Upside down!
Elektra put Mommy's hat on backwards!
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Elektra's growth spurt
Elektra must be going through a growth spurt. Sure, she's feeling tons better from the strep throat she had last week, but I don't think that is what's going on here (I could be wrong, of course).
In the last week, she's eaten like a horse and in the process, she has been putting down the protein like it's going out of style. For example, she had 1 and a half eggs - with melted cheese - for breakfast this morning. She's asked for yogurt every meal and snack and when we haven't had yogurt, she's eaten cottage cheese. And after eating a bowl of that, she's then had steak/chicken/some other protein on top of that!
In addition, she's been taking monster long naps. Each day this week, she's had at least a 3 hour nap, if not longer. Today, she had a 4 hour nap by the time I woke her up (she was dead asleep!), and she's still clearly tired! On Thursday, she had a 3 and a half hour nap, and then asked to go to bed 2 hours later.
Finally, she's been communicating even more than she already does. She very clearly said to me one day this week, "Where did DJ go?" I was shocked, and then she said it again. This morning, she said, "There's the sun," pointing at the sunbeam in our backyard that she could see while eating breakfast.
I claim Growth Spurt!
In the last week, she's eaten like a horse and in the process, she has been putting down the protein like it's going out of style. For example, she had 1 and a half eggs - with melted cheese - for breakfast this morning. She's asked for yogurt every meal and snack and when we haven't had yogurt, she's eaten cottage cheese. And after eating a bowl of that, she's then had steak/chicken/some other protein on top of that!
In addition, she's been taking monster long naps. Each day this week, she's had at least a 3 hour nap, if not longer. Today, she had a 4 hour nap by the time I woke her up (she was dead asleep!), and she's still clearly tired! On Thursday, she had a 3 and a half hour nap, and then asked to go to bed 2 hours later.
Finally, she's been communicating even more than she already does. She very clearly said to me one day this week, "Where did DJ go?" I was shocked, and then she said it again. This morning, she said, "There's the sun," pointing at the sunbeam in our backyard that she could see while eating breakfast.
I claim Growth Spurt!
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Potty Milestone!
I know, this subject is not very... appetizing, but it's important to those parents/care givers changing diapers day in and day out.
Just before bedtime, Steve and I noticed that DJ was squirming uncomfortably and was going to go hide. I asked him if he needed to go poopy, to which he said no, of course. Steve and I insisted, and off I took him to the bathroom.
As I took his diaper and shorts off, he asked to see the poopy in the diaper, something he's been asking the last few times I've changed his poopy diaper. Since he hadn't gone into his diaper yet, he had nothing to see and showed him the empty diaper.
I sat him on the potty and talk about squirm squirm squirm squirm squirm. He just couldn't sit still while sitting on the potty. Fuss squirm fuss fuss squirm somem ore. Then he'd ask for Daddy. More fuss and squirm and fuss fuss fuss. Daddy brought him his iPad, and DJ watched a few videos and otherwise played around on it. Although I was thinking maybe it should be a reward, I was shown that it got him to stop squirming so I didn't argue. He wasn't thinking about what he was doing... bonus.
Next thing I hear, "I did it! I did it, Mommy!"
By golly, he did do it! Then we had to try wiping. I was so surprised about his actually going, I hadn't really thought through how I'd get him to help me wipe him. Nonetheless, he got to flush and be very proud of himself. He got 4 star stickers just for that.
Do I expect this to continue? No time soon, but it's a start in the right direction!!
Just before bedtime, Steve and I noticed that DJ was squirming uncomfortably and was going to go hide. I asked him if he needed to go poopy, to which he said no, of course. Steve and I insisted, and off I took him to the bathroom.
As I took his diaper and shorts off, he asked to see the poopy in the diaper, something he's been asking the last few times I've changed his poopy diaper. Since he hadn't gone into his diaper yet, he had nothing to see and showed him the empty diaper.
I sat him on the potty and talk about squirm squirm squirm squirm squirm. He just couldn't sit still while sitting on the potty. Fuss squirm fuss fuss squirm somem ore. Then he'd ask for Daddy. More fuss and squirm and fuss fuss fuss. Daddy brought him his iPad, and DJ watched a few videos and otherwise played around on it. Although I was thinking maybe it should be a reward, I was shown that it got him to stop squirming so I didn't argue. He wasn't thinking about what he was doing... bonus.
