Yesterday, Leesha came home from school upset because she had 2 missing assignments in Math which brought her grade down to a D. She didn't want to re-do the work, but probably wouldn't be pleased if the D stuck. I emailed her teacher to let her know we'd support whatever she decided Leesha needed to do. The teacher wrote back saying the grade report was wrong and Leesha actually has a B. What a relief!

Last night, Maggie went through another of her "fits" where she just screams uncontrollably. I knew she was tired, but she didn't fall asleep for at least an hour. We were so relieved when she finally did. That was about 11:30 last night. It's almost 9am now and she hasn't woken up. I even tried pumping which usually means she wakes up just as I finish. Poor little gal, just plumb tuckered.

When Jack went to bed last night, Small Group was still going on. This morning, when he woke up, he said something about "Blankie back." He's been waking up and calling for me to come and put his blanket back on his back. I asked if he wanted me to put his blankie on his back, and he said; "No, Jon put a blankie on back." (Jon is in our Small Group.) I told him that Jon had gone home and was probably at work. He went out to check, and then decided I could do it. Later, he asked; "Jon go to work with his flip flops?"

Eating the other day; "Dat taste like good!"

On the way to Mom and Dad's this morning; "I like a wallypop."

Moments ago: "Reepunzle, Reepunzle, let down ye hair."

Leesha had to be picked up from school today because she wasn't feeling good. Good thing Jeffry got off of work early and was able to pick her up and be at home with her.

Yet more Jack-isms

To Maggie when she was fussing on the floor; "Do you need some dawa?" (Dawa means medicine in Kiswahili.)

To someone at some point; "Do you understand?" Guess he hears that a lot.

How he says "beautiful":"Beaut'ful" or "Beau'ful"

While laying on the floor next to Maggie; "Jesus died for me, died for you, died for mom. pants. Die for my pants. Die for Maggie's pants. Jesus, something or another, amen. Maggie, amen."

After hurting Leesha somehow; "Sawwy Leesha. You okay bud?"

At some random point: "Hi Super Readers!" (Something from a PBS show.)

"What's wrong Humpty Dumpty?"

"Rubber band-aid" not rubberband

"May I have my 'lo'lo?" "I don't know where it is." "It's up dere, I fink."

Cuteness

Jack was playing with a wonderful book that Auntie Caryn gave him. It is a cloth counting book with bits of velcro or pouches to attach various numbers of hearts, butterflies, mushrooms, etc. He was playing with it while I showered this morning. At one point, he must have wanted to put the fish in his pockets, but realized he didn't have any pockets in his undies. So, he decided he needed to wear shorts. He pulled some out and put them on (backwards, of course) and put the fish in his pocket. Then he came and told me he had fish in his pockets.

Then, he kept mentioning "muscles" which I couldn't figure out until I saw the mushrooms. A simple, but cute mis-pronunciation.

To the motorcyclists beside us at the stop light: "People, you need'a wear a helmet."

On the way home from church, Jeffry was revving up the engine and then letting the clutch out. Jack kept saying: "Daddy rem if'a car!"

I got him some slippers the other weekend. When he put them on the other morning, he called them "keelapers" instead of "slippers".

Just moments ago, he was putting his slippers on. I asked if he needed help. He replied; "No. I needa help by myself."

Maggie is such a happy and content baby. When we make the time to have some one-on-one with her, she coos up a storm. So sweet.

Leesha was having a lot of fun playing with both of them tonight after dinner. It's great to see her interacting nicely with Jack and Maggie.

Boys

Keane came over on Wednesday. While he was with us, I noted the following:

Jack sang much of Baby Beluga to him when he showed off his stuffed beluga.

Jack was looking at "Goodnight Gorilla" and did the page that has all the "Goodnight's" just like I do it.

At one point, Keane was upset and went into the living room where he stood by the couch crying. Jack went and copied him after a few minutes. He must have been thinking it was the thing to do.

Maggie is in the midst of figuring out how to make her bouncy seat make music on the setting where she can make that happen.

Once the boys were up from their naps, I took them outside for a little bit. I told them to put their crocs on. Jack put his on, and Keane got his, but didn't put them on. In his eagerness to get outside, Jack asked Keane; "Can I show you put 'em on Keane?"

Guess he's listening

I put something away in the fridge, and since Jack was standing where the door would close, I asked him to close it. He said; "Mom, I'na see beggies carbs in fridge." (Mom, I want to see veggies and carbs in the fridge). I will stand in the kitchen and say; "Okay, we've got carbs, veggies, fruit, dairy, protein."

