Ezra wanted to wear his Monster Jam shirt today, and he wanted me to wear my Monster Jam shirt today. So I proudly wore my Monster Jam 2010 World Tour t-shirt to work, and Ezra wore his shirt to pre-school. Fortunately, my work dress code as software engineer is about as strict as Ezra’s at pre-school.
Saturday, I introduced Ezra to building forts with sofa and chair cushions. We built our first fort using a chair and its two cushions, four sofa pillows and a blanket. Sunday, we built more forts. Today, we built another fort before bedtime after telling him this during morning that couldn’t build a fort before pre-school because we didn’t have time.
We are perfected our structures though Ezra does have a tendency to find joy in taking down the forts to build a new one. I find the joy in building forts with Ezra.
Ezra is at Grandma and Grandpa T’s with -v-, and he wanted to call me. He called and told me where he was then gave the phone to -v-. I believe it was the first time Ezra talked with me on the phone.
It was nice and sunny today!Ezra and I wet to the Sellwood park.We hadn’t been there for weeks and weeks.It was fun but really muddy.It was weird to see how some of the thingsat that park that used to be kind of bigfor Ezra are now not too big at all!
For months and months, -v- and I have been having few to no issues getting Ezra to brush teeth, but that tooth brushing was Ezra sort of moving around a tooth brush in his mouth while he sucked off all the tooth paste then asking for more tooth paste. Ezra’s cleaning was followed by Valerie or me trying to help Ezra actually brush his teeth. This forced attempt to help Ezra brush his teeth only succeeded in making Ezra fussy and making Ezra tense up.
For a month now, -v- and I have had no problems helping Ezra brush his teeth after we have shown him the fun of making bubbles with the tooth brush and teeth. Now Ezra is more than happy to open his mouth before a mirror while -v- or I brush his teeth to create bubbles.
Me and Ezra had a New Years’ resolution to go to the gym. Well, actually, I have a resolution to go to the gym, and Ezra ended up getting a special gift enrollment at this new “playground gym” for christmas (thanks uncle dylan for the $!). So far we have been twice, and Ezra LOVEs it. His friends jojo and tony also go to the gym, so they get to run and jump and scream their little hearts out for an hour twice a week, more if we take advantage of the open gym times. THe place is fully padded, and it is awesome. Meanwhile, I am going to the gym which is not padded, and is not nearly as much fun as Ezra’s new gym.
Ezra is having a fun new year so far, I think. We’ve had some fun family time playing with all the new toys, and we’ve had fun times with friends, playing with their new toys. Ezra really seems like he enjoyed the holidays. I get to stay home with him again tomorrow because preschool is closed, so we’re going to spend part of the day taking down the tree tomorrow, and I’m sort of worried that he will be upset about putting away christmas. I’m hoping to get over this by taking him to the zoo tomorrow, or trying to find something fun that will make it OK that christmas is over and a new year of fun is beginning.
I want to vacuum the rug to suck-up the bits of card board that was recycling bits for Ezra’s Recycling Truck that we made Christmas day that are now bits of card board trash. I didn’t vacuum the rug because Ezra pleaded and insisted that the fire truck puzzle remain assembled and on the rug. I really didn’t want to vacuum anyway, and he let me move many other things to begin to cleanup from Christmas, and I didn’t have the talk in me to reason with Ezra to show him I only want to vacuum. The fire truck puzzle will abide for now, and with the talking of -v- and me then Ezra will probably help put away the fire truck puzzle.
The cleanup from Christmas will continue tomorrow. Maybe we will take the lights and decorations of his tree tomorrow. Maybe we won’t.
I haven’t seen Ezra since I dropped him off at daycare. He got a ride home with auntie kate and daddy because I had a holiday party to attend for work. This morning we drove by the train yard on our way to preschool and saw the big black engine! The big black engine that will be pulling the train tomorrow morning that Ezra will be riding on. “The big black engine?” he asked. “Puffing and chuffing?” “With the smoke up in the sky?” Yes! Tomorrow morning we are going to go ride the holiday express around the river front, and the big black engine will be pulling the train. So, maybe tonight he will be dreaming of trains!
