Fireworkers

Forgive me, but I need to go way back to July 3rd and document a major LB first. We had been invited to our friend's house for a 4th of July party on the 3rd of July. They were having people over for dinner and drinks and the plan was for the kids to play in the backyard and then when it got dark we could walk right across the street from their house and have a perfect view of the fireworks. Since LB has been home we haven't really done much for 4th of July. I remember sitting on our couch at our old house when LB was 18 months old and just willing him to stay asleep and not wake up from the loud booms going on outside. Thankfully, both that year and the next he stayed asleep and never even knew that fireworks existed. That was the way it needed to be for my noise sensitive boy. This year we decided we would go to the party and if LB wasn't crashing from missing his bedtime then we would give fireworks a try. His noise sensitivities are so much improved that it seemed silly not to give it a go. And the great thing about our friend's house is that if he was scared we could cross the street and be back at their house and safely inside in no time. I can't express how glad I am that we decided to go for it. He had so much fun and that evening ranks up towards the top of one of my favorite memories from this summer. He still talks about going to T's house "to see the fireworkers." I refuse to correct him because I think "fireworkers" is so dang cute. He also refers to them as "pop pops."

Our friends set up their sprinkler and then had a bunch of balls and toys for the kids to play with and LB spent most of the early evening playing whiffle ball. He may have launched a few balls over the fence, which reminds me that I owe my friend a few whiffle balls. Isn't he just exuding happiness? So fun!

I was glad we remembered to get a picture of just Amy and me. We think the last time we had a picture of the two of us was our last night in Ethiopia together. I guess we've been a little preoccupied taking photos of our boys that we forgot to document that we still exist.

We also got a really great family pic that night. I know that at first glance it looks like LB is holding a beer too. I promise that it is a popsicle.

As it started to get darker, some of the older boys brought out the sparklers and other little fireworks. LB was totally fascinated and insisted on holding a sparkler. We let him and warned him not to touch it because it was hot. What did he do? He touched it. And cried. Thankfully, it just lasted a few minutes. Call me a mean Mommy but I didn't feel sorry for him in the least. He was properly warned. It was a little blip in the midst of a great time. Clearly the below photo was taken prior to the "I am going to touch it because they told me not to touch it" moment.

We got across the street just as they were starting the fireworks and we explained to LB that it would be loud but so cool and amazing. He was mesmerized. D held him initially and I think he felt safe in his Daddy's arms. He kept asking us if they were going to fall on him. I get why he wondered that. It does look like they could fall on you. We promised him they wouldn't but he would still sometimes lean back, just in case. He was so animated about it that he had several people near us just watching him and laughing. I admit to watching him more than the actual fireworkers.

Don't ask why D is wearing those glow in the dark necklaces on his head. I couldn't even begin to explain it. Boys. 

For the finale, he decided he wanted to be a little further back but insisted on staying and watching until the end. The series of photos are really blurry but you get a glimpse of what it was like to see fireworks through LB's eyes.

He's an expressive little one. As the finale really picked up, I do think it got too loud for him but again he refused to leave and wanted to see it. Doesn't it look like he is miserable? But he HAD to see it.

He is ready for the 4th of July again so he can see more pop pops. I know I talk a lot about how much he has overcome and I apologize for sounding like a broken record. But I used to worry so much about him because he was bothered by the tiniest of noises. It feels like such a miracle to witness this change in him. I get that a lot of it is probably attributed to natural development but there is another level of healing that has happened for LB. Some noises he used to bothered by include such simple things like the crinkling sound of a trash bag being opened, the swooshing of bed sheets as you made the bed, the clinking of dishes getting put away, etc. I hope that explains why I am so blown away by his progress. He may have covered his ears at the very end but he ENJOYED fireworks. Maybe one of the loudest things ever. I hope I never forget how far he has come.

A Visit to Young's Dairy

In an effort to satisfy LB's desire to "see my milk come from a cow" and "to squeeze a cow" we drove about 45 minutes down the road to Young's Jersey Dairy. I had actually put it on our Summer Fun List before this interest in cow's milk developed so it was something I was eager to do too. We drive past it every time we go to D's parents' house but had yet to actually stop and visit. So I spontaneously made the decision to go one morning and I'm glad we did. Sadly, LB did not get to "squeeze a cow" but he got to squeeze a pretend cow. At least he got an idea of what it's like but he still needs to "see the milk." Clearly,  I've got more researching to do.

