Happy Holidays to Everyone!!!

Woodblock Joy Christmas Card

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Santa Kwaahs

We certainly have a kid that knows what he wants.  A few weeks ago without really explaining how the whole Santa thing works, I asked MP3 what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas.  His answer without hesitation, "Kit-en" (No, not the animal.  The room in the house.  A play kitchen.)  When I asked him what else he nonchalantly added, "and pancakes!  To make in the kit-en."  I was trying to get some more ideas of what he wanted so I asked again, "anything else?"  He Hmmmmed tapping his index finger on his lips and came up with, "Naybe cookies?"  I thought, Wow!  This kid really wants a kitchen.  And so his answer stayed every time I asked him.  Until about 2 days ago when I asked him and he answered, "fwass-wite"  (flashlight).  As of earlier today it was "fwass-wites!  Two fwass-wites!" (Trying to put up 2 fingers but really just holding up his hand.)  So, tonight we went to the mall (which is excitement enough.  He loves just walking around in the mall.) to see Santa.  So I was trying to prepare him periodically throughout the day.

Somewhere between the 2 flashlights answer this morning and standing in line the answer to that questions became, "Ghee gees"  (Ya see in Michaelese, "ghee gees and ghoe ghoes" are something quite common.  We don't know quite what they are but they can be the answer to anything from, "What would you like to eat?" to "what would you like to play with?" to "Guess who's coming over to see you?")  So, despite the fact that I kept telling him that Santa doesn't understand Michaelese and he had to use real words, he insisted that he was going to ask for Ghee gees.

So, we get up there and he was just GREAT!!!  He didn't sit on Santa's lap, but he told us all along that he didn't want to, so that was just fine.  But, he also said that he didn't want a picture, but when he got up there he sat, he smiled, and was just so patient!  I was soooo proud of him!!!  So, then Santa leaned over and asked him, "What do you want for Christmas?"  And without missing a beat he answered clearer than I have ever heard him say it, "Kitchen and pancakes"  "and flashlight!"  It was almost as if he almost forgot and wanted to get the flashlight in.  I was so proud I had tears in my eyes!

Then we were done and he wore those paper antlers with pride and kept trying to go up the elevator.  Ya know, the whole button thing and all.

Words cannot explain how proud I am of him!!!  He really is growing up into a smart little kid.  Thank goodness he still lets me call him a baby and he refers to himself as one too.  I'm going to let that go on as long as I can.

All Into Dogs and Christmas

Michael is getting into stuffed animals and especially dogs lately.  Since his birthday he started taking some type of stuffed animal with him everywhere including in his crib.  But, he rarely takes any out for the night so more and more just end up in there.  They have very specific spots and all sleep on their stomachs. He must be most comfortable that way. 

Every time there is a show or story about dogs he is really into it and says that he wants one.  We'll see. 

Last week we were on the way to the farm and it was already dark out.  All of a sudden he started saying that dogs were driving all the cars with their lights on.  When we stopped a the red light, he was telling me that he was saying Hi to the the dogs in the cars next to us.  Somehow this progressed into the dogs made the lights.  Now every house that we pass with lights on he says, "Dogs made those lights."  When I say every house, I mean EVERY HOUSE with any amount of Christmas lights.  One time he told Dada, "Dogs made those lights for Michael."  Now he's starting to tell me that he helped the dogs make the lights. 

He really gets Christmas.  We saw Santa two weeks ago in the mall and he was disappointed that he couldn't "go inside" and see him.  Since then when asked what he wants to ask Santa to bring him his answer is always the same, "a kitchen."  If asked if there is anything else, "pancakes to make in the kitchen."  If really pressed for something else he answered, "naybe cookies."  He's really into this kitchen thing. 

He kinda thinks Santa makes all things Christmas I think.  When we listen to Christmas songs and it's a man singing he says, "Santa singing," if it is a woman or a high pitched man he says, "baby singing."  And any time "Santa Clause is Coming To Town" comes on - any version - he remembers the classic claymation movie we watched of that several weeks ago. 

It's really getting exciting around here!

Halloween

Halloween was a fun filled day that was just great!

MP3 LOVED "carving" his pumpkin and watching Dada carve his.

How do you do it again, Dada?

Okay, I think I got it now.

Yah, that looks good!

Look at mine, Dada!

When he was asked to put his arm around the pumpkin, this is what he did.

So, this was one of the pumpkins that Dada carved and the mice that I made (with MP3's help of course).  They were a big hit at the party at Oly's house.  

Just some of the fun that was had at the party (which was awwwwsoooooome!)

