Daniel is 5 months old, and was baptized on December 2nd. Paul, Tracy, and Leah traveled to Arizona to be his godparents. We are so happy they were able to come!
I was in "Sounds of Christmas", and Andy and John came to see it. After the show, John was pretty excited about the new joke he learned "Knock knock, who's there, Mary, Mary who, Mary Christmas!" He also got another joke wrong but it turned out pretty funny: "What happened when Rudolph ate all the Christmas decorations? He got a sore throat!" (actual punchline: He got tinsel-itis). We also went to see A Christmas Carol together and had a great time.
Daniel is learning lots of new things. He is still rolling a lot, though he is much better at back to front than front to back. We often have to go to him and roll him over when he gets stuck on his tummy. He is learning to use his hands, and is reaching out to touch our faces and clothes, and is playing with toys and rattles. He got his first food last week, rice cereal, and he loves it. We tried sweet potatoes on Monday and his tummy didn't seem to like them so we'll hold off on those for a bit. He is also starting to babble, with sounds like "yeah", "nyah" and "na" (all short a vowels).
John is chatting up a storm and is very friendly with everyone. He loves talking and answering questions and making up stories. He is writing some words (John Will, Mom, Dad, Zoo) without asking how to spell them, reading some words (exit, open) on his own, and is always wanting to make lists and write things down, asking us things like "How do you spell "Who is coming to the Christmas party?" He loves playing pretend too, and always enjoys sitting down and doing worksheet-type activities, though he still needs to run and play most of the time.
John and Daniel are getting along great. Daniel loves to see John and smiles at him all the time. Watching Daniel watch John tell a story is just the greatest thing, as they are both so animated. John also told us the other day "It's true! Danny IS going to like all the things I like, because I like looking out the window while we're driving, and Danny likes looking out the window while we're driving right now!!!" Danny will usually calm down if John sings to him. It's adorable.
We're getting ready for Christmas and having a great time. John loves singing Christmas songs, and he knows all the words to several songs (Rudolph, Silent Night) and some words of other songs ("Have a Holly Jolly Christmas, kiss her once a year!" and "Snowing Christmas songs and cookies, fa la la la...") He was so excited to decorate the tree and wanted to sing Christmas songs while we did it.
Danny has had his helmet for about 2 weeks and we are already noticing a difference! He has a bunch of straight light blonde hair growing in, and it's really cute. He's just such a happy baby who smiles at everyone and everything, and we're just so blessed with our two precious boys.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Early November
Daniel is 4 months old, and weighs almost 18 pounds. At his four month appointment, he was 75th percentile for weight and height.
This week, he learned to roll from back to front. We had to stop swaddling him because I just didn't feel comfortable restraining his arms in case he rolled over in his sleep and got his little face stuck in the mattress. The first night unswaddled, he slept all night! The second night, he was up often, so we're hoping the third night will be better, though it doesn't look good so far!
Two days after rolling back to front, he figured out how to roll from front to back! He has also moved from a 3 hour schedule to a 4 hour schedule.
He is still really smiley and communicative - he is very good at letting you know what he wants. He still has a flutter in his right eyelid that we're keeping an eye on. He will be getting a DOC band to reshape his skull on December 5th, and he really needs it because his head is horribly flat in the back and bulging on his right forehead.
John is doing really well. He had a few rough weeks, behavior-wise, but we think he is coming out of it. He is doing a great job at school. He works really hard on his classwork, and loves drawing pictures and doing other art. We are just loving his vocabulary lately - lots of grown-up words and expressions.
This week, he learned to roll from back to front. We had to stop swaddling him because I just didn't feel comfortable restraining his arms in case he rolled over in his sleep and got his little face stuck in the mattress. The first night unswaddled, he slept all night! The second night, he was up often, so we're hoping the third night will be better, though it doesn't look good so far!
Two days after rolling back to front, he figured out how to roll from front to back! He has also moved from a 3 hour schedule to a 4 hour schedule.
He is still really smiley and communicative - he is very good at letting you know what he wants. He still has a flutter in his right eyelid that we're keeping an eye on. He will be getting a DOC band to reshape his skull on December 5th, and he really needs it because his head is horribly flat in the back and bulging on his right forehead.
John is doing really well. He had a few rough weeks, behavior-wise, but we think he is coming out of it. He is doing a great job at school. He works really hard on his classwork, and loves drawing pictures and doing other art. We are just loving his vocabulary lately - lots of grown-up words and expressions.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
October
Daniel is 3 months old, and 14 pounds according to our home scale. He is very happy and smiles almost all the time when he's awake. He's also really communicative and manages to make his needs crystal clear. He has been sleeping from 10:30 to 7:00 or 7:30 for several weeks now. He's just so easy and happy!
