Tuesday, May 31, 2011

May 2011 Tidbits


Another Tess mispronunciation that is too cute to correct: "3, 2, 1---Blast star!"

Today Tess and I spotted a box turtle hiding in the ivy in our backyard. While watching it crawl, I mused, "I wonder what kind of turtle it is." Tess replied: "Maybe a fun turtle." {RKH}

Words Tess can read: Tess, no, off, stop, Toyota, mom, dad.

Today Tess decided she wants to be a "tractor worker" when she grows up. She was very impressed with some utility workers operating heavy machinery on the side of the road. When she asked me if the workers get beds to sleep in, I told her they just buy their own houses and beds. She told me she would just sleep in her tractor. Now that's dedication for you.

I was putting out a few flags out for Memorial Day. Tess' observation: "Hey, I see Obama have a flag like that!"

A new Tess phrase: "I can't believe it!"

I set the sprinkler up for Tess on our first 9o degree day of the year. She started running through the waterdrops when she put out her hands and said, "Oh no, Mom! We gotta go inside! It's raining! Oh, that's the sprinkles. I forgot!"

Tess: "I like to snuggle with Mommy."
Dad: "How come?"
Tess: "Because she's soft."

Tess: "Dad, know what kind of water is my favorite?"
Dad: "I'm not sure."
Tess: "HOTTTTT. I like to take a bath. It's comfty."

On Sunday, a little boy whose family Ryan used to home teach came up to him and said: "Oh, I remember you! Are you off your mission now? Did you have a good mission?" "Is it nice to be alone?" Ryan told him, yes, he was now off his mission and he had a good mission.

Tess was laughing and talking crazy-nonsense to Drew in the car. (That's the best way I can describe it. I'll have to tape it sometime. She's very loud.) Then she started saying something about goldfish. "No, Drew! That's not a goldfish! Mom, Drew thinks that car is a GOLDFISH!"

This (mostly-one-sided) Tess conversation was inspired by an episode of Curious George: "I love snow time because I can have a house of snow. I LOVE igloos! You know I can sleep good? At night I no come inside cuz I just sleep in my igloo so cozy. I not cold cuz I wear my coat to bed. I LOVE snow time! That time after your birthday, Mom? Yes or no? I don't know how to do an igloo. You can help me, Mom? You just watch that show Curious George and you know how to do it. OK? Yes or no? Mom, if you get sick then it SNOWS! That happens. 'Member that, Mom? 'Member last time I get sick in my bed and I come downstairs and it SNOWED! That happened. It do."

Tess has been talking a lot about space lately. A while ago she told me, "You know Dad and I go on walks and we walk on the Earth." This morning she told Ryan: "You know we live on the perfect planet? One planet too cold and one planet too hot. Earth is perfect planet." She must have heard this on TV, but I can't tell you what show it was. I'm pretty good at tuning them out.

I got both kids out the door, into the car and buckled into their seats. Just as I was ready to pull away from the house, Tess announced: "Yeah! We're home! We made it!"

Disappointed with the holiday offerings between now and 4th of July, Tess has started creating her own holidays, including: Pony Day, Curious George Day, Valentine's Happy Day, and Birdfeeder Day.

Drew has been saying lots of new words like "ba, ba, ma, ma, blah, blah." Tess' interpretation of Drew's incantations: "He's making the room magic."

Today for lunch, Tess told me she wanted a "girled cheese sandwich" because she's a girl. (Another Tess word that could use some pronunciation work.)

Ryan's comment after putting Tess to bed tonight: "How did I get such a zany child?"

Completely random Tess comment: "I'm so get-cited I get baptized!"

After Tess spotted yet another Toyota, I asked Tess why she likes Toyota's: "I like Toyota cuz it has a TOY!"

We switched our TV service over to Verizon FIOS. When Tess saw our new remote control she said, "It just like Nana & Papa's!" She's right--they also have FIOS. I'm sometimes stunned by the things she notices.

I love how Tess calls yogurt, "yo-grit." It's her self-declared favorite snack.

Tess came over to me while I was sitting on the couch. "You know why I come here Mom? I come here for just a little kiss."

"Mom, I three? I still three?" [Big sigh.] "You know I been waiting for four!"

REGRESSION!!! Tess has started wetting her pants all the time now. Even when I make her take regular potty breaks, she's still wet. It doesn't bother her a bit. "It be OK, Mom. It just a little wet, it be OK." I don't have enough pants and underwear and patience to change her 4 times a day.

Tess sidled up to me this morning while I was eating an English muffin for breakfast. She asked for a bite, so I broke her off some pieces. "That OK, Mom? We can share? We can share like the sacrament!"

