F-bomb

So, Jack has dropped his first F-bomb.  We were leaving a restaurant after my birthday and, as usual, I had Jack hold my hand when we were about to go into the parking lot.  Jack likes to jump off of the curb so we counted together, then he jumped in the air and yelled, "F@#! it!"  Then he started laughing as though it was something funny and situationally appropriate.  My eyes widened in horror as my brain scrambled to figure out where he could possibly have heard that.

I asked him and his face got all serious, as he realized that he had done something that was wrong.  "The video," he replied.  It took me a little while to figure out what happened.  Apparently he has figured out how to navigate away from the favorite videos that have been pre-selected for him on YouTube on the IPad.  Through a series of clicks on "Related Videos", he stumbled upon a video of guys jumping off of a cliff into a lake.  They count 1, 2, 3, just like we did and before jumping, utter the phrase that Jack so easily picked up. 

The viewing history has now been cleared so he can't find it again and we are hoping our little talk sunk in good.  Now we are just hoping that we don't get a call from pre-school.

More fun

Jack greeted me as I was taking the wrapped towel off my head after a shower. My wet hair was all over the place.


Jack: Oooooo, Mommy! Your hair looks SO good. Come and show Daddy your perfect hair. He's gonna love it!

My child is so weird. I love it.

---------------------   Paul: Jack, you want orange or grapes?

Jack: Grapes.

Paul (really hoping to get rid of the orange): Orange or grapes?

Jack: When someone says "Grapes," you have grapes.



The kid's got a point.

----------------------   Last night during story time:



Jack: He's (llama character in book) sad because he misses his mommy when he's at school.

Me: Do you miss YOUR Mommy when you're at school?

Jack: No.



At least he's honest.

----------------------   This is the first year Jack has really figured Halloween out. And he's beyond excited. We look at the calendar and count the days and we talk about what we are going to do on the actual day. But I think he thinks Halloween is a more like preparing for a hurricane. Today he came up to me carrying his pumpkin bucket and told me, "Mommy, I have everything I need in case I get candy. I have my pumpkin and my water."

---------------------   My mom is in town this week. At dinner she wasn't paying proper attention to Jack.

Jack: Nonny, let me see your face. Ohhhhhh! You look cute in that face!

New tidbits

This is the first year Jack has really figured Halloween out. And he's beyond excited. We look at the calendar and count the days and we talk about what we are going to do on the actual day. But I think he thinks Halloween is a more like preparing for a hurricane. Today he came up to me carrying his pumpkin bucket and told me, "Mommy, I have everything I need in case I get candy. I have my pumpkin and my water."


--------------------------   Jack is a genius.  The other day we were waiting at a stoplight.  There was a fire truck in front of us stopped at the light.    Jack:  Where is he going? Us:  I don't know. Jack:  He's going to the fire station.  His lights aren't on so he's not going to an emergency.    --------------------------   Saturday was my day to get up with the kiddos.  When I went to fetch Dani from her crib she asked me, "Where Jack and Paul?"

Future Hairstylist?

Dani loves hair.  More specifically, Dani loves MY hair.  Though she found it interesting early, she has now started to find comfort in it.  When I pick her up, the first thing she does is put her arms around me and grab  my hair on each side with both hands.  She never pulls, she just gently submerges her hands into it and sweetly plays with it.  Sometimes it has a calming effect on her and she'll just get very quiet and rest her head on me while continuing to play with my hair.  For a girl who is going full tilt 24 hours a day, it is a welcome quiet time where she is sweet and cuddly.  Though I usually wear my hair up in a pony tail on the weekends, I have found myself leaving it down so I don't disappoint her.  Or me. 

I have always been told that I have great hair.  Every hairstylist I've ever had has complimented me on its thickness and I really didn't think much about it other than when I was on minute 15 of blowdrying a still wet head.  The compliments were always nice but pale in comparison to the most important opinion  from the little girl whose chubby hands find their way into my hair when she wraps me up in a hug and lays her head on my shoulder. 

Dani notes

Dani says everything as though it is a question, even when it isn't. 

Dani gets really proud of herself when she puts words together to make "sentences" or just longer speech samples.  New favorites are "Burger and fries"  (bugu n fyes), "Burger King"  (bugu. . . .. KEEENG!), "Fan is broken" (fahn bokin), "It's dark outside."  (dahk saiiii), "Where did Grandma go?"  (O Gooona go?)  It's not always pretty but she gets the job done.

Dani is really good at colors and can easily identify blue, red, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and white.  She can identify the animals dog, cat, bird, duck, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, chicken, cow, pig, giraffe, rabbit, owl, fish.  She can also do the sounds for cat, sheep, monkey, chicken, cow, pig. 

Dani has a cold right now.  When she sneezes and the snot runs down her face, she declares that she has "Mocos!"  When you wipe her nose she says, "Thank you."  (Ak ooooooo!) 

Accomplishments

Yesterday, while we were trying to watch Jeopardy, Dani bent in half a the waist and walked slowly across the floor like an old lady.  Paul and I watched her wondering what the heck she was doing.  When she got to the other side of the room, she stood up, gave a huge smile, threw her arms in the air in victory, and declared, "I DID IT!"  Still not exactly sure what "it" was but if there is anything we have learned about Dani, it is that there is no playroom in the world that is as cool as the one in her head!

Dinner Table Antics and Stuff

Jack acted up tonight at dinner and I informed him that there would be no treat. I told him that the banana he was eating was his treat. With a look on his face that was a cross between panic and confusion, he said, "NO! It's a ba-na-na! It's a FRUIT!"

-----------------------


At dinner Paul told Jack he needed to take four more bites of vegetables. After much stalling and whimpering, Jack waited until Paul and I started having a conversation. In the middle of our conversation, Jack eats a huge forkful and excitedly announces, "FOUR!!"


Nice try, kid.

----------------------

Jack was standing on the couch, trying to swing the pictures hanging on the wall.


Me: What are you doing? Are you CRAZY?

Jack sits down and calmly states, "I am crazy."

Dani: I cway-zeee!!

----------------------

Even though Dani talks a lot, only about 10% is actually intelligible. But tonight, I am fairly certain she said "entente" and "Gauguin." If this kid decides to take French, I'm gonna be ticked off.


---------------------

Jack had a cold a couple of weeks ago:


Jack: I'm really sick. Who make me sick?

Me: I don't know. Who do you think made you sick?

Jack: You make me sick.

I think we need to start talking about the importance of verb tense. Oh, and the negative effects of false accusations.

---------------------

Me: Isn't your sister the cutest girl you've ever seen?


Jack: No.

Me: What!? Then who is?

Jack: You.

Have I mentioned I love this kid?

