2012_12_22 Saturday

Santa Claus came to our house this morning. He knew that it would be easier on him to deliver our things to our house before we left for the Barony. So, Jonathan wrote him a note:

"Dear Santa, the carrots are for your reindeer. The cookies and milk are for you. Love, Jonathan and Elise"

and the kids enjoyed their spoils in the morning.

By the afternoon, I was slicing and dicing in the kitchen in anticipation of the family arriving for Christmas dinner! While it was a little stressful for me to pull it off, I think it was a grand success, and it was very nice to have the family together before the holidays.

2012_12_18 Tuesday

Thus far, Jonathan hasn't brought up anything about the CT school shooting, so I'm going to leave it be. I asked him tonight at bedtime if there was anything he wanted to talk about, and he said no. I hope we can preserve his innocence just a little longer.

That said, he got to talking about how a tooth hurts. Well, it turns out that the one next to the 'hurt tooth' is really wiggly!!! He thought I was going to tear it out right then; it's not THAT wiggly. Dr Uncle will need to inspect, but it sure looks like the first wiggler to me! And, we'll need to make a nice pillow for it while at the Barony. That was really exciting!

We also put up our fake Christmas tree in anticipation of hosting Christmas dinner. And, Jonathan and Elise (and her friend) were in the annual WF fashion show. As always, they did terrific!

2012_12_14 Friday

Although I wholeheartedly apply the FreeRangeKids lifestyle at home, I can't help but find my heart in my throat today. Today, 27 elementary school kids were killed by two gunmen in CT, making it the worst (by #s) school massacre in history. While these incidents are rare and the news tends to overly report on them when they do occur, it's the first one I've heard of since Jonathan has been in school. So, my brain started to wander, and I realized that I don't know what the school's emergency (for any emergency) plans would be. I know they have had practice drills, but I don't know how the parents play into the school plans. If this had been his school, I don't know how/where/when I would have found him. Very sobering. And, now do I talk about it with Jonathan; not sure there's much to discuss with him, unless they talked about it in school first.

On a lighter note, Elise and I visited the zoo today. We had the whole place basically to ourselves. We were so bundled up that Elise couldn't actually climb on things and had a hard time getting up when she fell down. But we were warm! She rode the dolphin on the carousel.  We heard one wolf howl and the other three chime in; it was cool. She told me that "Jonathan has a donkey, mom. It's his stuffed animal on his bunkbed." She wanted to see the reindeer (aren't any), elephant (statue), donkey (for Jonathan), alligator, peacocks/hens (found 2 small feathers for J), and bears (which weren't out). She still isn't a big fan of the pteredon in the reptile house. Mildly successful, but the girl sure did run her heart out.

2012_12_10 Monday

I spent last evening getting Jonathan's old Tag Jr reading device transferred to Elise and updated. I gave it to her today at breakfast. And, she was shocked that it said, "Hi, Elise" (or whatever). That's all she can talk about when she's playing with it: Mommy, it knows my name! She's figuring out that the machine scans over the book to read to her -- sure didn't take her long to figure that out.

2012_12_08 Saturday

Gosh, it's been awhile! It's hard to believe that life is calming down now as we ramp up for Christmas! After the Superstorm came a nor'easter, then Thanksgiving roadtrips, and another snow"storm" (which I'd call more of a sprinkling). Dave was also in ATL for some of those times. I'll have to backfill the blog once I upload pictures.

Today, Santa and Mrs Claus came to town via fire engine. We waved them in, and then the kids sat on his lap for a short chat. Elise seemed to be in awe, but she was fully on board. Then we came home; Jonathan and I decorated our false holly shrub that Dave plans on planting in our yard in the spring. We put a bunch of old, family balls into vases to display around the first floor and hung less fragile things on the shrub. I discovered that the dough ornaments have molded and broken apart; I presume from wetness in the basement (outright water or dampness). He and Jonathan also hung lights outside (a first in the Hardwick household). In fact, they are off to my favorite box store to get more.

2012_11_12 Monday

Best day in two weeks: we have full power restored again. I turned every light on; set the fridge on max; ran the dishwasher, and did a little dance.

Elise told me, as I was changing her diaper, "Mom, Opa ate deer poop!" Opa teased the kids at the Barony when we found deer poop, and it apparently stuck with Elise!

Off to stock the fridge before I head out of town.

In an attempt to forget about Charlotte's Web and death, I thought Stone Fox would be a great distraction. Ugh, not so. I actually welled up and my voice cracked when the [spoiler alert] dog drops dead and the boy carries him across the finish line. Woah, was that a tear jerker. I've got to get a grip on good bedtime stories!!

2012_11_09 Friday

The nor'easter snow is basically melted now. The storm was unpleasant, and the backyard neighbors left their flood lights, so I saw every stinkin' flake and wind. No damage anywhere that I could see. I took the kids outside at 5pm last night to get some energy out; they loved it. Jonathan tried to build a snowman and snow angels.

Today, temps are warming, which is bad for my outdoor refrigerator system. BUT, neighbors stopped an electric co. pick-up truck to 'report' our electricity problem. After explaining it to them (repeatedly) and them denying it was their issue to fix, and even telling me I was pointing to a telephone wire (!!), they finally saw the wire (with binoculars!) and issued a work order. Then, they backtracked about how hard it was to see that wire and that it was wrapped incorrectly so it looked like part of the street light, etc. etc. Maybe theirs will be more of a priority than what I called in. Or maybe it won't...who knows.

Last night, Jonathan and I finished up Charlotte's Web. Great book, but not at 9pm on a school night. He was pretty upset that [spoiler alert] Charlotte dies. Rather than harping on her dying, I tried to focus on what a good friend she was to Wilbur. Poor kid was pretty sad going to bed. Our local community theater did a casting call for K-9 grader for the play recently. I want to see if they got enough Ks and see the production in early Feb. Better that than watching a movie version!

2012_11_07 Wednesday

Life is slowly returning to nearly-normal:

We actually only have partial power right now. We have heat and hot water; we have lights; we have some outlets (1/2 of the living room and kitchen, and none in the master and basement); we have the microwave, a small college fridge, and our large freezer. We do not have power to the stove, the refrigerator, the disposal (although I ran an extension cord to fire it up b/c water/gunk was backing up), or the entire basement -- including sump pumps (which I jerryrigged to working outlets) and watering system -- nor any lights/heat in the master bedroom (I'm sleeping on a fold-out couch in the guest room! gee is that uncomfortable. Sorry, past guests!!!) or power to the front porch fan or outside lights. I realized that we do have power in the den, but our ceiling fan/lights were turned out by the pulley rather than by the power switch, so I had thought there was no power in there (still no TV, though). doh.
I had been meaning to clean out the fridge/freezer for awhile, so I did that yesterday (lovely furries growing in there!). Luckily, it's cold enough outside, that I can leave some things inside the front porch overnight. 
Our neighbors are experiencing the same problems. I saw some power guys in town last night, and they said it must be a faulty connection to our house (and our neighbor's too), but don't expect it to be repaired for awhile since we do have some power. Power guys told our neighbors today that it's an internal problem. Our electrician said (over the phone and in person) it's an external problem. Gesh, I love the pass-the-buck going on here. We are now in the queue for the power guys to come back to hook up that one wire.


