Nick accompanied Brandi to the doctor for one of her shots this month. Envision him scoping out the equipment around the operatory while Brandi situates on the table, and the doctor prepares for the injection. Nick picks up one of the syringes from the cart, to which the doctor confidently observes, "Don't worry, there's a cap on it. He can't hurt anything." By mid sentence, he has the cap off, and the needle inserted in the doctor's tailfeathers. I like this career projection better than his obsession with throwing things in the trash.We pass time at the gorcery store doing the 'Redskin Run.' Nick relays small taters in the produce section from their proper basket to the scale, to see how much they weigh. This passes at least 20 minutes while Brandi can shop. Last week, a lady who found this entertaining encouraged me, "don't be afraid to teach him - show him new things." So I told her we already worked with him in every area, go ahead and try him. So after she showed him various fruits, which he properly named the strawberry, the squash, the banana and the raspberry, she got this picture that he's already as smart as she is. I'll have him armed with 'cumquats' for next week in case she tries that again. Keeping him entertained is important, as if you don't distract him properly, you'll end up checking out with a lollipop stuck in your hair.
We're into our apartment now (as I've mentioned to a few of you, it's the closest I'll ever get to camping), and he's adjusting day by day. We went to the park behind our apartment, where there is a pathway, and a small bridge over the creek (where you can look down and see seahorses and river dolphins, at no extra charge on my rent). He loves to 'go play on the sidewalk' which means taking a walk. But overall, apartment living is pretty good. I woke one night at 3 AM, rolled over, and Nick was in the bed next to me, putting his finger in my forehead as he does when he wants to make a point, rambling about something. I asked, "Where's your mother?" "In the cribby," he replied. She must have crawled in to help him sleep, and fell asleep, so he jumped into the bed.
Wondering about the picture where he's playing with something at our dining room table/card table? He found the tampon.
Favorite foods this month: barbeque chicken skin (one of those where he refused until it was shoved in his mouth, and now he loves it), Chicken-and-Stars soup and Chips-Ahoy cookies. He's now able to handle making choices, such as 'continue yelling and go home or stay and watch penguins', and juice or water. Only a few days after introducing him to the world of options, he now offers us options. "Cat in the Hat, or Mr. Rogers?" he will ask.
Brandi, Grandmama and Nick went to the zoo for the 'Elvis Treatment' (where they're the only 3 people in the zoo). They were called upon by the voice of God, who advise them that the zoo was closing, which froze Nick in his tracks. This, after being stalked by the hungry tiger (who attacked a trainer) and hunted by the wolves. And the train was broken, 'in the shop', he says. Take caution visiting the zoo alone at feeding time.
He sneaks up on people now with his blue rubber dolphin in hand, and slowly moves in, humming the theme from 'Jaws'. Too funny.
As always, here's some pictures from the 35th month.
- Jason