We went to Mexico for my 35th birthday. It was a lovely trip! John had a great time playing on the beach and in the pool. He also enjoyed spending time with the family and was talking a mile a minute. In fact, one night at dinner, he remarked with surprise "I haven't talked in a long time!"
John is doing really well at school. His writing is going very well; he has brought home worksheets this week with "John Will" (proper capitalization) on them, and has been writing long words like "octagon." He is reading a little bit - sight words, making educated guesses, and sounding things out. He loves singing, especially "You Are My Sunshine" and "We Built This City".
He also has an amazing memory. Tonight I was singing "I Cain't Say No" from Oklahoma, timing out the song's length for a student, and John said "Are you practicing, Mommy?" I said "Practicing what?" He said, "Practicing for your show, at Broadway Palm." Well, that show was back in February and he saw it ONCE. Can't believe he remembers it still!
Another good one was when we were talking about the new movie "Brave" and John wanted to know why "she wanted to change her feet." Guess the accent was slightly misunderstood.
We went to Mexico for my 35th birthday. It was a lovely trip! John had a great time playing on the beach and in the pool. He also enjoyed spending time with the family and was talking a mile a minute. In fact, one night at dinner, he remarked with surprise "I haven't talked in a long time!"
John is doing really well at school. His writing is going very well; he has brought home worksheets this week with "John Will" (proper capitalization) on them, and has been writing long words like "octagon." He is reading a little bit - sight words, making educated guesses, and sounding things out. He loves singing, especially "You Are My Sunshine" and "We Built This City".
He also has an amazing memory. Tonight I was singing "I Cain't Say No" from Oklahoma, timing out the song's length for a student, and John said "Are you practicing, Mommy?" I said "Practicing what?" He said, "Practicing for your show, at Broadway Palm." Well, that show was back in February and he saw it ONCE. Can't believe he remembers it still!
Another good one was when we were talking about the new movie "Brave" and John wanted to know why "she wanted to change her feet." Guess the accent was slightly misunderstood.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Daniel is 7 weeks old
and weighs 11.3 pounds, up from 10.2 pounds at 6 weeks. He is getting so chunky and big! He smiled for the first time at 6 weeks old, but hasn't done it very often!
He is also sleeping very well. He first slept through the night (8 hours) at 5 weeks old, and it was hit or miss for the next two weeks. Some nights he'd go as long as 8.5 hours, but then I think he hit a growth spurt and was back to 4 hours. For the last few nights, he has been fed around 10-10:30, and slept until 6am, and this morning he even slept until 7am! This is making a big difference. In everything!
--
Daniel's good sleeps did coincide with the week Andy had to go to Mexico City for work, which was so helpful. I was very worried about handling both boys by myself for the first time, especially with Danny still so little. But John had it all figured out. When he heard Andy was going to be gone, he told me "Mama, we won't be sad while Daddy is gone. God expects little boys named Johnny to take care of mommies and babies. So we will be happy." He is such a little sweetheart.
--
Whenever Danny fusses in the car, John will sing to him. Current favorite is "You Are My Sunshine", complete with customized final line "Please don't take my Danny away." So sweet.
--
Apparently John was watching Alice in Wonderland at school, and he wanted to finish it at home, starting at "the part with the two guys. (pause) Hum-Dee and Hum-Dee-Doo".
--
John has been really into Smurfs lately, and he says his favorite Smurfs are Handy Smurf, Jokey Smurf, and Clumsy Smurf. He may not realize it, but he picked those three because they are just like him!
He is also sleeping very well. He first slept through the night (8 hours) at 5 weeks old, and it was hit or miss for the next two weeks. Some nights he'd go as long as 8.5 hours, but then I think he hit a growth spurt and was back to 4 hours. For the last few nights, he has been fed around 10-10:30, and slept until 6am, and this morning he even slept until 7am! This is making a big difference. In everything!
--
Daniel's good sleeps did coincide with the week Andy had to go to Mexico City for work, which was so helpful. I was very worried about handling both boys by myself for the first time, especially with Danny still so little. But John had it all figured out. When he heard Andy was going to be gone, he told me "Mama, we won't be sad while Daddy is gone. God expects little boys named Johnny to take care of mommies and babies. So we will be happy." He is such a little sweetheart.
--
Whenever Danny fusses in the car, John will sing to him. Current favorite is "You Are My Sunshine", complete with customized final line "Please don't take my Danny away." So sweet.
--
Apparently John was watching Alice in Wonderland at school, and he wanted to finish it at home, starting at "the part with the two guys. (pause) Hum-Dee and Hum-Dee-Doo".
