2009_12_22 Tuesday

Dave got up with Jonathan around 8 after a croup coughing attack. It was nice for me to sleep in a little more. BIG NEWS: Jonathan's wearing big boy underpants today!!! It will probably only be for a short time since I have a doctor's appointment and we are going down south to see Aunt Keri and Nana for the day. We'll see how he does!!

2009_12_20 Sunday

We had quite a relaxing, family day today. After breakfast, we each bundled up to shovel the 7+ inches of snow we got overnight. One of our neighbors (who we haven't yet met) actually snowblow-ed our driveway and sidewalk for us. Jonathan was very keen on helping daddy shovel, despite having only a grown-up shovel to use. I did the best I could, but it sure was deep and heavy. Dave also put down salt, so by the afternoon, our areas were actually pretty clear. Then we went to Blockbuster and rented "Cars" for Jonathan to watch; I promptly fell asleep about half-way through it. We also got take-out for lunch and had a very civilized lunch in our dining room.

After a lazy day of snuggling and snoozing, I ventured out for groceries (the roads were all fine). Dave and Jonathan have been working diligently on the various train cars that he's gotten each day for Advent. They have to paint them, let them dry, and the glue them together. So far, they've finished three; I think there are three more to go!

While they did that, I made dinner, which we ate in the dining room again! At the end of dinner, we talked about Santa Claus coming, and Jonathan was very excited that "he's coming to town" in four days. I asked him if he had been naughty or nice, and he broke into inconsolable tears! So we tried to comfort him by telling him that he's been a very, very good boy this year (and needing to "sit and think" doesn't mean you're a bad boy) and that Santa will surely bring him lots of presents. YIKES!

2009_12_18 Friday

Jonathan is truly a rock star. We spent 2.5 hours at a local mall today, getting our tires rotated and finishing up our Christmas shopping. He was fantastic. He even helped an elderly lady pick up a box of nuts she had dropped, and she, in turn, bought him a chocolate race car as a thank you. It was a very proud moment for me. As a reward for his amazing behavior throughout the day (no stroller!), we stopped at the indoor playground for him to goof around for what seemed like an eternity, but was likely 20 minutes. I am pooped.

2009_12_01 Tuesday

Today was a rough day...just plain boring!!! But, the evening was a big hit. We went to the zoo for their light display. Check out the photos:

2009_12_04 Friday

We've had a nice day so far. Jonathan and I started our day off a little earlier than usual; he seems to be getting up closer to 8:30/8:45 these days. His room is awfully bright by then, even with the dark-out shades. We walked into town for a bagel (got stopped by about 4 dogs en route) and then swung by the library. We stayed there for over an hour. We bumped into a friend, who we hung out with for a bit. And, Jonathan has really taken to the library's computer stories, so he sat with headphones on for awhile. We also checked out some books and some cassette/CDs. After a quick lunch of hummus, he's now down for a nap, although it's not as quiet as it should be.

2009_11_24 Tuesday

(yes, I have a ton of days to catch up on...)

J1: Hey Jonathan, what do you hear?

J2: Mom, that's a helicopter.

J1: Where is the helicopter?

J2: Mom, [indignantly] it's in the sky!

J1: But, where is the sky?

J2: oh, it's up there [pointing up], but it's dark outside now.

This is a typical conversation for us.

Poop in the potty; nap in the car-bed; pee in the potty. Gosh, it's a great day!

2009_11_11 Wednesday

Today started out like any other: I had to wake Jonathan up after 9:30 so we could get ready (dressed and have oatmeal w/ raisins for breakfast) and make it to Whole Foods for their art class. There, we made a turkey, which Jonathan immediately said he wanted to give to Opa. ok, then.

After we got home and played for a little bit, it was already lunch time. Because he asked for green eggs and ham, I made him a grilled cheese and ham sandwich with some black olives and applesauce as an appetizer. Well, after the second bite of the sandwich, Jonathan became the excorcist and projectile vomited three times. It was everywhere and GROSS. The poor kid was so scared and upset. I managed to get him to the kitchen sink after the third bout and stripped him down to his diaper. When I asked him if his tummy hurt, he said, "No mommy, it's ok." So I tried to rehydrate him and gave him some toast w/ butter and pear slices before putting him down for a nap.

When he got up around 4:30, he told me he was "ok," "my stinky diaper is ok," and "I had a good nap." So, we had a breakfast bar, some M&Ms, and lots of water. He doesn't have a fever and hasn't puked again, so I'm thinking whatever it was was...ejected.

Today is Sankt Martin's Tag, a German celebration a Robin Hood-esque man who gave pretzels to the poor. He is celebrated by children in a procession with lanterns. So, Jonathan and I made a lantern for him, and I baked a giant pretzel. We strolled around the backyard when Dave got home, and we all shared the pretzel, which turned out amazingly well. Pictures are on Photobucket, but for some reason this blog isn't allowing me to paste the URL in, so check them out there for now.

While I was out, apparently Jonathan told Dave that: "I'm going upstairs to change my diaper." Dave got a kick out of it...if only it were true!

2009_11_10 Tuesday

The last few days have been beautiful fall days. We haven't even needed coats! We spend a good few hours today at one of the town parks. We saw an old friend and made a new one, so it was a pretty successful day.

We had breakfast in town this morning, and Jonathan befriended one of the bagel guys. They were dancing around the store and tossing his little bus back and forth. People were laughing hysterically. I'm constantly stunned at how expansive Jonathan's vocabulary is. We had a full conversation about our breakfast (what we were eating, what he liked, what pictures were on the walls, what other guests were doing, etc) that really only dawned on me after it was over. He was also extremely sympathetic to and curious about a crying baby; I guess that's a good sign.

At lunch, Jonathan actually did a one-eye wink!!! He only did it once, but I definitely saw it. He did it again during his bath for daddy! how exciting.

He's chosen to sleep in his toddler car bed for the last 2 days! I've been thrilled. But, he doesn't seem at all convinced that that's the place for him. He's napping in his crib now. I think he'll be fine, though, when the time comes to remove the crib completely. He's an absolute riot, though, in that he reaches for whatever toys he can grab to play with once he's woken up, rather than getting out of bed until I come in to release him from his nap.

Before the sun went down, we goofed around in the back yard and I was able to get a couple of good fall shots (ie with falling leaves, etc).

2009_11_07 Saturday

This morning, Dave had a dentist appointment, and Jonathan and I stayed home to welcome Habitat for Humanity to our yard. The local college chapter was doing a rake-for-donations gig, so I jumped on the opportunity to not rake again (and to let my blister heal). They did a great job, and it saved us plenty of time.

Then, in the afternoon, we went to Kyle's birthday party at a soccer stadium. What a great idea. They let the kids run around for about an hour, and then moved them into the 'box seats' for cake, etc. Jonathan bounced around in a moon bounce, kick/threw some soccer balls, pushed lawn mowers (seemingly his favorite!), and drove an automated kiddy truck. The trucks were a little scary for him, but he did really well.

2009_10_31 Saturday

Wow, we've had an incredibly fun Halloween this year!! Yesterday, Dave took off, and we spent the afternoon/evening with the NY Hardwicks. Their town shops sponsor trick-or-treating, so we walked through their downtown. Jonathan was a garden gnome this year, and his cheeks fit the bill perfectly. We didn't see a double, and he really was a huge hit. He also caught on very quickly how to get candy. Then we saw their house and the in-progress kitchen. We had pizza for dinner; I had my now-typical pepperonchinis too! (what the??) We stayed until about 9:30 before everyone was getting sleepy.

Today, we all spent the morning raking the yard. What fun. The most disappointing thing was that once we finished an area and moved on to another, the first was already covered up with fresh leaves again! It did feel good to get outside and work, though. The piles out front are mountainous!! Jonathan was a huge help; we may need to get him a mini-rake!. He also drove all his trucks around the yard and parked them in lines. We all went trick-or-treating up and down our street. Again, Jonathan was a huge hit, although a lot of people thought he was Santa! By the end, he was even telling people he was "a garden gnome" and showing them his shovel. So cute. Unfortunately, the wx wasn't great; it started raining as we were finishing up.

2009_10_29 Thursday

What an insane day! We started it off (after inhaling breakfast) with a class at the nature center. Today's theme was, of course, Halloween. We did a nice (short) walk around the property and inspected a couple of huge pumpkins. Then, we got to decorate mini pumpkins. Jonathan immediately picked out a pair of googly eyes. The rest didn't interest him nearly as much. But, he stuck on some stickers and window-pane paper. He really seemed to enjoy glue-ing.

Then we had to fly over to my doctor's appointment. Everything is great. I've gained another 3 lbs, and all is well. We got to hear the heartbeat today too. It's really amazing how good Jonathan is there. I bring his backpack full of goodies and my snack pack full, and he's set for however long I need. They even commented today about how great he is. :o)

Then, we went nearly back to the nature center to check out a tile store, as we are getting serious about creating the master suite. It would be really nice to have it completed before Baby2 arrives. That store was a bit of a disappointment, but it was worth checking out prices.

Boy, did Jonathan and I nap well today!

Finally, after Dave got home, we had an appointment with a designer for the master suite. She redid our bathroom, but it's much better now. And, she helped us with picking out tiles, colors, etc. I was so jazzed after meeting her that I wanted it all done right then!