Jonathan went back to school today. His backpack was laden with papers from a week ago! Everyone gathered near the old stop today, so it was nice to see so many faces again. During breakfast, I told him about the election results (we all voted together yesterday), and he said: "Oma and Opa are probably really sad today, right?" What a smart kid.

Meanwhile, Elise and I raked all the leaves off the driveway and front yard. It's a massive pile, and we sure got our exercise for the day (and we found a dead bird!) At the end, it started snowing. Certainly, nothing to accumulate, but enough to see. 

One nice thing about all this is that we've spoken to our neighbors more in the past two weeks than in four years! We've built a little community because of the storm.

2012_11_05 Monday

Around 8pm tonight, power finally came back on at home!! Of course, it was way too late for us to head home, but we'll pack everything up in the AM and head back. It's been a fun week:

Jonathan and I have been playing with numbers a lot, though: we went bowling today; we play war and solitaire cards; and he/Elise/Oma/Opa made chocolate chip cookies -- all with a focus on math and numbers before/after. We also went ice skating yesterday and talked about how slippery the ice is and watched/discussed the Zamboni afterward. He had a lot of fun slipping and sliding on the ice. After our bowling adventure, he decided that he'd like to go ice skating again first, then bowling. A trip to the Arboretum got some energy out but the Creamery refueled him with lots of sugar. He helped Opa recycle and earned a quarter for his help. Plus, we spend each day outside climbing trees, examining fossils, kicking milkweed pods, and searching for deer footprints. 

While we aren't looking forward to leaving, it's time, and we do need to get home to get back into our normal life routine at some point!

2012_10_31 Wednesday

Happy Halloween and Post-Sandy!


Well, we weathered SuperStorm Sandy alright. We lost power at 2:30, which was hours before the storm actually hit us at 8pm. The wind advisory ended around 11pm; the gusts were pretty scary. Our town has lots of very old trees, and many of them came down, knocking out power for most of the town. We expect no power for 7-10 days after the storm. We had a generator on stand-by (lesson learned from Hurricane Irene), but because there wasn't as much rain as we anticipated, our basement stayed dry without it. A day without power is an adventure, but more than that just isn't fun. So, we packed up all our food and headed inland to my folks in central PA and left the generator (and our cats) for our neighbors. Jonathan is out of school through the week, possibly into next week. 

We did hear a large crash mid-storm, come to realize that our neighbors across the street lost their van and garage to two trees crashing down on them. Our street is a dead-end, and the tree that took out our power also tore down wires across our road, blocking us in. We did a little off-roading to get out of dodge. In all, there were eight major trees down on our road alone! We didn't see any houses damaged, though, so that's fortuitous. Clean-up is going to take a very long time. Our local gas station is out of gas. At least one store in town sustained damage. 

I did remember to pack up the kids' Halloween costumes, so check out the pix of the storm (there are front/back yard pre-Sandy; front/back yard at power-out; and front/back yard post-Sandy, and they all look the same! and various downed trees at neighbors'); then Skeleton Jonathan and Princess Elise; and some post-pumpkin carving with Opa. Jonathan wrote a note that said (something like): "If I walk into town with you, we have to get frozen yogurt," so we did (for milk and to mail a bill, really) just before the storm.

2012_10_18 Thursday

Jonathan had his first class field trip today to a "farm" that didn't have any animals. They did a hay ride and a hay maze; picked a pumpkin; and had apple cider and a doughnut. I'm guessing/hoping there was some sort of educational perspective there too, but that doesn't get reported home.

Then, in the afternoon, Elise and I went to his class to dissect three (well, two) hornet nests from The Barony. We had intended to do three, but I saw a bald faced hornet crawling up the rear window as I was driving, so I decided against bringing that one to 22 kids, the teacher, and the principal. I left the nest on the side of the road, although it's close enough to the school that someone is likely to find it. I had been messing with that nest all day, slicing it open and shaking it so I'm a little surprised to have found one bugger crawling out. Anyway, because it was a beautiful day, we did it outside, and that allowed for no mess in the classroom, too. The kids got a charge out of it. The best question was: "If there's a Queen wasp, where's the king wasp?" Oh, there were so many answers running through my head, but I settled on "There are none. All the boy wasps work for the Queen." Then, whoever wanted got to take some of the paper home. Less for me to deal with! Teacher seemed pleased too, and I think I may be the official science class helper now.

2012_10_09 Tuesday

I read to Jonathan tonight, and after snuggling and winding down for a bit, he said: "Mom, I'll tickle you to amphibian." Translation: "to infinity."

 

Also, the other day, I had Elise smell ground coffee and instead of sniffing in gently, as common sense would dictate, she exhaled with gusto and spread coffee grounds all over her face and my table. I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

2012_10_08 Monday

Ahh, yes, what a typical Monday...Elise threw up five (yes 5) times today. Twice she got me. Then I learned that when she says her belly hurts, get her to the toilet stat! If memory serves, this is the first time she's thrown up as a real person (not just burping up). Poor baby couldn't keep a thing down -- not even Pedialite. So, after the third time, I called our doctor; a nurse freaked and said I should be in the ER immediately but that a time slot had just opened in the evening if I wanted that. So, I did. I was tempted to cancel it after we had a good two hours of nothing. But, she threw up once more at home and again right outside the doctor's door. Jonathan was very little help there, unfortunately, but I did have the foresight to bring a towel with me.
Bottom line: Doc says she's got a normal stomach bug. Her lips are dry but her tongue is not, so she's ok, but needs to be hydrated...but only in small sips to help keep it down. She should lie low tomorrow (rest and fluids), and assuming all goes well, she should be ok again on Wednesday.
Great, so I'm house-bound for 48-hrs, and in all likelihood, some/all of us will get touched with this. I'm already psychosomatic.

2012_09_29 Saturday

Just call me Wife of the Year!! I managed to plan a surprise attendance and dinner/drinks for Dave last night. He was inducted to his high school's athletic hall of fame, and I got his HS buddies all to tell him they were unavailable. But then they all showed up at the ceremony to hoot and holler for him, and then I took the gang out for dinner, etc. I managed to arrange babysitters, a place to sleep over, and pack bags without him suspecting anything. HA! We had a really great time, and I wouldn't have been able to pull it off without his friends' help and complicity...then again, they love messing with each other, so it worked out well.

see pix:

p.s. the first one is from school spirit day for Jonathan!

2012_09_21 Friday

For this whole week, Jonathan has gotten up BEFORE his alarm clock, gotten dressed, and come downstairs (and started eating b'fast) before I've managed to get myself downstairs! And, I get up before his alarm goes off too!!! I've been amazed. So, last night, we set up a breakfast station for him in the dining room with a cup of milk in a dorm fridge, cereal and raisins in tupperwares, and a banana. He thought that was super cool.