Next thing I hear, "I did it! I did it, Mommy!"
By golly, he did do it! Then we had to try wiping. I was so surprised about his actually going, I hadn't really thought through how I'd get him to help me wipe him. Nonetheless, he got to flush and be very proud of himself. He got 4 star stickers just for that.
Do I expect this to continue? No time soon, but it's a start in the right direction!!
Eat Mor Chikin
I took the kids to Chick Fil-A on Thursday, and they were walking around with cow hats to put together in an effort to promote Cow Appreciation Day... a day to come to Chick Fil-A dressed like a cow and get some part (or all - depending on how your elaborateness of your cow costume) of your meal for free.
Since the hats were free, I couldn't pass up the opportunity, of course. Steve spent 20 minutes putting one together, and here are the results:
Since the hats were free, I couldn't pass up the opportunity, of course. Steve spent 20 minutes putting one together, and here are the results:
MOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Elektra's latest words
twee (tree)
gurt or gogurt (yogurt)
rice
hole
foot
Yiayia (Yay for Yiayia!!) - she said this at the doctor's office last week
nana (banana)
ah-wer (flower)
She also knows some of her Thomas The Tank Engine (boy does she love her Thomas...) characters:
Thomas (she's known this for awhile)
Bert (Bertie the Bus)
Peecy (Percy)
Sheep (James --- why sheep, no idea, but I cannot get her to say "james")
Hat or Top (Sir Toppam Hat)
Ah-ry (Henry)
gurt or gogurt (yogurt)
rice
hole
foot
Yiayia (Yay for Yiayia!!) - she said this at the doctor's office last week
nana (banana)
ah-wer (flower)
She also knows some of her Thomas The Tank Engine (boy does she love her Thomas...) characters:
Thomas (she's known this for awhile)
Bert (Bertie the Bus)
Peecy (Percy)
Sheep (James --- why sheep, no idea, but I cannot get her to say "james")
Hat or Top (Sir Toppam Hat)
Ah-ry (Henry)
Rebellion
When DJ took a toy away from Elektra (a toy car), she belted out "CAR!!! CAR!!!!!!" She progressively got louder and louder in protest of DJ having both cars. Finally he gave it back to her, and she went back to playing nicely by herself (but next to DJ).
Although it's not Spiro's "war cry" when Sophia took toys away from him, it's the same vein! Someone is learning how to protest verbally!!
Although it's not Spiro's "war cry" when Sophia took toys away from him, it's the same vein! Someone is learning how to protest verbally!!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
DJ's first Orioles game
Our friend Jill invited us to join her at last night's Orioles game, and she had enough tickets to take both of us and DJ. So Elektra stayed with Papou while we took DJ to the game.
The seats were fantastic - 6 rows up from the field, first base side. But they were in the full sun, and so it was HOT. Plus, the air wasn't moving at all, and that's when we realized that we couldn't go out to the car to get our sunscreen.
The first thing take Steve did was to take DJ to get a new hat "like Daddy's" and a foam finger. Steve says DJ picked up the foam finger and said he wanted it. What Daddy can resist that request at his son's first ballgame??
Then we bought a couple bottles of water. DJ happily snitched from both of our bottles.
We also got him (and Elektra!) a commemorative cup. He drank out of and played with that for a good few innings in between walks up to the concession stands.
He ate fries with us, and he had a cup of vanilla Carvel soft serve. He inhaled that. I'd forgotten how good that stuff is, and wished the bricks and mortar stores were still around.
We stayed until the end of the 6th inning. We were surprised he lasted that long; it's not like he was watching the game. To our immense surprise, there were a lot of kids there his age and younger, so we were definitely in good company as parents concerned with overheating (and b-o-r-e-d) kids.
At one point, we were walking to the concession stands and one of the ushers asked us if we had sunblock for DJ. When I said no (experience is what you get right after you need it), she sent us to the First Aid room. When we walked in, the place was mobbed. I'm thinking... it's only the 2nd inning!! What were you people doing?? Anyway, we got him some sunscreen for his face, so he didn't fry.
