For those of you that have ever wondered if slurping a noodle as a way of eating it is something that is learned or only done because someone has told you to or you thought your kids would think it funny, here's video proof that it's something that we are just born to do and instinctively know how. Andrew's first noodle experience was with some Lo mein from Pei Wei last Saturday.
He had already eaten several when we decided it was funny enough to video, so here goes:
Andrew's noodle slurping
March 26, 2011
what's this? you know what? and other stuff.
Preschoolers pretty well have their minds set on what they are doing even if they ask a question, it's usually asked as a formality and they continue on with whatever they are doing whether it's telling a story (in the case of "hey, do you know what?") or something they want to do and you've said no, they continue as if you have said yes.
"What's this?" is no different. Today, Alexis asked "what's this" as she was rubbing her finger in bird poop on daddy's car. He said, "next time are you going to ask before you put your fingers in the bird poop?" and she said "no, daddy, what is it?" Daddy very matter-of-factly said "Bird Poop". Freak out ensued. She had already expressed her displeasure with being on the same sidewalk with ants earlier in the day and now she had bird poop on her fingers...she's not really a nature girl. Though she's not a nature girl, she was very happy to start planting some flowers today. I think again it was mostly because she got to squirt water.
In other news for the day, Andrew crashed and burned twice on the floor both times drawing blood b/c his teeth are breaking through. Poor baby. Sadly, on both occasions, had I known that his head was going to have more momentum than his arms were prepared for we probably could have caught him. But later, he and Alexis were staring at each other having a giggling match and he was waving his arms excitedly and gave her a thumbs up. Who knows if it was on purpose or not, but it was sweet.
Speaking of sweet, they took their first sibling bath tonight. No pics of that, but it was funny seeing both of them next to each other with their rubber duckies.
"What's this?" is no different. Today, Alexis asked "what's this" as she was rubbing her finger in bird poop on daddy's car. He said, "next time are you going to ask before you put your fingers in the bird poop?" and she said "no, daddy, what is it?" Daddy very matter-of-factly said "Bird Poop". Freak out ensued. She had already expressed her displeasure with being on the same sidewalk with ants earlier in the day and now she had bird poop on her fingers...she's not really a nature girl. Though she's not a nature girl, she was very happy to start planting some flowers today. I think again it was mostly because she got to squirt water.
In other news for the day, Andrew crashed and burned twice on the floor both times drawing blood b/c his teeth are breaking through. Poor baby. Sadly, on both occasions, had I known that his head was going to have more momentum than his arms were prepared for we probably could have caught him. But later, he and Alexis were staring at each other having a giggling match and he was waving his arms excitedly and gave her a thumbs up. Who knows if it was on purpose or not, but it was sweet.
Speaking of sweet, they took their first sibling bath tonight. No pics of that, but it was funny seeing both of them next to each other with their rubber duckies.
March 19, 2011
Birthday Party Shuffle
Today we had 2 parties, but this time, the 1st party was for one of Alexis' friends and the 2nd was for one of Andrew's.
She wasn't on stellar behavior as the party wound down and didn't get much better at home, so since party number 2 would have been her first as a tag-a-long, she stayed home with Daddy. I don't think she even realized that she missed a party though because she had already been to one for the day.
This was Andrew's first time for an invite to be for him and for him not to be a tag-a-long sibling. He was the 2nd youngest there. Some of his church nursery pals were there. He tried to keep up with older kids that were batting around toys and tried desparately to sneak out the back door... which would have resulted in a surprise head-first trip down to the concrete but he didn't care. He tried and tried but to his dismay never succeeded. He had his 1st 3 bites of cake... I didn't let him have any icing though. That will have to wait for his party.
We got home to learn that Alexis' behavior was greatly improved and she had helped daddy in the yard. She sprayed bushes with water and rode her tricycle while Daddy sprayed our non-grass yard with weed killer/grass feed... hopefully this year our yard be be just that, a yard, and not a weed garden.
