Gems to Remember: #4

Whenever Jonathan gets a hold of a microphone toy, or any other toy that he is pretending is a microphone (like a maraca), or when he just feels like "announcing", he gets this really deep voice and always says, "Welcome...." and then whatever else he wants to say. For example, "Welcome, Mama." or "Welcome, Jonathan." It's almost like a circus announcer... all drawn out. (Think: Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, R Bros and B&B proudly present.....) I have NO idea where he picked this up from. I may have done the long drawn out voice with a microphone once, so I understand that.... but saying "Welcome" is beyond me. Would make more sense to say "Thank you." Eh- whatever floats his boat.


Jonathan is currently infatuated with both robots and monsters. Robots more often, but both are pretty funny. When he is a monster he roars frequently, puts his arms/ hands out in front of him in a short velociraptor style, wiggles his fingers and says, "Monster, monster, monster, monster" over and over in a growling gravely voice. When he is a robot, his arms/ hands are bent at the side of his body, he moves them jerkily up and down, he usually marches, and repeats, "Robot, robot, robot" in a monotone voice.


Sometimes when Jonathan is feeling "down" (I guess??), he comes to me and asks to, "Rock baby." What he is asking is for me to hold him in a cradle position, rock back and forth while snuggling him, and I sing "Rock a Bye Baby." My version goes like this:
Rock a bye baby, in the tree top, when the wind blows, the cradle will rock, when the bough breaks the cradle will fall [at this point, I drop him almost down to the floor in my arms], and mama will catch you cradle and all [I pull him back in close to my body to rock and snuggle again.]
This is all done with lots of eye contact and smiles. Sometimes it is also accompanied by a sippy cup. Great bonding and attachment activity. (I kept the "cradle will fall" part of the lyrics, because sometimes in life, things do happen... but then mama and other family will always be there to catch and support the child back from whatever incident.)