Third Birthday Part 2, The Party

The next day we held Linus' party with his friends. We invited Chase, Barrett, and Lena, whose brother, Gabriel, came too. The kids were playing nicely in Linus' room with Matthew overseeing it all while the moms hung out in the dining room drinking coffee and chatting. When I felt the kids get restless I got them started on an egg and spoon game. I didn't want it to be a competitive race, so the kids were told to show us how well they could balance the eggs on spoons. I had them take the eggs from one basket to another. It turned out quite well. It was just the right amount of challenge for them. Then Gabriel suggested that he hide the plastic eggs for the other ones to find. Great idea! After a couple of rounds of that, I gathered everyone around to watch as we marked Linus' height on his growth chart. From there we transitioned over to the cake.

Linus requested a raspberry cake. I put together a lemon cake with a raspberry filling. I iced it with a lemon cream cheese frosting. I colored some of the frosting blue and made my first attempt at using decorator tips to make a pretty border around the cake. I knew I had to get some sprinkles on there because Linus LOVES sprinkles. I put a red sprinkle dot on every other blue blob shape in the border. After doing all of this I then had to figure out how to cover it up so it wouldn't dry out before the party the next day. Matthew helped me create a plastic tent over it using cans of tomatoes, a cutting board, and plastic wrap. Before we closed it up he put in two small dishes of water to provide some moisture. What crazy things we do to deal with the dryness here!

The second we all sang the last word of Happy Birthday, he blew out his candles. We couldn't have timed it better if we'd rehearsed it! Until he understands how to make a wish, I've been making his birthday wishes for him each year. I hope it still works if I didn't form the wish in my mind until after the candles were out, since he moved so fast!

While they were eating their cake and raspberry sherbet, Linus and Chase kept saying, "Mmmmmmmmm. Mmmmmmmmmm." Everyone was silly and happy. To myself I proclaimed the party a success.

Third Birthday

This year Linus' birthday celebration lasted over a week. The fun hasn't quite stopped yet. I heard evidence of this when Linus asked me today where his growth chart was. I told him I had put it away until next year. He said, "But it is still part of my celebration birthday this year."

On his actual birthday Matthew took the day off from work so we could celebrate together. Linus has been on a raspberry kick so I baked a special breakfast of Lemon Raspberry French Toast Strata. It was so easy to make, but looked gorgeous and tasted lovely.

As he opened gifts I tried to keep up taking notes of what he said about things, but it was hard to do. He first opened up a Magic Garden kit from Star, John, and Junie and exclaimed, "They're beautiful! Yay! Oooooooooh!" His comment when he opened a present from Stephanie, Brian, and Brandon was, "A book! A book! Look Matthew, a book!" He was hilarious as he tried to figure out what the present was as he opened the one from us that was Curious George pajamas: "It's this! It's that!" As he opened up each gift he'd run to his room to put them away. (I'm all for that kind of behavior.) He received an ant farm and ant book from Sara and Billy and he wanted to get the ants immediately. He asked to go outside and catch some. While he started playing with his gifts I started cleaning up and he told me, "You're the best birthday mama." What a sweet compliment that was to receive.

He loves all of his gifts and they are all perfect for him. Thank you everyone for your thoughtful gifts.

(He has been cracking us up as he gallops around the house on the stick horse we got him. He chose to wear his plaid shirt that day, which he calls his "handsome shirt.")

Three New Skills

In the space of five days Linus developed three new skills: riding his tricycle, dressing himself, and completing 25-piece puzzles. Last Thursday he was starting to get the hang of pedaling his tricycle in the backyard, so I suggested going out front and riding it on the sidewalk. He pedaled backwards quite a bit when trying to go forward after a stop, but he was so focused on the task. The next day Matthew stayed home with him while I volunteered for the Denver Public Schools' Shakespeare Festival and when I pulled up in front of the house that evening I saw Linus pedaling like a pro down the block. Now when we go for a walk I actually get a bit of exercise because he keeps pedaling and doesn't mosey along examining every little thing he sees. He does stop for ant hills and gets down on his knees to watch the ants. He's my sweet, little pacifist and takes great care to make sure he doesn't run over any of the ants.

