Bad A** Bikers

Today was a beautiful day, and there was no way we were spending it inside. NO WAY. If we did, mayhem and madness would lead me to do un-pretty things. ahem. uh, yes... right. SO I gave The Wyatt the option to ride the Green Line (MRT) all the way to the end(we've been talking about this for awhile) or go for a bike ride along the water. To my surprise, he chose option B and you may be shocked to know that I didn't even try to manipulate his choice. Really truly. Today I really didn't care either way-so bike we I did and I've got the burn to prove it. Calorie burn and unflattering tank top burn.
Side Note-*At some point in the distant future my legs will be smokin.'** I'm SUPER excited for that day. **I will take pictures.**
So the bike paths themselves kind of merge all into each other. This is my thought at least. I'm pretty sure I started on Shuangxi River Path which merged into Guandu Bikeway then finally led into Tamsui Golden Shore Bike Path. (For the record I would not bet money that I got that correct). Regardless of what path we were on, it was long. Naturally I had a coffee spot picked out (I had been to this place about a year ago), and I thought that it would be a good stopping point/midway point to figure out what we were going to do next. The ride itself was beautiful- the mountains, crops, wharf &water...just beautiful... albeit hot...OH! and there's a little dirt bike/trick area on the way which Wyatt always gets a kick out of. SOOO naturally we stopped here and he egged me on through; whooping the whole way screaming "this is greeeeeat,"  in his super- charming melodramatic way, as we're moving at snail speed through the course. I guess as long as you're actually doing what the kid wants, speed doesn't matter? Well, apparently (and thankfully) that was the case here. We went through the course twice and then he was like...can I run through it? um.....sure Wyatt. Knock yourself out man. Haha, so yeah, after he ran the course we hopped back on the bike and went along our merry way. It was so hot. oh man. I'm reliving it now as I write and I can't believe Wyatt let out nary a complaint. Poor thing knew better, I would have probably jammed on the breaks and made him walk. He's a pretty fast learner, I'll give him that. (Yes. That may have happened to him before).
By the time we got to the coffee/lunch place, we were ready to dive in. The place, Frog Cafe, was just as I remembered and didn't disappoint. Nor did Wyatt as a matter a fact. I swear, he may pick like a bird for a couple days, but then a couple times a week he just packs it all in. He had 1/2 my club sandwich, waffles, apples and a lemon Popsicle. Nice. I on the other hand had aforementioned 1/2 sandwich, and 2 iced coffee drinks. AWESOME. The day was a success already and unlike a couple of our museum days we've had recently, time had not stopped today. WOO-HOO. Tuesday- WIN!!
Wyatt and I were talking amongst ourselves and he left the option up to me as to whether we should forge ahead. What the heck else were we going to do? Go home and wait til things got ugly? Nah. Boredom breeds bad things and I just needed him on a bike behind me today. Perhaps that was why we were getting a along so well, come to think of it. We were together, but at the same time, had our own time to take everything in, and just chill out. Hmmmmm. This is making a lot of sense as I type it out and read it. I'm thinking more bike rides are in our future.......

Not under arrest. Just cooling off. 

Yes. Clearly the option was to keep going. Wyatt was increasingly pleased with his choice of biking as opposed to the MRT..something about not being able to drink beverages and take in the beauty or something if we were on the train. He's so wise. Other than a chain mishap on Will's bike, which screwed the gear changing (and honestly, a bit of my attitude) in addition to me exerting unneeded energy in multiple locations, we headed toward Danshui(AKA Tamsui) which houses Fort San Domingo. I'll spare you the history lesson and since I'm no good at it anyway, let me sum it up by saying it was cool. Figuratively and literally. It was air conditioned Thank God, otherwise Wyatt would have lost his $%@. Seriously. He was nearing his finito point. He was barely pacified by the cannons, which is saying a lot.
After we cooled off, checked off another landmark, my cheerleader and I headed back home. My sweet boy, always sensing my mood grabbed my hand on the bike when I needed encouragement and would give me a kiss every now and then on my neck...his little thank you for taxi-ing him around. Totally worth it.
http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002091&id=2129

DORK ALERT!