--
John has been really into Smurfs lately, and he says his favorite Smurfs are Handy Smurf, Jokey Smurf, and Clumsy Smurf. He may not realize it, but he picked those three because they are just like him!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Early August
At just under 4 weeks old, Daniel has gained weight, and is up to 8.5 pounds. Grow, baby, grow! He is growing out of some of his size newborn clothes, and is sleeping 4-5 hours at a stretch at night. He is still very sleepy most of the time, but when he wakes up, his eyes are focusing and tracking really well, and he's starting to take in the world around him. We can't wait for him to meet Aunt Robyn tomorrow!
John is very helpful on the rare occasions Daniel gets fussy when we're in the car. Here is a little song he sang last week: "Don't cry little baby, renember don't cry, renember don't cry, renember don't cry. Renember don't cry little baby, renember renember, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. (2 beats) Sh sh!" The ending was very musical. :)
I was talking to John about talking to our friends when they say hi to him, and he said, "SPEAKING of what you're talking about, Mommy, we are learning about that in school. Manners." "What manners are you learning about?" "Kind. Respect." It's so funny to hear terms like "speaking of" used transitionally and correctly in his little four-year-old voice.
John is very helpful on the rare occasions Daniel gets fussy when we're in the car. Here is a little song he sang last week: "Don't cry little baby, renember don't cry, renember don't cry, renember don't cry. Renember don't cry little baby, renember renember, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. (2 beats) Sh sh!" The ending was very musical. :)
I was talking to John about talking to our friends when they say hi to him, and he said, "SPEAKING of what you're talking about, Mommy, we are learning about that in school. Manners." "What manners are you learning about?" "Kind. Respect." It's so funny to hear terms like "speaking of" used transitionally and correctly in his little four-year-old voice.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
An actual blog update
So much has changed in the last three weeks, I think it warrants an actual post.
Daniel Benjamin Will was born July 10th, at 10:51 pm. I still had 10 days before I was scheduled for my c-section, but I went into labor and my water broke around 8pm that evening, so that was it! He was 6 pounds, 12 ounces, and 19 inches long. We stayed in the hospital until Saturday July 14th, then came home to become a family of four!
Danny has been a great baby from the day he was born! He is quiet and sleepy and rarely cries, unless he is really hungry, and then he will let you know! He is pretty easy-going almost all the time, and sometimes we hardly even know there's a baby in the house! At six days old, he dropped one of his night feedings, and has been eating at 11pm, between 2-4am, and at 7am ever since. Despite a bit of gassiness and a few spit-ups, he has not shown any major signs of reflux like his big brother so far, so we are thankful for that! He does look a lot like John, as many people have commented on. He is a beautiful baby, and I just love his hair, which is very blonde!
Other milestones so far:
Weight at 6 days old: 6 pounds, 3 ounces
Weight at 13 days old: 6 pounds, 15 ounces
Weight at 20 days old: 7 pounds, 12 ounces
He rolled over last night at exactly 3 weeks old, from tummy to back. He got his arm under him once and got stuck, so I rolled him back. Then he got his other arm under him, and actually got enough power to push all the way over. Who knows if this is a fluke, but it was pretty exciting! He has pretty strong neck and arm muscles for his age, so it makes sense that he would be able to do that, though I think it is still pretty early!
He is kind of a lazy eater, though, like he forgets he's eating. This is a big change from John, who just gulped down his bottles from day one, eating a full two ounces every three hours even in the hospital. Daniel is the opposite - we had to work really hard to get him to take half an ounce every four hours. The nurses told us that was the absolute minimum intake, and we had to do everything we could think of to get him to take even that little bit. This has continued at home. Even though he is now eating 3-4 ounces every 3 hours, it takes a while, and if we aren't patient enough, coaxing and coaching him to take a full feeding, we pay for it at the next one when he's too hungry! I want to tell him, "Look, I told you to wake up and eat at the last feeding, don't blame me!" :)
The rest of the family is doing well. Andy was able to stay home from work for two weeks, which we really needed as I recovered from my c-section. He has been back to work for a week now, but (as always) is equally helpful around the house, with meals, and with both boys. He's such a great dad and husband. He is still working for Amazon, and they are moving into their new office today.
John is doing well. He loves his brother and doesn't seem to mind that our attention is divided. He is helpful and pretty understanding of our temporary limitations. That doesn't mean he is always easy - he IS four years old, after all, and there is a certain amount of sassy talk and willful disobedience as he tries to assert his independence. However, we don't notice any more of this behavior now than we did a month ago, it's just a little harder to handle when you've also got a newborn in the house!
