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Teaparties & Cupcakes

29 Jan

Surrounded my Monster Trucks, Dinosaurs, and Hot Wheels cars, CJ manages to get in some girl playing too.  Don’t get me wrong, she loves playing cars and growling like a monster and gets right in there with the boys.  But she is definitely all girl at heart.

Dollies – She likes to change their clothes, sway them in her arms, and has even been known to give her dolls a (real) bath.  She gives lots of kisses and lovingly gestures and makes sounds to her baby.  She will be a great mom someday.

Kitchen – Last year she got this great kitchen set for Christmas. It is perfect for her age right now and I love the colors and quality. She uses the microwave part the most (everything gets heated up) as well as the faucet/sink.  Another toy that has been so fun this year are these cupcakes from Melissa & Doug that can be decorated with washable markers.  I love all the Melissa & Doug toys but these cupcakes and the wooden fruit you can cut have been especially fun for us.

Tea Parties – Last but not least, CJ has really gotten into tea parties.  She has the tea set  with the liquid viewable thru the side so it is fun for pretending to pour.  But usually she likes to do the real thing.  So we also have this super-cute Tupperware Mini Pitcher that we put water (tea) in and have a real tea party.  She pours me cup after cup and sometimes tries to give some to her babies with a spoon.  She has the most adorable apron with a matching apron for her favorite dollie of the day that she likes to wear while she is serving tea or working in the kitchen.  She looks like a natural.

Usually her kitchen, tea table, and baby changing station are also littered with all the boys toys (the dinosaurs also had a tea party with the dollies the other day). But she doesn’t seem to mind…

 

What’s the Password?

15 Jan

Although she doesn’t say the words, this stance means “what’s the password?” Emulating her big brothers, Cj usually does this playful move in a doorway or the at the top of the stairs if she beats you there. What does a two year old girl pick for a magic password? She usually makes us list 5 or 10 words before letting us pass, sometimes more. Some of her favorite common passwords are “cupcakes” “balloons” or “grandma”….I think she just enjoys the power to hold us back until she says we can go, the most.

20120115-212945.jpg

Christmas Concerts and Joyful Voices

20 Dec

One of my favorite parts of Christmas (since having kids) is the pre-Christmas concerts and programs that involve the kids.  They are a little magical, very sweet, and always fun. This year was the first year that B was in a preschool Christmas program. I was happy to see B being such an active participant in the concert of 3-4 year olds and follow the teacher’s directions so well.

Here is his Jingle Bell song: (notice the  bow at the end)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2MWJbEMRFo

And here is the “Reindeer Hokey Pokey”:
(notice the “hoofs”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRyXHixOKDY

M also had an amazing Christmas program at St. M’s last week.  My favorite part was the “march” in.  All the kids marched in, and M put everything he had into a very deliberate, wide stride, and stiff arm march.  Then the K & 1 sang 2 songs (one being Away in a Manger) with actions which made it cute. There was lots of playfulness in the concert with the K boys also being “naughty sheep” for a part, running down the church aisle away from the shepherd.

I don’t know  a lot of lullabies (nor am I good singer), but this time of year (actually anytime of year), I like to sing Silent Night to CJ when I rock her before bed (sometimes she tries to sing it with me).  It was funny to see how attentive she was when the kids sang Silent Night at the Church Christmas Concert. She really liked the music.  Several times during the concert, she was also imitating the director and was moving her arms with the music.

Some moments feel so magical. There were times during both M’s and B’s concerts where I started to tear up (proud – and moved my music – even the “Reindeer Pokey” apparently). These little things are what life is all about.

