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Journal Key:

Green = Steve | George = navy | Janet = Purple | Evelyn = Black

2/9/12 (Thursday)

I am definitely the least proficient person in the house when it comes to playing He-Man, but I was pressed into service this evening while Steve made dinner. Basically, the two Mer-Men, Beast-Man, and Skeletor were hanging out. They liked to ride Bottlecap. They liked to fight. Sometimes they lay down to "sleep all night!" (None of this was my idea.)

After dinner, Owen wanted to go and play He-Man some more. He started to take Steve with him, but I offered to go. "No, Mommy!" he said. (Or was it, "No Mommy!") They were going down the stairs, and Owen paused to turn back and push on my foot, at the top of the stairs. No, Mommy!

Steve also handled the bath. Owen has been playing with his Playmobil people in the tub for quite a while. He likes, in particular, to line them up on the edge of the tub and then knock them all into the water. Tonight, he lined them all up bent over, so they were all looking at the ground.

I got to read to Owen. He climbed into the glider by himself and instructed me to sit on the ottoman. I read him four Little Critter books like that, upside down. The bad part was that he likes to rock the glider wildly and it hits the wall a little. The nice part was that we could see each other's expressions, so I could be funny and I could see what he liked. His particular favorite is the little mouse. After those four books and a rousing upside-down reading of The Circus Ship, it was time for bed.

2/12/12 (Sunday)

Steve's been sick for a few days, and it's actually given me an opportunity to do more with Owen. I am very proud that, on Friday night, we got four of his guys to all ride Bottlecap at the same time! Beast-Man was in the rear, and I'm really astonished that he stayed on. On Saturday, Cara and I drove to Middletown with Owen, and then we left him with Grandmama and Grandpapa while we went to the movies and she saw Star Wars: Episode I for the first time. I was a little concerned when she cheerfully said good-bye to Owen instead of sneaking out, but he handled it. He came for a hug, but then he was fine. He was in the bath when we got back.

Owen still has his S and H sounds kind of mixed up. That's why, when Shelby was here, he told us repeatedly, "Hebby shere!"

Tonight, at dinner, I was talking about a book in which people got married.

Owen: I got married.

Daddy: Who did you marry?

Owen: Hanta.

When I came upstairs to read to Owen this evening, he was sitting in his glider looking at The Circus Ship. I read it to him upside down. Then I read it to him upside down again. He gave me Scooby Doo and the Carnival Creep and told me to read it, but then he kept looking at Circus Ship. I read Circus Ship and held Scooby Doo, but after another run-through I started reading Scooby Doo. Owen kept looking at his book, though he'd look up at mine once in a while. We went through them a few times like that; the wretched kid got to read two books at once! He's tried before, I think, to get two books at once.

2/13/12 (Monday)

Owen sat in his glider looking at Circus Ship while Cara, at his instruction, read Scooby Doo. To our astonishment, when he turned to the shipwreck page, he said, "Came a crash, awful bash!" It turns out, as I found when it was my turn to read with him, that he can finish many of the lines in that book. It's no wonder, really, given how much time we've spent reading it. He can finish some lines in Scooby Doo, too!

We eventually did move on and read some Little Critter. After I put Owen into bed and left, he stayed upset for a while. Eventually we discovered that Shelby was trapped in his room, having been sleeping in the drawer under the crib. No one was pleased about that.

2/14/12 (Tuesday)

My greatest contribution to Owen's He-Man play, to date, is the realization that the Batman song ("da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na, Batman!") can easily be adapted to Beast-Man. Beast-Man has been really enjoying it. It works for He-Man, too. Owen was somewhat concerned at first but has realized that this is funny. Tonight he joined in: Da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na, Bottlecap!

2/15/12 (Wednesday)

Owen did better staying at the table at dinner tonight, possibly because the Loefflers were over--they're so much more entertaining than we are! He occasionally stood up, but he seemed to be doing it just to show off. He ate a good dinner.

While he was wandering around after dinner, he heard us mention the word "Valentine." He came to tell us that Beast-Man sent a Valentine. Possibly to Bottlecap.

For the first time in a week, Daddy read to Owen this evening. Owen was very, very happy and relieved to have him back.

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