Johnny watched Aladdin for the first time this weekend. There were some scary parts that he didn’t understand “Why is that man so mean!?” “Why does everyone have swords?” but he laughed and laughed and laughed at the genie and couldn’t stop talking about the Cave of Wonders. I thought it might be fun to ask him about what he’d wish for if he had access to a genie:
Me: Johnny, what would you wish for if you got three wishes? You can wish for anything at all!
His answer was immediate and confident.
Johnny: A house just like this one, a train table, and a microwave
J.Atlas continues to be pretty awesome. He’s mostly sleeping through the night now (two thumbs up!), is able to manage a fork for the most part, and seems to enjoy just about everything.
I’M ON A BOAT!
This summer is infinitely easier than last and I would venture to say that the later half of the summer was easier than the first. I’m defining ease mostly by his ability to sleep and the amount of parental intervention required on a moment-to-moment basis. I mostly expect the difficulty levels to increase as he develops a greater ability to voice his preferences.
We were able to get some real vacation time in this summer. We went to a snazzy family resort called the Tyler Place in Vermont, hit up Cape Cod for a week, and have been pretty aggressively using our weekends for local beach visits, bicycle rides, and adventures like the aquarium.
FISH!
J.Atlas can confidently say three words: “Hat”, “Mama”, and “Dada.” Though in the case of Dada, I’m still curious if he’s referring to me, the avante-garde art movement of the 1920’s, or something else entirely because he uses the word indiscriminately when pointing at any number of random things.
JAtlas on a Pony
Being a Dad is different than I had expected. It’s a very busy time. Though in a way, I suppose I revel in being forced to be more productive. You know that good feeling you have after you get a lot done? It’s kinda like that all the time with an extra bonus of being surrounded by a tiny person that loves/is loved unconditionally – it’s pretty spectacular. Sure, I wish I had more time to practice guitar, exercise, and be crafty. And right after he goes to bed there’s a big sigh of relief in knowing that you finally have some time to breathe. But it’s unquestionably worth it for the fun of exploring the world through a tiny person’s eyes.
In celebration of J.Atlas’ first birthday we hung up 12 pictures, one from each month of his first year. Carrying him in my left arm, I walked down the row of pictures pointing to each one and saying “Johnny!” When we reached the end of his pictures, there was a picture of Jen and me. He touched the picture of me and said “Dada”
It was heart melting! I was startled and touched far more than I ever could have expected.
Then he pointed to a clock on the mantel and said “Dada”
J. Atlas’s smiling face is cartoonish in its expression of joy
He’s been pretty excellent so far. While still not quite sleeping through the night, his consistency has dramatically improved. He has two teeth, eats like a champ and is at the point where he’s cruising around constantly with his walker.
Things J. Atlas loves:
Bouncing
Shoulder rides
Playing the piano with his butt
Surprises
Chomping my nose
Stealing Jen’s glasses
