Snowy Sunday

Phoenix is into E. I know I've said it before, but his adoration for his father just keeps growing. He still doesn't like it when I leave, but its becoming less and less of a big deal, and more and more of a big deal when E leaves.

For example, P now asks every morning where Papa is. He's starting to get his days of the week (vaguely, very vaguely, but he's really working on it) and is ever hopeful for Saturdays and Sundays (on those days, typically, E is up early, working at his desk, giving P the perfect opportunity to sneak up on his father and yell BOO!!). So he was rather miffed when E was missing from the house Sunday morning. A fresh snow had fallen in the night, and when E returned he mentioned that kids were out sledding. Heaven forbid P not try this, and he became fixated on getting a sled and hurling himself downhill.

Being the afternoon after a good snow, the hardware store had slim pickings and P's hope for a "wectangle sled" could only be met if we moved into a larger apartment. Upon further discussion he agreed to the "twirly-whirly sled" (the round ones) but upped the ante for a new snow shovel. (Our last snow found us at the hardware store too, but that outing was due to a snow shovel request from P. The only ones available that trip were Enormous, much too unwieldy for a little guy. So E had proffered a dustpan cum snowshovel. The kid agreed and used it all the way home...never to be touched again.) Now, holding his sled, he explained his need for an upgrade. The current "snow shovel" required him to kneel down in the snow, getting his pants wet and making it difficult from such a height to actually, well, shovel. He needed one, he explained, with a longer handle. Fortunately for him, the store now had a telescoping shovel, perfect in size for P.

Seth and Alicia had met us at the store and sweetly sat through P's very thorough negotiations. The kind of negotiations that end with E and I teasingly calling one another "oaks." At any rate, the child happily skipped out of the store to shovel and sled and we, despite hoping to store nothing more and spend much less, had to agree with the kid's solid logic:)

At the park, P blissfully played with his fabulous Aunt and Uncle. Ethan pushed him downhill in the sled, Uncle Seth packed snowballs and Aunt Alicia helped P learn clever snowball throwing tricks. As I re-joined the group, P called out to me, "Mama, look over there at that tree!" and then launched a snowball my way :) Pure heaven for P. He can feel sneaky, watch something explode, and hear someone scream in mock horror all in one fell swoop. After "surprise" attacking us over and over again, he set off down the sidewalk, shoveling scoop after scoop of snow.

Following steaming mugs of hot cocoa to ward off our chills, Seth and Alicia went to run errands and E headed to work. P was devastated. He had counted on the whole day with his father and just fell apart when E walked out the door. As I rocked him on my lap (after he finished clawing at the doorknob) we heard someone approaching on the stairs. E had forgotten his keys. Once P had him in the apartment, he stood between E and the door, saying E was captured and could Not leave. E sweetly asked P if he needed something. Was there something they needed to play or do before he went to work? Why did P need him to stay? To which P, sucking back his tears, replied "Because I love you." Needless to say, Ethan the Oak did not go to work on this snowy Sunday :)