What a Sweetheart!

Evan saw me looking at footage on youtube of Japan’s tsunami.

He asked me if that was Japan. He asked me what happened there.

Then, I said we need to pray for the people in Japan.

He said “But, I don’t know all of their names!”

(See...When I say prayers with Evan and Tyler at night we name all of our friends and family.)

I told him that he can just pray to Jesus to take care of the people in Japan. :)

What a sweetheart!

Evan...the gymnast...

I love this picture of Evan!

My mother-in-law took this picture of him next to our backyard wall where he likes to put rocks between the spaces of the wall.

Evan just started a gymnastics class (also thanks to my MIL). I was a little concerned on how he would react to going to this class since he does not go to daycare or anything like that, yet. But, we were pleasantly surprised to find out he loved it. He came home all jazzed up (so to speak) and hepped up on Oreo Creme pie a la Eat'n Park-style (his "suggestion" to Grandma & Papa, of course!).

Both Evan and Puppy received stars or as Evan called it - a Macy's star - for doing a great job. Now, THAT is great advertising/merchandising when a 3-year-old recognizes your brand. And (believe it or not) I don't really go shopping...much. ;)

Evan received his "Macy's" star for his great job at gymnastics and Puppy, for a great job sitting on the sidelines & "watching". LOL Too cute...

Apparently, these are the gymnastic moves he learned: The Bear Claw, The Kangaroo Jump and the Frog Jump. While the Kangaroo and Frog jumps seem self-explanatory to me, can anyone tell me what the "Bear Claw" is?

Believe it or not, I did take gymnastics as a child at Luanne's School of Dance in Burgettstown, PA, but not at 3-years-old. More like 8-years-old, if my memory serves correctly...(and it may not at this point...LOL).

John actually took gymnastics as a boy, as well. He went to the same dance school that Evan is now attending. Crazy, huh?!

Anyway, I'm sure I could dig up some really juicy (see ---> blackmail) dance school pics of me and/or John.

But, I'm sure none of you want to see all those old, tacky 80s sequinned-outfits , now, do you?! ;)

Evan's Doppleganger

Guess who Evan looks like here?

Yeah...we thought "Drew Carey" immediately. LOL!

Evan got these glasses (it came with a fake nose/mustache, too) from his Wendy's kids meal.

Loveys

Evan requests to call and talk to me every weekday while I'm at work. Today when his call came in I was away from my desk and missed the call. When I came back to my desk, the red light was lit up on my phone indicating I had a voicemail. Upon listening to it, my heart melted. Evan left a message and half way through it Puppy interrupted because Puppy wanted to talk. But, then Evan realized that I wasn't there (saying "she's not there") and subsequently hung up. Puppy has his own voice now.

With the voicemail, I could just envision Evan scrunching up his face like he does when he talks in Puppy's voice. His eyes become like little horizontal slits as he uses his highest pitched voice to speak for Puppy.

Puppy has been Evan's constant companion. He was a gift from my older sister when Evan was first born. They became inseparable ever since. The neat thing about that little piece of trivia is that when my nephew was born (he's 14-years-old now...so hard to believe!) I gave him a plush kitten doll which became his lovey "Kitty"! They, too, were inseparable. So, it's been neat to see the loveys come full circle between me and my sister.

Evan is teaching me how to interact with him by interacting with Puppy. For example, one night while getting Evan to sit down for dinner, "Puppy" wanted to play hoops with Evan's new basketball hoop he'd received for Christmas. Instead of addressing Evan directly and telling him to sit down and eat, I played along. I said "Puppy, you have to eat first before you play." Then, Evan mimicked me, telling Puppy the same thing. And, he actually sat down to eat! It's so interesting to see Evan interact with his world through the eyes of "Puppy". And, it's been an eye-opening experience for me, as well. I think Puppy's new voice has been a blessing in disguise in that he has actually given Evan his voice...his way to interact in the world without feeling pressure (how much pressure can a 2 1/2-year-old have, really? Ah, to be young, again.).

Seeing Evan interact with and "talk" for Puppy reminds me so much of myself when I was young. I also had a lovey. His name was Beary...and, yes, he was a bear. He wore a green nightgown with a pink cat on it and a pair of underwear (yes...underwear!) that says on them "I'm a little tax exemption!" Beary was pink when I received him at the tender age of 2-years-old from one of my Dad's girlfriends at the time.

Now, Tyler is the triple threat when it comes to loveys. We call him our little Linus. Not only does he suck his thumb, but, he also requires a blanket to go to sleep. However, he too has converted to a Puppy of his own courtesy of Papa and Grandma (hubby's parents). We took the Linus theme into Tyler's first birthday by getting him a Linus cake. Grandma, of course, got him a Linus shirt just for the occasion, as well!