Friday, August 8, 2008

Twilight Parade - Kittyboy makes new friends!

For the first time since moving here, we finally went to the Twilight Parade celebrating the opening of the State Fair. Next year, I'll be taking harness and leash. Kittyboy requires it. He firmly believes that strangers are just friends to whom he has not yet been properly introduced, and feels he should rectify that lack of introduction as soon as possible. Carey, who had also come with her daughter, and I followed him all over the front yard in which we were sitting, waving at people and exploring. He made a new little friend, about a year older, who was FASCINATED with the Kittyboy and kept getting within inches of his face to squeal "Hello Baby! Hello Baby!" Toddler Friend wanted to share his sucker with him - that didn't go over well with his mother or myself, ditto for sharing other foods, etc. But hey, he certainly understood sharing! And wanted to share, because that's what you do with friends! Then Toddler Friend hugged him, very tightly, and they both fell over. They were fine, mothers again not amused and now trying to separate them, which was hard considering our families were right next to each other. Then T. F. came back and attempted to kiss him. Kittyboy, sitting on the curb, very politely put up his hand in front of the other's face. Translation - "No thank you, I'm done for the day." That was just the funniest thing, he didn't get upset or anything, he was just done. The older toddler was just a BIT too enthusiastic for his tastes.
There was also a young man sitting very near us who didn't know that he was also Kittyboy's new friend. He WAS a friend, he really was, he just didn't know it yet. Kittyboy walked up to him and smiled, I pulled him back. Went up to him again, smiled and waved, I pulled him back. Then after a very long time walking laps around a tree, he decided one last time to try and convince this young man that they were friends. He walked back over and nicely patted the man's knee. Man looked at him, said, "Hello?" Kittyboy was delighted at the acknowledgment, and smiled and waved again, and continued waving as I walked him away. "We're friends now Mommy, he just needed some encouragement!" Man moved to another spot shortly thereafter.

When one is an outgoing 19 month old, "Friend" has a very ambiguous definition. "Person breathing in my general vicinity." Leash and harness next year - because next year, he'll be able to RUN.

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