Sunday She Said / He Said

Brooke: Hey mom. Daddy never makes mistakes.

Mom: Oh really?

Brooke: Not with the tv. He makes other mistakes.


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Brooke: Hey mom, it's snowing! Do you know what that means?

Mom: What?

Brooke: Santas coming!

(Note: its JANUARY)


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Brooke (to Ryan): I'm gonna marry you Ry!


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Brooke (to Ryan): My name is Ashley (Pause) Say your name!

Ryan: Your name

The Five Minute Panic

Ryan told me the whole drive to school today "no school today!" followed by "go home!" ... So I wasn't surprised when the tears came the minute we walked in.

The teacher told him about the upcoming day, but it wasnt enough. She had to physically remove him from me so I could leave. He cried like the world was ending and my heart broke. I stayed and peered in. 5 minutes later the drama ceased. He still was apprehensive, but the tears and screaming were done.

This has been a rough couple of weeks for Ryan. A lot of transition. A lot of drama. He cried when we got to swimming last night too. But five minutes later he was jumping, splashing, and having a blast.

I know this phase will pass ... Hopefully sooner than later :)

Success At School

Surprisingly, Ryan was psyched about his second day of school. After his experience the first day and the drama with swim lessons, I was expecting him to be a bit anxious. He said "no school today!" once ... Then quickly changed his mind. He was slightly apprehensive when we arrived and gave me a whiny hug.

One teacher lured him with Play Doh and I was all but forgotten. I walked out and he never gave me a second glance.

The teachers said he had a great day. He started off a little slow in the am, but warmed up and fully participated soon after. He told me he had a great day.

Of course, we needed to celebrate. We stopped to pick up some cupcakes for after dinner ... And a little extra treat for the ride home ;)

Ryan's 1st Day Of School

Ryan has been building up for this day for a while. He understands school because he often drops off and/or picks up Brooke. He is psyched about getting his own backpack. So, this morning it was no surprise he was all smiles as we took Brooke to school ... And he got to wear his OWN backpack.

However, right after she walked into her classroom he began to whine "no school today!" He continued whining as we walked to the car, and eventually changed his tune when I told him he got snacks at school.

We got in the car with him smiling and singing "school today!". On the 15 minute drive he vacillated back and forth between eagerness and dread. I assumed there would be a sorrowful drop off.

I was wrong. He charged into his room and was a bit shy. A teacher called him over to an activity table and he walked away from be, barely saying goodbye.

I thought we were golden, but arrived to pick him up and found him crying in the arms of a teacher. She told me he had "1/2 a good day". Apparently the morning started of great. They went to their activity center for playtime and it was a bit overwhelming to him ... He basically cried the rest of the day :(. Luckily one classmate coincidentally brought favors for all the kids ... And Ryan came home with a cool Toy Story cup, pen and paper. These prizes made his last memory of the day really positive, and all he could talk about was his "Woody cup" for the rest of the evening.

Mailed from school to Home

In case she tries to deny it later ...

Adios Mexico!

Our last day in Mexico started off much like all those that came before. Brooke drank OJ from a wine glass and Ryan acted like a goofball.




We had an early afternoon flight out of Mexico, so we wanted to take one more opportunity to enjoy the amazing weather and view. Brooke and Ryan played in the sand for a bit, and then said goodbye to paradise.

On the plane on the way home Ryan stopped to say hello to the pilot and check out all of his buttons. The pilot reached into his backpack and handed him two special pins for he and his sister. (This would have likely been an amazing experience, except the kids got pins on the flight TO Mexico as well!) Ryan displayed his with pride, Brooke, as usual, insisted on marching to the beat of her own drum...

The flight was fairly easy and we were back in Chicago before long. Unfortunately, we didnt bring home the nice weather ... and the kids were shocked by the cold that hit them as soon as we exited the airport. Luckily, I showed Brooke and Ryan "how cool" it was that they could see their own breath and they were entertained blowing "smoke" into the air while we packed up (and warmed up!) the car for our trip home.

