Wiggly tooth

John lost his first tooth in the middle of January. He has had a wiggly tooth for a couple of weeks now. Everyday he gives us an update on how wiggly it is. Tonight at dinner, he said "My tooth is bleeding!" He opened his mouth and showed us. Gilly gagged when she saw the blood. I told her to calm down and she said "Eww the blood." Daddy called Johnny over to him and looked at the tooth. He was able to pull it out without John even noticing and kept it hidden in his hand. John only realized the tooth was out after he felt his gums. He then said "I think I ate it!" Daddy showed John that he pulled it out. John laughed. He said "It didn't even hurt!" Love their different reactions to John loosing his second tooth. 

Birthday planning

John and Gillian's birthdays are in July. But that hasn't stopped them from planning their parties. Gillian has already decided "I want another princess party!" She has been telling me that for weeks. Now she has decided "I have a gymnastics party." This decision was made after attending a gymnastics party last weekend. 

John has also been talking about his birthday party. I would pick him up from school and he says "I've decided I want to invite three friends to my birthday party." I always say "Your birthday is not for a long time." He says "I know. But I'm going to make invitations." Yesterday he actually came home with an invitation. 

I asked him about it. He said "It's my invitation. I need to make more. And I'm going to give them to my friends." Again I explained to him that his birthday is four months away and it is too early to send out invitations. That satisfied him for now, but I guess I have to start planning a birthday party. 

Lunch

Most days John takes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to school. We always tell him what's available for hot lunch. Today I told him that lunch was pasta. He said "Yes! I'll buy." Daddy also talked to him about lunch and told him that there was chicken patty sandwiches on the menu today. 

Everyday Mrs. Belena asks the kids if they are buying lunch or if they brought lunch. If they are buying then she gives them their lunch card and asks them what they are buying. 

When I picked up John from school today I asked him about lunch. He said "It was good. But I like the other thing that they had today too!" I said "Oh the chicken patty sandwich?" He said "No I had the sandwich." I was confused. He said "I didn't know what baked ziti was so I said chicken patty!" Yup. That's my fault. I should have said the pasta was baked ziti. Oops. But he said "It was good. I would get it again!" 

The secret

I tucked Gillian into bed tonight. Instead of just kissing her goodnight, I climbed into bed with her and talked to her about her day. We talked about her friends and school. After talking for a few minutes, I said "Ok. I love you bunches." And I gave her squeezies and kisses. She said "But I not done talking." I said "What else do you want to talk about?" She said "I tell you a secret! My voice will get lower. And then I tell you a secret." She cracks me up. She then whispered and said something that was Gillian's made up language. I said "What?" She again whispered some nonsense. Finally she said "I like fruit snacks!" Not quite the secret I was expecting. But very funny. 

The movies

We decided to take the kids to see the new Muppet movie today. All we told the kids was that we were going to do something special. This morning John kept asking for clues. I told him "Green." That didn't help him. I also brought Gillian's Kermit with us thinking that would help him. He didn't figure it out until we got to the mall. 

While we were buying tickets, Gillian asked "Can we get popcorn? And a soda?" I caved and bought the popcorn. The kids were very good while we waited for the movie to start. Gillian announced to the entire theater "I gotta go potty!" I picked her up and ran to the bathroom. The whole time she was yelling "I gotta go. I gotta go!"

I got to sit next to John while Gillian sat next to Daddy. John got a little scared with a few parts of the movie. Gillian got very scared when she saw the "bad Kermit." And she jumped into Daddy's lap. Later she told me "There was two Kermits. One was bad! The bad one take Miss Piggy! And Johnny know which one was good!" John said "It was easy!" 

At lunch I asked the kids "What was your favorite part of the movie?" John said "The muppet ladder!" Gillian said "I don't want to talk about it now." Silly girl never told us what she liked best. 

The deer

We just got home from dinner and when pulling onto our street, we spotted a deer in the middle of the road.  As we pulled into the driveway, Gillian said "That deer would be in big trouble if we ranned it over!"  I said "You are right.  The deer would have been in big trouble!"  Gillian then said "And Santa would be mad!  We would never get presents again!"

