what i did on my winter vacation

I can't seem to string two sentences together today (believe me, I've been trying) so instead of a more substantive post, I will provide you with more photos of one of the world's most photogenic children.

These were taken in Sarasota, Florida, on the rare occasions when I remembered to bring my camera.

I need to figure out how to work the zoom on my little camera. Watching my little man paddle away in the kayak with Grandpa, really turned my insides to mush.

While Grandpa and Bubbie went for a little paddle (I went out, too, although I didn't do much paddling, just glided along while my father-in-law did all the work), D. and I played on the beach (just the over the hill from the bay where we went paddling):


D. asked me to lie down, so he could trace my shape in the sand. I was impressed that I had the agility to get up without blurring his work. I was less impressed with my shape in the sand which was distinctly, um, bottom heavy. The hour glass has been replaced with a pear, it seems.

D. especially loved the palm trees, which he insisted on calling "coco-palms" even though we explained that we were too far north for coconuts. He said the ones bearing fruit would be coconut trees and that these were called coco-palm trees.

The child has an uncanny ability to insist on his own version of reality, even when presented with irrefutable evidence to the contrary. If he decides that up is down (or that he was wide awake on the plane and the trip was just really, really short), it is often easier to just let it go then to try and convince him otherwise.

We also went to the circus, saw some alligators (I took pictures but the 'gators look like logs. See above re the zoom) and tasted alligator stew, saw many beautiful birds (although not as many as last year), went to the aquarium and spent lots of time on, in and near the water. Two of my nieces (both really nice people - one is almost 12 and the other will turn 10 this year) were there for part of the time and my father-in-law and his wife are both warm, funny, generous people.

I really lucked out with my spouse's family (so much so that they were a part of my 41 things about T.).

Speaking of my spouse, I think he was a little chagrined with the beautiful weather we had. It was one thing to say, "It's OK, honey, you go to Florida without me. I really need to stay and work," when he thought the weather would be cool and perhaps even rainy. However, it turned out to unseasonably hot and gorgeous every day.

He and my older son S. had a pretty good time, though. They rented a wii, played games with friends on the big screen in T.'s office, went skating on the canal and watched lots of movies. They probably sat around eating junk food in their underwear, too.

As for little D. and I, it was wonderful to be able to spend so much time together. He is growing up so quickly. I don't really have the words to explain how cool it is to watch him grow and learn, hear his observations on the world (absolutely nothing gets by him, even when you think he's not listening). He is one sharp kid.

One night when I was getting him ready for bed, he said, "Mama, I love you as much as all the days." He has said this before.

"I love you as much as all the lives of everyone in the world. That's forever."

And then came the kicker.

"I love you even when I'm mad at you."