Screaming

Scott went through a phase around the same age or a little younger when he would wake up in the morning screaming (I mean screaming!) with hunger. We would be racing to the kitchen (no microwave) for his bottle while the howls echoed through the house. He was fine once he had some food, but until then, oh lordy. [Joan]

Playing Band

Kiva being our angel as usual. she is very sparkly and upbeat. Singing around the house :-) We have been playing "band" with my rhythm sticks, recorders and psaltry....she (and we) are much entertained. [Joan]

EUUUUWWWW

Jack was quite the personality here today. You know his obsession with phones, and we have one that is his. Not connected to the phone system, but it does have a charger so it gives some satisfying beeps and lights. He was playing with it and put it down and forgot where it was. When he started looking for it. I asked him "where is your phone Jack?" and the little genius walks over to the charger, presses the "page" button, follows the beeping sound to the phone under the table and then calmly pushes the correct button to make the phone quit beeping! Now granted, he had been playing with the "page" button, and I had showed him how to turn off the phone beeping, but sheesh! That little cookie is smart!
Then in the afternoon after his nap we went up to the mall and the indoor play area (and the toy store) which he really enjoyed. When we got home he told me he wanted a bath, so upstairs we went. When he was stripped he was kind of swiveling his hips (like Elvis) and looking like he was trying to aim that little water pistol so I asked him if he wanted to go potty. Last week when he took a bath he deliberately peed on my sandals as soon as he got his diaper off. Jack looked interested so I put him on the toilet and he very deliberately peed. It was clearly on purpose! He was sooooo proud and I made a big deal out of it.
This morning Jack ate a good breakfast as soon as he got here...his favorite oatmeal and mango pudding. He didn't eat a huge amount, but a respectable bowl full of each. He was then playing around with us and his toys about an hour later when he quite suddenly stopped, hurried into the kitchen calling "eat, eat, eat" and trying to climb into his chair. I didn't have lunch ready, so warmed up the rest of the oatmeal for him. He couldn't eat fast enough! Jack kept making the sign for more, more, more, until he finished all the oatmeal. He was still signing more, so I got him more mango pudding and he ate that too. It was really funny, like he was struck by lightning...."hey, I'm still hungry!" and just dropped everything to fill up.
Jack is so much fun to have over, and I feel like we are really connecting every time he is here. Lots of playtime and books. Jack seems to feel more comfortable with us every week, and we are falling into routines that all of us enjoy. This morning Ken was drinking his quadruple espresso when Jack walked over and stuck his finger into the foam and took a taste. Jack then made a loud, dramatic, "EUUUUWWWW" sound and walked over to the towel to make a huge big deal about wiping his finger clean. Tooooo funny. [Joan]

Angel

Her little angel self as usual. we went to the mall with Ken to get a bathrobe and after he put Kiva in the car he turned to me and said "she is such a sweet girl". too true. Kiva and I cooked breakfast for the three of us (and her big bunny), scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, mango juice, and she ate heartily. Then playtime, trip to the mall and back for more playtime (we stopped at the mall toy store...what can I say, we have NO will power and she is so adorable). I made her lunch of steak, potatoes, cooked kale and broccoli. She took a few bites and then just ignored it while I was reading to her. I asked her if she wasn't hungry and very tactfully she replied "this isn't really my favorite, Grammie". So I asked her what she did like and amazingly it was more scrambled eggs and toast. So two more eggs went down the hatch. Then nap, ice cream, working in the woodshop with Granpa, working in the garden with me (we put out wool for the squirrels and birds to make nests from, she has some for your place too) and then watching her absolutely favorite movie...Planet Earth. I watch them with her so I can make sure any scary bits are skipped over, although she keeps telling me "I like the scary parts" I tell her that "I don't like them they are too scary for me" and she accepts that. [Joan]

Huge Vocabulary

Jack has an amazingly huge vocabulary! He can't say many of the words, but he understands hundreds. I asked him if he wanted to give Dancer a treat, he immediately ran to the laundry room door and when the door was opened tried to open the right drawer. When given the treat he carefully carried it out the living room and gave it to Dancer.
He is working hard on speaking many of the words too, and gets impatient when I don't understand. Like all good Americans he just says things louder and louder hoping that I will eventually understand.
He also knows what he wants, when he wants it. Jack ate another huge breakfast (fruit and oatmeal) and played with us til around 9. Then he told me "ni ni" and then "ba ba" pointing at the microwave. When I started getting his bottle out he ran to get his little blankie and then sat on the floor and pointed at his shoes saying "off". What a little genius! Also what a little sweetie. Off to bed and he went right to sleep while I of course am taking the opportunity to rest up for the remainder of the day :-).
Jack has learned to make that frowny face work for him too. When something doesn't work (like his cell phone), he tried to make it work and then hands it to me with the frowny face. When I put it in the charger and it starts beeping, he is all smiles. [Joan]

ba ba ni ni

Jack in a great mood, although he does look a little ragged with the sliced forehead and bumped lip. He ate a huge breakfast as soon as he got here...oatmeal and applesauce. He heads for the high chair as soon as he gets here bellowing "eat". I got a bunch of extra snuggling this morning as he came running for cuddles every time the window shook with the wind. At 930 he started demanding "baba ni ni" and is still sleeping now. I expect to hear him any minute and have lunch on standby for him. Jack his usual charming self. So self confident with me and grandpa...I just love it. Ken likes it so much when Jack just climbs up on his chair and snuggles down. [Joan]