2012_09_20 Thursday

Jonathan has been practicing his letters and writing lately. I got him a dry erase board that has lines on it to practice; it's pretty similar to the lined paper in school. Here is his first official note to me:


(translation: Dear Mom, I want to go to the ice cream place"

And, because he wrote it so nicely and all by himself, we went to the frozen yogurt store.

2012_09_06 Thursday

The long awaited photos from this morning. Jonathan was so brave and excited for school. He did tell me last night that he's prefer to go back to KinderGan (his preschool); I think I hyped up school a tad too much at bedtime.

Last night we did the German 'tute,' which is the cone in the pictures; it's filled with school supplies, etc. Typically, you carry it to school, but we did it last night. He colored his school bus on it, with him inside.

He got up without any trouble, ate breakfast quickly, and we even had a little time for TV. Lots of kids were at the bus stop; luckily we've played with them over the summer, so that was super easy. He jumped into the bus without even looking back. I got a little weepy (well, what's it called when the leprechaun clicks his heals together??) on our walk home without him. Then, we met up again on the blacktop at school and walked to his classroom, which happened to be the one we toured in June. He was pretty surprised to see us again, but he didn't cover or stick to us; he stuck by three boy classmates. The teacher is nice but didn't really talk too much. The whole morning was a little chaotic and unorganized, IMHO. The PTA then hosted a coffee/recruiting effort that I volunteered for a few things...like communications!

We picked him up at the end of the day at the bus stop, and all was right in the world. The kid is hilarious. He didn't remember that I had packed a snack, so he didn't have one. And, he only ate 1/2 (at best) of his lunch. He must have been starving through class, but with it all being so new, I don't think he realized how hungry he was. We got very little feedback, which was expected. He's truly mum about his days and always has been. When we ask very targeted questions, we'll get answers, but we sort of have to know what to ask first and even then the answers may be...imaginative. When we went to bed (at 7:30!), he asked if he could ride the bus again tomorrow "because that was pretty cool." And, the best thing about his whole day was "climbing the rock wall" at the playground (which may have been from the test run day, I'm not even sure they had recess!!).

See pix:

2012_09_05 Wednesday

'Twas the night before Kindergarten and all through the house....

Holy Moly!!! Jonathan starts Kindergarten tomorrow!! We've been practicing getting up early (ie 7:20am!!) this week, although I just couldn't manage today (since I was up until 1am working). Jonathan is getting the hang of getting up and getting dressed himself, especially since we lay out his clothes the night before. Then, I can get downstairs and make breakfast, agreed upon the night before, so it's ready when he comes down. We also tested out our walk to the bus stop as well. Elise's monitor does reach, so I don't feel like I need to wake her up so early for such a short period of time. Yeah.

We had our "Wonderful Wednesday" art program today. They made paperbag ladybug puppets (Oriental Trading again), which I think I may fill with snacks for school.

Unfortunately, the school's playdate was cancelled today due to rain. That was a huge bummer. We may swing by later today to find his numbered row anyway.

He's working on coloring his Tute right now. And, he's decorating whoo-whoos, which I also plan on filling with snacks (this was a project in Highlights Mag).

I've been having belly pains for the last few days; I wonder if it's my subconscience stress manifesting. Or, maybe I just pulled a muscle.

2012_08_28 Tuesday

Jonathan got his first professional hair cut today, in anticipation of Kindergarten. He looks so handsome. The tools she used were a little more intense (and loud) than dad's tools, so it took a little getting used to, but he did great. We also got a first day of school outfit too. Counting the days!

2012_08_24 Friday

I went to a mom's group meeting on Wednesday night that really struck me; it was about healthy eating (organic, raw foods, local, etc). I've vowed to myself to really try harder to avoid the garbage food and try to really focus on 'clean eating.' They got a charge out of my egg delivery/pick-up service. I made quinoa with mushrooms and carrots for dinner last night. The kids had fruit smoothies, 10-grain bread with butter/honey, carrots, lunch meat (will work on that one), and cheese slices for lunch. For b'fast, they had a plum and bagel with cream cheese (again, will work on that). I'm thinking seriously about joining a CSA, but since the season ends in November, I may be stuck starting in the spring of 2013. Maybe this will also get my rear in gear with planting our own garden. I can dream.

Anyway, this morning was the last morning Jonathan got to sleep in. Next week, we start practicing for Kindergarten. The bus comes at 8:15. This is going to kill ME! After b'fast (which seems to last forever), we jumped in the car and headed to a nearby arboretum. Elise asked if we were going on an 'addenture,' to which I always say yes. The paths were really nice, although a bit hilly, and no signage made it difficult to plan our walk; we somehow completely missed their nature center. Guess we'll have to go back to explore more. Jonathan got to pick which paths to follow on the way out, and I got to on the way back. I have pictures to upload; stay tuned.

2012_08_14 Tuesday

Elise sat at our kitchen bar having lunch today singing: "bahhh-waaaay, bah-way, I doing bahhh-waaay!" while she balanced on one knee and had the other leg up behind her. I fear that ballet classes aren't too far off.

Jonathan busied himself today with constructing two full Lego sets and 1.5 3D puzzles that he got for his birthday! The house was so quiet, I assumed something was amiss!

2012_08_13 Monday

Jonathan had a really rough start of the day (at 8:30). The kid gets 12 hours on average of night sleep; he shouldn't have any problem having a chipper morning. I am actually getting nervous about his mornings for school. I'm not sure when school actually begins (or when the bus will pick up), but we need some serious practice in getting up pleasantly and early. But, he almost went to the gym in his pjs.

After my yoga class, we stuck around the gym for the pool for maybe an hour. Elise managed to take a header after getting tangled up in rogue flip flops on the concrete side of the pool. Now she's got a bit of road burn on her forehead (or her sorehead as she says it). Since she goes to the day care while Jonathan has his swim class in the PM, the girls were concerned that she got banged up again (reference: her Hitler 'stash from May). Jonathan continued to have a rough day -- parts were better than others -- but he did well at class. It's so cool to see him scoop and swim underwater. He did a killer belly flop at the very end, but it didn't seem to bother him. We only have our coach, Conner, for one more class, and J has one more after that. I decided to cancel class until we have a good handle on school.

Last night, we had a rising Kindergarten happy hour at some friends' house. It was fun to have the kids play and for the grown-ups to mingle. I think all of them (or 99%) will even be at our bus stop!! Sure hope that makes it easier for everyone when Sept 6 rolls around!!

2012_08_11 Saturday

We had a double birthday party for Jonathan and his buddy, Luke, who he went to preschool with. It was great, especially since they had most of school come! We had a bounce house for them, and Elise was in it from start to end. She was awesome. The boys had a blast too. Luke's mom made cupcake ice cream cones  that were a huge hit (and we had a small cake for the family on 8/13). This year wasn't like years' past, where we had an open house along with birthdays, so it was much smaller and more Jonathan/Luke-centric, which is really what a birthday party should be, I suppose.

