We'll Never Learn

I have two updates since my most recent post concerning Jonah and the way that he interprets adult speech.

One- He was talking to my mom and she stopped to enter the bathroom. He started to follow her in and she asked him to wait OUTSIDE. He broke out into tears and said "But Daddy said I can't go outside."

Two- Today Jonah was trying to get down from his seat without eating any of his lunch (which is typical). So, I don't know what I was thinking but said, "Are you going to eat lunch or run around like a crazy man?" He very seriously answered, "Run around like a crazy man", like I was really giving him options and that was what he was choosing!

Literal Translation

As adults we understand the need to interrupt some things that are said, read, or seen on tv to mean something other than what was actually said. We also understand (for the most part) sarcasm and metaphors and the like. One of my favorite examples is from when I taught pre-school and we were making guacamole. I told my 4 year old student to "pop that baby out of there" referring to the pit of the avocado. I'm not sure what literary term "baby" is actually being used as in that sentence, but I do know that the little girl was very confused and looked under the table for a baby.

Now Jonah too takes things literally. At our going away party he was screaming very loudly in play and I, without thinking, said "if you are going to scream, go in the other room." Jonah took this too well (I should have know something was up) because he walked a whole 10 steps to the kitchen (which opened right up to the family room where we were all sitting) and continued to scream in fun. I asked for that.

Recently Jonah was entertaining us at the dining room table and began to "zerbert" and spit all over his food and ours. My dad calmly said, "Jonah, we don't spit at the dinner table." Jonah anxiously asked in return, "where do we spit?"

Cousins

Currently Jonah's only cousins are my brother and sister-in-law's two dogs. Just like siblings, they appear very different in personalities. Vesta is big and sweet. Harley is a small hyper Boston Terrier. Jonah isn't around dogs too often and is always a little fearful at first. But he looked forward to Harley and Vesta's (and his aunt and uncle's) visit. He kept his distance at first but soon was begging to hold a leash (usually Vesta's) and take them on a walk.

He was sad to see them go and coped by pretending to be one of them. He chose to be Harley, even though she frightened him the most, I think he picked her because he can relate most to her. My brother was constantly watching the door, cleaning up after her, and telling her to calm down and be quiet. That's exactly what I do with Jonah, so having a Boston Terrier must be lot like raising a three year old!

So our "doggie day" this week consisted of a leash (a rope tied to his belt loop), several walks where we barked and pretended to eat grass (but it was pretend grass since we took our walks in the basement), catching pretend bones, and be whistled for. Woof Woof!

You Got to Move It, Move It

(title inspired by Jonah's favorite movie theme song)

We packed up, rented a big truck, and moved to Illinois a couple of weeks ago. Jonah was a big help and loved riding in the truck with Daddy. Now Jonah can spot a Penske truck from a couple of blocks away!

We are so glad to finally be here without too many mishaps. Our truck ended up not working well and had to be replaced, fortunatly we realized that before we loaded up more than the dryer. And then we had to wait several hours for them to bring us a new one (I guess it takes some time to tow a 26 foot truck from Joplin). But that was no battle for our 16 friends who showed up to pack us up, they had all of our junk loaded in two hours!

And we are now safely settled in my parents house and our things are in Stanbery Storage (my parent's garage). Jonah and I are trying to keep busy while Jake continues the job hunt!

We can we reached at our old cell phone number so give us a call (we won't make you move our stuff)!

Sweet and Sour

My blog is back after a longer than expected break. My break was due not just to busyness but to my lack of "sweet" stories. Sometimes life seems like a list of funny antics about your family that you forget the "sour" moments. Except when sour moments seem to prevail over the sweet ones. And the sour ones aren't quite so fun to share. I want to forget the fact that we sold our house, quit our jobs, and moved back home without a noteworthy plan. It makes me feel even more irresponsible to write all of that down. But, how can we enjoy the sweet ones without the sour ones? Our misfortunes and mistakes are a part of life too, they help to make up our life just as much as the blessings that come our way. So, "Tales of a Stay-At-Home Mom is back, sour moments and all!

What I learned in Sunday School

Jonah's teacher, Miss Claudia (Aunt Claudi) told this story this evening:

"This month we have been talking about Easter. Every week I have had plastic eggs and each week there is something different inside that goes along with the story. This morning I was reviewing the Easter Story but for the first time talked a little bit about the crucifixion. I had a spear in one of the eggs and told the 2 and 3 year olds that the guards poked Jesus to see if He had died. When I was finished with the story I let the kids look inside the eggs. Jonah found the spear and asked if he could "poke" Jesus as he headed over to the felt storyboard".