Rainy Days

We've been having some cold, rainy days here in Northern Minnesota and it's kept us pretty housebound. The good news is that Ezra now likes baths! (He liked them at first, then went through a stage of traumatic hair washing that ruined baths for some months. I think the spike trick in picture #1 helped.) So here at Grandpa's house Ezra has been taking advantage of fitting into the big bathroom sink. What a dream come true, warm sudsy bath water up to his chin! He's quite permanently pruned I fear.

So with little actual news to report, I'll just take this opportunity to make note of some of Ezra's current turn ons:

* He takes a few steps backwards before running forwards. Is this from watching wind up cars?? It's kind of cartoon-ish, and come to think of it he has just started watching old Pink Panther cartoons, maybe that has something to do with it. BTW there is so much unacceptable racial stereotyping in that show. Ezra and I talk about it a lot, don't worry he won't be a bigot.

* He really likes playing hide and seek. However, his only hiding place is in bed under the covers, preferably with Grandma or Uncle Nate. So I have to keep finding him over and over again, acting surprised each time (I'm getting theatrical!) even though while I'm looking for him I say "Ezra, Ezra, where are you? Are you in the closet?" and from under the covers I hear "No! In bed!" It's absurd. And adorable. By the 10th time a little tiresome. Just keep repeating to myself, soon it will be over and I will miss this, cherish it cherish it cherish it.

* He likes me to nibble on his ears. Sounds kinky, I know. He specifically requests, "Mama, eat my ear" or sometimes just "Mama, eat me" or if he hasn't had enough "Mama, more eat me."

* He is starting a doctor phase. After that last one this one sounds really kinky. No, he likes to put his toys through accidents (truck crashes, bunny falls off chair cliff, baby thrown from crib, repeatedly) and then have a doctor look at them to assess their wounds. Grandma is really good at this one, since she is a medical transcriptionist she knows all the lingo that impresses me probably more than Ezra. Although if he starts using them too I'll be truly amazed. When I'm the voice of the doctor there's lots of stitches, x rays, and ice packs. Grandma's got cat scans, ultra sounds, and other acronyms that I don't understand. I might have to get him a stethoscope.

* He still loves sports, football, baseball, soccer, and the newest addition is ping pong, although he calls it "ting tong" which is adorable. Grandma's got a table in the basement and we freeze our butts off down there trying to play.

* He loves to eat vegetables! Broccoli is his all time favorite, along with carrots. He's into fruits as well, with pears at #1 and clementine oranges, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries tying for second. Other than that he's really into meat. Hmmm. Here at Grandpa's house he ate FOUR whopping breakfast sausages the other morning. Yikes. After doing some research on CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operations) for one of my classes I am pretty grossed out by the majority of the meat available around here. Do you know about these places that supply us with this cheap meat and dairy? The cows cramped all together, standing up smooshed in a horrible stinking warehouse for their entire lives? It's like the holocaust for animals, it's so disturbing. Not to mention the environmental effects or the effects of the people who live near by. A medium size CAFO produces the same amount of excrement as a city with a population of 70,000 people. In one night. Mercy it's revolting. Buy local, buy organic, please, or you might be one of those cows in your next life. (Sorry for the disturbing regression.)

* He is counting pretty well, always forgets the number four, and is getting interested in letters. He knows the letter E, and whenever he sees it he says "My ledaw E!" Next is Z. Doesn't seem that interested.

* Other general likes to end this list: favorite shows- Calliou (why is he bald you may be wondering if you're familiar with this television personality, it is because "calliou" means bald headed in French! Voila!), Clifford (his favorite, he cried for about 15 minutes this morning when the show ended), Arthur, Sesame Street, favorite books - "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!", "The Last Puppy", Richard Scary anything, "Boo Hoo Bunny", any books that are songs (There were ten in the bed and the little one said roll over, roll over... I have sang that at least 20 times in the last few days), and "Katy No Pocket".

Maybe this is interesting/entertaining for you, and maybe not. Remember that this is sort of Ezra's baby book so there will be some entries like this. I'll label them "Baby Book" so you can determine whether you want to spend the time, or not.

Lastly, here's a very short video showing off some of his vocabulary. A limited, random sampling, but cute nonetheless. Ciao!