A Walk in the Dark

While we may be the neighborhood slackers in the Christmas decor department, we are enjoying the fruits of everyone else's labor. Jonathan loves pointing out lights and more lights. The folks across the street (the Mr. is a religion grad student) have their traditional, properly timed, plastic light-up nativity scene. So far, Mary and Joseph are hanging out in the manger with a sheep and a lamb. On Christmas, the baby Jesus will make an appearance, and the star will go up over the whole scene. Meanwhile, the three wise men will start in the side yard and advance a little each day until January 6th, when they arrive with their gifts. Personally, I think it's tough on Mary to be in labor these past two weeks, and if they'd really showed up this early, they could have found a hotel room. But as Chris points out, a Nativity scene that is just a sheep and a lamb for most of the season doesn't quite cut it.

Farther up the hill is a bit of a disquieting sight, at least when the minivan is partially blocking the view. Our neighbors up there have a giant inflatable Santa in a chimney on the front lawn. The Santa slooooowly inflates and rises up out of the chimney to wave, then deflates and goes back down. When the minivan is there, all we can see is the top of Santa's hat coming up over the top of the car, then disappearing. Hmmmm.

Anyway, I thought Jonathan might like to see Santa, so one evening after work I took him for a walk. We went up the hill and he thought we were going to check the mail, or maybe see the car blankie. But I kept him moving along and soon we were standing on the lawn in front of the chimney. Jonathan looked a little puzzled. I told him "Clap hard! Clap for Santa!" and started banging my hands together. We clapped for about twenty seconds and then Santa started to emerge from the chimney! Jonathan was so excited. He waved and said "Hi Santa!" again and again. Santa swayed back and forth in the wind a little, then started to fall back down the chimney. Jonathan said "Bye Santa! Have fun!" Then he started clapping, and turned to me saying "Clap! Peese!"

We clapped Santa up and down for a good eight or nine cycles, then came home. Since then, the nanny has babysat Jonathan a few evenings while we attend our work Christmas parties, and a visit to inflatable Santa is the highlight of their evening. I've even told some neighborhood moms about it. I wonder if our neighbors notice the little kids on their lawn, clapping their hands and cheering on Santa. And I wonder what they'll put up next year.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Master of Negotation

We're working on manners a lot these days. Jonathan has progressed from pointing, to "Dat!", to his latest, borrowed from Cara: "Have it!" We're not fond of any of these. So we've been dutifully modelling better ways of asking, and trying non-verbal reminders.

Jonathan will usually make it through five to eight rounds of "Have it!" while I look at him with a cocked eyebrow, not moving. Finally he'll fall silent, and you can see he's thinking hard. A lightbulb will go off and he'll say "Please!" He still retains his signing abilities, so he usually says please while rubbing his tummy at the same time.

Sometimes "the look" doesn't penetrate that toddler determination. Jonathan will shout "Have it! Book! Book! Bookie bookie booooookie!" and not pay attention to anything except the out-of-reach object of his desire. This calls for a change of strategy. We'll call Jonathan over in a low voice (which gets him to stop shouting) and ask him "Would you like the book?" Then when he nods, we can remind him how we ask nicely for things. He says please and gets his book.

Today, though, he's escalated the manners arms race. He had just polished off his third bowl of Indian curry and half a mango, and thought it was time for some after-dinner entertainment. He looked at us both, asking "Watch Ernie? Watch Big Bird? TV?" We repeated back to him, hoping to get that please tacked on the end: "Jonathan, do you want to go watch Big Bird? Hmmmm?" He looked up at us, grinned, and said "Okay!"

Part 3: Best show EVER!

Our nanny was running a little late, so Chris sat down with Jonathan in the living room and turned on the television, hoping to catch up with CNN. The TV was tuned to PBS, and he happened to click it on while "Sesame Street" was showing.

Not only that, but the current segment was "Elmo's World."

Not only that, but this particular segment was "Elmo meets a fireman!"

Not only that, but the fireman brought along his fire truck!

Jonathan was vibrating, he was so excited. He didn't blink; he barely moved. The segment ended and he went nuts.

I'll bet our nanny isn't late again.

Part 2: Musings from the back seat

Heard lately as we drive around town with Jonathan:

"I love . . . . TRASH!"

"Bye bye Santa! Have fun!"

"More lights!"

"Chicken fries, chicken, fries, chicken chicken fries fries."

"Optator!" (That's a helicopter to you and me.)

"Pleece car, pleece car!" (Should come in handy soon.)

Who needs a radio?

Part 1: Nahtanoj

We are raising a backwards little boy.

He begs us for a bath every night.

He says he's scared unless all light is eliminated from his bedroom.

He now insists on walking backwards up the stairs.

Now that I think about it, he may be trying to put bedtime in reverse.