Little Joker

Joe is off work this week and doing massive house projects.  I am VERY happy and grateful to be getting this stuff done – finally, the living room will be painted and eventually, the crown molding will be restored to its full glory.  N and I have been staying at my parents because there is just no room and it’s  a mess.  Anyway, as these things go, 1 – 2 nights at my parents has turned into 4, 5 . . .

Of course, during all of this, our plumbing sort of exploded and you can imagine what Joe is cleaning up today – suffice to say, I’m glad to be working!

N and I have been having fun at my parents.  My dad has taught N to “pump weights.”  This consists of grandpa lifting up 5 & 10 lbs weights over his head and N lifting 1 lb weights over his head.  It’s pretty darn adorable.  N tried to do the heavier ones and almost toppled over.  He’s a strong kid though with impressive upper body strength.  I took some photos so I’ll post them when I have a moment.  N gets the biggest grin on his face when he has the weights over his head.

N did something last night that had Joe and I laughing for a long time.  We were sitting at the table with my dad and I asked him if he wanted to go to bed.  N did this thing, where he closed his eyes and kind of put his head down on his chest.  It took us a while to figure out what was going on but then we finally figured out that he was “sleeping.”  Joe teaches him all these cute “tricks” but this is the first time he came up with the funny on his own.  We did this about a dozen times with us asking him if he wanted to got to sleep and N doing the fake sleep.  We were cracking up and N would finally lift his head way back and let out a big bellar. 

Joe has two other “tricks” that he’s taught N.  The first one is the pirate.  It pretty much consists of us asking him what a pirate says and N arghing at us.  We do it every day and it never fails to make us laugh.  The other trick is what we call “who’s the __kiest baby?”  With N then lifting his arm in their air.  “Who’s the cutest baby?”  N lifts his arm way up in the air.  “Who’s the happiest baby?”  Arm in air.  You get the idea.  Again, we are an easy crowd and N just loves to make us laugh.

From Yes! to NOOOOOOO

One trait I have loved about N is that he’s been a yes baby.  Do you want to eat?  Yes.  Do you want your vitamin?  Yes.  Do you want to go to bed?  Yes.  I love a yes attitude toward life and he was all about it.  (But, N is not a pushover – mostly just a happy kid).

Well, you can imagine where this is going.  On Thursday we went to the park and had a blast.  Daddy and N kicked the ball.  N showed us how he can climb.  N ran around like a boy who’s been pent up all winter.  All very nice.

So, after an hour and close to bed time, we asked him if he wanted to go home.   NOOOOOOOO.   Joe and I just looked at each – did he really say that?  So we tried it again? NOOOOOOO.  It’s not just a no.  It’s NOOOOOO that said like a whine with a heavy spike of pissed off.   Of course, he then proceeded to do full body board as we rassled him into the car seat. 

It was only a matter of time but . . .

Spring . . . Ahh . . .

Finally spring has arrive to MN.  And it is delightful.  Monday evening we (we as in Joe) cleaned the BBQ and had the first brats of the year.  Joe was also fixing the overly plastic, large thing on wheels that holds our hoses (I don’t know how else to describe it) and N was his little helper.  It was so cute to see N jamming the screwdriver into all the little bits like Daddy.  Joe would grunt a bit when he could move a piece and then we’d hear a little N grunt.  Pretty soon we had a grunters chorus with daddy grunting low and loud like an obo and N grunting passionately like a cello.  It was very cute!  N just loves to help his daddy with projects.  He also likes Zach pooh but we don’t need to go into that here.

N seems to be going through a growth spurt as he’s eating a large amount.  He now fits into all of his 18 month clothes that look super huge to me but they fit great.  He’s close to 30 lbs so he’s getting a bit more challenging to carry but what can you do?