"Daddy, who is that? Is that you?""Yes, Rachel, that's me."
"What's that on your yip?"
"It's a mustache."
"A must-stath? Can you wipe it off?"
"No, you don't wipe off a mustache."
"YES! WIPE IT OFF!"
Saturday, February 21, 2009
In which my past comes back to haunt me
"Daddy, who is that? Is that you?""Yes, Rachel, that's me."
"What's that on your yip?"
"It's a mustache."
"A must-stath? Can you wipe it off?"
"No, you don't wipe off a mustache."
"YES! WIPE IT OFF!"
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Two years, eight months
Dear Rachel,
I've been working on this for a couple of days now, so I really didn't forget, I've just been busy. This week you turned 32 months old. You are quickly approaching the big 3, and even more quickly leaving your "toddler" status in the dust.
It has been an incredible journey with you over the past month. You've got some mad language skillz and it's been a lot of fun watching you slog your way through the minefield that is English. You do really well, considering how difficult the language is, and when you get things turned around, we try to help you sort them out.
Your imagination has really taken off this month. When you play you become other people and characters. Your favorites are from "Cars." But your imagination is showing in other ways as well. A few weeks ago, you got up on a Saturday morning, and went to your closet to pull out a diaper. I asked what you were doing, since you were wearing pull ups during the day, and you turned to look at me with a sad expression on your face and said, "Andy peed in his diaper. I need to change him!" We then proceeded to take off Andy's clothes so that you could change his diaper. You also like to play as if you're a dog, making Nana and Dodd put the dog's leash on you to take you for a walk.
Speaking of diapers, the only time you're wearing them now is when you sleep. You wear pull ups almost all day, and haven't had an accident in weeks. You're do a great job of telling us when you have to go potty, and you're even getting into the whole privacy of going to the bathroom now. Most of the time, when you have to go, we'll help you get everything situated, then you'll look at us and say, "Get out, please."
Something else fun this month has been you figuring out relationships. You play with the words and tell us who everyone is now. To Nana: "Dada, is Nana your Mom? Are you Nana? Are you Grandma Connie? Are you Daddy's Mom?" You're getting that each of us has different roles in life, and different names for our roles. You also know what your mother and I do for a living. Mommy teachers the kids at her school and I help teachers fix their computers (if only my job were that easy).
Your Nana and Dodd have become such an important part of your life, I don't know what we, you, or they are going to do when it's time for them to go back to Illinois. We will certainly miss them being around to help out with taking care of you, and I know that you will miss having them around to play with, go for walks, get pushed on the swing, and all of the wonderful things they do with you.
You are so quickly becoming a big girl, and while it's sad for us to see you lose some of your dependency on us, it is also such a joy to watch you learn and play and grown each and every day. We know that you will be a strong, smart, independent little girl, and we can't wait for you to pass on some of those things to your little brother or sister. Things are going to get very interesting in the coming months, but I'm sure that you will adjust like a champ.
We love you very much.
Love,
Daddy
I've been working on this for a couple of days now, so I really didn't forget, I've just been busy. This week you turned 32 months old. You are quickly approaching the big 3, and even more quickly leaving your "toddler" status in the dust.
It has been an incredible journey with you over the past month. You've got some mad language skillz and it's been a lot of fun watching you slog your way through the minefield that is English. You do really well, considering how difficult the language is, and when you get things turned around, we try to help you sort them out.
Your imagination has really taken off this month. When you play you become other people and characters. Your favorites are from "Cars." But your imagination is showing in other ways as well. A few weeks ago, you got up on a Saturday morning, and went to your closet to pull out a diaper. I asked what you were doing, since you were wearing pull ups during the day, and you turned to look at me with a sad expression on your face and said, "Andy peed in his diaper. I need to change him!" We then proceeded to take off Andy's clothes so that you could change his diaper. You also like to play as if you're a dog, making Nana and Dodd put the dog's leash on you to take you for a walk.
Speaking of diapers, the only time you're wearing them now is when you sleep. You wear pull ups almost all day, and haven't had an accident in weeks. You're do a great job of telling us when you have to go potty, and you're even getting into the whole privacy of going to the bathroom now. Most of the time, when you have to go, we'll help you get everything situated, then you'll look at us and say, "Get out, please."