2009_10_21 Wednesday

We picked up Dave at the train station today with a Happy Birthday sign.

Then we took him out to dinner at our new favorite, family-friendly pub. He likes it because they have a few nitrogen pulls, except that they haven't worked any of the times we've gone! As it happened, it was family night, so they had a balloon guy working the family room. We didn't make it in there, but the boys hung out and watched in awe. I got a little quiet time to enjoy some calamari. Jonathan got a fish, whose tail promptly popped. But, dinner was great. I managed to embarrass Dave with a cake/ice cream and the wait staff singing to him. haha. Jonathan sang (his favorite song now) and blew out the candle. It was a really fun evening.

2009_10_17 Saturday

Today was a rainy, cold day. I had had great plans for an ag festival, but we opted out because of the weather. Ditto for pumpkin picking. As we tried to figure out what to do, I took the front of Jonathan's crib off so that he's officially in a "transition bed" now. It's basically a day bed with two short guard rails.

We took Dave to a local shee-shee mall. They darted around other shoppers while I mozied behind them. We had a nice lunch at a burger joint. Afterward, we stopped at a fountain, and Jonathan asked, quite politely, "Mommy, may I have a penny please." with his head cocked to the side and eyebrows as high on his face as possible. How could I resist? So, he threw 4 pennies in.

He took his nap with very little objection, and he managed to stay in his bed the whole time. I had to wake him up at 5:30.

Then, the best thing happened to me in a long time. I took 2 hours for myself to get a mani/pedi, and I feel amazing...and rejuvenated.

After his dinner, we all played in the den for awhile. Jonathan is just amazing with his speech. He poses complex questions and can answer with such detail ("Mommy, I hit the blue train with the red hammer."). I also was pretending to sleep, and he came to me, rubbed my head, and gave me a kiss to wake me up. How sweet is this kid?!

He's also getting good at pee-ing in the toilet. He's not 100% yet, so I see diapers in our future. But, it's pretty neat when he tells us he has to go and then actually goes.

2009_10_13 Tuesday

I have big news to report: I'm pregnant!! We are insanely excited. We won't find out the gender of this one, and I'm due April 23, 2010.

2009_10_11 Sunday

We had to get up early today for Olivia's baptism and then Julia's 2nd birthday party. This was Jonathan's first time in a church, so I was a little nervous. We met Carrie/Craig/Izzie/Nate there, and between us we had plenty of food and toys (and Bianca the bear) to keep everyone occupied. Jonathan did really well with whispering inside the church and not getting too crazy. Then we headed to the party and had a great time. We had the whole restaurant, and luckily there were tons of other kids. Jonathan sang "Happy Birthday to Julia," which was adorable, and then tried to blow out the candles from a good 10 feet distance. On the way home, he kept saying, "Mommy, I whisper in the church and shout outside!" and "I'm a very, very good boy." too cute.

2009_10_10 Saturday

We had breakfast at the diner this morning and found out that Betty has retired! yikes! Then we strolled over to the park, where the city was celebrating Green Day III (eco-friendly, not the band). And, we ran into our friend Jen/Ryan/Lilia, so we hung out with them for about 2 hours. We also saw our realtor and chatted for a bit. Jonathan got to finger paint, which I was shocked at since he's hated it in the past. He did pretty well this time with blue paint on his hands. He also played with the tike trucks for awhile. Then he painted with mud, grass, and a flower at our environmental center's station. He also got to touch a boa constrictor. And, we met Governor Corzine (is that a good thing?), and I saw our town mayor, although I didn't realize it at the time. Jonathan and Ryan also got a lot of energy out by dancing/jumping on stage to the live bands. He seemed to have a good time, and he slept like a baby for his nap.

Unfortunately, his night sleep was awful. For some reason, he was wide awake at midnight. ugh! I'm thinking in hindsight that he had too much energy/excitement. Funny, I sure didn't!

2009_10_05 Monday

First for the gross news: When I changed Jonathan's diaper this morning, I nearly had an anxiety attack. His diaper was this electric blue/green. Then I realized it must have been the Smurf ice cream from yesterday. Lovely.

Jonathan and I went to Imagine That!, a children's museum-sort of place. One of the mom's had organized it, so we got a discount a typically high admission cost. We really had a fun time. The place was huge, and Jonathan loved driving an old-fashioned fire truck, flying an airplane to see Aunt Shannon+, sitting in Uncle Raj's dentist office, playing TV weatherman, shopping and cooking, climbing a pirate ship, playing with trains, banging on drums, painting like Picasso, and more. We also got a private puppet show and a space for snacks. We virtually had the place to ourselves; that was really nice too.

Afterward, we had a quick lunch at Applebee's. I couldn't resist. Then, home for a very long nap; he was pooped from all the running around and the excitement. When I go in to get him now, he greets me with, "Mommy, no more sleeping. I'm awake!" and he pops his eyes open.

And, we had two days in a row of peeing on the potty. wahoo!

2009_10_04 Sunday

We had such a wonderful family excursion today! We met up with two families in my babysitting swap at a 'local' farm (about 40 mins from here). I also bumped into a mom/daughter from our nature center classes! The kids had a total blast. Dave and Jonathan climbed a huge hay stack. We tried to pick blackberries, but they were either red or raisins. So, Jonathan ate the 10 that we did manage to find. Dave and I are scratched up from wading through the briars, though! Then we wandered through a pumpkin patch, but they were just too big for us. One of the other couples picked some bell peppers and decided they didn't want them, so we took them. I'm sure I can use them. Jonathan took a small bite out of one anyway! Then, we took an "Opa's Tractor" ride around the farm. Dave and Jonathan scooted through a hay tunnel, which he loved, twice. And, we topped off the day with homemade ice cream. Jonathan picked "Smurf" flavor, which was electric blue, so we took off his white shirt to avoid stains. Check out the photos of him: hilarious!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANA!

2009_09_30 Wednesday

Today was actually a pretty ordinary day for us. Jonathan got up around 9; we had breakfast (egg and peach). Then we went off to our art class at Whole Foods. Today's theme was 'apples,' so we heard two stories of apples, made an apple tree (for Grandma Cathy), and had apple juice (which was a highlight for Jonathan). Our neighbor was there, so our boys picked up another boy and they danced, jumped, and spun for another 15 minutes after class. Very odd, but tired him out nicely.

I managed to get my sunroof stuck open a few days ago, and it's not been a priority to fix until today...when it started to rain while we were still out. I managed to dodge most of the drops, but Jonathan kept asking/telling me to close the 'door'.

After his lunch and nap, which he now constantly says "No nap, mommy" even as he's falling asleep, we had a playdate with our typical troupe at the local playground. I thought it was enough to tire him out, as he was yawning, but he was a challenge to get to bed tonight. maybe he was overtired. Dave was a conference until late, so I got Jonathan all to myself. We watched an Elmo movie that we borrowed from the library before dinner. We ate, had a nice bath, potty time, and I read a long-ish Dr Suess story (Horton Hears a Who, which I also got at the library) to him. He was pretty good about sitting still through it. He seems to like stories that rhyme; he even finished a few lines for me! very cool.

While I can't remember any specific examples, Jonathan is now speaking in complete and complex sentences. It's pretty amazing to have a real conversation with him. And, I love that people comment about his clear enunciation, large vocabulary, etc. It makes me very proud.

2009_09_25 Friday

We had a lovely day with Stroller Rollers in the morning...and we actually had another person walk with us (bonus). She was pretty flexible, so we stopped the strollers a few times to pick up acorns and leaves. That afternoon we had coffee and M&M cookies with Leslie and Ava. Also very nice time.

The hit of the day, though, was a bath time. Dave was giving Jonathan a bath when he asked to go to the potty. Obliging, Dave ran into his room to get a towel to dry him off. But, by the time he got back, it was too late. And, Jonathan asked, "Daddy, what are those brown things?" etc. lovely. Now we know that we he asks, he means immediately!

2009_09_17 Thursday

We got another request for the potty today. This time, I got some toots and pee. How exciting is that! Of course, he flipped out when I didn't call daddy to tell him.

2009_09_15 Tuesday

We arrived safe and sound last night to meet Steven. Sleeping wasn't great since Jonathan slept on his sleeping bag; he's just not used to it. But, he did really great with Baby Steven. He's so gentle and sweet with him.

The most exciting part of the day, though, came at nap time. Jonathan woke up fairly hysterical. When he finally calmed down, he said "I have to go to the potty." So, we rushed to the bathroom, and before long, he tooted twice and pooped!!! In the toilet!!! That was soooo exciting. I tried to make a big deal of it without scaring him. Afterward, we actually called Dave because it was so exciting!

2009_09_11 Friday

The weather stinks today. We went to the diner because Tino was back to finish off some work in the kitchen. So, we had our standard pancakes and sausage breakfast. This time, he captivated the whole corner of the diner with his charm. He showed off his knowledge of opposites, blew kisses at the ladies, and did knuckle-bumps. He's now starting to quiz me on opposites: "Mommy, what's the opposite of outside?" It's a riot.

