little musician

The cutest thing Dennis did today was to bang out some tunes on his little xylophone keyboard and sing along to his playing. Melody was not involved, not at all, but the adorable factor was through the roof.

He cried a little when we left him in the church nursery this morning, but they've apparently gotten to know Dennis now, because when he teared up and the little lip poked out, the nursery worker asked him if he'd like to go and play with the trucks. She swooped him up and took him to the trucks, and he'd stopped crying before we got many steps away from the door. They told us he was very sweet this morning, and I admit that I was worried because he pushed a couple of kids last week (not like him), but he'd apparently gotten over it by this week. Since he's been in nursery lately, we knew the pastor hadn't seen him in a while so we stopped to say hello on our way out. We were waiting for him to finish up a football conversation with some folks in front of us when Dennis dove between them, climbed up the step, and ran wildly through the sanctuary. He went up one aisle to the altar, attempted to mount the choir loft steps, turned around and ran down the other aisle to the back and then headed right for his Daddy and the pastor. He was giggling as he ran, and he greeted several church members in passing. Running wildly is his new favorite pastime, I think.

Lunch at home was his favorite, red beans and rice, and he wore as much as he ate (see picture). Tonight when I got home from going to the movies with the girls, Dennis and David were seated at the table, eating and watching a movie on the portable dvd player (what a guy meal!). Dennis was wearing a plastic long-sleeved smock. I suppose David wanted to keep the food off him this time! I arrived just in time to see him toss his leftovers to the floor and demand to get down. I got to put him in his pajamas and kiss him goodnight. I love night-night time--he's so sweet about going to bed most of the time. But then I miss him just a little before I go to sleep and I go to check on him. The past two nights I've gone in to find his feet sticking out of the crib through the bars. So I move him to the middle of the mattress, hoping he'll stay comfortable through the night. I'm planning on some playground excursions this week to satisfy that running urge, and that should take care of some of that energy. Gosh, if only I could borrow some of it!