Here are some more pictures from the day.
The seats were fantastic - 6 rows up from the field, first base side. But they were in the full sun, and so it was HOT. Plus, the air wasn't moving at all, and that's when we realized that we couldn't go out to the car to get our sunscreen.
The first thing take Steve did was to take DJ to get a new hat "like Daddy's" and a foam finger. Steve says DJ picked up the foam finger and said he wanted it. What Daddy can resist that request at his son's first ballgame??
Then we bought a couple bottles of water. DJ happily snitched from both of our bottles.
We also got him (and Elektra!) a commemorative cup. He drank out of and played with that for a good few innings in between walks up to the concession stands.
He ate fries with us, and he had a cup of vanilla Carvel soft serve. He inhaled that. I'd forgotten how good that stuff is, and wished the bricks and mortar stores were still around.
We stayed until the end of the 6th inning. We were surprised he lasted that long; it's not like he was watching the game. To our immense surprise, there were a lot of kids there his age and younger, so we were definitely in good company as parents concerned with overheating (and b-o-r-e-d) kids.
At one point, we were walking to the concession stands and one of the ushers asked us if we had sunblock for DJ. When I said no (experience is what you get right after you need it), she sent us to the First Aid room. When we walked in, the place was mobbed. I'm thinking... it's only the 2nd inning!! What were you people doing?? Anyway, we got him some sunscreen for his face, so he didn't fry.
Here are some more pictures from the day.
Mommy and DJ
Walking to the car from the O's game with Jill.
In the car on the way home from the O's game.
The best part, the Orioles beat the Nats!!
The Swimming Pool
Steve was at Target last week and saw a "baby pool" for $30. It now lives on our deck.
We filled it last week, and it also instantly filled with bugs. Disgusting. So we emptied it, cleaned it, refilled it, and put a mosquito net over it. That also allowed the water to warm during this week's heat wave.
Yesterday morning, the kids got to take a dip in just their swim diapers. I attached the hose to get the "waterfall" part to work, and the kids had a blast!! DJ splashed and kicked in the pool, and Elektra tried to imitate him as best she could. The only issue is that the waterfall introduces cold water directly from the well, so after about half an hour, I had 2 blue kids.
I also pulled out their new watering cans, which they both loved.
We filled it last week, and it also instantly filled with bugs. Disgusting. So we emptied it, cleaned it, refilled it, and put a mosquito net over it. That also allowed the water to warm during this week's heat wave.
Yesterday morning, the kids got to take a dip in just their swim diapers. I attached the hose to get the "waterfall" part to work, and the kids had a blast!! DJ splashed and kicked in the pool, and Elektra tried to imitate him as best she could. The only issue is that the waterfall introduces cold water directly from the well, so after about half an hour, I had 2 blue kids.
I also pulled out their new watering cans, which they both loved.
Cross-eyed?
The Pool
The Waterfall
Monday, June 07, 2010
Snowballs
Tonight, the kids ate fantastic dinners. Both ate grilled chicken strips, DJ pounded down coocumber (cucumber) and brah-key (broccoli) while Elektra ate lots of broccoli.
As a treat, we took them to the local snowball stand called Queen of Ice (owned by Palmisanos) where a couple of our autocross friends work.
Having already tried Skylight (a standard child favorite - and not just my children!), I gave DJ a choice between raspberry, strawberry, and watermelon. He asked for raspberry, which is also one of Daddy's favorites. So it worked out that both parents got raspberry, and both children pounded it! Elektra kept saying "Have some?" and DJ would ask politely (when prompted), "May I have some more snowball?"
The first time we took them to the snowball stand, DJ took to it pretty quickly, but Elektra didn't really want it. This time, both children loved it.
Hooray for summer snowballs!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.
As a treat, we took them to the local snowball stand called Queen of Ice (owned by Palmisanos) where a couple of our autocross friends work.
Having already tried Skylight (a standard child favorite - and not just my children!), I gave DJ a choice between raspberry, strawberry, and watermelon. He asked for raspberry, which is also one of Daddy's favorites. So it worked out that both parents got raspberry, and both children pounded it! Elektra kept saying "Have some?" and DJ would ask politely (when prompted), "May I have some more snowball?"