Laughed

I picked up Gillian from school yesterday. I asked her about her day in the car. She said "Dorlisa fall off the horsey. I laughed. And I go to timeout." I said "Gillian it isn't nice to laugh at your friends." Gillian said "But it was funny!" Once again, I am glad that I wasn't looking directly at her because I smiled. I'm sure it was funny. But I said "Well it wasn't nice to laugh at your friend. Dorlisa could have gotten hurt." And with that Gillian burst into tears. I let her cry for a few minutes and then I asked "Why are you crying?" Still crying, she attempted to say something to me. I said "You have to stop crying and talk like a big girl." She slowed down and said "I crying cause you said I can't watch shows!" She kills me. "Gillian, I didn't say that. I think timeout at school was enough of a punishment. Don't laugh when your friends fall because they could be hurt." And with that the tears stopped. She is a drama queen. But I still wish I saw Dorlisa fall. I bet it was hilarious. 

The little moments

Wednesdays can be a little crazy for me. I drop Gillian off at school so that I canget to work early so I can leave early to pick up the kids. Daddy works late on Wednesdays so I need to get both kids, make dinner, do homework and baths. Most days I just get caught up in all the tasks and I miss all the little, silly, fun moments with the kids. Today there was a couple of little moments that made my day better 

I dropped Gillian off and school and one of the teachers asked me "Who's pregnant and ate a baby?" Apparently Gillian has been telling everyone at school that Aunt Missy ate a baby. 

I picked up Gillian from school. She had the hiccups. She still had the hiccups at bed time. 

Gillian and I picked up John from school. When they saw each other, they ran and gave each other a big hug. 

After bath and the kids got in their pajamas, Gillian asked "What are we doing now?" I said "John is going to read to us." She jumped up and down and said "Yes!" And went running into my room. 

Math problems

John is pretty good at math. They have just started adding two digit numbers together with regrouping (or carrying over, like how I learned to add). Anyway, he is always impressed with how I can do his math problems in my head. And sometimes he likes to quiz me. "What's 100 plus 100?" I'll answer and he will be amazed and will try to come up with a "harder" question. "What's 200 plus 200?" He cracks me up. This morning he says "What's 10 times 10?" I tell him 100. He grins and says "What's 100 times 100?" I tell him 1,000. He says "I asked a kid on the playground. He said 100. That's easy. But then I asked him what's 100 times 100 and he didn't know. And he was like a fourth grader!" I laughed and said "Your school only goes to third grade." John said "Oh. Well he was a third grader."

The leprechaun

Every night at dinner, Daddy and I ask the kids about their day. Sometimes they give us little stories, but not last night. We didn't get anything. After Gillian took her shower last night and I was getting her dressed in her pajamas, she told me "There was a leprechaun at school today!" Finally a story! I was intrigued, wouldn't you be? I asked her if she was the leprechaun. She said "No! Him's was naughty! He threw the gold doubloons on the table and he threw the chairs everywhere. And he threw Clover across the room!" I said "That doesn't sound very nice." Gillian said "Him's was naughty. I'm going to tell Santa! I put Clover on the counter to be safe and him's throw him! I'm telling Santa."

Marvelous

Tonight after dinner, John and Gillian were telling me about an episode of My Little Pony. Gilly said "They make a cake. It was marbleous." (That's not a typo, that is how she pronounced marvelous) I didn't really understand. And I looked at John to explain to me. He said "It's a marvelous cake. They named it something, but I don't remember the name." Gillian interuppted and said "Marbleous! It was a marbleous cake!" 

Best girl

Daddy and I frequently ask the kids "Who's my best girl?" Or "Who's my best boy?" Gillian loves it. She always smiles big and raises her hand. Or she says "I right here!" 

This morning she found me in the kitchen. She had just woken up and was still a little groggy. I said"There's my favorite girl!" And she immediately raised her hand. It was just the two of us in the kitchen, but she wanted to make sure I knew she was my favorite girl!  I could never forget that Gillian is my best girl!

Clover and College

Gillian got a stuffed bunny for Christmas from Uncle T and Aunt Missy. The bunny's name is Clover and he is from Sofia the First on Disney Junior. Gillian has been taking Clover to school with her for nap time. Today I picked her up from school and it was raining outside. When she walked outside she put up her hood. And said "Where's Clover's hood?" I laughed and said "Clover doesn't have a jacket." So she stuck Clover's head under her hood. That didn't last long. She then stopped in the middle of the path and unzipped her coat and stuffed Clover inside. She thought this was hysterical. 

