Gearing Up

posted by Evan Jake at 10:11 PM

Spring has definitely arrived. In fact, it feels like summer arrived at the same time, too.

The weather has gotten warm. Which means wearing shorts, t-shirts and sandals and running around at the park. It also means my favorite foods are back -- namely corn on the cob and ice cream. That's me in the picture eating corn on the cob.

It's also been the season of birthdays. My Bubbie, Nana, Pappa and Daddy all had birthdays in the past couple weeks. That meant Mommy had to buy lots of cards and stamps. I signed all the card personally, which is more than Daddy can say.

And as the weather gets warmer, I can't help but notice Mommy getting bigger and more uncomfortable. As her belly gets larger, I get this ominous feeling that something serious is about to happen. My sister's arrival is getting closer by the day. So I'm planning to spend what's left of this spring living it up, only-child style. Getting all the corn and ice cream I can get my sticky fingers on! I wonder, will my sister like corn? If she does, she better get her own-doggone cob.

~:O

Pass Me Over

posted by Evan Jake at 10:28 PM

On Saturday my Bubbie and Zayde came to visit for Passover. We had a seder at our house. That means everyone sits around the table and we tell the story of Exodus about how the Jews quickly fled from Egypt and didn't have enough time to let the bread rise before baking.

I think if my Mommy and Daddy had to suddenly flee somewhere, they'd have a lot more to worry about than how to bake bread. I can just see Daddy loading up the biggie-van with my portable crib and booster chair, calling the neighbors to pick up the mail and making sure all the lights and faucets were off. Mommy meanwhile would be making sure she had enough outfits for me to wear, stocking up on diapers and videos for the trip. We don't move too quickly these days. It can take half an hour just to get ready to the grocery store. So fleeing in a hurry would be quite a chaotic ordeal, that's for sure.

Anyway, back to the seder. Mommy did an amazing job cooking brisket and matzah balls. My favorite part of the dinner was getting to eat the matzah. That's me in the picture eating a whole big piece of matzah myself. Needless to say, there were some crumbs under my chair at the end of the night. I never did get my four sippy cups of grape juice.

Oh, but I did get to go and find the afikomen matzah. (Zayde didn't do a very good job of hiding it.) And when I gave Zayde the afikomen, I got a present. It was some awesome Play-Do. Is Play-Do kosher for Passover? I was sure not to eat it, just in case.

On Sunday, my aunt and uncle came to visit. They're making me a cousin. I can't wait to meet him. We had a lot of fun hanging out and my aunt played the piano for me. She's a way better at playing the piano than Daddy. Then again, so am I.

It was a full weekend of family and I had lots of fun. But today, was the biggest day of all -- Daddy's birthday! I made him a card and wished him a happy birthday. He keeps getting older, but I keep getting cuter. Isn't life grand? Anyway, happy birthday, Daddy!

~:O

Meeska, Mooska?

posted by Evan Jake at 2:42 PM

The first ominous sign was an icky mess on the kitchen floor this morning that Mommy had to clean up. Then I heard a shriek from upstairs. It was Daddy. He came running down and Mommy went up to explore.

There, at the top of the stairs was my kitty cat friend Emma, sitting with a content look on her face, protecting her treasure. Curled up at her feet was a tiny and very dead little mouse. Emma killed Mickey! I guess this mouse forgot to say the magic words before he came inside. This was no magic clubhouse.

Apparently, I'm being raised in a home infested with rodents. But before you call social services, I'd like to point out that this was a very cute rodent, one I probably would have enjoyed playing with. Luckily we have cats like Emma kitty who surprisingly still have natural instincts beyond napping and eating canned food. And I'm lucky to have a brave Mommy who will pick up dead rodents and bugs when Daddy won't go anywhere near them. What a whimp.

Hopefully the rest of Mickey's friends will be a little more careful if they try to sneak into our house in the middle of the night.

~:O

Deja Toys

posted by Evan Jake at 9:12 PM

This weekend my friend Baby Sara came to visit. We had a great time hanging out. But mostly, I was fired up because Sara brought me some of these really cool toys. They all looked strangely familiar -- like I had played with them in a previous life. She brought a kickin' baby swing and an awesome activity mat. Mommy says that they are baby toys and that I'm too big for them now. But I don't care. I'm loving these toys.

Daddy explained that the toys originally belonged to me and that baby Sara had been borrowing them - now she was bringing them back. I had zero recollection of these toys. And my toy IQ is pretty high. So Daddy went and found this old picture of me playing with the activity mat when I was just a few weeks old to jog my toddler memory. Whatever, Daddy. I don't even recognize that little runt. Are you sure that's me?

I love to play with the swing, too. I don't care that I'm just a tad too big for it. Mommy says it's ironic since I hated the swing when I was little and she couldn't get me to stay in it for more than a minute without screaming. I must have been screaming for joy because this swing is totally tricked out. All those flashing lights and music -- it's totally rad. I can't get enough!

Anyway, Mommy told me not to get too attached to the toys because soon my baby sister would be playing with them. Say what now? Doesn't she get all her own toys? Is she really going to move in on my toy turf? I don't think so. We're going to have a problem.

~:O