These have nasty “digital watermarks” on them, but hey, you can still see the kids pretty well.

We all fed Asher his first bite of solid food: fortified organic rice cereal mixed with breast milk. It was super runny. He seemed rather taken with the idea at first, and really wanted to swipe the spoon. (I vaguely remember that Lucas REALLY wanted to hold the spoon too. I think I used to give him an extra spoon to hold while I fed him.) Rice cereal is pretty boring and Asher’s interest didn’t last very long. Milestone completed. Let the record show.

I guess I now need to get out my baby nutrition and baby food recipe books. It’s time to review the principles and start steaming veggies, freezing little food bubes, and pumping more breastmilk to mix with the food to make it the right consistency.

Lucas watched part of last night’s finale episode of So You Think You Can Dance with us. You might say he was inspired. He jumped and wiggled and spun and flung and crunched and tweaked his body in every possible direction, up and down on the floor, and talked about how he’s been in dancing contests before … in England. Frankly, I was thrilled to see him devoutly shakin’ his groove thang instead of playing kung-fu karate ninja-turtle boxer fighter kid, which is his latest quasi-obsession.

We have already told him that when we decide he is old enough, he will be allowed to study a martial art, but also told him that he also must learn how to dance, for each discipline informs the other. So far, he’s buying it.

He really enjoyed the dance lessons he did when he was 3 years old. But I’m not sure enrolling him in dance now would fly. As my mother is fond of saying, “There is no creature on earth more chauvinistic than a 6-year-old boy.” I honestly don’t know if she is right. I’ve never had a 6-year-old boy before.

Well, It’s probably not amazing, but it is cute. Yesterday evening, while I was eating my dinner, Asher started clicking his tongue. I looked up at him rather astonished. He looked surprised and then delighted at his sound and at my reaction. Then he did it a bunch of times. He had me laughing and looked so pleased with himself.

I’m so excited! We just booked this home(http://www.sonomacoast.com/rental_homes/detail/?q=75) for Thanksgiving vacation!

I love the coast. I can’t wait!
(Don’t tell Amanda)

Last weekend we went out of town to Mimi’s cabin near Strawberry (almost to the summit on Hwy 50). It’s a tiny old forest service cabin that she’s remodeled and made freakin’ gorgeous. We Wilsons had the upstairs to ourselves and Glen and Miriam slept downstairs on the closed-in “sleeping porch” with a view of the South Fork of the American River and surrounding forest.

I was a little nervous about spending two whole days and nights with Ian’s dad, but it was fine. Miriam is a gem to be around–so energetic, enthusiastic, and warm. I think she takes the edge off my interactions with Glen. Glen, unfortunately, wasn’t feeling too well (though not because of The Cold–see below). He wasn’t quite himself.

Our boys had fun and they didn’t destroy any of Miriam’s stuff, so that was great. We drove up to Echo Lake and took a boat ride across the lake to the far shore. There, we picnicked and hiked. Lucas is a fantastic hiker! He marches along saying things like, “I love a challenge. I like to do difficult things.” Ian had bought Lucas his own utility belt with an army canteen and a first aid kit–just like the one Ian had when he was a boy. Lucas kept asking, “Does anybody have an owie?!” Ian was kind enough to get a scratch and let Lucas doctor it for him. Lucas also swam in the frigid lake waters like a crazy kid (I do remember when nothing could keep me away from swimming, too). Even Asher seemed to enjoy himself despite his coming down with The Cold on Saturday night. Asher gazed around happily at the sky and lake and trees and never complained about being in the backpack. I think the baby really likes being outdoors. It pleases me to think so, anyway. (I only wish he weren’t quite so fair-skinned. I worry we’ll have a hell of a time protecting him from sunburn over the next, say, 18 years.)

