No weekend for daddy

Poor Danny had to work all weekend, but lucky for me and Jack there was plenty going on to keep us busy while we sat around missing him. Saturday was our block party, which has gotten bigger each year, and this year they rented a bouncy castle. (Or as Matthew used to call it, and as Danny still refers to it, a "jump-spin house".) There were all kinds of stray wagons and tricycles and sporting equipment strewn about the street, so it was like Christmas morning for Jack. Maybe even better, because he didn't have to waste any time opening everything, it was just all there for the taking.



We spent seven whole hours running back and forth, and I thought Jack would wear out at some point, but he never did. I tried to put him down for a nap somewhere in there, but he didn't sleep very long. There was too much excitement going on outside his window.

He tried out the bouncy house several times, and I never quite managed to capture his looks of glee; despite the fact that they were plentiful, they were fleeting and punctuated by squints in anticipation of another child bouncing his direction. He also fell down a lot, but didn't seem to mind.

Another favorite was this rusty old kiddie rickshaw, which every kid took a turn on, and Jack waited ever so patiently until all the big kids got bored of it and it was finally his turn. He hitched a ride from his downstairs neighbor Joshua, who's only about a year older than him and just became a big brother himself, so has plenty to teach Jack.

Of course, the highlight of Jack's afternoon was showing off his belly. This is his new favorite trick. Walk up to a new kid, size each other up for a moment, and then lift up his shirt. I'm not quite sure what it means, but I apparently did the same thing at his age because I know there's a picture of me at my sister's fifth or sixth birthday party, lifting up my shirt in the background as she blows out the candles. Like mother, like son, I guess.

Sunday I took Jack down to his nana's to see his great aunt and uncle and big cousin (cousin-uncle?) who shares his name. I don't have any pictures of that, sorry. I have to do a better job. Jack is right on the cusp of appreciating his great uncle Peter. He used to be afraid of him, and he's still not quite to where my nephews are, which is delirious delight at his funny faces and antics, but his interest is piqued. A few more months and I think he'll be there. But right now he just kind of stares. That's how Jack reacts when he doesn't know what to do. Just stands and stares. He does that a lot with girls his age, actually. Hope he grows out of that before puberty! Otherwise, that could get awkward.