Vacay Day 4

The kids started off the am nice and slow, by hanging in bed playing some games on the iPhone.

We followed up with the buffet breakfast, where Brooke and Ryan had more of the same (yogurt & maraschino cherries) and continued their goofy shenanigans.

At the beach, Brooke spent some time collecting shells whereas Ryan just hung around and looked cool.

Ryan perfected his day with another pool-side nap. He definitely knows how to vacation...

Vacay Day 3

More of the same today! Lots of beach and pool time. Here are a few of the highlights:


The kids had some "diving" practice in the pool

While Ryan took a nap poolside, Brooke did some extra swimming ... and practiced being a Diva.




At the beach, Brooke had a hard time getting the Chicago winter out of her mind...




And the kids vacillated between being adorable

And downright goofy

That night we went to dinner at the teppanyaki grill because we thought the kids would enjoy the show. Between the flames, flying broccoli, and knives all over the place, they couldn't decide if they were enthralled or scared to death. Either way, the food was great and nobody was harmed in the process :)

Vacay Day 2

We started out with breakfast, Brooke's favorite part of the whole trip. Why? Because it was a buffet and she got to pick her own breakfast every day. Yet, every day she had the same thing ... two Dannon yogurts, a bit of fruit, and OJ in a wine glass. Ryan had a bit more variety, but insisted on maraschino cherries from the mimosa bar as his breakfast treat.



We then hit the beach, where both kids did a lot of building. That didnt last long, however, because (as usual) Ryan continually destroyed anything Brooke built. After several major built and destroy episodes, we called it quits at the beach.



We went swimming later in the day, which both kids thought was pretty awesome. By the time we got out of the pool it was dark out ... and both kids were a bit cold. So, we wrapped them up like little burritos and they sat and laughed at each other for about 10 minutes.

For dinner we went to the outdoor restaurant for Mexican night. There were a few clouds in the sky and Brooke kept asking if it was going to rain. We assured her it wasnt going to rain ... and then it did. She cried and told us that she knew it was going to rain and that she couldnt understand why we dont listen to her. We moved under the awning, but still got a bit wet through the meal ... and she continually reminded us that she knew it was going to rain and we were poor listeners. She also insisted on sitting like this for the rest of the meal ...

And ... We're Off!

The kids were fully equipped for our trip to Mexico. One iPad and one DVD player was all we needed for a tranquil flight. They both did great, it was a (pretty) easy flight, although by the time we landed they were both a little bit on the loopy side. While crankiness at the end of a flight is understandable - our day had just begun when the plane landed - it was only lunch time!





We checked into the hotel, grabbed our suits, and headed for lunch and the pool. The kids had a blast!

Ryan spent the day without a nap and never was a problem. He handled himself like a trooper ... till dinner time. I dont think he even took a bite of his dinner before he started nodding off. I picked him up and he spent the rest of the dinner on my lap (still asleep). In fact, we carried him up from dinner (still asleep), put him to bed in his shorts and t-shirt (still asleep)!

The Ballerina Returns

Brooke took a session off ballet when she started preschool. I was worried about her ability to handle a lot on her plate (and my ability to manage the family schedule). She started back again today, but it seems as if he has lost a bit of her passion during her time away. Hope she regains that passion ... Because she's signed up for the long haul. Brooke has ballet every week from January through mid-June ;)

Counting and Conversing

Ryan has been big into counting lately. Today we walked past a row of cars and he counted them from 1-14 ... except he always skips 7 (and everyone knows why, that 7-guy is a cannibal). He is also recognizing numbers in print, from 1-5 at least and a few others here and there.


I've also noticed how much more dialogue he is having. Its not uncommon for him to use 3-4 words in a sentence. He is using sentences to explain a lot of what he sees, and what is going on in the world around him. He's become a keen observer and actively talks about things he sees. We've had a few frustrations as he expands his vocabulary though. He comes to us with (what he thinks is) a nice, clear sentence and we blankly stare back. After a few incorrect guesses he gets frustrated and starts whining or yelling.