22 months

Dani is 22 months and getting more and more chatty and able all the time.  She is very sure on her feet and loves to run.  She loves to pretty much do anything unless she hates to do it.  Then she really hates it.  She knows colors blue, green, yellow, purple, pink, orange, numbers 1-10 by sight, and all her letters.  She's been good on all of these for about a month now, but gets more clear each day.  She loves pointing out things in books.  She is also starting to make sentences.  Favorites are, "Ack oooo, Mommy!"  (Thank you, Mommy.)  She has gotten much better.  It used to be, "Ack oooo, Grandma-Mommy."  She says, "Mooo wah-tur!" and "Ahontooooo"  (I don't want to.) and "Ahontnoooooo." (I don't know.), which is her standard answer when we ask her why she is in time out. 

Literary Genius?

Today I picked up The Great Gatsby at the breakfast table.  Dani looked at the cover and said, "Cry!". If you aren't familiar with the cover, check out this link. http://urchinmovement.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/great-gatsby-traditional-edition.jpg

She's either going to be a literature professor or an expert in semi abstract art.

More Outtakes

Me: Isn't your sister the cutest girl you've ever seen?

Jack: No.
Me: What!? Then who is?
Jack: You.

Have I mentioned I love this kid?   -------------------------  
Quiet in the Soto house. Jack on the IPad, Dani happily taking out every pot and pan we own, me reading. Jack switches to a video...
Me: Oooo! Is that the gummy bear song?
Jack: Um, yes. Just read.

-----------------------

Retrieving Jack from Time Out:


Me: Jack, do you know why you are in Time Out?
Jack: Um...I screamed at you.
Me: Yes. And you pushed me.
Jack: No. I was hitting you.

------------------------

Jack and Dani's breakfast conversation:


Dani: Hi.
Jack: Hi, Dani.
Dani: Da boo na ta.
Jack: Dani, that doesn't make any sense.

------------------------

In the car, at a stoplight, on our way home. . .


Jack: Mommy, are you going to go left, right or straight?
Me: I'm going to go left here.
Jack: Wow! Good job! You sure know your ways.

What planet is this kid from?

----------------------

The kids were driving us crazy with their screaming.


Paul: That's it. The next one who screams gets a time out!
Jack: Hey, Dani? Scream.

----------------------
I always say that Jack is the best.  Well, he may actually be evil. The other day, Dani was quietly looking at books in her room. Jack ripped the book from her hands, said, "You'll never get your book now! Ha ha!!" and threw it into her crib.

----------------------

Jack: Are you gonna come to Grandma's house with me?

Me: No. I have class.
J: I miss you.
M: Aww. Thanks, baby. You're the best boy.
J: I know.

More Dani-ese

Dani is talking more and more all the time.  It just doesn't always make a whole lot of sense.  To the outsider.  We seem to understand most of Dani-ese and she understands ALL of it.  She is so confident in what she says that she has to know what she is saying.  My new favorites:  cheep (peach) and strawberry which sounds like "Dough-boy." 

Dani has always been very independent.  However, she has now found to express the fact that she wants to do things on her own.  She smiles (or yells "no" depending on if you attempt to show her or not) and says, "I tw-eyeee!"  (I TRY!)  She has gotten the first person pronoun quicker than Jack did too, also as evidenced by the lesser used (but no less important), "I Seeeet"  (I SIT!).  Whatever she is saying, one this is for certain about my feelings for this spunky little girl--I LOVE!

Stinker

Dani loves to scream.  It's ear piercing and she thinks it's awesome.  We do not.  Sometimes it is especially annoying because Jack will try to outdo her just to get attention.  The other day, they were both screaming a LOT.  Finally, Paul decided he had enough.

Paul:  That's it!  The next one who screams is going to get a time out.  Do you understand?
Jack:  Hey, Dani?  Scream.

Dani-ese

Dani is not as verbal as Jack was at this age.  We think it is because Jack doesn't really let anyone get a word in edgewise.  However, she is just content to listen and she is such a babbler.  Don't get me wrong--she has a lot of words.  She usually just says the first part (like with Sammy--"Sahhm") or the end (like with book--ook).  She does have some complete words (Mommeeeee!  Dadeeee!).  And some are very clear and obvious (Okaaay, Down!, Uppeee!)  Then there are the things that she just mispronounces (again is "agehnin",  peach is "cheap").  And the words that sound nothing like the real word but we know what they mean (Dinnnnn! = Thank you!)  And then there are the words that are understandable only to her.  And there are a lot of them.  She will look me in the eye and have a complete conversation with me.  And only one of us understands what is going on.  They go something like this:

Dani:   Mommeeee?  Ah bu ge je nammie fahn shu!
Me:  Oh.  That's lovely. 

She also likes to create her own words.  In Florida, she invented the word "Jibby Jibooo!"  She just says that one and laughs.  All this babbling leads us to believe that once she does open up with the words, there will be NO silence in our home. 

----------------------------------

My parents' friend Randy got the kids a big stuffed dog.  It didn't take long for Dani to claim her as her own.  (Dani loves all animals, stuffed or otherwise).  She even named her.  She walked up to her, pointed and said, multiple times, "Dindy No Wahn".  I am guessing that this is her full name but we now just call her "Dindy". 

Florida 2012

Originally, I didn't think we'd be able to make our annual 2-3 week trip to Florida.  I was going to be involved in classes that would take nearly the entire summer and we thought we would have to wait until the very end of August, having just 10 days to squeeze in a trip.  However, my unexpected tonsillectomy knocked out any chance of me taking classes, due to the fact that the recovery is so long and I would miss far too much class.  As much as I was disappointed at the idea of having surgery, I was excited that we could enjoy more time in Florida. 

We packed the car and left on July 6th.  My throat was still a bit tender but I was feeling much better.  My only fear was a repeat performance from Dani, who was absolutely horrendous last year, screaming the ENTIRE drive down.  But, she was great.  It seems that being able to see (last year her car seat had to be rear facing) really agrees with Dani and she loves being able to watch movies with her brother.  And watch them we did.  They must have seen at least 10 movies in the course of the two day trip.  We stayed in a hotel which is really not too fun.  The kids were wound up from being cooped up in the car and they acted like little lunatics.  But we really couldn't be too annoyed with them.  But we were. 

Since we had two double beds, I slept with Jack, figuring I'd have more room than if I shared the bed with Paul.  However, that was before I realized that a 3 foot 40 pound kid can make himself seem 7 feet 350 lbs when you are sharing a bed with them.  He was sideways, he stole covers, he kicked me in his sleep.  It was awful.  I probably slept a grand total of 3 hours. 

