A Day with Dominic

Well... I had a fun "Mommy and Dominic" day yesterday. All of our allergies are just going berzerk down here -- we're not used to all the flowering trees and they're making us all miserable. For the first week, Dominic was doing the best. Then this weekend, he must have gotten excessive pollen in his eyes, because he came down with allergic pinkeye. So I kept him home on Monday to go to the doc, because I knew that Day Care would just send him home. The doc confirmed he wasn't contagious and gave him antihistamine eye drops -- poor guy looked like he got beat up! He had quite the shiner going on.

Anyway, it was nice to have some one on one time with my little man. There are so many little quirks to his personality that I wish I could adequately capture with a photo or words. I need to get the video out to do it... but likely he wouldn't "perform" then! So I'll try my best to describe some of his current most endearing characteristics.

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Dominic's static answer for anything is, "Yep!" The way he says it is so funny: with a little lilt to it, a subtle nod to his head, and it's immediate to what you were talking about. It's so agreeable. And the way he says it gets everyone's attention.
M: Are you cute?
D: Yep!
M: Is that good?
D: Yep!

Everything... if we're in a store, the people nearby hear him respond and turn to grin at the cute little boy with the big personality. Of course, then he gives them a big cheeser grin which gets them even more enamored with him. He's all personality, that's for sure!

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Dominic also has this amazing ability to lower one eyebrow while raising the other. Jon and Amara can both do it as well -- not me, I look like a total goof ball when I try. But Dominic has it down pat. Anytime he gives you a serious answer or is trying to do the opposite of what I've just told him to do, he will turn to me, cock his head sideways, lower his left eyebrow, and matter-of-factly tell me just what he thinks. Sometimes I can understand him, other times I can't. But every time I have to hold in laughter because of his silly expression. This is one I absolutely NEED to capture in a picture, because the look is so priceless.

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After visiting the doc yesterday, we got a script for eye drops. I went to the pharmacy to fill it, but had to wait forever for it. While waiting, a "grandpa" was in front of us in line. Dominic was walking around with his shirt up, flashing his belly to everyone. Well, this man decided to go after Dominic's belly, which of course the D-man loved. So he continued to raise his shirt for more attention.

Well, the man thought it was hysterical and repeated the story to the pharmacist.... complete with lifting up HIS shirt to demonstrate what Dominic was doing! Ew... not the visual I needed! I don't think the pharmacist needed it either! :) Dominic's belly is MUCH cuter (and less hairy!).

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The eyedrops prescribed by the doctor worried us a bit. We weren't sure just how Dominic would react to having them put in his eyes. So the first time, we had him lay down on Jon's lap. Jon held his arms while I pried his eyes open. He didn't peep, didn't fight, really took it surprisingly well.

So the next morning I decided to try it without Jon's assistance. I told Dominic it was time for his eye drops. He crawled over to the cushion, rolled over, laid down and closed his eyes. When I pried them open, he didn't once try to push my hands away, nor did he cry. I was shocked! He must be somewhat amused by the startling sensation of getting a drop in the eye.

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Dominic LOVES to be outside. He'll literally throw a tantrum when we have to go in... or if he wants to go outside when the plans call for indoors. Yesterday we went outside to get the mail. Dominic decided that the walk to the mailbox just wasn't far enough. He pointed up the hill and said, "Gawk." There was no getting out of it.... a walk was definitely in the cards.

We walked a ways, but he was definitely going at his own pace. I asked if he wanted to climb on my shoulders. He agreed. As we climbed the hill, he sang Amara's oft-repeated rhyme: "Up the hill, up the hill, stomp, stomp, stomp." Of course, you couldn't truely understand him, but I knew what he was saying.

For a mile, we gallopped like ponies, sang songs, waved at neighbors, saught out puppies, counted bikes. It was a wonderful walk on a beautiful day. And what a workout! Dominic, perched on my shoulders, simply enjoyed the ride. I, carrying 34 pounds of wiggly boy, got sweaty.... and enjoyed every minute of it! We'll have to do it again.