Paige is dancing!
The girl gets down. And funky. Starts off with the typical baby knee bending bounce, then transitions to some side to side twisting. Arms bent, elbows out, right foot starts to tap forwards and back with toes pointed and hips swaying.
Elaine Venice eat your heart out!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
getting to know you
ETHAN!
A couple of things about one neat 6 year old...
Ethan is a hopeless Lego fanatic. He puts together sets designed for kids well above his age level, following the directions with precision and uncharacteristic patience. When he is done with construction he shows off the piece to everyone in the family and then asks of me and my husband "are you proud of me?". Absolutely! He enjoys playing with the new creation for a couple of days and then he will take it apart to use those parts and pieces for new Lego inventions. The sets he creates with his own imagination are the real masterpieces!
He is a great big brother. He loves his little brother and sister with a love that humbles me, warms me, brings me to tears.
His greatest hero of the moment is Indiana Jones. I hear about Indiana Jones daily, hourly. When Ethan is very excited about whatever he is talking about regarding Indy, he talks so fast and clumsy that he calls him "Indian-anna Jones". This week is VBS and the whole on-stage skit segments have been right up Ethan's ally. Truly, they couldn't have come up with a theme better suited for my son had they custom created it JUST FOR HIM. The stage is set up as the Black Pearl, pirates have been quarreling with the likes of Darth Vader and Indiana Jones. My son is not just entertained, he is engrossed and enthralled. It's been a great week for him!
Other favorite pursuits: playing tag, playing hide-n-go seek, golfing with daddy (aka, riding around in the golf cart while daddy golfs), going to the movies, learning to swim.
He thinks Jack and Annie are so lucky to have that Magic Treehouse. Their adventures send his imagination soaring.
Ethan is a big sleepy head. He always has been. A huge baby napper, taking two 3 hour naps a day (!!!) and then sleeping from 8pm to 8am straight. He still enjoys taking a nap whenever our schedule allows and even during the school year, with all-day Kindergarten, during the afternoon "free choice" activity he would occasionally choose to take a nap. LOL
He was not the cuddliest baby, but he makes up for it now. I can not imagine a snugglier child.
Ethan is a real-life Linus, thumb sucking and tattered blanket in hand.
His favorite foods are cereal and fruit. Lately I'd have to say his preferred beverage is grape Gatorade, which is reserved for t-ball game nights and golfing with daddy only. He asks for it constantly though.
He is a mini-dinosaur expert. During Dino Week this last year he took charge of many of the lessons at school, much to the amusement of the teacher. She emailed me to tell me that he actually taught her some things she didn't know and she's never had a kid more knowledgeable in dinosaur factoids in all her years of teaching. I'm so proud. LOL
Ethan loves to be a leader for roles like holding the flag or being the first in line, but his character lends itself more to a follower role in group dynamics.
Ethan is empathetic, sensitive, fair and a peacemaker. Not to paint the picture that he is one of those mild-mannered children that are always docile and enjoy quiet activities like sketching and studying books. He is well balanced, also having a smart mouth, firey temper and stomping mad fits to time-out when his smart mouth or firey temper earn him a punishment.
His favorite colors are bright green, orange or yellow, depending on the day.
He wants to be a builder when he grows up. An occupation he chose for himself at the age of three and he has stood resolute with that proclamation.
Ethan is a whiz with maps.
A couple of things about one neat 6 year old...
Ethan is a hopeless Lego fanatic. He puts together sets designed for kids well above his age level, following the directions with precision and uncharacteristic patience. When he is done with construction he shows off the piece to everyone in the family and then asks of me and my husband "are you proud of me?". Absolutely! He enjoys playing with the new creation for a couple of days and then he will take it apart to use those parts and pieces for new Lego inventions. The sets he creates with his own imagination are the real masterpieces!
He is a great big brother. He loves his little brother and sister with a love that humbles me, warms me, brings me to tears.
His greatest hero of the moment is Indiana Jones. I hear about Indiana Jones daily, hourly. When Ethan is very excited about whatever he is talking about regarding Indy, he talks so fast and clumsy that he calls him "Indian-anna Jones". This week is VBS and the whole on-stage skit segments have been right up Ethan's ally. Truly, they couldn't have come up with a theme better suited for my son had they custom created it JUST FOR HIM. The stage is set up as the Black Pearl, pirates have been quarreling with the likes of Darth Vader and Indiana Jones. My son is not just entertained, he is engrossed and enthralled. It's been a great week for him!
Other favorite pursuits: playing tag, playing hide-n-go seek, golfing with daddy (aka, riding around in the golf cart while daddy golfs), going to the movies, learning to swim.
He thinks Jack and Annie are so lucky to have that Magic Treehouse. Their adventures send his imagination soaring.
Ethan is a big sleepy head. He always has been. A huge baby napper, taking two 3 hour naps a day (!!!) and then sleeping from 8pm to 8am straight. He still enjoys taking a nap whenever our schedule allows and even during the school year, with all-day Kindergarten, during the afternoon "free choice" activity he would occasionally choose to take a nap. LOL
He was not the cuddliest baby, but he makes up for it now. I can not imagine a snugglier child.
Ethan is a real-life Linus, thumb sucking and tattered blanket in hand.
His favorite foods are cereal and fruit. Lately I'd have to say his preferred beverage is grape Gatorade, which is reserved for t-ball game nights and golfing with daddy only. He asks for it constantly though.
