Wednesday, April 26, 2006

walking with N

We love to go for walks around our block. E runs ahead, holding onto the dog's leash, N and I follow behind. I am treated to a running commentary on every part of the walk. It goes a little like this:

N squats next to a puddle, and sticks a hand in."Wet?! Wet?!"

"Yes, that is wet."

He turns to the sidewalk and touches it. "Die?! Die?!"

"That's right, it's dry."

The next minute or so is spent with N alternately pointing to the sidewalk and the puddles as he proclaims them wet or dry.

Then his attention is pulled to a barking dog. "Doggy?! Doggy?!"

"I see"

"Woof, woof, woof"

"That's right, a dog says 'woof'"

And so it goes. N exclaiming in a loud question/statement everything that catches his eye, from "wis" (dandelion wishes) to "copter" (helicopter). He walks along, his head down, arms pumping, little feet slapping the sidewalk. Sometimes he'll stop and when I say "Come on, N, let's go!" He'll smile, pause a second and then say,"Two, Fee...GO!" and take off with a start.

Inevitably, between 75 and 85% of the way around he will stop and turn to me."Hol-shou, hol-shou!" (Hold you) and I need to pick him up and carry him the rest of the way. Of course he wants to walk the last bit as we cross the street to our driveway, but, resists holding my hand so I end up gripping his fingers and fighting with him all the way across the street. But once home, and set free, he happily runs down the driveway announcing, "No-ah house? No-ah house?"

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