There he is nice and safe inside Gillian's jacket. She insisted on walking into John's school with Clover in her jacket. John didn't seem to notice the bunny in Gillian's jacket. But when we all got back in the car, Gillian told John all about it. He thought it was hysterical too. John asked "Can I see Clover?" Gillian shared and before I realized it the too of them her laughing about all the silly things Clover was doing. Clover looked out the window. Clover flew in the car. Clover drove mommy's car. Clover even got buckled in (safety first).

 Tonight, I went to give John goodnight kisses and he said "Mom, can we talk? You may want to sit down. This could take awhile." Honestly I was a little concerned. What could he want to talk about that could take awhile? I kneeled next to his bed and he said "I'm not sure what I want to do in College." Really? My six year old is worried about what he is going to major in in college. He cracks me up. I explained to him that he doesn't need to know now and that I didn't know when I went in college and I found what I liked after I took some classes. Then he said "What if I don't know how to do what I pick? I think I need to pick now when I am little and then when I am big I can go to college." Again, I told him that he doesn't need to decide now. I also explained that you are always learning and Mommy learns something new everyday. That seemed to satisfy him for now. 

The kitchen

Gillian doesn't take naps anymore. However everyday at school, her class still naps after lunch. Since Gillian can be a bit distracting, her mat is over by the play kitchen while all of her friends are on the other side of the room. 

Tonight, Daddy and Gillian had the following conversation:

Daddy: Did you take a nap today?

Gillian: Yes

Daddy: Did you sleep IN the kitchen?

Gillian: No. I sleep BY the kitchen so I don't bother my friends. 

Daddy: Does anybody else sleep by the kitchen?

Gillian: Nope. Just me. (Pause) and Clover. 

Basketball

John has been playing basketball on Saturdays with the Tinton Fall recreation department. This Saturday was his last game. They had a round robin schedule and they got to play all four first grade teams. John was very excited to play one last game. He had a bunch of fans in the stands too (Aunt Missy, Grandma, Grandpa, Mimi, Poppy, Aunt Betty). There where so many kids an people there that John got a little distracted and lost his water bottle. He came over to the stand and said "I lost my water bottle. I don't know where it went!" Poor boy probably put it under the wrong bench. 

Since they were playing a round robin with four teams, John only got to play every fourth period. He did awesome. He knew when he was on defense and when he was on offense. He even blocked a ball with his head. When I asked him about it later. He said "It didn't even hurt!"

 

After they played the game, it was time for trophies. Everyone got a trophy and a certificate. John was so excited! 

He showed everyone his trophy and he said "It's only fair that everyone got a trophy!" 

He was a little sad at the end. He said "We didn't get to do high fives and say good game!" I think he had a great season and I would definitely sign him up again next year!

Bean's adventure

Gillian's school was closed today for an in-service for the teachers. I asked Grandma if she would watch Gillian during the day. Gillian was super excited to have a day at Grandma's all by herself. On Monday when Daddy picked Gillian up from school, Miss Patti asked Daddy "Is Gillian going to be in school tomorrow?" Daddy replied "Yes. Why?" Miss Patti said "Gillian told everyone that she was going to her Grandma's house." Daddy laughed "She is. On Friday when school is closed." 

This morning, I went to wake Gillian up. I whispered "Good morning. What's going on today?" Gillian opened her eyes and said "I going to Grandma's today!" As I got her dressed, she said to me "We go after I eat breakfast!" Gillian and I got John on the bus and went to Grandma's house. Gillian was super excited to see Grandma and Grandpa. She immediately asked for paper and crayons. She didn't even notice that I left. 

I went to pick her up this afternoon. She was hiding in Grandma's kitchen. When she saw me she said "Why are you here?" (Wow. Thanks Gillian.) She wasn't happy to hear that I was picking her up. "Can't I sleep over?" I told her that John and Daddy were waiting for us at home. While she was getting her stuff together, Grandpa and Grandma told me that Gillian was very good today. Gillian went to church, shopping with Grandma, watched "Rella" with Grandpa and colored with Justin. Sounds like a pretty awesome day. 

She was exhausted and fell asleep in the car. Grandma keeps you busy!