The day got off to a bumpy start since Dave's flight was canceled the night before, and he didn't get in until 10ish. But, I had our usual babysitter (who knows Luke's family too!) come to help until Oma/Opa arrived. whew.

2012_07_15 Sunday

Our last adventure of the summer is in full swing. I drove the kids to South Carolina!! We stopped along the North Carolina border to overnight, and then hooked up with our friends to caravan the rest of the way. Some highlights:
-We ate at Applebee's for dinner. Jonathan was very disappointed there weren't any apples.
-While changing E's diaper after being in the pool, she asked why my raindrops were falling on her.
-We've seen a real shark (which was 30 yrds away from the swimmers) and a sea turtle.
-Some of the adventures we went on included: Ripley's Aquarium with "real" mermaids; an arcade; the beach (2xs); a hibachi restaurant; riding in a golf cart; a ferris wheel that was fully encased; putt-putt that Jonathan won; swimming every day in the pool.
-Jonathan tried shrimp at the hibachi place, and he does not seem to be allergic to it (great news!) or particularly like the taste of it either (bummer). And, his eyes tripled in size when the chef not only caught a bowl of food in his hat but also lit a 'volcano' of onions on fire. That was truly priceless, and I'm disappointed I didn't have my camera ready for that.
-On our last day, we went to the beach very ill-prepared (ie no bathing suits, etc). I let Elise run around naked, and she proceeded to rub sand in every crevice of her body. We couldn't stop laughing, but she sure thought it felt good.
-The kids were really great together. It was fun to watch them play, cooperate, and share together.

Then we stopped in Arlington to visit and overnight with friends, and we saw the old house. And, we stopped by Nanie and Grandpa for lunch and to pick up some b'day gifts on the way home.

Enjoy:

2012_07_12 Thursday

I was having a normal, fine, blah day today until I was pulling away from Jonathan's camp pick up. The director flagged me down (and I braced myself for what she might report to me), and she said this: "I have been meaning for 100 days to tell you how grateful we are to have you here and for all you do for our program [she was referring to the teachers' gifts, boxtops, etc]. You are a wonderful mom. I see a little bit of me in you." It went on (and on), but that was the gist. She even read this blog, and she said it made her smile because she keeps one too, and we joked a bit about who it's really for and who benefits from our efforts. Boy, did she make my day. I sat a little taller and fewer things bugged me for the rest of the day. Thanks!

2012_07_10 Tuesday

It's Master Hardwick's 5th birthday (1,819 days alive, eh!? who feels old now?!)! Overall, it was a great day. He had cupcakes and a crown at school. We had cupcakes at home. He wore the crown for most of the day, and boy is it's sweaty, but he got lots of good wishes from strangers that he thought was pretty cool. He got two LeapPad cartridges, three packs of Pokemon (which we think has a math component to it), and a scooter (which I'm not sure was the right one). He wanted to go to the burger joint in town for dinner, and I wanted the traditional ice cream for dessert, so that all worked out well. He got a real charge out of knowing exactly when he was born, as he was eating a hamburger, and hearing a brief recap of his birth. He got to goof with dad online for a long time. But, he dropped his LeapPad on the floor and wasn't carrying it in his "murse," so I flew off the handle, and he had to sit and think for 5 minutes. A nice cool bath calmed everyone down, and then both kiddos were off to bed.

Enjoy:

2012_07_09 Monday

(I have a &*^ ton of trip reports to back-fill, but I need to get today up first..)

Today was Jonathan's last day of being a 4yr old, and he went back to summer camp. Elise and I ran around all day doing errands, preparing for Dave's departure later today and ours later this week. We picked Dave up at the train station, and he brought back 'birthday popcorn and pretzel.' Within 30 mins of his arrival, we had to pack us all into the car to take him to the airport and then on to Jonathan's swim class. Jonathan did great, when he wanted to, at swim class. He did some great scooping (maybe 5 strokes, including breaths); he did some good floating, although he doesn't understand that you can't put your feet into the air without sinking. He even did a few dives/bellyflops from the side. But, come time to leave, he threw a full-on hissy fit: screaming, crying, wiggling, running back to the pool and jumping in (!). He just wanted to stay at the pool, but even without swim gear, I would NEVER consider it with that behavior. And, as he was sitting and thinking, wouldn't Lady Luck be on my side, the daycare called b/c Elise had a nasty diaper. I tried to get him back to the locker room to change fast, but he refused, so I began to walk out (he wailed, parents gave hairy eyeballs). We picked up Elise (he was still in his bathing suit w/ sneakers). By then, he was begging to change, so we went back to the locker room so he could change, and I could change Elise's bomb. YIKES. When we got to the car, I told him in no uncertain terms that if that behavior ever happened again, I'd cancel swimming class and he could go to the daycare with Elise while I swam.

By the time we got home, he was fine again. Dinner probably helped too...He fell apart reading a second book (not even trying to sound out words, but rather just making noises), so I put it down (he flipped out), and I explained that his eyes and brain seemed really tired, so I read his chapter book.

...I'm onto some newly acquired wine...

2012_06_25 Monday

We returned from a few days in Ocean City, MD over the weekend. Wow, was that an incredibly fun vacation. We played dino mini-golf (the same place J2 and I went last year); we went to the beach in the late afternoons; we went to a water park; and we went to a giant waterpark with go-carts and got a raincheck to come back the next day. Of course, we also got to spend a lot of time with PopPop and Uncle Sam, which was a highlight. And, Dave and I got to go on TWO dinner/movie dates. Elise was sort of torture at the minigolf, but J2 had fun. That day was the hottest of the trip, so it was a little unpleasant anyway. The beach was wonderful: mostly empty, not too sunny, mild waves. We also found a giant (dead) horseshoe crab to investigate; J2 also collected a few whole shells. We also investigated what makes the air bubbles in the sand when the water recedes: sand fleas, and some that we found were rather large! Finally, we all flew a kite one afternoon. We got rained out on our last beach visit there. Jonathan drive a go-cart by himself and then co-piloted with Dave. Elise fell asleep wearing a lifevest on a ring with me in the Lazy River, but she had a couple of kiddy pools and a wave-maker pool to play in. Jonathan went down one very high water slide that was pitch black by himself. Then he took me down it to race! That was really neat. He had to wear a lifevest too, so we were both much more at ease with him in the water. And, he trusted us enough to go on some of them more scary rides and really enjoyed them. Other than one night of massive meltdown by J2 (sorry PopPop!), it was a fabulous time. And, I'm the only one with a minor sunburn.

Enjoy:

2012_06_17 Sunday

It's Father's Day!! Although Dave was up way before the rest of the house, he showered and got back into bed so we could deliver homemade blueberry French toast, watermelon, tea, milk, a breakfast bar, and two types of nuts to him. Jonathan helped me make the French toast and helped put the tray together. Dave got two cards, two hand prints, 4 ties, and 2 packages of socks from his babes. Then, we visited the Cassidy's at brunch, and they decided to join us for Madagascar 3. Elise is napping now (Jonathan and I played a heated game of Uno, and Dad's shopping online for some clothes). And, we're off to dinner later.