That afternoon, we went to Unbelieva-bills, which is a Chuck-e-Cheese knockoff, but cheaper. They have a nice climbing area and a ton of arcade games (which we did NOT play but Jonathan wiggled the joysticks, etc so he thought he was). Food was good and cheap, so this may turn into our new icky-weather go-to place! See pix:

2009_09_10 Thurdsay

This morning, over breakfast, Jonathan told me he wanted to see the horsies. When I asked him where the horsies were, he said "at the farm." When I asked which farm, he said "Old MacDonald's!" I was in tears!

We went to the Newark Museum today to feed his need for animals. Rather than paying the $7 parking fee, I circled Newark for awhile, but we finally found a decent spot (probably spent $7 in gas though). They have a (very) mini-zoo, which we spent about 40 minutes in. The pythons were shedding their skin, which he thought was really cool. And, he enjoyed calling out the colors as the fish swam by. We also watched the marmosets, the chuckwallas, and some other strange animals. They also have a firehouse that we've browsed through once before. I thought that would have been a no-brainer, but he wasn't interested...until it was 5 minutes before we had to go.

That afternoon, we were lounging on my bed, and he did a forward roll all by himself! As it turns out, he and Dave had been practicing, but he actually did it! I helped him do some backward rolls too. So cool.

Finally, he's also getting the hang of "I'm a little teapot" and "Mr. Moon." He can sing "teapot" pretty much alone, and he shouts "when I get all steamed up, then I SHOUT...". And, with "Mr. Moon," he knows when to shout out 'moon' and then hones in on other words he knows. He does the same with the radio now, too; he'll shout out words that he knows. It sure makes me pay more attention to what station I'm listening to!

2009_09_07 Monday

Yeah, Dave's home today for Labor Day!!!

We all slept in pretty late today. After breakfast, Dave and Jonathan went to the park to play so I could finish some contract work, and they brought back pizza for lunch. Jonathan told lme how daddy threw the ball up and threw the ball down. He's also starting to sing Mr. Moon, which makes me happy. Afterward, he went reluctantly to nap. He doesn't ask for 'purple paci' much anymore, but he cries a lot more in bed. I think Dave tuckered him out, though, because he did simmer down pretty quickly.

2009_09_06 Sunday

Since we didn't get to see the NY Hardwicks yesterday, we made a date with them today. We got up there right in time for Jonathan to take a nap, which was a disaster. He didn't sleep a wink, but he did lay still with me for a few minutes. Regardless, he had more energy to run around with Bobby and Catherine all day long. He adores them, and it was fun to watch him chase after them. We ate dinner there, and he polished off his plate and dessert. Everyone also tested him with The Opposites Game (what's the opposite of...), and he was a master champion! It's so neat to see him actually think about things and give a (correct!) response and then beam with pride. He's pretty solid on:

inside-outside

up-down

big-small/tiny

stop-go

hot-cold

mommy-daddy

daytime-nighttime

sun-moon

Jonathan was out before we pulled out of their driveway. Finally, they wore him out!

2009_09_05 Saturday

After breakfast at the diner, we walked to the local toy store for Jonathan to pick out a special toy because he had dealt as well as could be expected with the whole paci thing. He played around for a bit and finally settled on a Thomas the Train train and a basketball, which I found crazy because he has tons of balls. But, that's what he wanted, so that's what he got. He does love his Thomas train.

Then, it was nap time again. And, again, it became a full-blown crisis that he didn't have 'purple paci' so we let him sleep with Thomas, but that apparently was no match for PP. This time, his nap was awful; I'm not sure he slept at all.

While he was at least contained, Dave and I wrapped up the lovely carpet I had ordered for the dining room that didn't fit. And, we secured it to my car. Once Jonathan was up, we drove to the UPS store to ship it back and then headed up to the O'Conner's BBQ in NY. Especially for not napping, Jonathan did extraordinary. He played with all the kids, and even some of the parents. We were going to crash at the NY Hardwicks to avoid the long drive, but in the end we decided to push through. Jonathan didn't sleep a wink in the car!

Happy Anniversary, Jen and Chad!

2009_09_04 Friday

We went to Stroller Rollers this morning, but no one else showed up. Since it was such a beautiful day, we went anyway...after we checked out all the dogs in the dogpark. I pushed him a bit in the stroller, but then realized it was much better for him to get some energy out. So, he would run ahead of me, like I was chasing him. Unfortunately, though, he whiped out three times and really scratched up his right pinkie and both knees. He was a bloody mess. But, we looked at all the acorns and ripped off their 'hats' and made lots of friend with the people running by us.

Today was the first day without the dreaded paci but in the crib. I decided it would be too tramatic to move him into a toddler bed on top of no paci. Jonathan's nap did not go particularly well. He was very upset about not having "purple paci," but he did eventually fall asleep. Basically, it was the same scenario for bed time.

2009_09_02 Wednesday

This morning was our art class at Whole Foods. En route, I got stuck at a red light, and I heard a little voice from the back yell out: "Oh My God, cars are everywhere!" I nearly started crying laughing because he was right. Unfortunately, this class was jam-packed with big kids, and there was no craft this time. Instead, a local kiddy studio came by for story- and dance-time; they brought along pom-pons, musical instruments, and handkerchiefs to dance with. It was cute, albeit chaotic, and I much prefer the arts we've done before.

Once sleeping beauty stirs, we'll head to the grocery store for some staples.

2009_08_30 Sunday

Today, we visited the Black Moshannon State Park's bog walk. They had so many wild blueberries still ripe that we picked them off the bush. Jonathan got a big kick out of that. And, he ran along the boardwalks, hiding from us at the turns. He thought he was pretty darn funny. It gave me a coronary, since there was no fencing from the water/bog. I saw a snake -- an anaconda, for sure. We also took a stroll into the forest, where he and Opa found lots of mushrooms, acorns, and trees to hide behind. When the clouds rolled in, we hightailed it to a gas station (rolled in on fumes!).

2009_08_29 Saturday

Today was a very busy day for us! The roosters woke us up very early: 6:30 or so. We spent the morning helping Oma at her local farmers' market.

In the afternoon, we went to the Grange Fair to see all the farm animals (piggies, chickens, ducks, bunnies, mama cows, baby cows, sheep, and goats) and farm equipment. It was rediculously muddy, but we had a nice stroller to keep Jonathan above it all. My poor car, though. Right outside the event was a train-themed restaurant, where we had dinner. Jonathan got a real kick out of all the trains everywhere. They even had two real cars to walk around.

2009_08_28 Friday

Due to the rain, I cancelled our weekly Stroller Rollers walk in the reservation. Instead, I got us packed up and out the door en route to the Barony. Jonathan is just so great in the car; he occupies himself with his toys and books. We made it around 3 and spent the rest of the day playing with the peeps and chickens and the cool trains and blocks.

2009_08_27 Thursday

Today we embarked on a new adventure: we went to the Dover Community Children's Museum because it was "Everything Dino" Day. That wasn't really all that impressive, but the museum was cute. Jonathan got to play in an indoor lake house, which had blue mats for the water and green mats for the grass. They had a small space station, a Picasso exhibit, some cultural items, a 'televised' stage, and an electricity exhibit. The biggest hit, though, was the train tracks, which were no different than what we have at home, but somehow cooler.

2009_08_26 Wednesday

We had our art class this morning at Whole Foods. Alanya and Josh both came, so that made it even more fun! Then, we blew some bubbles outside. He's getting very good at that, although he blows by making an 'f' sound.

Then, the excitement hit. I built up his toddler bed and he climbed in for his nap. He stayed for about an hour...without sleeping before freaking out for his purple paci. So, I placed the mattress back in the crib, and he's zonked out quickly.

2009_08_25 Tuesday

We spent the better part of today at the zoo. It was gorgeous out, so I figured we better take advantage! I didn't even bring the stroller, so I knew he'd get tired fairly quickly. We participated in their animal program, so he got to see a snake, a box turtle, and a skink (which he's confused with "stink" and says "peee-u" everytime) up close. Then we also splurged for a ride on the carosel. He sat on a frog with an eagle saddle and thought that was very cool. He began to sputter out when we got to the farm, which is the furthest from the entrance possible. Oh well. I was amazed, though, that he could remember which animals were at the zoo (porcupine, eagle, bison, etc). He wasn't interested in the train ride this time.

When we got home, I set up the toddler car bed for him, made a big fuss about how neat it was, and explained that big boys sleep in car beds without pacis. He was pretty skeptical, although he enjoyed playing on it. I left the "baby crib" up for him, and pacis are ok in there. He actually op-ed for the crib for both sleeping opportunities. I was a little disappointed, but it was just the first day.

2009_08_22 Saturday

What a rockin' good time we had today! It was Jonathan's 2nd birthday party. We had about 40 people come, including Grandpoppy, GreatGrand Aunt Janie, GrandAunt Holly, all three sets of grandparents, three sets of aunts/uncles/cousins, and a bunch of playmates. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with us this year (rainy and humid; ugh!), so we had to do it all inside. Dave flew out to get a mega-air conditioner right before the party, and it was such a wise move!! I had about 5 stations throughout the house (puppet theater, club house, ball throw, truck mat, picture frame decorating, normal toys and VHS tapes in the den, and a bubble station outside w/ Oma/Opa) to keep the kiddies occupied, and a kiddy refrigerator for their drinks. Each kid got a picture frame to decorate with stickers in lieu of party favors; we sponsored a poison dart frog at the local zoo for a year instead. Opa grilled like a champion. And, we had cupcakes and ice cream sundaes (thanks to Uncle Steve's expert scooping). What a great time. It was really neat to see so many different friends/family mixing too. I was pooped, and I sure hope all of the kids slept well because they sure did get a lot of energy out.