I am doing well in my c-section recovery. I elected to have a repeat c-section so I could guarantee that I wouldn't labor for hours and still end up with a c-section, and I am so happy I made the decision I did. The repeat c-section was much easier than my emergency c-section last time. Most importantly, I was fully aware during the surgery, and I remember meeting Daniel and almost everything about his first few days, which was not the case with John's birth. I was off pain medications and sleeping in my own bed by a week postpartum, which was a major improvement from last time. Now at three weeks postpartum, I am still fairly limited in my activity; a big day for me includes showering, either picking John up or dropping him off at school (but rarely both), maybe meeting my parents for lunch (so they can help with the carseat), unloading/loading the dishwasher, and taking care of Daniel for the day. Any more than that and I start to get a little sore! Still, I have noticed great improvement in the last couple of days, so I hope things continue to improve quickly. I have lost 19 pounds with 11 to go (and hope that a few more pounds will come off on their own!), and I am a bit impatient to start exercising again and getting back to normal! I think I will be taking around 5 more weeks off before returning to work, and I plan to enjoy every moment with my baby!
Daniel Benjamin Will was born July 10th, at 10:51 pm. I still had 10 days before I was scheduled for my c-section, but I went into labor and my water broke around 8pm that evening, so that was it! He was 6 pounds, 12 ounces, and 19 inches long. We stayed in the hospital until Saturday July 14th, then came home to become a family of four!
Danny has been a great baby from the day he was born! He is quiet and sleepy and rarely cries, unless he is really hungry, and then he will let you know! He is pretty easy-going almost all the time, and sometimes we hardly even know there's a baby in the house! At six days old, he dropped one of his night feedings, and has been eating at 11pm, between 2-4am, and at 7am ever since. Despite a bit of gassiness and a few spit-ups, he has not shown any major signs of reflux like his big brother so far, so we are thankful for that! He does look a lot like John, as many people have commented on. He is a beautiful baby, and I just love his hair, which is very blonde!
Other milestones so far:
Weight at 6 days old: 6 pounds, 3 ounces
Weight at 13 days old: 6 pounds, 15 ounces
Weight at 20 days old: 7 pounds, 12 ounces
He rolled over last night at exactly 3 weeks old, from tummy to back. He got his arm under him once and got stuck, so I rolled him back. Then he got his other arm under him, and actually got enough power to push all the way over. Who knows if this is a fluke, but it was pretty exciting! He has pretty strong neck and arm muscles for his age, so it makes sense that he would be able to do that, though I think it is still pretty early!
He is kind of a lazy eater, though, like he forgets he's eating. This is a big change from John, who just gulped down his bottles from day one, eating a full two ounces every three hours even in the hospital. Daniel is the opposite - we had to work really hard to get him to take half an ounce every four hours. The nurses told us that was the absolute minimum intake, and we had to do everything we could think of to get him to take even that little bit. This has continued at home. Even though he is now eating 3-4 ounces every 3 hours, it takes a while, and if we aren't patient enough, coaxing and coaching him to take a full feeding, we pay for it at the next one when he's too hungry! I want to tell him, "Look, I told you to wake up and eat at the last feeding, don't blame me!" :)
The rest of the family is doing well. Andy was able to stay home from work for two weeks, which we really needed as I recovered from my c-section. He has been back to work for a week now, but (as always) is equally helpful around the house, with meals, and with both boys. He's such a great dad and husband. He is still working for Amazon, and they are moving into their new office today.
John is doing well. He loves his brother and doesn't seem to mind that our attention is divided. He is helpful and pretty understanding of our temporary limitations. That doesn't mean he is always easy - he IS four years old, after all, and there is a certain amount of sassy talk and willful disobedience as he tries to assert his independence. However, we don't notice any more of this behavior now than we did a month ago, it's just a little harder to handle when you've also got a newborn in the house!
I am doing well in my c-section recovery. I elected to have a repeat c-section so I could guarantee that I wouldn't labor for hours and still end up with a c-section, and I am so happy I made the decision I did. The repeat c-section was much easier than my emergency c-section last time. Most importantly, I was fully aware during the surgery, and I remember meeting Daniel and almost everything about his first few days, which was not the case with John's birth. I was off pain medications and sleeping in my own bed by a week postpartum, which was a major improvement from last time. Now at three weeks postpartum, I am still fairly limited in my activity; a big day for me includes showering, either picking John up or dropping him off at school (but rarely both), maybe meeting my parents for lunch (so they can help with the carseat), unloading/loading the dishwasher, and taking care of Daniel for the day. Any more than that and I start to get a little sore! Still, I have noticed great improvement in the last couple of days, so I hope things continue to improve quickly. I have lost 19 pounds with 11 to go (and hope that a few more pounds will come off on their own!), and I am a bit impatient to start exercising again and getting back to normal! I think I will be taking around 5 more weeks off before returning to work, and I plan to enjoy every moment with my baby!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Reasoning
Grammy brought back a stuffed cow from Wisconsin for Baby Brother.
