Grammy (Kay) flew in for Olin's birthday party this weekend, and we went to pick her up this morning at the airport, with the whole family in the car. Once she got in the car, Max talked nonstop at full volume all of the way home. This is an approximation of their conversation.
Kay: Hi Max!
Max: Hi Hi Hi Grammy Olin's balloon flew out the window and went away! It went away!
Kay: Wow. Did it go up in the sky?
Max: Yeah Olin's balloon went up in the sky and flew far away and it kept going and going and going.
Kay: Yeah?
Max: Yeah and there were lots of other balloons and they all went together way over there! Over that hill.
Kay: Up in the sky?
Max: No! Not in the sky, over in the house. They're having a party! A party for Olin! They're all dancing!
Kay: The balloons are dancing?
Max: Yeah! The balloons are dancing and the [looking out the window] cars are dancing and the trees are dancing and the flowers are dancing [at this point he is laughing pretty hard, and so is Kay].
Kay: That sounds like fun! Are you dancing?
Max: No! I'm jumping. I'm jumping and the balloons are dancing and the cars are dancing and the whole house is jumping! The house is jumping and the walls are dancing and the ceiling is jumping and the backyard is jumping! And all the kids are jumping! Everyone is jumping! The backyard is jumping!
Kay: That's quite a party!
Max: Yeah, all the kids are jumping! And dancing! Its a party! Can we go there now, daddy?
... and on and
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Zero to Fifty in Three Months - Olin Stands Tall
Olin had his one year checkup today, and we are happy to report he is average! In height, that is. At his nine month checkup, he was barely on the chart, but now he is towering at 29.5 inches, at the 50th percentile. Of course, he's at the 6th percentile for weight, but that just makes him a lot more portable, which is fine by us.
He's getting funnier with food, though. He is *always* hungry. But he gets so excited by throwing food on the ground it becomes exasperating to keep putting stuff on his plate. And when he gets excited by something, no matter the size, he is furious once it is finished (such as his favorite, a watermelon pop sickle, which is about as long as his leg).
But other than that, he is still extremely happy. And healthy. But probably not very wise.
He's getting funnier with food, though. He is *always* hungry. But he gets so excited by throwing food on the ground it becomes exasperating to keep putting stuff on his plate. And when he gets excited by something, no matter the size, he is furious once it is finished (such as his favorite, a watermelon pop sickle, which is about as long as his leg).
But other than that, he is still extremely happy. And healthy. But probably not very wise.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Max back in Montessori
On Monday Max started summer camp at Montessori Children's House... returning to the style he enjoyed at his first pre-pre-school, Little Wonders.
Anna took him on Monday, and he seemed to really like it. The first day is usually easy... it hasn't set in yet that he'll be going here *every* day. But it was really fun to watch what he did when he got back home.
He spent the next hour or so in front of his train table, which he hasn't used much lately, re-enacting his day with the trains: he projected himself onto a lesser known Thomas Train called "Madge." Madge was new to the track, so the other trains helped Madge find a cubby to keep her stuff, and they showed her around. Madge really liked the new track, since there was so much to see, and the other trains really liked showing her around. He was being very gentle with all of the trains, and it made us feel very good about his initial take on the school. We'll see how long it takes before he starts smashing the trains together again...
Anna took him on Monday, and he seemed to really like it. The first day is usually easy... it hasn't set in yet that he'll be going here *every* day. But it was really fun to watch what he did when he got back home.
He spent the next hour or so in front of his train table, which he hasn't used much lately, re-enacting his day with the trains: he projected himself onto a lesser known Thomas Train called "Madge." Madge was new to the track, so the other trains helped Madge find a cubby to keep her stuff, and they showed her around. Madge really liked the new track, since there was so much to see, and the other trains really liked showing her around. He was being very gentle with all of the trains, and it made us feel very good about his initial take on the school. We'll see how long it takes before he starts smashing the trains together again...
Monday, July 14, 2008
Olin stands alone!
Olin has been cruising for awhile now but today he let go and stood without leaning against anything! It was only a few seconds but he seems ready to take off walking any day now.
Max's first movie
I took Max to see his first movie today: Wall E. He earned a big adventure for going to bed 5 nights in a row at 7:15 without asking mommy and daddy for things and protesting. I picked Max up from school and the whole drive to the theater he kept asking "is this it mommy?" over and over. "It's going to be so exciting," he said.
We bought our tickets and when we walked into the theater, I wish I could have captured the moment on film. With the widest eyes, Max exclaimed, "look at all the seats mommy. Why are they all the same? Where are the other kids?" We essentially had a private screening of the movie. He tried to sit in the chair and was so perplexed why it kept folding him up that he sat perched on the edge clutching the seat in front of him almost the whole time. Half way through the movie he settled back in his seat, so proud that he had figured out how to keep it from folding up. The previews started and Max kept leaning over asking me, "is this Walleeee mommy?" After 5 long previews I was wondering myself if we'd ever see Wall E. Then it came on and Max was beside himself. Not knowing the quiet movie voice, anytime Wall E wasn't on the screen Max would yell "where's Wall E?" then Wall E would appear and he would say "oh, there he is." I kept feeding Max rice cakes and banana chips as he stared at the screen. I handed him a jelly bean and with wide eyes he smiled and just said, "wow!" I have never seen someone savor a jelly bean like that. Then in the middle of the movie he announced "That is the biggest TV I have ever seen. Why is it soooo big?" At one point he just leaned over and hugged my neck and smiled, almost unable to contain his excitement "This is a big present mommy. Can you see ok?"