2009_08_19 Wednesday

We are doing a lot in preparation for Jonathan's birthday party this weekend. Tino's been here this whole week, painting the stairwell and trim. Today, the guys who did our patio are here to create a wall, relay the bricks in a herringbone pattern, and cut away some of the concrete. (We generally have an art class on Wednesdays, but I can't get out of the garage very easily, so we'll skip it this week.) On Sunday, we also did a major cleaning of the yard, including burning a lot of garden waste in our Christmas present from the Puris. Dave also installed a new faucet in the upstairs bathroom; it looks awesome! Now, I need to return a defective one we bought online. And, over the past few days, I've been DIF-ing the last of the heinous wall paper in that bathroom, so I can paint with Kilz and then with some color (blue, of course). I really hope I can finish before Saturday. I believe our contractor is going to come back today to replace a cracked cabinet door too.

Jonathan woke up in the middle of the night for the first time in a long time. He lost his purple paci and was upset. Oddly, though, he had the blue one in his mouth. I guess it wasn't soothing enough. We're getting close to eliminating them all together. I typically check in on him around 11, and I pop out whatever paci he might have in. Without the bumper, he often drops/throws them out, so I'm confident it shouldn't be too hard getting rid of them...right?

Dave gave Jonathan his third buzz haircut last night. It's good for this ungodly humidity and heat!

I received and built a bookcase for Jonathan's room yesterday, and he helped me stock it with all his books. I'm really happy with it; stacking them in bins was getting annoying.

2009_08_14 Friday

Sesame Place!!!!

2009_08_11 Tuesday

I have spend the last two days prepping and painting our full (upstairs) bath. Right now, it has a coat of Kilz to prevent mildew, etc. Three pictures are in the 'house' folder. At some point soon, I'll throw a coat of light blue up there. Of course, I picked the two hottest days of the summer to do this project.

Jonathan's new phrase is: "[person], where are you?" as he runs around the house searching. The other really fun discovery is that baby carrots fit in his nose (and to a lesser extent, his ears, too). Love that. Can't wait for the first trip to the ER for that one.

And, we spent this morning making his newest 'club house' out of our new TV box. You'll see it even has curtains: bus ones, cat ones, and happy face ones! He can actually stand straight up without touching the top, and there's plenty of room for Baby Bear, Horsie, some trucks, and a ball. I cut out a sunroof for him to wiggle his fingers out of and to keep it bright inside. We may color a garden along the side this afternoon. See below:

2009_08_09 Sunday

Ha ha, we went to the diner again this morning! Twice in one weekend!! On the way, we bumped into Alanya, so Jonathan stopped to play with her for awhile. It's so neat that he recognizes her and likes to play with her.

When we got home, J2 went down for a nap...on his sleeping bag. I peeked back in later, and he was still mostly on it! Nearly 2.5 hrs later, and he's still quiet! Meanwhile, Dave and I hung our new TV. That was quite a production, and, boy, are they heavy! Even though it rained overnight, Dave is now outside cleaning up the yard in preparation for Jonathan's birthday party in two weeks.

2009_08_08 Saturday

Jonathan and I went to the diner together to start the morning off right. That worked, of course.

Then, we slowly got ourselves together to go to Darren's first birthday party in NY. We left just after lunch. Unfortunately, I hit some traffic along the way and ended up nearly an hour late. But, the party was fun. Jonathan and Dave got into the big pool for awhile. And, J2 had a blast with all the little kids who attended. We stayed until 9ish. J2 fell asleep no less than 10 minutes into the drive home; good thing I had him in his jammies.

2009_08_07 Friday

This morning we had our last class at the nature center; this time, the focus was on herbs. We picked four herbs and tied them to a stick to dry. Then, we made two sachets: rosemary/thyme and lavendar. The hit, of course, was the walk past the frog pond -- although we didn't see any frogs -- to the herb garden.

As luck would have it, the gutter guy came by today right at Jonathan's nap time to clean off the roof and give us an estimate for the ripple above my office. Naturally, I left J's window open, since it was so nice out. So, I had to sneak in so the guys wouldn't disrupt his slumber.

I had a really off day. Nothing was going my way, although Jonathan certainly wasn't doing anything to goad me. Little things were driving me nuts all day, and my temper was really short. I felt horrible even snapping at J2, since he wasn't doing anything wrong. ugh, then I felt worse!

Dave called and is going to spend the night in NY after attending a buddy's father's memorial service. We'll head up to NY for a birthday party tomorrow, so it really doesn't make sense for him to come back tonight and then head back up tomorrow.

2009_08_06 Thursday

We went to the movies again this morning. We saw Escape to Madagascar, and I even splurged on a small popcorn (for $5.08!!) this time. Jonathan seemed to enjoy it, but toward the end he got restless and wanted to stand in the aisle or climb on the chair in front of us. I think his threshold is just under kiddy movie length!

2009_08_05 Wednesday

We had a ton to do today! Our first order of business (after getting up and breakfast, of course) was our art class at Whole Foods. Today's was a little disappointing, in that we made melon parfaits, which we've done before and I was hoping for a piece of art for the grandparents. No matter, we had a good time anyway. Jonathan was too shy to say his name infront of the group, though.

Then we hit Home Depot for paint, spray paint, and some Cars appliques for Jonathan's room. Then, to the paint store for 4 more gallons of paint. Then, to the post office. Then, home for lunch/snack and a nap. Tino is going to come next week to paint the hallway. We put up 2 cars and 2 'signs' in his room. When I get them all up (later this afternoon), I'll post some pictures. Then, the gutter guy came to check out why we have crazy amounts of water pouring over one side of the house; he'll come back tomorrow to inspect and give us a quote. I'm waiting for a call-back from our electrician to see what he suggests to do about our downed power line to the garage.

So, all in all, it's been a very productive day. I've accomplished a lot that was on my shoulders.

2009_08_04 Tuesday

I finally got my hair cut! Jonathan hung out with Oma and the chickens. We got on the road back home around 2, which had us arrive right in the middle of rush hour. I can't seem to not do that! The drive was uneventful, and I decided against stopping at Reptiland this time; maybe next time. Jonathan barely napped in the car; that seems to be a new trend of his. But, we sang lots of songs and nursery rhymes. He picked up Ring Around The Rosie! We managed to get home right in time to pick up Dave, so that was really nice. Good to be home. Of course, the minute we got home, Jonathan asked where Oma, Opa, Gambol, the chickens, and the peeps were!!!

2009_08_03 Monday

Oh boy, did morning come early!! The sun rises much earlier at the Barony than in NJ. Plus, we don't have the pleasure of having roosters crow as soon as the first ray of sun shines. ugh. We were all up before the clock hit 7; I think the last time that happened was either here or when he was still an infant!

After a hearty breakfast, courtesy of Opa, Jonathan cracked into the train set and is now driving the engine across the couches while Oma tries to snap photos.

Now, Oma wants to capture all the words/phrases that Jonathan knows.

2009_08_02 Sunday

We left NJ for the Barony this afternoon. Jonathan and I hit bad rain right away, so rather than muscling through it, we stopped for coffee and a bagel somewhere early on I-80. We were pretty soaked, but it was a good stop. I balanced him in my arms (he was hugging me tightly), the umbrella (which he helped hold upright), a coffee for me, a bag of treats, and the car keys. He managed to get a bunch of donut holes for free...must have been the cheeks. I put the car keeys in his window pocket and forgot them in my rush to get out of the rain; when I couldn't find them, he sweetly reminded me that they were in his pocket and then passed them to me w/o even hitting the car alarm button! what a smart boy. Then, a few hours later, he dropped his paci, and I needed gas, so we stopped again (UGH!). At least the weather cleared up nicely. We finally pulled into port at about 3.

He did a pretty good job with his new sleeping arrangement too. Oma and Opa got him a very fancy sleeping bag; it has a forest scene with a bear as a pillow. Very cool. We had him in the bathroom for awhile, but he wiggled around too much and ended up on the hard stone floor. Then, we moved him to the bedroom floor, and that worked out pretty well...until the morning sun and roosters...

2009_07_31 Friday

Oh Boy, did we have adventures today!

First, we went to the Newark Museum for a percussion instrument demonstration/performance. They had all sorts of drums, xylophones, and others, although no harp. They played a number of songs too. Jonathan liked it, but the music was pretty loud. Afterward, we visited their small zoo to see the 'monkeys' (capuchins?) and some fish.

Then, I finally mustered the courage to get Jonathan's blood drawn for the state-mandated lead test. He charmed all the ladies in the waiting room. Once the nurse finally came to us, he was a little nervous about giving her his arm, but he watched the needle go in (which I rarely do!), and didn't even flinch. That kid is so tough -- not a single tear. I couldn't have been prouder! She gave him tons of stickers on the way out.

