Thomas Days!

Thomas is having a blast with his fall and doesn't seem to miss the beach and the sunny weather at all, which is a blessing to me. Although we are tied up inside a lot more than I'd like, he has taken to other activities with just as much gusto as he did with dock jumping. We're constantly hearing, "Daddy, come wrestle with me, do some wrestle-li-ling with me!" at the top of his lungs. "Come see me, come see me in mommy's room!" "Chase me, chase me, chaaaaaase me!" he'll call, unrelenting until you turn and give him your best I'm coming to get you look, and then he's off at a dead run, screaming through the house at top speed. He wants you to set up a play tent over and over, just so he can break it down, plays with any cream he can get his hands on and smears it in as many hidden places as he can think of, enjoys looking at and playing with the Christmas houses we've already pulled out, enjoys watching "Manny Manny" Handy Manny, Big Machines and Dora when I just need a break, and is now getting into Geo Trax, but refuses to let us play with them. We're just there as an audience for him. He cannot stand to be alone, from the time he wakes up until he finally gives it up at night. Most mornings I now find him in is crib hiding under his pillow, waiting for us to "wake up" and come get him. He'll then play for a few minutes with his trains, until I have to move out of his room to get breakfast or whatever. The chase is then on, as he'll follow us wherever we go, creating big master disasters wherever we may be. He's still refusing to wear the underwear we bought him, despite the numerous treats and bribes we've thrown his way, but when naked he'll go to the big potty without fail. He's very sweet and generous with his smooches and cuddles, and we enjoy a lot of cuddle sessions throughout the day.

Thomas has a great sense of direction and can find his way around town quite nicely, considering he is still a backseat driver. When going places he'll point out places of interest, talk about where we are going, despite me having not disclosed our plan, and let me know where he wants to go as we near it. Yesterday we were leaving our Chinese take out place, when he says from the back, "Mommy, that Taco Bell." (How he spied the joint as I flew through the intersection baffles me.) As I continued on through the intersection towards home, he said, "Mommy, me want Taco Bell. Me want taco with cheese." I told him I could make him a taco at home, and he told me, "Me want Taco Bell, Mommy. Turn around." So, like any good indulging mother, I quickly made a u-turn and returned to Taco Bell, wishing to the heavens that my cravings during this pregnancy weren't creating a monster of my son. Last week we made two trips to the mall, and each time instead of asking for McDonalds he begged to have lunch with me at Red Robin. We enjoyed a "leisurely" lunch together, coloring, dumping the salt and pepper, rolling trucks on the table, trying to climb the divider between tables, playing with the fake plants, rolling under the table, singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" at the top of his lungs, and the general chaos of "lunching" with a toddler. He must have loved it, because he continues to ask for Red Robin's chicken and fries each time we head down the Guide. Like I told me mother, I'm creating a monster with my cravings.