Armadillo

We got to pet a three-banded armadillo today! It was the cutest little creature.  For some reason a zookeeper brought it to the Botanic Gardens for a video conference.  Matthew told us we could come and touch it.  Linus didn't nap,so I loaded him up and we went for this amazing experience.  Linus has no clue that getting to pet an armadillo is unusual.  Which is a great perspective on life, thinking that such things are normal.  I, on the other hand, was totally jazzed up about it.  I wanted to bring it home with us.  It was so cute.

On Tuesday we received a huge amount of produce from our CSA farm and we got our first corn of the season.  Linus helped me shuck corn and then proceeded to eat his raw. Every single kernel of it.  I guess he just couldn't wait.

Here are some things he has said recently:

*"What mama thinking?"  I thought that was pretty advanced for a two-year-old to understand from the look on my face that I was contemplating something.  (I was thinking about freezing green beans at the time.)

*Lately he asks me, "Mama happy?"  I say yes and then he asks if Matthew is happy. I say yes.  Then Linus says he is happy and that everyone is happy.

*He has started using the word "actually" and he uses it correctly.  He also uses the word creature to describe animals sometimes, which he picked up from me.  

*He brought home a library book called Germs Are Not for Sharing.  After hearing it once or twice he started coughing into his sleeve instead of his hand.  He'll cough for real, point out to me that he is coughing into his sleeve, and then does a few fake coughs into his sleeve to punctuate the act.

*Every time he uses the potty one of us ends up saying, "Germs are not for sharing," to remind him to wash his hands.  One time Matthew was using the bathroom and as soon as Linus heard the toilet flush, he bellowed out, "Germs are not for sharing, Matthew!!!"  It was a riot.

*He was playing store with the real food in the cupboard and I wrote down some of what he said.  "I'm buying food for my family.  My family likes to eat couscous.  My family wants to eat more pinto beans. My family likes pasta.  I like buying pine nuts most."

*He was playing with a sticker of a camel.  He narrated the story like this: "Camel just standing there. Another camel will walk and bonk into it. They'll be friends."

*After every few bites of a sandwich he showed it to me and says it is a letter. One time a "b" and one time a "j."  Not really, but he has a good imagination.

*We were at a coffee shop that has a bunch of toys because it caters to parents of young kids.  Linus was playing with other kids and came over to tell me, "I like playing with dolls mostly.  I like playing with train mostly.  And playing bus."

Tonight he fell and split open his lip.  It was important to him that Matthew see it, but Matthew is working late.  I said Matthew would look in on him when he got home.  

First Coloring Book

Although his friends have coloring books, I have held off on buying one because I never ran across one that wasn't with licensed characters designed to make kids want more stuff. We were at the locally-owned children's bookstore to buy a couple of presents and I found a beginner's coloring book that has lessons that are more directed in the respect that they build on a two-year-olds ability to control a crayon.  

The book is published by Kumon and each page has a different theme.  The first two are shown above.  In the one on the left he was instructed to color in catsup on the omelette. In the one he is working on he was to draw spaghetti on the girl's plate.  He thought both activities were fun and returned to both of them several times over the next day or so.  After a few more pages of scribbling type activities it moves onto coloring a shape that is white in the middle of something. For example, there is a yellow lemon with a white triangle in the middle.  One is asked to color in the triangle.  

Before any of you think this is too academic for just coloring, I want to say that the approach is quite laid back and tells caregivers to let kids color the activities however they like and with whatever colors they choose.  Linus seems to like that there is an activity to do, rather than just color pictures.  He gets to contribute to the picture.  In the picture of the girl sitting at the dinner table with the spaghetti, Linus asked why she had a grownup glass.  He calls wine glasses that because whenever he wants a drink of my wine I tell him it is a grownup drink.  I couldn't think of a good answer other than that maybe she was drinking juice out of the glass for a special occasion. 

Playing Librarian

Here is Linus leading what he refers to as program.  He always has a very attentive audience.
I left the room for maybe five minutes and I came in to find Linus like this.  I really got a kick out of his balancing act, but I kept that response to myself, took a quick photo, and then told him it wasn't safe for him to be up there like that. He hasn't tried it again so perhaps he got it out of his system.  Notice that teddy bear, police duck, lovey, and bink were accomplices.  He's been big on carrying any number of toys around at all time.  He must be going through another emotional development phase; he wants bink and lovey with him at all times.  His friend Anna is the same way. She showed up to the library with her lovey, baby, and two Ziploc bags filled with little toys.

At dinner tonight Linus said, "I like dinner, mama.  Mama make a good dinner." We were dining on a new recipe I tried for new red potatoes and green beans with butter and garlic, leftover soba noodles with veggies, and leftover mac and cheese with broccoli and cauliflower in it.  It wasn't the best meal I've ever served, but it made Linus happy.  Matthew has done a good job of teaching and modeling Linus on thanking the cook. 

Trike

It was fun telling Linus there was a surprise outside for him and then witnessing his curiosity about what it could be.  He hopped on it right away and figured out how to ring the bell.  He will be working on his pedaling skills for a while.  We picked up his bike helmet from Lucero's house so he'll be set for a while.  

He has a new baby doll.  It came with jammies, but he prefers for it to be naked most of the time. He is very gentle and caring with it.  He even took it for a bike ride!  Sometimes he refers to her as a girl and other times he says it is big brother to his other baby, the Kewpie doll.

Surprise for Linus

After I posted last night I went on Craig's List and looked for a trike.  I wanted one with a bell and  streamers.  I found one listed for $10 and I was the first to respond.  I went out and picked it up tonight and returned home after Linus had gone to bed.  He will be so excited.  I can't wait to take him out to the patio to give it to him.

