John did a craft project this morning and the entire kitchen table was covered in markers, stickers, glue and paper. He wanted to help me make cookies and I told him that he needed to clean up the table before he could help. He looked at me and said "what am I an octopus?" I am sure I had a look of confusion on my face because it prompted him to explain "I don't have eight arms! I can't pick up all that stuff. I'm not an octopus!"
When we put Gillian to sleep, we just lay her down in her crib. No rocking or anything to get her drowsy before we leave the room. Most nights she stays awake for a half hour or so and talks to herself. The past couple of nights she would call for Mommy. After a few minutes she starts saying "Fia, Jo-Jo, Dashiel." I guess since I didn't go running into her room she decided to change her tactic. Silly little girl, your friends aren't going to help you.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Got the moves...
John likes to race all the time. On our way upstairs to bed tonight, John was ahead of everyone (as usual). When he reached the top he said "I won!" Daddy said "that's because you are so fast." John quickly replied "that's because I've got the moves like Jagger!"
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Nice weather
Today was a beautiful day. It was almost 70 degrees. I got to pick up the kids from school. As I approached the building I could see John running around the playground. His cheeks were red and he was grinning ear to ear. I went inside and got Gillian and their stuff and then we went to the playground to find John. Gillian started calling her brother. "John-John!" she yelled. And that's when we saw a little girl being chased by John. He finally saw Gillian and I and came toward us. He barely said goodbye to his friends and we were on our way.
As soon as we got home he wanted to go play outside. I told him he had to wait until Daddy came home. So he sat in the window and waited. The second Daddy got home John had his coat on and was ready to go outside.
I love when the kids play outside. They are tired, dirty and hungry when they are done. He ate all his dinner without a complaint. There was only giggles in the bathtub tonight. And we didn't have any arguments at bedtime. I can't wait for spring to be here.
As soon as we got home he wanted to go play outside. I told him he had to wait until Daddy came home. So he sat in the window and waited. The second Daddy got home John had his coat on and was ready to go outside.
I love when the kids play outside. They are tired, dirty and hungry when they are done. He ate all his dinner without a complaint. There was only giggles in the bathtub tonight. And we didn't have any arguments at bedtime. I can't wait for spring to be here.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Be Brave
John's school had Monmouth County Park Systems visit today with snakes. John has been telling us all about snakes for the past two days. He was telling us all about vipers and milk snakes. He said he read about them in a book. Daddy is afraid of snakes so all this talk has made him uncomfortable.
John was telling us tonight about the snakes that visited his school. He said "they brought good snakes. And there was a rattlesnake puppet." I asked him if he got to touch a snake and what did it feel like. He said "I got to touch the black one and it was hard." When Daddy heard that John touched a snake, he said "well you are braver than Daddy!" John replied "I know." Then he thought about it for a second and hit Daddy with "well Daddy if you tried maybe you could be brave like me. You don't know unless you try."
John was telling us tonight about the snakes that visited his school. He said "they brought good snakes. And there was a rattlesnake puppet." I asked him if he got to touch a snake and what did it feel like. He said "I got to touch the black one and it was hard." When Daddy heard that John touched a snake, he said "well you are braver than Daddy!" John replied "I know." Then he thought about it for a second and hit Daddy with "well Daddy if you tried maybe you could be brave like me. You don't know unless you try."
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Price We Pay
I am a full time mother and I also have a day job as a controller. Unfortunately I got stuck at work really late on Monday. I missed John tell me about his day. I missed John say "Gilly stop it!" I missed the giggles and smiles. I missed bath time splashes and bedtime snuggles.
Tonight, on the other hand, I got to pick the kids up from school. Gilly was sitting at a table reading a book. She looks up at me and smiles and points across the room at John. She ran over to him and said "John-John come." And that's all it took he went running down the hallway. In the car on the way home, we talked about what happened at school today. "we learned S today. I can make an S. It's like a snake, but snakes aren't always like an S." And with that statement I remembered that tomorrow they are going to have Monmouth County Park Systems come visit with snakes. I asked John if he knew that snakes were coming to school. He got quiet and said "I don't want them to come. Are they going to bring mean snakes?" We talked about the snakes and how mean snakes would not be allowed at school. He replies "do you think that they will bring a milk snake?" I've never heard of a milk snake so I asked him how he knew about it. He told me that he saw it in a book. When we go home I looked it up. I honestly thought he was making it up. I was wrong.
