More stories...

Judah has been very interested in the orchestra - the conductor and all the instruments. So we recently took him to a children's concert - a chamber orchestra that played while a storyteller told stories. Some of the pieces featured children musicians including an 8-year-old violin prodigy. Judah was completely fascinated. He sat quietly on Laura's lap, in the front row, for the entire hour-long show. He wanted to know where all the other instruments were, since the chamber orchestra only had strings. And after the show he shook hands with the storyteller and the conductor. He also spied one of the kids packing up his instrument, so he went to say hello to him too. When Judah darted behind the curtain to run and see who was backstage, Laura finally had to grab him and go.

About a week later, Judah and Laura went to a free rehearsal of the East Bay Symphony Orchestra. They were held at the Paramount Theater, a beautiful, ornate building in downtown Oakland. There was a class of junior high school kids there, a handful of adults and us. This time Judah got to see the timpani drum and the french horns, one of his favorite instruments. He listened and watched for about a half hour before he discovered the fun of soft, folding chairs that went on for row after row after row...

Judah, Jonah and Kyler are taking a gymnastics class again. Just two months ago, when Judah took the same class, he wasn't interested in the trampoline. Now he can't get enough of it. He runs the length of the trampoline at full speed until he finally loses control and falls down, bouncing and laughing.

Yoga is also a new interest. Judah saw Jonah's father, Matt, doing yoga recently. The next day, Judah pulled out our yoga mat and insisted that we all do yoga. He has also made his nanny do yoga with him. Judah now knows a number of different poses, including cobra and tree. And he has even made up a few of his own. Coincidentally, I had just recently signed Judah up for a toddler yoga class. Ah, the life of a toddler in California!

When we ask Judah if he can do something, he says in an amusingly proper way, "yes, I can" - or "no, I cannot!".

Dinosaurs continue to be a big hit. Judah is learning a lot of the names. One day he kept saying "Boingosaurus". I wasn't familiar with that one (and I'm pretty proud of how much dinosaur knowledge I've already gained!) so I asked him what dinosaur that was. He said it was a dinosaur that jumped, looking at me in an almost exasperated way. Well of course, that makes complete sense.

This morning Judah wanted David to tell him a story while we were eating breakfast. He said, while trying to persuade him, "Daddy, you tell good stories!" And it's true. I was laughing nearly as much as Judah while David invented the story of Wizard Walooloo who searched for his wand on a train, being chased by a troll.

Judah and I regularly spend time with another mom, Laura, and her son, Noah. Judah and Noah are good buddies and play unusually well together - asking each other questions, showing each other interesting bugs and sticks, and hugging each other. This week we were at a great Coyote Point Park - a fantastic recreation area and children's wildlife museum just south of the SF airport. Laura and I were chatting about somebody who had done something that we didn't like so much, when Judah came up to me and said, "don't judge, mommy". I felt like I was the child! And his comment was absolutely right. After the shock of my reprimand wore off, I was proud and astounded - and a bit uncomfortable - that Judah and intuited something like that. It is said that children are your best teachers. Indeed. And uh-oh.

On the food front, asparagus is Judah's current favorite. The other night he ate nine spears! He likes it sauteed in some olive oil with garlic, pepper and salt. Sometimes a bit of ginger is nice too.