Ezra was pinching the top of his binky and pushing it across his table’s top. He said, ,,My binky’s like a wheelbarrow.” And, yes, with the back of the hand the body of the wheelbarrow and the binky the wheel, it did look like a wheelbarrow.
-v- said, ,,That’s his first metaphor.” And it was. Well, it was the first one we have heard.
Ezra can entertain himself with objects while creating a world from the furniture and the different rooms. He can play with toys, and Ezra playing with toys is something I can’t watch enough of because it still fascinates him that he can create a world where Matchbox cars, Tonka toys and LEGO fire-people can exists as one. It goes beyond Círculos. It is amazing to see, and I can’t help but watch.
Ezra lead Grandma O, -v- and me during a session of playing with cars. Ezra lead the way first as the LEGO firetruck then as the front loader after -v- didn’t want to play with the front-loader anymore for she wanted to be the monster truck Snakebite. -v- playing with Snakebite didn’t last long because she wanted to run over everyone else as Grandma O drove the safari truck, Ezra drove the LEGO firetruck and I drove the tow truck around the dinning room table, so Ezra took Snakebite away from -v- and had her play with the LEGO firetruck. Ezra then parked Snakebite for the night and played the front loader as I continued to be the tow truck as we drove around and around the table.
Halloween was fun indeed. It all started with the party at the pre-school on Friday afternoon that Ezra invited me and GrammaO to attend with him. Ezra had his monkey suit partially on, but only for about 30 seconds. Then he noticed that C-dog didn’t have on his costume, so of course Ezra could not wear a costume. We played some games, did some crafts, and GrammaO and I watched as all the kids took turns taking bites out of cookies and then putting them back on the table. The big “hit” of the party was the ghost pinata. Everyone got to take a whack at it, and got some of the toys that spilled out once the older kids got to it. Ezra’s little princess friend happily shared her playdough stash with her friends, while C-dog hoarded all the kazoos to himself. On Saturday, we went to Corvallis for halloween evening. Ezra had a long long day, but managed to get the monkey suit fully on, and go out and trick or treat at a few houses near Grampa and Gramma T’s place. He looked adorable and I’ll have to try and get the pictures from GrammaO. Now we just have to figure out how to convince him that we don’t always get to eat so much candy.
I was a chaperone for Ezra’s preschool trip to the Pumpkin Patch on Friday. A lot of work! But super fun too. We got to see puppies, pigs, baby cows, chickens, goats and llamas. Each kid got to pick their own pumpkin. We all went on a hay ride with a real tractor pulling us along. We rode down a slide and the kids bounced and bounced in the bouncy house. And last but not least, the kids rode ponies! I didn’t think Ezra would ride one at first. He surprised me by not only wanting to ride the horse, but being very specific about which one he wanted to ride. He wanted to ride the WHITE pony. No other pony would do. Fortunately for us, the little girls in the group were willing to ride the other brown ponies, even though I’m pretty sure all the girls wanted the white pony as well. And fortunately for me, the white pony was very well mannered, and Ezra had a safe and fun ride, ending his (safe) and fun trip to the pumpkin patch!
No pre-school for Ezra, so I remained home with him, and we had a great time. He and I made a train track. We read books. We strolled to the fire station. We shared a muffin. We played at the park. We looked at pictures. Then after his nap we created a town with all his various blocks, cars, trucks, trains, container and toys. After we had been playing with cars in the town for awhile, Ezra decided he needed to go to work, so he picked up his mini-lunch pale and pack full of toys then said, ,,Daddy, kiss,” as he stepped to me navigating his snot covered lips to mine. As I stared at his snot covered lips, I felt loved because he’s never gave me the soft peck kiss of affection that he has given to -v-. I was happy to kiss his snotty lips as he walked off to work, which was over by the windows in the main living area. I’m not sure what he does for work.
…It was a tiring time with Ezra, but it was a great time. By the end of the day, he was calling out for, ”Daddy, daddy,” then running to hug me.