We got to Florida and the fun began.  We did all of the things that Jack loves.  And it was awesome for Dani to truly experience it too.  She was there last year, of course, but as an 8 month old, she didn't have a full appreciation for fun.  Not this time. 

Fountains  Jack was pretty wimpy about these last year but was excited to run through them like crazy.  He kicked at the jets of water and really enjoyed himself.  The downside is that he ran around so much that he got terrible blisters on the balls of his feet.  We didn't even notice until he informed us that, "the cement is very rough." 

Dani didn't think that the fountains were that great.  I was kind of surprised, as I anticipated she would love it.  I think there was too much chlorine or she just couldn't wrap her brain around what was happening.  Didn't cry but it definitely wasn't her favorite.

Pool  Both kids swam like crazy.  We got Jack a new vest and he was terrific.  He had no fear.  He held his breath for a really long time and just looked so comfortable in the water.  It was nice not to have to worry about him in the pool and I figure that next summer, he'll be vest-free.

We suited Dani up in a full vest and swimmies.  The combination kept her buoyant and we didn't have to worry much about her either.  Jack loves the water more than Dani but Dani really liked it too.  She was not afraid to jump off the side at all and even go under water as she plunged. 

Beach  Our kids are definitely pool kids rather than beach kids.  Jack hates sand (like his Mommy) and is very intimidated by the waves.  Dani was unsure but allowed herself to be coaxed in by Nonny.  But all bets were off when a rouge wave knocked her over.  After that, she wasn't too excited about the beach.  It was a lot of work and no real reward.  I think we'll be sticking with the pool from now on.

Golf cart rides  They love these.  Dani liked them so much that every time we passed the golf cart in the garage, she would stop and angrily stomp her feet and cry if it became clear that we were not going to be taking the cart out.

Fireworks  Each Thursday, there is an air show followed by fireworks.  We got down there early for dinner and both Jack and Dani loved the airplanes.  Dani likes them so much we think she might become a pilot.  The first Thursday Dani excitedly watched the fireworks.  Jack, who hadn't shut up about watching fireworks all day, decided he found them to be scary and had his head buried in my shoulder.  Oddly, he finally opened his eyes during the grand finale. 

He got better by the second time, informing us after the fireworks, "That was awesome.  And I had my eyes open!"  They both loved every visit to the harbor.  Jack has also decided that the green fireworks are his favorites.

The Boathouse  The Boathouse is the best place to go in Destin.  It's a dumpy bar with dollar bills and bras stapled to the walls.  There are no windows, only screens.  After our first visit there, we were fairly certain that Dani's bra will someday wind up on a wall of the Boathouse.  Lest you think I am a horrible parent and are ready to speed dial DCFS for bringing my children to a bar, this is actually a super friendly place and they have a guy playing Jimmy Buffet from 4-7.  The kids loved the music and danced up a storm.  In the three trips we made there, the kids made $4 in tips. 

Shopping  Dani loves it.  She loves running up and down Destin Commons and making people smile. 

Dani really was the little social butterfly of the trip.  People seem to gravitate to her.  She locks them in with her coy little smile and head tilt and it's over.  And she knows it and works it.  She says hi to everyone and tries to win everyone over by doing something cute.  I really hope she uses her powers for good rather than evil.  Right now, I am thinking that she will either be president or the leader of a cult.  We are hoping for the former. 

We also learned that she loves to wear dresses, putting yet another item in the column for reasons she might not be my daughter.  This is right below, "Favorite food--broccoli" and "Can usually take or leave sweets." 

Jack had a bit of a rough go, medically.  In addition to the foot blisters from the fountains, he had a little issue with a bug bite.  It rained one morning and we couldn't go in the pool.  Instead, we headed to a horse farm and fed the horses.  The kids really enjoyed that.  When we got back, I helped Jack get ready for his nap and I noticed a huge red bite on his leg.  I have no idea how or where he got it since he didn't even mention it. He was whimpering the rest of the day and had a very restless night sleep.  He was limping badly in the morning and we all just thought he was being a wimp.  However, I decided to take him to the urgent care center because it was uncharacteristic for him.  After waiting for 2 hours, we finally learned that the bite had become infected (I guess they can just get infected that fast) and he had an abscess that took up a good part of his leg.  The doctor also confirmed that it wasn't Jack being overdramatic--it hurt to walk. 

We had to tend to it carefully, and after it opened, we had to be careful since there is staph bacteria in abscesses (gross).  He was on antibiotics for 10 days and we had one more trip to the urgent care place due to him getting sick (it was unrelated).  Fortunately he healed up well but it was quite the adventure.

Despite a few medical issues, it was a fantastic trip.  It is so nice and relaxing.  The kids have the greatest time (though we realized that they can never share a room again--they don't stop talking!) and so do we.  I am only sorry that we won't be able to go as long next year due to my classwork.  But I can take comfort in the fact that we truly lived it up this time and that we will maximize whatever time we have there next year!

Outtakes

I have been HORRIBLE about blogging lately.  I guess it is a testament to how busy life is right now.  Seems like there is always so much to do (which is not a bad thing) that when I get a second's rest, I want to do just that--rest!  I just need to remind myself that these babies won't be babies forever and that I need to make myself record things.  I have been writing things down on pieces of paper as they happen with the intention of jotting them down in the digital world later.  Then I have to run all over the house gathering up my sheets of paper!  Anyway, here are some of the more little Jackisms.  I can't wait until there are Danisms but right now, she's quite a bit more verbally challenged than Jack! 

"Mommy, the IPad wasn't working today.  So Daddy didn't give it to me.  REALLY disappointed."

-------------------------------

Nonny bought Jack Pop Tarts.  I used to beg Nonny to buy me Pop Tarts when I was a kid and she never did.  Jack didn't even have to ask.  Needless to say, he liked them a lot.  As he was taking bites, he apparently determined that the remaining part of Pop Tart was looking like some sort of animal.

Jack:  Now I'm gonna bite his head off.  (Bites)
Me:  Jack, what was it?
Jack:  I don't know.  Maybe a chicken. 

-------------------------------

Jack has become less and less of a milk drinker.  Before we left for Florida, he would drink only with considerable prompting.  In Florida, he finally decided that he had enough.  He walked up to each person in the room individually (Mommy, Daddy, Nonny, Poppy) and said, "This is not my favorite."

-------------------------------

Jack has inherited my sweet tooth.  He loves cookies, cake, candy.  Anything sweet.  When we took him to Georgio's Pizza, we introduced him the the greatest dessert ever.  The Mount St. Georgio.  A sinfully delicious combination of warm cookie, ice cream, hot fudge, caramel and whipped cream.  I think it was pretty much the best day of his life.  He was eating and eating and eating and I was worried he'd get sick on something so rich. 

