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.