So in the morning, the kids were up of course earlier than Daddy and I wanted to be, but this has become a regular occurance for our Saturdays. This morning our family was runnin' on Dunkin'. Then Alexis and I got ready...in bum out clothes. Normally for parties, I try to dress her in at least a cute play outfit, but today we picked a shirt we don't care about and sweatpants because it was an artist party and the invitation said "dress for mess". Alexis doesn't seem to understand that she's a kid and it's ok to get dirty, even though I have told her this many many times. She did get into painting, but if she realized she had paint on herself (anywhere but her face that is) she asked me to wipe it off - immediately. Then she discovered Zoey and Marcella had paint all over their feet and legs and she went and stood in the paint tray...even then she wanted me to clean it off before she would sit down and wait her turn for "paint the tail on the donkey". Over all, she had a fun time and of course did not want to leave and wanted extra cake. She left with a belly full of rainbow cake with purple icing, feet covered in sidewalk chalk, a unicorn magnet with many layers of paint on it that still isn't totally dry, a painted face and a shirt that was relatively clean.
This was Andrew's first time for an invite to be for him and for him not to be a tag-a-long sibling. He was the 2nd youngest there. Some of his church nursery pals were there. He tried to keep up with older kids that were batting around toys and tried desparately to sneak out the back door... which would have resulted in a surprise head-first trip down to the concrete but he didn't care. He tried and tried but to his dismay never succeeded. He had his 1st 3 bites of cake... I didn't let him have any icing though. That will have to wait for his party.
March 15, 2011
Spring Break Fun
It's unfortunate that I did not have my camera with me today because, boy was it crazy!
The morning was normal for the kiddos at least, it was the afternoon that was full of fun. So, Grant's cousin and family are in town and today was our lucky day to visit with them amidst their busy schedule. So we picked Alexis up from preschool between lunch and naptime and told her, "it's time to see your cousin." She was so excited that she shouted to her classmates, "I get to see Leisl; she's my cousin!" Alexis doesn't quite get that Leisl's brother is also her cousin along with Grant's other cousin's kids. Grant's cousins were pretty much like siblings to him growing up. We pick up Andrew from his daycare along the way and continue on to their hotel.
Next stop: McDonald's, but not just any McDonald's. We're going to the Micky D's that's shaped like a big Happy Meal down off of Montfort in Dallas. So, those of us that haven't eaten (everyone except for Alexis and Andrew) eat their food and then the kiddos play and run (and YELL).
Next stop: back to the hotel for some swimming. Alexis and Leisl float around with their life jackets, jump off the side of the pool, ingest way too much nasty chlorinated water until we decide that if we don't get back to the room, they will never make it through dinner. During the time they were being crazy, Andrew decided he was tired of teething and he needed to help the teeth along and banged his gums on the coffee table in the hotel room. Alek got tired of listening to Andrew cry and decided he was going to swim too and forgot to mention when until half an hour after he got down there that Andrew had been screaming. So I went back up to the room and Grant didn't answer the door, so I texted him to learn that Andrew gave up the crying and went to sleep on Grant (maybe that's because he didn't sleep much at all the night before - that's a whole different story). So I head back down to the pool just as it's time for the girls to get out and get dry.
So we head back to the room, for all the kiddos to rinse off and chill out. Andrew woke up upon our entry to the room...so he had a power nap. Bath time was funny because, well, you just can't make up what happens. The girls are cleaning up together, hair getting washed and in the final stages as water is being poured on Leisl's head, Alexis announces, "I peed in that water." We don't know whether she meant the pool, the bathwater or if she had actually peed at all and thought that the water dripping off of her swimsuit was her going potty because she had been good all day about going. Nonetheless, the timing was priceless. So the kids chill, though napping was apparently 100% out of the question as they jabbered.
Next stop Cheesecake Factory! So by this point, I'm nervous that with so much excitement and no naps that dinner may turn into a meltdown, but even with the rather slow and inattentive service, we had a good dinner with kiddos that were well-behaved especially considering how tired they all were and how long we were in the booth. Alexis earned her dessert after being told that she was not going to get any after disobedience during "chill out time". Even Andrew did great even though I don't think he had ever spent so long in his high chair during one sitting. Lucky for me, I guess, that he eats like a bottomless pit so his mouth was pretty occupied with eating and didn't have time to think about screaming. I did walk him around the restaurant once but that was after I finished my dessert and we were waiting for the waitress to cash us out, so all in all it was a success.