Me:  Jack, I think we need to take a break.
Jack:  I think we don't need to take a break!

------------------------------

Dani always wakes up before Jack.  She stayed downstairs when I went up to get him.  As he came downstairs, he pointed and said, "There's my Dani girl!"

------------------------------

Jack:  Are you gonna come to Grandma's house with me?
Me:  No.  I have class.
Jack:  I miss you.
Me:  Aw.  Thanks!  You're the best boy.
Jack:  I know.

--------------------------------

Yesterday, Dani was quietly looking at books in her room.  Dani rarely does anything quietly so we really like it when it happens.  Jack walked up to her, ripped it out of her hand and as though he were a villian in some superhero comic, said, "You're never going to get your book now!  Ha Ha!"  Then he promptly threw her book into her crib.  We couldn't scold him because we couldn't stop laughing.

Dani update

Dani is nowhere near the talker Jack was.  However, this is probably largely due to the fact that Jack talks so much that no one else can get a word in edgewise!  Dani has been talking a lot more lately but seems to have trouble with her vowels.  Instead of saying "Mommy", it comes out as "Mammy".  Poppy comes out as "Pappy".  Poo-poo comes out as "Pah-pooh".  She calls herself, "Dan-dee".  It's completely adorable and we are wondering if our baby was meant to be Southern.  At 19 months she can say and do a lot.  She recognizes and names almost all letters and numbers 1-10.  My favorite word is currently "racquetball" which sounds more like, "Whacketbaw!"  She loves to say "no" but hates to hear it.  And she is still completely fearless!  She loves animals and is extremely social.  She loves all people but she definitely loves her Daddy the most!  She is such a Daddy's girl and Paul just beams when she calls out for him for a hug.  She is very affectionate when she stops moving long enough to hug and kiss you.  And she loves to give kisses.  She's simply amazing and adorable and I just love the little person she is becoming! 

My Dani

Dani's personality is outsized only by her adorable grin.  She is gutsy, fearless, happy and confident.  She can be sweet and she can be sassy.  She knows exactly what she wants.  Yesterday, she refused to wear her cute pink sun hat but demanded to wear Jack's baseball cap---backwards only.  She's quick to anger but also quick to joy.  She will most certainly be the kid who gives me the gray hair but I also know that the qualities she has that will sometimes drive me crazy as she grows up are the same qualities I am so happy that she has.  She's determined, strong willed, stubborn, and fiercely independent.  She's perfect.

Jeopardy and stuff

We always watch Jeopardy together as a nightly ritual right before the kids go to bed and Paul and I yell out answers when we know them. For the first time today (05/13), Jack joined in. He waited until the question was finished, then went up to the TV and yelled out the first things that came to mind, "Fire Truck!" "Cranberries!" "Ice Cream!!" "Mommy!"


------------------------------------------------

Today (5/14) we gave Jack a gummy cherry as a treat. He shoved the whole thing into his mouth and then started running.


Me: Jack, it's not a good idea to run with candy in your mouth.

Jack: Do you think I can walk with it??

Fearless

We took Jack and Dani to Monkey Joe's this past weekend.  It was amazing to see that Jack has now decided that climbing and sliding is fun and that he isn't afraid anymore.  It is SOOOO nice to finally see.  He is independent enough that he will go up by himself and play so it is nice to not have to be with him constantly.  Besides, we have to focus on Dani. 

The girl is crazy.  From the second we walked in she was all smiles, running and jumping and laughing.  She loved the bounce houses but when I brought her up on the slide, we had visions of her as an adult jumping out of airplanes.  I took her down the slide on my lap and when we got to the bottom, she just laughed.  This was no wimpy slide.  It went quick and was steep.  And she loved every second.  It didn't take long for her to want to do it on her own and she would flip to her tummy and go down backwards, laughing and flopping all over the place all by herself.  She fell a couple of times and didn't even cry.  She's ridiculously tough and as Paul watched her run around, he commented, "I'm pretty sure she's not gonna like dolls."  I'd say that's pretty accurate. 

-----------------------------

Dani’s words 05/04


Ball, kitty, nice kitty, hi, bye, baby, mommy, daddy, balloon, sock, shoe, door, nose, mouth, eye, poo-poo (poo-pooooo), pee-pee, cheese, no, down/done, more, tree, cracker, eat, oval, circle, pizza, farmer, goat, pig, cow, duck, door, water, train, bottle, zebra, toe, car, numbers 2 and 5 (and identifies), identifies and says letters B, C, D, F, J, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, V, W, Z, cookie, flower, apple.

More Jack stuff

Long after I put Jack to bed, I heard him rattling around upstairs.  I went to investigate:

Me: What’s the matter.


J: Well, I hurt myself a little bit.

Me: Is that because you were goofing around?

Jack: Yes. Yes it is.

----------------------

I used to hope Jack would go poo-poo on the potty.  Now he can't get enough of it, even trying to go when he really doesn't have to.  It's a huge waste of time but I don't want to get mad at his efforts.  On one particular trip to the potty, I started to tire of waiting.  He told me:  Caca’s gonna be here in just a minute.

---------------------------
The other day at dinner. . .

Jack:  I wanna treat.

Me:  You can have a pear. The pear’s a treat.

Jack:  No. The pear is NOT a treat. A treat has Pixies on it.

(after about a minute)

Jack (excitedly):  Do you think we have Oreos?

Easter

My babies

Easter buddies

Coloring eggs

Hunting for eggs

Preschool woes

We put Jack in preschool a year ahead of schedule. We knew that he knew enough academically but we wanted to really help him from a social standpoint. He always enjoyed being with adults and being the center of attention, but would clam up when around large groups of kids. We thought that by forcing him into these situations, he would really mature socially. Though he cried the first few days, he seemed pretty happy. In playdates he was warming up more quickly and when I accompanied Jack to the school's holiday party in December, I was excited to see this little boy barge into the room, happily greeting people. When I spoke with his teacher, she mentioned that he had really been improving and called it "heartwarming." When I asked her if Jack talked her ear off, she smiled and nodded her head knowingly.

Last week, I had to take a day off of school to complete some testing for grad school. It was a Thursday and I was excited to be able to take Jack to school myself. We arrived and he showed me where to hang his backpack. His teacher then approached me to tell me about a few concerns regarding Jack. Apparently she has some concerns about Jack's social and verbal development. She claimed that he was acting like he couldn't do tasks and was acting confused. In addition, instead of conversing with the other kids, he would just repeat what they said back.