Yesterday, I finally got 30 hosta plants to soften up the front retaining wall. Dave started each hole; I dug them out and planted each plant. It really only took about an hour. Jonathan was supposed to pick out the bigger rocks but got distracted by just about anything else. He also went bike-riding with our neighbor to the school yard, where they allegedly didn't ride at all! And, a day later, they all are still alive and look pretty sharp!

2012_06_15 Friday

We had a lovely day. Today was a neighboring town's farmer's market. I gave Jonathan $20; we circled the entire market; and then he made his choices. He bought: a pint of strawberries, two snickerdoodles, a bag of salad, snap peas, two tomatoes, a pint of peaches. He had to make all the choices and do all the transactions (with minimal help from me). In the end, he had $.25 left over. So, we had salad for dinner (along with leftover noodles from the night before. And, I had homemade olive hummus too). What a nice experience. I'm hoping this weekly adventure will also start to introduce math and currency along with making choices (and dinner!).

2012_06_14 Thursday

I went to wake Elise up this morning so I could go to my yoga class and found a sleeping girl with a bare bottom! She really likes her dress pjs, but at some point over night she pulled her diaper off and went bare butt. Of course, everything around her was drenched (and her butt was cold!). So, maybe we'll add on a bloomer to the dress pjs from now on.

Last night, she actually pooped a tiny poop in the toilet! We have (more like she has) made a routine of peeing in the toilet before going to bed each night.

2012_06_11 Monday

Today is the first real day of no school. yikes. Everyone slept in. We were finally ready to go about our day around 11! We got a screw for Jonathan's sunglasses. It's not a perfect fit, but it works for now. Elise tried out finger painting and, much like her brother, absolutely hated it...so much so that she was in tears, begging for a napkin. Poor baby. Meanwhile, Jonathan is constructing a guitar out of a shoebox. Today is the opening day of our farmer's market, so I hope to swing by there. And, Jonathan has his placement assessment (30 mins) today at Kindergarten. Afterward, he's also got swimming class. Not bad for the first day of "nothing to do."

2012_06_10 Sunday

Elise's face-plant scabbing is nearly gone, thankfully. Her upper lip is still a little red, but hardly noticeable. Jonathan suggested that she needs her 'ass kerin' -- I think that was supposed to be aspirin. ;o)

2012_06_07 Thursday

Today is Jonathan's last day of preschool. I don't think he quite gets it. But, boy, has it hit me hard. I guess I never really experienced anyone else's end before. It's always been my own end of camp, end of college, etc. My heart hurts a little for him; his teachers have been so special and so instrumental in his life, and because he is still young, he doesn't understand that it's the end, and the kids he's seen everyday for the past two years won't ever gather together again. He will be back for summer camp, so it's not quite so dramatic, but my not-so baby has passed a major milestone today.

2012_06_06 Wednesday

What a special day: 6+6=12. Jonathan wasn't impressed.

Today was his Kindergarten orientation. It went off wonderfully. The kids went off with a K teacher into a K classroom while the parents got briefings. They gave us a packet of what we can be doing over the summer (mostly books, websites, apps though). We got to try out the school bus and the seat belts. We toured around the school a bit. We played on the playground with other soon-to-be classmates. He knew three from preschool and a handful from the parks and neighborhood. It's all so real. I definitely got a little choked up...but not teary.

2012_06_05 Tuesday

Today, Jonathan graduated from Kinder-Gan. They did such a great job. They all sang songs, and while I certainly didn't recognize any of them, they each knew the words and motions. They wore cap and 'capes' and got a cute diploma, and Frumie read what each child liked the best about school. The kids did great. They also had a short slideshow of the past year that was very emotional. It's amazing how much kids grow over that one year. I was in charge of the class gift to the 4 teachers: cyclamen flowers, $$, and a photo album with mitvah notes from each family. The teachers were very thankful (which brought me to tears); I was pretty proud of myself...and of Jonathan. Then we had a light lunch there. I can't wait for Elise to go there too. I love it.

2012_05_28 Monday

Happy Memorial Day to all.

I was woken up at around 4am by one little boy asking to snuggle. Turns out that his room's AC was on way too cold.

We took the wagon into town today to watch the 14th annual duck races down the creek. The Boy Scouts were in the creek sending them off. Today was really hot, though, about 92, so we didn't want to stick around for all five 'heats' (haha). After a mobile breakfast (yogurt, thermos-ed milk, banana, etc) and two heats, we walked back through town for a bagel and then home to get Jonathan's bike to show Dad. Jonathan did a couple of passes and then Dad showed him how to push off by himself. That's still a little tough, but he's getting it.
The more I think about him riding a two-wheeler, the more a little piece of my heart breaks. It may not have helped that I found a bunch of infant (like 9 mos old) photos of J last night. My little man is getting to be a big and independent boy...and I have to be OK with him not needing me as much (or better yet, needing me in a different way). How bittersweet for me.

E went down for a nap as soon as we got home. Her naps are pushing four hours these days. I think she's growing.

2012_05_27 Saturday

Jonathan has been quite a little busy bee today. He got up before I did, but that's not that difficult on the weekends. He got dressed mostly by himself. After our typical visit to the bagel shop, we went to the book store and bought three more sets (#s 4,5, and sight words) of Bob's Books and special ordered set #3. Then, he and I went grocery shopping for our "big" Memorial Day BBQ tonight. When we got home, he helped Dave sweep the back patio and spray bug killer (he mostly followed around). THEN, Jonathan and I went to the elementary school's grassy yard and rode a two-wheeler -- WITHOUT TRAINING WHEELS!

It really only took him one pass to get the hang of it, and we did six passes (ie the length of the yard) before he was hot and tired. We kept picking out a target to look at; that seemed to help him steer straight. Then, he started to just ride wherever he (or the bike) took him. I was actually surprised that he got it so quickly (maybe we should have done this awhile ago!?), so I was probably an embarrassment, jumping, clapping, and whooping like a mad woman. I have a short video on my phone. He even rode on the pavement path home. Overall, just a few knicks and scratches, and with each fall (there weren't that many), "I'm OK, mom. Let's do it again!" I'm so proud.

We topped off our fun day with dinner outside! Dave grilled up drumsticks and corn on the cob; I made yogurt/cuke salad and garlic toast. We ate with our hands (except for the salad). J LOVES corn on the cob; E gave it her best try but wasn't very excited about it. Drum sticks were apparently a new thing for J, and he tried to eat it like a popcicle (top down), but when we explained it's like eating COTC, he got more into it. And, we topped dinner off with watermelon for all -- more finger-food. Everyone needed a dunk in the tub to close out the night.

2012_05_25 Friday

Jonathan did not have school today, so he and I had a breakfast date at the diner instead. As we were waiting for our food, he shocked me by sounding out "MUFFIN" from the menu! He is doing so well reading, it's incredible. I really want him to stop being 'shy' when strangers talk to him, though. It drives me nuts.