They both crashed hard on the drive home; we don't even think Alexis was awake while Daddy brushed her teeth, but it was a great day and the last thing I remember Alexis saying is "When are they going to come to our house so we can play again?"
The morning was normal for the kiddos at least, it was the afternoon that was full of fun. So, Grant's cousin and family are in town and today was our lucky day to visit with them amidst their busy schedule. So we picked Alexis up from preschool between lunch and naptime and told her, "it's time to see your cousin." She was so excited that she shouted to her classmates, "I get to see Leisl; she's my cousin!" Alexis doesn't quite get that Leisl's brother is also her cousin along with Grant's other cousin's kids. Grant's cousins were pretty much like siblings to him growing up. We pick up Andrew from his daycare along the way and continue on to their hotel.
Next stop: McDonald's, but not just any McDonald's. We're going to the Micky D's that's shaped like a big Happy Meal down off of Montfort in Dallas. So, those of us that haven't eaten (everyone except for Alexis and Andrew) eat their food and then the kiddos play and run (and YELL).
Next stop: back to the hotel for some swimming. Alexis and Leisl float around with their life jackets, jump off the side of the pool, ingest way too much nasty chlorinated water until we decide that if we don't get back to the room, they will never make it through dinner. During the time they were being crazy, Andrew decided he was tired of teething and he needed to help the teeth along and banged his gums on the coffee table in the hotel room. Alek got tired of listening to Andrew cry and decided he was going to swim too and forgot to mention when until half an hour after he got down there that Andrew had been screaming. So I went back up to the room and Grant didn't answer the door, so I texted him to learn that Andrew gave up the crying and went to sleep on Grant (maybe that's because he didn't sleep much at all the night before - that's a whole different story). So I head back down to the pool just as it's time for the girls to get out and get dry.
So we head back to the room, for all the kiddos to rinse off and chill out. Andrew woke up upon our entry to the room...so he had a power nap. Bath time was funny because, well, you just can't make up what happens. The girls are cleaning up together, hair getting washed and in the final stages as water is being poured on Leisl's head, Alexis announces, "I peed in that water." We don't know whether she meant the pool, the bathwater or if she had actually peed at all and thought that the water dripping off of her swimsuit was her going potty because she had been good all day about going. Nonetheless, the timing was priceless. So the kids chill, though napping was apparently 100% out of the question as they jabbered.
Next stop Cheesecake Factory! So by this point, I'm nervous that with so much excitement and no naps that dinner may turn into a meltdown, but even with the rather slow and inattentive service, we had a good dinner with kiddos that were well-behaved especially considering how tired they all were and how long we were in the booth. Alexis earned her dessert after being told that she was not going to get any after disobedience during "chill out time". Even Andrew did great even though I don't think he had ever spent so long in his high chair during one sitting. Lucky for me, I guess, that he eats like a bottomless pit so his mouth was pretty occupied with eating and didn't have time to think about screaming. I did walk him around the restaurant once but that was after I finished my dessert and we were waiting for the waitress to cash us out, so all in all it was a success.
They both crashed hard on the drive home; we don't even think Alexis was awake while Daddy brushed her teeth, but it was a great day and the last thing I remember Alexis saying is "When are they going to come to our house so we can play again?"
March 14, 2011
Workin' at the carwash
Daddy decided to wash the cars with Alexis this weekend. She loved it for 2 reasons. 1. She got to wear her swimsuit. 2. She go to use a "sprayer thingy"
She worked oh so hard on the tires for about 2 minutes.
She worked oh so hard on the tires for about 2 minutes.
She squirted
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| She squirted Daddy |
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| They aimed at each other |
She ran up the driveway and asked daddy to "make it rainy again"
She squirted some more.
She helped daddy ring out the wet towel
All of this still did not take off the boogers that we found she had rubbed on the inside of my car window, 
but the outside of our cars are nice and shiny.
but the outside of our cars are nice and shiny.Blame it on the...trees?