Then we went Trick-Or-Treating around her neighborhood.  It took a little but for them to understand what to do, but after a few houses MP3 was so into it.  The only issue was taking turns with Oly knocking on the door.  He's all into doing EVERYTHING himself these days.  But it all worked out.

Then we come home to hand out our own candy and do some Trick-Or-Treating around our house.  Both were equally fun for him.  But it was rather confusing.  After handing out candy at our house, I asked if he wanted to go to other houses.  As the neighbor answered the door, he reached in his basket and picked out a candy to give her.  It was just too cute.  But it didn't take long to learn that he could have more.  He really didn't care about the candy much though.  The pretzels on the other hand, were a huge hit.  He had to eat one in between each house.  He only went to about 4 houses when he wanted to go home and help Dada.  He was a hit at our house handing out the candy.  The older girls REALLY got a kick out of him.  He especially liked when "Parana" (his baby sitter, Alanna) came to the door.  He was also excited to see a group of 4 older kids dressed as Pac Man and the ghosts.  He exclaimed, "Pac-a-nana!" which is what he calls the Ms. Pac Man machine in our basement.  Anyway, here's some pictures from our house.

These are the three works of art we had for Halloween.

And this is the morning after.

Eating, Feeding, Photo Shoot, and Art

Just some fun photos taken on October 27 and 29.

Pasta Pictures.  Always a crowd pleaser!

MP3 started role playing with his animals lately.  This was one of the first times he fed one.  He was feeding Goofy almond slices (or mouse ears - photos to follow).  Funny story.  The day before this the two of us went shopping for ingredients for a dessert I wanted to make for a Halloween party.  As I was walking through the store I was saying, "These will make a good head.  Ohhh, these will be good for ears." That kind of stuff.  Well the next day I was sorting out the almonds to make pairs that look alike and discarding the others into a small bowl.  He climbed into his tower, saw the almonds, grabbed them and started eating them saying, "Mmmmmm, good ears!"  Then the next morning he fed them to Goofy as he munched on them some more.

I just thought that since his PJ's matched our sheets, we'd have a little photo shoot.  All we had handy were our phones so this is how they came out.

 

He was so proud of his wreath that we put on the front door.

Fall Fun at Linvilla

I'm trying to play catch up.  Soooo many great things have happened over the last few weeks so I'm trying to go through all my pics and some videos to get them a bit organized.

We went to Linvilla Orchards on October 23rd to play in a corn maze and hay bale maze, take a hay ride (which he has been asking for lately), roasted marshmallows, picked out the perfect pumpkins, had some good food, rode a train, and played in the playground.  It was a great day!!!

 

 

Halloween at the Adventure Aquarium

I should start by telling you how we ended up with MP3's Halloween costume.  Months ago I asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween while in a Disney Store.  He immediately answered, "Buzz!" as he pointed to the costume.  Which really surprised me because I couldn't figure out how he even knew what I was talking about. Costume?  Halloween?  We never even talked about any of this.  (I know it was probably just a fluke.)  But anyway, when it came time to actually picking out a costume and trying them on he was NOT having it!  I put him in the Lightning McQueen Pit Crew costume thinking it was the most like real clothes.  All he could say was, "Too Big!"  He wasn't talking the size, he didn't like all the padding.  So, he wasn't going for any of the costumes that I thought he would like.  Buzz, McQueen, Nemo, none of them.  So, whenever we saw costumes anywhere I just started asking him.  There was one that he liked on the hanger, but when it came to putting it on it was the same story -- "Too Big!" As we were shopping for his suit for the wedding there were more costumes there so I just ran down the routine thinking it would be the same result.  "Michael, do you like any of these?  Do you want to try this on?"  "NO!"  But, this time it was different.  Not only did he want to try it on, he LOVED it!!!  It was comfortable, and he looked just so cute.  Ironically it's waaaay too big on him (18-24 mo) but he was not going for the one that fit him perfectly (6-18 mo).  That one was, "Too Small!"  Sooo, here it is...........

He's a ninja!!!

 A Bad A -- Ninja!!!

 

He doesn't know what one is, but he likes it!  

The Adventure Aquarium has a special Halloween party for members.  It was great!  It's after hours and the kids wore their costumes to trick-or-treat around the aquarium.  They also had bags and pumpkins to decorate.  We haven't been there in a while so it was really a great time!

 

We ate dinner,

Went Trick-or-Treating,

Picked out a pumpkin,

Did some more Trick-or-Treating, and....

hung out with a gigantic crab! 










(You may be saying to yourself, "Hey!  Isn't that a little intimidating for a toddler?" 

Heh!  Not for a ninja, my friend!  Not for a ninja.)

At the end of the night we left there with huge smiles on our faces!  Fun was had by all!