A List: Things That are Cute

Things That are Cute Coming Out of a 4 Year Old's Mouth But You Hope They Don't Ever Say When They are in College:

1) "Everybody get in my bed! We can all get in my bed!"

2) "Hold my monkey please."

3) "I'm pooping!"

4) "I can write my name and all my numbers!"

5) "Can you help me with my pants please?"

Nicknames

Have I mentioned our family tradition for nicknames? Not so much "tradition" as "inability to say names without shortening or making them cutesy." And not so much "family" as "my."

Tugboat: Tug, Buh-boh, Fatty McPancakes, Barfboat, etc.

Reese: Kitty, Reesy Piecy

Ryker: Ryk, Ryky, Ryky Bike, Rock, Little man

Jackson: Jack, Jack Attack, Jack Jack, Bud...and the newest addition, and reason for this post...Michael Jackson.

Jack's friend Chucky calls him Michael Jackson - all the time. "Michael Jackson - come over here!" "Michael Jackson - wanna play with me?" "Did you see what Michael Jackson just did?" He doesn't laugh or smirk or anything. I think he might think that's his real name.

Halloween 2009

Well, we successfully navigated another Halloween. We carved pumpkins (Jack put two faces on his - creative, I thought) and roasted the seeds.
Jack wanted to be a flower for awhile, but then got into the costume store and picked Spiderman instead. Like half of the other boys in America. We ultimately decided to let Ryker be a construction worker, mostly because we have the costume at home and he loves it.
So we got all dressed up yesterday and opened our door - to the screams of Chucky, who lives up the street from us. He was yelling "Come on Jackson! GET OVER HERE!" He was standing in his yard screaming at us to hurry up so they could get started. Chucky and Jack are buds...
...and they drag Samantha (Chucky's sister) and Ryker along for the ride. Here are all 4 as we set out.
Our neighborhood isn't that into Halloween, which sucks. But while the adults were disappointed and recalling Halloweens from our childhoods where we came home with pillow cases FULL of candy, the boys didn't have anything to compare it to, and were quite content with their little piles. Ryker was in the stroller, as there is no way he'd keep up with the big kids and something about his costume kept making him fall over. He seemed fine strolling along, but I thought he should have at least one chance to Trick-or-Treat, so I got out ahead of our pack and let him out of the stroller. I gave him his bag and helped him up to the door. He sceptically held out his bag and watched as the lady dumped some candy into it. Then he turned around and fell face-first into the lawn. Back into the stroller.

We ended up over at the neighbors house, the ones from my Wally and the Beav post. They throw a good party! I was so engrossed with the Halloween-themed food and keeping Ryker from crawling into their fireplace that I forgot to check in with Jack. When I went outside I saw my very own Spiderman chasing some other kids with a gigantic log. I told him to get back here immediately, and to put that log back where he found it. He walked over to the firepit outside and threw it in the flames. More gray hairs for me. A few beers in the garage and football on the TV helped me forget all about it. All in all a good night though.

(More pics on Flickr)

Wally and the Beav

I had this moment on Sunday when I thought I really might be living in some sort of idyllic family sitcom. Actually, several moments.

I was making a casserole (or "hotdish" as we call it in Minnesota). Ryker was in his high chair having a snack while Jack was helping Chuck in the garage. Then Jack went over to the new neighbor's house and it hit me - I could step onto our deck and yell into the neighbor's yard "Jackson - come wash up for dinner!" Of course, to really look like June Cleaver I would have to change out of my sweats, shower, curl my hair, put on makeup and (buy and) don an apron. But still, my kid was over at the neighbor's. Maybe all of you have already experienced that, but I hadn't. Jack's always in our yard, playing with us.

It really was a surreal moment for me. I put the hotdish on a timer, bundled Ryker up and walked over there to meet them myself (Chuck already had so we knew they were safe and all). I was still unshowered and in sweats and Ryker had mashed potatoes in his hair, but I thought it was more important to go meet them than to look pretty.

As if we weren't already living in some fantasy-neighborhood-world, two more neighbor kids came to join the fun, so we ended up with eight kids and six parents in the yard watching the kids play in a leaf pile, throw a football, ride on the tireswing, and be pushed around in a wheelbarrow. It was SO FUN. And when it got dark we walked back to our house, unbundled and sat down for Tator Tot Hotdish warm from the oven.

I think I've mentioned this before, but when I was a freshman in high school my English teacher berated me for an essay I wrote about my dream life. I said I wanted a white house with a white picket fence - the "American Dream." I really did want it, only at that time I didn't know the house would be a beige rambler in Minnesota with hotdish in the oven. And I forgot to add the part about the awesome neighbor kids.

Live and In Person

I've been getting some flack for not having enough videos up, so here is one I took today.

This is Ryker dancing and walking backwards. (Walking backwards was only accomplished today, so this is the first anyone has seen it.)

Try to contain your excitement. This sort of thing is REALLY entertaining when you've been home with him on and off all week. We need to get out.

Baby Book Type Things

Thought I'd better do a post to chronicle what the kids are up to at their current ages.

Ryker - 16 months

Likes: Dipping his socked-feet into Tug's water; walking around carrying things; being chased by Jackson; eating; pushing his lion around; blowing his nose; dancing; rocking on his rocking-cow; rearranging our kitchen drawers; helping to shut the dishwasher; the theme song from CBS Sunday Morning

Dislikes: Being fed the wrong food; getting stuck somewhere; diaper changes; when we tickle Jack; being kept away from the big kid toys

Jackson - 4 years

Likes: spaghetti with butter, Parmesan cheese and corn; sharpening pencils; using a three-hole-punch; drawing octopuses; cutting paper into very small pieces; saying "do you know who I am? I'm J-A-C-K-S-O-N - Jackson"; riding his bike; pumpkins; helping Daddy

Dislikes: Mommy working late; any food that's green; gatherings that don't include kids; going to bed

Birthday Presents

Today was my birthday. Here's how it went down.

I awoke to Jack whispering Happy Birthday to me. Then he went away and I faded back into sleep. I awoke again to him pushing a card into my face and turning on the light on my nightstand. The card had princesses on it and said Happy Birthday to the Prettiest Princess in the Land (it's at work so I can't remember the exact phrase, but that's pretty close). He had written his numbers in it. And it had glitter.

I went to work and figured my coworkers would forget my birthday because it's a CRAZY busy time right now. So I was prepared. But I got in and they immediately swarmed and brought in pastries and sang to me. They fed me lunch as well, and a cupcake for dessert. Several tried to boost my immune system as well, which is sweet (several packets of Emer-gen-c, cough drops, etc.). I think they really don't want me bailing on our big Gala this weekend.

On my way out of the museum I stopped by the event that was going on and was toasted by a few colleagues and given a sip of Vodka (hard-core coworkers).

Then I came home and Jack made me a few art projects and talked about my birthday a lot. Ryker fell asleep while I was putting him to bed, so I got to rock him and hold him and cuddle.

I just ordered some yummy Italian food and am watching reality TV and am, in general, a happy happy camper.

Thanks to all for making my day a great one.