So lately when something goes in a way that is less than desireable, I blame it on the trees...Bradford Pear Trees more specifically. For example, they're all nice and blooming now and look pretty and harmless right? WRONG It's raining pollen and little tree blossoms and our noses have become little faucets, we have red puffy eyes and the weather is beautiful so we want to be outside but then the itchy throat sets in. Mean trees. Torturing us with being pretty in the pretty weather and then making us pay. Also, our Bradford Pears are very full, we've had them trimmed, but they are just abundantly full of branches and leaves and blossoms; thus, blocking the sun from the ground below therefore nothing can grow beneath them. The HOA thinks our lawn should be prettier or at least less dead in the places where we don't have weeds and that all the weeds should stop procreating. This was our battle last year. We lost and then it was winter and everything died so it didn't matter, but now the lawns around us are looking nice again and ours...not so much. We are required to have 2 trees in our front yard, so we have not gotten rid of the first problem and we've done lots to get rid of the 2nd problem and they just keep coming back...This is the year to take over the yard and defeat the trees and the weeds so that we can have a yard that the kiddos can enjoy. Wish us luck and send us your green thumb tips and tricks.
getting to be sooooo big
Andrew is quite the bottomless pit...his new foods this weekend have included chicken pot pie, cheese quesadilla (or tor-til-leah as Alexis calls it), and nutrigrain bar....
I left Andrew in the high chair and went to get something while Andrew was eating the nutrigrain bar and this is how I found him:
Later when feeding him his bottle, he still smelled like berries. I don't mind because he can definitely smell worse.
In other news, he can now stand up, clap for himself and then fall down. He creates his own games of fetch with balls that roll around on the floor and he's graduated carseats (still rear facing but not using the carrier much anymore)
I left Andrew in the high chair and went to get something while Andrew was eating the nutrigrain bar and this is how I found him:
Later when feeding him his bottle, he still smelled like berries. I don't mind because he can definitely smell worse.
In other news, he can now stand up, clap for himself and then fall down. He creates his own games of fetch with balls that roll around on the floor and he's graduated carseats (still rear facing but not using the carrier much anymore)
March 2, 2011
Preschool dictionary additions
Perdition: Position as in ballet 1st position, 2nd position
Vamanos: She might be speaking Spanish OR lately, she wants to play her Tinkerbell DOMINOS :)
Vamanos: She might be speaking Spanish OR lately, she wants to play her Tinkerbell DOMINOS :)
February Picture catch up
So my last few posts have not had many pictures because I've just been bad about getting them on the computer and organized, so here we are to catch up.
Alexis during one of the better moments the day she was getting sick...her words "you're a real cut cookie with a long history of breakin' little hearts like the one in me. That's ok see how to do it, put up and do, let's get to it. Take your best shot. Fire awa-ay!" :-)
Alexis during one of the better moments the day she was getting sick...her words "you're a real cut cookie with a long history of breakin' little hearts like the one in me. That's ok see how to do it, put up and do, let's get to it. Take your best shot. Fire awa-ay!" :-)
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| Alexis taking care of sick Andrew |
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| Sneaky baby trying to get the dog. |
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| Belle ready to go to Cinderella's birthday party. |
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| Cowgirl Alexis for Western day at preschool |
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| Shhhh! I found my sister's toys! |
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| yummy Cheerios! |
Fun weekend & sleepy observations
For those of you that don't know, Grant has been super busy with Robotics at school and this was his first weekend "off". So, we went to Winkids and jumped and ran and bounced and played during open play time. Even mommy and daddy did a few flips and ran around and wore ourselves out. As tempting as it was to see if Andrew would like being tossed in the foam pit, the better parenting judgement in our heads won out and we let him play on the soft floor by the mirrors and another baby his age and he was quite content. Besides he's fearless enough already without us encouraging it!
Then it was on to IHOP where kids eat free and they can get pancakes that look like people! Alexis was very excited to have a pancake with a face (made with bananas and grapes b/c she didn't want strawberries) and hair (from yogurt).
Saturday, the morning was fairly uneventful, and then we went to the park and ran and jumped and played and then went to watch the ducks in the duck pond and then went back home to get ready to go to Mema's.
After showering and putting on jammies and packing her bag, this is how Alexis came down the stairs...declaring she was ready to go.