Something else fun this month has been you figuring out relationships. You play with the words and tell us who everyone is now. To Nana: "Dada, is Nana your Mom? Are you Nana? Are you Grandma Connie? Are you Daddy's Mom?" You're getting that each of us has different roles in life, and different names for our roles. You also know what your mother and I do for a living. Mommy teachers the kids at her school and I help teachers fix their computers (if only my job were that easy).
Your Nana and Dodd have become such an important part of your life, I don't know what we, you, or they are going to do when it's time for them to go back to Illinois. We will certainly miss them being around to help out with taking care of you, and I know that you will miss having them around to play with, go for walks, get pushed on the swing, and all of the wonderful things they do with you.
You are so quickly becoming a big girl, and while it's sad for us to see you lose some of your dependency on us, it is also such a joy to watch you learn and play and grown each and every day. We know that you will be a strong, smart, independent little girl, and we can't wait for you to pass on some of those things to your little brother or sister. Things are going to get very interesting in the coming months, but I'm sure that you will adjust like a champ.
We love you very much.
Love,
Daddy
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Two Years, Seven Months
Dear Rachel,
I fully acknowledge that I have been slacking in my fatherly blogging duties in not writing your letter over the past 5 days, but it seems like every spare moment lately has been spent working on our new deck, which you love, by the way.
So...wow. This month has been absolutely amazing. I'm having trouble deciding where to start. I guess we'll start with Christmas. This, I think, will be the first Christmas you remember. It's certainly this first Christmas that you "got it." You got that Santa was bringing your presents, you got that something special was happening. You helped us decorate our Christmas tree, and you were very intrigued with all of the Christmas lights that were up. Everywhere we drove, when you saw some you'd say, "Ooooh...Kiss-miss yights!" You raked in at Christmas again this year, and loved opening all of your presents. You finally understood that the purpose of ripping off wrapping paper was to get to the present underneath, rather than to play with the wrapping paper.
Nana and Dodd have been here for over a month now, and you absolutely love having them around. We see them almost every day, and I don't know what you're going to do when they go back to Illinois in a couple of months. I don't know what we're going to do. Nana has been instrumental in getting you to eat things that stubborn two year olds don't want to eat, and they've both been really great about helping us with picking you up and entertaining you.
You are such a smart little girl. I can't believe that you already know all of your letters by sight. A couple of months ago, you started spelling things out of the blue. We were in the mall one day, and there was a sign that said "WOW," and you looked at it and said, "Dada! W, O, and more W!" This past month, you've been spelling everything you see. When we get you out of the bath, you spell what's on our shirts - "B-R-O-O-K-L-Y-N!" You spell what's on the cups we drink out of, and you spell out signs on buildings. You love showing off your spelling abilities. You've also started to get the idea behind counting. You've been able to say your numbers up to 10 for a few months now, but you never really knew how to count things. This month, since we've been potty training, we've been having you count the M & M's we give you when you pee in the potty (I know, bad parent for rewarding peeing with candy...but it works). You still get your counting off sometimes, but a lot of the times, you will be able to tell us exactly how many "M's" there are on the counter.
Speaking of potty training, we had a breakthrough about a week ago. We've been trying for months to get you to tell us when you had to go and you never would. Then one day, we started taking you to the potty, and every time you had a dry diaper, we'd add in some M & M's and tell you that you were getting extra for the dry diaper. A couple of days later, you started saying things like, "I don't want to go pee pee in mine diaper," and a day or so after that, you came right up to me and said, "Dada, I need to go make water tinkle." I about fell out of my chair. You've gone a couple of weeks now with very few accidents, but we're still working on the other end. You still don't like to go poop on the potty, but I have a feeling it won't be long.
In addition to your letters, you're trying new words out. Or, rather, new versions of words that you already know. You get past tense now, but still don't know quite how to put things in past tense. The funniest version of this has been when you're trying to ask about something one of us did. It comes out, "Dada, what you do'd?" You also still have trouble with "my" and "mine," because it always comes out something like "where mine shoes go?"
Finally, you discovered your first favorite movie this past month. One day, we decided to put on "Cars" and it was love at first rev. For a week after that, the only things we heard from you was, "I want to watch Co-ars!" "Is dat Yightning Ma-Queen? Is he very nice? Where is Sally? Where is Flo? Is dat Mat-o?" and of course, "Ka-CHOW!" In fact, you were riding your tricycle around (you finally learned to ride it without a push from us - thanks, Nana!) last week saying, "I'm Sally! Call me Sally!" and when you'd ride backward, you'd insist on us calling you Mater.