John: Oh, it's a cow because cheese comes from cows, and Packers come from Wisconsin, and Packers wear cheese hats!
---
John: I wish I could sit in the front seat.
Me: Oh, you can't. Do you remember why? We talked about it a couple of weeks ago.
John: Because of the airbags!
Me: That's right! You have a good memory. Are you going to teach Baby Brother how to have a good memory?
John: Yep. It's easy! You just think and think and think until you get to the think in the past, and then you just remember it.
---
(trying on a basketball-style sleeveless ASU shirt, frowning)
My arms are too long for this shirt. It feels weird.
John: Oh, it's a cow because cheese comes from cows, and Packers come from Wisconsin, and Packers wear cheese hats!
---
John: I wish I could sit in the front seat.
Me: Oh, you can't. Do you remember why? We talked about it a couple of weeks ago.
John: Because of the airbags!
Me: That's right! You have a good memory. Are you going to teach Baby Brother how to have a good memory?
John: Yep. It's easy! You just think and think and think until you get to the think in the past, and then you just remember it.
---
(trying on a basketball-style sleeveless ASU shirt, frowning)
My arms are too long for this shirt. It feels weird.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Early summer funnies
John: (hearing Grammy mention bundt cake) Butt cake? Ewww!
--
Me: Now you need to go right to sleep for Grammy and Pa, because if you don't get enough sleep you will be cranky tomorrow, and we don't want you to be cranky because it's Father's Day tomorrow.
John: Yeah. And it's about love, not cranky.
--
June-July newsletter from preschool
John is excelling very well with his worksheets and name writing, we are so proud of him! He also enjoys reading books and doing flash cards with the class. He likes to play outside and dance around, he enjoys any thing that allows him to get up and move! He is so full of energy.
Yep. They've got that right! :)
--
Me: Now you need to go right to sleep for Grammy and Pa, because if you don't get enough sleep you will be cranky tomorrow, and we don't want you to be cranky because it's Father's Day tomorrow.
John: Yeah. And it's about love, not cranky.
--
June-July newsletter from preschool
John is excelling very well with his worksheets and name writing, we are so proud of him! He also enjoys reading books and doing flash cards with the class. He likes to play outside and dance around, he enjoys any thing that allows him to get up and move! He is so full of energy.
Yep. They've got that right! :)
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Afternoon entertainment
John, speaking into his toy microphone
Coming up next, Broadway Showstopper!
This is the costume for the Broadway show!
Welcome to..Palm theAYtre!!
To start the show, we need to sing a song.
So mommy, start the show with your Broadway friends!
But remember, be quiet, this is the theAYtre.
Coming up next, Broadway Showstopper!
This is the costume for the Broadway show!
Welcome to..Palm theAYtre!!
To start the show, we need to sing a song.
So mommy, start the show with your Broadway friends!
But remember, be quiet, this is the theAYtre.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
April/May preschool newsletter
"John is still our little smartie, and his vocabulary is expanding very quickly. He has mastered his letter tracing and is now working on his free hand writing. He is doing a great job! He loves to play with the cars and run around outside. We just love having him in our class!"
---
Me: John, do you see that doggie over there? He is brown and chocolate-colored. If we had him, what would you name him?
John: Chocolate Christopher
---
Me: John, do you see that doggie over there? He is brown and chocolate-colored. If we had him, what would you name him?
John: Chocolate Christopher
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Important number
Me: What number was your worksheet on today?
John: 12. Like Aaron Rodgers.
--
Me (to Andy): I am so excited about Hunger Games!
John: Me too! Can I play a Hunger Game???
John: 12. Like Aaron Rodgers.
--
Me (to Andy): I am so excited about Hunger Games!
John: Me too! Can I play a Hunger Game???
Friday, March 16, 2012
He's so sweet
I had an audition tonight, and for the first time I explained to John what that meant. "There is a singing job, and there are lots of people who want it. I am going to go sing for them and see if they like my singing. If they don't like it, that's OK, if they do then they will give me some singing work."
Several hours later, I come in after my audition and he runs up to me, "Mommy, how was your singing? Did the people like your singing????"
SO sweet that he remembered on his own, and remembered to ask.
