Benjamin Penguin

Benjamin and I, that is. Adam is one for taking nice, dawdling pauses that allow ample time for a steady regulation of the circulatory and pulmonary systems. I prefer to move until I drop from sheer exhaustion. But we had an active past few days and I’m just now settling back and relaxing.

On Friday, we made our first trip to the beach. In the first few minutes on the sand, Ben refused to put his feet down and every time I tried to coax him from the blanket onto the sand, he would refuse to budge. Picking him up and attempting to place him on the sand merely led him to legs akimbo in such a way that no part of his lower body touched a single grain. But, after a few minutes, the temptation to frolic must have been too overwhelming to ignore because he starting slowly making his way across the sand. And within 10 minutes of our arrival, he was digging a massive sand trap in close proximity to the blanket. I can’t be sure, but I think a shih tzu was lost in the sludgy depths of his creation.

There was also a tremendous fondness for the lake itself and, more than once, we would have to fight to hang on to Ben as he ran footloose and fancy free into the waves. When Ben was about 8 months old, the Summer Olympics played nonstop and created the background noise to his little infant adventures. I watched the swimming events nonstop because I was always amazed by Michael Phelps and couldn’t get enough of his athleticism. I’m really not a sporty person, but I love swimming and even like watching swimming and I’d be lying if I failed to confess that – with his height and build – I didn’t have little visions of Ben gliding his way through a pool during an Olympics game. If for no other reason than I, too, could work a collection of Chico’s more edgier pieces.

On Saturday, we took in a strawberry festival. It’s a festival featuring strawberries. You eat them in ice cream form and doughnut form and fondue form and smoothie form and even au naturale. I attempted to drink my strawberry in smoothie form, but I was totally unable to do so. Why, you may ask? Well, the good sir has, unexpectedly and with little warning, learned to use a straw. So he drank the entire smoothie. Really. I got a few clandestine sips in between stern looks from the boy if I even thought to bring the straw near my lips. I’m delighted that he can use a straw now. I’m not sure why. Maybe because we can now give him a cup with a lid and a straw at a restaurant without having to pray feverishly that he does not throw it across the room in frustration. Amusement? It’s so hard to say.

On Sunday, Ben and Adam convalesced. Adam from the raging sunburn that turned his legs and arms a horrifying shade of red. Ben from the gastrointestinal upset that follows eating generous portions of sand. I, however, marched in the bi/gay/les/trans pride parade with my university. This is not the first time that I have marched and it is far from the first time that I was present for the festivities. But I learned some things that day:

1. People really love free things. We were giving out little rubber rainbow bracelets with the Roosevelt logo stamped on the side and I nearly had my arm ripped out of the socket on multiple occasions as people begged me for the Rubber Bracelet of the Gods.

2. I have really bad aim. I hit several people in the eyeball (not eye region, but eyeball). Most gave a startled jump.

3. I like big, loud festive events. And marching to thunderous applause.

So that was a good time.

I’m not sure what fun I’ll think up during the upcoming weekends. I am thinking a carousel ride at the zoo would be fun. Or maybe putzing about a nature preserve. I’d love to attach a baby seat on my bike and take Ben down some well-paved bike trails in one of the nearby forest preserves, but that will take a level of planning and organization (and shopping) that I am not sure I can endure. And there is always the fireworks this weekend. I wonder what that is going to be like. Will Ben love them or be scared witless? I’m inclined to think he’ll find it fun, but he has surprised me before and loathed the very thing I thought he would enjoy.

Also? Adam is about 4 hours from being unemployed.

Also also? I really want to buy a house.

Triple also? Do you see how those two statements are diametrically opposed in their ability to become reality? Me neither!