Tess' response to the television news coverage of Osama bin Laden's death: "Why they keep talking about that guy? Huh. I don't know why."

Last night Tess shared a new expression with me (Ryan): "You can say that again."

We were in the car, and Tess was waving her hands around and mouthing words. "Mom, why that lady at church do this and no sound come out of her mouth?" I guess she's noticed the sign language interpreter during Sacrament meeting.

Tess runs around in circles, hops up and down, and jumps from side to side for 15 minutes before she'll go potty on her own. "Um, Tess, do you need to go potty?" "I sink I'm fine." Drives me crazy!"

"Drewsie, you a little baby doll! You a little baby doll, yes you are!"

Tess spent an hour tonight running around on the deck singing a song of her own creation: "Anything is possible! Anything is possible! Anything is possible!" When Ryan asked her about the song, she said it was a "Tess and Drewsie" song.

Tess' description of the large bubbles that I (Ryan) was blowing this afternoon: "I call these watermelon bubbles."

Ryan: "Tess, did you know that when Daddy was your age, he didn't have videos to watch on TV?"
Tess: "Oh."
Ryan: "Tess, did you also know that when Daddy was your age, he didn't have a computer?"
Tess: "Oh. [Pause] That's sad."

I love how Tess calls her little brother "Drewz."

Friday, May 27, 2011

Well-Child Visit (?)

I took Drew in this week for his 6-month check-up.  I'm pleased to report that Drew is growing like a champ!  He is now 27.5 in long (90th%!), weighs 18 lbs. 4 oz (65th%), and his noggin is 44.5 cm around (70th%).  At this age, Tess was just as long, but 2 lbs. lighter than Drew.

The doctor said Drew is an active, curious, and social baby.  He reaches for everything (the doctor almost lost her stethoscope when she wasn't looking) and he smiles at anyone who says hi to him.  The doctor was also impressed at the extent to which the marbling of his skin has cleared up and faded.  Even the most severe streaky area on his arm has faded considerably.

Drew is a little behind when it comes to gross motor skills.  After Tess, that doesn't come as a huge surprise.  He's still working on sitting up and isn't particularly interested in rolling over.  He is a lot more stable than Tess was at this point, though, so I'm not going to sweat it too much.

One thing that didn't check out too well was his ears--turns out he has an ear infection in his left ear!  I had no idea!  He hadn't been sleeping well at night for a few days, but that's nothing new with him.  The night before the appointment was really bad.  He screamed and screamed from 11 until 1 am, even though I'd fed him a full bottle.  I was so upset and frustrated with him because he just wouldn't sleep!  I felt terrible when I found out about his ear.  My poor Drewsie.  He's on a round of antibiotics now and we're hoping the medicine helps with his sleeping too.

Other than that, he's a happy healthy boy!  Here's video to prove it.  Now would you think this baby has an ear infection?

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Half-Way There

We celebrated Drewsie's 6-month birthday yesterday! It's kind of hard for me to believe, because for some reason I still think of him as a new baby. It's probably because he still doesn't have the nighttime sleeping thing down yet. It just feels like he's been a newborn for a very long time.

But everyone in our house has endured and made it through one half a whole year! That's pretty good!

Once Tess heard the news, party plans were immediately in order.  (She's reminding more and more of you, Meredith!)  Decorations, balloons, coloring and cupcakes fit to celebrate Drew's first half-anniversary.

Happy Birthday, Drewsie Moosie!





For your perusing pleasure, here are a couple hundred pics of Drewsie in his birthday suit right after his bath.  My baby love.

(Try not to gobble the screen, Maureen!)














Apparently, Tess didn't want the party to end after dinner.  She slept in her shades.  When Ry asked her about it in the morning, she said:  "Sleeping with sunglasses is kinda tricky."

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Mom's Day and Movers

I had the BEST Mother's Day ever this year!  I took the day totally off, and that means that I didn't even worry about taking pictures.  

Tess was in "party mode" the whole weekend and took great care to fashion her own Mom's Day decorations (ribbons and fairy coloring pages taped on the walls "because it's Mom/Fairy Day.")   Sunday Ryan and Tess decorated with streamers. (By this point, I think Tess' enthusiasm was starting to wear on Ryan.  In his words, "I think somebody will not be included on the party planning committee next year.")  


Tess & Ryan gave me lovely tulips.  Ryan served crab cakes and fruit salad for lunch and we had AMAZING chocolate cake for dessert.  Best of all, I had a long nap after church.  What more could a Mom ask for?

To make up for the lack of Mom's Day pics, here are a couple million shots that show why I'm such a lucky Momma!