Then he had a playdate with a buddy, so I had time to run tons of errand alone including going to my favorite store. I got him more books (Find-It and Magic Treehouse series), some puzzles, a graduation shirt and two ties, and a John Deere baseball hat! Lucky kid!

And, what's grosser than gross? pealing your son's barely-on scab off his knee. ewwww, so gross. I nearly puked.

2012_05_13 Sunday

I woke up to a note saying to stay in bed. Soon, Jonathan and Dave delivered breakfast to me in bed. It consisted of: jello, oreos, raisins, cheese slices, an apple, a banana, blueberries, strawberries, scrambled eggs, and cranberry juice. Elise joined us after the tray was secured. What a wonderful breakfast! I also received a lovely glass paperweight that has Jennifer as the definition of Mother from Dave and homemade napkin rings from Jonathan. Awesome. But, then, I was told I'd get the morning to myself, and everyone disappeared. The house was so quiet, so I read for about three hours...still in bed. Then, I got coffee and a bagel delivered too (since most of my first breakfast disappeared before I actually got any). Then, we drove to Nannie and Grandpa's house for about an hour's visit, and we headed off to a Top 25 in the Nation German Restaurant for some spaetzle and jaeger schnitzle. Dave had a pork medallion of some sort. The kids split a wurst teller but didn't seem to dig the spaetzle (more for us)! To bide our time there (they make it all from scratch so service is slllllooooow), the kids cracked into some Kinder Eier. For the first while on the drive home, we all danced in our seats. Jonathan is a riot, making serious dance faces and showing us new dance moves (maybe from kids at school??) while Elise wiggles like a noodle. Both kids fell asleep on the way home. What a great day (oh, and the weather could not have been more beautiful).

2012_05_04 Friday

Elise insisted today on wearing "piggy shoes," and it took us (together) awhile to figure out what she wanted: sandals so she could see her piggy toes! So now, when it's warm, she can most certainly wear piggy shoes.

Here are some family shots:

2012_05_03 Thursday

We were having a lovely dinner of raviolis/broccoli/cheese and muffins when Elise barfed all over the table. That's the second time, now, that she's thrown up this week. The first time was in the car on the way home from the gym (on Monday?). That was awesome. She just let it rip and covered herself and her car seat, which I'm now battling to get the stench out of. I thought that episode was likely tied to her getting her Hep A shot. But, this time, I think she jammed food into her mouth -- not chewing or swallowing it -- and then gagging b/c there's too much in her mouth that causes the reflex. (She was chipmunking her eggs this morning too.) She's seemed completely fine before and afterward. I gave her a fruit/veggie pouch, some bread, and water and milk. She seemed fine with those.

Then, both kids took a bath. And, before he managed to get fully wet, Jonathan sprayed water out of the tub three times (after two warnings). So, off to bed he went at 7:15. That's more than an hour before he typically goes down! sucks for him.

Gesh, if only I had some work to do....

2012_04_29 Sunday

It is so hard to believe that Elise turned two yesterday! wowser. There is a certain level of bittersweet for me, knowing we are passing milestones for the last time.

Saturday
Both kids slept until about 10:30!! Daddy was hungover and tired from a work function, so Jonathan and I took Elise to the diner for a birthday "breakfast;" then we swung by two libraries for Jonathan's books; and then we hung out in town at a 'green' fair. We visited lots of booths (Jonathan made a Home Depot tool box) and listened to live music. In the afternoon, we went to a friend's spring party and then had pizza dinner (with a chocolate bomba dessert) with the Cassidys.

Oh, geez, I also forgot: we've now lived in this house for four years today!!

Sunday
Today was more of a family-focused birthday celebration. Elise slept until 10 again. So, Jonathan and I had a bagel date and then went to the playground to meet up with local incoming Kindergarteners. It was great fun. Dave and Elise met us when they were presentable. We closed out the birthday weekend with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese, which isn't my favorite place in the world, but the kids sure did have a blast. There were enough rides that Elise enjoyed it, and Jonathan was able to do a lot of the games, including the iconic Skee-ball. We got home close to 9pm, so I'm hoping Monday doesn't start off poorly.

Monday
Elise had her 2-yr doctor's appointment this morning. The doc was very impressed that she can jump, sing most of her abcs, identify body parts reliably, and speak in more than 2 word phrases. She did not appreciate the one shot in the leg at all. She does have mild excema on her legs and mild cradle cap on her head, and she's under-weight (so she stays on whole milk). This is so frustrating for me since Elise eats like it's going out of style (her protruding belly is deceiving, I guess), but it's all healthy food so she's not gaining enough weight. She's not in any danger, and doc said her muscles and coordination are great, too. more peanut butter for her!

Here are some photos of her big day(s):

2012_04_19 Thursday

I nearly fell over laughing this morning. I picked up Elise from the daycare at the gym; they had rock music blaring, and E was dancing her little heart out. She didn't hear me call her and just kept jamming away. Most of the staff was with me, watching her go. Guess she's got her father's dancing genes! And, I'm hoping she'll sleep for hours after that show!

To my shock and dismay, Jonathan got into trouble at school today. He had 4 (!!) timeouts. I think he's following (read: idolizing) one boy, who has lots of older siblings and who may not make the best choices. The teachers mentioned hitting and general inappropriate silliness and giggles. So, we had a long talk about respect for adults, making good choices even when others don't, and rewards versus repercussions. He lost TV privileges for the day (I thought that was wonderful), and he wrote an apology (I am very sorry. love, Jonathan) to his teachers with a drawing of boys being nice (self portrait blowing kisses; two boys holding hands; and both with big ears with which to listen attentively). When he delivered the letter, the main teacher was truly wonderful in accepting it (and not undermining the 'punishment' of writing an apology), praising his efforts to fix his mistakes, and having a good day with good choices going forward. She's amazing.

2012_04_18 Wednesday

Jonathan survived Monday's swim class and Tuesday's soccer class but sure was tired when he woke up today! It's W Day, and we have Opa's wasp nest. Jonathan cannot wrap his brain around w-a-s-p; instead calls it w-a-p-s-p. And, he had a hard time letting kids touch it at school (so we learned what "protective" means). I tried to make him understand that Oma/Opa have LOTS of them, so everyone can touch this one and we'll get more if we need more. School thought it pretty darn cool.

We've been using a huge box as a spaceship/house/car/?? for a few days now. The 16th was basically the last day for it:

2012_04_15 Thursday

We had our own Easter egg hunt this morning:

2012_04_15 Sunday

We've returned from an incredible adventure! I took Jonathan and Elise (with Oma) on the train to Chicago. We really had a wonderful time. The trains are an excellent way to travel if you have the time. The kids really liked that they could move around, and I was happy to have our own sleeper car, although truth be told, I did very little sleeping with Ms E squirming around by my side. But, Jonathan slept on the top bunk both ways and did fantastic. We had a white linen dinner on the return trip that was very special; the kids behaved so well. The hardest part, which I had anticipated, was the layover in Pittsburgh, especially the return layover since it was in the weeeee hours of the morning. But, it sure was fun (and maybe a bit confusing) to see today turn in to tomorrow.