Autumn Little Big Things…

8 Nov

Little things are big,  and what make life memorable.  Here are some of the little things about my kids that are memorable to me the past few months:

M.J.ready to sparr

  • M has been loving playing football.  It is pretty fun to see him catch a 20 yard pass and then see that look on his face. So proud and a little shocked (I caught it!)
  • M went to his first Tae Kwon Do tournament and got 4th place in forms and 3rd place in sparring. Both him and his Dad loved the experience overall.  I am looking forward to seeing the next one, which will be closer to home. (see short video of practicing form here, or longer video of tournament sparring here)
  • M got Student of the Month in October for being artistic/creative. Then he also got a sudden interest in playing electric guitar again.
  • Today Neil joined M for lunch at his school and it was a surprise. I am not sure who had more fun, M or his Dad.  When the kids talk you into staying for recess, you know it is good.
  • It is really fun to see him really learning how to read words and be so excited about school.
B.T.B on a hayride
  • I have been enjoying some time w/B in the mornings, on the laptop next to me, after M leaves for school and before CJ wakes up.  He likes to wake up early, then “rest in my office” with his blankie for a bit.  I like my  new office-mate.
  • I love first drawings.  B’s faces and family drawings are fun.  Big eyes, big smiles, lots of legs.
  • B has had mid-night wakings lately that result in “Daaaad” being yelled from upstairs.  Dad (or mom) goes upstairs and then he says”I just want you to lay by me.” or “I want you”. Sleepy parents usually abide, but in the meantime a bad habit has begun.  Sleeping by a cuddly kid who wants you to sleep by him, though, is not all that bad.
  • B knows how to talk the talk.  His says some pretty “big” things and his dad says “his negotiating skills have improved.” huh.
  • So he loves to Dance and Sing, he particularly likes Go Fish and a kids Halloween CD (yes all year round).  But if his mom dances or sings *too much* with him, he says “Stop Mom!” Yes he already thinks his mom is embarrassing.
  • Preschool is oozing out of this kid, he is learning so much and growing so smart.
C.J.kitty cat learns how to say trick or treat
  • She learned how to say “trick or treat” by the end of Halloween night.  She also protected her furry pink pumpkin candy holder all night until bedtime.  She then transferred all the candy to her purse, and then proceeded to try to hide her purse under her crib.
  • We are working on all of our words.  She says some words, but many others are a bit backwards or all sound like “daa” or “dis” or “joose”  or “uck” or “um”.  I have to remind her to practice all the time, “can you say [insert any random word here that CJ thinks is pronounced  "diiiis" or "aaaaaak"]?.  Maybe every word needs to have the excitement of “Trick or treat” with it for her to learn it faster.
  • We have been working on potty training, mostly when we see the look that a #2 is coming, we rush to the bathroom.  She knows the drill now because she will look at me smile, hold her hand out (grab it mom) then totally get into the mad rush to the bathroom. She is doing pretty good but we are not pushing it real hard.
  • Although she loves to try dressing herself (likes pulling up her own pants!), she likes to make it a challenge for me to get her dressed, usually escaping mid-way with giggles half naked.  The funny part, if I want to take the easy way out, I just pass the chore on to her Dad, which she will run to (instead of away) to get dressed.
Other fun stuff:
  • We went to Nelson Farm with Grandma Kathy and saw all kinds of farm animals, climbed haystacks, and went on all kinds of wagon rides.  Kids all fell asleep on the way home.
  • Halloween is one of our favorite holidays.  The kids get so excited about it that the decorations go out around Oct. 1.  The kids were Darth Vader, a Ninja, and a kitty.  The kids got a couple rounds of trick or treating in, as well as a full dose of handing out candy at our house and seeing all the other spooky and silly costumes.
  • Neil turned 36.  I had no idea that putting all those candles (an entire box) on a cake would make such a waxy, smoky mess.
  • I am a new Aunt!  Joe and Amanda had baby Nolan Hendrix! And the baby has some very proud cousins, especially when Darth Vader so little Yoda sleeping on Halloween.
halloween crew

Tae Kwon Do Kid and Copycats

24 Oct

So here is M demonstrating one of his “patterns” to me, on his first day of going to Tae Kwon Do with his white belt on.   He started Tae Kwon Do last month and so far loves it.  He knows how to count to ten in Korean and a few other “patterns”.  He said that he can earn his purple trim (this is the seventh belt) in two years. I hope he sticks with it.  His instructor “Master” is awesome and I can tell that he teaches the kids a lot of respect and discipline.