Hot as Blazes

It is dastardly hot here lately.  None of the little kids are eating much and those without air conditioning aren't sleeping.  I told Langley she and Chase would just have to move into our basement until the heat wave broke. All the pregnant women I know are especially suffering.

Linus made a valiant effort to ride Lucero's trike last week.  He stuck with it and made many attempts to get the pedals to go around.  I guess it is time to think about buying him a trike. He also needs a sandbox because he keeps trying to climb into the sand/water table he has. 

Yesterday and today Linus lined up a number of his stuffed animals and plastic figures and said, "Time for program."  He then proceeded to "read" them a book. He took great care in ensuring each toy got a good look at the pictures.  He was being the story time librarian!  I can't wait to tell her about it next week. One time he placed the small plastic figures in the laps of the larger stuffed animals, just like some of the kids sit in their caregiver's lap.  

Linus was drumming today and said, "I'm Jonathan. Mama, clap."  Then he put down the drumsticks and drummed with his hands while telling me, "Jonathan uses his hands." Jonathan is one of Matthew's coworkers who drums for fun.  We really enjoy his performances and go to see him when he plays at the Gardens.  Jonathan always lets Linus beat on his drum. 

Linus' favorite song to sing right now is Baa, Baa Black Sheep.  Most of the time he just loudly bellows, "BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP!"  Now and then he sings all of the words at a more reasonable volume.  I still haven't figured out what possesses him to holler out the first line like that at odd times.  

Ten Apples Up on Top

Here are a couple of photos from the Wednesday night when we attended Members' Night at the Gardens.  Linus had fun attempting to roll down the amphitheater hill with Matthew.  He found some little apples on the ground under a tree and brought them back with him to our picnic blanket.  He started putting them on his head and saying lines from the Theo L. LeSieg book, Ten Apples Up on Top." 

I'm having a hard time finding the time and energy to post much lately.  Linus only naps every two or three days and keeps me going every second.  He has started the "why" phase and I find it tedious.  I wouldn't have a problem with him asking me a legitimate question; but, instead he asks me things to which he already knows the answer.  Or he asks me something very random like, "Why is that man driving?"  Uh, because he has somewhere to go!?  How do I know?  Plus, if we ask him a question he turns around and asks the question of us instead of answering it.

He continues to be adorable as ever.  This morning he came up to me with a big smile on his face and said, "Mama look pretty in the skirt."  He says things like that whenever I wear a particular skirt, so it must be his favorite.

Kewpie

Linus' baby was dirty.  I suggested giving her a bath.  He wanted to me to fill up the bathtub, but I said the sink was a better size for her.  He scrubbed her up quite thoroughly and even used the hand soap.  Then he had her use the faucet as a diving board.  It was a good bit of fun for him.

Humor and Sweetness

Linus keeps cracking us up or amazing us with the things he says.  His vocabulary continues to grow at breakneck speed and he is stringing sentences together with more words.  Matthew asked me if I was writing it all down.  I'd have to write down every other thing he says, so I'm only able to capture a small percentage of his witty remarks.

*He was building with his mega blocks and said, "I have idea to build butterfly."

*He is enthusiastic about many things and frequently says, "I'm having fun!"

*I showed him how to use the salad spinner, which he thought was the coolest thing.  He announced, "I'm a good helper with lettuce."

*He describes things as being upside up and upside down.

*Told me, "My tummy is thirsty."

*Matthew has been trying to teach him how to listen to his body for when he needs to use the potty. We were at the museum and when Matthew told him to listen to his body Linus said, "My body says no!"

*We made felt puppets the other day and when we finished the frog puppet he said, "Good job, Mama! I wear it."

*I spelled out museum to Matthew so Linus wouldn't know I was suggesting it as a destination and Linus figured out I was talking about the museum and said he wanted to go there.  That was kind of freaky. I suppose the seum letters in museum sounded close enough to the full word.

*I overheard him in the back yard saying, "Shoo away; shoo away bug."

*He told me his yellow car was crabby. When I asked why he said, "Because its not happy."

*On our way home in the car from seeing an outdoor art exhibit he said, "I love Linus' mama. I love Linus' Matthew.  I love all of everybody."

Mt. Evans

On Sunday we went to Mt. Evans so Lyz could see some mountains.  At the beginning of the road up, there was a sign warning folks that adverse weather conditions could happen at any time. No kidding!  There was thunder, lightening, rain, hail, and snow as we progressed up in our car. Linus and I were hoping to see pikas, but we only saw a mountain goat.  It was at the top of the mountain at just over 14,000 feet elevation.  Right when someone pointed it out to us, the ranger sternly told everyone that the lightening was striking right there and we needed to get into our cars.  It was rather exhilarating being in the clouds during a storm.  

In the middle picture, Linus is looking for pikas near Summit Lake. He was softly saying, "Come out little pika."  (He so totally takes after me!)

Linus and Lyz

I'm behind on posting because Lyz was here for a visit and I didn't want to waste a minute of my time to talk with her.  Linus ADORES Lyz.  She is the only person he's met that he put ahead of me on several occasions.  There were times when he only wanted her to read to him.  I was amazed.  Whenever she left the room he'd ask, "Where Lyz?"  He would head downstairs to find her and they'd play a silly game, such as tossing my stuffed animals onto the air mattress guest bed.  

Linus still pronounces the letter l at the beginning of a word as a y, so he pronounced Lyz as Yiz, which sounded funny and cute.  One thing that was less cute was the way he'd hold his hand out to me and say, "Stop talking."  He always wanted both of us to give him all of our attention and not talk to one another.  Sometimes we'd try whispering while he played, but he always caught us.

Lyz brought Linus a very cute owl kite that is just the right size for him.  We had fun running around in City Park with it.  He thinks it is great fun to chase after us as we run with it.  We, of course, tire out more quickly than he does.