Some fun things he has said to me recently:
"When we go to the library I want a book about monkeys drinking something. Water or juice."

Referring to a baby at the playground, "She is cute to my eyes."

When I went running out the back door to put out the recycling and I was freaking out that I might have remembered too late, he told me, "That's okay. Accidents happen sometimes."

Sliding Quickly Into Three

So, yeah. I'm worn out. Keeping up with Linus requires a lot of energy. We've been busy with the usual stuff: laundry, playing trains, pretending we're snakes, reading about meerkats, baking bread, playing in the yard, etc. The biggest thing to happen since my last post is that Linus is in bink recovery. After telling him for several months now that he is nearly three and needs to give up bink, we pulled the plug (pun intended) on March 1. The picture here is the one I took before I hid away his two binks. I didn't just throw them away because I wanted to honestly say that they were put away in a safe place. He cried the first night and I teared up a bit too. I think this is the first time we were pushing him to grow up. He has gotten over it quite quickly and I shouldn't have underestimated him. He asked about it each night at bedtime for about a week, but now it is as though he never used a bink.

One person advised me to cut the tip off of the pacifier and tell him it was falling apart. Then over a couple of weeks cut it smaller and smaller until it isn't satisfying for him any more. Neither Matthew nor I felt comfortable with deceiving Linus, so we went the cold turkey route.

Some things Linus has said recently:

He asked me what grape starts with. After I told him he paused for a bit and then asked, "Do all grapes start with G?"

Matthew worked late one night and Linus offered to help me do the dishes. When we let the water out of the sink he asked if the water was going into the recycling. (We keep our recycling under there.) I couldn't believe we hadn't addressed this yet because he asked about the bathroom plumbing a while ago and seems to understand that. We crawled under the sink together and I showed him how one sink drains into the garbage disposal and then joins the water from the other drain to go down through the basement, etc. When we finished he said, "That's fascinating! I'm so happy you showed me. "

While putting honey on his bread he said, "The honey smells like the bees that made it."

While eating lunch together he said, "I'm so proud of you and Matthew for things you do for me. Like drive the car and go places with me. And plant things with me. I love you." Okay, that earned him a few points back that he lost for throwing some tantrums lately.

(Other pictures are of Linus insisting that his stuffed animals get to have cookies with us and of Matthew and I as we got ready to go on a date to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary.)

Favorites

Linus' favorite undies, the Thomas ones, photographed because as I folded the laundry I was musing over how cute little kid underwear is.




Linus has been telling me that a number of things are his favorite. When he tells me this he says "favorite" in that intense, drawn-out way that is mostly used by kids. I must admit that I still use it now and then.

Tonight he came into my office* and heard the Wisconsin Public Radio classical station streaming on my computer. He said that the music was lovely. I told him it was piano music and he said, "Pianos are my favorite." "They are?" I asked. "Yes. And bass drums, horns, and fifes."

Over breakfast we were discussing what to buy his friend Lena for her birthday and he thought she would like Thomas trains. When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday he said, "Morning glories. I like morning glories best."

He also said, "Candles are my favorite part of a birthday cake."

*As a stay-at-home mom who has always had a craft room, I'm finding that I need to clearly define whether I'm going downstairs to craft or to do work on my business. I'm trying out referring to the room as my office when I'm doing work. I showed Linus the logo concepts I got back from the designer and his favorite was the one everyone I've showed it to liked least. It has a lighthouse in it. It is pleasant to look at but has nothing to do with the business.

Sunshine and Clouds

It was a rough week in some ways. Linus threw so many tantrums this week. I think it is just a developmental phase coming with turning three soon.

