Open Sesame!

It's been a busy week .... and since I worked 4 of 5 days, I wasn't with the kids much to record their cuteness.

Maggie is currently doing raspberries. She gets rather wet blowing bubbles. But it's a happy thing, so what's a little spit? She is also reaching for toys, and pulling them to her mouth when she gets ahold of them. She now sucks her thumb, sometimes even putting it in the open end of her sucker - doing double duty.

While trying to settle Maggie a bit, I watched Jack copy me. He had his Peef bear up on his shoulder and was bouncing up and down.

He has also started to feed Peef (still called Poof) with one of our pop beads.

I'm guessing that Jack's current singing; "Mack of dust, dust, dust" is from They Might Be Giants song in which they say; "Speck of dust, dust, dust"

Leesha was teaching Jack "Open Sesame!" He practiced; "Open Sesame Street!"

Jeffry gave Jack an Allen wrench. So then Jack informs us; "I wrenching."

Leesha and I were laying on Jack and Maggie's floor with our heads on Jack's mattress. Jack was jumping on the mattress. He managed to pull Leesha's hair and once again make her cry. He then kept asking her what was wrong, and went to get her a tissue. He also suggested; "Leesha, go in you room. Go in you room if your iPod."

Car birthdays

Upon entering the bathroom, Jack fell. Leesha asked him if he hit his head. He replied; "No. I hi' my e'bow."

Last Christmas, Jack couldn't get enough of the Peef books. Today, as I was going through the gazillion stuffed animals we've accumulated in the last 12 years, I found the Peef bear we have. So, I put it somewhere that Jack would see it. Sure enough, he found it, but didn't make a big deal about it. So I asked him who it was. He said it was a tedddy bear. Hmm.... I told him it was Peef, then put it away. Seconds later, he asked; "Mom, where's Poof?"

On Friday, Maggie rolled over. It was an accident. On Saturday, she learned that diaper rash hurts. She also laughed, but not long enough to catch on camera, so we'll work on that.

Jack said to me; "Mom, dance with me!" How could one resist that?

We've had some interesting weather recently. A very windy day which blew a lot of needles off of one of our evergreens onto our driveway, and a couple of days of snow. We haven't had enough snow to shovel, but I figured we needed to clear the needles off the driveway before needing to shovel the driveway. So, Saturday afternoon, that's what I did. I blew the needles off the driveway. So long as I was out with the leaf blower, I blew some leaves around the yard. Jack decided to forgo playing with the balls, chalk or his bike and help me. He pulled out all three shovels and tried raking with those, then finally I pulled out the little rake and showed him how to use that. What a little helper.

Meanwhile, Leesha was on the phone with her St. Louis grandparents giving them a "rake by rake" from the comfort of the big brown chair.

They're not underwear or undies, they're "undie-wear".

New phrase: "I'm busy." (Wonder where he hears that?)

Coyotes are "Ka-wo-tees"

Abraham is "Ade-a-ham"

Apparently, the fascination with the "Little People" is over for now. He's back to the matchbox cars. The Jeep Wrangler, Chevy Blazer, Yellow School Bus and taxi were just serenaded with Jack singing "Happy Birthday". I think they're having hamburgers in the nesting barrels.

Monsters and conferences

When Jeffry got home from work, I went out to Leesha's conferences. Her teachers all had glowing reports for us. She's transitioned well - managing lockers, keeping things organized, etc. She's polite and kind to everyone. Participates in class without being called on. Doesn't need to be told to stop talking. Does homework. Turns work in on time. Is prepared and organized. I've had good conferences before, but this one kinda took the cake, moreso because I had a better attitude, I think.
Upon my return home, Jack was already in bed. I went in to say goodnight and he told me; "Monsters run away. Jesus help me." He's been mentioning monsters recently - thanks to Leesha and Eric. Jeffry tries to fight it. I just agree with him since I don't think he has any concept of what "monsters" are. When I mentioned it to Jeffry, he said they'd been watching Dr. Who and there were creatures on there which Leesha called monsters. So Jeffry told him to say; "Help me Jesus." And the monsters will run away. He switched things around a bit, but I like it the way he said it.
Yesterday, while my mom was working at Rosedale, I asked her to look at some shoes for Jack since crocs aren't going to cut it in a Minnesota winter. She got him the ones I'd seen online and when I was picking up Jack and Maggie after work today, mom and I were trying to get Jack to try them on. He blatantly refused and several attempts to coerce him failed with him simply stating; "No. Don' wan' try 'em on." It was incredibly amusing to see how he'd see through our attempts at manipulating him. I finally succeeded when I looked at a book with him and snuck one on his foot. Of course, then he hardly wanted to take them off.

The Butcher, the Baker...

We had kind of a fancy dinner tonight with candles and everything. When we were finished Leesha blew out one of the two candles. I made sure Jack was able to blow out the 2nd after he watched her do the first one. Later Jack asks mom "...can I blow out the candle-stick maker?"

It's been a while, and here's a long one

We went shopping for a winter jacket for Jack. I found one at Burlington, which I got. Later, we were over at Target and I looked there too. I held one up for Jack to see and asked him if he liked it. He said; "No mom! Don' like da' one. Puddit back."

Jack has a good-sized stuffed Winnie the Pooh bear which he really likes to treat as a baby. He'll ask us to put Maggie's shoes (my old baby shoes) on him, put him in the doll stroller and bouncy seat we have or in Maggie's exersaucer.

After his first taste of my peanut butter on a banana; "I like to try the other side."

When Jack finished eating dinner, I asked; "Have you had enough to eat?" "I haded 'nough to eat."

I seem to remember, and forgive me if I am repeating myself, that around the time of Hazel's last visit, Jack sas overheard saying; "Stay. Stay. Okay" like we do when feeding Hazel.

