Zoo!

Why not go to the zoo on a random Tuesday?  So fun!

Up, Down, Up, Down

Caught in the Rain

The sky was darkening as Jonah was out riding his bike.  We stayed outside until we felt the first few drops, when we headed for home.  By the time we reached the driveway (literally 20ft away) we were caught in a deluge!  I told Jonah to go up and wait on the porch (meaning the covered front stoop) while I ran his bike into the garage.  Poor Jonah ran around the side of the house and wrestled to open the fence to reach the screened porch!  He was in tears when I found him and carried him inside.  It was dark and raining HARD.  Scary!  Elliott wasn't so happy either, as he was in the carrier this whole time.

Jonah and I were soaked, so we changed into boots and embraced the rain.  It took all the scary out of the storm and we had a blast stomping in the huge flash-flood puddles.

Next time I'll try harder to convince Jonah to wear sandals or water shoes... I had to pour the water out of his boots!

The perfect place to read a good book?

Elliott's Baptism

Elliott became an official member of the congregation today as he was Baptized at St. Luke's.  He slept like a champ and woke up in time to realize his impending fate beside the water font.  He settled after only a few cries and cuddled with Daddy through the rest of the service... expect during the transubstantiation he let out a few happy "aaah!" cries with each ring of the bells.  The Holy Spirit at work?

Thank you to all the family and friends who traveled near and far to celebrate Elliott's initiation into the Catholic Church.  We were overjoyed by the outpouring of love on this special day.

Are you my Friend?

It is both interesting a frustrating to understand that my son is his own person.  They say kids figure this out around age 2, and thus begin acts of defiance to establish their independence.  I guess a similar transition happens for parents, too.

I suppose I always accepted that there were "clicks" at school, but it is completely rational to play with a couple kids at a time and not an entire class.  But I foolishly assumed they all get along.  We can ask who Jonah played with at school and the answer is always some combination of the same few kids.  Then I ask about some of the other kids in the class, and the answer is a firm "no" or even "he's mean".  Even if grown-ups are always calling all kids friends, toddlers seem to know better.

While it's delightful for Jonah to make friends or recognize a bad apple, it is sad when his judgement differs from my own.  A very sweet, but very shy little girl from playgroup kept asking Jonah, "are you my friend?" to which he kept replying, "no!", crying and running away.  The poor little thing!  I felt so sad for her, but admired her resilience.  She must have asked a hundred times.

I want Miss Jacqueline!

A good college friend came to visit over the long weekend and spent lots of time entertaining Jonah playing ball, cooking, reading, etc.  If she so much as left the room Jonah would ask me, "Mom, where your buddy?"

When we hurriedly dropped her off at the train station today, Jonah gave the loudest and most emphatic cry I have ever heard from him:  "I want Miss Jacqueline!  I want Miss Jacqueline hug me!"  With HUGE crocodile tears.  The poor kid was clearly distraught at her departure.

We took a walk down by the tracks, where five tracks simultaneously pass above a river and below a pedestrian walk, all of which tunnel under the mall.  He loved it... but kept intermittently crying for Miss Jacqueline!  We waved to the commuter train as it passed to say good-bye (although her Amtrak train had departed 20 minutes prior.  Shhhh!)  Bye, Miss Jacqueline!  We miss you!!!

Fast Friends

Happily, Jonah decided to be best buds with the son of my college friend.  They had met before as babies, but now 2 years old they can actually play together.  They immediately found they have a lot of similar interests, including basketball, soccer and bounce houses.  Unfortunately, these hobbies intersected in a rather competitive way.  Even with 6 balls in the yard, they always wanted the same one at the same time, even though the favorite varied throughout the day!  They both did a great job "using their words", but understanding one another was another issue entirely.  ;-)

Surprise!

I love to be surprised by the new things Jonah can do!  Today he sat in the "big boy" swing and pumped his legs correctly.  Then it was my turn and he pushed me in the swing!

After swinging, Jonah did a somersault in the grass!  He thought I should do one, too.  I don't remember it being quite so painful!  Ow.

Greatest Show on Earth

Jonah was terrified, but couldn't take his eyes off the show!  His mouth was hanging open through most of it.  The trapeze was a little too much for him and he wanted to go home, but after a short break he came back to see the tigers!  Jonah loved the tigers and elephants best.

Elliott slept through most of the show, but awoke near the end.  He was hungry, and awfully surprised to find himself at the circus!  The startled look in his eyes was priceless.