 



But the party doesn't end there!  Last week we got tickets to see one of Tess' favorite music groups, the Imagination Movers in concert in D.C.  They have a show on the Disney channel and Tess loves their songs (and actually Ry & I both like them too).


It was a really fun concert, but boy was it LOUD!!!  We had to scream to talk to each other, and even then we could barely hear each other.  It was all a little much for her at first, but she warmed up and was soon dancing in the aisles.  She was excited to see her two favorite characters, Nina and Warehouse Mouse.



It's too dark to see her, but she's doing some pretty impressive "push-up style" moves on the ground.







And just in case you still need a little more dancing, here are a couple videos from tonight. I was trying to get the kids ready for bed when we thought that Drewie might be trying to roll over, so I grabbed the camera.  Not a whole lot of rolling, but Tessie provides her own unique form of action.



One last clip, because in Tess' words, "it's my favorite."  Which means that she watches it over and over again, laughing hysterically until she can hardly breathe.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Easter: Take 2

OK, the fact that there were no pictures on my blog of the kiddos in their Easter finery was just getting to me.  I get a little antsy when I feel this record is incomplete, so these will have to appease me for a while.

Drew and Tess both wore smocked bunny outfits.  Drew's outfit was from Laura--it was Andrew's Easter outfit at this age.  I love the color.



My sweetie pie Tess was in a pink number with butterfly sleeves from Nana & Papa.


This is my handsome boy in his Easter outfit from Nana & Papa.


I attempted a sibling shot, but the colors were all wonky, so black & white it is!


There.  Happy Easter.  I feel better now.

April 2011 Tidbits

I was looking at new hairstyles on the computer and I told Tess I needed to get my hair cut. Her 2 cents: "Yeah Mom, your hair isn't looking too good."

I asked Tess what she'd like to drink for dinner. Her drink options generally include: water, orange juice, milk, or chocolate milk. Her response: "I sink [think] Dr. Pepper or someping like that."

New Tess phrase: "Mom, you no telling the true."

When Tess was putting on her sandals she said, "You no need socks. You just wear your feet!"

"Mom, you got two arms 'cuz you take care of two people!"

We are proud of our Tessie this Easter Sunday! She gave her first Sacrament performance with the Primary kids. It was a complicated song they hadn't practiced much. We were talking with her about it the night before and she said: "I no sing the right words, but that OK!" We were just proud of her for going up with the other kids with no tears. Then after Sacrament, she gave her first prayer in Primary. I stood next to her, but she said the prayer all by herself. We had practiced "Primary prayers" and she did a great job. She thanked Heavenly Father for Easter and blessed the kids to listen to their teachers.

Backseat-Driver-Tess caught me as I sped up to make it through a yellow light: "Mom, that light yellow and you no slow down! You go back and try again!"

We were hanging outside on the deck while Tess performed musical numbers on her slide. She took a potty break and returned with a bare bottom. When I asked about her pants, she said: "Mom, I need a little sun break." I made her go put on underwear and when she returned, she announced: "I got my pants off and I ready for my talent!"

Tess was very excited because the Easter Bunny comes tonight. Every time I came upstairs after we put her to bed she'd pop her head up. "You're not the Easter Bunny! You're my Mom! I just can't sleep!"

"Drewz, you have the cutest little big eyes!"

Tess saw a No Parking sign: "Mom, why no P's allowed there?"

"Mom, I still three? It taking FOREVER!"

"Mom, you know I call the couch a trampoline?!" That explains the condition of our couch.

Before Ryan left for work, he got Tess dressed, fed her breakfast, fed Drew a bottle and his cereal too. All while I was still in bed. Can we say Super Dad? (Or Mama Slug?)

I was proud of Drewsie last night: I fed him at midnight and I didn't have to feed him again until 5:30 am. Then Ryan told me that the Drew woke HIM up at for a feeding at 2:30! That monkey child!!! What are we going to do with that baby?!

Me: "Tess today we get to go to a petting zoo! It's a place where you can pet animals."
Tess: "Mom, I can pet a LION?!"
Me: "Umm, well, no. You probably won't be able to pet a lion. We'll see what kind of animals they have to pet.
Tess: "OK. Maybe I pet a lion or a doggie or a tiger or someping like that. We'll see what kind. Probably a doggie."

Tess had taken off her shoes in the car, and when I went to unbuckle her seat she handed them to me and said, "Here. You can carry these." I looked at her and she said, "What? You not so get-cited 'bout that?"

An increasingly common Tess phrase: "I so frustrated about that."

Ryan: "Tess, what holiday comes after Easter?"
Tess: "I like the Fourf of July 'cause fireworks make me happy. I like the Fourf of July 'cause I like the music and things like that."