Friction

Tonight at dinner, John taught me all about friction. He said "You know gravity holds us down. Friction stops us from sliding all over the place. Without gravity we would be flying. But friction is really important. Imagine a room that has carpet on one side and no carpet on the other. The carpet makes friction so we don't fall. But we can slide on the floor with no carpet. Cause there's no friction. See easy peasy!"

Greece

The kids' Uncle Joe (my big brother) is currently the Navigator for the USS George H. W. Bush. At dinner tonight, I told the kids "Guess what? Uncle Joe is in Greece today!" We showed John where Greece is on a map. Daddy told John "Do you know a long, long, long time ago Greece was the first country to have the Olympics!" John loves the Olympics and hopes to be an Olympian one day. John was very impressed with this little fact. Daddy also told John "You know the torches that they carry in the Olympics? Well they first start in Greece and then go to the country where the Olympics are held." John asked "When are the Olympics going to be by us?" Gillian said "No! The Statue of Liberty has a torch!" Daddy told John "Maybe one day they will be in New York." Gillian again said "The Statue of Liberty has a torch. Remember last week, I tell you all about it. And we can go in it. Can I go in the elevator?" John tried to explain to Gillian what we were talking about, but she was too focused on the statue. Thanks Uncle Joe for inspiring tonight's lesson about Greece!

Big cousins

Now that Aunt Missy and Uncle T have let everyone know that they are expecting their first baby in August, I can finally blog about it!

We found out on Christmas morning that John and Gillian were going to be big cousins. I tried to tell John. I said "John, did you hear? Aunt Missy has a baby in her belly! You are going to be a big cousin!" John was super distracted and said "But Mom! There's a big box in the other room!" I said "But Aunt Missy is going to have a baby!" John said "But Mom! There's a door on the box!" He was too distracted to listen to me. I told Gillian, "Aunt Missy has a baby in her belly!" Gillian said "Why her eat the baby?" Not exactly Gilly. 

We talk to the kids a lot about the baby. About how they are going to be big cousins for the first time. One night, I asked Gillian, "Are you going to help Aunt Missy with the baby?" She said "I going to feed the baby bottles!" I asked "Are you going to change the baby's diapers?" She said "No! Stinky diapers!" That same night, John asked "How does the baby come out?" Daddy told him "The doctor takes the baby out." That didn't satisfy John. He asked "How?" Daddy said "Carefully!" John again asked "How?" Daddy said "Sometimes they have to cut the belly to get the baby out." Cutting the belly must have scared John, because he stopped asking questions after that. I asked John, "What kind of baby should Aunt Miss have?" John said "A boy or a girl maybe." Daddy said "What about a baby dinosaur?" John said "Is that even possible?"

One night when I was tucking Gillian into bed, we talked about the baby. She said "Aunt Missy eat a baby. We don't eat babies, but she find a baby and eat it!" I asked her "What should Aunt Missy and Uncle T name the baby?" Gillian said "Baby!"

Last night at dinner, Gillian said "The baby needs a manket! The baby likes green. Grandma can make her a green manket like mine!" Oh, did I mention, Gillian insists that the baby is a girl! 

I asked the kids "What should Aunt Missy and Uncle T name the baby?" Gillian said "The baby is a girl. We name her Gillian!" John said "I know. Name the baby Travis. Cause there is only one Travis!" He was referring to Travis the turtle that his Uncle T gave him when he was born. Daddy and I reminded John that Travis the turtle was named after John's Uncle T (who's name is Travis). John said "Oh yeah, I forgot, but they could still name the baby Travis." I asked John, "What about a girl's name?" John said "How about I come up with boy name and Gill comes up with girl names?" 

One day I showed John a sonogram picture of the baby. John asked "How did they get a picture of the baby?" I explained to him that they have special machines that can show you inside of someone's body. He said "Wow! That's really cool!" 

John and Gillian are super excited to be big cousins! They have wonderful big cousins so they have some big shoes to fill!

The light

On Friday, Daddy picked up the kids from school. When they got home, John got out of the car and went right into the house. Gillian followed him but waited on the front porch. She stood there and looked up at the light. She said "What's wrong with the light?" Daddy looked up at the light and it was blinking. John was laughing inside. He was turning the light on and off. Silly boy.