Balloon fest

Last weekend, we enjoyed a bunch of fun at the annual balloon fest. AJ was enthralled.

Random Thoughts

I'm bracing myself. In less than two months, AJ will be 3 years old. So hard to imagine that is even possible. In some ways, it seems like not that long ago he was born, yet in other ways because I can barely picture my life before having him, it feels like he's always been a part of it. I'm bracing myself because I have to expect troubling threes. AJ is willful and ornery (it's part of his charm and it makes us laugh daily), but we have not experienced any terrible twos really. On Thursday, I got off of work early, so when I picked him up we went to play at the play area in the mall. There was a bigger kid there that kept running over and AJ and was being a bit of a bully to some other kids too. I was just about to say something to the boy when AJ came over to me and said, "Mom, I am not pleased! I am upset. That boy is stepping on me and he didn't take his shoes off." Before I had a chance to respond, he continued, "I am going to throw a fit." I told him that I'd rather he didn't. He repeated that he was going to throw a fit, and then he grabbed a handful of air and threw it very hard, grunted, then threw his head down onto the padded bench I was sitting on. He kept his head down for about 30 seconds, and then looked up and said, "I feel better now." I told him I was glad. He then proceeded to walk over to the boy who was blocking the top of the slide from other children, and said to the boy, "Excuse me, but I want to go down the slide. Please move and don't step on me again." To my surprise, the boy looked startled, but moved." I keep thinking our luck with AJ will run out soon. Despite AJ's willfulness, he is the most loving child. He loves getting and giving hugs and kisses. He frequently tells us he loves us. He has demonstrated empathy and is concerned about our happiness as well as his own. He is a snuggler. He loves to be read to. He'll sit and my lap and let me read to him forever. He has a wonderful imagination. He is very good about taking naps and going to bed. He is great about picking up his toys and putting them away. I couldn't ask for a better child. He has a very strong personality and I love him just exactly the way he is.

Tattle Tale

AJ has become quite the tattle tale as of late. It's funny except when he is tattling on me. Last Tuesday morning, I drove around checking out some preschools and when we left one of them, I was given some material to look over. I was curious about something so when I got to the car, I told AJ to jump into his seat and I sat and started looking over the stuff I was given. After a couple of minutes, AJ got impatient and asked me if we were going to go. I put down the stuff I was reading, started the car and began to head out. Before I got out of the parking lot, AJ yells at me, "Mommy, buckle my seat belt!" I stopped right away, turned around and began apologizing profusely to AJ and thanking him for telling me because it is indeed important to keep him safe. This event occurred at 9:30 AM. At 4:00 PM, I get a voicemail from Dave telling me that AJ told on me about the seat belt incident. So far, this is the only time he has told on me. Usually, he tells on Dave. He's told on Dave when Dave gave him a sucker or some other candy or when Dave didn't brush his teeth or once when Dave tried to get away with not actually reading a book, but rather tried to just tell a story based on the pictures. AJ knew better (because he has had me read it a dozen times) and told on Daddy not reading it right. The one time that really cracked me up was when we went out to eat and AJ said he had to go potty. Dave took him to the bathroom, got AJ back in his seat, and sat down himself before AJ leaned over to me and looked at me deadly serious and said in his best tattle telling voice, "Mommy, Daddy didn't wash my hands." Dave just rolled his eyes, got back up and took AJ back to get his hands washed. AJ could have, of course, said something to Dave about needing his hands washed before leaving the bathroom the first time, but clearly AJ wanted to have something to tattle about.

Visit from Grandpa Eric, Michelle, and kids

We had such a great couple of weekend visits from the Lentz clan from Missouri. Michelle's family lives in Ohio, so they stopped here for most of the weekend on the way up and then on the way back. AJ totally loved it. (We did too. It was such a great visit.) AJ really should be a big brother. The kid loves babies. He was crazy about baby Cayci. We all loved Cayci, she is a doll baby. Such a good little thing, but Dave and I were crazy about having Logan and Nathaniel here. Those boys were so great with AJ. In general the boys are just great kids, but watching how sweet they were with AJ was just too cool. I really cracked up the last day they were here and the boys were playing in the pool with AJ and it was getting late. I went to get AJ and told the boys they could still play, but AJ needed to come in. They begged to let AJ stay with them. They said, "Please let him stay up longer. He's not being cranky or anything." We let him stay in the pool until 9:00 PM that night. Way past AJ's bedtime. So much fun!