He is a mini-dinosaur expert. During Dino Week this last year he took charge of many of the lessons at school, much to the amusement of the teacher. She emailed me to tell me that he actually taught her some things she didn't know and she's never had a kid more knowledgeable in dinosaur factoids in all her years of teaching. I'm so proud. LOL
Ethan loves to be a leader for roles like holding the flag or being the first in line, but his character lends itself more to a follower role in group dynamics.
Ethan is empathetic, sensitive, fair and a peacemaker. Not to paint the picture that he is one of those mild-mannered children that are always docile and enjoy quiet activities like sketching and studying books. He is well balanced, also having a smart mouth, firey temper and stomping mad fits to time-out when his smart mouth or firey temper earn him a punishment.
His favorite colors are bright green, orange or yellow, depending on the day.
He wants to be a builder when he grows up. An occupation he chose for himself at the age of three and he has stood resolute with that proclamation.
Ethan is a whiz with maps.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
confession:
In the mornings, if I'm not quick enough in turning off the tv after the Disney morning cartoon run is over and the tween shows start up... I get sucked into watching Hannah Montana every. single. time.
Monday, June 23, 2008
punishment at our house
In my kitchen I have the perfect time-out spot. The Naughty Corner. It is the space between a tall hutch and the wall, a space of about fourteen inches wide. Ethan used to hate, hate, standing in the Naughty Corner, which made it very effective. "My legs hurt, I can't stand here much longer", "this is the worstest place in the WHOLE world to stand!", "I don't understand how you can doooooo this to me!". Oh the misery.
Now it goes something like this....
Ethan is sent to the Naughty Corner for being a big fat smart mouth to me and then for telling Owen to shut up when Owen said "no no Ethan, don't say that!".
Ethan goes to the corner with a big huff. I set the timer for 6 minutes. After two minutes have gone by Owen goes to join Ethan in the corner. They huddle together quietly. Another two minutes goes by and little Paige notices them wedged in there and she toddles over and is enveloped into the fold. For two minutes my three children are standing together in the Naughty Corner in silence.
The timer dings and they all disperse to the family room to play with the Kid K'nex.
I love the way my kids love each other. I feel that I must be doing something really right for them to be as bonded as they are. It gives me a bit of reassurance that I'm not making a complete mess of this motherhood thing.
I also think if they ever join forces against me I am a sure goner.
Now it goes something like this....
Ethan is sent to the Naughty Corner for being a big fat smart mouth to me and then for telling Owen to shut up when Owen said "no no Ethan, don't say that!".
Ethan goes to the corner with a big huff. I set the timer for 6 minutes. After two minutes have gone by Owen goes to join Ethan in the corner. They huddle together quietly. Another two minutes goes by and little Paige notices them wedged in there and she toddles over and is enveloped into the fold. For two minutes my three children are standing together in the Naughty Corner in silence.
The timer dings and they all disperse to the family room to play with the Kid K'nex.
I love the way my kids love each other. I feel that I must be doing something really right for them to be as bonded as they are. It gives me a bit of reassurance that I'm not making a complete mess of this motherhood thing.
I also think if they ever join forces against me I am a sure goner.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
the resurrection
My laptop (for those of you so worried about it's prior announced demise, lol) is alive again! The nerds of Geek Squad replaced the... um, video card? Or something? and I got a new screen. And it was covered under the extended warranty! It works! Yay. My USB ports are still broken, but I'm thankful for what I've got at least!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
at last
It is late and the house sleeps, save Owen who is wide awake. And it is nice having this quiet one-on-one time with him. No boisterous toddling sister or bossy big brother. Just a momma and her little boy. We are snuggling and reading books and being silly. And for the thousandth time I have asked him the one question I have needed him to respond to appropriately, the one question I have tried to coax and coach him to answer correctly for two years.
me: What is your name?
my little lad: My name is Owen.
His coy smile is proud with that slight air of embarrassment. And he says to me, "say it again, mommy". And I again ask, "what is your name?" and once more he boasts "my name is Owen!".
And here I thought all day (all the long crazy noisy messy day) that all I needed was some alone time once the kids were in bed. What I got instead was so much better. I am so proud of my boy. :)
me: What is your name?
my little lad: My name is Owen.
His coy smile is proud with that slight air of embarrassment. And he says to me, "say it again, mommy". And I again ask, "what is your name?" and once more he boasts "my name is Owen!".
And here I thought all day (all the long crazy noisy messy day) that all I needed was some alone time once the kids were in bed. What I got instead was so much better. I am so proud of my boy. :)
Monday, April 21, 2008
a moment of silence
Dead. Gone. Kaput.
My beloved laptop has died a slow painful death. *cry*
She was only two. It was not her time to go. She was aided in her passing by a certain 4-year-old boy, who shall remain nameless at this time. *cough*cough*Owen*cough
A couple months ago he knocked poor Huey off the couch, breaking the USB ports loose from the motherboard. It has been a difficult time, unable to use a mouse, connect to my camera, print, .... Then last night she lost her color. Black screen, at certain angles you could sort of see text and images, though they appeared as though a negative. Sigh.
Rest in peace. Your absence is palpable. Your memory will live on.
My beloved laptop has died a slow painful death. *cry*
She was only two. It was not her time to go. She was aided in her passing by a certain 4-year-old boy, who shall remain nameless at this time. *cough*cough*Owen*cough
A couple months ago he knocked poor Huey off the couch, breaking the USB ports loose from the motherboard. It has been a difficult time, unable to use a mouse, connect to my camera, print, .... Then last night she lost her color. Black screen, at certain angles you could sort of see text and images, though they appeared as though a negative. Sigh.
Rest in peace. Your absence is palpable. Your memory will live on.
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