Kinda crabby...

We're having a crabby night, but Milo's enthralled with the camera on the computer, so we started playing around a little...

A good night...

Friday nights are a little weird in the Schroeder household, now that Mike's been working nights, but still kinda great. Not your typical Friday night by most people's standards, but I kinda dig 'em. Tonight, we're waiting for "Header" to get here (Auntie Heather), Mike had a little rest, so he'll be good until at least 7pm ;) And Milo and I have just been having a nice easy day hanging together. If Milo had his way, you would sit and read every book on his shelves to you, then we would build a tunnel out of legos or lincoln logs, then we'd read all the books again. Maybe we'd watch an episode of Mickey Mouse if mom was feeling lazy. He's been in a great mood recently, making it easier for me to be home with him, even when my maternal instincts and unconditional love are not particular potent. Right now, after a great meal where the alien kid asked for a second helping of asparagus, Mike's cracking him up stuffing his stuffed green monkey in his sock-monkey lunch box. It's a good night.

I met someone...

Yeah, not what you're thinking, but still pretty exciting. It's still awkward moving as an adult and trying to build a new network. Really having to put yourself out there, almost like you are dating, but dating to find friends. Which is both easier and worse all at the same time. With dating, at least if the person is a total dud, you can say something like, yeah this was fun, but it's just not working out, and probably never see them again. With friends, it's this weird, I'm needy but not too needy, I'm interesting but not self-involved, you need to sell yourself and check the other person out, and without being too selective as to close doors, but not ending up with a bunch of people who suck you dry of any social energy. And unlike dating, or at least dating when you're without child, you do want to try to find people of similar interests and commitments, ie parents, but that in and of itself is a challenge because you either meet them and get to know their life story in the 8.2 minutes your kid is willing to put up with you after library time, or you have to very deliberately put yourself in situations where these conversations might happen wherever you as adults choose to be, ie work, church, etc.

I haven't had great luck up to this point, but Milo was in fine form after Mother Goose Time at the library today, so we stayed and hung out for a couple of minutes. I struck up a conversation with another mom who also just moved to the area from out-of-state, who is also a stay-at-home mom, and who also does not seem crazy or annoying. We're heading to the zoo this weekend, so I mentioned where we were going, we exchanged emails and phone #s, and I think she might really be a friend. She even introduced me to another one of the moms at story time, and thus the networking begins.

It's so funny the thoughts that chase through my head in all of this: am I cool enough, am I a good enough friend that someone will be as excited about meeting me as I am about them, will we have enough in common to keep us going but be different enough so as not to be boring? Will our kids get along? Does that matter, or will we make them get along so we can hang out? How soon do I email her so as not to seem too desperate, but interested enough so that the newness of our meeting doesn't rub off? Did me not taking a shower this morning cause her to doubt my overall hygiene and thus ruin our chances to be kindred spirits? I think I'm a little paranoid. And in all reality, and maybe this is a sad statement of who I have become, but I really am so happy and feel so blessed with all the kindred spirits I've met in my many moves and travels, that I almost feel like I don't need any more. That I have a great many great friends, they just don't happen to be in Toledo. But as I'm here longer and Milo gets older, I think it's important to both of us to make connections and be social. And if not just for us, but for what we can offer, how we can help and serve. If nothing else, listening to the President last night reminds me to be involved, to be a part of a community that binds together, not isolates.

Gotta laugh sometimes...

So 24 hours after talking about how great he is, Milo proceeded to drench me with one of his squirting bath toys tonight. He got himself too, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't on purpose, but on the other hand...

Then in the free-spirit inspiration of the Rohl boys, I let Milo run nakie from his bath to the living room, giggling like a little imp, and he proceeded to pee on the rug. Guess potty training is quite a ways off. Maybe this just fortifies what I said last night, I'm not sure yet ;)

He's the best he's ever been...

I'm sure every parent says this more than once, but I think I like Milo now more than ever. I will always love him, but recently, he's been whining and crabby and sassy, and I wonder why I'm at home with him and why Mike doesn't understand when I need "mommy time." But these past couple of days, he's been a gem.

He's funny, he laughs, he's creative, he's doing more of what he wants to do and not just what I suggest or make him do. And he initiates and associates. For instance, he'll look down the hall and ask, "daddy sleeping?" Mike's working his 1:30am shifts and goes to bed early in the afternoon or evening; Milo sees our door closed and wants to know where his daddy is. I open the laptop, and he asks "Tom Tom? Grammie go? Header [Heather]? Tom Tom?" because we've been skyping with them as they are missing each other. The other day, we were playing in the living room, and he must have heard something outside our door because he looked up and said "Booka Booka... Nana!" (Larry and Steph were here over Christmas and he was still expecting them to walk thru the door again)

He also wants to smell all flowers. The lego flowers, the flowers in his books, the flowers on the inside of my jacket. I'm not sure when this started, but Mike and I were wondering at this abstract sense. I mean really how do you teach smell? He's grasped the concept of hiding: the

moon hides behind the clouds at night, when he can't find his car, it's hiding. He likes to dance to music, make towers, kiss every one of his stuffed animals, and pets Sally and Charlie (the

cats). He makes friends with everyone, playing peek or saying hi or bye, blowing kisses, yeah, he's a ladies' man... (here he is schmoozin' with Miss Polly)

And I love that I can still make him laugh, whether he wants to or not. I know just where to tickle him and he can't help but crack up. I know how to make Mickey Mouse play peek with him that will always crack a smile. We actually communicate now; he talks to me and I respond or vice versa. He can verbalize what he wants or needs and I can respond, not always the response he desires, but he understands. And he loves to walk, and I really do think he was just so frustrated there for a while when he was still a little uncertain on his newly found feet. Amazing what a few words and some confidence can do.

Maybe I like this time because it's finally just a little easier: he's taking epic naps, goes down nicely at night, is healthy and eating a little better, we're all on a better schedule. Whatever it is, I really like him. I get a big ol' smile on my face when I get to go get him out of his crib. I might just have to go oogle him now...