Garbage Cans

Jonathan's newest thing is a revival of an old thing, walking down the alley and touching the side of the dumpsters. He has loved this activity since he was old enough to walk. Now, he has rediscovered his garbage passion. He tells me he wants to "walk" and points to the backdoor.

Yet, he does not want to put on his shoes without crying and protesting. Once we do go to the alley, he happily walks down the middle of the lane and says "walk, walk, walk" to himself. Then each dumpster he touches either the "O" in "NO" or "Only" and says "O," or he likes to touch the number "1" for the first of the month, and he usually says "one." Sometimes I have to remind him. He also likes to say "A," but I usually have to help him find the "A" in "YARD." Today we started practicing on the recycling bins with "R," which he seemed to learn well since they look different than the regular dumpsters. He also loves to say "one, two" like counting. So I comfort my 9 months pregnant self that he is learning something while we walk the alley in the August sun. My little explorer, happily touching garbage cans.

He wanted to keep going for more than an hour today, up and down the alley. Finally I couldn't do anymore, so he had to be carried crying into the house, and after a 15 minute tantrum he fell asleep in my lap. I should really go to sleep now, both guys are in dreamland. Days are long and repetitive. Today I found myself wishing there was someone I could call for a few minutes to give me a break, but I'm pretty much on my own when J.D. is at work. And sometimes I marvel at the freedom and time I wasted before. Yet, I was lonely, and now I have full days of doing and helping, which is better. And I would give the whole world for Jonathan, tantrums and all.