I left pretty concerned. Not that I really thought something was wrong with him.--at home we can't get him to shut up. The kid kicks me out of the bathroom to wash his hands in private yet acts like he's never done it before at school. But I was concerned that he wasn't having a good time. I thought about it all weekend and called his teacher the following Monday to discuss some of my theories. She was quick to interrupt and get a little defensive. When I made reference to him being more passive, she told me he was very happy and comfortable. I was a bit confused from all of the mixed messages. According to the teacher, he is doing great academically. Yet how would she know this if he didn't talk. He was happy and comfortable, yet wouldn't talk to anyone. His teacher told me she would send home a list of the benchmarks and indicate the ones Jack needed work on.

Imagine my surprise when her concerns included him not knowing 5-50 words or being able to express himself or being able to follow simple directions. This is the same kid who, when I asked him if he was my boy, said, "Actually, I am." Something just doesn't make sense. So now I'm half defensive and half bewildered but with no real way to help him improve. I thought of every possible scenario: he's bored (how could he be bored, he doesn't know anything), he's not getting enough one on one attention, something happened with one of the kids, etc. I was convinced we should switch schools. I vacilated between thinking my instincts were correct and thinking I could practically hear my rotor blades cutting through the wind.

In the end, we have decided to switch schools. I am not saying that anything is wrong with the school he is in but, clearly, it just isn't working for him. He has never once come home excitedly talking about something that went on at school. And this is the kid who gets excited about everything and remembers everything! He still tells us how fun the harbor by my parents' house is. Hopefully we'll find something that is a better fit. At the very least, however, we will see if this behavior continues at a new school . In the meantime, I hope that his excellent memory forgets the fact that he was in the room when I debated w/ Paul as to whether this uncharacteristic behavior is the product of a crazy teacher or an environment issue. Let's just hope Jack doesn't pick tomorrow to reveal his verbal talents by telling everyone that, "Miss Nancy is smoking the crack pipe."

The first day she told me that he w

Shoes

With this uncharacteristically warm weather, I realized that the kids need some shoes that won't make their feet sweat off. I took the kids to Kohls today and picked up a pair of sandals for Jack and gym shoes with open slits for both of them. I absolutely fell in love with Dani's. They are blue and sporty but with traces of pink that add just a touch of "girly"--so perfectly Dani. When we got home, I had to share them with Daddy. I put them on her and she looked adorable. When I put her down, she stared at her shoes with her arms out to the side and started to whine. It then became clear that she was afraid of them--afraid to walk and afraid to look at them because they weren't the typical white shoes she was used to. Eventually she took a few steps but didn't seem fully comfortable. Let's just hope she gets over it. It would do a lot of damage to her rough and tumble image if she was afraid of her own shoes.

Yuck!

Before I had kids, I thought bodily functions were gross. It's not that I find them ungross now, it's just that I've gotten kind of immune to them when they involve my children. If you are not immune, you might not want to read any further.

In the middle of the night, Jack needed a diaper change. Paul took care of it but a short while later, he was still rustling around. I went upstairs and he informed me that he needed to be more throughly cleaned. (He didn't say it that way.) I brought him downstairs and took care of everything but I was concerned that he may have put his hands down in that area and that he might need a handwashing.

Me: Jack, did you put your hands down your pants?
Jack: No, I didn't.
Me: You didn't?
Jack: No, I put my hand in my nose.
Me: Why?
Jack: Because I had a boogie.
Me: Oh. Do you still?
Jack: No. I took it out.
Me: Where did you put it?
Jack: Um. . . I squeezed it.

At the moment I don't know where it is but I'm pretty sure I don't want to find it.

Back Pain. But Happy.

I have a bad back. A bad back that is made worse by schlepping around kids who still want to be picked up and held from time to time. Every once and while it really flares up bad and I feel miserable. Today, Paul was massaging my shoulders and working some kinks out and I was yelling out in pain. Jack was pretty curious as to what we were doing. He came over to me and stood in front of me and asked, "Mommy, are you happy?" A short while and several groans of pain later, Jack came back around an asked, "Mommy? Do you want to be happy?"

I'll be happy when my 20+ lb daughter decides she'd rather walk than have me schlepp her around everywhere!

My Little Comedian

I don't know if I have said it enough, but Jack is funny. For the past two days, he has slept late for his naps. I heard him stirring, in the form of him kicking the wall. When I got upstairs, he was awake, standing on the floor between the very small space between his bed and the wall. I could only see him from the waist up. He looked down, looked at me and said, "I don't have any legs! They're all gone!"

-----------------------------

Me: What letter do we have this week at school?

Jack: The letter O

Me: Man, what do we have that starts with O?

Jack: We have an orangutan. (Thinks a bit.) We don't have a organgutan.

-----------------------------

Jack: I fart.

Me: Oh.

Jack: I stink.

Conversations

Every week at school, Jack has to bring in something that starts with a letter of the alphabet for Show-And-Tell. I think it's a great idea and we go all around the house discussing different items and what they start with. When we finally find a few items that start with the actual letter, Jack chooses and excitedly puts it in his backpack for the next day. This past week, the letter was M.

Me: What letter does this week start with, Jack?

Jack: M!!!

Me: Hmmmmm. I wonder what we have that starts with M??

Jack: Mommy, EVERYTHING starts with M: monkey, man....

Who knew?


----------------------------------

So many of my posts on here involve funny things that Jack says or does. Since Dani really doesn't talk much, I feel that the poor kid gets the shaft on the blog sometimes. I promise to make her conversations part of this blog too when she can have them. And if they're funny.

Anyway, she is picking up words all the time, though she doesn't have the huge interest in language and learning new words that Jack did. But, the more I see Jack, I realize that he is a verbal freak. But Dani has started to really use more words lately. She's got "water" and can now point to each family member and name them: "zhgah" (Jack), "ma" (Mommy), "da" (Daddy), "guma" (Grandma). Today, she started yelling "Go!" and then running into the arms of various people. It's pretty adorable. Looking forward to hearing more from this crazy, sweet girl!

Family Fun Night

The school that we work at has a Family Fun Night once a sports season in which they invite staff and their families and have all sorts of activities planned. It's really nice and fun and we try to always go. It is getting more fun as the kids get older and can actually engage in the activities.

A couple of weeks ago, we attended the Family Fun basketball game. Prior to the game they had opened up the cafeteria, which was filled with food and kid activities. Jack once again proved that preschool was the right decision. The shy, timid little boy who, just one year ago would have been tethered to my leg and in tears, boldly ran over to the other kids playing kickball and got in line. Though he didn't really get the concept, he was happy running amongst the kids all night.

Dani didn't miss a beat and acted, as usual, like she owned the joint, running into the fray and happily squealing. She was so excited to be there and run around that she wasn't even interested in eating, which is saying A LOT! She would run around and then return for a scrap of food, expecting to be fed like a baby bird.

