The Pumpkin aka Tater aka Jo Jo Bird is a trip! He is coming into his own personality and what a personality it is! For the most part he is a happy, busy, smiley, guy. He loves dogs, going outside, climbing, music, throwing things, balls, and handling things he isn’t supposed to. Other loves include handing people their phones, including strangers, handing his daddy the TV remote (I won’t get into the obvious sexism of that here), staring at strangers, slamming doors, and his pacies and blankies. He abhors being told no (insert melt down here – he physically collapses onto the floor but very carefully so as to not hurt himself in his rage), getting water on his head, sitting still, taking naps, being held when he could be moving and any other way of trying to constrain him when he wants to do something.
He is starting to say some intelligible words now – Ball, Bye-Bye, Banana and Pacie are just a few. I taught him how to say ‘Ahhh’ and stick his tongue out. He loves this because when he does it I’m supposed to do it to, then he sticks his finger on my tongue, I act aghast and he giggles. It’s our thing. He’s also learning his body parts, colors, animals, and how to brush his teeth/chew on his toothbrush and to blow bubbles and kisses. The only things he really kisses are Percy, Sam and any image of himself. Percy has become the Pumpkin’s self-appointed defender and will coming running if the little man starts crying.
Meals are trying for me. Anytime I think I get a handle on
what he likes and will eat, he stops eating that particular item. But when he likes
something, he will go to town sometimes out eating his brother. Ice cream is
his particular joy, just like his Baba. Speaking of his brother, the Pumpkin
has developed a definite yet limited sense of sibling rivalry. If brother comes
over for a hug, Pumpkin is right behind him, squeezing in between to get a
better one. If brother gets a snack, Pumpkin is, again, pushing his mighty way
through to get his own. And if brother ever gets to go outside without him…I shudder
at the screeching that ensues.
Pumpkin, life will never be the same with your spunk and
tenacity filling our family with vim and vigor. You are a man who knows what
you want and have a hard time stopping at getting it. Any detour leaves you
breathless and angry; at least until the next distraction. Your Godmother says
that you are a born leader and will never succumb to such trivial things are
peer pressure. Our concern will be where exactly you are leading your troops
and to what end. I pray every day for the grace to teach you and your brother
to be exemplar men of God. And, sincerely, if I could teach you one thing it
would be that first and greatest commandment. If you have that, the rest of the
gifts God has given you will take you far in this life and home in the next. I
love you, Pumpkin, from the bottom of my heart; a heart which you continue to
expand every day.