The first time we took them to the snowball stand, DJ took to it pretty quickly, but Elektra didn't really want it. This time, both children loved it.
Hooray for summer snowballs!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Riding Elektra's bike...together!
Imagine our surprise when we found that both kids were trying to ride Elektra's bike - and not necessarily fighting over it!
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Elektra counting to 10
I've been having fun with Elektra when she's on the changing table, including counting to 10. Steve captured this on video tonight. Enjoy!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Elektra's latest phrases
* Give kiss (including having Moopy (Snoopy) and Nunny (Bunny) give each other kisses)
* Put on shoes
* Go bye byes
* More milk
* A-peas (yes, please)
* Bless you (at the appropriate time, even!)
* Have boon (spoon) or ork (fork)
* How are you?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.
* Put on shoes
* Go bye byes
* More milk
* A-peas (yes, please)
* Bless you (at the appropriate time, even!)
* Have boon (spoon) or ork (fork)
* How are you?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Jumper and Posing
Elektra knows how to pose for the camera. She was wearing a jumper that she was handed down from a friend of ours, and I wanted to get a picture to send our friend. So I asked Elektra to smile for me, and smile she did. Check out the poses!
Smiling for the camera!
Toe tap pose!
Front pose!
DJ's 3rd Birthday Party
Yep, I'm that behind on my blogging.
We held DJ's 3rd birthday party on March 26. Earlier in the week, Eleanor had asked DJ color icing he wanted on his birthday cake, and DJ said, "Orange." Seriously?! So I kept quizzing him over the course of the week... "Do you want brown icing?" "No." "Do you want blue icing?" "No." "Do you want white icing?" "No." "Do you want orange icing?" "Yes."
Ok, orange icing it is, and it was orange icing I made.
This was cream cheese icing dyed orange with yellow and red food coloring. This icing got put on cupcakes (I admit, I cheated... it was box cake... I was fighting strep throat, so I was running out of energy in a hurry).
After I'd made the icing, I got worried. I didn't actually know if DJ would like the cream cheese icing because he hadn't had it recently enough. Luckily, DJ loves to sing "Happy Birthday" and loves cupcakes, and his cupcakes had orange icing on them that the cream cheese icing was a non-issue.
DJ enjoyed his cupcake immensely and the leftovers were just the "treat" we needed to encourage him to eat ALL of his dinner the next few nights. ::grin::
DJ received TONS of awesome gifts for his birthday, too. Everyone was so generous, and he loves all of them!
Happy 3rd Birthday!
We held DJ's 3rd birthday party on March 26. Earlier in the week, Eleanor had asked DJ color icing he wanted on his birthday cake, and DJ said, "Orange." Seriously?! So I kept quizzing him over the course of the week... "Do you want brown icing?" "No." "Do you want blue icing?" "No." "Do you want white icing?" "No." "Do you want orange icing?" "Yes."
Ok, orange icing it is, and it was orange icing I made.
This was cream cheese icing dyed orange with yellow and red food coloring. This icing got put on cupcakes (I admit, I cheated... it was box cake... I was fighting strep throat, so I was running out of energy in a hurry).
After I'd made the icing, I got worried. I didn't actually know if DJ would like the cream cheese icing because he hadn't had it recently enough. Luckily, DJ loves to sing "Happy Birthday" and loves cupcakes, and his cupcakes had orange icing on them that the cream cheese icing was a non-issue.
DJ enjoyed his cupcake immensely and the leftovers were just the "treat" we needed to encourage him to eat ALL of his dinner the next few nights. ::grin::
DJ received TONS of awesome gifts for his birthday, too. Everyone was so generous, and he loves all of them!
Happy 3rd Birthday!
Who needs a pillow...
... when you have a stuffed blue dog that's as big as you!!
Thanks to Spiro and Sophia for giving Elektra this before she was even born!
This was one morning when Elektra had been sleeping for 14 hours!! To be fair, she was fighting off a nasty cold...
Thanks to Spiro and Sophia for giving Elektra this before she was even born!
This was one morning when Elektra had been sleeping for 14 hours!! To be fair, she was fighting off a nasty cold...
