This is from the Starbucks in Campe Verde where we stopped on our way up to Oak Creek Canyon this past week. Atticus was a pretty amazing traveler. Our trip home from Las Vegas (I feel no need to ever visit there again) was eight hours including stops, and he didn't whine or complain once despite not having a nap. More about our trip (and more photos) soon.

From a few weeks ago--we collected and painted mesquite pods.

 Climbing

My Dad visited us a few weeks ago. Hopefully we'll get around to adding more photos about that too. We picked peaches in Wilcox and visited the Children's museum while he was here.

Other things to jot down...

Atticus told me yesterday that he wants to dress like a mama when he grows up and that he wants to be a doctor. Today he repeated the mama thing, but this time said he wanted to be like a mama when he grows up. I asked what he meant by that, and he said he wants to be like me. Then he leaned in and kissed my cheek. He is the sweetest boy on the planet--planting random kisses on my arms and legs, thanking me for making him breakfast in the morning, offering to share his beloved foods with me (even a PEZ candy last night, and he doesn't get those often). A few weeks ago he said before bed that he didn't want to give me a kiss, and I said, fine and walked away. A minute later he started bawling, then ran over to me to kiss me goodnight.

Atticus has had a number of first experiences in recent weeks. Like I said, we picked peaches with grandpa. The week after that I took him to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original) at The Loft cinema. He loved it! We've been singing oompa loompa songs and the Veruca Salt song ever since, as well as making up stories about the oompa loompas. He saw his first play (Shrek) in Chicago with his grandparents Alan R. and Jean. He was riveted, I hear. He went camping for the first time this past weekend--in Oak Creek Canyon. It was a gorgeous spot right next to the creek. He ate his first real smore and slept outdoors in a tent for the first time. He's ready to do it again, he says.

I put this on Facebook but not here yet: a few weeks ago I took him out running with me (him in the stroller), and when I complained that running while pushing a stroller is too hard and that I might not be able to do it that morning, he said, "I know you can do it, mama! Push those wheels!"