2013

Binbin is back in school today after yesterday's cancellation due to "unforeseen events." Apparently a group of unidentified teenagers decided that it would be a funny prank to let the air out of 28 tires on 15 school buses. We have the great good fortune that I happen to be on spring break from Emerson and Jack's work is flexible, but I'm sure that there were plenty of other Lisbon parents who lost pay and scrambled for childcare, not to mention the overall cost to the schools and everyone in town.

Binbin got an spontaneous playdate with Anja, and the two of them did pretty well. They have a tablet and a DS to keep themselves entertained for a bit. Then, they took to the play room where Binbin and Jack set up a mini basketball hoop over the door. Since I took our guinea pigs, Oreo and Inky, back to the shelter in January (Binbin turned out to be allergic to them), we now have space for more rambunctious physical play in the play room. The loss of the guinea pigs was just about the most traumatic event in Binbin's life, and I'll not rehearse that sad saga now.

 We still have plenty of snow outside, so the two of them ran around our makeshift fort for awhile. The snow this season...about 3 big storms 3 weeks in a row in February...has made for much better skiing than last year. Binbin's already gotten in 9 days' of skiing at Black Mountain, Mount Abrams, and Saddleback. He's got season tickets at two of those places, and he's now venturing carefully into Black Diamond territory. Carl gave him some US Ski Team stickers, and he proudly put one on his helmet.

After lunch, we played a round of Ticket to Ride...still one of our favorite games. And, since we refilled Killer with helium, Binbin and Anja took turns navigating our "air swimmer" around the house.

Anja and played groupies at Binbin's drum lesson with Ben in the afternoon. During our February break from lessons, Ben picked up the bass, and the two of them jammed a bit together. Binbin is sounding increasingly professional. Perhaps it's helped to go hear some Maine Academy of Modern Museum (MAMM) concerts recently, at the Big Easy bar and the Bayside Bowl. The first concert featured Playing for Change's "Be in Love," and it was fabulous to be enveloped by their big, luscious sound.

These days, Binbin has picked up the "Warriors" series about cats, kind of a Watership Down meets Hogwarts adventure for tween readers. He still watches Mythbusters, and peppers conversations with what Adam and Jamie have done. Jack has finished about 5 chairs, and we're waiting for the upholsterer to finish his end of it. I'm on spring break and playing scrabble with friends Denise and Lorraine from time to time. Binbin has developed enthusiasm for watching sports, especially basketball, but he'll take hockey and football, too. He and Jack stayed up late for this year's crazy Superbowl, and he picked the Ravens over the Niners, so that made him happy. Binbin still giggles like there's no end when the zombie porcupines attack. He got his first pair of glasses last Friday evening, and he really looks more and more grown-up, but I'm hanging on to every last bit of little boy.