Though the sunglasses were exchanged for her Dora goggles which she wears on her head like a headband fairly often these days because our current favorite cartoon is Rescue Rangers...and this way she can be like Gadget. more information on the Rescue Rangers found here
Alexis and I looked at her clothes/toothbrush together so I knew that we at least had enough clothing to cover what she would need and then she's allowed to put whatever will fit in the back pack that she wants to take as long as she doesn't take anything that mommy has put in out, so we're never quite sure which toys, accessories, and comfort items will end up with her but she has fun with it.
So we met her at church in the morning (again wearing her goggles) and had a fun rest of the day.
Though Alexis wakes up early, she is not a morning person when it comes to the act of getting out of the bed and opening her eyes. She has a tendency to yell if the light is turned on before requesting it to be (whether it's her light or the hall light, if the light bleeds into her room before she's ready, she is not happy). She was very excited when we told her Friday night that she could sleep as long as she wanted on Saturday and wouldn't have to turn on the light until she was ready and then she was coming down to get into bed with us at 7:15 Saturday morning. So we're still working on the concept of "sleeping in" because once she's ready for that light to be on, she's up and at 'em and there is no turning back. I hate to say it, but I think she has officially graduated from a 2 hr to a 1 hr nap which we are still adjusting to.
Then it was on to IHOP where kids eat free and they can get pancakes that look like people! Alexis was very excited to have a pancake with a face (made with bananas and grapes b/c she didn't want strawberries) and hair (from yogurt).
Saturday, the morning was fairly uneventful, and then we went to the park and ran and jumped and played and then went to watch the ducks in the duck pond and then went back home to get ready to go to Mema's.
After showering and putting on jammies and packing her bag, this is how Alexis came down the stairs...declaring she was ready to go.
Though the sunglasses were exchanged for her Dora goggles which she wears on her head like a headband fairly often these days because our current favorite cartoon is Rescue Rangers...and this way she can be like Gadget. more information on the Rescue Rangers found here
Alexis and I looked at her clothes/toothbrush together so I knew that we at least had enough clothing to cover what she would need and then she's allowed to put whatever will fit in the back pack that she wants to take as long as she doesn't take anything that mommy has put in out, so we're never quite sure which toys, accessories, and comfort items will end up with her but she has fun with it.
So we met her at church in the morning (again wearing her goggles) and had a fun rest of the day.
Though Alexis wakes up early, she is not a morning person when it comes to the act of getting out of the bed and opening her eyes. She has a tendency to yell if the light is turned on before requesting it to be (whether it's her light or the hall light, if the light bleeds into her room before she's ready, she is not happy). She was very excited when we told her Friday night that she could sleep as long as she wanted on Saturday and wouldn't have to turn on the light until she was ready and then she was coming down to get into bed with us at 7:15 Saturday morning. So we're still working on the concept of "sleeping in" because once she's ready for that light to be on, she's up and at 'em and there is no turning back. I hate to say it, but I think she has officially graduated from a 2 hr to a 1 hr nap which we are still adjusting to.
March 1, 2011
The thoughts of a child
We often have something that makes us smile or chuckle when Alexis tells us stories or asks about things and when she prays. We try not to laugh, though it can be difficult, because that is what she believes/thinks/feels at the time. An example of this is last night when she prayed before dinner.
"Dear Lord Jesus" long pause "no I'm going to let cookie monster finish" (Andrew was playing with his toy in the background and she could hear it) "No Alexis, you can go ahead"
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for God, Mommy, Andrew, Sadie, she's my dog, Daddy and my balloon that either ran away by itself or popped. Amen"
The balloon she is referring to is the butterfly balloon hat from a previous blog post. It had become deflated and deformed and so it suddenly disappeared from where it had been and she had noticed a little while before.
"Dear Lord Jesus" long pause "no I'm going to let cookie monster finish" (Andrew was playing with his toy in the background and she could hear it) "No Alexis, you can go ahead"
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for God, Mommy, Andrew, Sadie, she's my dog, Daddy and my balloon that either ran away by itself or popped. Amen"
The balloon she is referring to is the butterfly balloon hat from a previous blog post. It had become deflated and deformed and so it suddenly disappeared from where it had been and she had noticed a little while before.
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