I planned a day at the Barony on each side of the trip, so the kids could ease into and out of vacation. They had a blast. E even slept in her own 'doxhole'! Not sure how that will play out at Christmas time; Opa better build a third one!!

But, I was so happy to see how instantaneously Jonathan and Shawn bonded and played together. I don't recall a single 'incident' between them. Elise jumped in as much as she could handle, which was considerable. Shannon planned one excursion each day (children's museum, Lego factory, children's arboretum); that was the perfect balance for us. She also was our photographer, so here are some picture of all the adventures (I may have some too, but it takes me forever to upload, so I'll add as time permits):

04-11-12 DuPage Children's Museum: http://s696.photobucket.com/albums/vv323/rpsp1028/2011%202012%20Ages%202%20to%203/2012-04-11%20DuPage%20Childrens%20Museum/
Here's a short clip of E's moves at the children's museum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llhi_1fJG_0&feature=youtu.be Enjoy! 
04-11-12 All Aboard Diner: http://s696.photobucket.com/albums/vv323/rpsp1028/2011%202012%20Ages%202%20to%203/2012-04-11%20All%20Aboard%20Diner/
04-12-12 LegoLand: http://s696.photobucket.com/albums/vv323/rpsp1028/2011%202012%20Ages%202%20to%203/2012-04-12%20LegoLand/
04-12-12 Jamba Juice Snack: http://s696.photobucket.com/albums/vv323/rpsp1028/2011%202012%20Ages%202%20to%203/2012-04-12%20Jamba%20Juice%20snack/
04-12-12 Gino's East Pizza: http://s696.photobucket.com/albums/vv323/rpsp1028/2011%202012%20Ages%202%20to%203/2012-04-12%20Ginos%20East%20Pizza/
04-13-12 Morton Arboretum Children's Garden: http://s696.photobucket.com/albums/vv323/rpsp1028/2011%202012%20Ages%202%20to%203/2012-04-13%20Morton%20Arboretum%20Childrens%20Garden/

This was one of those trips that will stick with me as one of my favorites.

2012_04_04 Wednesday

Two similar situations have happened within 48 hours with Jonathan. On Sunday, Jonathan rode his bike all the way home from the bridge. I was so impressed that he knew exactly where to go and how to do it safely (presumably). Then, on Monday at swim practice, he swam a good 6 strokes all by himself from the ledge to the end of the pool. I was nearly in tears of pride. Both things were really awesome; however, he did them both without adult inclusion. So, now, we need to tweek his independence to, at least, let an adult in on his big-boy plans!
On a more positive note, we went to the zoo today:

2012_04_01 Sunday

Our town put on a kiddy Easter egg hunt today. It's a great event. The eggs are spread out on a field, and they allow the kids to 'hunt' by age. Jonathan had to wait until Elise was done. He got a free pizza slice! Then, they tore into the eggs for the candy, had a snack, and were done. The whole thing couldn't have lasted more than 10 minutes. Jonathan was excited to stand with the Easter Bunny, but Elise was definitely not. Elise and Dave went back home while Jonathan and I went to a story ready for "Poopendous," which was pretty hilarious, except for the very rude boy in the front row.

2012_03_22 Thursday

We are all back on track (ie healthy) again, mostly. I have a nagging stuffy nose, which Elise probably gave to me. She can't go to the gym if they have to wipe her nose >3x, so I haven't been this whole week!

Today was really cool day for me, though. I registered Jonathan with the city Dept of Ed for Kindergarten in the AM. Then I dropped him off for a playdate with future twin classmates while I toured the school (with E). It's very cute. I was intrigued that they have a looping option, which is basically the European style of teacher and students graduating together. They also offer a multi-age program, which puts 1-2 graders together. And, then I sat in on a PTA-sponsored presentation on the use of technology in the school. It was actually more like "My Top 5 Favorite Apps" from three teachers, but we got handouts and can check them out ourselves. One mom recognized me from our regular train station visits!

2012_03_20 Tuesday

We had a terrific day today. Jonathan helped me transplant aloe vera bunches. Then, we planted wild flower seeds around the tree in the front yard. I guess it was our way of celebrating spring. I still have one African violet to put into its fancy pot, but we didn't get that far.

We walked into town to pick up dinner at a new Mexican joint, and we bumped into about four of his current and future classmates! The main road isn't that long, so I felt very popular knowing so many people!! Elise inhaled the refried beans and rice...all by herself and hardly made a mess since it all sticks together.

The weather has been so nice lately:

2012_03_08 Thursday

oh, am I the luckiest mom in the world...Jonathan began throwing up at midnight. The first one was in my bed; the second was in his; the third was in a bucket near mine; the fourth was at the park. He's in remarkably good spirits, but had a 100.8 temp.

Of course, this is on top of my corneal abrasion from Elise. I have to goop up my eye 3x/4 days. The stinging and burning feels like pinkeye. My eyes get blurry with the goop, and I tear a lot. There are times where I just have to squeeze my eyes closed to let it pass. Of course, that stinks for driving.

Elise is great.

We had a wonderful visit from Opa and got so much done. He was a lifesaver, being the driver for us and being able to pay attention to the kiddos while I dealt with my eye.

2012_03_02 Friday

Dave and Jonathan made a new project today at Home Depot. What a great gig!! And, Jonathan's been working on writing a book, called "Animals that Tickle" (or something close), with Dave. It was a gift from an aunt, and it's super cool. He needs some headshots for part of the book. Check out this handsome dude:

2012_03_01 Thursday

Elise really had a day. With her big girl bed, I think her naps are a bit less sleep focused. I know today's nap barely happened, if at all. And, she was a stinker at lunch, so she barely ate anything worthwhile.

I got the kids dressed and out the door to pick up Dave at the train station only to find out that the trains were delayed. Luckily, we hadn't gone very far, so we turned around, and Ms. Elise lost her mind. I'm not sure if she thought daddy wasn't coming home or what, but she absolutely lost control...and it didn't stop once he showed up...or through dinner...after we jammed some rice and broccoli trees into her, she calmed down a little. I was able to read while she oriented a baby from the den to her big girl room and bed. After a lengthy tuck-in, she wailed when I closed the door. I think she's too exhausted to even get out of bed -- we haven't had that happen yet (whew) -- but she was very unimpressed this evening.

I think the whole evening (read: Elise melting down) sort of stressed Jonathan out too. poor guy. But, he and I made a loaf of bread that we ate at dinner. delicious. He wants to save the heal for Opa's visit next week. Lucky Opa!

2012_02_29 Wednesday

I was finally able to get my feng shui back in alignment with a yoga class. Life is back on track again, and we can forget the last two days' shenanigans. I dropped off forms at our doctor's office for Kindergarten registration. whoa.