As always, we can't wait to see what this next month brings. We love you very much.
Love,
Dada
I fully acknowledge that I have been slacking in my fatherly blogging duties in not writing your letter over the past 5 days, but it seems like every spare moment lately has been spent working on our new deck, which you love, by the way.
So...wow. This month has been absolutely amazing. I'm having trouble deciding where to start. I guess we'll start with Christmas. This, I think, will be the first Christmas you remember. It's certainly this first Christmas that you "got it." You got that Santa was bringing your presents, you got that something special was happening. You helped us decorate our Christmas tree, and you were very intrigued with all of the Christmas lights that were up. Everywhere we drove, when you saw some you'd say, "Ooooh...Kiss-miss yights!" You raked in at Christmas again this year, and loved opening all of your presents. You finally understood that the purpose of ripping off wrapping paper was to get to the present underneath, rather than to play with the wrapping paper.
Nana and Dodd have been here for over a month now, and you absolutely love having them around. We see them almost every day, and I don't know what you're going to do when they go back to Illinois in a couple of months. I don't know what we're going to do. Nana has been instrumental in getting you to eat things that stubborn two year olds don't want to eat, and they've both been really great about helping us with picking you up and entertaining you.
You are such a smart little girl. I can't believe that you already know all of your letters by sight. A couple of months ago, you started spelling things out of the blue. We were in the mall one day, and there was a sign that said "WOW," and you looked at it and said, "Dada! W, O, and more W!" This past month, you've been spelling everything you see. When we get you out of the bath, you spell what's on our shirts - "B-R-O-O-K-L-Y-N!" You spell what's on the cups we drink out of, and you spell out signs on buildings. You love showing off your spelling abilities. You've also started to get the idea behind counting. You've been able to say your numbers up to 10 for a few months now, but you never really knew how to count things. This month, since we've been potty training, we've been having you count the M & M's we give you when you pee in the potty (I know, bad parent for rewarding peeing with candy...but it works). You still get your counting off sometimes, but a lot of the times, you will be able to tell us exactly how many "M's" there are on the counter.
Speaking of potty training, we had a breakthrough about a week ago. We've been trying for months to get you to tell us when you had to go and you never would. Then one day, we started taking you to the potty, and every time you had a dry diaper, we'd add in some M & M's and tell you that you were getting extra for the dry diaper. A couple of days later, you started saying things like, "I don't want to go pee pee in mine diaper," and a day or so after that, you came right up to me and said, "Dada, I need to go make water tinkle." I about fell out of my chair. You've gone a couple of weeks now with very few accidents, but we're still working on the other end. You still don't like to go poop on the potty, but I have a feeling it won't be long.
In addition to your letters, you're trying new words out. Or, rather, new versions of words that you already know. You get past tense now, but still don't know quite how to put things in past tense. The funniest version of this has been when you're trying to ask about something one of us did. It comes out, "Dada, what you do'd?" You also still have trouble with "my" and "mine," because it always comes out something like "where mine shoes go?"
Finally, you discovered your first favorite movie this past month. One day, we decided to put on "Cars" and it was love at first rev. For a week after that, the only things we heard from you was, "I want to watch Co-ars!" "Is dat Yightning Ma-Queen? Is he very nice? Where is Sally? Where is Flo? Is dat Mat-o?" and of course, "Ka-CHOW!" In fact, you were riding your tricycle around (you finally learned to ride it without a push from us - thanks, Nana!) last week saying, "I'm Sally! Call me Sally!" and when you'd ride backward, you'd insist on us calling you Mater.
As always, we can't wait to see what this next month brings. We love you very much.
Love,
Dada
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Dreeeeeam.....dream, dream dreeeam
I walked into Rachel's room this morning to wake her up. As she stretched and rolled over she said, "No, no, no. I don't want eggs in mine cup."
Huh?
Huh?
Friday, December 12, 2008
Two Years, Six Months
Dear Rachel,
Earlier this week, you turned 2 1/2 years old on the same day your Grandpa Rick turned 61. It was so nice to be able to spend a birthday with Dad again. Grandma made dinner, and you helped bake the cake!
This has been a really big month for you. There are two things in particular that have happened this month that will forever alter your life.
The first is that your Grandma Connie and Grandpa Rick have moved to Texas for the winter. Even though it's just three months, I have a feeling it's going to have a really big impact on your life. When you think back on your childhood, years from now, I'm very glad that you'll have so many memories of the times you spent with your grandparents.
