This is week four of Kids Run Durham. It's run through our FAVORITE running store (Bull City Running Company). We have been going there for years to shop, and doing their weekly run downtown for 4 years, but this year we went all in: I did their beginning running program in Jan, Frank did their faster 8k program in the spring, and now it's Joe's turn. (it helps that he and Kim, the owner, have crushes on each other).
Usually Joe does just the 400, but this week he decided that he wanted to to the 100 also. So after we arrived and he ran a 400 warm up, he ran heat 3 of the 100, and DOMINATED. F & I were expecting him to be smiling, which is his middle of the pack running norm, but he turned on the jets.
Then for the 400, he directed F & I to cheer at our respective spots (me on the far side of the course, F at the finish).
He pulled into first on my side of the course, and as he ran past he yelled "MOM DO YOU SEE ME I'M GONNA BE FIRST AGAIN!"
A friend caught these at the finish line & sent them along. Ellen - who leads the group - announced "Here comes Joe, he's looking strong! He's had a busy day today! He went on a bike ride this morning, then to the pumpkin patch, and now he's running!" Then he got a high five from Jason, the owner (Kim's husband).
Groups like this are making Durham a great place for us these days. The friend who sent the pics is also the one who helped organize the 200 mile relay that I did, we saw Ellen from this program on our morning bike ride, and Jason & Kim's daughter goes to the school where I work (their son would be in Joe's grade next year if we end up bringing him to school with me).
It's been quite a week. When we got married, we planned the wedding around my graduate school program, not around what my future work schedule would be. So along with the 8 results meetings that I had to prepare for, we had an anniversary to celebrate, an out of town graduation for 2 nephews, and I did a triathlon on Sunday. Then came home to move everything out of the living room and rip up the carpet to have our floors re-done. It was a lot of stress for me, and activity for Joe. By the time last night rolled around, we needed some calm fun in our own house.
Joe has been requesting that we sing ABCD and Twinkle,Twinkle every night when we rock. We usually sing them together, loudly. But last night he was singing it all on his own, after his bath.
Then, when we were putting pajamas on, he wanted to put on his Elmo costume. And then his Elmo slippers. He pretended that he was waiting for a school bus.
Because we moved all of his toys and books out of the living room, there were more to choose from in his room. He selected an "I"m the Big Sister" book that I got when Evo was born. It started out innocently enough, but then we got to some customizations.
Not the most exciting night in our lives, but it was just what we needed, I think.
Joe and I have been reading Go, Dog, Go and Are You My Mother? every (EVERY) bed and naptime for the past 2 weeks. At this point we both have them pretty much memorized. If you want a video of him speed-talking "Hello! You like my hat? I do not like your hat. Goodbye!" we'll get that another time.
However, Are you My Mother? is pretty sweet. He insists that he hen is a rooster, and we have that debate every time. But then it gets to the end, when the mother bird comes back, and her baby bird says all the things she's not, and then "You are a bird, and you are my mother" and Joe adds "And they snuggle." Then he turns the page and looks at the wide shot of the birds in their tree, and kisses it, so gently.
Here's his retelling of Baby Bird's final dialogue (click though to see the videos).
Also, from last week, we had a blast eating dinner. I feel like I may have based this dinner eating approach on a drinking game, but that is beside the point. He is sitting in his own seat, eating fish and vegetables.
And from a few weeks ago: a very poor quality video of him doing yoga along with an ipad app.
This spring break, Joe became even more enraptured with Evo. As a little brother, Evo is pretty hard to beat, but as an uncle he is stellar. As can be seen from these zoo pictures, Joe was basically his shadow.
Joe's expression in this one kills me.
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In March, we were going to visit some friends, and we were driving there on a Friday night. About 90 minutes into the trip, Joe looks around, and with a confused voice says, "I don't see the Lincoln Memorial." Usually the only place that we go on a nighttime roadtrip is to DC, and our big welcome to the city is crossing Memorial Bridge with the Lincoln Memorial lit up in front of us.
So this time we made a big deal about seeing the Lincoln Memorial. It was cold on Monday, but since we were only going to make Toddler Dreams come True, we wouldn't be out long. So proud of the brilliant 2 year old who knows about the Lincoln Memorial, we excitedly get him out of the car and, well. This:
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Joe would be happy if all we did were walk to the park with Jasper. So we did that a lot.
At some point, "Dadie" and "Papa Rob" became too formal. So he started calling them "Dades" and "Popper."
Another highlight was riding the city bus with Dadie to Booeymonger's. Whenever we see a city bus now, Joe brings it up.
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Several times, I caught Joe miming whatever Evo was doing. If Evo was eating cereal from a bowl, Joe held his hands and moved them the same way. I don't think he even realized what he was doing. Especially the time when Evo blew his nose, and Joe looked shocked that he had snot all over his hands. In this case, Evo ate salad and Joe proclaimed his love for salad as if he and salad were old friends.
Since we got back, he's been working on his ping pong game on Wednesdays, after run club.
