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!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
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.
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".
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".
Sunday, August 5, 2012
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!
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.
"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.
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