New Bathroom Fixture

We have always got some new project going on around here, and last weekend it was a new showerhead for Alton's bathroom. Andy replaced the old standard-style head for one with multiple water pressure settings, on a movable hose that can also attach to a vertical bar and slide up and down for adjustable height. Wow! Last month when Alton was sick with a bad cold, we thought that he might benefit more from a shower at night instead of a bath. We would steam up the bathroom with all the doors closed with the water at its hottest setting, then turn it down to a toddler-friendly temperature to let the little guy reap the benefits of the humid room for his stuffy nose. We had been using our large standing shower in the master bathroom for this, but it meant that Andy had to get in with Alton each night, since cleaning a wriggly kiddo with sliding shower doors wide open would mean a sopping wet floor. Well, Alton loved the showers. He would stand directly underneath the water's spray, letting the streams beat down on the top of his head and run rivulets of water all down his face. He would pace back and forth in the big shower and ask Daddy to set him up on one of the seats molded into the wall. Everything was going great, but showering two guys at once can get a little time-consuming. Andy brainstormed a solution that would be a little more streamlined, and installed it in no time a few days ago. Alton demonstrates for you in his swimsuit!

When guests come, we will just slide the showerhead from kid-height all the way to the top.

Seasons in the Sun

Joy. Fun. Seasons in the sun.
Water table season has officially begun.



P.S. Happy Earth Day!

Reading to Puppy

Alton and Andy were sitting on the couch Sunday morning reading a book when Andy beckoned me over. After requesting that Andy read the book a few times, Alton had apparently commandeered it and was reading the book aloud to his stuffed dog, Puppy. I ran for the video camera and despite the distraction of seeing himself in the video screen, Alton finishes reading the rest of the book to Puppy.

(First, he finds the page where he left off reading.) "Car carrier (turns page) ...bus, balloon (turns page)...this, Puppy...cart, tractor (turns page)...dump truck! Dump truck, Puppy! Dump truck! Excavator. Excavator, Puppy, excavator (turns page)...trailer, car (turns page)...race car. Race car, Puppy. Race car, helicopter. (turns page) Rocket, Puppy! Rocket. (closes book) That's all, that's all, Puppy."

Bubbles & Dirt

Last week, despite weatherman predictions to the contrary, we were blessed with mostly sunny afternoons and clear skies for several days in a row. So we donned light jackets and gardening clogs and hung out in the backyard in glorious bright warmth. First Alton was playing with the bubbles that Auntie Karen gave him at Easter.
Mommy blows bubbles from the wand.

Alton brandishes a dripping bubble wand at you; this move featured largely in our afternoon bubble play.

Now it's Alton's turn to blow the bubbles.

He cannot yet purse his lips and blow through them gently, so his way of blowing the bubbles is to make a vigorous "F" sound with his teeth and bottom lip. Ffffffffff!

We get many more bubbles when Mommy does it.

Love that face!

The day warmed up so much that we discarded the jackets in favor of a glare-reducing hat.

Then it was time to water the plants. As you can see, we watered the air...

...watered our shoes

...and even watered our pants, although some water did eventually make it to the potted plants.

Then Alton decided it was time for a little wet-pants walkabout.

Exploring the future site of Minerva's dog run.

Climbing the brick pile.

He also moved all of the (empty) flower pots from one corner of the patio to the area by the sliding glass door.

Heavier than it looks.

Riiiiight here.

These two pots are actually plastic and light as a feather.

Exploring dirt remnants at the bottom.

Relocation complete.

Minerva basks in the sun and displays all of Alton's labors. Until next time!

Return to Sender

In case you haven't noticed already, Alton loves to pull his wagon to the mailbox and go to the park around the corner. There is nothing he likes better than putting on shoes, grabbing his trusty Radio Flyer, and heading for the mailbox, with a long-way detour to the park on the way home. He collects letters, bills and junk mail in his wagon, sometimes tucking them companionably against his sippy cup, and strides with purpose no matter the weather ("Neither snow nor rain, not heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.") to deliver them with a big cheerful grin. Often on the longer excursions that include the park, Andy Daddy will take the camera for some cute photo ops. And since you can see that we take a LOT of pictures of this kid, here they are, shared with you!
Setting out on today's adventure.

Sometimes adventures get a little chilly, which is why we have pockets to warm our hands.

We arrive at the park! Time to ascend the steps.

Peek-a-boo!

Almost to the top...

...success.

Monkey swingin' at the top of the slide.

We pause for a picture.

He heads down solo!

After some tunnel time...



...he trots around a bit more to get some energy out,



and finally it's time to load up the wagon and head home.


At one point he tells Daddy, "It's cold!" (Accompanied by a little shoulder shiver.) Time to put up the hood.

Mail time!

Home again, home again.

Oh, those eyes.

The Artiste at Work

Now that Alton knows his letters (and I promise that he knows the whole alphabet, not just the song), we have been brainstorming with our elementary teacher grandmothers about ways to introduce more alphabet and word play to him. He also recently had a chance to paint some pictures at a craft time, and after playing with an art easel with *P, that seemed like a neat way to combine letters, drawing and painting into one. I spotted a tidy little easel at a craigslist garage sale and snapped it up, then we added some magnetic letters and dry-erase markers into the mix. Alton loves identifying letters with the colorful alphabet set (although truth be told, he has also taken the letters and driven them around the table like little cars) and doing free-form scribbling with the markers. After a small "marker goatee" incident, we decided that it would probably be better for him to wear a bib during marker time, juuust in case.







Okay, that's enough: no more pictures!