Simon Gerard

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Tia Melissa Love

Yesterday Adam shared the following little story with me:

Simon found a photo of my sister, his "Tia Melissa," and held it up to Adam. "This is Tia. She will play with me."

Yes, I'm sure she will. I wonder if on some level he realizes that we are going to see her in less than two weeks?

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Green Van, Black Music

On Adam's "to-do" list for the weekend was "clean out the van." He had arranged to sell it to another local contractor a month or more ago, but needed it to keep working till it got closer to move time. We're leaving in two weeks. Yikes! So the van goes to its new owner on Monday, and Adam recruited Simon to help clean it out today.

The lawn: full of stuff to pass on or pack, and a dumpster for the rest of it.

Simon & Adam came inside to get a drink of water and I asked how it was going. Simon started talking energetically about "that black music" they were listening to. What? In true Simon fashion he then said, "oh THAT black music." I still didn't get it. We do have neighbors who regularly have their car parked in the driveway with loud music & bass thumping, but nothing about that situation would be "black" as far as I could tell. Then Adam told me what they were listening to...something he'd pulled out of the van.

Oh...THAT black music.

Black speakers, anyway, where the music came from. Good call, kiddo.

Red Dragon, Digression and Ice Cream (Cone)

Simon likes to explore the house while I'm sitting & nursing Anson... i.e. unavailable to follow him and see what he's into. A few days ago he came out of our bedroom carrying this shirt of mine, that had been on a pile of clothes I was sorting to pack. He was so excited about the red dragon picture on it that he just lit up when I asked if he wanted to wear it. He didn't take it off for the rest of the day...and actually wore it like a nightshirt at quiet time. It only came off after ice cream spilled on it.

Red Dragon Hobbies is a hobby shop in Otisville, Michigan. Or it was 12 years ago - I don't know if it still is. When I was a junior or senior in high school some friends & I ventured out to find the shop...I'm not sure why. It seemed to be completely in the middle of nowhere (ever heard of Otisville, MI? Me neither.) and wasn't even that big as far as hobby shops go. But that group of friends certainly had a penchant for peculiar adventures, so off we went. I think I bought some dice for playing D&D (not that I needed more, but they get to be a fun & cheap addiction when you're gaming) and then one of the guys found this shirt. I thought it was the ugliest shirt I'd seen, and he said "that's the point. It's great." or something akin to that sentiment. So I bought it. And I wore it. A lot. Still do, in fact. It's probably my mom's least favorite thing I own & wear, but somehow the sheer ugliness of the shirt itself and the oddness of the situation of my obtaining it made me love it all the more. This was also the same group of geeky gamer guy friends that were my escape from the typical teen "image" in high school. I remember deliberately wearing the ugliest things I could find at 2nd-hand shops and combining them into really ugly clashing outfit combos...just to see if they'd act any differently with me. It was a test to me...did they like me less if I was ugly? Nope. They treated me exactly the same regardless. That was the best gift transmitted by a group of high school friends, and these guys had it figured out. But I digress...this is my son's blog, not my own. I will end my digression simply by saying how glad I am that Simon loves my ugly shirt as much as I do, and maybe I can somehow pass on the legacy of unconditional friendship and image-blind love through its ugliness on another generation.

After dinner we had ice cream cones. Well, Adam and I had them. Simon insisted on the cone being "clean" and the ice cream being in a bowl. This is him showing off the cone:

the ice cream:

and the nibbled-on cone with a little ice cream in the bottom that he gleefully "scooped" himself...with his spoon, from his bowl, and dropped into the cone:

Brother Lovin'

Simon really loves Anson. Really. Sometimes we still have challenges with communicating how to be gentle ALL the time, and not to pester him when he's nursing, but Simon really loves having this new little brother around. First thing when he wakes up: "where's Anson?" Before bed, he insists on giving Anson good-night kisses too. When Anson's on the bed, Simon climbs up and puts his arm around him and says "aw, that's a nice hug for Anson" (obviously "parrotting" what he's heard us say.) He brings me burp cloths and diapers and announces that they are for baby Anson. He also tries to bring Anson toys and snacks that he can't handle yet, but the spirit of love is very strong with this brother!

If Anson's up on Daddy, so is Simon. Does this count as "two boys up?"

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Simonisms

Lately every time I do laundry Simon jumps up when the machine goes on the spin cycle and leans his back into the machine - which makes him vibrate and he loves it.

Yesterday he put his first (hopefully NOT of many, but I'm realistic) peanut up his nose. Fortunately mommy successfully snatched it out with her fingers.

A few days ago he referred to his genitalia as his "peeper and peanuts."

Adam likes to get Simon to quote things that he finds amusing. Also, Adam quotes movies & such when he's trying to get Simon's attention. Recently he was trying to get Simon to bring something to him, and he quoted "Head. Pants. Now." from "So I Married an Axe Murderer." It's funny because it's said in a heavy accent... so Simon says "head, pants, new" which is what it actually sounds like.

Earlier today Simon let himself into the fridge, smiled mischievously at me and said "I would like a bean." And he reached into the bag of snap peas & munched one. Just now he went back in, opened the veggie crisper drawer, and helped himself to a carrot. I love it that my kid snacks on vegetables without my having to ask! Whoo! Small mommy victory. :)

When Simon's trying to get us to figure out what he's talking about he has a system. For example, this morning he was insisting to Adam that he wanted to wear his "black shirt." Adam didn't know what he was talking about, so he said "what black shirt?" and Simon's reply is "oh THAT black shirt." As if we'd already figured it out and exclaimed as such.

As I'm writing this, Anson's sleeping on our bed and Simon's digging through our pots & pans & plastic storage container cupboards. Just now he was singing the alphabet (yes, he knows it) and then playing "this little piggy went to market" with his toes. I love how this kid entertains himself.

Regularly we know Simon's done with his quiet time (used to be a nap, but again, we're realistic) when he begins singing "Jesus Loves Me" at the TOP of his lungs. Screaming "he is STRONG" gets the most volume.

Since Anson's been with us, Simon likes to insist on "two boys up" - meaning that Daddy picks up Simon in one arm & Anson in the other.

We have various things that are potentially dangerous for a two year old...like a stove. When Simon gets it in his head that he's going to play with it, we try to explain that it's dangerous. Then on another day he'll walk up to the stove and say "danger danger danger." He learns, but he doesn't get it.

'Tis the season for a cold beer, so we've been having one sometimes with dinner. Simon sees us use the "redrum" bottle opener, so when he gets it in his hand he promptly "opens" his sippy cup or water bottle with it. Smart kid.