Simon: month 29

A lot of cute this month, like this:

And this:And this:(Here, you were waiting for Liam's school bus at 3:30pm. Yes, you were still
wearing pajamas. What you can't see is that you're wearing NOTHING on the
bottom. Thankfully the screen in our door doesn't go down that low.)

There was also a lot of crazy.

Like when I found you playing with a bottle of white Elmer's glue that Liam had left out. While I admit that some of the trouble you get into is the result of my leaving you to your own devises for too long, THIS was not my fault. Liam and you were playing downstairs and Liam decided to make "something special" for his teacher. How sweet. Apparently this "something special" involved glue. Glue that he didn't ask to use. Glue that I didn't even know he knew where to find. Glue that HE DID NOT PUT AWAY.

Those are 100% cashmere pants. Covered in glue. As are your face and hands.

This, however, I sat and watched you do. You were sitting across from me while I answered some emails and were concentrating so hard and putting so much careful effort into your coloring. I didn't have the heart to stop you.
Although I did contemplate yelling, "BOO!" just to watch you jump out of your skin.

It occurred to me recently that we don't have much video of you speaking. Since the Nikon D40 came to live with us, I've not had much time for my old Canon point and shoot camera. And even though your voice was a bit scratchy this day, I'm glad I dug the P&S out to capture this (I might go back and add in subtitles for those who don't speak "Simon":



Your dad is looking forwards to the day when you'll go get tattoos together!

Now that warmer weather is finally here, Simon, you're LOVING being outside. You'd do well to have a mother who loved being out of doors all year round. But you got me. I'm not much for snow or winter sports or being cold. Spring and I get a long charmingly though, and summer and I are like *this* (crossing fingers). I'm looking forward to you being my little helper in the garden this year.

I love this picture!

I'm hoping that by next month I'll be able to report that we've been able to say goodbye to your diapers. I really thought that you'd be a tough one to teach to use the potty, but you've surprised me. We have more successes than accidents and stickers have proved to be strong motivation.

We've used the same method with you as we did with Liam. The naked-from-the-waist-down-with-a-potty-always-at-arms-reach method. The biggest problem is that you seem to be unable to leave your little unit alone, flapping free. Not even to play with toys. I don't know if it's just a strange sensation or if you're suddenly much more conscious of that part of your anatomy, but while diaper-free you WILL NOT LEAVE IT ALONE. You constantly have one hand, not only on your little johnson, but wrapped around it in a vice-like grip.

At one point, you'd climbed the books shelf in the living room (don't ask) with one hand (not sure how), and couldn't get down unless you held onto the shelf with two hands while you stepped back and down. So you stood there precariously, screaming for help. When I refused to help unless you let go of your penis, you finally released your iron grasp and found that, with the use of both hands you could easily get down on your own.

I don't want you to develop a complex or an unhealthy view of your body, but I find myself wanting to grab you by the shoulders and yell, "Let go of your penis! Just quit touching it!" Hopefully we'll pass this stage quickly and move on to underwear. It's clear that you'll be a "tighty whitey" kinda guy as boxers just won't offer the needed security for your little Bundy.

(Hopefully you'll forgive me for writing about this online and won't be reading off a printer copy to your therapist someday as proof of your awful, exploited childhood.)

Love, Mum

P.S. I'm a bit terrified what kind of ads I'll get now having used the word "penis" twice three times. So I'm going to throw out a few words that actually reflect me and my interests: photography, Nikon, whole foods, eco, green, cloth diapers, babywearing, parenting. Think it'll help??