Summertime!

I can't say who is happier about the start of summer, Uta or me. We have been counting down the final days of school, and at last we are free. Uta is free from Erin, the class bully, and I am free from crowded subways and daily commutes. We have no commitments this summer, no classes or camps. We only plan on savoring each day, knowing them to be few, before our threesome turns to four, and Uta becomes a big brother.

Father's Day and...

Uta's first trophy!

New Bag

Our friend Rob made this great messenger bag just for Uta. Uta got to help design it, picking the colors of the fabric, stitches, and various straps and buckles. Although I am forbidden to take pictures of the inside, top secret stuff, I will tell you its a great sky blue color and even has a little camoflouge pocket for all of Uta's most precious belongings.

Although Uta has made him promise never to make another bag as cool as this one, Rob does make bags for other people too. Check out the home of MER bags here.

And to see a special post about Uta on the day he got his bag, check out the MER blog here.

Bamboleo

Here's a little taste of Uta and his class performing a Rumba Flamenca to the song Bamboleo.

Brooklyn Bridge

This year Uta's class has been studying NYC. They have visited various neighborhoods, made card board and popsicle stick replicas of landmarks, and learned all about the history and construction of the Brooklyn bridge. This week their study culminated in an exciting walk across the Brooklyn bridge. Here is Uta at the start of the walk with his friend Phoebe.

Hibaku Tree Project

This morning Uta planted a tree seed given to him by our friend Hiroshi ('The good Hiroshi', as he has come to be distinguished by Uta). This seed is very special because it is a great grandchild of a Hibaku Tree. Hibaku means something that has experienced a nuclear bomb. These are the trees that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, on August 6, 1945.

Hiroshi is fostering many of these seeds, placing them in homes all over the United States and the world. His efforts will culminate in an exhibition, where the seedlings will make their debut, at The Horticultural Society of New York in December 2009. We are so honored to take part.

Check out The Tree Project here.

How to crochet

I don’t know how to function when Uta is sick. I can care for him adeptly, which is good, but beyond that I become utterly useless. It isn’t such a terrible thing I suppose, but when there is nothing to be done for him, when he is asleep, or watching a movie in a Motrin stupor, it does no good at all for me to stand by with idle hands. I hover and pace about the boy as if my state of readiness in and of itself will return him to good health. He has been sick all week with high fever, pretty much napping on and off the entire time. That’s a lot of hours clocked by me doing nothing. I wish I knew how to crochet; I could have made a complete layette for the coming baby. Not to worry though, Uta is on the mend. No fever today, he seems to be on the road back to himself.

Sunday

Spiking fever, never ending monopoly, sky opening down pours, sips of juice, and sleep.