jumpy house

For the last 3 months and for the next 3 weeks, Thursday evenings mean two things... Farmer's Market and more important to AJ, jumpy house night. Thursday mornings when I go in to collect my boy after he wakes and calls for me and as I pull him out of his bed, I ask him if he knows what "tonight is?" At first he would just simply ask, "what?". But now he knows. Yesterday morning as our routine began and I asked him if he knew what tonight was, he threw his arms into the air and yelled "JUMPY HOUSE!" and began dancing around his room in circles in a little bouncy house jig. And through the day, I answer the same question a hundred times, "we go to jumpy house now?". And ninety nine times the answer is "not yet." But then that magical hundredth time when I say "yes" and as we drive down the street and the top of the jumpy house comes into view and we park across the street, Thursday night happiness comes alive.

AJ knows the routine now and has it down solid. As soon as he is released from the car and makes his way to grassy lawn, he turns to get his $moola$ and then takes off in a full sprint to the attendant at the jumpy house entrance. He will hand over the cash in exchange for his 2 tickets then immediately plop onto the ground and begin removing his shoes as quickly as toddler possible. As soon as his shoes are discarded into the heap of other children's shoes lying on the grass also, he slides smoothly and nimbly under the netted entrance and begins jumping and sliding like only a pro can. He will spend a good half an hour exerting as much energy as he can. And in between the jumping and sliding and taking a quick break to run out and grab a drink or bite of food, he crashes and wrestles with other little kids inside the inflatable house. And when he is finished, he strides over to his stroller often times drenched is sweat and panting, climbs on and asks for his sippy cup before we begin our stroll down Farmer's Market lane.

Sadly Farmer's Market comes to an end in only a few more weeks and along with it Jumpy House night. I know AJ will miss our weekly Thursday night routine as will we, because it's really nice to bring home a truly tuckered out little boy who gives no protest when bedtime rolls around. Mostly we will miss it because it's too much fun watching AJ's joy and fun as he bounces and slides. And we will miss those evening night strolls through the produce stands and the smell of kettle corn wafting in the air. But for the remaining 3 weeks, I will continue to ask my boy each Thursday morning if he knows what tonight is and I will watch him do his little dance in excitement when he announces the answer. I will answer his same question one hundred times each day and it will conclude with watching him engage in full bouncy house fun until he has worn himself out. And I will memorize every moment of the happiness Thursday nights bring.