I Love You

Naptime and Bedtime is quite the routine ... actually it can be described more like a poorly tuned orchestra.  That is one thing I never knew about being a parent before being a parent.  I guess I always thought you just put the kids to bed and that's that - PJ's on, brush teeth, tuck in... that's it... 5 minutes tops.  Oh was I wrong, so wrong.  Of course, I know every kid is different and I freely admit I have NO IDEA what other people's kids naptime/bedtime routines consist of.  Maybe I'm experiencing something unique, but I doubt it.  

The routine definitely gets longer and more complicated as he gets older.  When he was a baby you just put PJ"s on, changed his diaper, rocked him a little and off he went to sleep.  Then, we added a story or two or three or four to that routine.  Then added a bath here and there. Then added brushing teeth.  Then added potty time.  Then added 'reflect on your day' time (which is just going over what we did that day), Then added crazy lunatic laughing hysterically running around time.  Wait wait wait, maybe it's that last one that sucks up the most time. :)  I'm pretty sure its a good hour of nighttime routine, possibly more, I can't keep track any more.  

On occasion (mostly when I'm by myself) I can be exhausted by the end of the day and I just want to go downstairs and veg out and watch some brainless TV show so I try to rush this routine.  But, I'm never successful.  When I think about it, It is one of the best times of the day for the most part.  We have a pretty good time.  It is some good quality time too.  I know it is super cliche to say 'I won't always have this so I better cherish it now', but I do feel that way.  He asks me, 'stay a few more minutes' and who can say no to that sweet request.  So I lay by his crib a few more minutes and soak up a few more laughs as he cracks himself up.  The latest thing that cracks him up is him babbling something and then saying 'That's not Engalish' (I realize I added an 'a' in English, but that is more how he says it so I wanted you to feel the true experience)

And my absolute best thing is singing a song that we have sang for over a year now.  It is a song that is always in our music class we go to, but it is a sweet song.  It's called the I Love You song.  

I Love you, I love you

From your head all the way down to your toes

I love you, I love you

From your head all the way down to your toes

So when you reach up high

And when you reach down low

Just remember, I love you, I love you

Warm breeze, tight squeeze and 

I LOVE YOU (tickle tickle tickle)

He sings it along with me and I just can't get enough of hearing him.  

Sometimes we slow dance before I put him in his crib too (he makes me go in fast circles in the end), but I just think this time is precious.  The nap time/bedtime routine is for sure waaaaaay tooooo loooong, but what else do I have to do, right? (Well, sometimes eat, but let's forget about that little detail)

Nut?

The nut doesn't fall far from the tree... is that how that saying goes?  Did I just call my family a bunch of nuts... hhhmm... anyway.  

Nathaniel is currently addicted to brown rice and black beans (sometimes a different bean gets thrown in, but primarily black beans).  Sometimes he throws in a request for chips and dip (salsa or guacamole).  This sounds a lot like a meal I'd request every night.  I prefer pinto beans, but like any beans :)

It cracks me up when he mentions this at 9am.  It could be our increased visits to Chipotle that has him addicted.  They do make good beans and rice.  He also loves the kid size bag of chips that come with his meal.  He calls them 'Nate size chips'  I am loving that he loves mexican food as much as me :)  He even kept taking bites from my enchilada the other night.  I hadn't given him any to date because I thought they were too spicy, but nope.  He wanted more.  Woo Hoo.  

Right Now

I would love to get into a toddler brain.  What was that movie, it was a comedy, where they get into tiny spaceships and travel through a body.  Man I can't remember.... hhhmmm I'll have to figure that out.  Anyway, it would be cool to do that and figure out what makes Nathaniel tick.  I find myself at least once a day thinking to myself,' He is two, how is he thinking through this ___' Everything is so truthful and unencumbered.  It is kind of like the movie 'Liar Liar', but he has no idea he is just saying things as is... 

For instance, I love when he points to my blemishes and calls them 'ouchies'  THANKS little dude!  Or so easily say's, 'Mommy go away'...ok I get it dad is home and is sooooo much more fun.  Or 'I want to go' (Right in the middle of music class)

One of my favorite things lately is when he requests something, 'Right now'.... 'Go to Starbucks, right now' or 'Go to the big park, right now' or 'Play with play doh, right now'  Demanding cute little boy!

He did say one of the sweetest things.  It is the first time he gave me a compliment.  Not sure if he is just repeating something I say, BUT I'll take it.  He was looking right at me and said,'You have beautiful eyes'... Aaahhh schucks.  

These pictures are from the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro TN.  It was a really fun place for Nate to explore.  His favorite part was this water display that showed how irrigation worked and fountains and boats...etc.  Curious George are his favorite books right now so he really enjoyed those exhibits.  There was a shadow room he had fun in and a display that showed how air pressure worked where you could stick a sponge in a tube and it would blow out (part of the airplane displays).  

Yoo Hoo You Still There?

I'm talking to myself.  Life has taken me this way and that way lately not leaving me much time to keep up.  I, of course, miss this!  This is the only way I know I'll remember the little things and I've been super slacking.  Makes me a little crazy especially because I like to write.  

Regardless, here is a little thing from the past few days that I think is cute (and I know I'll forget).  

I'm not sure when little kids learn about time and space.  Maybe Neil DeGrasse Tyson should do a toddler version of the 'Cosmos'.  Oh man that would be cool.  Anyway,  I think it is a hard concept *time*.  I can tell he is trying to figure it out in his mind.  What is yesterday, tomorrow, 3 days... etc.  What I love that he is saying is 'one last day' I think that means yesterday.  He will say something like, 'went to the big park one last day'.  It is one of those phrases that will probably go as soon as it came, but I can see the wheels turning in his head haha.

By the way, we differentiate the parks by, big park, little park and now there has been an added new park.. called new park...haha  He still pretty much only likes to swing, observe and take in the whole scene.  He isn't one to get in the mix of things and still shy's away from loud kids.  I don't think it is any big deal, but it would probably be better if he burned a little more energy at the park ;)