We had a few really warm days and we played outside a lot. Linus found the first ladybug of the year and one day he played with a friend. They stacked rocks and grass in his wagon to make a giraffe habitat. He also had fun helping me water bushes and trees. He played a lot with the garden hose. He usually pretends he is watering zoo animals.

We were out in the car and drove by a CBS affiliate. He saw the logo and told me, "They sell eyes." When I asked, "They do?" He said, "Yes, to put on your face. And eyebrows to put above your eyes."

Over breakfast this morning we talked with Linus about giving up his pacifier. I told him that sometimes when a kid outgrows their bink, they give it to a baby. He quickly came back with, "The baby would tell me to keep it, its yours." The dentist told me he can see where sucking on the pacifier is starting to impact Linus' mouth. Linus won't hear any of it.

In the first picture, if you look closely, you'll see the very first letter Linus has ever written. He wrote an L. It is hard to see because he continued writing around it and the train shows through from the other side. Look near the train's eyes. Linus was using my mechanical pencil and he told me he wrote a letter. When I asked which one, he said an L. I went to look and was amazed that he had, indeed, written an L. Sure, it is backwards. It is still very exciting, especially since I haven't tried to teach him how to write yet.

In the second picture he is eating candy with the birthday girl. Barrett turned three and had a princess/knight-themed party. The kids all got dress up clothes to wear. Linus didn't know what a knight was. I said that knights protect the realm, help people in need, and get to ride horses.

The third picture shows him playing with sidewalk chalk on our patio.

All Sorts of Stuff

One of the limos


Linus waiting patiently for a look at Obama


Being super cute


If you watched any of the news about Obama being in Denver to sign the Recovery Act, well we were there! In the morning leading up to heading the one block to the Museum of Nature and Science to welcome our fine president, Linus kept bringing up the topic. Some of what he said included:
"Yay! Barack Obama will be happy to meet us."
"We'll clap and smile."
"Did the girls come? I really like them."
While smoothing down his shirt he said, "We are neat and tidy for Obama."
After saying that Obama might visit our house he said, "Maybe he'll want to use my crayons and draw a picture in my notebook. A picture of himself."
"What will he wear?" I said, "A suit and either a red or blue tie. Probably red today." (He did.)

As we walked to the museum we joined up with some neighbors and people who parked on our street for the big event. As a group we expressed our giddiness and debated from which way the motorcade would come and where should we stand. We stood very near the corner where the motorcade came from the north and then turned into the Museum drive. For it just being the motorcade and our not getting an actual Obama sighting, I was surprised by how emotional I was about it. It was hard to snap pictures, cheer, and wave all at the same time. There were three limos in the motorcade and I couldn't tell which one he was in. After the police let us cross the street to go back to City Park, we went and stood near the police tape that kept the people back from the Museum. We waited for a long time for an Obama sighting because we'd been told that Obama and Biden were going to see the solar panels on the roof. After waiting for over an hour I was finally able to convince Linus to go home.

The wind was terribly gusty and blowing dirt in our eyes. It was also rather cold. I thought the police standing guard there probably thought I was the one making Linus stay there in the cold, but instead it was he who had the courage or craziness to tough it out. He was sad about not seeing Obama. I knelt down to his level and talked with him about our both being disappointed, but wasn't it fun to welcome Obama to our Museum? He felt better then and we walked home.

Today at the bank Linus told the banker that Obama had been on tv and she was amazed that he knew who the president was. I just shrugged and said, "We talk about Obama a lot at home."

He and I have been running a number of errands to government and bank offices as I get my business started. I'm so proud of his behavior. At the Department of Revenue today he sat in a chair and read his magazine while I conducted my business. He behaves like a polite and well-mannered kid.

Preschool update: Linus didn't get in to either of the preschools to which we applied. Both schools require parents to commit early in March, so we'll see how far the schools get in their waiting lists. The especially bad news is that Linus is dead last on the waiting list at the Denver Cooperative Preschool, so odds aren't in his favor.

