What's that?

Last Friday we had a great father & son day at the zoo. We go there often, so I didn't capture anything amazing with the camera. We’d so far resisted letting Oliver play in the sandbox, but it was so sunny out, we were unhurried, and I had plans to vacuum the car this week anyway, so...

On Sunday Jenny and I found a place called “Out of this World” which some friends had recommended. It’s warehouse-sized play area for kids – inflatable castles, rock climbing walls, books, play structures, and Oliver’s favorite: a little bicycle/scooter course. He got to run the place twice because my folks took him there the day after we did!

Baby sister is kicking more strongly than ever. Jenny thinks our little girl is dishing out more womb punishment than Oliver did at this stage. Sometimes I flash forward to the near future when we’ll be chasing after two of them and I just have to sigh; it’s both a pleasure and a dread to think about. Hopefully the little sister will settle into a stroller every now and then when we’re out and about; Oliver won’t; he has to walk, run, or sit on my shoulders.

Finally, I can’t escape the urge to start posting some of those “Kids Say the Cutest Things” moments. What parent can resist? A year ago, Oliver had a vocabulary of about ten words and now he won’t shut up. He talks about everything, asks about everything, complains about everything.

Last Sunday during the Academy Awards, Andrew Stanton at Pixar received an Oscar for WALL-E (which we’ve seen many times now – thanks, T!!). When Stanton held up the award, Oliver pointed at him with interest and asked, “What’s that toy?”

Toddler/Photographer

Oliver has always taken an interest in the camera (and the calculator, the remote, the computer, the oven, and anything else with buttons). Yesterday I showed him how to find things in the viewfinder and how to push the little button to take a picture. He took off with the camera, running around the house, pushing the button and making that exciting flash and clicking sound. Most of his photos were of his little pink fingers over the lens, but he actually captured a few things. Self portrait #1Self portrait #2Lots of them like this!Kitty
Dad and doggy (what composition!)

Dad again (this really is my best side)

Reading Material

We bought books to encourage toilet training and some more books to introduce the new sibling concept.

PAYOFF 1:

May Oliver someday forgive me for posting this picture, but I can’t help but share the good news! We’re not all the way there yet (far from it!), but the concept has been planted and the reward (an M&M for any “deposits”) is motivating.

PAYOFF 2:
Yesterday my parents took Oliver to a toy store at the mall. Oliver picked up a pink doll set and said he wanted it. Please forgive my dad for pushing the gender stereotyping with regard to toys, but this is the conversation that followed:

OLIVER: I want this!

DAD: Oliver, that's a girl toy.

OLIVER: Girl toy?

DAD: You don't want a girl toy, do you?

OLIVER: No, it’s for my sister!


Sweet? Or just learning to game the system?

And finally, here’s a song: