Thanksgiving 2011

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.
~Meister Eckhart

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Playing together

Mini Picasso

It's true. I do think Kuba is a creative kid. When presented with a whole stack of paper and a bucket of markers this is the series he came up with. Anna was struck by these drawings and saved all of them. When I got home she and Kuba went through the pile with me, both of them beaming. I can not express enough how much fun it is to see your own child's creative mind expressed visually. Sometimes I think he'll be a musician, other times a visual artist, other times an inventor...and sometimes on a really bad day I can't quite figure out what he'll be but I think it might involve pushing and hitting. AH, the absolute thrill of parenting. Vulnerabilities and strengths all wrapped up into one little body and we get to witness all of it.

Haikuba

Four years ago in
the hospital, his hair dark
feet tiny, soft skin
.
precipitous entrance
with doctor running to catch
his watery arrival
.

all of us eager
to welcome the one seeking
home in this family
.
it was a journey
him to us, us to him
lucky in love we are

LOVE THIS BOY

Every morning in pre-k, kids have to write their name on a little laminated name card. When they are young they just need to trace over their letters with a dry erase marker. Once they have mastered this they turn the card over and form the letters entirely by themselves.
Kuba was writing his name today and noticed that the K was up much higher than the other letters in his name. He said to Anna, "Oh, I just need to put a trampoline under the K."
Needless to say - his mind is a miracle. The way he thinks about things is dazzlingly creative.
Not a day goes by without some truly interesting, funny, or wacky thing coming out of him. All the while we are laughing and in awe. Love. Big, big love over here.

Happy Birthday Kuba!

Wake up sleepy four year old!

Our family tradition is to make a birthday tray with breakfast, flowers, candle and birthday present...and then wake up the birthday person. This morning Anders awoke at 5 a.m. eager and ready to get the tray ready for Kuba. We were able to postpone it until 6:30 hoping Anders would fall back asleep, but he just couldn't. So we tromped downstairs, got the birthday breakfast tray ready and then went back upstairs singing Happy Birthday all the way.
Kuba was so sleepy it took about four rounds of Happy Birthday and lots of gentle shaking from Anders until Kuba's sweet little self woke up.

I can't believe he is now four years old.
It's been a full year of being three with lots of growth. Not only is Kuba tall, but he's smart as a whip. He is also feisty, passionate, creative, and SO FULL OF ENERGY.

This was the year of the stutter, when Kuba's muscular coordination for speech was colliding with his blossoming vocabulary. Right hemisphere/left hemisphere striving for balance. He regained his verbal gait quickly and continues to be a fast talker with an amazing vocabulary. He is a funny boy with a quick wit. He is also an inventor and a game creator.

This was also the year of his imaginary friends. Bingo, Eli, and Eggy have been a very active part of his imagination for so long now that we have all grown to love these little characters...a rabbit, a lion, and a cheetah. They accompany us most always these days and the progression of details that unfold around them continues to amaze. Recently Kuba took us all for a walk to show us where they live (they live in a house in the grass in front of QT's - a local creamy joint) and recently their mother has come into the picture. She doesn't have a name though. For me these imaginary friends are yet another indicator that this little boy has one hell of a creative imagination.

Kuba has been taking dance and drama classes this year as well as gymnastics class. He's absolutely full of life and everything he does has some form of rhythm and movement in it. His musical instincts are unbelievable and it's been like this since he was a baby. He got a super guitar from his grandfather for his birthday and we added an old drum set to the collection of instruments he already has. We are still thinking and wondering about how best to meet his need and instinct for music.

I remember before Kuba was born when we were just a family of three and it was just Anna, Anders and I, I couldn't imagine how life would be with another baby...and now I can not imagine life without him. What an incredible, incredible little boy he is. Happy Happy birthday Kuba! May your fourth year be full of rhythm and joy.