When the game was about to start, I thought Jack might like to see it. Paul stayed in the cafeteria with a deliriously happy Dani who was far more content flitting about the cafeteria than she would have been sitting still in the bleachers. Jack was very interested in sitting in the bleachers and was also quite interested in the band. He couldn't see the players warming up very well but got to sneak in a few peeks. I informed him that they would be singing a pretty song (National Anthem) and that he would have to quitely stand and listen. I also showed him how to put his hand over his heart. Before the Anthem, he told me, "We gonna hear a pretty song and there's gonna be basketball."

When the Anthem began, he did exactly what I told him to. He stood up and was quiet the entire time. I looked down and my heart melted to see this sweet little boy, quietly standing with his hand resting over his heart. It reminded me of little JFK Jr. saluting his father's casket, except there were people playing basketball at the funeral and there was no dead president. After we sat down, Jack turned to me and announced, "I'm done." "What?" I asked him. He repeated, "I'm done. I'm done with basketball."

So as per Jack's request and the late hour, we headed home. It was a perfect evening and I just couldn't have been prouder of my amazing kids.

More from the Jack-meister

On Saturday, we were eating breakfast and Jack pointed out a school bus that was printed on the back of the cereal box.

Me: Jack, do you want to go on a school bus?

Jack: Yes, I DO!

Me: Okay, baby. Someday soon.

Jack: I gotta get some friends.

At least he is planning ahead.

---------------------------------------

This potty training of for the birds. The kid is terrified to poop on the potty. He's a pee expert but poop is apparently much scarier than pee. For me too, when I have to change his diaper.

Jack (excitedly, while sitting on the potty): When I go poo-poo I'm gonna get jelly beans!

Me: Yes. You're gonna get a LOT of jelly beans.

Jack (thinks for a moment then looks down disappointed): I'm not gonna have any jelly beans.

The Potty Chronicles #2 (literally)

Okay, I think I can officially say that Jack is a Pee-pee on the Potty Expert. Not so much the other end. However, he did it successfully tonight and was so proud of himself. (Amazing how our moments of pride as adults are so vastly different from our moments as a toddler. And then how, I presume, that sense of pride regarding toilet issues likely returns when we are super old and back in diapers. Lovely. Can't wait for that one.)

Anyway, the bad news is that Jack is still a little scared to go #2 on the potty. The good news is that it is fairly easy to tell when he has to go. He runs around yelling, "I'm not gonna wear underwear anymore! I don't wanna wear underwear anymore!"

Blah-blah-blah

Dani isn't as verbal as Jack was at this age. At least not in the full words department. But in the babbling department, she has him beat by a mile. She is a MAJOR babbler and loves to hear herself "talk". This is likely going to be the source of many headaches in the future, with two chatty kids trying to outtalk each other but right now, Jack's got the words covered, Dani's got the shrieking, yelling, gurgling, babbling, and snorting.

However, she is grasping things quicker all the time and is acquring both new words and ways to express what she wants without using words. Notice I said "express", not "get". When she doesn't get what she wants she REALLY expresses, crying as though she has been slapped and getting into this weird tripod position (head touching the floor looking through her legs) before crumbling in a broken mess on the floor.

Yesterday, she apparently wanted to go outside. Instead of saying, "Grandma, I would like to venture outdoors," she banged the front door and repeatedly said, "bye-bye". When that didn't do it, she went to the hall closet and banged on the door until Carmen opened it. Once she did, Dani pointed at her coat. Carmen handed it to her and she promptly threw it to the floor and pointed at Jack's coat.

But she does have some words. She knows "bye-bye", her own form of thank you that sounds like (dehhhhhhh!), "kitty", "nose", "water/agua" (can't tell which since it sounds like awaawaa), car (caaaahhh), book (boooooo). She repeats just about anything if she feels like it. If she doesn't, you can ask her until you pass out and you get nothing. She can also identify and say some letters: A, B, D, E, L, M, O, W. Perhaps she is trying to tell us something like some sort of Baby Ouiji board but the best I can come up with is "womb lead" which doesn't make much sense. l

The Potty Chronicles

I started thinking about potty training Jack when he was 18 months old. I figured, this kid's really smart and he's really verbal, he's going to get it. I thought the books that said, "Just wait until he/she is ready," or "Every child is pre-programmed with the date they will decide to use the potty.. ." were just a load of garbage (especially that last one). I thought, "hey, I can make him decide he's ready by making him sit in his own pee for a little bit." Yeah, that'll show him.

18 months was pretty much a joke. I bought a little potty and periodically tried it. I'd sit him down on it, bring books to him to help make him feel comfortable about going, and make pee noises to encourage the flow. Instead, I got a little boy who would laugh at the pee noises (and I learned that man's need to laugh at bodily function humor starts early) and sit happily reading books until I got tired of it and pulled him off the potty. I got him naked and tried to encourage it. He ran around the corner and peed on the hardwood floor. At least he was considerate. The kid was completely clueless about the concept so I decided to shelve the idea for awhile.

I made it my summer goal to get the kid potty trained. More books and pee-pee noises. Giggling. Nothing.

When he hit about 2 1/2 and he headed to preschool, I renewed my resolve to get him trained, especially since I felt horrible making the preschool teacher change his diapers, even though the school said it was fine. He is the youngest in class and was the only one not yet housebroken. I thought, okay, we're going to put him in underwear. If he pees, maybe he won't like the feeling of the wetness stuck to his body. I was right. He didn't like it. He'd pee his pants, then stand there wide legged, as though he had just gotten off of a horse, whimpering and asking me, "You wanna change this?" I would remind him that he needed to tell me BEFORE he peed and not after. So he practiced this repeating, "You gotta TELL me. You gotta tell me before. You don't go pee-pee in your pants." I thought we were on the right track untill he peed himself again, stood there soaking and informed me, "I peed. You gotta tell me. You gotta tell me before. You don't go pee-pee in your pants." Thanks, Jack. Very helpful.

This went on for awhile and reached it's climax around November. I got home from work and Carmen informed me that Jack was in underwear. I was going to take the kids out to Target so I knew I would put him in a diaper but thought I had a chance to get changed first myself. He and Dani played upstairs while I got dressed and Jack enjoyed playing peek-a-boo with Dani by hiding in the closet and closing the door. I thought things were going well until I hear a muffled voice from beyond the closed closet door, "I peed." I didn't want to make him afraid of having accidents, but it was fairly hard to contain my frustration while I cleaned pee out of the closet. I again reminded him to use the potty and he went on to tell everyone, "You DON'T pee in the closet!"

