Oh Little John

L:ittle John is at that lovely age (2.5) where he knows exactly what he wants, and he'll do whatever it takes to get it. That means I spent lots of time saying things like "Little John! Beach balls are not appropriate stools!" and "don't hug the crock pot again." and "climbing the bookshelf is dangerous" and my new favorite "the fridge handle isn't strong enough to hold you."

Somehow my very clear and scientific explanations of gravity and force and heat do nothing to deter him. So he is my most injured child. We are constantly finding bruises and scrapes and bumps all over his arms, legs, and apparently magnetic noggin.

But when he gets injured......my how he snuggles. When this boy wants you, (which is not always) you just soak it in because though the love and stillness is fleeting, it's well worth the spontaneous investment.

He's also at the really fun language age. Where he says funny things, repeats sweet things, and grunts enough things that you just want to giggle at his "communication".

After climbing the fridge door to get an otter pop out of the fridge, he told me "big one. pop. fridger." and I translated "you got a big popsicle out of the freezer?" and he corrected me. "NOOOOOOOO no popsicle. oughtta 'op." (because, duh.) I managed to keep me "all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares" lecture to myself. I'll save it for another day.

He's a little crazy. But aren't we all?

And handsome. But aren't we all?

One of the best things about Little John is that most photos of him have something blurry happening. It's usually his face or limbs because he has exactly 2 speeds. Stopped to examine the ground, and full blast. 

It's so funny to me how he relates to the world and to me so differently from Tommy. Where Tommy is reserved, shy and cautious, John is enthusiastic, wreckless, and brave. He doesn't often hold back, and because he's so much like me, I am surprised that when we divide & conquer, Josh usually takes John and I negotiate with T because Tommy & Josh are far more alike and John and I seem to operate similarly.

I just love this little one.