wild walk

Missoula loves her festivals. For years now I've had to participate in the Wild Walk parade as a teacher, always being one of those Saturday work days that is sort of fun, but not really all that. Then your kid gets to be in the wild walk. And it's a whole new ballgame.

Eliana's been talking about being an orange tiger in the parade for weeks. Caroline at her daycare made all the kiddos these awesome little suits and they congregated this morning to get ready. I was totally spent and let Jeff take Elie so Solomon and I could go back to sleep. Jeff rocked her tiger face make-up and was the daddy with the mostest. But when I woke up and they were gone and I realized I was gonna miss Els in all her glory, I had to get in on the action. Without time to do so much as pack the diaper bag (which still needs to be cleaned out of Elie's old junk), Jeff was at the house. I threw a diaper in my pocket and put on lipstick and a headband as to somehow feel put together.

Next thing I knew we were thrust into Missoula kidsville spring Saturday. Everyone and their mothers (quite literally) were in wacky animal outfits waiting to parade through downtown. It felt surreal to be out with my little man. We attracted lots of attention as everyone knew that I had finally had this kiddo. As we walked through the streets friends who were watching the parade yelled and hoot hollered for us. I felt dazed and proud. Proud of my little family. Eliana was so psyched to be walking with her buddies, such a big girl all out and about.

Little honey slept the whole time in the sling and let us even hang for a while on the grassy knoll at Caras Park. Eliana played with her buddies and rolled fearlessly down the hill while I sat with my girlfriends and thought about how much I love them. How much I love Missoula. How much I love my husband and my girl and my boy.

We seem to have lots of zip in the morning, but by mid-day, three of the four of us are always ready for sleep. Sleep is relative, as often it means me staring at Solomon for hours, but at least I'm horizontal, at least I'm resting. Happy woke from her nap and joined us in bed. It was one of the sweeter times we've had as a threesome and for the most part, she loved on her brother like this:



Of course, there were still a few looks shot like this:


Especially when I had to nurse him. I don't want you to do that, mommy! I don't want you to feed my brother! But she gets over it pretty quickly, finds her own Baby to rock and diaper, sing to and cuddle.

Our afternoons gently seep into evenings. We welcome our food bringing friends, so happy not to have to cook, so glad for the company to shake things up a bit. Last night we took a sunset walk at Greenough and Eliana ran and played hide and seek, totally blissed out on spring and being together. I adore this time of year and even if I can't hike the way I want to, a lap around the park brings enough beauty to satiate me for the day.




And soon Happy is asleep and I get to have 100% focused love-hard-on-my-boy time. I could watch him for hours. He is the sweetest, mellowest little dude. He nurses hard and fast and then passes out, making funny little sounds, his eyes rolling back with satisfaction. I love the way his tiny body curls into my chest, love the way we fit together so perfectly....lord only knows we were inseparable for quite some time! So we settle into night and nurse and sleep and nurse and sleep and nurse and sleep. With no other job to go to, nothing to be rested for, the interrupted sleep is really no big deal, just part of the beauty of this part of our journey together. He is perfect. I couldn't ask for a better Mother's Day gift.