Willage Vater: What the little guy is up to

This blog tends has tended to feature a lot of Anna recently, likely because at her age there are so many new milestones reached (walking! yesterday! all evening!). But lest it seem that we focus only on her, let me reassure everyone that Jonathan does not allow the limelight to shine on her only. He is, in fact, the one that keeps everything moving at home. He is now 2 years and 8.5 months old. He talks all. day. long. It's all in Low German, so it makes for some pretty funny moments. I won't even try to capture them here; suffice it to say that he's a pretty keen observer of what's going on around him, which people talk with their hands in their pockets, and where all the combines in this area are parked.

Here are a few photos from the last few months that feature some key characteristics of Jonathan at this moment:

Tractors (and combines, manure wagons, sprayers, and especially disks) are what makes the world go 'round for this guy. He can spend hours laying on the floor staring at the toy tractors, moving them a few inches every so often. It's pretty clear that this fixation comes not just from his pa but also from another generation back (with Opa Harder below).

This wagon from Grandparents Schrock continues to be another all-purpose machine: filling it up with leaves, pulling Anna by hand or by trike, taking rides with Anna around the yard (just call me a horse), hauling "manure" with it (somehow manure wagons are a huge interest of his), etc.

Jonathan has SO much energy: one of his favorite games is to play ranne und hoopse (run and jump) with daddy. Here he patiently waits his turn after Anna's. We often note how "sparkly" or full of light he is, and what a daunting responsibility it is to make sure that light is not dimmed by us (esp. when I get a wee bit exhausted by the 900th "what, mommy?" of the hour). The amazing flip side of this verve is his capacity to be alone and quiet much of the time, too. He practically runs into his room each morning for an hour of quiet time; he reads books, plays with his mini tractor and manure wagon, or just lays in his bed and hums and (presumably) thinks. It continues to amaze us, and we keep our fingers figuratively crossed.

Did I mention trucks? That's another big obsession. Here he's driving (on the arm of the chair) to Kansas to see Uncle Doft, Tante Rachel and the two babies in her belly. Next he jumps off, fixes the wheels (chair legs) and off we go again.

Above: Canoeing with David Bucklin and friends.

What a lucky little guy, to have not only grandparents but greatgrandparents close by! (All that's missing are grandparents Schrock :) "Grandma Great" Harder, as he calls her, reads a new book to him (above), and the next day Oma repeats it.