Finally, we met up with Steve/Vicky/kids at Chuck-E-Cheese near them for an evening of fun. I had been to one as a kid, and it's definitely changed a lot: much more high-tech. Jonathan loved it. Catherine was fantastic about helping him through the climbing tunnels and showing him rides that were good for him. He even did skee-ball! After about an hour there, we packed it up; the dads picked up McD's for dinner, and we retreated to their house for another few hours. See pix above (and, man, am I a techno-wizard for figuring out how to do that!!)

2009_07_29 Wednesday

I totally lost track of the days, so I forgot we could have had an art project at Whole Foods today. doh! Instead we went to a castle/park and got a private tour since we got there before it actually opened; however, wx was so bad that it we couldn't really enjoy the grounds, which was my initial intention. so much for best laid plans. We ate lunch at Panera's (a treat for me).

Then the rains really hit us. Jonathan, amazingly, slept through massive thunder bolts that must have been right outside the window. The house shook, and the cats were most unimpressed! I couldn't see the back of our property for the rain. And, when it all cleared, we had a lot of downed tree limbs.

2009_07_28 Tuesday

Jonathan needs to get a lead test (blood drawn). It's a state mandate for 2yr olds. I tried to go today, but the parking lot was full, and I don't have the patience to sit there (of all places) and wait. We'll try again another time. Too bad, too, because I had built up all my courage to do it.

Instead, we went to Target for a couple of things and got a call from Iris that she was heading to a playground. So, we checked-out and met her, Finn, and Henri for about an hour. It was great to see her; it's been months. And, I got to practice my German. Felt pretty good. Jonathan was in heaven to play with Finn. He adores him.

Then, the dumpster guys returned for the last of the porch. wahoo. it's all gone!

We may head over to the mall for some window shopping. I also have a GAP Kids gift card that is burning a hole in my wallet.

2009_07_27 Monday

We spent the day with Amanda, Julia, and Olivia. What a great time. It was so great to spend time with Amanda. That was long overdue, too. We even swam in their pool for a bit. All the kids wore life preservers, which was a first for Jonathan. He didn't love it, but he didn't try to take it off either. Jonathan had to ease in, but he eventually made it to about chest-depth. I was impressed. He didn't seem to love it, but he muscled through it. He also managed to stub his toe and scratch up his knee in a klutzy fall, but he shook it off pretty quickly. Of course, as soon as we dried off and went inside, he decided: "I want to go in the pool again."

2009_07_25 Saturday

Dave was up earlier than I today; the dumpster guys arrived to clear out the remnants of our back porch. Unfortunately, they already had a 1/2 dumpster, so they'll have to come back on Tuesday to get the last, long planks. Can't wait for it to be gone!

Once we were all up and dressed, we walked into town to see Donna at the diner. Breakfast as usual on a lazy Saturday.

Dave took Jonathan to the park on the way home, so I enjoyed some quiet time. When they returned, Jonathan went down for a nap. Dave tackled the den blinds. I cleaned a bit and marked the 1/2 bath for the mirror I got. Dave hung the mirror (beautifully, I might add) and took the chandelier down for me (after turning off the electricity!), and I am in the middle of spray painting it black. I sure hope this works. I found some nice chandelier shades online, assuming my little project actually works. Of course, no home improvement project is complete without a trip to (gasp) Home Depot, so Dave had to get smaller brackets than what was included with the blinds. He's becoming quite a handyman. :o) And, I'll enjoy this quietness and a fruit smoothie for just a little longer.

2009_07_24 Friday

We had a new nature center class this morning. Today's theme was lightening bugs. We went out in the fields to look for some, although we didn't find any. Tagentially, Jonathan found about 3 frogs! We came back to the center for an Eric Carle book on lightening bugs. And, then we did an arts-and-crafts project to make one...whose tail glows in the dark! very fancy. We also got a jar with a screen so we (read: J2 and D) can try to catch some tonight.

While we waited for Dave to come home, I tried to start up our fire pit, to no avail. I didn't feel so badly, though, when Dave couldn't do it either. While he tried, Jonathan and I caught, inspected, and released lightening bugs. There was also a lot of ball and frisbee throwing. After the mosquitos had their fill of us (oddly, they don't get me; I think my blood isn't sweet enough or all my time with MN mosquito-birds has paid off), we called it a night.

2009_07_23 Thursday

Today we had a new adventure: Jonathan went to a full-length feature movie this morning. We have tried over the past few weeks, but this time, we stayed for the entire show. We saw Hoodwinked, which is a Red Riding Hood-theme cartoon. It was very cute, and he sat in his green booster seat for the entire show (although he did hold my hand a few times). He also did great keeping his voice to a whisper (he puts his finger over his lips and hushes when I ask him to whisper!) Now, of course, he wants to go to the mooooovies every day.

2009_07_22 Wednesday

Today I tried to inspire Jonathan's inner Picaso by taking our easel outside and introducing him to fingerpaints. That lasted for about 5 minutes -- until his hands got 'dirty'. I think I ended up doing more fingerpainting than he did. And, it took far longer to get set up and him smocked than he actually took to paint. arg. Naturally, once I got him cleaned up, he said "I want more painting!" That kid!

2009_07_21 Tuesday

Jonathan asked if he could take a nap in his new Cars sleeping bag from PopPop today! So, we gave it a try. He was far more distracted by the newness of it, that it only lasted for about 45 mins. After that, I put him back in his crib -- he didn't want the sleeping bag in there (I thought that might work). He was awfully proud of himself for wanting to and actually trying to sleep in it! We'll just keep practicing.

2009_07_20 Monday

Jonathan had his 2nd birthday doctor's appointment this morning. There were no shots, and he did very, very well. He's scoring welll within his range, and he seems quite advanced verbally for his age (I knew that!). Dr asked if he was speaking 50 words; I'm pretty sure he's got well over 100! She let him play with her knee-knocker, and at the end, he traded that for two tongue depressors -- sticks -- because two is always better than one! And, of course, he yelled out "I'm naked!" when I undressed him. His stats are: height: 34.5", weight 28.5lbs, and head circumference 50".

Later on, as I laid him on the changing table at home, he looked up at me and said "oh, that's comfortable, mommy." We have been putting a small pillow down now because he's getting too long for the table, and I guess he really liked it.

In trying to instill some German, he's also learned "Gesundheit," which should be 3 syllables but he does in just two so far. And, he's using his thumb as 'one' (rather than his first finger).

2009_07_15 Wednesday

Safe and sound at home again. We went to the diner for breakfast/brunch after Jonathan woke up around 10:30. Nice to get back into our routine again. We stopped off at the local toy shop for a gift for Nate for Saturday, and we chatted with Oma for a little bit. Jonathan's back down again, and I've taken advantage of the time to catch up on mail, clean a bit, and do some laundry.

2009_07_14 Tuesday

I got to have an extra day of nanny-ing for Shawn today. Pretty uneventful really. Jonathan helped me feed Shawn his bottle today; he was so gentle and sweet. We went to the park for a bit, but it was pretty hot and sunny, so I thought we better not risk a sunburn. We met their new nanny in the afternoon. She's very nice. And, we did a Costco run for them; I really wonder if we would benefit from a membership there. Lots of 'all natural' and organic stuff now.

After yesterday's false alarm, we finally did leave Chicago. Flying stresses me out if it goes smoothly, so I was anticipating more headaches and stress. We managed to get through check-in and security with the help of Jonathan's cheeks. This time, we had much more leg room, and we had the window seat. Both worked very well for us. Jonathan could even stand up without bothering anyone. The flight was packed, and we got bumped out of line for take-off for some reason. After waiting on the runway for about 15 minutes, though, we were cleared and took off. From there, the flight was completely smooth, and Jonathan did fantastic...especially considering we sat next to two 20-something men. lucky them. While he didn't sleep a wink, Jonathan did keep pretty quiet and busy with coloring, a froggie project for daddy, and making some glow-in-the-dark bracelets. Dave was at the airport to pick us up.

2009_07_12 Sunday

Today we went to a local Indian festival. They had a moon bounce that Jonathan pulled Raj into. Jonathan didn't love that the ground wasn't sturdy, so he held onto Raj or at least kept him pretty close. We hung out in the temple's basement so Shannon could nurse for awhile, and Jonathan ran around on a stage and played with any child who came down (and Raj). Then we went back outside to eat (good thing that J2 ate before we went b/c it was HOT). They started playing Bollywood music, and Jonathan got his groove on. We were dying laughing. He was a Solid Gold dancer. Lots of pictures and videos of that. In fact, he was so excited to dance that he went with one of Raj's buddies to the dance floor/area without me -- he didn't even look back! -- and danced his head off. Check out the photos of the entire visit below (Indian festival is toward the end):

2009_07_11 Saturday

Jonathan thoroughly is enjoying his gift from Shannon and Raj: bathtub vehicles and a road. They stick to the tub walls when wet. How perfect for him! His new feat tonight was to lay on his stomach in the bathtub! That was a first, and he did it without any concern. See pictures. He's also pretty comfortable in pouring water on himself, so our next step is for him to put his head in the water himself. we'll see.

2009_07_10 Friday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JONATHAN!!

Wow, is it really possible??? Jonathan's two today! wowser. So far, he's managed to sing Happy Birthday back to anyone who calls for him!