Yesterday, he'd run to do something saying; "I be right back." Then return and announce; "I came right back!"


I overheard him saying; "So 'mazing."


Maggie was in the nursery for the first time on Sunday. I went to collect her and they looked at me like; "The room is empty, they've all been picked up." When I mentioned that she was the little tiny one, they said; "Oh yeah! She's been sleeping the whole time" and pointed to her in a bouncy seat at the back of the room covered with a blanket.

Pacifiers and photos

Driving the other day, I asked Jack; "You being silly?"

He replied: "Yes. I being silly."

Jack got a towel that has a hood in the center of it. The hood has a lion's face on it. Since it drapes over his head much like "ghost" costumes, when he was wearing it and trying to climb up on the couch, he was having difficulty, so said; "I need help 'if a' (with the) couch."

We went to the oulet mall in Albertville on Saturday. Jack kept calling it : "Eberbale" (Albertville)

The kids both went in to the Dr. on Wednesday last week. Jack had his 2 year checkup and Maggie was in for her 2 month. Both got shots. I realized it was not a good idea to take both kids in by myself when they're both getting shots. Both did fine during the routine stuff. Jack kept the Dr. hopping with his curiosity. Jack got a finger poke for lead teasting, then 2 other shots. Maggie got a total of 3 pricks as well. Poor little girl, she really cried.

While actually getting some Maggie-n-me time, Maggie was cooing. Then she vocalized a higher decible and startled herself. Very cute.

Yesterday, we met my brother and his family at their apartment for lunch. Maggie made some not-quite-feminine noises. A bit later, I went to give her her pacifier which was underneath her. As I pulled it out, "something" dripped out of it. We kept the explosive poop fairly contained - thanks to the pacifier.

Jack got quiet while I was showering today, so I asked him what he was doing. I didn't understand it the first couple of times; "I take a smile." Translation: "I've gotten the digital camera down and am looking through the pictures." I'm not sure how he figured out how to turn it on and scroll through the photos, but he did.

Jack adked Jeffry the other day; "Daddy, can I give you kiss?" Jeffry gave him a kiss, but not on the lips. Jack said; "No, do dis." and kissed him on the lips.

This morning, Jack asked if I had an owie while looking at my leg. I told him I'd hit my leg on a table the other night and now have a bruise. Just moments ago, I asked Jack to go get some T.P. to wipe his nose. He went and got it, wiped his own nose, then started wiping the bruise on my leg. He called it a "caboose".

Hmmm

First 10 word combination that I've recorded: "Mom, I got a bug bite on my apple cheek."

Jack somehow got injured getting into Maggie's bouncy seat this afternoon. He came over to me and said; "Mom, I got hurt. Mom, will you kiss my butt?" So, I lean down and put my cheek to his cheek and made a kiss sound. He says; "No mom, over here." and displays the other cheek. I laughed as I tried to fool him again, but he grabbed me by the hair. Ha ha ha ha ha

Jeremy came to spend some time with Leesha this afternoon. When she got home, she was a bit out of sorts. So, we sat down on the couch and talked about it. Turns out she was tired, hungry and missing her friends from NHCA. She'd tried to call them yesterday, but they were at volleyball practice. Bummer for her. The highlights of our conversation include; we talked about inviting new friends over here to do crafts, baking, etc. Also, it was the first time I remember where we actually seemed to have a real friend-type conversation.

I get to work tomorrow! So, I really ought to have been in bed an hour ago, but wanted to note this last memory. The other night, I checked on Jack like we usually do. He was totally zonked, and I adjusted him or put his blanket on him. Despite being half asleep, he still said; "Gank you."

How sweet is that?

Lollipops and locations

Yesterday, while I was in the kitchen, Maggie was fussing a little bit. To try to pacify both of us, I was nicely saying; "Maggie, what's your problem?"

Jack copied me by asking; "Maggie, what's your ploblem?"

When Jack woke up this morning, we had the following conversation ...

"Where's Daddy?"

"Daddy is at work."

"Where's Leesha?"

"She's at school. Where's Jack?"

"Wite here." as he pointed to himself.

This afternoon, both babies went to the Dr. Jack got a lollipop. He was asking me what it was. Since we call pacifiers "suckers" I decided to go with "lollipop". He figured it was "Wollipop."

After he nap, when he found it on the counter, he asked; "Mommy, what's this? Blee blee blee."

