you learn quickly GRASSHOPPA!

My child is a sponge, he soaks up information like it's goin outta style and is completely amazing us with his ever-growing knowledge base.  Last month we took a trip to Sedona, you know, so we could experience this thing the rest of the country calls "seasons" and "fall".  It was gorgeous, as usual, and we decided to take a walk around Red Rock State Park, it has super easy trails, beautiful scenery, and it was a chance to let Z burn off some energy.  The kid was AMAZED, ENTHRALLED, he LOVED every.single.bit of it.  As we started down the trail we saw all kinds of new.to.him. creatures, big ants carrying their treasures across the path, "ants mommy?!?", and THE most exciting creatures of all, "grasshoppers!!!" they absolutely cracked him UP, jumping away as he approached, and as a result he got completely wound up and started "I grasshoppa mommy!!  I JUMPIN!!"

scrutinizing the "ANTS!!"

Running down the trail, periodically jumping like a "grasshoppa!"

And pointing out, "WOOK it mommy!!  Da water, da birdies, da grasshoppa!!"

So, our annual trip to Sedona in the fall will continue, I can't wait to see his face when we manage to time it right so the leaves are vibrant hues.  For now, we'll just try to remember this trip when he decides he's a "grasshoppa!!" in the middle of the tissue aisle in Target ;).

Separation Anxiety, part deux

Lately Z has been.. very very very TWO.  I know, it's what they do at this age, scream bloody murder, throw fits, exert independence, it's development, it's good, well, for him anyways.  For mommy?  It sux, big hairy ones.  He now demands to get OUT of the shopping car in Target, umm.. exsqueeze me?  Nothing better than a toddler "helping" push the shopping cart around Super Target, between that and the 36 trips to the potty no expedition to Target is less than 2 hours now :p.  At the same time he exhibits this obvious *need* for independence, he is getting more clingy, for the last week, for me, trying to leave for work has been a nightmare.  He clings to me like a leech and screams "no go work mommy!  Sit down, stay with me!"  *le sigh* Yes baby, I would *love* to stay with you, trust me, most days I agree with "no go work", unfortunately, I like this thing we have called a roof, and that fridge, well that shit ain't free sweetheart, and you eat like a horse, so mommy's gotta "go work".