We went to Pilot Pete's for his birthday dinner. He ordered a hot dog, pickle, and french fries all by himself!! And, at the end of dinner, the waitress brought him an ice cream scoop with a candle, and the staff sang to him. I have it on video, so check it out (pictures). It was awesome. Then we went to a local ice cream shop (like the Creamery) for a real b'day hot fudge sundae.

2009_07_09 Thursday

Jonathan figured out how to put his own socks on today! He totally did it right, with the heel where it's supposed to go. yippee!

2009_07_07 Tuesday

Today was my first day on the job as a nanny. I was managing Jonathan and Shawn solo while Shannon went to class and Raj to work. And, frankly, it was great. The kids were awesome. They managed to sleep off cycle so I only had one to deal with at a time. They've collected a ton of toys and clothes for JD, so I didn't have to pack any of that for him (whew!). The 'big truck' and hammer have kept him very busy. Shawn ate, slept, pooped, and cried (repeat). He does prefer to be held, which could be trouble for them. I've been putting him in the swing and car seat to sleep rather than holding him since they'd like to get him into his crib at some point. At this age, though, there's really no set schedule or routine to stick to. Jonathan has been so gentle with Shawn, giving him delicate (and supervised) kisses on his head.

The only big hiccup was Jonathan's nap. I put him in Raj/Shannon's room b/c it's much darker in there. After a little while, I heard him crying, which is pretty unusual. I didn't think much of it, but I popped in to see. He had covered himself in butt cream! He grabbed it out of the outside pocket of the Pack-N-Play, opened the lid, and squeezed it out...everywhere! He looked like he was ready for the beach with it all over his face, arms, and legs. What a mess.

Once Shannon came home, we had planned to go to the local playground, and literally as we walked out the door, it started raining. Instead, we went to a local mall playground...and Cold Stone. Then we came home to Raj having made dinner. I could get used to this!

See Pictures

2009_07_06 Monday

Today is a huge adventure!! Jonathan and I are flying to Chicago to meet his newest nephew, Shawn. We left around 2pm to catch a 5:30 flight at Newark. We took the train, tranfered, and then took a lightrail to the airport. Jonathan was amazing. He's pretty used to the trains, and the rail wasn't all that different. We got through security with little issue. Jonathan got a little nervous, but it wasn't too bad. Then we had about 45 minutes to kill, so we watched the airplanes and ran around the terminal. We boarded with first class, so we could get situated.

On the flight, he did phenominal. There was very little wiggle room since the flight was packed full. I took his shoes off right away to avoid kicking the chair in front. And, I had wrapped up a bunch of gifts for him to unpack as he got cranky. We didn't even get through half of them! Both of us had some sinus issues (I think mine may have been worse), so I relented in giving him his pacifier for most of the flight. As we disembarked, the man behind us said that he didn't even realize there was a baby in front of him -- the ultimate compliment!

Shannon picked us up without any hiccups. And, we finally met dear Shawn. It really was a long, tough day for us, but Jonathan was incredible. He didn't sleep all that well. He ended up in bed with me and was a rolly-polly throughout the night. But, all in all, a great traveling experience.

2009_07_03 Friday

Dave worked from home today (his office was actually closed, so he was home!).

I tried to do Stroller Rollers this morning, but, alas, this awful rainy season thwarted m.e again. We did get to watch some dogs playing for a few minutes before the rains started.

All day long Jonathan has been asking to go to "the museum." We aren't sure what exactly he means! I took him to the Montclair Art Museum because today was free entry. Gesh, I would have been sorely disappointed had I had to pay. P-U! We saw a very small collection of Wyeth pieces. Jonathan did very well, though, keeping his voice down and looking for things he recognized (mostly cows for some reason). We had a snack outside and headed back home to make Dave some popcorn, which was a resounding hit to everyone involved.

After a short visit to the park, we're back home now and getting ready for dinner and bed. Incidentally, Jonathan really wants to be a big boy. He tried mimicking two big girls sliding down a (very high) pole. Nearly gave me a coronary.

2009_07_02 Thursday

This morning we had a new adventure! We went to the movies for the first time. There's a theater the next town over that is offering free kiddy movies for the summer. So, we went to see The Tail of Despereaux. Jonathan did great. He even sat in his own chair, although he's not heavy enough to keep it down. He did get scared at one point, so he climbed into my chair for the rest of the time. Unfortunately, we had to leave somewhat early because our electrician came by for an estimate for the upstairs (ceiling fans and lights?). So, we really only managed about 45 mins, but it's still impressive.

2009_06_30 Tuesday

The NY Hardwicks joined us in our new kitchen for dinner. Steve and the kids came over early, and Vicky and Dave took the train here. The kids had a great time playing together. They colored Jonathan's club house (the microwave's box).

2009_06_28 Sunday

Over the past few days, Dave has taught Jonathan how to blow bubbles...and catch them! He's so excited when he actually catches one. It's a riot. And, he's learned to "dip," "drip," and "blow." His blows are with his front teeth over his bottom lip, so it's not all that much of a blow, but he's getting there. Dave said it was really cool to see him realize what he had done the first time.

We just got back from dinner out. I had a martini (weeehhheee!) and Dave a Guiness. What a night!

We spent the day hanging pictures and paintings on the first floor. We also bought two chairs and a large mirror for the living room. That, and the den, are 99% finished now.

2009_06_27 Saturday

We went to the Nature Center today for their FrogFest. What a riot. Jonathan got to show Dave all around and specifically where the froggies are (in the frog pond). He did a handful of activities that involved frogs (jumping like them, chirping like them, and coloring frogs). It was finally a nice day, so we really had a nice day.

2009_06_24 Wednesday

We had our final nature class this morning. We had our normal nature hike, played with some frogs and tadpoles, and checked in our our 4 robins, who are now mostly mature. While we walked, we picked up some colorful nature items for our art project. Jonathan had a great time smashing a rock into the wax paper that held our nature items. Basically, it stained a piece of cotton au natural. Cute and easy to do. Then, we had a story and a short picknick. Jonathan gave Mrs Barbara a hug and said thank you before we left.

Then we picked up his 2nd birthday pictures from the mall. They are adorable...thankfully, after having to go twice! We'll get them out in the mail asap.

He's a superstar with his alphabet and Twinkle, Twinkle now. We're still working on some colors; brown seems to be a real toughie for him. He's mastered swinging a bat at a ball; now we just need to connect the ball to the bat. We also played red light/green light on the way to pick up Dave from the train station...as we dodged more rain drops.

2009_06_23 Tuesday

Today was sort of a blah day. But, we got motivated after breakfast to visit a local farm, Alstede Farm. It was fantastic. Jonathan got to feed and/or pet peacocks, chickens, roosters, piggies, goats, donkeys, sheep, horses, a cow, and rabbits. After that, we actually went into the fields and picked a pint of strawberries. I paid for them (a whopping $1.08!) and then we ate them all and split some ice cream.

2009_06_21 Sunday

Happy Father's Day!!

We got Dave a photo frame with three pictures: one says "Happy" and Jonathan drew all over it, the second is a photo of Jonathan doing the sign for father, and the third says "Day" and Jonathan drew all over that one too. awwww.

After breakfast in bed, we went to the Whippany Railway Museum. They were having train rides on the hour, but they were sold out for 2 sessions, so we skipped it. Instead, we walked around the grounds and saw some cool train exhibits. Maybe we'll try next Sunday. On the way home, we passed the mall, and Dave wanted to take Jonathan on the ride-able panda/giraffe/elephant. We got a couple of good photos of that. We also ran into Sharon/Marco there! And, we had a very late lunch at Applebee's. The boys are napping now, and I snuck out to get 3 yoga VHS tapes from my Freecycle buddies. Will start with them in the morning! wahoo.

2009_06_20 Saturday

We had breakfast at the diner today. Jonathan got to charm the ladies, especially Donna.

Then, we headed off to Jen/Chad's for Cory's birthday party. We were there from about 2-8. It took a long time to get there b/c of the rain and traffic. Glad that I got to drive! ugh. But, Jonathan had a blast chasing after his cousins (Cory, Ryan, Catherine, and Bobby). He's getting really good at catching balls now. Dave threw a ball to him, and he really got the hang of catching it! He also got a kick out of their kiddy work bench, and hammered away on lots of things. And, they had a little trampoline with a handle bar that he bounced on like crazy. That was fun to watch him do since he giggled hysterically when he jumped. I changed him into his pjs before we left, figuring he wouldn't last too long in the car. Sure enough, he fell asleep quickly: sheer exhaustion.

2009_06_19 Friday

Today is the first day in memory that didn't have rain! So, we headed to the Reservation for our weekly Stroller Rollers. I was disappointed that no one joined me, but since we were there, I thought I better do it. We started out watching the dogs at the dog park. There were lots of big dogs to enjoy today. Then, Jonathan walked a lot of the path. We saw two turkeys, and he knew what they said once I identified them for him. And, on the way back, I found a tiny snake, which he hissed at. The walk typically takes about 45 mins; this time, it was closer to 90 mins, but it's not like we were in a rush.

