wanted to volunteer at the church, so I took him, and it went beautifully. I joined the White Elephant crew and set old yard sale items out on tables. Cloud touched everything, broke nothing, got in hardly anyone's way, and then he spilled soup on himself and munched on a ginger snap.

I love that he likes ginger snaps. And baked goods in general. And anything made out of sugar. He and I are kindred spirits that way.

I can garden with him. It's not ideal yet; when I'm alone I can lose myself in my gardening for a couple of hours at a time. With Cloud, I'm always multitasking. But i can do it.

He still won't let me work in peace yet. That can be a problem, because sometimes my boss needs something RIGHT NOW and the best I can do is 'sometime during naptime'. But work is a solitary endeavor, so my inability to do it with Cloud around doesn't detract from his worth as a companion.

Tonight we're going to the town Christmas Stroll. It's in a different town than the one we usually go to, so I don't know what it'll be like yet. But wandering amid all the stores and lights, carolers and free snacks, is the kind of thing Cloud is bound to have a blast at.

Also, today, I pulled out the djembes and we drummed together for a few minutes. I think the kid has potential. It's hard to judge whether a two-year-old will develop a particular interest or talent in any given activity, but drumming is one of those things that requires not much more than practice to get good at. And it might be fun to drum with Mum.