Then later I was putting him to bed, and Andy was sick and didn't join us. We started to say prayers, but John interrupted me and said "And one more prayer for Daddy because he's sick."
He's such a caring little guy.
Several hours later, I come in after my audition and he runs up to me, "Mommy, how was your singing? Did the people like your singing????"
SO sweet that he remembered on his own, and remembered to ask.
Then later I was putting him to bed, and Andy was sick and didn't join us. We started to say prayers, but John interrupted me and said "And one more prayer for Daddy because he's sick."
He's such a caring little guy.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Sounds like...
John: I see a clover on that building. It's there all the time.
Me: That's right, not just for St. Patrick's Day. That means it's Irish.
John: What does Irish mean?
Me: That means it's from Ireland. Ireland is a country near England.
John: Does Iron Man live there?
---
(both of us singing from the Muppets): "I've got the whole wide world in the palm of my hand."
John: Mommy, what's a palm?
Me: (showing him)
John: Oh, my foot has a palm too. (pats the bottom of his foot)
Me: Yes, that's called the sole.
John: Like this? (sings pirate song) "Shiver my timbers, shiver my soul"
---
Watching the Muppet movie, I pointed out that Jack Black in the movie was also in one of John's favorite episodes of "Yo Gabba Gabba". He said, "Oh I love Jack in the Black!"
--
Speaking of, here are some of John's name ideas for his baby brother:
Aragorn
Jack
Jack in the Black
Jonas
Ponas
George
George of the Jungle
Jock of the Jungle
Me: That's right, not just for St. Patrick's Day. That means it's Irish.
John: What does Irish mean?
Me: That means it's from Ireland. Ireland is a country near England.
John: Does Iron Man live there?
---
(both of us singing from the Muppets): "I've got the whole wide world in the palm of my hand."
John: Mommy, what's a palm?
Me: (showing him)
John: Oh, my foot has a palm too. (pats the bottom of his foot)
Me: Yes, that's called the sole.
John: Like this? (sings pirate song) "Shiver my timbers, shiver my soul"
---
Watching the Muppet movie, I pointed out that Jack Black in the movie was also in one of John's favorite episodes of "Yo Gabba Gabba". He said, "Oh I love Jack in the Black!"
--
Speaking of, here are some of John's name ideas for his baby brother:
Aragorn
Jack
Jack in the Black
Jonas
Ponas
George
George of the Jungle
Jock of the Jungle
Monday, March 12, 2012
Early March
(playing dress-up)
"I'm not the Green Lantern, I'm the Hungry Joker. He jokes about peanut pie, he says it's good but it's not. He takes food in all kinds of baskets, like this one, and this one, and also picnic baskets. He takes picnic baskets away from people. He seems like the meanest guy ever, but in the middle of the movie he turns nice."
--
John and I were building towers with his blocks, which are alphabet blocks that also have ASU and Sparky on them. Then we talked about the letters and what words start with those letters. Then he realized "Sparky doesn't start with M" and started joking with me, saying things like,
L
Lion
Lollipop
Lamb
Larky! (giggles)
Q
Quarter
Queen
Quail
Quarky!
He thought he was totally hilarious.
--
John's big idea: "And after I move into my big boy room, maybe the baby can move into my room."
Yes, that's a great idea, so glad you thought of it!
--
(talking about going to children's theatre show with me, Grandma and cousins)
"There will be 3 kids and only 2 grown-ups! Whoa!! So we will have to be really nice because there are more kids than grown-ups! And one of the grown-ups has a baby in her!"
Thank you for giving yourself the good-behavior speech I was about to give!
--
(after passing a homeless person resting on an outdoor picnic table)
"I never saw real dead before."
That opened up a nice conversation about those less fortunate.
--
It's always nice to hear him using our expressions.
"By the way, Mommy, my teacher put sunscreen on me. By the way."
--
He also thinks he is extremely clever when using his new Spanish words.
"Mommy, can I have a...manzana for dessert?" (smug grin)
"I'm not the Green Lantern, I'm the Hungry Joker. He jokes about peanut pie, he says it's good but it's not. He takes food in all kinds of baskets, like this one, and this one, and also picnic baskets. He takes picnic baskets away from people. He seems like the meanest guy ever, but in the middle of the movie he turns nice."
--
John and I were building towers with his blocks, which are alphabet blocks that also have ASU and Sparky on them. Then we talked about the letters and what words start with those letters. Then he realized "Sparky doesn't start with M" and started joking with me, saying things like,
L
Lion
Lollipop
Lamb
Larky! (giggles)
Q
Quarter
Queen
Quail
Quarky!
He thought he was totally hilarious.
--
John's big idea: "And after I move into my big boy room, maybe the baby can move into my room."