We ate dinner and took a bath and got dressed in our Jammie's. We still had time to play and there was no fighting or yelling. John was pretending to fall on the couch and Gilly loved it. She giggled and giggled. We read a few books and climbed into bed.
Two completely different nights, both were rewarding but for different things. On Monday I was able to complete a project that will help to enable our sales team to continue to grow our company. Tonight, I was educated by my four year old about snakes. I was also reminded of how we should enjoy all the little things like Gillian laughing at her silly brother.
Tonight, on the other hand, I got to pick the kids up from school. Gilly was sitting at a table reading a book. She looks up at me and smiles and points across the room at John. She ran over to him and said "John-John come." And that's all it took he went running down the hallway. In the car on the way home, we talked about what happened at school today. "we learned S today. I can make an S. It's like a snake, but snakes aren't always like an S." And with that statement I remembered that tomorrow they are going to have Monmouth County Park Systems come visit with snakes. I asked John if he knew that snakes were coming to school. He got quiet and said "I don't want them to come. Are they going to bring mean snakes?" We talked about the snakes and how mean snakes would not be allowed at school. He replies "do you think that they will bring a milk snake?" I've never heard of a milk snake so I asked him how he knew about it. He told me that he saw it in a book. When we go home I looked it up. I honestly thought he was making it up. I was wrong.
We ate dinner and took a bath and got dressed in our Jammie's. We still had time to play and there was no fighting or yelling. John was pretending to fall on the couch and Gilly loved it. She giggled and giggled. We read a few books and climbed into bed.
Two completely different nights, both were rewarding but for different things. On Monday I was able to complete a project that will help to enable our sales team to continue to grow our company. Tonight, I was educated by my four year old about snakes. I was also reminded of how we should enjoy all the little things like Gillian laughing at her silly brother.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Circus
Mimi got tickets for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for Saturday night. She originally got 4 tickets and Daddy & I debated whether or not to take Gillian. We were unsure if she would pay attention or get bored quickly. We later found out that the tickets and Mimi got were for a suite and she was able to get another two tickets. After finding out that we had a suite, it was an easy decision to take Gillian along for the show. We figured she could run around the suite if she got bored.
After the opening song, the riders of the wind came on. They did tricks on horseback. I'm not so sure that John was impressed with the horse and riders. I think he was still excited to know that he could have as much popcorn and soda has he wanted. After the horses, they set up the ring below for the tiger and lions, they had a motorcycle on a high wire. The motorcycle was really cool, but unfortunately it was on the other side of the stadium. It was hard for John to see and he probably would have loved it if it was closer. The big cats were up next. I think that Mimi was a little afraid that they would attack the trainer. The cats were well behaved, although one named Princess did not want to do all the tricks. She barely cooperated and was the first one back in the cages. But don't worry no blood was drawn and the trainer survived!
After the big cats, there was the hair-iffic act where the ladies actually hang from their hair. That act was really impressive. I don't think I could handle that. There was a short intermission after the hair act while the circus got set up for the trapeze. Daddy and John went on an adventure to find ice cream or a treat for after dinner. Gillian, Mimi and I decided to hang out in the hallway and let Gillian run around. Gillian loved it. She watch over balcony to see the people below and also ran around with the other kids in the hallway. Daddy and John came back with cotton candy in hand along with a fancy mask. We got the kids back in the seats along with their cotton candy. We actually found something that Gillian does not like. She was not a fan of the cotton candy. She pushed it away. After intermission, the trapeze was up next. John loved watching the trapeze. He would yell "wahoo!!!" every time they would catch someone. Then the clowns did a little skit with one acting as Repunzel. He thought it was hilarious. Even this morning, he said "and remember they both jumped on the thing and then it broke." That was his explanation of two clowns jumping on a teeter board at the same time.
John's favorite acts came at the end of the night. Just like Daddy, he loved the motorcycles and the globe of steel. He will tell you "they got eight motorcycles in the circle. First they got four and then seven." He also loved the teeterboard tricks. There were two rings with the teeterboards. They would make one guy go up in the air and he would land on top of some one's shoulders and they would go higher and higher. He loved it. He was sitting behind me at the time, and all I could hear was "that was awesome!" or "Wahoo!!!"
Gillian's favorite act of the night was the elephants. She would point at them and say something that sounded like elephant (at least to me).
While we were waiting for the elevator, Mimi asked John what was his favorite part of the night. He responded "all the parts." I have to agree. It was a lot of fun to see the circus and truly wonderful to see both Gillian and John's eyes light up at all the amazing sights.
