Summer 2010 So Far: Mowing

The picture below with me wearing a red shirt, were taken at the Indianapolis City Market Farmer's Market last week. It is notable for two reasons: First, you will note Finnegan's crook'd finger and serious stare. You've seen the same look right before Sean Penn or Alec Baldwin takes the paparazzo's camera and busts it on the pavement. It would have been his first of what I suspect will be several such incidents over the course of his live and career. I talked the little tough guy down and fortunately for Will the cameraman, there were no fisticuffs.

Below you see the killer stare continues. The second reason is to point out this nifty ride along backpack. It has become a major piece of our summer gear.
It carried Finnegan around the 500 Festival Parade, it has hauled him around the neighborhood for short afternoon visits to watch soccer or flag football.
But most notably, it has become a part of our lawn care regimen. One day I needed to mow the lawn and was home with Finn alone and felt comfortable mowing in our backyard fenced in area, but didn't trust him to watch from the sidelines outside the fence. He has yet to truly learn to fear the street.So a lightbulb lit above my heard, which frightened and confused the tike for a second and in seconds I had loaded him on my back and started the lawn mower.

It was a revelation for the boy. He reached his arm over my left shoulder for the next thirty minutes and said "mow!" no less than 700 times. He loves it. Since then he has taken to riding a bit quieter and more relaxed. Last week, he had an open (as opposed to a sippy) cup of ice water with him for the whole front yard and I never wore it. Not a drop.It soothes him most times. If you time it right he'll go out on your back just as the clock strikes naptime. Out like the proverbial light bulb. It is one of the things I will always remember about this age.And for those of you wondering about my knee surgery, I had it on a Thursday and these photos are from mowing that Monday. So, I'll be fine. But thanks for the concern. Shh. Don't wake the kid.