From the Mouths of (Our) Babes

Probably due to the fact that I talked about how great it was that Avery now sleeps through the night that Avery actually DID NOT last night. He woke up screaming at 2am, I think because a light was left on in the hallway and he thought it was morning. He came down to our bed, the easiest way to pacify him in the middle of the night. When I plopped him down between us, he said, "Where's Avery's pillow?" I had to find a pillow to put in the center so he could rest his little head. Then, he proceeded to (accidently, maybe) kick me for the next hour. He woke up at 6am, all cheery, smacking us and saying ,"Get up, Mommy! Get up, Daddy! Good morning!", which his newest phrase. Over a banana breakfast, he was giddy about getting ready for Sashee's, using his towel-telescope to check things out.

When we go by various personal landmarks, like where we used to live, or the river where I used to row, or Walker's old school, for some reason, we sometimes tell Avery. So, for example, when we go by the Philadelphia School, I might say, "When Daddy was little, he went there to school." I think I do this because my mom did this---every time we'd go by some building in her old neighborhood or Horn and Hardart's on Broad Street, we'd hear a story. Today I realized the last few times we have gone by my old high school, or by the boat houses on the Schuylkill, Avery says, "Tiny Mommy!" Now, I think it's hilarious that he says "tiny mommy", but I never understood it. I just realized this connection today. Duh. He sees tiny=little. So clearly, when I was TINY I used to row on the river. This is true in so many ways.

...or at least he's a creative eater. This morning, Avery's concoction was cinnamon raisin toast dipped in ketchup and sprinkled with Very Berry juice. He thought it was yummy. Sounds kind of unusual, but works for him.

When leaving the house today, Avery said to Walker, "Ok, kiddo, let's go!"

Avery found it fun this eve to run around with his shirt halfway off his head, like a sort of wrap. He then wanted to be swung, while yelling, "Upside down!" This wasn't great for his pre-bed winding down.

Avery was plopped into our bed this am at 5 (by Walker). He turned and said, with rising intonation, "mommy?" He then put his hands behind his head and fell asleep betwen us. When he woke at a reasonable hour (7ish), I explained that I was gone, as I had I would be, for one night in New York. He then said, "Mommy miss you." And also, "Mommy miss daddy." Then, he said, "Mommy go taxi. New York." Too amazing. And just one cute little comment---I gave him vanilla yogurt for breakfast and he replied, "Not too yummy." He didn't want anymore. Not too yummy just sounds sort of like glass half full.

So I wanted to take a picture/video/recording of some kind of the dinner conversation I had with Avery seeing as how Jane is in NYC tonight - our longest time apart since meeting, incidentally. But, there seems to be no camera, my voice recorder is out of battery and we have no less than two dead cameras in the drawer. One out of battery or tape and one that does not play well with Mac. Ah well. So, Avery at the dinner seat indicates to me by nodding in response to a question that he'd like some of the sloppy joe meat we have and then elaborates by saying: "Want some more meat!" And repeats it. A few times. It was like living with Tarzan for a moment. Without Jane. And then he moved on to wanting animal crackers and such. A picture from the camera phone in the past: