thankful

We're off to spend Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa Bray's house.  Evan did the packing for me and him.  For him he did pretty well... orange pants, dog jammies, car sweatshirt... what more could a two-year old need?  I may have thrown in a few extras pants, shirts, undies, and socks.  When it came time to pack my suitcase, Evan scooped up all the clean laundry that was in a pile on our bedroom floor, jammed it in, zipped it up, put it a book and ladybug toy, and put it next to the door (because once something is ready to be loaded in the car, it waits by the door)

It's a little sad that I have to secretly go re-pack myself.  He seemed so proud!  Ahh, Thanksgiving of course makes me think about what I'm thankful for... that boy is at the top of that list! 



first snow

There's something magical about the first snowfall of the year, especially to a two-year old.  Evan had wanted to make a snowman, but we didn't get that much... so he settled for making footprints around the yard.  Simple pleasures! 

Halloween and Conversations with Evan

Here are three mini stories that I have wanted to tell over the past week...

Beginning with Halloween, we were invited to a Trick or Treating get together by one of Evan's friends, Jay. Many of Evan's friends were there, and after a kid friendly meal of pizza we took to the street like a gang of marauding toddlers in search of candy. Jay lives in a neighborhood which is favorable for high quality Trick or Treating. Evan snagged FULL SIZE Baby Ruth, Hersey's, and Snickers candy bars, not to mention countless other top notch sugarized items. All of which were clearly IDEAL treats for a 2 year old. After a house or two Evan realized the amazing bounty this neighborhood had to offer, and upon receiving his candy would ask, "Can we go to the next house?" When we agreed he would run to the next house, walk to the door and say, "Trick or treat thank you", as a single phrase. Which I found endearing, and the home owners must also have found endearing, because, again, they gave him with full size candy bars.

Lately, when Evan uses the bathroom, specifically to produce a #2, he invites me to come with him so that we can "talk about trucks". I sit on the counter next to the sink, and he sits on the toilet. We have a dialogue that begins with me remarking on what type of truck I like. For example I say, "I like... dump trucks." When I say this Evans eyes brighten, and a smile lights up his face. Then he replies, " I like dump trucks with trailer hitches and trailers and a monster truck on the trailer and the doors don't open and it won't fall off." Because he has put so many ideas together I typically tell him, "Wow, I like your imagination." Recently, however, after he finishes describing the type of truck that he likes, he has started asking, "Do you like my imagination?" Which I think is cute. It is a question I suspect that he asks not because he needs praise for his idea, but because he simply appreciates the customary progression of our conversation, and this is what he expects to come next. I enjoy these conversations, and the fact that he wants to repeat the same conversation again and again, is rewarding because it indicates to me that he enjoys our little talks too.

Finally, Evan and I went to play at the park the evening of November 6th. It had been a beautiful morning, but as the afternoon progressed, it became overcast and windy. The temperature remained in the low 60s, but because it was so windy I was a bit concerned that he would get cold. I put an extra coat on him, and as we were walking over to the playground equipment I asked him if he wanted a hat on. He replied, "No, I like to feel the wind in my hair." It was the type of comment I would expect to hear from the mouth of a free spirited surfer on some sunny California beach, but it was coming from a 2 year old on a gloomy November evening. It made me smile. I wish I had a video of him walking to the playground with the wind whipping his shaggy blonde hair. You'll just have to use your imagination.

Halloween - The Day Before

I wanted to begin the Halloween post by writing about the day we carved pumpkins, which was actually the day before the holiday. We had made carving plans with with Evan's friends Cora and baby Margo. They were going to be over at 4:00 PM so it was important for Evan to lay down for his nap on time. What is interesting is that Evan is a good napper 98% of the time, but on this day, when I really wanted him to fall asleep on time so he would be alert and congenial when his friends arrived, he decided that sleep was not on the agenda. He made this abundantly clear by throwing that good frog, Froggy, out of his crib and wailing sadly while clutching his crib bars not long after I laid him down. So I reached deep into my bag of tricks and took him for a soothing car ride, a sure fire way to get him to snooze... I thought. After 20 minutes of driving, however, and after Evan had pointed out all of the Old Barns to me on Old Mission Peninsula, I thought I might have failed. I decided to head home, but before I did I pulled over, and told Evan that we were both very tired and it was a good time to go to sleep. When I started driving again Evan asked if my eyes were closed. I told him they were not, but suggested that he close his because it was time for rest. A moment later he said he could not see my eyes because the rearview mirror was pointed in the wrong direction, and he again wanted to know if my eyes were closed. I told him that my eyes were open for now, but that I was going to take a rest when we got home and that he should try to sleep now. I did move the rearview mirrow so that I could see him sitting behind me in the back seat. As we drove I could see that he was finally beginning to get a sleeply look on his face (sleepy face = expressionless with droopy cheeks and mouth, drooling is often involved). He started blinking more, and with each closure of his eyes, re-opening would take longer. Finally his eyelids were just too heavy, and he looked as if he were asleep. But then, right at that moment, his eyes opened once more, and he said, "I'm sleeping Daddy!" Then he shut his eyes again, his head rolled to the side to rest comfortably on his car seat, and I heard tiny snores. I thought it was cute and touching that he was trying to fall asleep because I had asked him too, and that he had caught himself just prior to nodding off, and was so proud that he had been successful at going to sleep. With this commentary I am posting a picture of the end result of our pumpkin carving get together. Aside from being a good time, we ended up with some sweet sweet scary cool pumpkins.