Moving into summer

This is Melissa writing on June 19, 2009. Tani and I went to the DaVinci Center yesterday and his 8-year-old friend Ben led him through the tunnel.  Older kids go through in the dark; however, Tani asked to have lights on.  He also helped clean up some big soft blocks-- he takes pride in being a "helper", and whenever he has trouble separating from me at the JCC, if one of his teachers gives him a job, he goes right away to the teacher.  

We also went to the fish hatchery, what Tani and I call the "fish park", a wonderful place for kids, where they get to feed the fish.  Tani wore his boots so that he could splash in the puddles.  He's beginning to really test the boundaries and was saying that he wants to fall in and did indeed put his foot in...breathe...we also saw two blue herons while at the fish hatchery, and I just got an iPhone, so Tani sat on a bench at the end of our visit and watched Laurie Berkner sing "We are the Dinosaurs."  

I found some of my books from childhood, and Tani particularly loves "Morris the Moose goes to School."  (Yes, sometimes he calls the book "Grandpa Morris goes to school")  Morris first goes to the fish store, in search of candy, and then gets directed to the candy store.   Last week, Tani and I bought fish at the Farmer's Market (he now helps pay) and then I gave him 3 quarters to buy some candy...but they don't let you buy a few candies the way Morris the Moose did.  (Morris got 6 gumdrops for 6 pennies).  We had to buy a quarter pound.  Yes, Tani has discovered candy, which gives him great delight.  It's also a wonderful way to bribe him to do something-- 3 white chocolate chips worked like magic a few weeks ago.   

We have been going to the library, and signed up Tani for the summer reading program.  He loves Amelia Bedelia.  He also loves the water fountain at the library.  Oh, they have great kids' music.  They Might Be Giants is one of Tani's favorites-- we have had their ABC CD for a while, and just got their 123 CD.  He loves to sit in the car and listen to his music "LOUD".  He also loves to "cuddle in Mommy's bed" at night, once he's in his PJs.  

Tani has been taking on new identities.  Lately, he has been a bunny and also Gordon (one of Thomas the Train's friends).  The other day, he was a camel, and last night he was a lion.  Sometimes, he's a cat.  He doesn't like for me to be something else-- I'm always "Tani's Momma".

Block party

Melissa is on retreat this weekend so Tani and I are on our own.  Today we had a big day in Philadelphia.  We went to synagogue at Germantown Jewish Centre.  We spent about ten minutes in services, an hour on the playground, and 30 minutes at kiddush.  It was nice to see old friends in Mt. Airy.  It had rained the previous week and there was a big puddle on the playground.  Luckily, I remembered to bring Tani's boots.  Unfortunately, the puddle was so big that after Tani jumped in the puddle the water splashed up into his boots and all over his pants.  Fortunately, Melissa reminded me to bring a change of clothing.  We then headed to W. Philly to see cousin Jen, her husband Joel, and their eight week old baby Jonah.  They were staying with friends on St. Marks Square street which was having a block party.  So we arrive ~2 pm and there are tricycles, super soakers, and other fun toys scattered about the street and on people's porches (the street has row houses with front porches on both sides).  There's also a kiddie pool set up and Tani want to go get wet again.  Fortunately I have a swim suit and swim diapers - I thought we were going to go swimming yesterday and didn't take the swim bag out of the trunk.  Unfortunately I didn't think I had his water shoes, so I took off his sneakers and sent him barefoot into the street.  He happily walked up the block and played in the pool, with the super soakers and jumped around as others sprayed hoses.  He also got to ride on a peddle bulldozer and play with a garbage truck on someone else's porch.  I had also brought his tricycle which I had put on the side of the street.  Tani got very upset when he saw other kids riding it.  I explained how we were all sharing and that he was having fun playing with other kids' toys.  That explanation did not seem to help much.  I had a nice visit with Jen and Joel and got to see baby Jonah, who seems to be studying everything, taking it all in - he seems very content and happy.  At some point I needed to change Tani's diaper and after looking at the bottom of the stroller for wipes noticed that I had his water shoes after all.  So I changed his diaper, put back on his bathing suit and now water shoes, and we wandered up the block looking for water balloons.  But more festivities were about to occur.  First was a pinata breaking activity.  Kids gathered round and took turns whacking the pinata with a baseball bat until tons of candy fell out.  Fortunately, Tani was so busy playing with his water shoes he didn't pay attention.   After this was a donut eating contest.  Parents string up about 30 donuts on a line and the kids each try to eat a donut without using their hands.  Whoever finishes the donut first is the winner.  Tani has shown no interest in donuts up until now but the kids were having so much fun he went to investigate.  He touched a donut and licked his fingers and noticed they were sweet.  So he decided to enter the contest but did use his hands to devour the donut.  Joel has a picture of this.  I stayed a bit later than I should have as Tani was clearly getting tired.  I gathered things up and Joel helped me and Tani get to the car.  I was on the Schulykill expressway at the Montgomery Ave exit when I realized I had forgotten his sneakers.  Ughh.  Jen found them and I'll ask her to mail them back.  So I went to the Lehigh Valley mall once we got to Allentown and now Tani has some sandals for summer.

I love you, Momma

This is Melissa writing my first blog entry.  A few days ago, Tani started saying "I love you, Momma"--Neysa and I have been regularly telling him that we love him since he was born, and it's amazing to now receive Tani's words of love.  He often says it spontaneously.  He also started giving kisses-- a little slobbery, but wonderful.  He loves to cuddle in Mommy's bed when he wakes up in the morning.

We are beginning to talk about going to a new house-- we don't yet know exactly where we'll be moving.  We needed to reassure Tani that he'll be coming with us, and then he requested that our new house have a basement and a garage...we'll see...

We saw baby Amani (my cousin Mike and Liz's 3-month old daughter) this weekend, and Tani has been pretending to be baby Amani.  This includes pretending to nurse.  He is now fully weaned.  I am grateful for the 2+ years that Tani nursed and I am now also grateful that he is weaned.  Tani also often pretends that he is a bunny.  And sometimes, he's curly bear, a character from Elmo's potty video.

We had 2 full weekends-- from May 21-25, Grandma Diane and Grandpa Arthur came to visit.  We went to MayFair in Allentown and Tani had his first paddleboat ride.  He also picked out a pink hand-sewn snake and a small wooden tow truck with a car as a present, and before Grandma and Grandpa returned to Atlanta, they got him a little Thomas the train engine.  I showed Tani the plain version and mud-covered version.  He chose the mud-covered version, then later tried to take off the mud.  He loves Thomas, and pretty much anything with wheels.

This past weekend, we celebrated with my cousin Nicole as she graduated from college and then spent 2 days with Tani's cousin Max, Uncle Mitch and Aunt Val, as well as Grandma Susan and Grandpa Morris.  We visited Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia, which was one of the most gorgeous places I have ever been, and has wonderful fountains for children to play around.  Tani and Max had a wonderful time running around and getting wet together.  My mother organized this visit, which was a real treat for my father, who is turning 70 on June 9.  While we were sitting at lunch, Tani sang the whole alphabet song and baa baa black sheep.  He sang quietly, but also seemed to enjoy the audience.   On the car ride home, he sang along with the CD--he loves the They Might Be Giants Alphabet CD, especially, "Go, go go for G"  He was disappointed when our car ride, which was over an hour, was over-- he wanted a longer drive and asked to go to Providence to see Ezra (his 3-year-old friend who is Joanna and Rebecca's son).