Despite that small disappointment, we had a fantastic time. I called D's parents on the way and they were able to meet us there and spend some time with LB.  Young's was a perfect place for a kid LB's age. He got to see lots goats, including some baby ones, and they had food you could feed them as well. He was a little tentative about that but did eventually work up the nerve. That was kind of the theme of the visit. One of the highlights when we were exploring the barn was seeing a goat pee. Then LB almost rolled over with excitement when the pig and goat "peed at the same time!" Boys. 

He mooed at a pretend cow and was a good sport about my need to take his picture once every 3 minutes. He got to sit on some big tractors and there was a crop duster that was flying around every now and then, which provided a lot of excitement.

One of his favorite activities was the little train ride. The first time he asked me to ride in it with him, which I fully expected. I barely fit but we made it work. As we were going along and getting a cool tour of the farm, he tried to steer the wheel but couldn't because my knees were in the way. He declared, "Mommy, you are too big for this. Next time I do it all by myself." I wasn't sure if he actually would but as soon as we got back he kicked me out and happily went by himself. And he did it 3 more times. He would wave to me and then off they went for about 5 minutes before returning back to where we could see him. I was proud of him for doing it.

There was a kids area with a bounce house, some big slides and a sandbox. LB got really into the slide in the bounce house. Once again, he was nervous at first but conquered his fear and then he couldn't get enough. I was impressed that he was able to climb up all on his own. 

Of course, a trip to Young's isn't complete without having some of their delicious ice cream. I got a vanilla cone since that is his favorite and we shared it. I have to admit it was some of the best vanilla ice cream I've ever had. LB was happy about it too.

It was really a great morning. If you are in the area, then I highly recommend making the drive. LB was passed out in the car within 5 minutes. A sure sign of a successful morning! 

And the quest to "squeeze a cow" continues.

Green Thumb

It turns out that we have a little gardener on our hands. D had a week off back in May and decided to use some of that time to section off an area of of the backyard to plant some tomatoes and peppers. Nothing fancy. He enlisted LB's help and explained the process to him. He gave LB the task of watering the tomatoes and peppers every day so they would grow. LB loves to have a job and to feel like he is helping so he accepted his task with enthusiasm. 

It's crazy to look back at the pictures from the beginning of the summer and to see how tiny the plants were. We got an insane amount of rain in June so LB didn't have to do too much watering and our little tomato plants turned into unruly giants! The peppers came in first and LB was very excited when D told him he could start picking some. In the picture below he is proudly showing me one of the peppers.

See what I mean about monster tomato plants. We did Roma Tomatoes and Big Boys. D's plan is to use the Romas to make his super yummy salsa. And then I will happily slice up the big boys and eat them with just a little balsamic dressing. 

LB started to get a little impatient with the tomatoes because they were growing like crazy but not turning red. Finally, last week they started to turn and he has probably picked around 25 Romas and 5 Big Boys so far and there are still a ton.

Our little garden is so simple but it's brought a lot of joy to LB. Every morning when we leave the house he says, "Mommy, I have to go check my tomatoes." And he walks straight over to them and will give me a status report about which ones are changing and which ones he thinks are ready. If someone comes to our house he will ask them, "Do you want to come see my garden?" And he happily shows it off. The day D told him there were some tomatoes he could pick you would have thought D had told him that Santa himself was coming to our house. He was SO excited. And so proud too of what he had done. He's learned a lot of lessons from our garden. We've talked about how plants need water and sun to grow, that some of our food comes from the ground and there have been lots of good discussions about patience. He is also much more inclined to try and eat it if he has had a part in the process. We were at a friend's house last week and she has some blackberries in her garden. LB asked if there were some he could pick and she pointed out some that were ready. He picked them and immediately put one in his mouth. He NEVER would have tried a blackberry if I had just bought some from the store. I really hope next year we can expand our garden. I told D I have visions of getting some raised beds and growing a lot more stuff. We live in the city and have a small backyard but I'm optimistic we can make it work. (By that I mean, D will figure it out.) This boy is on board for sure!

