Mallie takes her dolly everywhere now. Before we leave our house, she inevitably stops, turns and asks, "Wha's ma poise?", then, "Wha's my beebee?" and finally, "Wha's ma strolleee?" ONce she has all the necessary equipment, we are allowed to leave. She insists on pushing her baby in it's stroller in the library, grocery store, etc. Everyone looks at her and talks about how adorable she is... but to me, she's just a woman on a mission- very serious and down to business- and completely oblivious about how cute she truly is.
Jack was talking to us about an Indians' game that he went to over a year ago, and recalling the whole thing in great, somewhat scary, detail. He was telling about this Chief Wahoo sign that was turning around and every time he referred to it, he called it "Swee Hahoo". Tommy and I were laughing and so was he because he knew it was wrong but couldn't pronounce it correctly.
If you close your eyes when Mallie talks, you will think you are in the presence of an old Italian woman who is trying to speaky the english. She says things like, "Take 'a ma shoes off', or "Take 'a ma socks off', or 'Don't touch 'a ma tupp' (Don't touch my stuff). I don't know why she throws that extra syllable in there, but it is reminiscent of the 'Old Country' and very amusing.
We rented Disney's Pocahontas last weekend. I love this movie and Jack and I watched the whole thing on the couch together. It didn't seem to keep Mallie or Tommy's attention very well. The end of this version of the story is very sad because Pocahontas stays in America while John Smith goes back to Europe to heal from his gunshot wound (very kid-friendly, huh?!) As soon as the credits came on, Jack turned and smothered his face in my stomach and began SOBBING, complete with the sniffles and wails. I had a feeling he would react this way because I've seen him get upset and emoitional about other movies and shows. When I asked him what was wrong, his tears turned into anger and he pointed at the TV and yelled, "That Moive Is A Stinker!!!!"
After Jack's birthday party the other night, he and Mallie broke out one of the toys. It was two baskets that each player holds and shoots out a ball to the other player. Every time Mallie shot the ball, she let out this 'diabolical' laugh from deep in her throat. It was hilarious.
Jack has been very busy these days with projects he creates. At least 5 times a day, he enters the kitchen craft corner, gets out his scissors and crayons and starts cutting a million pieces of paper and writing things on them. Sometimes he's 'selling our house', other times he has a 'trophy company' or is decoration his bike or making a basketball hoppp or choo-choo train. It's never ending in imagination and in the mess that he makes. Unfortunately, he chose a bad time for these projects because we're trying to keep the house clean for showings.....
We bought Mallie some new fall shoes a few weeks ago. One pair is patent leather and pink and she LOVES them. She is constantly wanting to 'put 'a ma shoes on'. These shoes don't 'go' with most of her outfits, so she's always looking especially flashy when she wears them.
Annie showed the first signs of 'pretending' yesterday. We were sitting on the basement floor and Mallie was talking on her cel phone and I had just gotten off my phone. I looked over and Annie was holding a piece of play lettuce up to her ear and saying, "abaaabaaadadadada'. I don't know that she had a good connection on that thing, but you wouldn't know it but her conversation!
We went to the new Panini's restaurant in Westlake last weekend. This is the site of the old M Bistro where we had Dede's 80th b-day party in February of '08. We were talking to Jack about the party and asking him if he remembered it. He didn't.... but 20 minutes later, he went over to one of the windows and said, 'This is where Auntie put her ipod'.... And sure enough, that was the window that Claire had her ipod for the party. Very, very scary.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Monday, September 14th, 2009
Well, tomorrow, Jack turns 4 years old. This time of year comes with many milestones in our family. School starts, each of the kids have birthdays 6 weeks after the next, and it feels like the years are slipping away so quickly. I cannot believe that Jack will be 4. He's becoming a big kid- funny, thoughtful, kind, smart, loving, independant. I love watching the person he is every day. It brings me more pride and amazement that anything else ever has. I know that we've done a good job parenting him (or at least the best we've known how!), but the person he is makes me really believe in the nature of people having a lot to do with who they ultimately become. There's no way I could have instilled the sweetness he possesses in the little time I've had him. He is just naturally that way, and I feel lucky that he was given to me that way!
Jack started school a week ago today. He is in Mrs. Pacetti's class again, but this time with a whole new group of kids (15 kids in the class- none of whom were in his class last year!) and with a new aide, Mrs. Gallagher. I'm already seeing a big difference in the activities they're doing in the classroom. They are trying to hold the kids' attention for longer periods of time. I also noticed that we haven't been good about practicing our writing/ coloring skills this summer. The first week back to school brought a lot of stress on me, watching Jack form his letters- much worse than at the end of last year! :( But we're working on it every day now- in actuality, Jack is wanting to know how to spell words and wanting to write more on his own... and I'm already seeing a big improvement.