Watermelon Boy
My mother-in-law brought a watermelon for all of us to share for dessert last night. I've been unsuccessful in getting Elektra to eat it (no idea why), so Carole thought that giving her a way to hold it might give her some incentive, so she left the rind on the pieces.
Between watching DJ chewing down on it and a new toy to eat, as it were, Elektra ate her fair share, including a little rind. Crunchy.
But what really cracked us up was how much DJ was eating. He couldn't get enough!!! He loved eating the watermelon with his hands, and the real evidence of this was not just in the pictures we do have, but also in the fact that we had to change his shirt.... He was soaked around his collar and then some!
And no, he didn't eat ALL of that, but he ate at least 2/3rds....!
Between watching DJ chewing down on it and a new toy to eat, as it were, Elektra ate her fair share, including a little rind. Crunchy.
But what really cracked us up was how much DJ was eating. He couldn't get enough!!! He loved eating the watermelon with his hands, and the real evidence of this was not just in the pictures we do have, but also in the fact that we had to change his shirt.... He was soaked around his collar and then some!
And no, he didn't eat ALL of that, but he ate at least 2/3rds....!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Strider Bike - update
DJ has been riding his orange Strider Bike around the living room since the week after Christmas. He's loved it, and we could tell he's been itching to go faster. When the weather finally got warm enough, we took him outside on his bike, and he faithfully wore his new helmet, too. And not to be outdone, Elektra got to ride her tricycle, too.
We had DJ try slaloming cones (like a good little autocrosser!), too. And for those of you paying attention, yes, it's an open slalom.
Since the weather got more predictably warm (early May), I try to take DJ out for a ride on his bike every night after dinner. Tonight, he hit a milestone... he picked up his feet and glided, balancing on the bike for a good solid distance. He went from the last part of our driveway across the street, and up the neighbor's driveway entrance without touching the ground once!
WAY TO GO DJ!
We had DJ try slaloming cones (like a good little autocrosser!), too. And for those of you paying attention, yes, it's an open slalom.
Since the weather got more predictably warm (early May), I try to take DJ out for a ride on his bike every night after dinner. Tonight, he hit a milestone... he picked up his feet and glided, balancing on the bike for a good solid distance. He went from the last part of our driveway across the street, and up the neighbor's driveway entrance without touching the ground once!
WAY TO GO DJ!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Sah-chah!
Routinely, Elektra will go through roll call. Mommy! Daddy! Nunny! (her bunny) DJ! Baby! (her Bitty Baby doll). Now she's added herself to roll call:
Sah-chah!
To her, it sounds like "Elektra". She has no idea she just nicknamed herself for life!
Sah-chah!
To her, it sounds like "Elektra". She has no idea she just nicknamed herself for life!
Elektra wearing DJ's bike helmet... backwards.
I'm back!
I apologize for the lack of blogs... life took a turn for the outrageously busy, and blogging, both for my family blog and another blog I've been authoring, suffered for it. I also switched to Facebooking from Tweeting to handle my one-offs. I'm also hoping that I will find a nice blogging app for my iPad (!), and maybe that will help me blog "on the run".
Meanwhile, here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.
Meanwhile, here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
CARS!!
It was a quiet evening... Steve, who was doodling on his guitar, was sitting on the couch next to DJ, who was playing with Steve's iPhone. Next thing we know, DJ pipes up and says, "Wanna play cars?"
Steve sat straight up and said, "Did you read that?? Point to me where you see 'cars'." Sure enough, DJ pointed to an application on Steve's iPhone called "Cars". The application's picture is the front end of a car (i.e. headlights and nose of car). But DJ was inside the application already.
So for the sake of argument, he already was being lead towards cars because of the picture he saw. But once inside the application, it's all text, no pictures. So Steve asked him to point to the word "cars".
And he did.
WOW!!!
Steve sat straight up and said, "Did you read that?? Point to me where you see 'cars'." Sure enough, DJ pointed to an application on Steve's iPhone called "Cars". The application's picture is the front end of a car (i.e. headlights and nose of car). But DJ was inside the application already.
So for the sake of argument, he already was being lead towards cars because of the picture he saw. But once inside the application, it's all text, no pictures. So Steve asked him to point to the word "cars".
And he did.
WOW!!!
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