What else did we do? Well, Lucas tromped around Miriam’s cabin, played in the little river throwing stones and splashing, and shot a stick arrow from a stick-and-rope bow that Ian fashioned for him. Asher and I took a wonderful nap by the river on a sandy bank in the shade. We ate terrific food at each meal. Ian and I both got to read a bit. It was a thoroughly lovely weekend. So nice to get out of town! This was my first weekend away from home since September 30 of last year!!!! Yes, that’s 10.5 months, folks.

Since we got back on Sunday evening, I’ve been editing my ass off. (I worked in the mountains, too.) The week’s not done yet and I’ve been going whole hog despite a severe lack of sleep and having sick kids, a sick husband, and then finally getting sick myself. I took Airborne early on, when I first started to feel symptoms (after everyone else in my family succumbed to The Cold) and I think it really worked! The Cold seemed to hit me less hard and lasted a shorter time than for everyone else, especially Lucas and Ian. I’m definitely not 100 percent, though.

I’ve been really busy with work and with being the Managing Director of this household (no offence, Bascha, you have an equally impressive title. I’ll tell ya what it is tonight). I’m starting to get an inkling why so many moms (soccer and otherwise) come to need the … gasp! … minivan. Already Lucas’s schedule requires MS Outlook, speed-dail calling, a credit card, and a taxi service. I need a wife. No, I need a hot personal assistant named Sven.

Today I work at my magazine gig, with Asher. Today I will do my very best to accomplish all I must accomplish. If I’m lucky, I might even do it with some measure of grace, and hopefully without being covered in spit-up.

Asher has been experimenting with his voice a lot lately. He’s added growling to his repetoire of sounds. Sounds like a puppy dog playing tug-o-war.

Estate planning is hard! And weird. And kinda like mentally spending monopoly money. I mean, I don’t have real money till I’m dead. What fun is that? It’s a process of answering a ton of really hard questions. So speak up, peeps. Which one of you wants to pull my plug when the time comes? Oh, and who wants my ruby glitter stripper shoes? My vast collection of strategy guides for games I’ve never played?

My front garden is looking nice thanks to some friendly, helpful little gnomes. Wish I had time to muck about myself. A tree we planted out front–the one that flowers with gorgeous purple grapelike clusters of blooms in April, and shades my car nicely–has split down the middle. Got to call that arborist. I hope the tree will survive.

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

They rate sunscreens (and tons of other products for safety):

Recommended: 131 products
Caution: 617 products
Avoid: 37 products

My evil second cousin (Susan, 64, daughter of dead-Dorothy) has removed $70K from Nana’s (94, great-aunt, not Susan’s mother) checking account. Susan put the money in a CD account with her and Nana’s name on it. Susan has power of attorney. My good uncle Michael (47?, not Nana’s son) is also on Nana’s checking account so that he can make sure nothing is done to Nana’s money behind her back. (Susan removed $40K from Nana’s account earlier this year.) Susan’s power of attorney has trumped that, as Michael is decidedly not on the CD account. Nana is being manipulated and robbed as far as I am concerned. Crap.

What do you do when a family member is an evil thieving bitch?

I recently had an email discussion with an author I’ve known and worked with for a number of years. He has, I think, four kids. I think he’s Mormon.

Me: “I know that you’re a history buff and obviously into video games. Do you ever worry about your kids being exposed to violent content at a young age? My son Lucas is 5 now and we have protected him from violent content as much as possible. He doesn’t watch TV at all, never has. We don’t play video games of any kind. He goes to private school with other likeminded families, etc. And despite it all, he has developed a fascination with weapons and war, armies, fighters, guns, warplanes, etc. Drives me crazy! Some people tell me it’s just his age and that he’ll soon move through the phase. I certainly want him to learn about history, but I would prefer that his exposure to the uglier parts of humanity happen later on, when he’s older and can handle it better. What’s your take on this stuff? Just wondering …”

Him: “That is a tough call. My kids play video games and my son, who is almost 8, has been doing it since he was 5. However, I try to be careful about the types of games he plays or watches me play. Though he plays some shooters, like Star Wars Battlefront, I don’t let him play games with blood or which are quite violent–blood and gore. He helped me take some of the parachute landing screens for Airborne, but I don’t let him stay in my office while I am shooting and stuff.