The other big thing is that this was the month we found out that you will have a little brother or sister. You've been the only child for so long, and now that's going to change. I'm not sure how it's all going to turn out, but in less than a year, life as you know it will completely change. We think you understand that there is a baby coming, because you'll tell us that, yes, you're going to be a big sister, and you tell us that Mommy has a baby in her tummy. I'm just not sure how much you understand it because you say it like it's no big deal. But it's s really big deal.
Your speech is improving dramatically every day, and you're repeating almost everything we say to you. It seems like every day you wake up with new concepts and words that you've learned, and sometimes we wonder where you learn things.
Your potty training is coming along, but you're still not ready to drop the diapers yet. You're perfectly happy to pee in your diaper all day until we make you sit on the potty. We're trying really hard to get you to go more often, but I guess you're just not there yet.
I'm amazed at how much you're remembering these days. It started several months ago when you'd tell us about something you did a few days back, but now you are really remembering long term things (at least in regards to your age.) When Nana and Dodd are here, you talk a lot about the subway from when we were in New York almost 6 months ago. "We go WHOOOOOOOOOA on sub-ay tain!" It makes me wonder what your earliest memory will be when you grow up.
Whatever it is, I hope it's a happy one.
We love you very much.
Love,
Daddy
Earlier this week, you turned 2 1/2 years old on the same day your Grandpa Rick turned 61. It was so nice to be able to spend a birthday with Dad again. Grandma made dinner, and you helped bake the cake!
This has been a really big month for you. There are two things in particular that have happened this month that will forever alter your life.
The first is that your Grandma Connie and Grandpa Rick have moved to Texas for the winter. Even though it's just three months, I have a feeling it's going to have a really big impact on your life. When you think back on your childhood, years from now, I'm very glad that you'll have so many memories of the times you spent with your grandparents.
The other big thing is that this was the month we found out that you will have a little brother or sister. You've been the only child for so long, and now that's going to change. I'm not sure how it's all going to turn out, but in less than a year, life as you know it will completely change. We think you understand that there is a baby coming, because you'll tell us that, yes, you're going to be a big sister, and you tell us that Mommy has a baby in her tummy. I'm just not sure how much you understand it because you say it like it's no big deal. But it's s really big deal.
Your speech is improving dramatically every day, and you're repeating almost everything we say to you. It seems like every day you wake up with new concepts and words that you've learned, and sometimes we wonder where you learn things.
Your potty training is coming along, but you're still not ready to drop the diapers yet. You're perfectly happy to pee in your diaper all day until we make you sit on the potty. We're trying really hard to get you to go more often, but I guess you're just not there yet.
I'm amazed at how much you're remembering these days. It started several months ago when you'd tell us about something you did a few days back, but now you are really remembering long term things (at least in regards to your age.) When Nana and Dodd are here, you talk a lot about the subway from when we were in New York almost 6 months ago. "We go WHOOOOOOOOOA on sub-ay tain!" It makes me wonder what your earliest memory will be when you grow up.
Whatever it is, I hope it's a happy one.
We love you very much.
Love,
Daddy
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Today is Dad's 61st birthday. Sixty one, and still going strong.
This was the first time in several years that we've been able to celebrate Dad's birthday with him in person. It's so nice to have Mom and Dad down here for a few months, even if it is temporary.
Rachel is thoroughly enjoying her time with Nanna and Dodd, and I think the feeling is mutual.
Happy Birthday Dad, and many more to come!
We all love you very much!
This was the first time in several years that we've been able to celebrate Dad's birthday with him in person. It's so nice to have Mom and Dad down here for a few months, even if it is temporary.
Rachel is thoroughly enjoying her time with Nanna and Dodd, and I think the feeling is mutual.
Happy Birthday Dad, and many more to come!
We all love you very much!
Friday, December 05, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Three, oh, it's a magic number
In case you're keeping track, the old Laleblog has been at it for three years.
OK...three years and five days, officially, but you know, sometimes these things get lost in the shuffle that is life.
Thanks for tuning in.
OK...three years and five days, officially, but you know, sometimes these things get lost in the shuffle that is life.
Thanks for tuning in.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Finally!
It seems like Cubs fans are as split on this decision as America was (and still is) on the election.
I, for one, am in the relief column. I think Woody should have been let go a long time ago. He was a great pitcher when he was young, but he never corrected his mechanics and it led to years of injuries and paying him millions of dollars for not pitching.