The rest of the evening was rather hellish. Jack was hungry, and possibly sore. When Maggie woke up during dinner, she too was hungry and possibly sore from her shots. Both babies were screaming and difficult to comfort. Both Jeffry and I were beside ourselves. Poor Leesha got lost in the shuffle a bit.

Labor Day Weekend

Friday:

We spent most of the day preparing for Great Grandma Mary, Grandpa Steve and Grandma Holly to arrive.

Jack took to everybody right away, even announcing "Grandpa Steve" when he saw him through the window on the door.

Over the course of the evening, he discovered Grandma's bracelets and both Grandmas' bracelet watches. He put them on his bed before he went on patrol with Jeffry. Later, when we checked in on him, he was wearing all of them.

Saturday:

Leesha doesn't start mornings with; "Good Morning." She starts with questions. I'll set the stage for question #1 for today: grocery boxes are clearly visible in the kitchen, and I'm putting groceries away. Leesha: "Did you go grocery shopping?"

Setting for question #2: she sits down on the Ikea bench we have by the door, right next to Jeffry's backpack (which, is like and American Express card: he won't leave home without it) with his shoes at her feet. Leesha: "Did Dad leave yet?"

When Jack woke up, he asked for his granparents right away. Shortly after they arrived, he was asking for the watches and bracelets.

We had a great day catching up, eating, and seeing Willis West. After dinner, we took a walk down to the park. On the way, we met one of our newer neighbors who I had met on a walk a couple of weeks ago. I'd been hoping they were believers, and found out they were. New friends in the making!

To honor Great Grandma Mary's birthday, we celebrated with berry shortcake. Yum! God makes the best desserts - or in this case, part of the dessert.

At some point in the day, I think I overheard Jack say; "Can I hi you?" I don't know if he was thinking "high five" or talking on the phone.

Sunday:

After church, we headed out to Willis West. While there, I took notes on some of Jack's more amusing speech ....

When the dogs came inside: "Hi Cogs (or was it dogs?)! I realy missed you!"

Grandpa Steve pointed out a grasshopper. They lost track of it when it must have hopped near Jack's diaper: "I got a grasshopper my diaper."

While petting either Cogswell or Eddie on Greg's lap; "Can I call him Bud?"

About Smith's sunhat: "He wearin' a patrol hat."

About a talking toy: "It's speaking to me."

While we were there, Mandy gave us Simon's Little People Circus train. Once we got home, I put it in Jack's room.

Monday:

I woke up with a start becaus I'd heard a thud and Jack was crying. I went into his room and he said; "It's loud!" He'd pushed the button on the train and must have been startled badly enough to sit down (causing the thud) or fall. It took him a couple of minutes to recover, and now we've lost track of the number of times we've heard the train move or play the circus song.

Upon hearing Maggie's "rumble pants" as we like to call it; "He sure did make muckers. Make big muckers."

After listening to the Pixies with Jeffry, I overheard both of these phrases; "Dev-oh six." "Da God is seven."

2 year old "conversation"

Keane came over today to play with Jack while his dad got some stuff done. Keane had a runny nose. After observing Keane's dad wipe Keane's nose, Jack realized how this works and shortly afterwards said; "Keane need a tissue." Jack went to the bathroom to get some toilet paper and then stated; "I got a tissue for you Keane" and wiped his nose. Later, he informed anyone who was willing to listen; "Keane got a runny nose." The trip to the bathroom, wiping Keane's nose and throwing the t.p. in the toilet was repeated many times.

On a smilar note, while standing face to face, Jack said; "Keane, you got a booger ova dere?"

While they were playing, I took the opportunity to blow dry my hair, and try to get some of my natural curl tamed down by using curlers. The boys thought that was great. Jack wanted curlers in his hair, but alas his buzz cut won't allow. Keane has longer hair and Jack thought it was fun to place the velcro curlers on Keane's head because they actually stuck for a little bit. When Keane tired of watching me put curlers in my hair, Jack found him and said; "Let's go see Mommy." and "Look what Mommy doin'."

At some point, I had Jack apologize to Keane. Jack: "Keane, I so sorry."

Jack has a book that stated; "SUVs drive on rocky roads." So, today while he was playing with his Little People wheelchair, I overheard; "Keane, I gotta drive rocky roads."

When Keane woke up from his nap, Jack said; "Keane, I missed you!"

At lunch: Leesha: "Are you a zone warrior?" Jack: "I'm not a zoing warrior."

Jack to Keane: "You okay bud?"

Much later in the day, after a conversation with his cousin Simon, Jack asked; "Can I talk to black Simon?" We're trying to figure out the "black" part.