Park.

Today is the day Daddy comes to the park with us. 

We walk the big hill. "Park! Road, cars. Up, dada, no, mama, up. Down, walk. Slide? Park?"

"Up past the stop sign, by the trees is where the park is," whispers Mama in my ear.

I see it! "Down. I fast. Swing!" I run ahead and climb over the barrier.

"Mittens off. Help. Dada, please." Now, I can climb and swing.

The swing is too tall. "Help, Mama. No, Dada! Up, please. Swing! Swiiiiing!"

"I laughing. I swing. Cheese. Cheese. Pictures. Weeeeeeee."

 "Time to get down and play with something else, Kami Pie," Mama breaks in and ruins our fun. Daddy agrees, "Let's try the ladder and the slide." "Ok, all done. Down," I relent.

The tire swing calls my name for a few pictures. I am a little scared of actually riding it, but I like the idea. Such is life. 

Now, I am ready to climb the ladder. I have been practicing on any playground ladder I see, so I'm pretty good at them now. Watch.

 I go up and down. I consider both ladders. Then I climb the other ladder all the way up to the platform. It seems like the best choice for me. The wooden steps are wider.

I convince Daddy to come up and hang out with me. "Wheel, slide, Daddy! Up high. Ladder, down. Cheese. No, down. Mama. Maaaammmaaaa."

"Daddy, go high. Air" 
"You want me to throw you in the air?"
"Yeeeeaaah."
"How do you ask?"
"Peeeeeaase." Daddy lifts me up.
"Ready?"
"Ready." He tosses me up high lots of times. I laugh so much I hit my head on his head.

"Do you need some kisses?" he asks.
"Kisses. Hug. Nigh-night. Miiiilk."
"Are you ready to go home?"
"Yeah. Miiiilk," I whine. "Mitten?"
"Let's put on our mittens and walk home."

It is getting dark. Daddy carries me to help us go faster. His legs are longer than mine. I compared earlier.  We stop to make faces. My face is just like my Daddy's

I forget about nigh-night. This walk is different than before. I see new things.

 "Pine cone. Noise. Hold it. Daddy. You hold. More! Hold it. Home?"

"Time to go home, Kami Lou."
"Pine cone. Hold it. Home."
"Yes, you can take one pine cone home."
"Nigh-night. Blanket, milk. Jammies. Swimming, lotion. Goose, goose."
"Yes, we will go to bed when we get home. I'll put lotion on while you are "swimming". Then we can read Suzy Goose."
"Rooooaaawwnk." Mama and Daddy are giggling. "I laughing."
"Yes, Lulu, you are funny."

"I funny."

Friends.

Today I want to show you what I've been doing with my friends.

I meet with different friends a couple times a week. Mama says we are working on social skills. She says I'll gain new perspective, practice acceptable behaviors, and add to my growing vocabulary. That's all great and everything, but I just like to ride in my car seat and show friends my jumping bed.

Merrick likes to come over and play. I am older than him by one day. I remind him every time he comes to visit. We love to play up and down the stairs, in my old car seat, and this time, on the BIG bed.

 "Mama! I laughing. Merricks, Merricks, pillows."

We giggle and giggle. I forget what is so funny. I giggle some more.

Merrick never knows what to say. He just giggles.
"Wrastle, wrastle," I push Merrick a little to see if he knows what I'm saying.
More silence. I'll take that as a no.

Merrick and I have lots of fun. He doesn't stay long. We both need a nap.

        .............................................................................................

When we change out of pajamas in the morning, Mama tells me my schedule.

Mama says, "Today we get to go for a drive to see some friends. We are going to see Anna and Edie." 
"Ride, car seat. Fab 4, Anna. Sweater. Goldfish?" 
"Yes, we can have goldfish on the way. No, we are not wearing that sweater today," Mama says back. 

Anna and I ride together. "Read books. Glasses, sunny, ride, buckle," I smile while waiting for Mama to buckle me up. Mama Roo says "Cheese," with the camera pointed, but I ignore her in favor of my book. Anna is busy with her snacks already. "Ok go." I add.

Finally, we get to Edie's house. "Hi. Stairs! Upstairs. Stroller, baby. Downstairs. Help. HELP!" Anna finds a baby chair and I have the stroller. Edie just wants to make sure nobody sits in her big girl chair. 

I sit in her chair when she's not looking and refuse to move even when she asks. Edie, "Chair. My chair. Move, please. Edie's." I am sitting on it, so I just look at her. With some prompting, Edie says, "I would like to sit in that seat, please." With prompting, I reply, "No. Wait, please." Soon, she and I abandon the chair to help Anna pull all the books off the shelf. We giggle, laugh, and read for a long time.

