Friday, December 31, 2010

December 2010 Tidbits


As Ry mentioned, Tess is very inclusive when it comes to holiday greetings. Periodically she wishes us a "Happy Hanukkah." Convinced she had no idea what she was talking about, Ryan asked Tess, "What is Hanukkah anyway?" Her response, "Dad, it's a CELEBRATION!"

Today we were setting up our nativity scene and Tess was delighted to find the little baby Jesus. She ran over and showed him to baby Drew. "Look, baby brother! It's you!"

Today Tess told me she wanted to wear her tuba so she could do her dancing. Tutu, Tess. Tutu.

Most oft-heard refrain since Dipsy left yesterday: "Who will be my friend? No one will be my friend! [Insert sob.]"

When Tess was playing with Drew today, she told me: "Mom, sometimes I call him Little Peanut. Hi, Little Peanut!" I have no idea how she came up with that nickname. Ryan sometimes calls Drew "Buddy," which makes Tess mad because "his name is Drew, not Buddy." My terms of endearment include "Drewser," "Drew Drop," and "Snoozy Drewzy."

Tess informed us that her Baby Elmo needed some milk from her "breft." Ry & I looked at each other and waited to see what she'd do next. She lifted up her shirt and fed Baby Elmo all through dinner. Kind of sad to report that she's been more successful at breftfeeding than I have.

Tess came up with a new "Baby Jesus" game:
"Mom, I be Baby Jesus in baby brother's swing. You and Drew be the wisemens. You bring me something."
"You mean how the wisemen brought Baby Jesus gifts?"
"Yes. Bring me gifts!"

Today when Tess asked what we are going to do today, I told her we could go to the library. She got very still and started shifting her eyes from one side of the room to the other. When I asked what she was doing she said, "I'm thinking about the library with my eyes." Has it really been that long since we left the house?

After a matter-of-fact anatomy lesson during Drew's diaper change, Tess has made a slight modification to baby brother's nickname "Little Peanut." She also just informed me that Baby Jesus has a penis. Someone help me.

"Mom, what Dad's body look like?"
"Like Baby Brother's. Dad's a boy too."

Tess: "Dad, where we go today?"
Ryan: "Should we go to the North Pole to visit Santa?"
Tess: "No, he live in another building. It's too cold."

"Mom, I call baby brother a different name. I don't like Drew the best. I like Dylan! Let's call him Dylan, OK?"

Tess' eyes got all sparkly when she saw our the first snowflakes of the season coming down outside. "I build a SNOWMAN, Mom!" I explained that we'd have to wait until there was a lot of snow for a snowman. "OK, Mom. I wait outside."

Drew was down for a nap, and Tess & I were getting ready to go play in the snow. When I heard Drew starting to cry, I said with some frustration: "Jeez, Tess, baby brother is crying again!" She replied, "It's OK, Mom. It's OK. Babies are supposed to cry and sleep."

Today Tess got her first taste of Primary when her Nursery class visited singing time.
Tess: "I go to PRIMARY, Mom!"
Me: "Wow! What did you do in Primary?"
Tess: "We sit in chairs!"
Yep--that's about right.

Tess had a crushing realization today: "I no have a chimney for Santa!"

After Tess and I finished eating at a fast food place, I asked her, "Are you ready to go?"
Tess' reply: "I wanna finish my story."

After Tess and I finished our custard at a frozen custard shop, I stood up and asked her, "Are you ready to go home?"
Tess' response: "I wanna talk to you first."

Tess and I were painting when she suddenly exclaimed, "That's HUGE!"
Ryan: "Tessie, what does huge mean?"
Tess' excited answer: "It means 'Oh my gosh!'"

Tess received a new teddy bear for Christmas from Santa. As we drove home tonight, we asked her, "Tess, what is your teddy bear's name?" Tess replied, "Kwanzaa, because he's like a Kwanzaa!"

Tess got a toy laptop for Christmas from Nana and Papa that she calls her "lil puter." She's been telling me: "Mom, check this out! It is SO COOL!" Visions of her teenage years have been flashing in front of me. Today she said, "Baby brother wants to play with my video game."

Today Tess and I were ballet dancing and I started humming. Tess: "What song is that?"
Me: "It's a song from 'The Nutcracker.'"
Tess: "The sweet one?"
Me: "Yes, from 'The Nutcracker Suite.'"

A cute song Tess has been singing: "Mom and Dad and Baby Brother, that's my fam-i-ly! That's my fam-i-ly! That's my fam-i-ly!"

Tess had her second visit to Primary today. Her report: "We sit in other chairs!"

Tess' description of a light-up spinner toy she received for Christmas from Santa: "It's the weird thing I ever seen." (I think she intended to say "weirdest.")