If you ask me, he and Prior should have been cut the Cubs should have kept the core of their starters from the 2003 season, instead of dismantling a team that came closer to a World Series than any other Cub's team since 1945.
So long Kerry...thanks for the memories. Maybe we can use your salary to buy some decent pitching.
I, for one, am in the relief column. I think Woody should have been let go a long time ago. He was a great pitcher when he was young, but he never corrected his mechanics and it led to years of injuries and paying him millions of dollars for not pitching.
If you ask me, he and Prior should have been cut the Cubs should have kept the core of their starters from the 2003 season, instead of dismantling a team that came closer to a World Series than any other Cub's team since 1945.
So long Kerry...thanks for the memories. Maybe we can use your salary to buy some decent pitching.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Two Years, Five Months
Dear Rachel,
This past weekend, you turned 29 months old. We've had a lot of ups and downs this month, but it certainly has been a fun journey.
First of all, I have to tell you how historic this month has been. You have no idea what our country has been going through over the past 8 years. You will probably not remember this election, or going with me to vote for the man who will be our first President of color, but you certainly did know who the candidates were. One night, I was sitting with my computer open on a news website, and there was a split picture of Obama and McCain. You came right up, pointed to each picture and said, "That's Barak-a Obama, and that's John MA-Cain." I hope that some day you'll understand just how significant this election was. I'm glad that you got to come vote with me.
You started going pee on the potty again this month (I think it's an appropriate transition - politics to pee), except now it's not going potty or going pee pee, it's "making the water tinkle." One night, when we were having a hard time getting you to even sit on the toilet, I asked if you wanted to go make the water tinkle for me, and you said "YES!" Ever since then, you've been going to make the water tinkle at least a couple of times a day. We still have to prompt you, but sometimes you will tell us that you're ready to go.
You're very quickly learning to play the system. Last month, we started making you do the things you refused to do when you got out of time out. Now, when you tell us "No" or "You do it" and we say, "Well, then, I guess you'll have to go to time out," you pipe up with "I forgot to..." and proceed to do the thing we'd been trying to get you to do in the first place. Do be do be do. For example, a few weeks ago, we had been playing outside, and your mother asked you to pick up your toys before you came in. "You do it." "If I pick up your toys, you're going to time out." "I forgot pick up my toys."
This past month was the first Halloween that you'll probably remember. You certainly got the concept after so not understanding last year. You were very excited about wearing your bumblebee costume, and when we practiced trick-or-treating at our own house, you were perfectly content to knock on the door all night and let me put candy in your pumpkin bucket.
Even with our practice, there was one thing we didn't anticipate: The first house we came to, I asked you to knock on the door ("You do it." "OK, I'll ring the doorbell for you."), they answered the door, you said "Tick or teat" and proceeded to walk into the house. I love the fact that you are not shy around people you don't know, but we need to teach you some good old fashioned fear. You said "Thank you" to everyone who gave you candy, then when we got home, you proceeded to eat a bunch of it.
Now, we don't usually give you a lot of candy, so all of this sugar in your system got you all drunk-like, and giddy. You stood outside with me, dancing with no music. Then you looked up. "STARS!" Dancing disco style, you continued looking up, pointing your fingers at the stars. "Dada, I dancing wif STARS!" You were up until 11 PM that night.
Part of the "terribles" this month was your starting to tell us not to do things: Don't look at me, don't talk to me, etc. For a couple of weeks, you were very vocal about it, but once we started putting you in time out for "being mean" you started trying to internalize it. Now, instead of shouting "Don't" at us, you'll whisper it, like we can't hear you if you whisper.
You're also really starting to understand when things are funny. There was one day when we were playing around, and I don't even remember what happened, but you started laughing hysterically, then stopped all of a sudden and said "That's funny!" There was another point this month when you learned our names, and at first, you were trying to pronounce your mother's name. You still have a hard time with some words, so it first came out as "Mon-Kia," which is funny to us because of a completely different story from another time, long before you were born, but when we started laughing, you got it. You got that it was funny, and that it wasn't really Momma's name, but it was close. You get that it's a joke when you call her that, so when you want to be funny, you'll yell out "MON KIAAAAA!"
Your Nanna and Dodd will be here in just a few weeks and will proceed to spoil you rotten for three months straight. We're also hoping they can help straighten out some of your behavior. We love you very much.