Then there are these two comedians.  They fight. They play.  They scream. They laugh.  They are only one year and nine months apart so right now and for a few months yet they are age 2 and 3.  The older brother does a lot of teasing.  The little sister is learning a few bad habits.  B calls CJ  “Sweetie” all the time, and he tends to know what toys to pick up that will instantly set her off.  But as  you can in this video, they are two peas in a pod.  The cupcakes they are eating were a prize CJ won at the church cake walk.  We were just having fun eating cupcakes outside one afternoon and being silly.

Jawbreakers are for Big Boys

16 Oct

B got his hands on some candy that M brought home from a birthday party. CJ went screaming after him upstairs, where I continued to hear screaming and fighting over the candy.  Then I found the 2 kids hiding in a corner, still trying to get the package open.

Somehow, I convinced them to come downstairs and to “save the candy for after dinner”.  CJ now had the package of candy in her hand and was cooperatively coming down stairs, with B following closely behind.

As I was getting dinner ready, there was still arguing over the candy in the kitchen.  Then, before we even knew what the candy was, CJ  had the package of 3 jawbreakers open, and one in her mouth.

I have never been a fan of jawbreakers – they just don’t taste good at all, and they just seem totally unsafe for kids…. a broken tooth or candy lodged in my kids throat? I don’t want either, thanks.

But CJ already had it in her mouth, and B, he just couldn’t believe she got the package open herself.  He was accusingly asking me and and his Dad, “Did you open it for she?”… “Did you?”

To avoid a bad medical jawbreaker situations, I said to CJ, “CJ please spit that candy out, it is icky and not for little girls.” I held out my hand in front of her mouth, and she must have realized it didn’t taste good anyways.  She spit it out in my hand.

Then B said matter-of-factly, “Yeah!  It’s for big boys!” And he grabbed the already-been-sucked-on candy from my hand and put it in his mouth.

And I was left with just spit on my hand and a smile on my face.

Let’s rewind and see where we end up…

23 Sep

I have a million things to write about but a procrastinating gene (from who? not sure. maybe my own?)

Here is my rewind blog post to try to remember all that is worth remembering that I may have not typed into my keyboard this month:

  1. My lovable smarty pants middle child who loves bugs and movies started preschool this morning and had a blast. SO INDEPENDENT and man this kid is funny.
  2. My BABY girl turned 2 on Wednesday.  We were lucky enough to have special guests Bec and Andy at her party and I must say the giant red velvet cupcake I threw together wasn’t too bad.  Check out  video of her blowing out candles.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOV9oKSGNhY

  3. We finally got our couple-year-long landscaping project done, which involved humongous piles of dirt (8 yards), mulch (15 yards) plants, and replacing rotten boards. I can’t wait for spring to come to see how everything looks fresh.  The kids were major helpers in this progress often sporting, hard hats, tools, and shovels.
  4. My kids were dancing machine at my cousin Amanda’s wedding, and I got to see some Mark Bros/nephews jamming.  My uncle Tim is the most amazing drummer. Seriously. Insane.
  5. The annual Ryan golf outting was a blast with our 2 little golfers, and we were partnered up with my cousin’s family with 2 more little golfers. Just fun on the last HOT Saturday of September.
  6. I now have a martial arts student in the house.  M is learning Tae Kwon Do and I am extremely grateful to have this program and excellent teacher in this small community.  M also thinks standing on his head is pretty cool.
  7. My M started Kindergarten and he could not be more excited about it.  He loves it so far and talks frequently about his guardian angel (a program that gives kids in K an 8th grade mentor) and he is also a marathon fundraising machine.  He has also become a social butterfly and enjoys riding bike to visit all his friends in the neighborhood.
  8. So we went to Valley Fair on Labor Day.  The new Planet Snoopy is pretty much the bomb for little kids.  M is excited to be able to go on some of the bigger rides next year (2 more inches!)
  9. We went to Owatonna to visit Neil’s cousins family since as he was a proud Godfather of a beautiful baby girl. It was fun to hang out with family and let little cousins play. Oh and we can’t lose with a waterpark.
  10. My fBFF”s from high school and their families spent a day with us at the lake.  There was lots of jumping in to the lake and giggles….Our summer was full of endless fishing, swimming, and bike rides.