Annie announced, in her own way, that she knows how to climb up the stairs. I had never seen Annie climb up one step. I was cleaning the house to get ready for a showing last Friday and left the kids down in the basement, playing. From upstairs, I heard someone crying in the kitchen and ran down to see what was going on. There was Annie, sitting on the kitchen floor, whining. I couldn't believe my eyes. Not only does she climbs stairs now, but she does it QUICK! If I leave the room and forget to put up the gate, inevitably, Annie has raced her little bottom up the flight of stairs, and can usually be heard giggling as she does it- because she knows she's not allowed to do it and thinks it's hilarious when someone is chasing her.
Annie and Mallie have become playmates. Annie follows Mallie, crawling around the first floor and laughing hysterically. They love chasing each other, and peeking around the corners for each other. Also, as soon as Mallie sits down to the dinner table, Annie stops whining and starts doing this goofy laugh to try to get Mallie to laugh at her. The two of them sit and laugh at each other the entire meal.
Annie is also walking now while pushing things. I've been trying to get her to do this for weeks now and everytime I tried to put her up to a push toy, she's just sit down and play with it. But on Saturday, Tommy tried to get her to do it, and away she went. She wasn't timid about it either. Off she went like a shot of light across the living room. It hilarious to watch her because her little chubby legs are so awkward but they go so fast.
I took Jack and Charlie to Memphis Kiddie Park this afternoon to putt-putt for Jack's birthday. Jack hit a hole-in-one on his first hole. He didn't even realize it! And Charlie made a hole-in-one on the last hole which qualified him for a free game of golf! He was very excited. They followed the game up by a ride on the train and an ice cream treat. I think they had a great time. We'll have Yaya and Papa, Grandma and Grandpa and Dede over for dinner tomorrow night to celebrate.
Jack started school a week ago today. He is in Mrs. Pacetti's class again, but this time with a whole new group of kids (15 kids in the class- none of whom were in his class last year!) and with a new aide, Mrs. Gallagher. I'm already seeing a big difference in the activities they're doing in the classroom. They are trying to hold the kids' attention for longer periods of time. I also noticed that we haven't been good about practicing our writing/ coloring skills this summer. The first week back to school brought a lot of stress on me, watching Jack form his letters- much worse than at the end of last year! :( But we're working on it every day now- in actuality, Jack is wanting to know how to spell words and wanting to write more on his own... and I'm already seeing a big improvement.
Annie announced, in her own way, that she knows how to climb up the stairs. I had never seen Annie climb up one step. I was cleaning the house to get ready for a showing last Friday and left the kids down in the basement, playing. From upstairs, I heard someone crying in the kitchen and ran down to see what was going on. There was Annie, sitting on the kitchen floor, whining. I couldn't believe my eyes. Not only does she climbs stairs now, but she does it QUICK! If I leave the room and forget to put up the gate, inevitably, Annie has raced her little bottom up the flight of stairs, and can usually be heard giggling as she does it- because she knows she's not allowed to do it and thinks it's hilarious when someone is chasing her.
Annie and Mallie have become playmates. Annie follows Mallie, crawling around the first floor and laughing hysterically. They love chasing each other, and peeking around the corners for each other. Also, as soon as Mallie sits down to the dinner table, Annie stops whining and starts doing this goofy laugh to try to get Mallie to laugh at her. The two of them sit and laugh at each other the entire meal.
Annie is also walking now while pushing things. I've been trying to get her to do this for weeks now and everytime I tried to put her up to a push toy, she's just sit down and play with it. But on Saturday, Tommy tried to get her to do it, and away she went. She wasn't timid about it either. Off she went like a shot of light across the living room. It hilarious to watch her because her little chubby legs are so awkward but they go so fast.
I took Jack and Charlie to Memphis Kiddie Park this afternoon to putt-putt for Jack's birthday. Jack hit a hole-in-one on his first hole. He didn't even realize it! And Charlie made a hole-in-one on the last hole which qualified him for a free game of golf! He was very excited. They followed the game up by a ride on the train and an ice cream treat. I think they had a great time. We'll have Yaya and Papa, Grandma and Grandpa and Dede over for dinner tomorrow night to celebrate.
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