Kids are People Too

One of Penny's favorite things is to throw all of the pillows and cushions off the couch and leap onto them. Generally all of this leaping draws Jesse's attention, and he proceeds to come join the pile of pillows where, more often than not, he becomes part of the leaped on.

Today, this very business was going on when Penny said, "Mom, I wish Jesse could jump like a kid!" (Meaning she wished he could more fully join her in flying from the couch to the pillows).

"I know," I said, "that would be fun, but he's too little. Someday he'll be able to though."

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"Yah," Penny agreed, "When he's a people."

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Yes, when he's a people. It is my fondest hope that he will one day join the race of people, for now though, he is far far from a real people.

See?

I like his fuzzy after nap head.

Here, he'd been playing with Goldie's stuffed tiger, but when he began chewing on Tiger's feet, Goldie took Tiger away.

To calm him, she went to fetch his sock monkey.

As I took these pics I was feeling guilty for not taking pictures of him more often, but then he got up off the floor and began his usual business, and I remembered why there are so few pictures. It is because he doesn't stop moving EVER, and most of my picture taking attempts end up as blurry images of the back or top of his head.

Seriously, watch this video if you will and you will see the constant going of this kid. I just wanted to film him with sock monkey for a minute. Mike and I have commented that, unlike our other kids, he almost never ever ever wants us to hold him -- even when sad. If he is in our arms he is struggling to be out or hitting us angrily in the face. The other day I was holding him for a brief moment when Mike leaned in to kiss me. Quick as a wink, Jesse slapped Mike in the face. It was awesome.

Also, figure in that he usually moves this constantly all day only with stops at every cupboard, bathroom, closet, dishwasher, garbage or drawar to quickly wreak some havoc, and you might understand a tiny bit of why, each morning, the mere prospect of trying to maintain order in my home for another full day seems daunting at best.

And yet . . . people or not . . . we like him loads all the same.