Dancing with Happiness

It's true that one of the ways we express joy is through dance.

When my parents came out of the airport today, and MM saw them, he burst into his series of dance steps that usually expressed his joy. It's a series of quick steps of the feet with the arms held close to the body. I could just look; forgot to whip out my iphone and record the event for posterity.

Grandpa and grandma were all smiles, too, and to my surprise, grandpa held out his hands to carry the darling grandson. (I didn't know they were that close!) MM was certainly close to his grandpa. All throughout the trip, it was grandpa this and grandpa that.

He also learned of a new game when our parents were here. The game is called "Like this" or "Follow me".

MM would say, "Grandpa, like this" as he made two circles with his fingers. So we'd imitate his actions. At first, he didn't care if you do it right or wrong, as he moved from figure to figure. My mom said MM has a lot of tricks up his sleeve! He has so many forms and figures for us to follow.

Later on, toward the middle of the grandparents' two week visit, when you didn't follow the figure he did as closely, he'd be very insistent, "Uncle, like this. Like thiiiissssss!!! Uncle----!"

He loves playing the "like this" game. During mealtimes, in the car, anywhere!

One night, he and G came over to our house for dinner. MM loves to watch the colors show on TV, and Elmo would almost always be called on to entertain him too (from YouTube). After dinner, we sat in the sofa while MM and H play and/or watch TV. H had taken down the magnets from the ref, and once, he asked MM to help him place a magnet back on the ref. Later on, we were telling MM to put on his shoes. The kid has a habit of taking off his shoes whenever he sits down. (Why do children not like to wear shoes/slippers? Do they feel confining?) But he didn't want to. Instead, he spied one of the magnets (beside the TV) in the shape of a shoe and he took it and put it down on the floor and wanted to stick his foot inside. H kept on telling him that that's not his shoe and picked the magnet up and placed it beside the TV again, but MM would go get it and put it on the floor and stick his foot in. Over and over for 3x. We kept laughing and laughing. The kid is a riot.

Didn't I say he loves grandpa? That night, when G and MM were ready to go home, we asked MM for a hug and kiss. Basically, he just stood in front of you, allowing you to hug him, then he'd bussed you on the cheek for an air kiss. (Kids these days!) But when it came Grandpa's turn, MM went to him and hugged him around the legs/thighs! Aw...