There you have it, about the last month or so.  Lot’s of transitions this year, with a new kindergartner, preschooler, and the two-ness of toddlerhood.  Loving it.

Bunnies & clams, 46/46, Queens don’t need car seats

12 Jul

We found a baby bunny nest on our property last week (just a hole, covered with fur and grass in the lawn).  When we first saw them, their eyes were not even open.  I was reluctant to show B because I knew from that point forward he would not leave them alone.  He adores them but makes me nervous when he holds them because he tries to be gentle but he’s not….He ended up sneaking one of the bunnies in his room.  This was cute for a little bit, but what if I wouldn’t have caught on?  Did I mention that earlier this week, he had a live clam in his swimming trunks? And last week he was playing with leeches and a piece of squirrel tale?  Yes this is my boy. all boy for sure.

M is figuring out how the world work around him and is asking some really intelligent questions. now 6, and 46″ tall and 46 lbs at his 6 year doc appt, he is excited to start kindergarten in Sept.  Probably most apprehensive about riding the bus, and finding his way around (he said he liked preschool better then summer rec because he knew where he had to go).  Always asking me lots of questions about my cousins, he is excited to have 2 new cousins of his own in the months to come. He bats left-handed and can smack that ball hard.  I can’t wait to watch him play baseball!  Him and his dad went to the diamonds to practice, and M wore his baseball pants. He came home so dusty because he was practicing his sliding!

Oh CJ. With the mind of her own. I have to remind myself she is almost two and not really a baby anymore.  She is going thru this awful phase where she fights her car seat.  Screams and cries and twists and turns.  So it is nearly impossible for me to talk her thru it or physically make her do it.  She is that strong and insistent.  There have been several times in the past couple weeks, where a two minute buckle was instead a 20 minute delay.  As B would say, “Not Cool, Not Cool.” So I am hoping this phase passes very quickly, as I dread taking her anywhere right now.

I am loving my new job at Vivid Image and the freedom and control it has given me. More time with my kids, better management of my time during the entire day. Plus I just really enjoy being on the cutting edge of what is going on with the web, and giving myself permission to play with new tools since it is my job, instead of feeling guilty like I should be doing something else. Plus the early AM wake up to hot coffee in my own office is awesome, at least for now during the summer.

Off to bed.

No doesn’t mean yes anymore…

27 Jun

Just a few months ago, CJ was a little confused when it came to head shakes and nods.  We had to decipher the head shake that meant “no” from the head shake the meant “yes”.  Usually the head shake that meant yes, was combined with a smile, so we knew what she meant. But it was always quite silly to see her visually shake her head “no”, knowing she meant yes.

Now, she is smarter.  Her yes’s are a very deliberate, a slow head down, then head up or with a “sssssss”. She has grown extremely independent the past months.  Going from down the the stairs on her tummy (she always used to listen to me when I made the suggestion), to wanting to WALK down the stairs. Walking down the stairs would be ok, if I was right there to give a helping hand.  But, not only does she not want to hold my hand, she doesn’t want me near.  I end up being about 3 steps below her, ready to catch her, if she does fall. Sometimes she will decide to hold your pant leg at the last minute…. Oh, and if you are someone she really likes, that she doesn’t get to see everyday, she will probably hold out her arms and want you to carry her down the stairs.

Now, she is smarter.  Her yes’s are a very deliberate, a slow head down, then head up or with a “sssssss”.

One of my favorite things to do with my babies is go for walks. CJ still likes to get in her stroller, but is in a phase where  after just a little while, she gets antsy and squirms to get out.  Then she wants to push the stroller or walk herself.  Needless to say, this takes a lot longer. I hope I can squeeze out some more long strolls.  I will miss this phase with a passion.

