Burn the TV

Last weekend we went up to the mountain to see the snow. Melke did really well with our short hike, and couldn't get enough sledding. He loved it!

At one point, as he was eating a snack and Daniel was off exploring a trail, I was sitting quietly next to Melke staring off at the view. I was floored when Melke said, "Mama, are you watching TV?" Arrgggg, no, no TV! I'm looking at this view!

Funny Boy - Funny Stories

This first picture is from New Year's Eve. We went out to get sushi, Melke and I were waiting in the car chatting and he started growling like a tiger, smacking his teeth together, and saying he was a tiger eating. I asked him what tigers eat and he said, "Hold on let me check my phone!"

 

It was so cute and funny. He grabbed Daniel's old phone, which he plays with and proceeded to push buttons and then said, "It says they eat leaves." He was so serious through the whole exchange. It cracked me up. (But, also I worry he sees a little too much phone usage from his parents.)


This next picture is from a few weeks ago. I woke up one morning to hear Melke on the stairs. I wasn't sure if he was going down or up, and sat up in bed to listen. A few seconds later I heard that he was coming up the stairs.

I called to him and he poked his head into the room, "Melke what are you doing?", I asked.  "I'm eating! Mac and cheese and lots of stuff. Yum! I'll show you!", he says.

I watched him walk down the hall into his room and back into our room carrying an armload - the opened juice container balanced on the left over container of mac and cheese with a spoon inside the container.  "See mama!", he exclaimed.  He was so excited. He plops down next to the bed and starts eating.

(We have a fridge on top, freezer on bottom. He climbed up into the fridge to get these items, which are kind of big and heavy. He carried them upstairs to his room. We never eat food upstairs, never. Don't know where this idea came from, but he went through a lot of work to get his breakfast!)


In this last picture, I came downstairs one morning, after getting dressed to find Melke making eggs for Franny and Lucy (his cousins who live in New Mexico). Not sure how he came up with this idea. Not quite sure how he was going to deliver the eggs once he made them.

 

 These stories might not be so amusing if you weren't there, but they were pretty hilarious to me at the time and I wanted to write them down and remember them.

"My Africa Shirt"

The other morning when Melke crawled into bed to try to wake me up and get me out of bed (which is not an easy task), I asked him a few questions. Maybe I needed some more time before I had to become vertical in the world, but really I just love talking to this cute boy that is always so excited and full of joy.

What's your favorite color? "Blue"
What's your favorite thing to eat?  "Breakfast"
What's your favorite thing to play?  "Toys"
What's you favorite toy?  "Cars"
What's your favorite thing to wear? "My Africa Shirt"

Perfect time to post pictures of Melkamu in his Ethiopia shirt. This year he was very excited to put on his shirt in preparation for the Genna Celebration we attended a few weeks ago.  I posted these pictures on Facebook a few weeks ago, but they are here for the Grandma's that don't have Facebook, and who have very patiently been telling me I need to update my blog.

Lessons

We have been waiting for the boy to be over 3 years old to take swim lessons. I have mentioned this in my posts before. For most classes, once the child is over 3 the parents no longer have to participate actively in the class (swim lessons, soccer, gymnastics, what have you).  I actively participate with my child for all (most) of the time that we are together, so I kind of want to take him to a class, sit on the side lines, and watch. No mamma management required (during the class).

Melkamu started swim lessons two weeks ago. The first lesson caused me some concern, but in the second lesson he was a pro. The first lesson, although he was super excited, he was super nervous too. When asked to put his ear in the water, he was out of that pool so fast and on the side lines in my arms in a millisecond. That happened three times during a 30 minute lesson - oh boy. The lesson also included me squatting next to the pool a few times, as well, so my presence was well known.

The funny thing is, that kid actually does not appear to have a fear of the water or a understanding that he would sink to the bottom without his parents holding him up. He flies down the big slides a billion times and into the water, splashes, and plays during playtime in the pool with mom and dad. He is always trying to convince us to let him go down the slide by himself or to not catch him at the bottom of the slide - "Wait over there mamma!" Pointing to the other side of the pool. No, I don't think you understand, you can't swim.

The second swim lesson was amazing! He was completely different. He was in the pool the whole time. He was dipping his ears into the water without a second thought - "To listen to his fishy", blowing bubbles during "Motorboat, Motorboat", and splashing his face with water with no worries. His teacher had him (and all the kids) floating on their backs with head and ears in the water. It was amazing. All he could talk about afterward is how much fun he had and that he wanted to do swim lessons again.

I am hopeful that he continues to enjoy the lessons, working through his fears, and trusting his teacher, while I sit on the side lines proudly watching and waving.

Blue

Finally the blue toes he's been asking for.