Roadwork and Rocks

Yesterday we were getting ready to find some rocks on the beach and we were looking out the window to see how 'prouded' the beach was and we noticed cement trucks in the park across the street. This meant that it no longer mattered if the beach was 'prowded' ... we needed to get to the park immediately and see what was happening.

James had his pill container for the rocks and we were out the door. He was so excited he even told the doormen that there were cement trucks in the park and we were going to see what was happening. We got over there and one of the trucks had just backed into the park and was waiting for one of the guys to direct it in reverse to the work site. James, along with the construction guy, backed up the truck with hand signals. I mean we were far away from the truck and safe but the guy directing the truck could still see James and was smiling ear to ear. I really wish I had taken a video of James on my phone instead of photos - they just don't do this justice at all.

One woman walked by with her daughters and her girls were oblivious to the truck and the construction guys and just asked, "Mommy, what is that little boy doing?" The Mom smiled at me and I said laughing, "Right now, we are on totally different planets - ours is totally roadwork and yours is ..." and before I could finish she smiled and said, "I know." Then another man walked by and asked James, "Are you directing that cement truck?" And James so very proudly said, "Yes, I doing roadwork" while still swinging his arms motioning for the truck to continue backwards.

After the truck stopped, we walked up closer to where they were pouring the concrete and James was just entranced by the whole thing. I felt pretty cool being able to explain to him why it has to spin in the truck and why they are wearing what they were and to answer his questions about why they needed shovels and levels and why they had to work so quickly. On one night a while ago there was this show on the Discovery Channel that Doug had on about cement truck drivers and builders in New York and they explained all this stuff. Love when I get to use random knowledge :)   

After we'd had our fill of roadwork, we journeyed down to the beach and got started on our rock collecting. James had so much fun. He would pick up rocks and fit them into the pill container and then shift them around if they couldn't fit. Any rocks that were too big were handed to me to go in my purse. It used to be clean but now I really can't even kid myself so sandy rocks are not too big of a deal. We hung out on the beach for about an hour - it was like 74 degrees, sunny - just perfect. Also, as a side note, the sun glasses were worn in the shade but not in the sun ... James said he needed the sun to warm his eyes. . .

We came home and James could not wait to show Robert (one of our doorman). Robert took one of the rocks from this table fountain in the lobby that sits on his desk and he asked James if he wanted to trade a rock. James did and traded him a little tiny one :) When James was showing Doug all the rocks, Doug immediately asked if the shiny cool rock came from the beach and I had to tell him the story. He thought it was pretty funny.

Today when I was rocking James before nap, he fell asleep holding one of the rocks in his hands. I had no idea he had it until I saw something in his little fist when I was putting him into bed - what a boy :)