I tucked Elise into bed tonight. We always read a book or two, and tonight she selected "Brown Bear." In reading it, we ask her what the animals are and what they say. When she got to the Green Frog, she was having a hard time saying it so I tried to enunciate it for her.
J: ffffff-rog
E: ffffff-[breath]-dog
repeat indefinitely.

2012_02_28 Tuesday

Today was a mess. It's the first time I was "That Mom." I totally forgot Jonathan at school. I really didn't forget him; my alarm clock just didn't go off b/c I turned it off yesterday when I was dealing with the car situation. The director called me about 10 minutes after pick-up to ask if I was coming. How dreadfully embarrassing. Of course, he didn't want to leave when I did finally come; he was having a grand time coloring with his buddy.

2012_02_27 Monday

OMG, what an awful day. We were running a tad behind schedule when I finally got the kids buckled in the car, and it wouldn't start. I called the school director to let her know that Jonathan either wouldn't be in at all or he'd be in once I got the battery replaced. She was at our house within 15 minutes to play pick-up service for him. What an amazing, dedicated woman. I am constantly reminded of how great his school is and how much they care about him.

So I missed my favorite yoga class. The tow truck came to jump the car, and it wouldn't restart after he jumped it. The battery was D-E-A-D. He took it to the local repair shop, who promised me to have it ready by 2. Problem was that I didn't have any cleaning supplies for the ladies, so Elise and I hoofed it to the grocery store and back and then to the bank and back. She napped. And I had to wake her up about 40 minutes before usual time to hoof it to the car shop. Of course, it went like clockwork, so we had an extra 15 minutes before pick-up time.

2012_02_19 Sunday

Jonathan and I drove by his elementary school this afternoon. It has a very cool playground (and maybe a greenhouse building?) in the back. I was more curious to know where it was. And, I've nearly bumped into it a few times. On the way there, we were talking about eating healthy foods, and he said, "Mommy, we always eat kosher." I said that he does eat kosher at school, but not always at home, and he insisted that we did. Instead of arguing with him, I asked him what kosher meant: "delicious food." Soooo, maybe we do have kosher food after all!

Before that, we played kickball and soccer at the gym...part of it in the squash court since there were a lot of bigger boys/men really playing basketball, and some of our rogue kicks were interfering (as were their rogue shots). At his next birthday, he can start doing the rock wall; I can't wait!! It really looks like fun.

2012_02_18 Saturday

Dave and I went out to a belated Valentine's Day dinner and saw Rock of Ages on Broadway. The show was terrific. While I was getting ready, Jonathan said, "Mommy, you look beautiful, but I don't see any of your face paint." The kids stayed home with Nana and Grandpa and said they had a great time with them.

2012_02_06 Monday

Spending today uploading pix from my machine into Photobucket...eventually to be linked here. stay tuned!

2012_02_01 Wednesday

If everyone around you is being insolent, is it really you who's insolent?? Man alive, this morning was all about "No". Jonathan decided he didn't want me to walk him in to school today, and that's generally fine, but we had arm-loads full of stuff (sneakers, Owl for O Day, mitzvah note, etc). Then, once inside, he decided he was shy but didn't know what the word meant, and he got all pouty. I left. Once home, Elise decided that nothing was working for her...lots of 'nos' and wails. love it.

We made a cute rainbow fish at Mommy and Me today, and her mood seemed to clear up. All the snacks didn't hurt. She did rub her eye and said it hurt. A few more days to go on the pink eye meds, and she really does not like getting drops in her eyes. They are working very well, though.

2012_01_30 Monday

What a pisser of a day...at least the start of it. Elise has pink eye in both of her eyes. She woke up at 3:50am today with both eyes crusted over and miserable (probably also a bit afraid). I got her in to the dr at 11, and she confirmed it. So, she needs 1 drop in each eye 4xs/7 days. I managed to get 3 drops today, and she seems a lot happier already.

But, the best part of today was Jonathan's swim class. He was absolutely amazing. He was swimming!!! It wasn't Mark Spitz, but he was doing it!!!! He put his head in the water multiple times and freely both swimming and picking up rings. I was so proud of him I nearly cried right there in the pool. I told him repeatedly that I was very proud of him and he agreed that he was proud of himself for doing so well. Wow, what a memorable cap to the day.

2012_01_27 Friday

"Little Miss Muffin, sat on her tuffen, eating her curls away..."
-a poem from Jonathan to Elise, to make her happy.

Today is also Mozart's birthday, a fact learned at school!

2012_01_25 Thursday

Yikes!! Today started off badly. Either I turned off my alarm clock, or it didn't go off. It's probably the former, but I sure don't remember hearing it (might have been because I was up until 1am reading). So, mommy woke up at 8:30 in a panic. Jonathan, luckily, moved himself along fast enough for me to get Elise up and going. B'fast wasn't the best in the world, but he got enough to make it to snack time at school. It was a great life lesson for him, as I apologized to him for making him late.

Then E and I went to the gym for my 9:45 hot yoga class. Man, I really love it, although it's less fun when I'm in the front of the class b/c the heaters blow the hot air from there. I can't breathe! I am feeling a lot stronger and toned these days.

By 11:30, E had her thumb in her mouth, so I put her down as soon as we got home. More time for me to work...and Skype!

2012_01_17 Tuesday

Elise's vocabulary has exploded in the last few weeks. She's saying two words together and multiple syllables. Here's a short list:

blue, green, purple, orange, red
opposite
JD's at school (which sounds more like "skeu")
Daddy's working
I do it.
two shoes
cat, dog, cow, piggy, peep, chicken (horse and rooster are still only their noises)

will add more as I remember.

She's also still signing, so she's got a bunch more words there, although she can basically say all those words.

2012_01_16 Monday

Jonathan didn't have school today so we went on an adventure to the Brooklyn Children's Museum. We were there for about 4 hours. They have a cute toddler-only area with a large water table, a music tunnel/bridge, stuffed animals/costumes, and a blue sparkly sand table. I probably should have done the sand BEFORE the water table!! They both really enjoyed that whole area. We also explored the rest of the space: a green house, various habitats, and a full exhibit on circles that was a little too advanced for J (or he was tired from everything else). After snack/lunch, I was pretty tired, so we bundled back up and went home.

The best part (for me) was that it was free for us b/c of reciprocity to other museums!!!

We came home so Elise could nap and we could relax. And, then Jonathan had swim class at night. He's doing great. He will jump in from the side onto a noodle (including getting his face wet). He paddles and kicks with a float-y dumbbell or noodle under his arms. But, he won't put his head under to pick up rings (he's figured out how to get them with his toes). And, I'm working on getting him to wear goggles...in the tub first...then in the pool.

It was a nice day.

2012_01_13 Friday

I ordered a bunch of Geisel Award winner books for Jonathan (and eventually Elise too) as Christmas gifts from Uncle Ed/Aunt Mary, and the first batch arrived today. One of the books was a board book version of "A Snowy Day." Jonathan immediately recognized it and yelled: "Ezra Jack Keats! He's the author and illustrator!" I asked him to repeat himself because I was sure he didn't know that. I nearly fell over. As it turns out, he's working on that book in school right now!