'Sticks' and Balls

Rhubarb stalk immediately became a stick/boat. Ball is self-explanatory.

Around the house

Marian took these pics of Isaiah mugging and trying on new shoes.

Fire Engine!

In a park near our house.

Dialogue

Marilyn: Are you wearing your mother out?

Isaiah: I'm wearing sandals.

A quick note on Twosie

Everyone is encouraged to talk to Marian's bellybutton until Twosie gets curious and turns herself upside down.

Pancakes

Yep, they were tasty.

Sweeping Cuteness

We recently attended a pancake breakfast, and half of Isaiah's food ended up on the floor. I borrowed a broom, and he immediately wanted to play with it.

Walking

From a couple of weeks ago. While circling the West Hartford reservoir with Chet, we saw a lot of rocks, picked some flowers, looked for turtles and watched a swimming snake (plus one in the bushes on the bank.

Of Streams, Rocks and Boats

Note the wet, right side. He fell in almost immediately. That's why I bought the water sandals. He recovered nicely, though, when given sticks to toss in. They turn into boats, you know.

Dig-Dug

Fun with diggers.

Raisins

Last Sunday morning, Marian set Isaiah up with a bowl of Cheerios. He wandered back into the kitchen and asked for raisins.

"We don't have any more raisins, sweety," said Marian.

"Raisins," said Isaiah.

"We can get more," I said from the couch.

Isaiah ran out and said, to me, "More raisins."

"We have to go to the store," I said. "After church."

"More raisins," said Isaiah.

"After church," I said.

"Get some raisins," Isaiah said.

"How about Cheerios," I said.

"How about raisins," Isaiah said.

Driving

Among the new activities popular with Isaiah: Driving the car. He loves to mess with the radio and heat/ac buttons and dials, as well as the steering wheel.

Happy Mother's Day!

Cockpit View

An amusing few minutes over the weekend.

Recent notes

Isaiah is too mobile, speedy and agile to be called a toddler anymore. What's the next stage? Darter? Dasher? Runner?

We sprinkled some laughing child on New Haven tonight.

The great things about rocks when you're almost two: 1. They're ubiquitous and waiting to be discovered. 2. Rocks are really fun to show to other people once picked up. 3. You can stick them in your mouth.

Park

Back to rock throwing tonight. Isaiah instinctively recognizes the need to load up on stones on the way to the stream. And he's not afraid to use dad as a reloader so he can stay perched on a rock right by the water. The brook, by the way, doesn't seem to mind, greeting each toss with a satisfying plunk.

Watched high school baseball for almost an inning. Isaiah's attention span and the pretzel lasted about the same amount of time. He was talking about the pitcher, though, during play, so maybe something settled in.

Blueberries

Which picture do you like best?

Lit ...

Morning novel title, courtesy of Isaiah: "I carry your grapes," or "I carry grapes for you."

Wednesday night

Tonight Isaiah resumed the task which we all failed to complete when we were younger: Making sure every stone and pebble within tossing distance is properly thrown into a stream. There is work yet to be done, but we accomplished something tonight.

I suspect there will be great fascination and a close watch needed for the stream at the wedding in July.

At play

Isaiah is now cruising up this playground structure in the park across the street from the house en route to the twisty slide, which he really likes. He also fell out of the adult swing the other night, but recovered quickly.

Near the playground is a small rise with rocks poking through the grass, and he likes to scramble up there. The other night as we walked down from the rocks, we stepped onto cedar stumps just down the hill.

"Stumps," I said.

"Rocks," Isaiah said.

"Stumps," I said. "Stump speech."

"Do it again," Isaiah said.

"Stump speech," said, and then proceeded to provide an example.

"Do it again," Isaiah said.

Is it wrong to be highly amused by my own attempts to embed history and linguistic roots into his brain?

April showers

And April flowers. Exploring Elizabeth Park on a cool, rainy April Saturday.

Always Pushing

Isaiah disappeared around the front of the car in the lot outsider our building. When I walked to where I could see him, he was perched between the curb and bumper. (Don't worry, the car is still moving on its own).

A fun bulldozer we saw in New Britain.

Our Young Man Of Letters

Just a little playful evening action at the Friedrichs house.

Chucks

We really want to avoid brands with our kids, but I do love these shoes (mine were on sale; Isaiah's were second-hand).

The New Building

No doorman, but we left at 8:12 a.m. this morning, took a brief detour and still arrived in the office by 8:30 a.m.

Spotted In The Bronx

Isaiah works his way through a tunnel on the playground next to Arthur Avenue. He didn't want to walk across the bridge because, I think, of the holes in the metal, so he scooted on his butt.

Easter 2010

The eggs.

The sunny afternoon in Putnam Lake.

The Easter outfits (I did not take any pictures of the hats at church, but there were some stunning examples of fashion).

Dona nobis pacem

The young 'un was spouting Latin on our way home in the early hours after the Easter Vigil mass. He learned it from one of the music CDs Marian plays for him. He also has smattering of Spanish he drops now and then to impress the folks around us.

We're not moving ...

We're creating an ever-changing obstacle course for Isaiah. Or, at least, that's what he thinks. For the concerned grandparents, he did not fall down. He climbed back down after I told him to, although some mischievous glances were thrown my way.

Holy Week

This morning in the bath and right now (through a mouthful of peas), Isaiah has been repeatedly intoning, "Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory." Oh, wait. The chant just changed to, "More peas! More peas!" Gotta go.

Anachronism?