I chucked the portable potty in favor of an actual kids' seat built into a real adult toilet seat. I went to Home Depot and bought one but it was used (gross). I went to Menards and though the guy who worked there assured me that it would fit, it didn't fit. I went to return both seats and tried to get a replacement at Home Depot. My neighborhood store was out but the one the next town over had 6 in stock. I was certain that this seat was the answer and that he had to have it immediately, even though it was 9 pm, he was already in bed and we wouldn't be able to install it that evening. On the way to the Home Depot, I got a speeding ticket. In a (highly quesitonable) construction zone. Which was a load of crap, which my son was not doing on the potty, but it still cost me $656. Yes, you ARE reading that right. $656. So I now own the world's most expensive toilet seat for a kid that won't even sit on it.

At this point, I started having visions of hoisting up a thirty-year old Jack and changing his diaper on my dining room table that had not been a dining room table in 30 years. I vowed to make sure that I moved in with Jack when I got too old to take care of myself and that I would make sure that I would need Depends.

I moved the potty goal back and swore that Winter break would be the deadline. Nonny and Poppy came to town and Nonny tried her hardest. She acted like an idiot trying to make him laugh, she promised him stuff, she threw Cheerios in the bowl to try to give him something fun to aim at. The result? A kid who would whimper every time and refuse to go, but who would tell everyone that he "peed on the Cheerios". This included my father who was coming down to breakfast and did not know the context of the conversation. He opted for the Chex that morning. And Jack still repeated his mantra, "You gotta tell Mommy. I'm gonna go on the potty." I snapped back, "Yeah, yeah, I've heard this before."

Last week, while at Burger King after school with his best friend Henry, he pooped. Carmen was taking him to the bathroom and Henry, who is potty trained, had to go too. Henry tried to encourage Jack and informed him that it wasn't scary. I wasn't too crazy about Henry because Jack told me that Henry (and not Mommy) was his best friend. This past weekend I was home alone with the kids while Paul was at a bowling tournament. I was intending on taking the kids to get hair cuts and then to Monkey Joe's. In the morning, Jack mentioned wearing underwear but we were going to be leaving and it wasn't an option. As I was prepping the loathsome diaper bag yet again, I peeked into the playroom where Jack and Dani were playing. I caught Jack's eye and he informed me, "I'm pooping." (as in right now) "Okay, sounds good, " I told him, actually really happy that he was doing it before we left the house. He then told me, "I'm gonna finish pooping," then turned away from me and did his thing.

After a fun day, the kids went down for a nap. When he woke up, I asked him if he would like to wear underwear and he seemed more excited than usual to put on underwear. I kept asking him if he had to go. Finally, after dinner, he seemed ready. He pulled down the $656 toilet seat and his pants, jumped up on the seat and just peed. No whining, no coaxing, no deals. Just peeing.

We went insane! Screaming, whooping, hollering, fistbumps, phone calls to Nonny and reward M&Ms marked the occassion. He was so unbelieveably proud of himself. I told him that I was going to buy him special CARS underwear since he was such a big boy. Before bed, he said he wanted to go again. More cheers followed by more M&Ms. As I tucked him in, his last question before I left his room was, "Are you gonna buy new underwear for me?" I felt the corner had been turned. And I felt a LOT warmer towards Henry, even though he did steal Jack away.

On Sunday, we didn't wear diapers on the way to Grandma's. He had one accident but otherwise was trained, pee-wise. But by the evening, still no #2. Before his bath, I heard him say, "I'm not gonna wear underwear." I thought this was weird so I put him on the potty. I knew he had to go but he wouldn't. He whined and said he wanted to get off the $656 potty. He changed the subject by playing with my watch. I made a million promises if he would just poop. I told him he could wear my watch. I told him that if he thought peeing was fun, to just wait until he tried pooping. I promised him 10 M&Ms. He seemed to like these ideas. "Ok!" he said. Thirty seconds later he informed me, "I'm not gonna have M&Ms."

It was not to be last night. Or today. Carmen said he was a champ with the peeing, but held back on the other. When I got him up from his nap today, I had a talk with him:

Me: Jack, did you go pee-pee on the potty today?
Jack: Yes!
Me: Did you go poo-poo?
Jack: No.
Me: Are you a little afraid to go poo-poo on the potty.
Jack (looking away, embarrassed): Yeah.

So we are 50% there. Granted it's the most disgusting 50% that is left. But we're close. There IS a light at the end of the tunnel. I am now fairly certain I will not have go to college with Jack so I can change his diapers. The jury is still out on my Depends promise. We'll see how long this last part takes him.

Quick Bits

Today Jack was getting a little to excited playing with Dani as I got her ready after her bath. He wound up smacking her in the face. I scolded him and Paul tried to lend a hand from downstairs.

Paul: Jack?
Jack: Yeah?
Paul: Do you wanna stay up there or come down and get ready for bed?
Jack: Stay up here.
Paul: Then you better behave.
Jack: Okay, Paul.


--------------------------------

Today was Paul's birthday but he unfortunately had an all day bowling tournament. The kids and I met him at the tournament for lunch. Jack associates all birthdays with cupcakes so we picked up some cupcakes to share with Paul and his team. The girls dove into the cupcakes but Jack hadn't had lunch yet and I explained to him that he could have a cupcake but that he would first have to have lunch. He remarkably seemed to accept this but told me frequently that "First we gonna have lunch and denn we're gonna have cupcakes," as though he were afraid I would forget. After one of these statements, I said:

Me: Jack, do you like cupcakes?
Jack: YES!!
Me: Why?

Jack (thought about this for a second and then said, rather incredulously): Because their GOOD!
Me: Oh.

Jack waited a couple of seconds and then said, "Mommy? I LOVE cupcakes!"

-------------------------------------

Dani might not be my child. I mean, other than the fact that she looks just like me and I was there when she was born, there are some things that make me wonder. The biggest is this kid's food interests. She LOVES all food but really likes vegetables (I hate them and only eat them because I have to). The other day, she was literally whining because I was not cutting broccoli fast enough. By the time she was finished, she had eaten all of her broccoli and also my entire portion. Then today, when we had cupcakes, she had one bite and didn't want any more. I finished her remaining cupcake and wondered what on Earth was wrong with her. Then I just wrote her off as a total freak. But now, I am seeing that this could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. . .

Pinball

Dani is crazy. This child is in CONSTANT motion. She's fast and is literally bouncing about the house, grabbing at everything she can. She is a trouble detector, able to sniff out anything she isn't supposed to have. In a room full of exciting, colorful toys, Dani will try to remove the cover from the outlet. Instead of pushing a car along the ground, she tries to eat a whole Duplo block. She finds your full cup of water on the counter more fascinating than any book. (Jack always says, "Dani is destructive." and we call her the "Danisaur".) She'd rather run as fast as she can, out of control, occasionally bopping into multiple pieces of furniture than sit in your lap and relax. She's all energy 12/7 (she sleeps and naps well.).