He is also recounting his activities to others. For example, telling Daddy about his day when he gets home from work, or telling his big sister about a trip to the dentist. He actually shares much more of his thoughts and activities than his big sister does ... and thus is at the center of many of our current conversations.


One of the best things about his progress is the fact that Ryan and Brooke are increasingly communicating with one another. While they both have the ability to wage a full argument (generally over a television show or toy) they also are enjoying playing together (when the stars align).


All of his recent actions clearly suggest our little guy is no longer a baby, which is both sad and thrilling at the same time ;)

Breaking All The Parenting Rules

They (the parenting experts) suggest too much change at one time for a child can be traumatic. Thus, when a major change is happening (or about to happen) you need to try to control the other changes in the kids life. So, what do we do?


Start potty training

Start cutting out the pacifier

Start school

Start swim lessons


... oh yeah, then we'll take him on an airplane to another country for a few days in between.


Ryan is a laid back kid. He seems to handle everything in stride. He's also tough. He's really potty training himself. HE is the one pushing it. HE is the one running to the potty. HE is the one thats totally excited (and yesterday he did #1 AND #2 ... he's a potty master!).


As for the pacifier? He isnt giving that up so easy. After some online searches I saw a few tips and followed them. #1 I poked holes in the paci so it wouldnt have any resistance. He didnt seem to care. #2 We told him about the "Binky Fairy" who would take his pacifier and give it to a baby who needs one, and leave him a present. He totally understood the concept. He tried once, and emotionally couldnt handle it. He now agrees a baby needs his pacifier, that he will let the "Binky Fairy" take it, but he isnt ready. He will be "soon". #3 I cut off the whole bottom of the pacifier. He put it in his mouth, took it out, looked at it, laughed, and put it back in his mouth. Tonight is the second night sleeping with 1/2 a pacifier ... he doesnt care. Tomorrow I'll cut it down a bit more. He isnt crying about it at all. Like I said, the kid is tough. I'm just not sure who is going to win this battle :)


And school? He seems psyched about it. He's been walking around with his backpack on with a huge grin on his face. He wants to be like his big sister, and he will in a few days. I'm hoping he still has that smile when I drop him off for the first time next week ...


And swim lessons? The kid takes a bucket and repeatedly dumps it onto his own head over and over in the bath. He is fearless.


He seems to handle everything in stride. It might be that in two weeks we will have a paci-free-diaper-free-swimming-preschooler. Or, we might not :)

Sunday She Said / He Said

"Mom, do you want to know what I dreamed about?" ... "Princesses with no heads"


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Having a tough time breaking Ryan's Christmas spirit. While eating his cereal he turned to me and said ...


Ryan: Santa's coming to town

Me: Oh really?

Ryan: Reindeer coming to town too


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Happy New Year - 2013!

Last year we went to an indoor waterpark and had a big kid-friendly NYE adventure. This year we decided to generally follow suit, but added a little grown-up stuff too. We spent the weekend (including NYE) in Michigan, and started off our party with a special surprise ... hats and noisemakers.


Last year the kids had so much fun with the party-favors we got at the hotel, that Jeff went out on a hunt to get them some for this year as well. But, there was a small trick. Jeff went out during Ryans nap, came back in, handed Brooke two noisemakers ... and told her that she couldnt use them until he woke up. It was probably the most crushing moment in her life to date. You could see her internal struggle as she anxiously held the horn in her hands. Finally, Jeff suggested they go outside (in the freezing cold) to blow the horn - once. Her spirits were lifted and all was right once again.


When Ryan woke from nap she immediately blew the horn ... and he cocked his head and smiled bigger than I've ever seen. Saying the next two hours were noisy would be a bit of an understatement.


We then went out to dinner and found our table adorned with sparkly necklaces in addition to more party hats. We had a fantastic dinner, although all those romantic dates surrounding us likely didnt appreciate the two little kids repeatedly screaming "Happy New Year!" as much as we did. We then came back home, spent a bit of time with the cousins, and retired for the evening.

Here they are ... you can almost hear all the noise right through the pictures!