Love,
Dada
This past weekend, you turned 29 months old. We've had a lot of ups and downs this month, but it certainly has been a fun journey.
First of all, I have to tell you how historic this month has been. You have no idea what our country has been going through over the past 8 years. You will probably not remember this election, or going with me to vote for the man who will be our first President of color, but you certainly did know who the candidates were. One night, I was sitting with my computer open on a news website, and there was a split picture of Obama and McCain. You came right up, pointed to each picture and said, "That's Barak-a Obama, and that's John MA-Cain." I hope that some day you'll understand just how significant this election was. I'm glad that you got to come vote with me.
You started going pee on the potty again this month (I think it's an appropriate transition - politics to pee), except now it's not going potty or going pee pee, it's "making the water tinkle." One night, when we were having a hard time getting you to even sit on the toilet, I asked if you wanted to go make the water tinkle for me, and you said "YES!" Ever since then, you've been going to make the water tinkle at least a couple of times a day. We still have to prompt you, but sometimes you will tell us that you're ready to go.
You're very quickly learning to play the system. Last month, we started making you do the things you refused to do when you got out of time out. Now, when you tell us "No" or "You do it" and we say, "Well, then, I guess you'll have to go to time out," you pipe up with "I forgot to..." and proceed to do the thing we'd been trying to get you to do in the first place. Do be do be do. For example, a few weeks ago, we had been playing outside, and your mother asked you to pick up your toys before you came in. "You do it." "If I pick up your toys, you're going to time out." "I forgot pick up my toys."
This past month was the first Halloween that you'll probably remember. You certainly got the concept after so not understanding last year. You were very excited about wearing your bumblebee costume, and when we practiced trick-or-treating at our own house, you were perfectly content to knock on the door all night and let me put candy in your pumpkin bucket.
Even with our practice, there was one thing we didn't anticipate: The first house we came to, I asked you to knock on the door ("You do it." "OK, I'll ring the doorbell for you."), they answered the door, you said "Tick or teat" and proceeded to walk into the house. I love the fact that you are not shy around people you don't know, but we need to teach you some good old fashioned fear. You said "Thank you" to everyone who gave you candy, then when we got home, you proceeded to eat a bunch of it.
Now, we don't usually give you a lot of candy, so all of this sugar in your system got you all drunk-like, and giddy. You stood outside with me, dancing with no music. Then you looked up. "STARS!" Dancing disco style, you continued looking up, pointing your fingers at the stars. "Dada, I dancing wif STARS!" You were up until 11 PM that night.
Part of the "terribles" this month was your starting to tell us not to do things: Don't look at me, don't talk to me, etc. For a couple of weeks, you were very vocal about it, but once we started putting you in time out for "being mean" you started trying to internalize it. Now, instead of shouting "Don't" at us, you'll whisper it, like we can't hear you if you whisper.
You're also really starting to understand when things are funny. There was one day when we were playing around, and I don't even remember what happened, but you started laughing hysterically, then stopped all of a sudden and said "That's funny!" There was another point this month when you learned our names, and at first, you were trying to pronounce your mother's name. You still have a hard time with some words, so it first came out as "Mon-Kia," which is funny to us because of a completely different story from another time, long before you were born, but when we started laughing, you got it. You got that it was funny, and that it wasn't really Momma's name, but it was close. You get that it's a joke when you call her that, so when you want to be funny, you'll yell out "MON KIAAAAA!"
Your Nanna and Dodd will be here in just a few weeks and will proceed to spoil you rotten for three months straight. We're also hoping they can help straighten out some of your behavior. We love you very much.
Love,
Dada
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Saturday, November 01, 2008
There's bees!
Chris, and maybe Dad, should remember that phrase well from our lunchroom duty days. And yesterday, no truer words could be spoken...
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Jack
This weekend, we went to the church up the street from us to visit their pumpkin patch.
Rachel got one of her own...
And tonight, we carved them up...
and scooped them out
And when it was all said and done, I enjoyed the fruits of our labor.
Rachel got one of her own...
And tonight, we carved them up...
and scooped them out
And when it was all said and done, I enjoyed the fruits of our labor.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Two years, four months
Dear Rachel,
This past week, you turned twenty eight months old. This month seemed a lot longer than recent months, and I think it's probably because we've had so much going on.
You're becoming more and more independent, and most of the thing we used to help you with, you're starting to do yourself. When we try to help you get undressed, get out of the car, sit on the potty, we hear, "My turn, my turn."