Preschool Disappointment

We received a letter today telling us Linus didn't get into Montview. I'm very disappointed. If I'm going to part with Linus, that was the place I'd want him to be. His friend Chase got in. I'm sure his other two friends got in because they both have older brothers already attending there. Life isn't always fair. One sweet thing on this topic: two of the moms had told me recently that they really hoped Linus would be in class with their daughters. I'm pleased that they feel that way about him.

I signed Linus up for a program at the Denver Firefighters Museum. We attended for the first time today. There were five boys attending. They started by playing on a rug with toy fire trucks. Then the teacher, Miss Bree, read a story about rhinos being fire fighters. She talked to them about what things have fire (matches, candles, stoves) and to stay away from them. Then they watched a little video about what to do if fire gets on their clothing. They did a fun activity to practice the stop, drop, and roll procedure. She stuck flames on them made of felt and then they took turns rolling around on a mat to get the fire off. For a craft they colored a picture of Sparky, the teaching character that fire stations use, glued a colored flame on him, glued him to a rolled up piece of construction paper, and they each can practice stop, drop, and roll with Sparky.

On the way home I complimented Linus on his courteous behavior. He listened to the teacher and did what she asked. A couple of the other kids played with the toys when they weren't supposed to and talked instead of paying attention.

Dress Up

Linus and I went to a thrift store in search of pants in size 3T and some clothes for him and his friends to play dress up. I was thrilled to find a pair of red cowboy boots that are only a few sizes too big for him. We went through the racks trying to find a cowboy shirt and instead ended up with this patriotic one that looks appropriate to wear in a rodeo. We also found the fancy pink hat and a green purse. Here is the ensemble he put together when we got home.

He was pretty excited about the prospect of playing dress up, but hasn't played with any of it since. He is perfectly content to pretend he is wearing a hard hat. This morning his hard hat was a cardboard box he put on his head. The only way he would let me sweep the house was if I pretended I was a construction worker moving dirt.

Linus' Two Cents Worth

After eating one tangerine, he asked for another one. After a few bites of it he told me, "This is an exceptionally good one." It struck me as being a very well developed sense of taste and difference.

This morning Matthew helped Linus put a different outfit on the Madeline doll and as the two of them headed upstairs I could hear Linus say, "I like Madeline best. She's my friend."

Last night I was in my craft room doing work for my new business. As Linus headed toward the door I could hear Matthew warn him that "mama is working." Linus replied, "That is insane of her." Matthew and I both busted out laughing. It was appropriate commentary on several levels.

He's been having more tantrums lately. During one of his bouts of being contrary he blamed it on his body. Here is how the conversation went:
Me: Tell your body to behave.
L: My body isn't being have!
Thirty seconds later he hugs me.
L: My body is hugging your body.
M: I like your body.
L: I like your body too.
M: I also like your mind.

(Pictures are from Linus' first pony ride and the first time he's eaten with chopsticks. I got him cheater chopsticks for Christmas.)

Knife Lesson

A few weeks ago I gave Linus his first hands-on knife lesson and had him slice up two zucchini for the pasta dish we made together for supper. He is very good about listening to and following directions. I kept a very close eye on him the entire time and was impressed at how careful he was being.

He tends to be a careful kid. He climbs down things instead of jumping off of them and he is cautious as he climbs tall structures at the play ground. For the most part he makes sound decisions regarding safety. Even so, I don't let my guard down too much. I can just imagine trying to explain to the emergency room personnel why my two-year-old was using a knife.

A few days ago I accidentally tipped over the kitchen trash can and it made a loud thump sound. Linus called in from the living room, "Are you okay mama? Do you need me?" He truly is a sweetheart.

We're Alive

We are all alive and doing okay. I'm just worn out by the pace of a nearly-three-year-old kiddo.