I took Tess to see the high school musical "Seussical" last night. Watching her face as she took it all in, I could tell it was a formative experience for her. Theater may be in our future.

A new word that Tess can read: "TOYOTA." She also recognizes the Toyota logo. She points out Toyotas everywhere we go. I have no idea why.

I love how Tess adds a strip of "green grass" to the bottom of her paintings.
Tess was excited when I told her that I got tickets for Idaho this summer, but then she got a concerned look on her face and said, "But I need a new nehture." I asked her twice what she was talking about and then she said, "I show you, Mom." She took me to her room and pointed to her shelf at the nature shadow box she made a Cousins Camp last year. She showed me where one of display items, a small rock, had fallen out and gotten lost. I assured her we could find a new rock for her Nehture Box at the Wild, Wild Woods this summer, and she seemed very pleased with that idea.

Tess had a small blister on her foot, and I was using the clippers to remove some of the dead skin. She was nervous, so I explained that it was old skin and new skin would grow back in its place. Her comment: "My skin like the snake at the nature center! I get new skin like a snake!" (She saw a snake with its shedded skin at the nature center weeks ago.)

Ryan asked Tess what she thought Drew would like in his Easter basket. He offered some silly suggestions, and Tess said, "No, he's just a baby!" Ryan asked, "So what would Drew like?" Tess replied, "Maybe he like hot water." It is one of two important ingredients in his bottle!

I told Tess a joke tonight and while laughing, she said: "Oh Mom, where I get you from?"

"Drewsie, you a little cannoli!"

Today I surprised Tess when I came around the other side the van to buckle her carseat. I said to her, "Fancy meeting you here!" She laughed and replied in turn, "How can I help you today?" while pretending to tip her hat.

When we walk through the door after being out for a while, Tess frequently says, "Phew! We made it!"

Last Wednesday morning I asked Tess where she was attending preschool that day. (Her preschool rotates among four houses.) At dinner that evening, I asked her the same question. Her answer: "Dad, you already asked me that." The best part: she rolled her eyes during her response. First of thousands to come.

Ryan: "Tess, when I get home from work tonight I want to hear about everything you did in your exercise class."
Tess: "That's a long story for that."

Another fun day of preschool at our house. Tess' friend Cade didn't want to leave when it was time to go home. "I want to be a Botham." [Translation: "I want to be a Higginbotham."]

Tess likes to pull down her eyelid, show her eyeball and say, "Creepy!"

"Mom, Drewsie is a sweetheart. I love to give him kisses. He so fuzzy."
Tess has become aware and concerned now that her clothes "match." She'll take her pants and shirt and lay them out on the floor to see how they look together. She has interesting notions of what "matches," though. She likes to match patterns, so if her pants have a hearts pattern, she'll pull out a shirt covered in hearts. Makes for some pretty psychedelic combinations.

Tess doesn't say "yes" anymore. She says "yep, yep!"

Baby Bootcamp Night #1: One hour of crying before Drew fell asleep.

"Drewey, you a little pickle. And you a little grape too!"
When I shower, I set Drew outside the bathroom in his bouncy seat. Yesterday while I showered, I could hear Tess run up and down the hallway while laughing her head off. When she reached Drew, she'd tell him, " Tag, you're it!" and then dash away.

Ryan told Tess that it is DC Squirrel Week. Laughing, she said,"Maybe they have a parade!"
Tess [laughing hysterically]: "I love my bum, I love my bum, I do! Mom, I show everyone my bum! Just kidding! That a funny joke!" Doctor's assessment of Drew's seal-bark of a cough: "He probably has a cold." So much for that co-pay. Today Tess & I took advantage of 80 degree temperatures and spent the afternoon in Occoquan. We had pie at the Garden Kitchen and looked at Easter & spring decorations in all the stores. On the way home Tess said, "I love Occoquan!" When I asked what was her favorite part of the afternoon, she replied: "I think my favorite part was hiding from you in the bathroom!"

This morning I (Ryan) heard Tess loudly exclaiming, again and again, "I'M ALLLIIIIVVVVVE! I'M ALLLIIIIVVVVVVE! I'M ALLLIIIIVVVVVE! I'M ALIVE AGAIN!" Hers was a spot-on reenactment of a classic movie scene. I asked her about it at breakfast, and she described seeing a bumblebee outside that came back to life.

While washing hands, I explained to Tess that the water helps take the germs away. "Mom, it like water the Metro for germs to go down the pipe!" [Translation: "Mom, it's like the water is a Metro for the germs to ride on down the pipe."]

"Me and my toothbrush are excited for EASTER!"

"Mom, a potty is like a swimming pool for pee pee's." (Sorry for all the potty talk, but it's a consuming topic of conversation these days.)