The Fort

We're in Beitou Baby.- Museum #7

So this museum was also over a week ago....just posting it late. What can I say, I got all involved in a couple of books and blogging kind of got pushed to the side..I'll quick type this up until I download another book onto my kindle...then I'll see you all in another week.....
So, now that we're all up to date on why I'm blog-tardy... the Hot springs Museum in Beitou was a bit of a "bonus" museum. I had been in the area before with a hike that I had been on, but I honestly had  no intention of going there with my six year old...to the Museum that is. HOWEVER, as it happened, Wyatt got called for a modeling shoot and TA DA! it was held at a museum. BAHAHA. Poor Wyatt. He can't get away from them. He got over it when he had some cash in his pocket and Lego guys at the end of the day though. He's got it tough, that one. In all actuality, he was a trooper. He was modeling a fall/winter line..outside in 90+ degrees with a bajillion degree humidity index. Tough indeed.
But yes- the Hot springs Museum was pretty cool- architecturally and layout wise. In fact the whole area is pretty neat. I'd love to go back on a weekend NOT in 100 degree weather and enjoy the hot springs/park/library area as a family. There's a lot to do and tasty food to be eaten.  Within the museum, there was a room dedicated to then and now pics which was neat to look at. Wyatt of course enjoyed looking intensely at the map and ordering me around. You know just a typical day. Oh-After the catalogue comes out I'm allowed to post pics of Wyatt's shoot. He's so stinkin' cute. Seriously. CUTE. I digress. (I'm a mess in this post, sorry)
Back to the Museum- this pretty much sums it up better than I could (or really knew how to...)

"Built in 1913, the Beitou Hot Spring Museum was originally the Beitou Public Bathhouse, the largest bathhouse in the East Asia at the time. Now it serves to recount Beitou's hot spring history. The whole building resembles an English country house. It marks the beginning of Beitou's hot spring era. On display are historical relics and documents, which tell stories of the sulfur mining, the hot spring and Taiwanese films, providing the public a window to Beitou."
http://www.taipeisprings.org.tw/english/scenic/hotspring-museum.htm

There's a special MRT line that you take (XinBeitou) which has monitors on the MRT that you can look at interactive maps and stuff. It was quite entertaining. 

Whiskey and Water- Museum's# 5 & 6 (one week late....)

Upon waking this morning I was already fantasizing about mudslides.  At 7:30 am that does not bode well for my day. I'm not even really a big drinker, (which after this post you may question)..but being as it was 7:30, I met with a girlfriend for coffee instead and just talked about my fantasy of wanting a mudslide. *sigh* (I'm writing this at 12:30 am and still thinking about the mudslide, hence its presence within this post).

Get it? he's miniature.....

Mudslides aside, I was also thinking today about how much I love The Wyatt and how I wished I had more patience and wasn't so quick to get annoyed and frustrated. I was despairing of how he always apologizes directly after one of my sighs or eye rolls of annoyance, silently praying that he will hopefully remember the good and happy things that we did together and that I really did try- really really hard to be a good mom. *air gasp AND * sigh*. Really, truly. What are the chances of this?...Him recalling all the good stuff that is?  Again these were recurring thoughts for me today, seeing as this was an exceptionally looooooong day. *Cue impatience, multiple eye rolls, yes...a few sighs...... BAH. I hate myself.  Anyway, it felt like we conquered the world.(between eye rolls and sighs)..or at least Taiwan, until I looked at my watch and it was only 10:54. AM. AM! Seriously?!?!. The day was filled with rollerblading, haircuts, multiple museums and a meat bun for The Wyatt and the clock did NOT move. 

Just setting the scene for you folks. After rollerblading, haircut and lunch, it was like 8:00 AM (I jest..like 12:45, so we (I) decided to bring us over to The Miniature Museum. Wyatt wanted to go to the Science Center Again, but I'm going to save that for a downpour of a day. Not to mention it was a decent exploring day today and we had just been to the Science Center last week. Overcast, but not raining, breezy without being terribly dripping hot... I overruled his suggestion. As per usual, I probably should have listened to my clairvoyant son. I will give this little place credit though. It was very cool interesting, and I certainly appreciated the artisan work and the pure patience that must have gone into each and every itty bitty detail of every scene that was depicted. Wyatt's interest was held because each scene described the setting/country in which it was from and he was able to stamp our brochure from each location. This was his highlight. STAMPING the brochure. MY highlight was asking Wyatt if we were getting smaller as we were walking down the museum steps and him believing me. Or at least humoring me and leading me to believe that he believed me.

If you've got like 20 minutes to kill( assuming you're with a 6 yr old boy with the attention span of knat) and 180 NT per adult and 80 NT per kid (Highway Robbery!!) (yeah, so it's like 3.50 US $...so what) then give it  try. You'll walk into the building where the museum is held, which is essentially an office building, and think that you've gone to the wrong place. You haven't. Follow the sign, walk around the corner and the museum is on the lower level. THIS is what I love about museums here..there are surprises hiding around every corner. Literally. THAT. is cool.  

A depiction of the 7 dwarves. 