Zoo Trips

One of the activities I really wanted to do with LB this summer was to frequent our zoo as much as possible. The Columbus Zoo is often voted as one of the best zoos in the country so we're really lucky to live an easy 20 minute drive away. My mom buys us a membership every year so besides a $1 here and there for the merry go round and train, it's a cheap way for us to get out and about, have fun and hopefully learn something. LB and I went to the zoo towards the end of the school year with some preschool friends and I noticed a major shift in how he was approaching the zoo. It was less about pushing the handicap buttons and more about getting excited to see the animals. Don't get me wrong, he still doesn't pass up a chance to push the handicap button (there must be something about pushing a button and seeing a door open that is extremely gratifying) but he tells me what animals he wants to see and asks a lot of inquisitive questions pertaining to the animals at the zoo. The past two or three times we've been I can honestly say that I've had a blast. Before I would have described it as fun but also as exhausting and at times irritating. You know, because of the button pushing. LB also went through a little period last summer where he was nervous about the animals at the zoo. It was like he understood they were big and possibly dangerous but didn't understand that the glass was protecting him. So he would look at something for about 2 seconds and then wanted to move along and find a safe area. There was also the time I told him we were going to see the manatees and he was sorely disappointed when we arrived and there wasn't any mac and cheese. Communication problems were frequent back in those days. Now the manatees are often first on his list of animals to see. Perhaps he still secretly hopes that mac and cheese will be awaiting him.

When we went earlier this summer, they had a lot of animals out for kids to touch. In one day he touched a turtle, a snake, a starfish and a sea urchin. He was pumped. Funny that the kid who used to be afraid of the snakes behind the glass now wants to touch one and doesn't even think twice about it. He also will tell me not to hold him when he does the merry go round. If I touch him then I get a very firm, "No Mommy! I do it myself." Sheesh.

My favorite story from the zoo this summer happened when we went one afternoon while D was in California for work. It was crazy hot but LB wanted to go and I was looking for ways to keep us out of the house and occupied so LB wouldn't miss D too much. So we went. We were in the petting zoo area and LB was very intently watching the horses. He then pointed to one of the horse's genitalia and asked me if that is where milk came from. I explained to him that it was just where the horse peed. Since we potty trained at the beginning of summer, bathroom talk and private parts talk have increased dramatically. I continued to tell him that cows have udders and that we can get milk from cows. He accepted that answer and declared that "horses can just pee like me." As we were driving home, the discussion of the horse's private parts came up again as did that cows make milk. Then he asked me in the most incredulous tone, "My milk comes from a cow?" It was like he all of a sudden made the connection but had to verify and was a bit concerned about the whole thing. I told him "Yes!" and tried to sound really cheery about it because I was worried we were going to have a milk strike on our hands. He paused for a bit and then said emphatically, "Cows milk is really good!" Whew. Dodged a bullet there. From that moment on, he has become obsessed with wanting to squeeze milk from a cow. Obsessed! I have yet to fulfill this desire but am on the hunt if anyone knows of a place where LB could experience this. He's a funny kid.

We made it out to the zoo again last week and explored some areas of the zoo that we don't usually make it too. There is an Australia section with kangaroos and koalas and for some reason we never make it there. The zoo is huge and if you are there for just a few hours then it's impossible to see everything. They let you get really close to the kangaroos and LB loved that. We watched this one for a while.

LB also got to do something he's never done before. They have a place near the petting zoo where you can do pony rides and it was something I never thought of offering to LB. But while we were in New Mexico a few weeks ago (posts on that to come), he started asking about riding a horse. We decided next year we would try that since he would be bigger and hopefully have the ability to go for a longer ride. But the pony ride at the zoo takes about 3 minutes. I asked him if he wanted to and he looked at me like I had just offered him the world. So he did it and he was so pleased with himself. The pony's name was Awesome and LB still talks about it. Awesome was totally awesome. I have to admit that it was a thrill for me to watch him do it. Doesn't he look so big? And happy?

Hopefully, we'll get out to the zoo a few more times before the end of summer.