Tonite, CJ set up the boys’ hot wheels ramp and drove the cars down about 10 times with sound effects.  She also like to copy her brothers playing base ball and pitching. Tonite she was pitching to me and I would hit it (more life a drop and a golf swing) then she would go get it and pitch again.  She wanted to be the pitcher and the outfielder, and got mad when M tried to get  the ball.  B was filling his dad’s hat with sand while this was going on.

But she is not all tomboy because she also loves clothes and shoes.  She could spend a half hour trying to put any piece of clothing on her legs.  She is particular about the shoes she wears, and likes the shiny sandals the best. And her babies, they get lots of kisses and feedings, and gentle suggestions to get their thumb to stick in their mouth.

So, my little girl… who now nods yes and means it! She also knows some new words like bubbos (bubbles) skooz ma (excuse me – Ok I heard this only once but it was awesome) and ma (older brothers name). And when she moves her chin down, then up, that means YES!

Summer at Last!

6 Jun

With a dreadfully long and rainy spring, we, like most everyone else, are happy that summer has arrived!  Tonite the kids did some “slip and sliding” and stayed cool with water balloons and garden hose sprayings.

Today was the first day of Summer Rec.  B went for the first time, since he is now 3.  Neil  brought the kids and it went suprisingly well! M has a very full schedule, with today including flag football and swimming lessons.  Although I could tell he was tired, he was so excited and talkative, and happy to have a new routine and meet new friends.  Tomorrow he is excited to be in a couple non-sport classes, like computer lab and kids in the kitchen.

We had so much fun at the lake this weekend. First of all, I am totally impressed by my boys fishing skills.  M got several bass off the dock, proudly stating that one was 8 inches and the other was 10 inches.  We cooked them up for breakfast the next morning.  B isn’t fishing for real yet, but he knows how to cast like a pro! And he is not one bit afraid of the bait.  He would carry it around all day if I let him. Check out the photo above of the homemade grill handle designed by Neil  and my cousin Mike. All you need is a small log and a couple bolts and the grill is back in action.  Speaking of cool engineering…

So, I never would have believed it if I did not see it with my own eyes, but Neil maneuvered to put a boat lift if with just him- one person.  He engineered these skids ( I call them skateboards) to go under each foot of the lift and wheeled it from the driveway to the rocks, then he lowered it down the steep rocks.  Finally, he bought 4 humongous beach balls, and strategically floated it over to where it needed to be parked.  I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical, but it worked! So the boys have gotten some time in “driving the boat” now that it has a parking spot on the lake.

The water was ICE COLD on Saturday.  I could feel my skin starting to freeze.  By Sunday it was noticeably warmer.  This makes me happy because I was beginning to feel like the long spring and high lake level was going to make it cold all summer.

I made this rhubarb slush recipe and am excited to have a new lake drink!

A popular place for relaxing is the hammock.  Although we made a rule after too many injuries last year of no wrestling on the hammock.  Yes, this is something we have to do in our house.  Here B gets snug as a bug in a rug.

We visited Gma and Gpa at Diamond this weekend.  Here we learned that Gpa is always right when it comes to where to park the boat and the sea legs (Sorry Gma) and  we saw a garter snake that was way to large to be a garter snake – like it ate 10 normal-sized snakes for breakfast.

I had the first breakdown of my Expedition, when my alternator went out and we had some extra time charging my battery before leaving the lake.  This was interesting and tested all of our patience a bit.  All better now.

Popsicles- lots of popsicles outside, dripping down faces and arms off elbows.  CJ was even two-fisting it at one point when B gave up an already opened orange popsicle for the highly popular root beer popsicle. My favorite use of the freez-e or popsicle is too lure tired dirty kids into the bath…  Kind of in a Hansel & Gretel kind of way, but not really.

So wow! Busy summer and it is not even summer yet! Can’t wait to see what the rest of this season bring us! I plan on going thru lots of sun block,  smores, and popsicles for the kids (probably lots of  fireworks viewing for the boys), a little rhubarb slush for mom.  How about you?

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