Park Friends

Tuesday was park day again - it usually is. Sometimes we skip it if we know Lluvia and her son Tristan aren't going to be there, because they are who Simon and I mostly hang out and play with. Tristan's about half Simon's age, but they get along splendidly - either in spite of or because of the age/ability differences.

Simon & Tristan hanging out by the bench

Simon & Tristan shoveling (and in Simon's case, flinging) dirt. We know it's been a good park day when both boys are filthy from head to toe and it takes three head-washings to get all the dirt out of Simon's hair.

Simon might be sharing...sometimes he does.

Lluvia & Tristan in one of his snuggly tired moments

Silver City Celebration of Spring

Last weekend was the Celebration of Spring downtown. There was an art fair with live music at the Big Ditch park, a few places had rummage sales or spring events, and there was an Earth Day Celebration with kids activities at Penny Park.

Adam bumped Simon down the steps into the Big Ditch

The Ditch in spring green

We went for brunch at Diane's Restaurant

Simon coloring & stickering what would be made into a paper kite to fly - at Penny Park

"That's So Cute"

When Simon has quiet time, it tends to more often be chatty time. A few days ago we went to the Cafe at the Kumquat for lunch and ran into several friends. Simon remembered many of the people and details, and chatted about them throughout his quiet time. Some excerpts:

Say “bye-bye Unky Rob!”
Unky Rob go bye-bye in the black car
Unky Tyler has happy eyes
I like two redrums
That’s Nikki & Plablo, yeah, Plablo
Plablo’s happy
Say cheese! Say cheese again.
You are a good driver, Daddy

Today:

I need the crazy brown hat
I need to dump the baby trucks in the crazy brown hat
You drop one, okay
Momma drop 2, 7, 9. Momma drop one.
Mommy have a quiet time too
I like to come out now
I love you in the morning and in the afternoon



Other phrases we've heard recently:

I'm having trouble
That's a troubled lizard (it was dead)
There's Simon's little yellow house
Oh there's another yellow school bus! You found them!
That's so cute
I would like a vitamin
Simon's coloring green on a picture for Grandpa and Grandma Lizzy too

And the other night when I went to check on him before we turned in for the night, he muttered (more asleep than awake)

"I need more friends" - meaning stuffed animals & baby dolls. I asked what he needed and he insisted on "naked baby and poop bear" (pooh bear, and naked baby is a baby who has clothes & pj's he always takes off)

Water Baby part 2

Bobbing for toys

Splashing and smiling

Prancing through the sprinkler

Inspecting the other sprinkler - I think he wondered why water wasn't coming out of it

Water Baby part 1

Today was the first day that I actually couldn't remember what it was like to be cold and mid-winter anymore. It actually felt like summer - like winter was half a year away. I think it was about 75 degrees, clear cloudless blue sky, and periodic breeze or gusts that kept it tolerably warm (instead of HOT) outside. Simon and I had an impromptu sun & water day in response.

We had gone with Adam to drop off his van to get some work done on the brakes and then bring him back to work for the day, and when we got home Simon wouldn't go back inside. He started playing in the big bucket of water on the porch.

Yesterday was park day...and I have a few photos to post from that too. Oops. I'll do them next. But I had given him a little surprise gift of a bucket with some sand toys - a BIG treat for him. He loves to "go park - play friends inny dirt withy shovels." So now he had some of his very own. After getting home from the park, the new shovels & bucket were dusty and gross, so I wouldn't let him bring them inside. Adam had a few big plastic containers on the porch that also needed to be cleaned out, so I filled one half-full with water and cleaned out the toys. Of course, being 9 months pregnant I did NOT pick up the gray tub to pour out the water - so it was left to warm in the sun.

Upon returning to "Simon's little yellow house" (as he calls it now - with excessive glee every time) Simon instantly gravitated toward the bucket of water with toys nearby. I thought - why not? So we went inside, threw on a new cloth swimmy diaper (brand is "i play" and they're great - cloth alternatives to the disposable swimmies and less than $10 a piece) and slathered up with sunblock, found his spf shirt and hat, strapped on some sandals ("that grass is little bit pokey, huh" says Simon) and we were set! I sat in a lawn chair, enjoyed the sun & breeze, and read my book for our church book club on May 4th while I watered the lawn with a sprinkler - which Simon also enjoyed.

Hmm...I want my basketball, but I'm not sure I want to walk through the sprinkler just now...

Scooping water in his shovels

Contemplating the best location for step-stool placement

Peering

Underpants and Pony Tails

We haven't been actively working on potty training, but we're setting the stage for it with various small details. Recently I purchased a few different styles of cloth training pants for Simon to get used to as we start shifting away from diapers and toward the potty. One brand is called "Little Beetle" and they have a picture of a beetle (like a ladybug) on the front. I asked Simon what color underpants he wanted, and he promptly said "green!" When they came, I did a quick wash, and as soon as they came off the clothesline Simon wanted to wear them. Here he is, proudly displaying his "little beetle green underpants." They are on OVER his diaper, so they look rather bulky & silly. I think next time we'll do the training pants solo.

Later that same day, a catalog of children's toys & games came in the mail. Simon found some kids playing with a toy he owns and was very excited to see that. The kids in the picture were girls with two ponytails, so Simon next insisted on having two ponytails just like the kids in the picture. I complied. Again, he was exceedingly proud.

My pretty little beetle green underpants pony tail boy!

Reading, (W)riting, 'Ronunciation

Simon can say his "r's."

The other day I was cutting veggies for a salad and he looked over at me, saying "I would like a bell pepper." Very clearly.

Incidentally, he didn't eat the bell pepper - he threw it - but we were proud of his R.

Naptime

Every once in a rare while, Simon actually falls asleep during an afternoon "quiet time" that I'll give him. And most of the time when he does fall asleep, we have to go in and wake him up in order to eat dinner and burn a little more energy before actual bedtime. Monday night we were heading over to have dinner & a birthday gathering with some friends, and when we went in to get Simon ready to head out, this is how we found him. He was out cold.

Easter

I know it's already almost a month ago, but I had to share a few photos from Easter. Adam dressed Simon super cute, we went to church (Adam & I actually sang a duet) and then came home for Easter basket (mostly from Grandma Lizzy) and an egg hunt...also mostly provided by Grandma Lizzy. Simon loved it all - from opening ball-shaped "eggs" with "monies" inside to "find more eggs" outside with treats in them, to wearing and/or playing with and/or eating all the goodies from the day.