1.20.09

January 20, 2009 isn't a date Linus will commit to memory, but I shall carry the memory for both of us. He and I went to watch Obama's inauguration at Rich's and Lisa's house with other friends from the neighborhood. We watched the parade at home in the afternoon while eating lunch and playing. Linus was very interested in talking about Sasha and Malia moving into a new house. When the moving trucks were shown on the tv he was concerned that their trains and stuffed animals would be moved in.

At night all three of us attended a party hosted by other neighbors, Lon and Wendy. It was wonderful to spend time with friends and new acquaintances, reveling in the magic of the day. Linus got to bed an hour and a half late and passed out almost immediately. I was emotionally drained but still hyped up at bedtime. I have yet to have a chance to absorb and process all of the symbolism of yesterday and what it all means to me.

I woke up this morning feeling buoyant and very conscious all day that Obama was already at work tackling the challenges our nation faces at this time. Linus wanted to be the first to open the newspaper and pointed out the First Family on the front page. He named off Barack Obama, Michelle, Malia, and Sasha.

Parades

Since attending the holiday parade in December, Linus has liked to play parade. He insists on leading the way and distributes instruments to me as he sees fit. A few days ago I took him downtown for the Western Stock Show parade and now he tells us about steers, horses, and cowboys marching in our parades at home.

I was afraid we wouldn't get a good viewing spot and I'm no longer able to boost Linus up onto my shoulders. I needn't have worried; there wasn't much of a crowd where we went along the parade route. We met a nice woman from Colorado Springs who was there to photograph her husband riding by on horseback representing a group that worked security during the Democratic National Convention in August. She took the picture of Linus and me together. We don't have many pictures together, so each one is worth a lot to me.

The grand marshall was Baxter Black, a cowboy, poet, and humorist, known on NPR as the Cowboy Poet. When he rode by on a wagon pulled by horses, I yelled out to him, "Hooray, Cowboy Poet." I don't read his poetry or follow him in any particular way, but one doesn't get many chances to cheer for a poet. If Linus were older he would have been mortified. Tee, hee. Baxter Black did give me a big smile in return.

Matthew and Linus have been tending to me as I recover from having my wisdom teeth removed on Friday. I'm healing fine. When we remind him that my mouth is sore he tells us, "My mouth is sore too because I'm growing a new tooth." He has had the first of his two-year molars coming in for weeks now.

Pig Tails

I'm so glad I captured this shot of Chase cleaning paint off the back of Linus' arm. I see a lot of sweetness in this. The two had been painting on sliding glass patio doors with window paint, which Linus thought was so cool. Then they had fun wiping the paint off with wet paper towels. When I started cleaning Linus up, Chase jumped in to clean off his arm. Her pig tails are adorable. All of his girl friends have long enough hair that they can wear pig tails.

Linus and his friends have been playing so well together. It is really fun to listen in on them using their verbal skills. An example:

Linus: Can I have them when you are done? Would that be alright?
Chase: Yes, when I'm done.
Linus: Okay. Thank you.

Linus and Chase ate lunch together and before leaving the table he sweetly asked, "May I please be excused?" Langley was so impressed. This example of fine manners was cancelled out by how he drank his milk. She served each child their milk in their own little pitcher. This way they could have the fun of pouring their own milk into their glasses. Linus' pitcher was a creamer in the shape of an elephant. He loved it and proceeded to drink his milk from the elephant's trunk. This gave Chase the giggles and the two had a giggle-fest all through lunch.

We are feeling lots of bread love in our house. Thanks to my new high-altitude cookbook from Matthew, I've been cranking out loaf after loaf of delicious bread. Today we polished off an entire loaf of cinnamon raisin bread between the three of us. I guess I can't make that one too often if we are going to be so piggy about it.

Dinosaur Ridge

We drove out to Morrison yesterday to visit Dinosaur Ridge. In the 1870's several dinosaur fossils were found for the first time here, including the Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus, and Diplodocus. What was most remarkable to see on the tour were the dinosaur tracks that we could clearly see because staff shaded them in with charcoal twice a year. I don't know that Linus learned much about dinosaurs, but he had fun getting on and off the bus and doing a bit of climbing. Our tour guide was wonderful about helping him climb. Later last night Linus did talk about wanting to see real dinosaurs and I explained that they are extinct.