My favorite miniatures....(sold in the gift shop ; )

After Wyatt and I grabbed mediocre coffee and what Wyatt described as chocolate ice cream that tasted like gas (the coffee shop was called taxi museum coffee.... I think he was unduly influenced) he played in the little park around the corner from the miniature museum, met a new BFF and claimed I ruined the "whole thing" because we had to leave. Going for broke, I cried a river for his loss and told him that we were headed towards the drinking water museum. Woo Hoo! By this time it was only 3:00 P.M.- sweet mother.  
The water museum wasn't too far out of our way and we (I)  were in that exploration type of mood. And yes, despite what you may think the museum didn't make me want to gauge my eyes out with spoons. 
We found it without a lot of hassle- it was right by the Water Department (genius!) in Taipei. There is a big water park, The Water Museum (which has the transformers, pipes, gauges etc), and a fun park where kids can run through and climb on actual pipes/ hydrants etc. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. LOVE that. 

http://waterpark.twd.gov.tw/english/index_e.htm

The Big Cheese

Relationships completely intrigue me. On the outside looking in you can look at a couple and go...really? While that same couple is looking at you saying the exact same thing. What works for some, doesn't work for others - and that's the beauty of it- otherwise we'd all be homicidal maniacs fighting over the same people. I'm not one to brag, but I couldn't handle that kind of stress. You know, with everyone fighting over me and stuff.  Uh..ok. I'll move ahead past this potential moment of awkwardness now to say, I'm not typically what one would call a gusher. A BS'r? Yeah sure. But  a "gusher"...no.  I don't really pour effusive amounts of praise upon people. I do however recognize the power of a compliment and feel that I offer that in adequate amounts when due.   

Sometimes, however, I become complacent when something is just routinely good all the time. Does that make any sense? Think about it. When something is out-of-the-ordinary-nice we feel free to give compliments and go all bananas with our praise (i.e a romantic trip/flowers). When something, or someone (in this particular case) is routinely great, it just becomes expected. Then, when it's not great or ... or really what some may consider normal, I (we?) complain. Still with me? If you get it then let me follow up with a-
Shame on me. 
Where is this going? Well I was thinking the other day, and I have to say that verbal praise for my husband is long overdue. 
In short?  *Cue the cheesefest.* Few understand the awesomeness that is my husband- and quite frankly, that's why he kicks ass. He doesn't need to tell you he's awesome in order for you to know that he's awesome. *This is actually a really great spot in which to inform readers that I will be making excessive usage of the word awesome within this blog post.* Will is incredibly understated within his awesomeness. 
He's humble, thoughtful, intelligent, has deep integrity and faith, loyal and totally black and white. He doesn't waver. There are no gray areas for him- you know where you stand and he is gentleman enough to explain his reasoning. With that being said-he emanates patience and control. 

It is his patience in fact, that kills me daily. I want it. Oh. And he knows like EV-ER-Y-thing. I'm not saying this in a hateful way. Ok. Perhaps a little hateful. I'm just being very matter of fact. The man really does know something about everything.  AND if Im being transparent this IS a love/ hate quality for me. I don't bring a lot of new information to the table ( US weekly updates don't really count apparently). He doesn't brag about this quality either- he's a super -nonchalant- understated know- it -all. Um. How awesome is that?-That's the best kind of know it all if you ask me.  

He loves me despite myself. As in... he knows all of me and is still around.  

He loves his kid. I mean really loves him. If I was the type of woman who had like 20 kids I don't think that would waver. (Ewwww, did I just write that?..the 20 kids part?) uh..anyway... He loves being a dad. 
A man who takes deep pleasure in his wife and child. Awesome right?
I'm not pulling the wool over your eyes. We have not so pretty moments, but I chose wisely. I like to think that he thinks so as well.  Obviously I'm not the only woman to write these things about her husband, but I thought I should shine the light a bit brighter on my better half....he's more than earned it.

Proof! As if it was needed of how much this man loves his wife....for our 11th anniversary my meat and potatoes eating husband took me to a pastry shop where for "dinner" we ordered pastery after pastry. (We ordered like that approximately, um...4 times I think?) It seems small, but knowing my non-sweet lover knew this would be the ultimate date...totally romantic.
I could go on about his greatness, but I'll stop before I dig myself too deep.

  

I don't know, I think between Will's faces and Shaq's- they are total doppelgangers. Just sayin'

Caging the Bird and letting him roll

So you've heard of helicopter moms right? 

