What I Love About...

What I love about Jon Mark today (I'll spare you the mushy stuff--I'll give just one example):
I love the thoughtful, mushy side of his "macho"ness.  My husband is all guy, but he has a (shh, don't tell him I told you this) sweet, thoughtful, tender side reserved just for me.  This morning was awesome.  The kids actually played on their own for about fifteen minutes (without Mercedes receiving a new mystery bump to her head) while I snuck back into our bedroom and cuddled with my most favorite person in the world.  It was really nice. 

What I love about Joshua today:
We've been working on a few items with Joshua recently.  He acts really shy around people he doesn't know.  Don't get me wrong, I would rather him not talk to strangers then to be like my neice who would  just go with anybody... but, it is a little awkward when "well seasoned" people (okay, old people) come up to Joshua to coo at him and he bows his head and won't even give a smile.  So, I have been telling him that when I am with him, he is allowed to talk to people he may not know.  Well, the other day, we were at the store and the cashier started to talk to him.... And, he actually talked back!  When we were outside, I told him that he did a good job talking to the nice lady.  He turned to me and said, "Yes Mommy, I talked to her because she's pretty."  I suppose her youthful beauty was appealing to him.  So, apparently, if you want my son to talk to you, you must be pretty.  Not to toot my own horn, but he also told me a couple of months back that he liked looking at me because I'm pretty!  HAHA!  Funny kid.  Glad I have got your approval.

We have also been working on words that begin with 's'.  For example, for the longest time when Joshua would say "smoke" it would always come out "foke" ("Daddy, look!  The airplane has foke comin' out of it.")  I'm pleased to report that Joshua always says the 's' sound now... "Daddy, look!  The airplane has ssssssssssssssssssss--moke comin' out of it!"  To teach him, we would ask him to say various words that begin with 's', "Joshua, say sssssss-nake."  etc.  Then, we'd always praise him for getting the word right.  Now he will say to us, "Mommy, say 'airplane'."  After I say it (or whatever other words he has me say) he will praise me, "Wow, Mommy, that's right!  You are totally awesome."

I love how he painted a rainbow and the drew "ominous" clouds over it.  He told me, "I am going to draw ominous clouds over the rainbow so that the rain will come out." 

I love how he makes up songs and games: We're on our way, we're on our way, on our way to Mom Mom's house.  We're on our way, we're on our way, on our way to Mom Mom's house.  Down at Mom Mom's house there is a big big toy (repeated three times) And Mom Mom, she makes a sound like this: Why hello Joshua.  And Mom Mom, she makes a sound like this: Why hello Joshua.  Oh, we're on our way, we're on our way, on our way to Mom Mom's house.  (repeat that line again).  Or, to the tune of the wheels on th bus: I see a big green truck, a big green truck, a big green truck, I see a big green truck all through the morning (that is an I-spy game he made up one day.  It's very important to him that we all take turns).

What I love about Miss Mercedes today:
Today she cried whenever someone tried to take her away from me.  That is a catch-22.  I love this, and I don't all at the same time.  It feels good being so loved, however, I want her to have a good relationship with her aunts and uncles and grandparents.  Don't you worry, Jess, I pass her off anyway and walk into the other room so she can play with whoever has her without her worrying about where I am. 

I love how she bear walks instead of crawls. 

I love that she is mischievious already.  The other day I found her splashing in the toilet as happy and content as she could be... it's no wonder she was running a fever this week. 

I love that she wants to be with her big brother.  She thinks Joshua is hilarious.  She may love hanging with me, but no one can get her to laugh quite like Joshua can. 

And, finally, I love that her favorite song is "Let's Get It Started In Here" by the Black Eyed Peas.  Everytime that song comes on in the exercise class that I teach, she tries to dance.  She bops up and down and smiles really big.

Have a great weekend everybody!