The wind was very blustery up there in the foothills, but we were fitted out in new knit hats from BryAnn. It was fun to all wear new hats at the same time!

We have visited the two preschools that we are considering for Linus for the fall. Both are parent cooperatives and are play-based. They are what we want for Linus, but both schools have waiting lists and use lottery systems to fill the slots, so we'll just have to wait and see if they pull Linus' name. I prefer Montview because it is close to our house, we've heard great things about it from parents we know, and it really felt like kid heaven. The playground has won awards and features a sliding hill and a great circular paved path that goes around the playground equipment. Kids were riding trikes and scooters around and around. The classrooms had a great vibe. The kids were active and having a good time and I liked what I saw of the teachers. Of course if he doesn't get in, he'll stay home with me for another year. I'd be happy about that, too.

Musical Beginnings

One of the interesting things I've noticed is that Linus sways or bobs around when he plays instruments. You can see a bit of this in this video.

Our New Life

With trains in our house, very little is the same as before. Strangely, Linus' favorite activity is to pretend to shop for trains. He loads all of his trains, cars, trucks, etc. into his shopping cart and has me ring him up at the kitchen counter. Personally, I'm rather bored with this, but I am getting better at remembering each engine's name. It seems that no matter what we are doing, Linus mentions the Thomas trains. Any time we walk anywhere he insists on leading the way and being Thomas and he relegates us to being Annie and Clarabell. It is nearly impossible to dress him any time before 10 a.m. because he is too busy playing to stop for even a couple of minutes.

Posted is a picture of Linus actually playing something else. He thinks it is funny to knock down the bowling pins. I have to keep reminding him to back up so he doesn't knock the pins over directly with his hands.

Tidbits:
When he left for work Matthew told Linus, "Have a good Wednesday." Linus laughed and said, "That's funny." Matthew was already gone when Linus repeated it to himself and laughed again.

We were dancing around pretending to do ballet and he told me, "You're supposed to leap way up in the air!" Then he said, "That might not be a good idea for me."

When we were decorating the Christmas tree he enjoyed unpacking the homemade ornaments. He kept exclaiming how cute they were. When he saw the one I made for his first Christmas he said, "I like this one best. Mama made it for me."

We were out shopping and while standing in a check out line he started up a conversation with a girl who was around four years old.
L: I'm wearing a coat.
Girl: I'm wearing a new shirt.
L: I got Diggity Dog.
Girl: I have no idea what he is talking about.

When Matthew returned to work after being home five days for Christmas, Linus and I both missed him. He said, "I miss Matthew. You miss Matthew. Matthew misses his self."

Today it is 60 degrees so Linus and I packed up a little picnic to eat at the Garden. We were watching the construction just outside the entrance and then Linus grabbed my hand to pull me into the Garden because "Matthew is lonely." Matthew joined us for a picnic and Linus told Matthew, "I miss you. It is fun when you stay home all morning. I miss you, but mama keeps me company."

Christmas Joy

Christmas 2008

If you were to ask Linus about Christmas he would tell you about getting trains.  He would likely tell you about Henry, Thomas, Gordon, and Salty.  He received trains from the Thomas line from Stephanie and us.  As soon as he had a few of them unwrapped, it took coaxing from us to get him to open up the rest of his presents. I found it delightful to watch and listen to him express his excitement and love for the trains.  I got a bit of video of it and I'll try to post it soon so you can hear him talk about loving the trains.  You can hear the joy oozing out of him in the tone of voice he uses. 

We are all enjoying his new books, toys, and games.  Diggitty Dog is his very first board game.  We played it with him this morning. Instead of rolling a die, one pushes on the dog house in the center of the board.  You count how many times the dog barks and that is how many spaces you get to move.  Something that was fun to discover was that the dog playing pieces have magnets in their mouths.  If there is a bone where your dog lands, you get to pick up the bone using the magnet and check to see if the color on the other side matches your dog.  I think it is fun to pick up bones using the dogs.