Definition-helicopter parenting
noun Informal
1. a style of child rearing in which an overprotective mother or father discourages a child's independence by being too involved in the child's life: In typical helicopter parenting, a mother or father swoops in at any sign of challenge or discomfort.
(Thanks dictionary.com for that disturbingly accurate definition)
While accurate in some ways I don't feel this truly embraces the spirit of who I am. 
This brings me to the hummingbird.  

Definition- (courtesy again from dictionary.com) 1. a very small nectar-sipping New World bird of the family Trochilidae, characterized by the brilliant, iridescent plumage of the male, a slender bill, and narrow wings, the extremely rapid beating of which produces a humming sound: noted for their ability to hover and to fly upward, downward, and backward in a horizontal position.

For one,( despite being the male) I consider myself a very, ahem....colorful person....and yes, if you listen clearly, I move with a slight hum. Hummingbirds and helicopters as seen above are similar in that they are "hoverer's." I think the image of the hummingbird suits me better though. These little birds just seem so anxiety ridden to me. With their nervous little wings beating, beating,beating incessantly... They dart to and fro collecting their nectar but seem constantly on the move- round and round.... See what I'm getting at?
I hate being that mother. I hate hearing myself audibly gasp and feeling my heart plummet into my puke ridden stomach when I see my son about to fail. But life is about failing and success doesn't taste as sweet unless you've hit your face on the pavement once or twice (proverbially speaking or otherwise).
That brings me to this morning and the previous analogy seems appropriate.
Another girlfriend of mine, one who has thoroughly embraced her environment, (Love that by the way) has signed her kids up for morning activities at the local university/sports park. Having checked it out last week with her, I was thoroughly impressed by the selection of activities and the price. Classes in Chinese? No problem. Wyatt just needs to watch anyway. End story?-From 8:30-10 each day this week Wyatt has rollerblading class. 
We had gotten these Rollerblades awhile ago and due to lack of patience and frustration on both parties, have never really put them to good use. So I set my alarm for 7:30 AM ,for adequate time to get ready and held my breath. 
For some reason Wyatt and I both overslept. Crap Crap and Double Crap. I hate being late and I hate being rushed. 8:15 he jumps on me and I promptly freak and get him dressed, throw a breakfast bar at him and bike us to the sports park by 8:27. Not the start I was looking for, but we beat the teacher and had time to gear up. Thank you God. Luckily I met a mother whose daughter was also taking the class and she spoke both English and Chinese. She also was able to communicate with the instructor, telling her  that my son was a beginner....as in... He WILL fall if- you- let- him- go- beginner. This proved to be helpful info. 
I suited him up for battle and watched him...fall. I started to flit...fwd, backwards, sideways... Typical hummingbird fashion. The instructor took Wyatt's hands and together they were trying to communicate with one another about proper rollerblading form. The urge to explain what she was doing was strong. He looked over at me. I was hovering, humming in place... I confirmed with the second instructor that I pick him up at 10, and knew I needed to get out of there. He needed to fall on his face without me there to pick him up. I knew if I stayed he would quit. So here I sit in Starbucks writing this -my mind buzzing around even if my body is not. One can only make so much progress at a time. 
For now the bird is caged. I just can't promise I won't let him out at 10:01. 

This pretty much sums me up. Now to make her logo a hummingbird.....

P.S. Upon picking him up he was covered in sweat, a self proclaimed expert, and apparently teaching another little boy in the class (who was presumably worse than himself) how to skate.  Oh, and he asked me to sign him up for next week.

Typhoon vs. The Ticking Time Bomb......

 +=
OK. If I'm being honest...
I feel like it's always important to preface that I love my son. He's driving me #$*&^ insane.      *Deep Breath*OK. So Taiwan is currently in the middle, or about to be in the middle of a Typhoon. We've gone shopping for food/Typhoon junk/water (ice cream), you know- all the essentials. Anticipating that we'd be shuttered up in the afternoon/evening for the next day or two,  I even brought Wyatt over to the Science Center in the morning to get rid of some of that energy. You know...a mother's desperate attempt to deplete that gauge. (Desperate attempt? Fail). Ironically the one exhibit was about the Titanic (I swear I'm not trying to send him immediately to therapy) which Wyatt claimed to know all about already, and one on dinosaurs. Both were exceptionally interesting, though low on interactive activities. Bummer. This leads me to the present hour of 9:05 PM. Winds are kicking up and Wyatt has been bouncing..LITERALLY bouncing off the apartment walls since 3:00 PM. It makes me want to physically harm myself. Or eat. Alot. BLAST. I guess I can run in place? Or perhaps pad a wall so I can throw myself against it? We'll see how it all goes. 

P.S.- I'm the ticking time bomb in question.