black(berry) jack

as we left the house for nursery school today (running late as usual), jack said, "i'm gonna bring my blackberry!"

so, mommy said, "well, that's fine, but when we get there you'll have to leave it in the car because we can't take it in to school."

jack responded, "okay. but i just want to see if daddy sent me a message on email."

ah, the things we teach our children ....

(p.s., i sent this from my blackberry)

miss mershon goes to washington

when mamaxana traded the columbus day holiday for another day off that week, daddy took charge of the kids.

and while jack was in school ... annie made her first visit to the hallowed halls of the cannon house office building on the house of representatives side of capitol hill.

she was an instant hit with the entire office ...

and while her first trip was a huge success, she was too tired to fillibuster, and so she went home after her "optional stop-by" -- as they say in the politics business -- for her non-optional nap.

first field trip

jack set off today on his first-ever field trip. the nursery school was headed to the pumpkin patch, and jack was all set to go with his buddy cache in his car.

the pumpkin patch is actually at the farm that we've frequented before as a family for berry picking, last year's pumpkin and christmas tree ...

but this is jack's first outing without us ...

he was all primed and ready to go -- reciting for us what he was going to do and see. and he was very proud to have his backpack full of snacks, extra clothes and a bag for his pumpkin. and he was excited to wear his fire boots -- even if at first he was not sure they should be worn for any reason other than "emergencies."

the mom doing the driving promised she'd try to take pictures ... so we'll bring those to you if she makes good!

communication

a whole world is opening up ...

annie made her first sign today.

as we did with jack, we have been demonstrating a few key words in sign language with her -- "bottle/milk," "thank you," "all done," and "more" are our major ones.

annie is eating very well and loves cheerios. she gets all excited when she sees the big yellow box come out -- panting and kicking her legs to show her enthusiasm.

well, today when she saw the box, she actually made the sign for more.

do you think she got some from her gobsmacked (and quite proud) mother?

youbetcha!

perfect conditioned response. from both annie and mommy!

meanwhile ... jack asked for cereal bars for breakfast. but, he said he needed to have both varieties taken out of the pantry so he could show which one he wanted -- blueberry or "crunch berry" -- his artful term for what nabisco so plainly labeled mixed berry.

mommy replied, "why can't you just tell me with words which one you want to have." to which jack responded, "i have to point, mama, because i've lost my voice. i lost my voice and can't find it."

believe-you-me, jack's lost lots of things in his three short years. and will doubtless lose many more in the years to come. but his voice?? somehow can't imagine that day *ever* coming!

pediatric update

annie's 8 month appointment was today. because she didn't have a 7 month appointment, we weren't sure what to expect.

we needn't have worried.

first, the stats:

• length = 28 1/2 inches (+2 1/2 inches)
• weight = 18 lbs., 10 oz. (+2 lbs., 2 oz.)
• head = 45 cm (+1 cm)

that puts her between 75th and 90th percentile for height, between 50th and 75th for weight and between 75th and 90th for head circumference.

she still has not a single tooth but nonetheless the doctor encouraged us to start giving her some finger foods like cheerios and soft meat to maw. she is doing a great job with her purees and has quite repetoire of pureed fruits and veggies that she enjoys. she also tried to eat the paper liner on the exam table. girl likes her fiber.

she is still not sleeping through the night, so the doctor encouraged us (again) to consider a little sleep training for her.

we had been reluctant, but after she was up on thursday at 12 am and again from 3 am to 5 am, only to wake for the day at 6 am, we are becoming persuaded.

other than that, annie's hitting all her milestones appropriately -- sitting well, "standing" on her legs and even having a little separation anxiety (see thursday's sleep fiasco).

and, the doctor noticed that she seems remarkably flexible -- she envisions a future of ice skating, ballet and gymnastics for annie. in her medical opinion, of course ....

annie ended her visit with two shots -- not the happiest parting. but by the time we return in two months for the next check-up, we hope she will have forgotten.

first sunday school

now that he is three years old, jack is ready for sunday school at church.

heretofore, we at ·ald· have not been frequent attenders at church ... our last visit prior to this was annie's baptism in may. but with fall setting in, and the start of sunday school, mommy decided it was time to try to form a habit.

jack is in the "godly play for 3-4 year olds" class. when mommy first told him that we were going to church, he didn't want to go. he protested and whined. finally daddy said, "you don't have to go in that room in the basement" (aka the church's nursery). that's all it took. jack was on board.

however, as we got dressed and mommy tried to coax him into a nice button-down shirt and khakis, jack resisted. told that he should look spiffy for church, jack replied, "i don't want to be smiffy."

nonetheless, mommy convinced him to wear a "jacket shirt" over his "spring shirt."

here jack plays with the clock depicting the church's calendar. the white is lent (i think). it's followed by the red ... pretty sure that's pentecost. maybe we all need a little more "godly play."

after church, jack was eager to run across lafayette park to see the white house. he was also thrilled with the number of "police officers" coincidentally stationed in the 1600 block of pennsylvania avenue. no matter they were secret service -- they had police cars!!

but the most touching part of our trip to church was when jack repeatedly asked me if he could get a blessing. at annie's baptism, in lieu of taking communion, he was given a blessing and is now semi-obsessed with receiving it each time we go to church.

but, since the youngest sunday school classes never go into the church during the service, there is no opportunity for jack to get his blessing.

no opportunity except for snagging reverend lisa during the post-service coffee social ...

she was tickeled by jack's request for a blessing and pledged that any time he wants one, all we have to do is find her. and hold her punch cup.

and god bless us every one.

first day of school

the headline of this day?

what a difference a year makes!


jack, 2009

jack, 2008

mommy had wanted to dress jack similarly to what he wore last year. that was the first change we witnessed. this year jack had definite opinions about what he wanted to wear ... and it wasn't a blue and white button-down. he wanted to wear his "spring shirt." why it's called that, we'll never know. but it's the one with the brown collar and the lizard. mommy did convince him to wear the button down as a "jacket" in the light rain that was falling, but halfway up the "rocky path" from the street where we park to the school door, he shed the shirt.

and, of course, jack went to school in underwear today. naturally we sent a few extra pairs with him in his trusty bookbag, but it was such a step and such a big-boy thing to do.

another difference this year -- jack was ready and rarin' to go this morning. he couldn't wait to get to school! he kept saying, "come on mama, let's go!"

annie was a little sad to see him go. actually, his enthusiastic impersonation of a tractor during breakfast scared her and made her sad, but we'll say it was that she was missing her brother.



one of the first things jack said as we arrived at school and walked in was that he wanted to play with the car racing loop. mommy had seen this on tuesday's "unpacking day" and knew jack would like it. luckily his teacher, mrs. stover, inherited a second identical racing loop this year, so there are two. when told about it, jack immediately said, "one for me and one for cache, so i don't have to share with cache." cache is jack's "frenemy" from last year -- one party buddy, one part nemesis. it was no surprise that they immediately found each other ... and the racing loops!

but, in another sea change, they actually played very nicely together ... sharing and trading cars and watching each other as they sent every type of vehicle imaginable into the death-defying loop.

jack's teacher, mrs. stover brought out trains and dress up as well ... jack seemed to be in toy heaven.

so much so, that when mommy said, "okay, jackie-boy, i have to go to work now. have fun, i love you," he barely looked up from his activities to say goodbye.

oh, yes, what a difference a year makes.

but it looks like we're off to a great start to this one.