Isaiah enjoys his paper and breakfast. Did you know the deals you can get on new cars? Why do we never see such deals on trains and buses?

Spring!

Forget robins, although we saw one or two of those, we've got barbecue. Blessed with great weather all week, we fired up the grill in the park (and avoided the poison ivy this time around). Isaiah had an especially good time with Uncle Pete, who also came through later with brownies and ice cream.

Lunchables

Nothing wild about Isaiah, except his hair, on Saturday, so not long after this picture was taken in Central Park, I fed him a muffin.

Activities of note

At breakfast this morning, a certain young man in our house (no, not me) tried to shove a Cheerio in his right ear. When I called him on it, he started faking towards that ear every other bite.

Isaiah's current favorite songs to sing: ABC song and "Big Green Tractor," which he sings when he's bored in the car or sleepy.

Yesterday in New York, we walked past the subway station next to the Natural History Museum. Isaiah leaned toward it and said, "Saturday, ride the train." We have never entered the subway at that station. It has a sign that says "subway," stairs leading down, the route letter signs and the light globe. From those clues (he definitely didn't see or hear one of the trains), he knew we could get on there. Amazing.

Humor

The funniest phrase in the English language according to one 19-month-old (who happens to live with us): "That's quite a load of fish, Bilgy."

It only gets funnier if it repeat it over and over.

Endearing phrases and translations

No like it

Creamah -- what Isaiah used to say for ice cream

Get off

Hop up

Carry you -- Carry me

Get there first -- Go pick up the ball

Call my knights -- from the book Peasant Pig

Cookie and muffin -- applied generically to energy bars, cake, anything sweet

Go away -- directed sometimes at his mother when she's in the way of driving trucks on the couch

And one that Marian and I have decided to use on people who look but don't buy the apartment: A blight on your potatoes.

Spring Training

I broke out the glove on a rainy day and caught self-tosses. Isaiah wanted to try. Putting the ball in that leather thing is not as easy as it looks. By the way, did you know you could play run in circles in an elevator?

Rock and Roll!

Isaiah demonstrates what his parents will be doing in 30 years.

Mudding

On the walk home Wednesday night, Isaiah fell perfectly, landing with his face in the mud, the top of his hat in the snow and his butt in the air. I pulled him up by his coat, and he made known his desire for "Momma." By the time we got home, though, he was in fine spirits.

Sweeps Week

Isaiah took an interest in cleaning up this weekend, although I still wouldn't hand off responsibility for all those spilled Cheerios.

More Isaiah-isms

1. A few weeks ago, I picked Isaiah up after he dropped a book on his toe. Through his tears, he informed me of the type of comforting he needed by tugging on my collar and crying, "Shirt, shirt! Opum it! Opum it!"

2. Yesterday, Clare bought Isaiah not one but two bananas at Starbucks. When she returned with the second one, Isaiah reached out his hand for it and said, "I'm so happy!"

3. And this morning, Isaiah got some yogurt in his hair. I went after him with a wet hairbrush, which he (sort of) put up with until he finally squirmed out of my reach and told me, "Done! Done! I mean it!"

Sleeping

All angles and elbows and kicking feet until he falls asleep. Then he usually finds a way to be snuggled up or at least touching one of us. It pushes me toward the edge of the bed, but I haven't fallen off, yet.

Tractors and Dogs!

We did not buy a new roof at the KC home show, but we found a couple of guys who could do the work if we want it.

Hungry kid

Isaiah wasn't happy to wait, but once he had demolished a plate of eggs on Saturday morning, he sure was in a good mood and really enjoyed Grandma Friedrichs.

Outside

Last week in the snow.

Isaiah's Valentine

Last night, Isaiah played at Aunt Clare's house for a few hours while Mama and Daddy had a date at home. As soon as his mother turned the car onto Clare's street to drop him off, Isaiah cried out, "Clare! Clare!" On the return trip, Isaiah repeatedly piped up from the backseat, "Luva Clare-Clare, luva Clare-Clare. See her, see her."

Twosie update

Marian had an appointment this week and we heard the heartbeat. Isaiah was more interested in driving his tractor on the examining table than anything else going on in the room. Marian has also begun to feel flutters of movement. Twosie was especially active after we had ice cream Thursday night (Isaiah didn't complain about that, either!).

Snow day fun

What makes a snowy day even better? Marian popped popcorn on Wednesday, and Isaiah and I thoroughly enjoyed eating it.

Hey,

Uncle Pete, Paul Paul, wait for me.

Crayons!

Someday these could be priceless examples of an artists first drawings. Until then, we'll enjoy the latest ventures into creativity.

Bath notes

Yesterday morning, Isaiah took his washcloth and said "wash Isaiah" while moving it across his chest. Then he said "face" and wiped across the mouth area (one of his least favorite aspects of the evening bed ritual). He also likes to suck water from the cloth, something that brought back a visceral memory of something I liked to do when I was a child.

Word of the day

Yesterday on Metronorth, I had Isaiah saying "New York."

Two forks

Hungry?

Isaiah and I were in the elevator. A couple got in behind us. The guy was carrying a big, rectangular box. "Pizza," said Isaiah, correctly. Everyone involved was highly amused.

Yesterday, shortly after I got up at 6 a.m., Isaiah sat up and said, "peanut butter." This morning at 6:40, he said "French fry."

He also knows how to walk backwards. And he's spouting off almost whole pages of "One Fish, Two Fish" by Dr. Seuss.

Couch Giggles

Pete, Isaiah and Clare share a moment in Yonkers.