Yes, that's a great idea, so glad you thought of it!
--
(talking about going to children's theatre show with me, Grandma and cousins)
"There will be 3 kids and only 2 grown-ups! Whoa!! So we will have to be really nice because there are more kids than grown-ups! And one of the grown-ups has a baby in her!"
Thank you for giving yourself the good-behavior speech I was about to give!
--
(after passing a homeless person resting on an outdoor picnic table)
"I never saw real dead before."
That opened up a nice conversation about those less fortunate.
--
It's always nice to hear him using our expressions.
"By the way, Mommy, my teacher put sunscreen on me. By the way."
--
He also thinks he is extremely clever when using his new Spanish words.
"Mommy, can I have a...manzana for dessert?" (smug grin)
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Gender differences
We are getting ready to find out the gender of the new baby, and John is very excited! We told him there is a special camera to look inside my belly to see if it's a boy or a girl. Being a boy, he didn't need to be told what we would be looking for on a boy, he figured that one out himself and mentioned it casually. But then he went on to say "I don't think it's a girl, Mommy. When you showed me the picture of the baby in your tummy [12-week ultrasound], I didn't see any ponytails on the baby."
Valentine's Day
John has been so excited about Valentine's Day. He picked out Star Wars valentines, mostly so he could give one with Princess Lea on it to his little girlfriend, Leah. He also talked about what he was going to wear so he would look handsome, and what dress Leah might wear.
This is the conversation we had yesterday. Each sentence was sweeter or funnier than the last.
John: I told Leah that I maked her Valentine the most special.
Me: Aww, that's sweet. Did you like her Valentine's dress?
John: Yes. It wasn't the brown one with the pink flowers but it was still pretty.
Me: Aw, that's nice. What did you eat at your Valentine's party?
John: I can't remember. I can't remember that because I can only remember my dream.
Me: What dream?
John: The dream I had during my nap at school.
Me: What was the dream?
John: That I was grown up and me and Leah were married and we were kissing and I gave her flowers.
Me: Aww, that's nice. I bet that was a nice dream.
John: I'm going to do that straight when I grow up. (he means "right away when I grow up")
(pause)
John: Mommy, when I'm grown up, will you buy me a really big shirt that is handsome so that Leah will think I am handsome and will marry me?
Me: Well, I'm sure when you grow up you will have lots of nice shirts. But John, don't forget, more than being handsome, it's more important to be...
John: Nice.
Me: Right. So just make sure you're nice and Leah will like you just fine.
John: But she already said she wouldn't marry me.
Me: ...
John: (dramatic sigh) I just can't believe Leah said she wouldn't marry me.
Me: Well, it's OK. I'm sure when you grow up, you will meet a nice girl who loves you and you love her and you will get married and be very happy.
John: But Leah is the only girl that I love!
Me: Well, you're only three now. When you are grown up, you might love another girl. (changed the subject because I couldn't take any more!)
This is the conversation we had yesterday. Each sentence was sweeter or funnier than the last.
John: I told Leah that I maked her Valentine the most special.
Me: Aww, that's sweet. Did you like her Valentine's dress?
John: Yes. It wasn't the brown one with the pink flowers but it was still pretty.
Me: Aw, that's nice. What did you eat at your Valentine's party?
John: I can't remember. I can't remember that because I can only remember my dream.
Me: What dream?
John: The dream I had during my nap at school.
Me: What was the dream?
John: That I was grown up and me and Leah were married and we were kissing and I gave her flowers.
Me: Aww, that's nice. I bet that was a nice dream.
John: I'm going to do that straight when I grow up. (he means "right away when I grow up")
(pause)
John: Mommy, when I'm grown up, will you buy me a really big shirt that is handsome so that Leah will think I am handsome and will marry me?
Me: Well, I'm sure when you grow up you will have lots of nice shirts. But John, don't forget, more than being handsome, it's more important to be...
John: Nice.
Me: Right. So just make sure you're nice and Leah will like you just fine.
John: But she already said she wouldn't marry me.
Me: ...
John: (dramatic sigh) I just can't believe Leah said she wouldn't marry me.
Me: Well, it's OK. I'm sure when you grow up, you will meet a nice girl who loves you and you love her and you will get married and be very happy.
John: But Leah is the only girl that I love!
Me: Well, you're only three now. When you are grown up, you might love another girl. (changed the subject because I couldn't take any more!)
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Advanced concept for three and a half
I think this is the thesis statement of a comparative essay...
(discussing Star Wars stickers)
Andy: The clones started out good, and then they became bad.
John: No, I think they were bad and then were good, just like Jean Valjean. Or the Grinch. Or Scrooge.