After seeing the booties, stocking cap, and bib made by Maureen for Drew, Tess commented: "Maureen made these. I saw it yesterday on the 'puter. I like these stuff."

The other evening Tess put on Miriam's shoes and started clomping around.
Tess: "These are the shoes that I wear to bed."
Miriam: "I don't think those are your shoes."
Tess: "They fit me fine."

As I put on my winter coat last night, Tess looked at me and asked: "Where're you going, Dad?"
Ryan: "To take out the garbage, Tess."
Tess: "All right. I have to stay here in Virginia."

We've taught Tess that she should say "Excuse me" when she burps at the dinner table, and she's become very consistent in following the practice. At dinner tonight, she looked at me after I hiccuped. "Say 'scuse me, Dad," she said. I replied, "Why? Did you burp?" She responded, "Just you."

I'm wishing Drew didn't find the bath such a [bowel] moving experience.

On Christmas Eve, Nana gave Tess a small sugar angel from our Buche de Noel dessert. Instead of eating it, Tess has been playing with it like a toy doll. Today we were playing dollhouse and Tess brought the angel out for a "visit."
My doll said to Tess' angel: "Oh hi, welcome to our house! Where are you from?"
Tess' angel replied: "I'm from God."
Touche.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Signs of the Season


You can tell it's almost Christmas when...

The first snowflakes of the season start to fall;

The house is decorated with snowmen; 


You have to watch your back for snowballs; 

Tess makes a "gingy" house with Nana & Mom; 

All the decorations on the gingy house start to disappear; 

Ryan gets to be home with us; 

The wisemen bring gifts and roast marshmallows; 

Miriam actually makes Drew his own blankie; and

Babies break out their winter boots.

Merry Christmas--it's almost here!  

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Drew Wishes His Dipsy a Very Happy Birthday














Hugs and soft baby kisses!

Three-Year-Old Tess

Tess was very excited about her birthday this year.  This is the first year that she really understands what birthdays are all about, and she was ready for a party!  Thanks to the big help of family and friends, she had a great birthday, in spite of all the chaos that's been going on here.


Tess' birthday happened also to be the day we had to take Drew to his appointment at National Children's Medical Center.  Tess spent the day exhausting (I mean playing with) Nana and Papa.  Nana made sure Tess' birthday itinerary was packed full of fun activities, including making Christmas cookies, a snowman craft, and lots and lots of dollhouse playtime.

When we got back, Nana threw a festive birthday party in Tess' honor which included all of the elements Tess believes are requisite for a proper party (balloons, party hats, cake and presents).  Nana outdid herself with Tess' favorite dinner (mac & cheese and asparagus) and one heck of a birthday cake!









Tess got some darling clothes and a sweet book from Nana & Papa, and her Calico Critters set from Dipsy & Papa was a big hit.  (I've been playing "Kitty Kitchen" nonstop ever since.)





The next day, my friend Natalie let me bring cupcakes to Tess' playschool so she could have a mini-celebration with her friends.  They loved their Hello Kitty treats and ran around the living room in circles to burn off all the extra sugar.


While Dipsy was here, she also bought Tess a new bookshelf for her birthday.  I LOVE the way the kids' room turned out.  Dipsy made the cutest custom curtains for the room--I couldn't imagine them any cuter!  She also made matching bedskirts for the crib and bed.  I love the fabrics and the way she tied everything together.  It's a delightful space to be in.







Tess has been relishing this creative Dipsy idea, too.  Dipsy brought Tess her own little Christmas tree with one tiny ornament to open each night before Christmas.  Tess is actually excited to get ready for bed when we remind her that she gets to open an ornament.  

This, coincidentally, is also the table that I fell off of and sprained my ankle when Drew was a week old.  "Mommy jumped and knocked over my Christmas tree."  Have I not told that story yet?  Probably best that way.  It's been a long month.


One more Dipsy project:  a stocking for Drew.  Luckily I had the foresight to buy an extra stocking and letters when I made these a few years ago...just in case.


Monday, December 13, 2010

Nearly Three

Tess has one more night of being 2 years old.  She's more than ready to turn 3, especially since she figured out how to hold 3 fingers up on one hand.  ("Pinkie down, thumb on top!")



In her 3-year-old-birthday dress.

This clip is of Tess singing "Slippery Fish," which she learned in her nursery class.  The song recounts the precariousness of life in the open sea, though she gets the order of the food chain a little mixed up sometimes.  (When she watched this she said, "Oh no, Mom!  I forgot the tuna fish!")

Thanks for this song, Mom!  I need to stop listening to it because it's making me cry.


Happy Birthday to our big girl, Shnug!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Two Weeks & Two Days



Monday, December 6, 2010

Baby Brother