ride the dog

We had a nice day, playing inside while it rained and rained and rained outside. David brought Honey to the lake once she got back from wherever she ran off to this morning, and Dennis was overjoyed to see her. He climbed on her and off her and over her, again and again, and she just stayed there patiently enduring it. She's such a good dog, so sweet to put up with the things dogs have to endure from toddlers.

He 'helped' David build some block masterpieces and then gleefully destroyed them, all the while saying "boom boom". He's quite the little demolitions expert. And quite the climber as well, scaling the rocking chairs with ease and standing on boxes. He's mastered the on/off switch for the television, happily and purposefully cutting off Elmo mid-song this morning.

He giggled a lot today, and that's always so much fun. Every day he seems more grown up, asking for "eat" and "juice" and "side" to let me know how he would like his day to progress. He decided when to take his own naps today, getting into his pod all by himself and waiting for us to turn out the lights. More and more he's asserting his independence and dictating what he wants, and since his demands are in line with the behavior we'd like to see, we've happily complied with his requests. He's a real little person now, with his own ideas about things and a healthy curiosity about his little universe. I really want to start taking him to the playground more often, but the weather was a bit uncooperative today. I know he's ready to start climbing the equipment and going down the slides, with careful supervision of course, and I can't wait to share his delight in outdoor fun. I'm looking forward to autumn now, with milder temps and more hiking trips.







We've enjoyed a good bit of summer water play, and we'll continue for at least another month, but I'm starting to anticipate the return of my favorite season. I can't imagine a more fun outdoor buddy than Dennis, and I can't wait to take him to the pumpkin patch and to the fair and everything that comes with fall. All the kids are back in school around here, and I can't help but think that next year he will be old enough to start preschool a couple of days a week. I'll bet that year passes more quickly than I can even imagine.