We don't sit still for a picture. I like my Fab 4 girls. 

             .....................................................................................

Later, maybe a couple days, we talk about our agenda for the day.

Mama says, "Your friends are coming today." 

"Friends!!?? Walk, park, slide?" I ask. 

"We will just play here. Ryder is coming." 

"Jaynie?"

"Yes, Jayne too."
"Jaaaaynie," I whisper with a grin.

We like to play. We don't like to smile. I only laugh when Ryder is being funny. Ryder laughs when I chase him. Jaynie doesn't laugh, she only squeals.

Ryder is just like his Mama. He finds a camera, "Cheese, cheese. Kami next to Jayne. Cheese. This button takes the picture? Jayne smile. Cheese." Jaynie smiles and squeals. I don't want my picture taken today.

"Camera, Ryder. Blue truck, wheels. I hungry. Cashews, cracker?" 
Time for lunch. We put away our toys.

We share apples, a banana, and some noodles. "Sharing," I giggle.
                    ....................................................................

"Ducks! Ducks! Manny! (Maddy), Merrick, car seat, time to go," I say to Mama as we stand by the door putting on our shoes. We are bringing lunch and some bread for the ducks. "Quack, quack, quack, duck, quack, quack," I sing until we get in the car. "Books, boots, Manny, Merrick. Sunny, glasses. Ready to go. Go!" We are pulling out of the driveway.

Merrick wants to chase the ducks. "Da, da, da," he follows them around. I don't think they like it. The Maddies throw bread at them. "Birds, birds, eeee, eee, caw," I sing. These are not ducks. I know what ducks look like.

Merrick keeps chasing to them. He eats the bread he is supposed to give them. I start eating mine too. "Kami Lou, that bread is for the birds. It's yucky." I shrug my shoulders, smile, and take another bite. Mama Roo shrugs her shoulders too.

Merrick yells. They run further. I laugh and point to the beach. "Birds, beach, eating. Go get them. Down."

We sit on the edge of the grass and the big girls show us how to throw the bread. "More, please."

Maddy divides the last piece of bread surprisingly evenly between all the kids. We sit until the bread is gone. "All done. Bye-bye birds."

It is time to run before nap. 

I can't keep up. I stand by Mama Roo. "Milk?" I ask. "We can go home and have some," Mama replies. "Nigh-night, Miiiiilk," I whine. "Talk in your nice voice, Lulu. We are going home now. Say goodbye to your friends."

"Bye friends. Bye Manny. Bye birds," I whisper into Mama's shoulder. 

Friends are fun.

Pockets.

Today I found my pockets. 

"Pockets, pockets, POCKETS!" I exclaim. 

I can only fit small things in my pockets. I am learning how small those things have to be.

"Cocoa pockets?" I ask. "Does it fit?" Mama replies. "Noooooo," I laugh. "Cocoa, door, close it." "Yes, please," Mama agrees. 

Maybe I'll find some other things for my pockets. 

Floss. Phone.

Today is the day I want to floss for an hour then call Jayne.

Mama Roo flosses all the time. Well, every time I see her brush her teeth. In the morning sometime between breakfast and leaving the house, Mama sits me on the counter and we brush our teeth. "Teeth, brush, wa-wa, hold it," I insist. I have my own toothbrush. Next, she flosses and then hands the string to me. Usually, I am done quickly, but today I say, "More. Hold it. I flossing."

"Kami Lulu, are you done flossing? We have to put pants on soon." "No. Flossing," I reply. Mama shows me her patience with a sigh. "When I come back downstairs, we are going to put pants on." "Mmm-hhmm," I hum in agreement with the string still in my mouth.

She comes back. I am ready. I hold out the string, "Garbage?" "Yes, thank you." She watches me carefully because sometimes I like to stick my hand further into the garbage container than she deems necessary. "Follow me to find a diaper." 

"Phone! Phone!" I remember I must make an important call. "After your diaper," Mama is the one insisting this time.

I retrieve my phone. Jayne is on the other end. I can't tell you what we are talking about, but it is urgent. My desk is available. I sit down.

We are laughing and I am telling her about the trees and animals outside. "Birds, trees, rain, wet. Wet, doggie, bikes." Jayne hangs up.

I contemplate calling Oma. That is who I talk to if I'm not talking to Jaynie. Typing a couple numbers, "Be-boop, beep, boop, boop," I repeat like Daddy Bear says it. Now, saying the be-boops is more fun. "Boop, be-boop, be-boop, be-boooop, beep, beep, boop." Then, I text like Mama Roo.

Mama says I continue this in the car. It is time for the store. "Cart, shopping, ride, RIDE!, store, pizza?" I wonder. "Yes, we can have pizza at Costco," Mama laughs.

I forget about my phone.