Joseph Visits

Joseph spent a week with us in the end of March. Sandy was planning to come out as well, but her mother fell ill and she had to make an emergency trip to Cleveland instead. Kerstin and I worked most of that week, so Joseph had lots of one on one time with his grandson. They went to the park and the library a fair amount from what I hear. Joseph, Kerstin and I managed to sneak out on Thursday night and see a play in Lewiston, which was sadly not very good, but it really didn't matter because it was such a thrill to be able to go out and feel like a proper adult once again.
At some point in the visit, Joseph helped Kerstin pour some concrete in our yard so he could install an umbrella style clothes line. Alden was really keen on being in the middle of the action, even if he didn't know exactly what was happening. He knows all the ingredients required for making concrete thanks to his obsession with the book Machines Go To Work and he chanted a little mantra to make sure we were doing it right.

"Sand... gravel... Portland cement... water... and mix!"

It took six very vigilant hands to keep Alden out of the wet cement. Given his druthers, I think he would have bathed in it.
Joseph and Alden bonded over Joseph's camera. Here's how the whole thing went down: Alden would climb into a lap and smile nicely while Joseph set up the timer and scurried over to get into the picture. Once the blinking light stopped and the shutter clicked, Alden would hurl himself of the lap he'd occupied, squealing with glee "LETS TAKE A LOOK!". He loved pushing the playback button and seeing the image, but would immediately want to start the process over again. This cycle would go on for hours or until Joseph ran out of memory.

Joseph entertains everyone with a counting game in the car.
Alden rediscovered the masks from his birthday party and liked looking at the shadows they cast against the living room wall. He especially enjoyed having his shadow chased by a hand shadow dog, which is the only hand shadow anyone knew how to do. Does anyone really know any others? One of these days I'll have to google it and learn how to make something else.

We had a lot of fun with Joseph and can't wait to do it again soon!