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| eating pizza |
Mimi met us at our house and took John to the show in her car. Daddy and I drove up with Gillian. Gillian fell asleep in the car and we woke her up to walk into the Prudential Center. As we were walking into the Prudential Center, there were protesters. While I agree that they have a right to protest and want the best for animals, but do I really need to be screamed at while holding my 18 month old. I don't think so. There is a time and a place for everything. And I'm sorry I don't think that they convinced anyone to actually walk away from the circus. Once we got inside, Daddy and I found John and Mimi in the suite. John was already sitting down eating a slice of pizza. Once Gillian saw that John was eating, she had to have something too. We moved John over a seat and sat Gillian down next to him. She had some chicken fingers and then started to help herself to John's juice box. John was a little leery about going down the steps from the suite area to our seats. He got a little nervous at the height. Gillian on the other hand, wasn't afraid. Mommy had to keep an extra eye on her, because she would go running down the steps. She also attempted to throw a napkin over the railing.
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| Gilly & Mimi |
As everyone was getting something to eat, the pre-show was ending and they were starting to get everything set up for the show. The clowns came out first to get everyone excited about the show. John loved the clowns. Gillian wasn't so sure at first. Once the ringmaster came out and started to sing and the elephants and animals came out she was much happier. Gillian loves music, so once they started to sing she was happy. Plus she loved the elephants.  |
| watching them set up the ring |
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| Alexander Lacey and the tigers |
After the big cats, there was the hair-iffic act where the ladies actually hang from their hair. That act was really impressive. I don't think I could handle that. There was a short intermission after the hair act while the circus got set up for the trapeze. Daddy and John went on an adventure to find ice cream or a treat for after dinner. Gillian, Mimi and I decided to hang out in the hallway and let Gillian run around. Gillian loved it. She watch over balcony to see the people below and also ran around with the other kids in the hallway. Daddy and John came back with cotton candy in hand along with a fancy mask. We got the kids back in the seats along with their cotton candy. We actually found something that Gillian does not like. She was not a fan of the cotton candy. She pushed it away. After intermission, the trapeze was up next. John loved watching the trapeze. He would yell "wahoo!!!" every time they would catch someone. Then the clowns did a little skit with one acting as Repunzel. He thought it was hilarious. Even this morning, he said "and remember they both jumped on the thing and then it broke." That was his explanation of two clowns jumping on a teeter board at the same time.
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| just chillin |
John's favorite acts came at the end of the night. Just like Daddy, he loved the motorcycles and the globe of steel. He will tell you "they got eight motorcycles in the circle. First they got four and then seven." He also loved the teeterboard tricks. There were two rings with the teeterboards. They would make one guy go up in the air and he would land on top of some one's shoulders and they would go higher and higher. He loved it. He was sitting behind me at the time, and all I could hear was "that was awesome!" or "Wahoo!!!"
Gillian's favorite act of the night was the elephants. She would point at them and say something that sounded like elephant (at least to me).
While we were waiting for the elevator, Mimi asked John what was his favorite part of the night. He responded "all the parts." I have to agree. It was a lot of fun to see the circus and truly wonderful to see both Gillian and John's eyes light up at all the amazing sights.
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| John in his circus mask |
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| Travis the turtle with the mask |
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| best pic of the two of them together |
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Sick day
Gillian had a cold and over the past couple of days she has had a cough too. Daddy and I were a little concerned about her cough. Daddy took the day off today to take her to the doctor. I dropped John off at school this morning. He was a little shy and drop off was twice as hard today. He told me "that he was scared to go to school without Gilly."
The doctor told Daddy that Gillian has a nose and throat infection. Daddy took Gilly to his office so he could pick up paperwork for court tomorrow. Daddy put Gillian down for a nap, but I guess she wasn't ready. Daddy went to check on her and found her in the crib with no shirt on. No nap for Gilly today. But an hour later when I came home for lunch, Gilly was super excited to see me. She was happy and talking and silly. Not at all like a sick child.
The doctor told Daddy that Gillian has a nose and throat infection. Daddy took Gilly to his office so he could pick up paperwork for court tomorrow. Daddy put Gillian down for a nap, but I guess she wasn't ready. Daddy went to check on her and found her in the crib with no shirt on. No nap for Gilly today. But an hour later when I came home for lunch, Gilly was super excited to see me. She was happy and talking and silly. Not at all like a sick child.
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