Swimming with Benjamin

I took Benjamin swimming today, while Hannah had her Gardening class.

Poor little guy. He wasn't himself, to start. He went to bed far too late last night, 11pm, slept till 8, napped 10:15-11 or so, then we were swimming by 1 o'clock. That isn't enough sleep for a baby.

He was unsure, when we entered the water. Clung to me, a little stressed, not a big fan of being dipped into the pool. I tried to warm him up to it all, a bit of splashing, some currents, bubbles, talking sweetly about swimming. What worked? Setting up rubber duckies along a wall for him to knock over, into the current rushing on the other side. ATTACK!

By the end, he was happy. Splashing, swishing, throwing in the air. Catching toys, throwing them back. We met some new friends to chat with, maybe we'll see them next time.

Hannah enjoyed her class. Today was about dragonflies. She had brought along a half-eaten carrot, unpeeled and uncut, and sunglasses. As we left the class, I hear her in the backseat,

"I didn't tell my teacher that I bit my tongue. I'll tell her next week, it'll be a surprise!"

She had bit her tongue while eating a grilled cheese at lunchtime. Blood and all. Seems okay now.

Andrew found a rat living in his car's air intake. I texted the neighbour and she came over to investigate with us. The rat had built a big nest of laurel leaves and the car's denim blue insulation. He removed a panel and started cleaning it out. Only then did the rat leave. After removing about a shoebox worth of material, he discovered the two pink, newborn rat babies. No wonder the mama didn't want to leave so soon. I felt really bad for her. She chose a seemingly perfect place, away from predators, safe and warm. Nesting material nearby. Spent all that time building a nest. And here we go, destroying her nest and letting her babies die.

What is odd to me, is the fact that she was probably staying in there quite often, to take care of the babes. She may've been going to the train station with Andrew every day, then returning home at night. But what if? What if he scared her out and drove off? Or if she had been out gathering snacks when the car left? Her babies would go with it, they'd have no mama. That's not good either.

I went away for the first time this past weekend. I hadn't had a night without children since before Hannah was born. It was nice to be myself for a bit, alone in the world. But I didn't sleep well. I missed my home, my bed, my bathroom, my kitchen. I appreciated all the food and snacks provided, food I didn't have to cook myself, but that too: I like having my kitchen and just drifting in and out as I please. Probably gained 5 lbs in that one day. Pretty sure the lady in the hot tub, the afternoon before leaving, asked when my baby was due. Food baby. Fourteen months ago, ma'am. He's at home.

It was a Church retreat. I've been going to the weekly mom's group at the church for almost 4 years now. Sometimes I go on Sunday, though I haven't lately. Or I go to Saturday speaker events. I enjoy the time for quiet reflection on life, family, the world, and our place in it. Singing, shared joy, emotions, contemplation.

I was happy to see the kids again. I was happy to see the baby. And nurse the baby. Even at just 4 nursing sessions a day, 2 per side, 29 hours away from baby isn't comfortable.

And they're cute, of course.

Tonight, Andrew was hosing the rat pee out of his car, under the hood. The hose was hooked up to the outdoor tap, but dripped a little. Benjamin was adorable, stick in hand, trying to reach his tongue and mouth under the drips to get some water. He also tried putting in the stick and catching the water on it.

Stick is Ben's favourite toy. He always finds stick. Tonight he found big stick, and the big dogs wanted big stick too.