Wanna play in my sandbox?

Is it safe for kids to eat sand? Zachary really seems to be enjoying eating sand. He does so in such a supremely cute way that I just let him, because I just can't stop the cuteness. I fill up his pail with sand and then he bends over to inspect the sand and leans into the pail, sticks out his tongue and tries a mouthful of the sand. Much too funny. His other sand eating technique is to take his wet hand and plant it firmly into the sand, thus coating his little hand with a fine layer of sand. He then take his hand to his mouth and licks it all off. That elicits a look to me that is then followed by the sweetest giggle and then mommy-heart-melting! I really hope the sand tastes like sugar.

Listening to God

I have thought since Zachary was just a wiggly presence in my belly that he knew God. Now I'm not trying to be all super-religious here... I am just trying to say that I feel that Zachary lived within me for 9 months and during that he really knew God and what life really is. During those first few weeks, I'd whisper to him and ask him about the meaning of life, what God looked like and what sort of conversations they had shared. I longed for Zachary to tell me what happened those months that he squirm around in me, listening to the muffled sounds of my voice, feeling me press on my belly to rub his small back and pat his little tush. Something happened in there and wished to know.

I mean, think about it, from a simple sperm and an egg comes this dividing mass of cells known as a blastocyst and from this develops an embryo which then turns into a fetus which becomes my son once he was born. AMAZING. Truly truly awesome. So shouldn't this bundle of wonder know the unknown? Don't babies, truly innocent beings, know the answers to the simplest yet most complex questions.

anyways, I came across the following writing today and it so simply states what I have asked Zachary since he was born.


Day-Old Child by Carol Lynn Pearson


My day-old child lay in my arms.
With my lips against his ear
I whispered strongly, How I wish-
I wish that you could hear;

“I’ve a hundred wonderful things to say
(A tiny cough and a nod)
Hurry, hurry, hurry and grow
So I can tell you about God.

My day old baby'’s mouth was still
And my words only tickled his ear.
But a kind of light passed through his eyes,
And I saw this thought appear;

How I wish I had a voice and words;
I've a hundred things to say.
Before I forget I'd tell you of God-

I left him yesterday.”

Big Stacy week

This week has been a blast for the Griffins. This week Zachary enjoyed swimming at Big Stacy Pool. I don't mean just enjoyed, I mean totally and completely, flipping out excited enjoyment of the pool. Zachary sees the water and the kids and people splashing in the water and he just gets all excited and squeals and kicks and smiles. It is completely delightful and such a kick to watch him.

We have been swimming at Big Stacy Pool, which is a partially warmmspring fed pool located a few miles from our house. It is the fabulous pool was built by the by the Works Projects Administration in the 30's and is filled with Austinites from all walks of life.

Well Zachary adores being there. So much so that the past two days that we have gone (yes, that is right, swimming in the end of February/beginning of March!) we didn't even make it to the playground because he was so excited. Greg met us at the park after work both days (he rode his bike from work! Yippee!) and we just had a delightful time. Zachary gets in the water and begins to do this frantic frog kick and pushes off of me and desperately wants to swim. However, he isn't into getting his face wet still, as he will occasionally submerge his face and then get upset when he discovers the water. Poor little guy.

This weekend is going to be cooler-temperatures in the mid 60's, so I don't thing we will be doing any swimming this weekend, but we can't wait to take lessons next month.