Doing The Locomotion

Paper chase

Isaiah woke up earlier this week and pointed to the coach, saying Daddy, paper. I wonder why?

If only I could reach the pedals

Isaiah can now climb on and off the tricycle by himself. He wishes he could reach the pedals and make it move.

Moms

Heidi, Joshua, Heidi's mom, Marian, Isaiah and I visited for a while Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn. It was rainy and cool, and Marian was a bit worn out, but it was good to talk and see what a good job Heidi's doing as a single mom.

I see you

Hats are convenient for peek-a-boo, more commonly called "I see you" at our house. Isaiah has even taken to walking with the hat pulled over his eyes (maybe he's testing whether he has "the Force?"). Fortunately, he's usually peeking from beneath the brim, not charging along completely blind on the sidewalk.

Towers

Isaiah is mildly amused by my tower building binge using the boxes we've been gathering for the move. Marian hasn't weighed in, yet.

Things we like

When a 17-month old sitting next to you says "happy" and puts his hands together, you know you're having a good day, week, month and year.

When dad's in charge ...

Things sometimes get a little out of hand. And sometimes Isaiah gets himself into a bind and needs a hand.

Saturday tidbits

Cold again, but not as windy as last weekend, so waiting for the bus was not as dangerous/guilt-inducing. We rode to the subway. Chugga, chugga, choo, choo. The airplanes on the Chrysler building museum are very interesting. The Lionel train layout at the Transportation Museum Store in Grand Central was fascinating (although I barely escaped buying some trains for Isaiah; cookies are powerful distrations). Waiting for the 1 train, Isaiah was transfixed buy a man playing saxophone. Others in the crowd were mesmerized by Isaiah's focus on the musician. Then came the on-subway acrobats. After exiting at Van Courtland  Park, we walked, stomped on ice, stepped back and forth over a chain fence and played.

Skills

Last night when I got home, Isaiah demonstrated how to walk backwards. Then he spun in circles (both directions).

From the lexicon:

Carry you: means pick me up. Originated because I often ask him, "do you want me to carry you?"

Goes: used to indicate something is moving or should be moving. He uses it in vehicles and when moving toys on the floor or cereal around his tray.

And the Moments Just Keep Coming...

Yesterday Isaiah got his hands on a prayer card I was using as a book mark.  It was a picture of the Blessed Virgin, wearing a white robe and a crown and standing on a cloud.  Isaiah smiled at her and said, "Jesus!"  I told her it wasn't Jesus but Jesus' mama, so he looked at her again and said, "Mom."  Later he was walking around with the card saying, "Jesus Mom, Jesus Mom."

This morning in church, Isaiah sidled out of our pew and walked around to the side of the altar with his mother behind him, hoping he wouldn't do anything too distracting.  But all he did was go up to the tabernacle, point at it, and say, "Jesus."  The kid really has been listening...

(P.S. I know some of you are probably mourning the recent lack of photos, but I left our camera at Grandpa Tascio's last weekend.  We should be getting it back soon.  Until then, you'll just have to use those famous imaginations of yours. :)  Or come visit us if you're local.)

A Few Things I'd Rather Not Forget

On our return flight from Kansas City, after we had gotten settled in our seats, Isaiah asked for "nook".  I complied and he started to nurse, but soon the rest of the passengers began to board.  Isaiah's little head popped up; a huge grin spread across his face.  He pointed to the travelers filing past us and cried out gleefully, "People!  People!"

During that flight, Dad and Isaiah played "Zoom" by making their hands fly like airplanes.  The next day, Grandpa Tascio also played "Zoom" by showing Isaiah how to make trucks and other objects fly.  Everything "zooms" now.  A fire truck that goes "Vroom" on the couch or the floor goes "Zoom" through the air.  Tissue boxes and remote controls can also "zoom."  Last night, we watched Home Alone at Pete and Magda's.  Isaiah wasn't paying much attention to the movie, but when he heard the character say the word "airport," he suddenly stopped what he was doing and called out, "Zoom!"  

I don't know who's been teaching Isaiah numbers on the sly, but at Grandpa Tascio's house, when he was playing with a pair of van-shaped magnets, Isaiah informed us all that he had "two trucks."  The next day in the bath, he looked at his feet and crowed, "Ten toes!  Ten toes!"  Then the other day, when we were walking over Central Ave. with Pete and Magda, a bus rumbled by and Isaiah said, "Bus."  Two more passed, and Isaiah accordingly reported, "Buses."

At Mass last Sunday, when the priest invited us to offer the sign of peace, Isaiah--perched in his dad's arms--turned to me with a smile, said "Peace!" and threw his free arm around my neck.

Moments

I in my KU stocking and Isaiah in his Pooh hat are walking on New Year's Eve. A light snow falls. With his first pair of winter boots ever, does Isaiah choose the cleared sidewalk or the grass with an inch of snow? He puts the boots to use, of course.