Today is mostly a lovely day. The weather is Bay-Area gorgeous, sunny, blue skied, and just a touch on the cold side of warm. We went to the Kindergym toddler playtime at Temple Beth Abraham.Jonah messed a bit with the toys at the water table (Cup! Dolphin!) and then took a spin around the room in one of those wonderful plastic go-cars with the steering wheel and everything (mommy-propelled) — and during which he demanded first a Hat! after seeing a little girl wearing one while driving her car (there were several plastic fireman’s hats scattered conveniently around the room for this purpose) and then an Elephant! after spotting a big plastic one, almost as big as he is, which I procured after some discussion from the little girl who’d had it first and which he then carried with him under one arm while he drove/I pushed.
After the drive, we settled down on a playmat with a pile of toys. There were toys toys everywhere, amongst the play mats, tumbling mats, padded ramps, teeter totters, rocking horses on those springed-metal frames, play-doh table, painting table, ball pit, et al. Toddler heaven.
Jonah immediately found two small tambourines and happily banged on one, the other, both, for the rest of the time. At the 30 minute mark, everyone started cleaning up together. We all put the toys into big plastic bins while singing a clean-up song. And then we had a special Shabbat-themed circle time. (The toddler playtimes on other days of the week also have a singing and snacks circle but not the Shabbat part.) We said blessings over the candles, apple juice, and bread, and sang Shabbat songs.
It was Jonah’s first hebrew school experience.
Not that all attendees are Jewish, but everyone seemed enthusiastic nonetheless. Who doesn’t like challah?
And the session ended with a rousing bubbles-fest, from a simple little hand-held device that blows hundreds at once Who doesn’t like bubbles?
Dawn, the woman who runs the whole thing (from soup to songs to bubbles to nuts, so to speak) and has been doing so for 25 years, is a toddler-playtime dynamo who makes everyone feel welcome.
After class, we met Auntie Jenny for sushi. Jonah enthusiastically downed half his sliced avocado and tofu, dumped the other half on the floor equally enthusiastically. Demanded Jenny’s lettuce which he sucked on and spit out. Enjoyed some orange pieces, and then bits of carrots and cabbage from my miso soup. At various points during the meal he suggested we “clean up” the “mess,” either by saying so, or singing the “bom-bom” sound that is sung at Music Together class when it’s time to put the instruments back in the buckets.
He ended our repast with a few rounds of look at how my sand bucket fits so neatly on my head! With giggles.
The mild imperfections to our day: He woke crying at 4:30 a.m. I nursed him, and gave him a bottle, got him back down at 5:30, he slept till 7. He woke from his nap this afternoon 45 minutes in, crying. Clearly still tired and out of it. I gave him another bottle, rocked him back to sleep.
Something is up. I hope it’s not a new trend. I think it might be that new, 7th tooth that has been forever threatening to arrive and is currently causing a big swollen lump in his lower gumline.
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In his own words:
Today Jonah was working on Dangerous. As in, No, don’t touch the hot stove, it’s dangerous. No, don’t pull on the mirror over the changing table, it’s dangerous.
He repeats it to himself over and over. Dane-yeour-uhsss.
And when I went to offer him a bottle at lunch today, opening up the container of powder to mix it, he said: For-meu-lah. Rather matter-of-factly.
What a sweet day! Sounds like joy for all!
Nana sends her love and wishes she could have been there. It sounds like such fun.