(discussing Star Wars stickers)
Andy: The clones started out good, and then they became bad.
John: No, I think they were bad and then were good, just like Jean Valjean. Or the Grinch. Or Scrooge.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Early February
February-March newsletter from school: "John is so smart and a pleasure to have in our class. He enjoys reading books and playing with puzzles. He has even mastered tracing his first and last names, such a clever little guy!"
---
Grandpa: Guess what, John? Tomorrow I am going to a special golf game, and I am going to get to watch golf all day!
John: All day??? That sounds boring. (pronounced bo-ing)
---
We were watching Dolphin Tale at the movies, and John was getting wiggly at the end of it, so I told him he could hop up on my lap for the end of the movie. He did, then hopped right back off, and whispered "I don't want to squish the baby!" and then kissed my tummy. He is so ready to be a big brother!
---
Grandpa: Guess what, John? Tomorrow I am going to a special golf game, and I am going to get to watch golf all day!
John: All day??? That sounds boring. (pronounced bo-ing)
---
We were watching Dolphin Tale at the movies, and John was getting wiggly at the end of it, so I told him he could hop up on my lap for the end of the movie. He did, then hopped right back off, and whispered "I don't want to squish the baby!" and then kissed my tummy. He is so ready to be a big brother!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Recent funnies
(starts dancing as we leave a restaurant)
"DIS IS THE feeAYter! WATCH ME DANCING! YOU HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND WATCH AT THE feeAYter!!!!
--
We have a tradition during family dinners for each family member to answer 3 questions about the day: What was your favorite thing about today? What was your least favorite? What do you hope happens tomorrow?
Recently, we all took a turn, and John thought Ollie should have a turn.
"Ollie's favorite part of the day was when we snuggled and watched Tarzan. He doesn't remember that that was yesterday not today, because he's a dog.
Ollie's not favorite part of the day was when we played with the orange balloon because he was scared.
Ollie hope tomorrow happens that we don't play with the orange balloon tomorrow!"
--
John has his first girlfriend! "Leah is my best friend. She is like Sleeping Beauty and I am like Prince Philip and we get married. This is how Leah kisses (kisses me on the cheek) because you have to kiss when you get married. Mommy, when I am grown up, you have to remind me where Leah lives so I can go to her house and rescue her. Because that's what princes do, rescue princesses."
--
Mispronunciations that are on their way out that I will miss:
Eye catch = Eye patch
Miss Sneffanie = Miss Stephanie
Mispronunciations that are still in full effect:
Chickmunk = Chipmunk
Naybe = Maybe
Asscited = Excited
Miss Kenzie = Mackenzie
New catchphrases:
"I'm so asscited! I can't wait!"
"That's so cute"
"I know that, but..." proceeds to try to talk us into his point of view.
--
He still says he wants a Thor birthday party when he turns four. He can't say the TH sound yet, so it comes out For. So he thinks he is being super clever. "Do you fink that is a great idea? I will have a FOR party when I'm FOUR!"
"DIS IS THE feeAYter! WATCH ME DANCING! YOU HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND WATCH AT THE feeAYter!!!!
--
We have a tradition during family dinners for each family member to answer 3 questions about the day: What was your favorite thing about today? What was your least favorite? What do you hope happens tomorrow?
Recently, we all took a turn, and John thought Ollie should have a turn.
"Ollie's favorite part of the day was when we snuggled and watched Tarzan. He doesn't remember that that was yesterday not today, because he's a dog.
Ollie's not favorite part of the day was when we played with the orange balloon because he was scared.
Ollie hope tomorrow happens that we don't play with the orange balloon tomorrow!"
--
John has his first girlfriend! "Leah is my best friend. She is like Sleeping Beauty and I am like Prince Philip and we get married. This is how Leah kisses (kisses me on the cheek) because you have to kiss when you get married. Mommy, when I am grown up, you have to remind me where Leah lives so I can go to her house and rescue her. Because that's what princes do, rescue princesses."
--
Mispronunciations that are on their way out that I will miss:
Eye catch = Eye patch
Miss Sneffanie = Miss Stephanie
Mispronunciations that are still in full effect:
Chickmunk = Chipmunk
Naybe = Maybe
Asscited = Excited
Miss Kenzie = Mackenzie
New catchphrases:
"I'm so asscited! I can't wait!"
"That's so cute"
"I know that, but..." proceeds to try to talk us into his point of view.
--
He still says he wants a Thor birthday party when he turns four. He can't say the TH sound yet, so it comes out For. So he thinks he is being super clever. "Do you fink that is a great idea? I will have a FOR party when I'm FOUR!"
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