We’ve been so busy do-ing that I haven’t been blogging. Sorry.

We’ve been to Roaring Camp Railroad (historic steam train in Santa Cruz mountains), on our first class fieldtrip with Mulberry to Palo Alto on CalTrain, and today to the recently opened Happy Hollow. Here are some anecdotes. Things that made me laugh or moments of warmth in my heart.

First, the feeling these days, the bursting in my chest, when I see you running down the hall towards me, arms outstretched, with a look of glee. You leap in my arms and hug me all tight. Ohhh, so nice.

You are doing well putting words together to tell stories. After the trip to Roaring Camp Railroad, you told Nana “chi chi. wuf wuf.” You were upset that you weren’t going to Nana’s after school one day. “Nana. Snack. Nap” you told me with a stern look.

Animals you know:

• Giraffe – tongue laps in and out, like the giraffe we saw at the zoo
• Elephant – your hand extends upwards from your nose
• Hyena – “heinie”
• Cow – “moo”
• Horse – “horsee”
• Dog – “woof woof” or “mup”
• Cat – “kitty” or “meow”
• Lion – roar (commonly done when you’re hiding in hide and seek)

“What’s a horse say?”
“Moo” you reply. Then “Nooooooooo!”

We were looking after Nolan for the day. I was changing his diaper, and you noticed that he had parts that were different than yours. You pointed. Looked at me. Then raised your hand to your nose and extended it upwards. “Elephant”.

You don’t like bugs and are quick to point them out. After a bath, I pulled the plug and you noticed a bug like object, and scurried from the tub. It was lint.

Pretending you’re a baby, like Nolan’s sister Natalie, you crawl, pretend to take a bottle, and pretend to breastfeed, when I have you in my arms. “I baby” you declare. Then “waaa waa waaa”.

When Nolan was over, I asked “Who wants to make some chocolate pudding?” Neither of you have ever had chocolate pudding but the word ‘chocolate’ had you both scrambling up the ‘elevator’. Nolan leaned towards you and planted a big kiss on your lips. You grinned. We made the pudding then covered the kitchen table with wax paper and you both got to finger paint with it and eat it. You had it all over your face. Nolan managed to eat most of his fairly promptly.

Favorite books:

• Big Bear, Little Bear — what daddy reads to you every night before bed.
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear – you call it the “Mia” book, after Mia at school. There’s a page with kids and you name them all. “Lulu (Santa Cruz Mountains), “Mia” “NoNo” “Natalie” “Nut” (Hazel-nut)

You don’t watch TV, but the one show you know is Big Bear Little Bear and once in a blue moon you’ll point to the TV and say “Big”.