There is no halfway with Dani. If she's in, she's all in. We keep telling ourselves that this is going to be a fabulous attribute in any future endeavors but right now, we're exhausted. I actually need to start watching what I eat because the way I chase her constantly, I would drop weight pretty fast. Maybe we'll offer Dani memberships where you can pay us, chase her around for an hour, and stay fit. It would be cheaper than Lifetime and we'd make a few extra bucks. Or better yet, we'll pay YOU so we can just get one brief moment's rest.

Despite the exhaustion that the craziness that is Dani brings, it also brings us unbelieveable joy. She is so incredibly happy. Her face just doesn't seem big enough to hold her smile. She's funny and is now starting to realize that she can make us laugh. Lately, she has been fake laughing, trying to get a response from us. She loves to dance, stomping her little feet furiously and laughing. Incidentally, this is also the first indication of a temper tantrum (this foot stomping, however, is not followed by laughing. It's followed by whining and ends with her laying herself out on the floor. ). She is getting better at words. She says, daddy (da-da), more (moh!), ball (ah-bahhhh), kitty (di-deee), bye (buh-bah, accompanied by an adorable opening and closing of her little hand), hi (haaaaaaaa!), Bubble Guppies (bah guh), Elmo (ehhh moe), Thank you (deaaaaaa!). She also repeats well--Jack (gaaaaa), Mommy (meeee-meeeee), baby (Bay-beeeeee).

She's getting better at engaging with toys rather than just trying to eat them (though she sometimes still tries.) She still uses her hair as a napkin and has just started to stick her finger up her nose. It took me a day to realize she was doing this purely for effect, to get our attention. She still has the bad habit of picking up anything off of the floor and putting it into her mouth. But now she has added a cute little trick. When she does it and you catch her, she looks at you, wide-eyed, like she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar, turns around as fast as she can and runs away from you. It's pretty hilarious.

She's also upping the sweet quotient. She gives kisses when you ask her, which is nice because she rarely does anything you ask her to. The are big, open mouthed kisses that are adorable now but she really does need to work on them. She also gives fantastic hugs. The last couple of days she has been hugging me tight and then pulling back to look me in the face with this look like, "What did you think of that? That was pretty good, huh?" Then when you smile or laugh, she smiles back and hugs tighter. Her little game goes on and on like this and I never stop it--it's too adorable.

She definitely keeps us on our toes and brings us endless joy. I hope she always is as happy and joyful as she is now. It's hard to believe that I was once actually afraid that I couldn't love a second child as much as I loved my first. It's impossible to believe that I once thought there could be no child on Earth as cute as Jack. And I certainly didn't think my heart was big enough to hold this much love. But little, determined Dani has proven me wrong on every count.

She's adorable. She's unbelievably strong willed. She's funny. She's nuts. She's destructive. She's sweet. She's fiesty. She's opinionated. She's happy. She's our Dani and she's perfect in every way.

Year End

I have been really bad about keeping up with this blog lately. The end of school before break was pretty hectic as were the holidays. The weekend that we got off from school, we had Dani's official 1st birthday party. The family came over and Dani was happy, happy, happy. But what else is new? She didn't really care much about her presents but thankful Jack was there, ready to rip all of them open for her. She preferred to toddle about happily, soaking up all the attention lavished upon her.

She enjoyed her beautiful Elmo cake (thank you, Walmart). Yes, yes, I know. For Jack, I slaved away in the kitchen and, if I must say so myself, the 3 (yes, 3) cakes turned out beautifully. And when I proudly set Jack's very own big top tent cake in front of him, he refused to touch it and just cried. They often say that the second child gets the shaft. However, I really don't see it that way. It's not neglect, it's wising up. It's realizing that a lot of that stuff I killed myself over was unnecessary and that there were easier ways to do things. Anyway, I digress. Dani smeared red frosting all over her chair and face and it was much more rewarding than Jack's crying about his. (By the way, Jack has long since decided that it is stupid to cry when you receive cake--that you should only cry if you don't get cake.)

Dani got a lot of fun toys and cute outfits and after the party, we set our sights on Christmas. My parents say every year that we are going to scale back Christmas. So I actually listen and scale back Christmas. Then they walk in with about a thousand presents leaving me looking like a cheapskate. It stinks. At least until I realize that a lot of those presents are mine. It actually didn't really matter anyway, since I didn't get to open any of them. Jack has decided that opening presents is REALLY cool and he opened every single present that anyone got. He excitedly tore open each present, exclaiming with each package, "Oh my GOSH! It's a BOX!" After he got to the contents, he paraded it around and I really didn't get a chance to see what I got until the next morning, which was actually kind of fun, like doing Christmas all over again.

Both Jack and Dani loved the turkey (no surprise with Dani) and the choice of 5 kinds of cookies that we made. The next day at Carmen's they got even more toys. Jack ate a lot of meat but wouldn't touch any of the sides that he deemed scary. Dani, on the other hand gave us the first and only visible clue that she is actually Hispanic by polishing off an entire tamale. Overall, it was a fabulous Christmas with both sides of the family.

Later in the week, we took Dani to her first year portraits. She did absolutely great and we got amazing shots. They really captured her adorable personality. It was interesting because for the first half of the shoot, we tried to do her hair, pulling it back neatly into a side sweep pinned by a barrette. Halfway through the shoot, it just didn't look like our Dani so we pulled the barrette and her crazy hair did it's thing. And we got our perfect shots of our perfect girl.

Just before the end of the break, Nonny, Poppy and I took Jack downtown on his first train ride and his first visit to the city. We prepped him for what we were going to do all week and effectively built excitement. He kept exclaiming that we were going to the "big, Bubble City." (from Bubble Guppies). He was scared to get on the train at first but that lasted mere seconds and he spent the rest of the trip excitedly pointing out everything outside the window.

He was a trooper the whole way and walked a ton. We walked form Ogilvie to Macy's. Then on to Millenium Park (Jack loved the Bean.). We then marched up Michigan Avenue all the way to the Water Tower before catching a cab back to the train station. We all had fun and the kid slept like a rock!

Nonny and Poppy left on New Year's Eve day and we took the kids to a friends for a few hours. We obviously couldn't stay long but the kids had fun with the other kids and Jack learned how to fistbumpl

We really couldn't have asked for a better break, filled with lots of fun, love and together time. Watching the kids really start to understand unwrapping gifts and enjoying Christmas makes it all the more special. I can't wait to see it get better and better each year. It will be interesting as well when Dani finally decides that opening presents is fun too. Could make for some interesting Christmastime wrestling.