Life snippets
August 31st, 2010
#1: Dreams of a (almost) 4-year-old
Yesterday, Terah had something going on in the evening, so it was just Jacob, Oliver, and me. Due to how the logistics worked out, she brought them to the office after work and I took them from there. We went to the post office, pharmacy, and a restaurant. Jacob and I had this conversation at the pharmacy.
Jacob: Ooo! We are at the Goessel pharmacy! *claps happily*
Me: Hmmm… Actually Goessel doesn’t have a pharmacy. This is the Hesston pharmacy.
Jacob: *gets a serious look on his face* Dad, actually Goessel has a pharmacy…. Look! A fire station!
Me: That’s right. And what can you see inside it?
Jacob: FIRE TRUCKS! They are all still.
Me: I guess there isn’t a fire.
Jacob: I think the Goessel pharmacy is on fire! Shall they go there now?
Me: I hope it’s not on fire. (what are you going to say to that?) Were you wanting to see a fire?
Jacob: YEAH! I think it IS on fire. Shall we go see?
So now he has an imaginary pharmacy with an imaginary fire and he wants to go see. Fortunately he was OK with just going inside Hesston Pharmacy instead.
#2: The Songs on a Ceiling
I read a book and sing a song to Jacob for bedtime every night. Over the weekends, sometimes I do that for him at nap time too. This weekend, he wanted us both to get on his bed, lie on our backs, and look at the imaginary songs on his ceiling. He gave me a whole tour, pointing to various (to me, nondescript) parts of the ceiling as he did so.
“Over there is a song about railroad tracks. There is one about trains. That train is upside down. That other one is stuck. There is a song about Word World. There is a song about preschool. There are the train tracks. There is a train on them. It might bump into the other train. Shall you sing a song about two trains on the tracks and they bump into the other train and go BLAM?”
He appeared to have a whole map in his head of his songs. The train songs were all at a specific place on the ceiling.
#3: Younger Brother
Oliver has really been changing lately. He occasionally will take a few steps by himself, and he has started to say a few parts of words. He communicates really well, though, especially with things he wants. He has a deep, vigorous nod to say yes, and sometimes it’s accompanied by “yesh” for extra emphasis. His face is incredibly expressive too, and he has a distinctive Yoda-like expression at times. I almost expect to hear him say one day, “Like that green bean I do not. Watermelon better is.”
Jacob, of course, is a lot bigger and sometimes is rough with Oliver. But they also have started to play together. Sometimes Jacob will put his head by Oliver’s face. Oliver will grab fistfuls of Jacob’s hair in both hands and pull. Both of them apparently find this hilarious and laugh on and on about it.
#4: Viruses and Stomachs
Sunday Jacob was complaining of a stomach ache. We were driving home, and shortly after we got home, he vomited on the driveway. Jacob really doesn’t like throwing up. It’s unpleasant and maybe a bit scary for him. He was about to start crying after vomiting, except…
One of our cats was hanging around. Claire came over, sniffed Jacob’s vomit, and started eating it. Jacob was so fascinated by what was happening that he stopped sniffling and stood there staring at the cat, then gave an excited report of events to Terah and me.
That evening, he was afraid he would throw up in bed. So we had a large bowl he held *directly* under his chin during story time. But then he didn’t want to lie down, since he was afraid he’d throw up in bed. Terah pointed out that he could have the bowl close while he slept. I went up and checked up on him an hour or two later, and he was sound asleep, face in the large bowl.
#5: The Jukebox
After the pharmacy, Jacob saw Skoops, a local 50s greasy spoon diner place across the street. He really wanted to eat there and get the “birthday cake” ice cream flavor. So we did. He was jabbering about getting a corn dog as we walked over, so that’s what he had to eat. I don’t know how he knew Skoops had them, as I don’t think he’s ever had a corn dog. Oh well.
There’s a jukebox inside Skoops, and every fifteen minutes or so, it’ll spring to life and play a random song even if nobody put coins in it. This was very exciting for Oliver. He’d twist all around in his highchair to watch it. And, most amusingly, he’d start bopping his head. Not really in time with the music or anything, but it was cute to watch. Sometimes he’d get really excited and pretty much his whole body was dancing. Well, as much dancing as you can do when you’re 1 and strapped into a high chair, at any rate.
One time, he heard the music, started “dancing”, and looked at me expectantly. So I started nodding in time with the music, and then Jacob saw us both and started sort of flailing about, somewhat in time with the music. All three of us wound up laughing after that.
Categories: Family
