Cars and Sloths

Speaking strictly by reason, one has to believe that this winter will end at some point, but the forecast is making it a little difficult to convince my spirit. So I'm just going to stare at these pictures from sometime last week when we had a day of warmth and sunshine.

It's endlessly entertaining to watch Gussie growing into his own little personality right now. He is decisive and independent and exuberant and he loves to do things that are funny (and he knows what's funny), but he's also snuggly and doting and requires a huge amount of human contact every day. At the same time that he is developing his individuality, there are remarkable similarities between him and Michael Jr that are also fun. An obvious one is his love for all things transportation, and he already mimics Michael's intense and meticulous method for arranging cars.

Or at least he tries to mimic it.

But I think he's not quite confident in his approach yet.

He gets frustrated now and then.

But he's willing to try!

He's also desperate to ride a bike like the big kids. He needs a good inch or so before he can touch the ground on the balance bike, but that doesn't stop him from hijacking it every time Michael leaves it for even a second. He can't get on it himself, or push it, but he can make it clear without a doubt what he wants you do to for him, and he usually succeeds in convincing Daddy or me to run up and down the sidewalk with him...

I know he doesn't look happy, but trust me, the second you stop running up and down the sidewalk with him and indicate it's time to get off the bike he starts wagging his finger at you and screaming "No!" and picking the bike back up with that desperate longing in his eyes. Ignore the face. He's loving this. It's just something about the boys in this family and pictures. Their picture faces belie their true feelings. See these two? Very much enjoying the afternoon in the sun.

I know the rest of the kids were outside with us also, but I assume they were moving too quickly for me to catch them. I did catch Mary but only because she was imitating a sloth for a moment, which required her to "move so slow moss could grow on my fur."

And now we hunker down for another batch of ice falling from the sky and single digit lows at night. Can you tell that I'm pouting? I'm pouting.