When Linus was opening up the gift bag from Matthew's aunt and uncle he said, "Martha and Bill are good at wrapping things!"  He found a painted picture included with a gift from Johanna in Green Bay and said, "How thoughtful of her."  He received a bowling toy from his cousins out east and he said, "I will play it with Chase."  It was gratifying to hear him express appreciation for his gifts.

For the most part he has played with his trains non-stop.  We had to tear him away to go for Christmas dinner at a friend's house and drag him off to bed last night.  Tonight he cried as Matthew pulled him away to get ready for bed.  He recovered when I read him one of his new books for his bedtime story:  The Little Engine That Could.  He was engrossed with the story, but troubled that some of the engines refused to help out.  Matthew put him to bed and he was out in no time at all.

Munchkin

We were out running errands today and I said to Linus, "Come here little munchkin. Are you my munchkin?" He said, "No, I'm your sweetheart."  I think he is both things.

I had the car radio tuned to a station playing only holiday music and they played Rosemary Clooney singing "Suzy Snowflake."  Linus loved it and got the giggles.  He was singing one line over and over as we walked across a store parking lot. As we entered the door he continued to sing out, "If you want a sleigh ride, wheeeeeeeee!" and the customers in the check out lines and the cashiers all busted out laughing and looked in our direction. It didn't phase him one bit. He kept singing it as we went in search of paper doilies. 

Tonight I found the song on iTunes. The first version I bought didn't have the "wheeeee" part. I listened to the 78 RPM version and that was the right one. I can't wait to surprise him with it tomorrow.  

Here Linus is helping mix the pancake batter for our Sunday morning ritual.

Cookies and Gift Wrapping

Linus has helped me wrap many of the presents we've mailed out.  Some of you might find your gift wrap cut crookedly and will wonder whether it is my handiwork or Linus'. You may also see tape put on a bit messy or you might even see his handwriting on the gift tag.  They all turned out great one way or another.

Tomorrow the three of us are visiting our first preschool that we are considering for Linus.  At the moment I'm feeling sad about it and don't want to go for the tour.  I'm not ready to send him out into the world without me. My friend, Paige, reminded me that it will only be about five hours a week and I'll be able to handle it.  I suppose I will, but it doesn't mean my heart won't break a bit when we reach this milestone next fall. 

Cookie Party

We hosted a Christmas cookie party on Saturday and invited our neighbors.  One of the best parts was that Erin brought six-week-old baby Grace over.  She has the sweetest little bow shaped mouth.  Two of our kid guests played most of the time while Linus stayed at the table rolling out, icing, and decorating cookies. I was amazed at his staying power.  He also ate a bunch of cookies.

  

It was so cute watching Linus try to share his toys with Grace.  He put his baby doll right on top of her.  Good thing the doll is so small.  He giggled each time he reached out and touched her.  

We are inundated with Christmas cookies right now.  I attended a cookie exchange Friday night and came home with six dozen cookies.  I only succeeded in getting one person to take cookies home from our party, so we have probably eight dozen or so. I sent a bunch of them to work with Matthew.

Lyz sent Linus a scarf and he was so excited about receiving a package in the mail that he could open right away.  (We've been stowing Christmas packages away.)  One would have thought he'd received gold in the mail; he was that excited.  He said, "It was thoughtful of her to send it to me."  Then he ran around the house wearing it rather proudly.

Kiddo's First Parade

We took the bus downtown last Saturday night for the holiday parade.  There were many great high school marching bands, gorgeously lit up floats, and gigantic balloons.  Linus' favorite part? The tractors that pulled the floats.  Oh, and he kept talking about the flute players the next day. Flutes and trumpets.  The weather was perfect for standing around outside and when the parade finished up where we were, we hurried over a few blocks to see it some more.  Then we stopped for hot chocolate and bused back home.  We all went to bed late and on Sunday Linus told me he was still tired from the parade.