The movie was dragging on and Max said "Mommy I am getting very tired. I really really want to go home." I tried to leave and he freaked "NO! We can't leave because I never ever saw this part before." As the end approached it was clear that Max was exhausted and had to pee really badly. As I carried him out to the bathroom he cried at the top of his lungs over and over again "FREEEEEZE it Mommy. Freeze it". He is clearly part of the on-demand generation. Then the movie was over and we walked out and he desperately wanted to go into the men's room like the bigger kids who were sitting in front of us. Outside, Max ran to the car with so much energy and happiness, telling me not to step on the cracks in the sidewalk. As we were climbing into the car, Max spontaneously hugged my legs and said " I love you mommy." He chattered the whole way home about climbing a tree with Olin and Daddy.
I think this experience was almost better for me than for Max. At one point I looked over at him perched on the edge of his seat, staring at the screen and I welled up with tears. I wish I could bottle up our afternoon. Seeing life through the eyes of a three year old is a huge gift.
We bought our tickets and when we walked into the theater, I wish I could have captured the moment on film. With the widest eyes, Max exclaimed, "look at all the seats mommy. Why are they all the same? Where are the other kids?" We essentially had a private screening of the movie. He tried to sit in the chair and was so perplexed why it kept folding him up that he sat perched on the edge clutching the seat in front of him almost the whole time. Half way through the movie he settled back in his seat, so proud that he had figured out how to keep it from folding up. The previews started and Max kept leaning over asking me, "is this Walleeee mommy?" After 5 long previews I was wondering myself if we'd ever see Wall E. Then it came on and Max was beside himself. Not knowing the quiet movie voice, anytime Wall E wasn't on the screen Max would yell "where's Wall E?" then Wall E would appear and he would say "oh, there he is." I kept feeding Max rice cakes and banana chips as he stared at the screen. I handed him a jelly bean and with wide eyes he smiled and just said, "wow!" I have never seen someone savor a jelly bean like that. Then in the middle of the movie he announced "That is the biggest TV I have ever seen. Why is it soooo big?" At one point he just leaned over and hugged my neck and smiled, almost unable to contain his excitement "This is a big present mommy. Can you see ok?"
The movie was dragging on and Max said "Mommy I am getting very tired. I really really want to go home." I tried to leave and he freaked "NO! We can't leave because I never ever saw this part before." As the end approached it was clear that Max was exhausted and had to pee really badly. As I carried him out to the bathroom he cried at the top of his lungs over and over again "FREEEEEZE it Mommy. Freeze it". He is clearly part of the on-demand generation. Then the movie was over and we walked out and he desperately wanted to go into the men's room like the bigger kids who were sitting in front of us. Outside, Max ran to the car with so much energy and happiness, telling me not to step on the cracks in the sidewalk. As we were climbing into the car, Max spontaneously hugged my legs and said " I love you mommy." He chattered the whole way home about climbing a tree with Olin and Daddy.
I think this experience was almost better for me than for Max. At one point I looked over at him perched on the edge of his seat, staring at the screen and I welled up with tears. I wish I could bottle up our afternoon. Seeing life through the eyes of a three year old is a huge gift.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
The things Max says
Max is picking up on all sorts of phrases these days. Suppose you ask him "do you want noodles for dinner?" He'll invariably start his reply with "Actually, I think I'd like some..." I'm sure he gets this from one of us, but in a 3 year old it is just plain funny. It is similar to his "No, but thank you for asking," or when he gave me a drawing the other day, and I thanked him, he said "maybe you can put it in your office... but actually you can put it anywhere you want to Daddy."
So tonight he's had a bit of trouble going to bed, probably due to a late nap in the car on the way back from Target (where I heaved him out of the car, threw him over my shoulder, climbed the stairs, plunked down on the couch, with him still on my chest, and still fast, fast asleep). He had called me back into his room with a plaintive cry of "Daddy I need a hug." After giving him a hug I told him how much I loved him: "Max, I love you so much." At which point he looked me in the eye and said, "Daddy I love how God made you."
Wherever he picked this one up, it made my day.
So tonight he's had a bit of trouble going to bed, probably due to a late nap in the car on the way back from Target (where I heaved him out of the car, threw him over my shoulder, climbed the stairs, plunked down on the couch, with him still on my chest, and still fast, fast asleep). He had called me back into his room with a plaintive cry of "Daddy I need a hug." After giving him a hug I told him how much I loved him: "Max, I love you so much." At which point he looked me in the eye and said, "Daddy I love how God made you."
Wherever he picked this one up, it made my day.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Burgers and Bands
We had a really nice July 4th this year, making it out of the cold foggy city in the morning to Sausalito, where we saw the end of the parade and then joined the music-filled festival by the water. Christine, James and William joined us for the BBQ corn and burgers.
Daddy, Max and Olin found a tree to use as a bench, and then Max spent about an hour trying to skip rocks into the water, unsuccessfully, except in his own mind. "That skipped 3 times, Daddy!" Olin just sat in the grass and giggled.
Afterwards we headed back into the city, and had more burgers! This time at Nate's place. Then, of course, in bed before the fireworks. Perfect.
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