We decided to take the rail off of your bed this past month, so now you've got a real big girl bed. We were worried about you falling out of bed, but so far you've been sleeping through the night without rolling out. What we should have been worried about was you getting out of bed. You're already figuring out how to be sneaky, since now you can get out and back into your bed. I'm sure there have been nights where you're just partying away, quietly, in your room. The only way we know that you're out of bed is if one of your noisy toys gives you away, or we find you with a bed full of toys, clothes, or both in the morning.
You are making more and more abstract connections in your brain every day. My favorite one this past month was when you asked me about a song. Your mother has this song called "Shake shake" on her iPod. I'm not sure if that's even the title of the song, but that's what you call it. One day, we were driving in my car and you asked me to play Shake Shake. I told you that I don't have Shake Shake on my radio, and you came right back at me with, "Only in Mama's car?" I almost ran off the road.
Your Nanna and Dodd came to visit again this past month, and now you've started calling them by their real names. I think it's pretty cool that you now say Grandpa Rick and Nanna Connie, which is probably what you'll call them from now on, but you've also set the naming convention for all future children. Until all the kids can say Grandpa Rick and Grandma Connie, they'll start off as Nanna and Dodd.
We're starting to figure you out a little better, and understand why you throw such big fits at times. We have stopped trying to battle with you and now just send you to time out when you tell us "no" or refuse to do something. The change we've made, though, is when you're done in time out, we try again. The other day, you threw a piece of mail on the floor. When I asked you to please pick it up, you said, "No. You do it," which has been pretty much the theme this month. I sent you to time out, you threw your little fit, and when you came back out, I asked you to pick it up again, to which you said, "No. You do it." Wash, rinse, repeat. After your third time in time out, when I went back to get you, said looked at me and said in your most cheerful voice, "I go pick up paper now." We also figured out that most of those tantrums come when we're not paying enough attention to you.
I'm glad that we're starting to understand you better, and you're starting to understand us. It is so much fun to watch you grow and learn, and as always, we can't wait to see what this next month brings.
We love you very much.
Love
Daddy
This past week, you turned twenty eight months old. This month seemed a lot longer than recent months, and I think it's probably because we've had so much going on.
You're becoming more and more independent, and most of the thing we used to help you with, you're starting to do yourself. When we try to help you get undressed, get out of the car, sit on the potty, we hear, "My turn, my turn."
We decided to take the rail off of your bed this past month, so now you've got a real big girl bed. We were worried about you falling out of bed, but so far you've been sleeping through the night without rolling out. What we should have been worried about was you getting out of bed. You're already figuring out how to be sneaky, since now you can get out and back into your bed. I'm sure there have been nights where you're just partying away, quietly, in your room. The only way we know that you're out of bed is if one of your noisy toys gives you away, or we find you with a bed full of toys, clothes, or both in the morning.
You are making more and more abstract connections in your brain every day. My favorite one this past month was when you asked me about a song. Your mother has this song called "Shake shake" on her iPod. I'm not sure if that's even the title of the song, but that's what you call it. One day, we were driving in my car and you asked me to play Shake Shake. I told you that I don't have Shake Shake on my radio, and you came right back at me with, "Only in Mama's car?" I almost ran off the road.
Your Nanna and Dodd came to visit again this past month, and now you've started calling them by their real names. I think it's pretty cool that you now say Grandpa Rick and Nanna Connie, which is probably what you'll call them from now on, but you've also set the naming convention for all future children. Until all the kids can say Grandpa Rick and Grandma Connie, they'll start off as Nanna and Dodd.
We're starting to figure you out a little better, and understand why you throw such big fits at times. We have stopped trying to battle with you and now just send you to time out when you tell us "no" or refuse to do something. The change we've made, though, is when you're done in time out, we try again. The other day, you threw a piece of mail on the floor. When I asked you to please pick it up, you said, "No. You do it," which has been pretty much the theme this month. I sent you to time out, you threw your little fit, and when you came back out, I asked you to pick it up again, to which you said, "No. You do it." Wash, rinse, repeat. After your third time in time out, when I went back to get you, said looked at me and said in your most cheerful voice, "I go pick up paper now." We also figured out that most of those tantrums come when we're not paying enough attention to you.
I'm glad that we're starting to understand you better, and you're starting to understand us. It is so much fun to watch you grow and learn, and as always, we can't wait to see what this next month brings.
We love you very much.
Love
Daddy
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