“In my office I have models of cannons, planes, tanks, and historical GI Joe figures. So my kids are exposed to military history and weapons. I have talked to them about war. My mother-in-law’s father was killed in WWII and she never even knew him since she was born after he had already gone overseas. I have his purple heart as well as a certificate signed by Pres. Truman recognizing his sacrifice. I have showed these to my kids and explained that war is sometimes necessary, but people get hurt and killed. I have also let my son watch some old war movies without all the blood and gore, but still with people dying so he understands that while the tanks and guns may be cool, they are dangerous.

“As for your son, boys seem to have an interest in weapons. I don’t know why, especially since he has not been exposed to it much. While not an expert, I would think explaining war to him might help. Therefore, he will understand the bigger picture rather than just guns are cool. You don’t have to be graphic or go into detail. But maybe give him some information that you can control rather than have him get it from somewhere else. (sounds like a sex talk).

“Take this advice for what it is worth. Sorry I did not respond sooner. I have really been thinking about it. My youngest son is 5 and he makes swords out of tinker toys and goes around like he is a pirate. My wife and I try to help him understand that swords can hurt people, even his play sword, and that hurting people is bad. So I work with him to build more peaceful things so he can make something other than a sword.

“Thanks for asking. It has given me cause to reflect.”

Me: “Thank you for the thoughtful reply. It’s a touchy subject for many people and I appreciate your honesty and sensitivity. I find I feel strongly that Lucas should know about this stuff and learn about it from reputable sources when he’s somewhat older. I think a 7-8-9-year-old is capable of handling the many contradictions that violence and humanity encompass: it’s good to fight for the safety of your family or your country, it’s not good to fight for the sake of gaining power over others or to harm people or to take others’ things.

“A friend suggested that comic-book heroes might be a gentle way to ease into topics like crime and criminals, violence, etc., and I think he may be right. I have no complaints with Superman or Spiderman, for example. Heroes who battle evil forces to save good people are cool! Trouble is, explaining WHY there are evil forces in the world is often difficult for me. Lucas complains of nightmares, as many children his age do.

“War is particularly touchy, given that our nation is currently engaged in one that some think is good and other think is unjust. I respect people who join the military out of a sense of duty, but dislike the many domestic situations in which economically disadvantaged people join the service because they have few other options. Ultimately, no matter how you slice it, armed conflict among professional, willing soldiers is still bad news for civilians, including children.

“We do talk with Lucas about war, armies, etc. I try to answer his questions matter-of-factly (controlling the info) and without too much emotion (you know how protesting too loudly often just shows children how to push your buttons–which may be a factor in my son’s interest). He knows intellectually that wars kill people, that guns and armored vehicles are designed to harm and kill. I doubt he has any sense of the finality of death, however. Perhaps that is best at this age.

“In Lucas’s Waldorf school they celebrate Michaelmas, which is essentially the story of George and the Dragon. The angel Michael empowers the boy with a sword of righteousness and teaches him he must fight only for good and against the darkness represented by the dragon, who brings despair and destruction. The children actually make their own wooden swords: they build, sand, and stain them. Only the older children in the Kindergarten are allowed to do this and it’s approached with great seriousness and reverence. (It sounds super-religious, but it’s not overtly so. The meanings are embedded in the story and the children absorb the lesson gently.) They recite versus about being honest, strong, brave and good.

“I guess in a way it’s just hard for a peacenik like me to see my son gravitate toward subjects I think he’s not yet ready for. Our society sure seems to push children to grow up quickly. And try as I might, I cannot protect him from all the things I would wish to. (And that, I suppose, is the most difficult part of parenting.)

“Anyway, thank you for the good conversation. I enjoyed working with you on PROJECT (it’s hypocritical of me to work in this industry and deplore the glorification of violence, eh?).”