The pace around here is wearing me down.  Linus feels a need to go, go, go and then go some more. I told Matthew the reason moms send their kids to preschool when they turn three is because they can't keep up with them any more.  Plus, I need to find a boy or two for Linus to have playdates with. He needs kids who like to wrestle and play more physically.  Poor Chase really didn't want to wrestle with Linus this week.  Barrett handled it okay because she is used to it with her older brother. 

Shoveling and Shopping

I was so very happy that it snowed all day yesterday. It wasn't big, fluffy snow, but it covered the ground nonetheless.  We stayed inside and sipped mulled cider and decorated a bit. The high today was around 40, but that didn't stop us from shoveling the sidewalk when we had the chance.  Actually, I shoveled the sidewalk and Linus shoveled the lawn.  The snow here is so dry and light that it takes little time or effort to clear the sidewalk.  We hadn't had our fill yet, so I shoveled for our next door neighbor and Linus tackled her lawn.  He liked pretending that he was Thomas clearing snow from the train track and I was both of his coaches, Annie and Clarabel.  Then we went inside and I got him started on an art project while I worked on Christmas cards.  I cut out wreath shapes from construction paper (he chose orange) and he decorated them with stickers and coloring. 

After lunch we went to the mall.  He hasn't been there since last winter.  He was a delightful shopping companion for much of the trip.  He was mesmerized by the glass elevator and all of the pretty decorations.  His favorite shop window had motorized decorations.  Two were the kind that work using magnets:  an ice skating rink with skaters and one was a sledding hill with sledders zooming down it.  The shop also had a window with a train going around a Christmas tree, but it wasn't working until the shop keeper took pity on Linus and got it going again.  We were there a very long time watching the displays, but I couldn't afford to buy anything in the store. They had argyle socks in Linus' size (wouldn't that be cute?!), but I couldn't justify paying the asking price.  Maybe they'll be super cheap in January.  

On the way home from shopping he fell asleep in the car holding his stuffed Santa.  He received the Santa for his first Christmas from my friend Pat.  When we got it out with the holiday decorations yesterday I was instantly reminded of sitting across from Pat at Kavarna having lunch.  Linus was eight months old and sitting on our laps while we visited.  He was delighted when I pulled it out of the box.  

Here are some recent quotes from him:

Talking about one of his cars, "This is where gas goes so it can drive and breathe."

He was playing swimming pool and said, "The water is cold. I'm going to get polar bear."  He came back from his room with snowy owl and polar bear and said, "I got them because they both like to be cold."

He was coloring on some paper and all of a sudden announces that it is for grandma and grandpa.  A few minutes later I find him trying to open the front door.  He told me, "Hang it up so letter carrier can take it and put it in his van and go to grandma and grandpa."

He put on his snail necklace and said, "I'm wearing it!  It's so pretty!"

"I'm excited about Thanksgiving. We get to have rolls!"

Today he said, "I like turmeric because it's yummy and good for me."

Snowy Day

Saturday morning we woke up to find snow on the ground. He rushed to eat breakfast so we could go play in it before it melted.  It actually stayed around for a couple of days.  We bundled Linus up in his new snow pants.  Previous to this winter he has had snow suits.  He looked like a big kid in the snow pants.  The playground was a completely different experience with snow on the slide and jungle gym part.  We tried to get him to go down the snowy slide, but he refused. I could understand why when I climbed up there. It was so slippery up there.  The snow was wet enough to make snow balls, which never happens here.  Linus thought it was fun to play catch with them.  The best part was making snow angels.  He looked so cute backing up and then flopping down.

Snow Angel Lesson

I'm especially tickled by the way Linus backs up so much, says, "Plop," as he flops down, and how his legs go up in the air.  Too cute!  We got enough wet snow that the three of us went to the park and pretended we were in Wisconsin.