summertime, and the living is easy

What wonderful days we've been having around here lately - there are times when living in cohousing is like pure bliss - especially for the kids - but really, also for us grownups, as well. We've been having, because MBD is currently between jobs, this sort of extended summer vacation. The days flow together into the nights into days again - we're never sure just what day it is, but they're all fun, really. There always seems to be someone around to play with and their parents to talk to, and there always seems to be something fun to do, as well.

It's a good life.

Yesterday and today, our front parking lot has been completely cleared and part of it completely blocked off, so that the workmen can replace the rotten wood between the cement sidewalk squares. Most of us never even noticed or knew this stuff was rotting or even would ever need replacing, but here we have this brilliant building and maintenance team that just makes sure this stuff gets taken care of.



Anyway, so the parking lot is both cleared and blocked off, and when the workmen aren't here, it is the perfect place for the kids to ride their bikes outside. Usually we have to take them to a park or something when they want to ride, because there just isn't any place for them to do it here outside. So having this area cordoned off and inaccessible to anything else is wonderful. And we've been taking full advantage of it. The kids have been riding from afternoon until the sun goes down. Kiernen won't come and sit for dinner, so we just bring it to him where he is playing, and he'll ride by and get bites as he plays.



We've made some modifications to Kiernen's diet lately, and it has really made a difference. Now he is taking baths all on his own without any fuss. He is willing to stay with people other than us, his parents, for extended periods of time - he even opts to, when for example we're going home to do something and he wants to keep playing with his friends - he will stay there with their parents, or even without parents there sometimes. This is unheard of - he never did this before, he would always need to be with us and would interrupt play to come home with us if we needed to go there for something. He is even communicative with other adults now - before it was very very difficult to get him to talk to other adults, and now, he'll go right up to them and talk to them. Whoa.

He also doesn't upset as easily, and is much more able to control himself when he does get upset. This isn't to say he doesn't get upset, he is just better at handling it now. It's interesting, these changes seem subtle, but to me they are obvious, and to other adults who spend time with him regularly, they are also obvious. I am excited to see as we get really into the healing part of this diet what changes come about. Right now we're mostly doing slow transitioning, so as not to make it all too abrupt and difficult for me to manage.

It's almost bedtime, and Kiernen is happily playing dominoes with his daddy before I call them both to bed. Good times, definitely good times.