Aquarium with Daddy

Since James genetically inherited his deep loves of the sea and fishes...

it is only right that James and Daddy go to the aquarium together to explore...

Starfish, urchins, yellow rays...

sea snails, coral and water.

Why worry about wet, dripping sleeves...

when the result if James getting to touch the suckers of a sea star...

With joy beaming from his face.

Headstands

Of course that is the purpose of play doh!

 James has decided playing with Play Doh is the best of all activities- it trumps watching TV, books, eating, pretty much anything.

 I believe this is because Tim showed James just before Christmas that you didn't have to be confined to using cookies cutters, etc.  But could free-form shapes.

 Tim made James a sting ray.  And that pink sting ray was so well loved it dried up and crumbled apart- James didn't want to squash it up and put it back in the container.

 Since that day all play doh sessions consist of James requesting participating momma, daddy, aunt, babysitter or any willing person to shape a selected color into an aquatic animal.  Above you can see one such assembly: two rays, a oyster with pearl, one octopus, one crab, one lobster, several sea horses and one shark (the last two animals were made by the cutters much to my fingers relief.)

 At first it was a real challenge for James to relinquish these animals to their fate of being put away, but as he became more confident that each could be made again he has gotten better and better about squashing them and putting them in their containers for a 'nap' until the next time to play with the dough.

 This is the only non-aquatic item he asks for- he calls it cheese.  Not sure why.  It is what is left in the press that came with kit- the press makes stings of play dough and this is what doesn't get pushed through.  The first time I opened the squeezer he asked for the cheese and I had to think about it for a few minutes and ask him to point to even figure out what in the world he was referring to.

The only thing I can think of is that is looks sort of like a cheese grater.

next gen sleepsack

James has been wearing Halo sleepsacks from when he was just 10 days old.  

He's worn fleece sacks in the winter...

And cotton sacks in the summer.

The sacks have gotten bigger and bigger over the past two years- we always knew it was time for a larger size when he started to grunt and complain when he could adequately spread out his legs while sitting in our laps facing us to snuggle in the rocking chair before bed.

But finally he outgrew the largest closed bottom sack.

The next size up comes with holes at the bottom for little feet to stick out.

At first James asked me to put his feet back inside, but I told him that was the way it was supposed to be and then I guess he embraced the concept.

He also likes that they have a dinosaur on them.  

Knitting

 James picked up my knitting the other day and asked if he could knit.

 Of course I said yes!

 So he took the needles and yarn and plopped down on the couch.

 And proceeded to knit (really clicking the needles together)- while watching PBS.

 I hope that he really will want to learn to knit at some point when he is older.

 Right now I'll just enjoy seeing those dimpled fingers clicking away.

Broccoli (triumph!)

 James has decided he LOVES broccoli.  At Christmas dinner at Grandma's he was served two florets and I was astonished when he bit into one and loved it- and then proceeded to eat broccoli off of the rest of our plates.  He has been eating a lot of veggies since solids were introduced at 5 months, but even to this day most of them have been in the form of jarred or pouch baby/toddler food.  He's been getting some home-cooked veggies in sauces, casseroles and chicken and dumplings but I'd really not had any success in getting to eat veggies all by themselves (other than pickled beets which he also really enjoys).

 He is very proud to be eating broccoli 'trees'.  And I am wondering how many days I can serve steamed broccoli before he gets bored.

 But in the meantime I am going to relish the memory of him requesting several seconds and thirds of broccoli at dinner last night.

 He ended up eating an adult size portion!

BIIIIIIIIIG Tower!

 When James talks about the size of things he says big with a deep, low, drawn out voice to express its magnitude (conversely he talks about small things with a teeny, tiny voice).  Today he built a biiiiiiiiig tower!

And was a bit distraught when it toppled before he could put the last few remaining blocks on the top.