Of course, then he napped like a champion. I got over 3 hours from him. That was perfect, since I mopped the entire first floor to get rid of the obvious dust. I was wiped out after that. We finished off a Father's Day present when I got him up. And, then we walked into town to the post office and the bank.

He's talking so much now. I tell him where we are going, and he asks all sorts of questions about our destination and what we pass en route. In the wagon today, he kept asking "what was that?" after each bump.

2009_06_18 Thursday

This morning, we went to Nana's Playgroup at the local retirement community. I really do enjoy going to those. We ran late, and it was pouring out. So, we only made it for about 30 mins, but better than nothing. They did the butterfly art project that I had recommended to them.

While Jonathan napped, I started an ambitious house cleaning project. Now that the contractors are gone, it's time. Boy, it's a lot of work!

I woke him up around 2:30 to hightail it to the train station. We went into the city for Dave's company pizza party! We actually missed the train I was trying to catch, but there was another not too far behind. Jonathan actually walked most of the way!! Impressive, especially since it was raining and close to rushhour. It was really fun; they had a guy who did facepainting and balloon animals and made cotton candy! Plus, it was neat for Jonathan to see more kids. Most of them were fairly close in age. He stole someone's Wii paddle to use as a phone. Lots of people got a kick out of that. He did great on both legs of the train ride; I had packed a backpack for him that was completely unnecessary!

2009_06_17 Wednesday

We got lucky; Jonathan hasn't tried to climb out again. Then again, he's still asleep (at 9:30). I woke him up so we could attend a Mommy & Me class at Whole Foods. We made a boat out of paper and then glued it to stock paper. A great Opa's Day art work! Then, we picked up Dave's drycleaning. Our animal control officer stopped by to pick up our new squatter raccoon (and I heard more commotion, so I'm guessing there's a second! ugh).

And, this afternoon, we went to PA visit Oma/Oma/Gambol -- but not the chickens or peeps, unfortunately -- at the 1/2 way-ish marker. The real reason was to drop off all of Jonathan's old clothes for his new cousin, Shawn. Jonathan was super excited to see Oma and Opa. He rode on all of those rip-off rides, although we didn't pay for them, and the escalator. We walked around an outlet mall and then had a late lunch/early dinner at a local microbrewery. He conked out before I got back on the highway.

2009_06_16 Tuesday

Dear me. Jonathan has figured out how to climb out of his crib. I filmed him doing it for the first time today, and it was a piece of cake for him. I guess it's time to take off the front panel and put the guard rail on. Tonight should be interesting, although I'm hoping he knows that his bed is for sleeping in, not climbing out of.

We went to the park this afternoon. His speech amazes me. "I want to go through the tunnel...I can't go on the tunnel...Mommy, throw me the ball...I can hit the pink ball with the stick (which he can't really do)..." And, on the way to pick up Dave from the train station, he sang his ABC (along with Baa Baa, Pat-a-Cake, The Wheels on the Bus, and The Itsy Bitsy Spider (which he still can't say right)) with no trouble.

2009_06_15 Monday

Ah, alas, I'm back home. The boys had a nice weekend without me (Bugmania at the Newark Museum, the indoor playground with Kyle/Steve, Conner's baptism and all his cousins!). I'm just glad to get back into our routine again.

Even being away for one night, I'm amazed at Jonathan's vocabulary and speaking. He can really form sentences and express himself well. Of course, he'll cry for no good reason too. At the grocery store today, he told me that his tummy hurt and pointed to his tummy.

2009_06_09 Tuesday

We visited Joey/Amanda today and we finally got to meet Olivia. She's tiny; Jonathan was never 7 pounds, so it's very strange to hold such a small baby! Amanda let Jonathan hold her for a few minutes. I was nervous about it, but Jonathan was extremely gentle and soft with her. I was really proud, and he was really cute patting her head. He and Julia played pretty well together too. And, toward the end, Amanda got pretty tired, so I took the toddlers on a nice long walk in their wagon around her neighborhood. That gave Amanda about 30 mins of rest.

2009_06_05 Friday

The contractors showed up here before 8am today! yikes. But, since it has been raining all night and all day, the floor in the kitchen/stairwell hasn't dried enough yet! ugh. So, they may stop by later tonight to try again, but given all this humidity, I don't think it's going to happen.

Because we can't be in the kitchen, off we went (yes, I drove!) to the diner for breakfast of "pancakes and sausage." It was unusually crowded, and we had to wait for a booth. Jonathan charmed all his lady-friends, as ususal. But, since it was so full, we missed our first 'date.' Sir Topham Hatt (STH), of Thomas the Train fame, arrived at our little train station this morning, in the pouring rain. Instead, we met up with him at the local library for story hour. Jonathan actually got STH's attention when he walked in because he was in a very serious (non-smiley) state. Then, STH pointed both of us out later on because they are both baldies (and something about me being his lovely sister! ha), and J2 wasn't quite sure what to make of the attention. They raffled off some chachkies, and then I tried to get a photo of the two. Jonathan was having none of it. He was fine with STH at a distance, but not close up. As we left, he did keep asking "where's Sir Topham Hatt?" or something pretty close. The adults (read: nannies) were awful, though; it was very hard to hear STH at all over all the chatter. Poor man was pretty frustrated/disappointed, but a good sport nonetheless.

We're going to the mall in a bit to get some lunch, and I need some new jeans.

2009_06_04 Thursday

I couldn't be prouder of Jonathan. plain and simple. He's so amazing.

We met Grisel/Lucas today to start a 2yo playgroup. Grisel is very nice; her house is insanely gorgeous; and Lucas and Jonathan seemed to get along as well as any 2yos would. Amy/son also attended, and they were also really nice. Laura/son came toward the end, but I hardly got to talk to her b/c I was on the phone with contractors by then. Jonathan did a great job sharing and taking turns. It was neat to see. We stayed for about 2 hours before coming home.

The contractors were here finishing off the floors, so we can't walk on them until they dry (Saturday?). There's a second coat coming tomorrow. The house is pretty dusty again, but now I can't even access the vacuum!

Since I can't access any kitchen items and Dave was going to be late today, I decided to visit a higher-end restaurant for a nice, relaxing dinner. Jonathan was fantastic. We sat outside to ensure his attention was engaged (and we didn't bother any other patrons). I had a lobster gnocchi that was to die for. Jonathan had a very fancy gormet pizza with olives, which he can now say. He waved at anyone walking by, and he blew kisses to our waitress and the manager and chef. He said "thank you" to the busboy for water for me, bread for us, etc. He even said something very close to "I want to take this spoon [the restaurant's] in the car." He was a perfect gentleman. And, our waitress and 2 patrons commented to me how amazingly well behaved he was. It absolutely made my day, and I felt like I was glowing from the inside with pride.

2009_06_01 Monday

Still at Oma/Opa's house. Oma had to work this morning, so we entertained Opa until about 12:30, when Jonathan took a nap. The boys visited the chickens and the peeps, and Jonathan and I walked around outside while Opa had a conference call to attend. Then we had lunch and Oma returned home. Oma took me (and Gambol) on her 'sunrise hike' around the property line, and we dug up some ferns to transplant to NJ. Seems like a good trade for NJ lily of the valleys.

Once J2 wakes up (soon), we'll head over to a new kiddy store...just to see what they have. We not only visited one, but three, kiddy stores and one kitchen store. We also picked up BBQ on the way home. And, to top off the day, Jonathan yelled out "Home Depot" on the way home.

2009_05_31 Sunday

We had an earlier-than-normal start of the day after a sleep-less-than-normal night. Jonathan didn't adjust too well to the Barony sleeping arrangements, and he woke with the sun (a la 7:30 or so). But, we managed to have breakfast (fresh eggs, of course) and get out to see the chickens as quickly as possible. The Barony has 14 new 'peep peeps' that he was very keen on chatting with. He's certainly warmed up to Gambol as well. After lunch, we walked around, rode on Opa's tractor, and Gambol found a turtle for us.

We also drove to Bellefont to feed the ducks and fishies. Jonathan really enjoyed the playground there. We brought along chicken feed for the ducks, but the carp and koi seemed to eat it more. Jonathan liked throwing the feed around, but much of it got caught in his hoodie. The car swung into the Creamery on the way home. It's funny how that happens every time we visit. After a quick calcium replenishment, we all felt like we could make it home. Even Gambol got in on the cones (no ice cream for him, though).

Jonathan slept in the bathroom all night; it's nice and dark in there, and unless someone has to use the facilities, it's a great space for him. I snuggled a little bit with him before he went to bed, and he looked up from a hug and said, in his sleepy voice, "I love you" for the first time, unprompted. too cute.

2009_05_30 Saturday

We had a leisurely start to the morning. Dave brought home bagels after getting under cabinet lighting from Home Depot. I packed up the car as best as I could. Jonathan got up and ate the rest of Dave's bagel while I packed him up.

Then, we headed to Whippany for Danielle's baby shower. It was so wonderful to see her. She's glowing. It was also nice to see both her and Pat's families. Jonathan really enjoyed the pickles and pretzels there (yes, some lunch!). And, after Danielle opened her treasure trove of gifts, we had to boogie out.

