Family Day!

This weekend we enjoyed a beautiful day down at a local water park with Jonathan. We arrived early, had a perfect morning together, and made it home for nap-time and then a date night for the two of us. A few shots from our sunny morning:


Playing in the pool with Daddy


Very industriously playing in the sand. He announced at least once: "I'm working hard!"

Enjoying the sunshine with Mommy


Jonathan has also taken to reading "by myself." In fact, there's a lot he wants to do "by myself." Last week he looked up at a helicopter in the air and announced, "I ride it the helicopter by myself." No... not yet, preferably not ever. But reading by himself is a tad less dangerous. Here he is this morning in mismatched PJ's with his feet draped over the arm of the rocking chair, exactly how he likes to read "by himself."



Big block towers from a few weeks ago:

"Kaboom!"
Big dramatic "On No!"

Jonathan was delighted when his nanny, Joy, brought her son over to play for the day. He adores Josh and wanted to do everything with Josh that day. Peps, on the other hand, used the opportunity to get a little space and spent most of the day resting under the table.


As Jonathan talks more and more we just love seeing inside his little mind through his words -- they're almost more memorable than the loads of adorable photos. The recent conversations that come to mind highlight Jonathan's growing negotiation skills. While he has the boyish energy of his father and the loquacity of his mother, he seems to have his Papa's edge for negotiation. In a store this past week, we stumbled upon the kid section, with all kinds of toys strewn about for play.

"Have it the toys!?!?"
"No, Sweetie, we can't have the toys. You can play with them here, but we can't take them with us."
He thought for a moment, then holding up one finger, "Take it ONE toy!"

Knowing his Dad's affection for the store, I figured that was probably a safe bet on Jonathan's part, so I stuck with my own parents' standard ambiguous answer of "we'll see." Sure enough, we walked out with a new little tent and climb-through tunnel... my husband's pick.
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Liking his toys doesn't mean he knows how to care for them, typical of a nearly 2 year old. While running around the house with a Fisher-Price popper in a display of amazing toddler energy, he stopped the other day to look up at David:

"Daddy open the pop toy?"
"No, Jonathan, that toy doesn't open. It stays like that."
Jonathan looked down at the toy and then back up to tell David in declaration, "I need a hammer!"

I don't think David could quit laughing in his surprise to tell Jonathan he wouldn't be getting a hammer any time soon.

So when I joined them in the living room a bit later Jonathan tried again, approaching me with the popper in hand, "I need a hammer... open the pop toy."

"I'm sorry, Jonathan, we can't use a hammer to open the toy. Then your toy would be broken. Why don't you push it around some more."
"Daddy... use it the hammer, open the pop toy."

You had to admire his persistence, but when it became clear we would not, in fact, be providing a hammer for the destruction of his toy, the tantrum of disappointment would make you think we had denied him the most simple and essential of requests. While I waited out his tears of frustration, I reminded myself for the bajillionth time this month, "It must be hard to be a toddler."
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And then this afternoon, eating snack with some puzzle pieces on the table beside him... Jonathan picks up the cow and holds the puzzle piece to his chest with an expression of affection.
"Hug the cow."
Picking up the sheep, "Hug the sheep."
Then it's pig's turn, "Hug the pig."
For lack of a better response, I say, "That's nice, I'm sure they like your hugs."
Jonathan's reply, "All the toys happy."
Yep, we all like hugs.