I needed to change Maggie, and Jack was trying to talk to Jeffry while he was on the phone, so I asked Jack if he would bring me a diaper; "Sure." He toddled off to get one. I thanked him and he toddled off again - bringing me the wipes. Not expecting nor needing those, I thanked him and praised him for being a big helper, then gave him a hug. As he toddled off again, he said; "Love you." then came back in with the piece of fleece that I use as a changing pad.

Jack wanted his bristle blocks down, so I got those for him. He then proceeded to make a phone with a couple of pieces, on which he "called" "Jer'my" (Jeremy - Leesha's dad). Here's a snippet of the "conversation" ...

"Hi Jer'my."

pause

"I playin'."

pause

"Nember my toys?" (Nember=remember)

"No, dey're my toys. Dey're not your toys."

And later ....

"Hi Jer'my, where you house? It's dollers?"

The last couple of days, Jack has been very interested in playing with his Little People. He pulls his castle out and gets the animals situated, then starts conversing with them - something Jeffry has taught him.

Maggie was in her saucer, and Jack was "feeding her a cookie" which means he was shoving one of the toys in her mouth. She tolerated it happily for a bit, the he pushed too hard, hurting her and she cried. When I got her settled down, I asked Jack to say sorry. He leaned in to give her a hug and they bonked heads ....

Leesha loves her little siblings, and often wants to hug them. Jack isn't always up for her hugs, and has started taking some extreme measures to get out of them - like scratching and pulling hair. He did this the other day, which started Leesha crying. Jack went back to his playing, then realized she was crying. He went over, gave her a hug saying; "I sawwy Leesha."

Upon hearing lots of little pitter-patter in the bathroom, I braved the question; "Jack, what are you doing?" His reply; "I cleaning muckers." I think; "Muckers" can translate into either "#1" or "#2", and cleaning probably means he's dabbing at a puddle with a tiny bit of toilet paper, so I go to investigate. I was wrong. I think he started pooping, and made a run for the bathroom (the first step is admitting you're pooping) but didn't make it. So, he tried to clean it up. What a good little boy. I was a big helper and assisted him in cleaning it up.

Way to make old toys interesting again? Give them to someone else, and they become fascinating.

One time when Jack was in Maggie's exersaucer, he had his knees up to his chest, with one foot down in the seat, and one foot up on the play tray. He was spinning the rattle with his one foot and saying; "No sockie! 'Smy turn."

Now he's doing the "complimentary laugh" at his own antics.

I've been informed; "Mama, Maggie's 'wake. You bedder go get 'er. Downstairs."

Apparently "Cooloo" has something to do with the temperature of food. As in; "Is it cooloo?"

When asked what clothespins are; "Mom, dey're Frink pink pencils."

Some of this blog was lost in cyberspace .... bummer.

On the way over to Grandma's, Jack was just looking at Maggie in her carseat and smiling at her.

Upon their return from their nightly patrol, Jack notes the pile of dirt I've swept near the floor. He then decides he should help me sweep it up and goes to find his whisk broom and dustpan. What a little helper.

We survived our first Middle School Dance. Leesha rode with our neighbors to the dance since I was working. I then chaperoned the dance and brought the girls home. There were several activities to choose from; an inflatable maze, dance, swimming, basketball and karoke. I walked through the gym where the dance was but assumed Leesha was there because I didn't see her anywhere else. She said she was dancing. Way to go Leesha! Not being a wallflower.

Quotable non-Bible verses

He that sitteth on a tack shall surely rise.

We shall see the fruits of our parenting when our children are out of our hair.

Better to sweep, and sweep again, then never to have swept at all.

Thou shalt not wake a sleeping child.

And lo, at the end of one laundry day all thy socks shall have their mates.

errands for nigh' nigh' s'eepers

Jack was running around saying; "Super Jack to da wescue."

Maggie spent her first night in the crib in Jack's room. We all survived!

Jack and I went on errands yesterday. As we drove away from the house, I told him we were running "errands". I informed him we were going to try to find jammies for him. Since I'd said "errands" and jammies, he then wondered about Nathaniel, Tracy and Craig and their jammies. Explanation: Aaron and Nathaniel are his cousins. When I said "errands" he heard "Aaron."

We went to Babies R Us, Carters and JCPenney. Jack used the potty once and kept his undies dry the whole time!

Jack will kindly inform anyone who needs to know; "It's time for dinnertime."

Leesha just got herself another iPod. She's very excited about it.

I posted this on Facebook the other day:

Child 1 comes into the bathroom while I'm bathing child 2. Child 1 says; "I just wanted to see child 2 because child 2 is adorable." Child 1 leaves. I sniff. "Did you just fart and walk out?" Apparently, Child 1 has been told to fart in the bathroom. Unfortunately, those making that suggestion failed to mention that the bathroom should be unoccupied.

Currently, Jack is singing; "Fank you, fank you Jesus for dis food. Fank you, fank you Jesus for dis good food."

Piggy thumbs

The other day, Jack found his "Little People" pig and brought it out to me saying something about a pig and a pancake. I can only assume that's from the "If You Give A Pig A Pancake" book we have.

This morning, when I was getting Jack out of the car at Babies R Us, he was saying; " I had an idea." I responded; "You had an idea? What was it?" "It was exercising." he said.

Maggie has found her thumb. Which is worse; the thumb that you can't lose, or the pacifier that gets lost when you don't want it to?

We decided to try putting Maggie in the crib in Jack's room, so Jeffry and I re-assembled that last night. We didn't try putting her in it yet though. Maybe tomorrow.

Leesha has her first all school party coming up this Friday. Hmmm .... we'll see how that goes. I may even chaperone. How fun will that be?