For some reason, this drive to the Barony seemed like it took much longer than usual. No reason for that, though. We arrived here around 6:30. It was an easy drive. Sleep didn't come well to Mr J2. It was a pretty rough night for him. I tried co-sleeping, but that didn't work for me, so he went back into the crib and fell asleep relatively quickly.

2009_05_29 Friday

It rained all night, so I cancelled our morning Stroller Roller walking group. I may have been a little on the lazy side since it wasn't actually raining, but it was still pretty cool and damp. Anywhooo, we had a nice, leisurely breakfast at home. We were going to meet Tracey/Kyle at a new park, but since the wx was bad, we moved our playdate to the indoor playground at the mall. We weren't the only ones who made that choice; the place was packed!! They ran around for a bit, and then we had a snack in the food court. Jonathan barely ate but was insanely interested in throwing everything into the garbage cans. On the way out, the boys got a ride in a stationary circus truck and seemed to really like it.

The contractor showed up shortly after I got home and put Jonathan down. They drilled holes in the granite for the faucet and put the bathroom door up. The plumber is here to connect the sink, fridge, toilet, and pedestal sink. He also said something about putting the oven in too. I could have a functioning kitchen tonight! whahooo!

We're going out to dinner with Tracey/Steve/Kyle though!

2009_05_28 Thursday

I woke Jonathan up at 9 this morning so we could have breakfast at the diner. He was excited for "pancakes and sausage." Then we went to Home Depot (our new second home) to pick up trim paint and screws for the pulls. We delivered those to the contractor and then headed back to IKEA to return 90% of what I bought yesterday. oh well. At least we got to see more airplanes!

2009_05_27 Wednesday

The morning was a bit hectic, in that the contractors needed grout immediately to get the day started (which was not entirely true; they could have waited a few hours). So, we went straight away to Home Depot for tile grout. I got an off white so that it would blend rather nicely. We delivered that and spun around for Whole Foods' Mom and Me art program. We got there about 15 minutes late, so we missed the singing and snack time. But, we made a cute ladybug that Jonathan wants to send to GG. 

When that was over, we went to IKEA to get 2 more storage shelves (love that they are $15!!), a sleeping mat for J2, legs for a DIY table I'm working on, and a mirror for the 1/2 bath. When I got home, I was really in for some excitement: the kitchen was on fire, sort of. The contractor had accidentally left a halogen light on leaning against the wooden frame of the bathroom door. It had started to smolder, so the whole room was smoky. I actually used the fire extinguisher (for the first time) since I saw embers. I wouldn't have even gone in the kitchen had I not seen the back door open (I was concerned that one of the cats may have escaped, but he hadn't).  So, I called the general contractor frantic, and he called his two guys. It's all resolved and everything is fine, but that sure got my adrenaline pumping.

2009_05_24 Sunday

We joined the new Mr and Mrs Kevin Hardwick (and the rest of the Hardwicks) for brunch and then piled into the car to head home. The drive was remarkably easy: no Memorial Day weekend traffic to speak of! We arrived at Ned's BBQ slightly early, but there were others already there too, so we didn't feel too badly. The BBQ was very nice. An added bonus: Ned did his whole patio DIY-style, and he's convinced Dave that they can do it together. I'm thrilled.

2009_05_23 Saturday

Jonathan slept with us last night. Boy, that boy sure travels around the bed while he sleeps. I hardly slept, but he sure did. We're a bit nervous now about taking the rails off his crib.

Today is the big day: Kevin and Melissa are getting married!!! The ceremony was beautiful. Uncle Bill presided (over ours too). Alice hooked us up with her best friend, Katelyn, as a babysitter. On the one hand, I wish J2 could have joined us to see his cousins and relatives, but on the other, I had a really great, grown-up time. Dave and I danced the night away.

Dave actually managed to get Jonathan into the hotel pool without screaming. I wasn't there though to see how he did it! 

2009_05_20 Wednesday

We started off the day with our Moms and Tots program at Whole Foods. I didn't realize they had been going on this whole time. So, today we made summer art projects for all of the grandparents! Watch the mail...after I get some stamps. But, we had fun and had a nice snack (apple juice, banana, and bunny cookies), and I got a short massage! wahoooo!! love it.

Then, we swung by Target (since it's right next door -- ouch) to get fabric protector for our newish club chair.

Jonathan's down for a nap now, so I'm going to see if I can spray the chair and get more done in the bathroom. The contractors aren't here today so there's no news to report on that front.

2009_05_19 Tuesday

Today got going really early. Contractor woke me up at 7:20, and one of his guys arrived at 8:30 to go to Home Depot with me. ugh. So, I had to wake Jonathan up, and he was most unimpressed. We picked out moulding, which he'll build semi-custom, and got ceiling paint. We also found out the cabinets are here, but the doors have moulding on them that we didn't order. I think the design changed from when we first started talking. The company is willing to take the doors back and remove the moulding if we want; we'll make a decision tonight. So, Jonathan and I went to the diner for a late-ish breakfast; I wasn't crazy about going. I've been craving muesli (granola and yogurt), which they don't have. He was really out of sorts but managed to pull through fairly well. He even put his head in my lap for a little bit!

By the time we got home, the guys were all here unpacking the cabinets! It's so exciting. And, they sent us super fancy crown moulding, which we may/may not use. It has roping, which doesn't exactly match anything else in the kitchen, but it might be a nice finishing touch. We'll have to see what it looks like up.

We watched a little PBS before Jonathan went down for a nap. 

Happy Birthday to Opa!!!

2009_05_18 Monday

Ah, back to the grindstone...

Jonathan is talking up a storm now. This morning, he specifically asked for oatmeal for breakfast. I couldn't understand what he wanted, but he was insistant in pointing to it. And, once I realized what he wanted, I definitely understood that he was saying 'o-meeeel.' He frequently links adjectives to nouns now, too. 

Contractors arrived around noon to finalize the drywall sanding. We'll definitely need more primer than we were told to get. So, we picked up the kitchen and 1/2 bath paint (Jonathan showed me all sorts of colors and brushes at the store) and the desparately-needed cat food. 

I think cabinets go in tomorrow!!

2009_05_17 Sunday

After our weekend routine at the local diner, we headed to Home Depot for a shopping spree. We bought the 1/2 bath pedestal sink, faucet, lighting, primer, and two samples of trim. Then we got home, put Jonathan down for his nap, and bought a ceiling fan and pendant lights for the kitchen.I think I also bought the TP ring and towel rod via ebay, but I'm not 100% sure. Can't wait to see this AmEx bill!

Once J2 woke up, he and I headed off to Mayfest, which was a street fair in town. It was cute; they had an animal petting zoo, live music, and lots of vendors. We only made it to the last hour though.

2009_05_16 Saturday

What the?! the contractors showed up today to finish off the drywall! I was shocked...although happy.

I thought I was going to get another quote for the back porch, but the guy didn't come. oh well. 

While Jonathan napped, I went to Target (and Starbucks) for nearly 2 hrs. Shocked that I didn't come home with more stuff, honestly.

Then Jonathan and I drove/walked his bus to the local school playground to get some energy out. There was a little girl there who brought her stroller. J2 and she traded toys for awhile, and he played football with her dad/uncle. It was pretty funny to watch the kids be so protective over their respective toys. But, they did a good job, when we encouraged them, to share.

2009_05_15 Friday

Dave's flight got in really late last night. We picked him up around 11:30pm. So, that disrupted sleeping considerably, bI ut I think we've all recooped now.

I woke Jonathan up at 9:30 so we could go to Stroller Rollers, which I now head on Friday mornings. It's a walking group, although so far it's only been me/J2 and one other mom/child each week. Met a nice woman whose mother spoke German with me! After a 45-min walk, we headed home to play outside for a short bit, then have lunch, and then off to nap.

Dave's working from home today, so we're going to have lunch together. wahoo!

So far, no contractors but it seems like the dry wall has dried. I may call Wanderly later today to touch base with him.

2009_05_14 Thursday

We got off to a slow start this morning. 

The contractors were here until about 2 finishing off the drywalling. Now it's just needs to set, but with this damp weather, we don't think it will be ready tomorrow. I've put a space heater in there to help, but it may not be strong enough. If that's the case, we'll have to wait until Monday/Tuesday to continue. Once that's done, though, the cabinets go in!

New pictures are up, though, with subtitles: http://s690.photobucket.com/albums/vv262/jsdemm/house/?albumview=slideshow

We've got a playdate this afternoon with Aylin, Sharon, and Iris. very excited for that.

2009_05_13 Wednesday

Today has been a booooring day. 

We went to the zoo for a little bit, but I was so frazzled by the wild school kids that I couldn't handle it for very long. Jonathan was a bit funky too. We did manage to see the turtles being fed, the peacocks, and the emus, which are all three very critical to a zoo visit.

We tried to pick up a freecycle shelving unit, but it was gone. oh well. So, we swung by our local park to get some energy out. Jonathan really loves this wierd ball contraption. There's a steering wheel that you spin and it spins a couple of balls that drop through openings. He's not great about sharing that thing (or even taking turns).

Dave left tonight for a day-trip to MI. He'll be back tomorrow night.

The drywall is nearly done. And, the floor guys came and installed the entire floor tonight. They left around 9pm! It's unfinished, so they'll be back at some point. The kitchen is coming together, though!

I stayed up waaaay too late tonight.