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Peewee-pint Speaks...

Peewee-pint has really turned into a little talker.  He talks so much more than Quarter-pint did at the same age.   It's really fun to hear a little of what's going on in that head of his!  Here are a few of the things he's said over the past few days:

Last Sunday, we went to my parent's house for Sunday dinner.  Grandma got an iPad for Christmas, and the boys are still excited about it.  The rule is the boys can play on it, but only when they are sitting down (and not getting up with it) near someone big (i.e. an adult).  The two bigger boys had a turn and Peewee-pint wanted his iPad time.  I told him to go sit with Grandma so he could play.  He sat there happily in Grandma's lap for quite some time.  When we got home later that night, he recounted the whole adventure to me at bed time:

"Me, me play iPad...Danma (grandma) house...me sit Danma lap...play dames (games) Danma lap...motorcycle dames...wweeee...Danma house...play dames me...iPad...Danma lap...FUN!  Me!"

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After I (we, Peewee-pint and I) dropped the bigger boys off at Daddy's office so they could go to an NBA game, Peewee-pint was pretty hacked off being the only kiddo not invited.  He screamed in the car during rush hour traffic on the drive home.  Trying to distract him, I asked what he wanted to eat for dinner...the answer was quick and decisive: "Take (cake)-birfday take...happy birfday Daddy...take!"  When we got home I tried to convince him to have something a little more healthy first and suggested a cheese stick for starters.  His answer: "no cheese stick!  Me want eat take, ice team, tookie dough!  Eat take!!!"

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He is really enjoying saying his prayers, especially at bed time.  He's gotten the hang of it and needs fewer and fewer prompts.  In the middle of Sacrament meeting last week (it was ward conference) the Stake President said "Jesus Christ" and Peewee-pint piped in "Name Jesus Christ, AMEN!"

When we help him pray, we generally try to keep it pretty strait forward.  The prompts are typically something like "thank you" or "bless us".  He has started filling in the blanks before we have the chance to supply a thank you or blessing.  My favorite is when he quickly and definitively says "bless us be HAPPY!" in every prayer.  The other night, he was filling in all the blanks, starting with the "thank yous" with things like his brother's names and happy; then when he wasn't sure what to say next, he opened his little eyes, looked at me in his darkened bed room and said "what else?"  I was a little surprised to realize that he was actually thinking about what to say next and not just waiting for me to tell him something to say.

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When we were thankful for Jesus in his prayer the other night, that sparked a memory from Nursery, and in the middle of his prayer he excitedly started telling me "Me play, choochoo track...nusy (nursery)...fun...choochoo...nusy...play...me."  After he was finished telling me what a fun time he had playing with trains in nursery, we finished his prayer and he fell right to sleep.

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Peewee-pint has a little bit of a temper.  And when things don't go his way, he's quick to scream at the top of his lungs.  I deal with this by giving him a couple of warnings, then place him in his "baby-jail" room.  We have the doorway double gated (two pressure gates...one on top of the other) because he climbs over if there's only one.  He knows this is the consequence for screaming and I always hear his pleading for mercy as we head up the stairs.  "I be nice... you...I be nice...I be HAPPY!"  I usually say something like "Good, I'm glad you will be nice to me, but you still need to go to your room."  He doesn't like that answer, but grudgingly goes to his room for a few minutes.  When I go to release him, he always says "I be nice now Momma...I be nice you."

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The baby-jail gates also prevent Peewee-pint from getting out of his room when he's awake in the morning or from his nap.  We've learned our parental lesson when we found him rummaging in the bottom drawer of the fridge for cheese sticks in the middle of the night-more than once (those were a one gate night...hence the double gates).  Whenever he wakes up...even in the middle of the night...he typically goes to the gated door and says "I all done... I sleep all night long!"

Saturday Morning...

I woke up yesterday, to the sound of tiny feet toddling into my room.

"Momma, Momma, det out"

I peek out from under the covers...

"Det dessed"-a set of little hands grab my jeans (and nothing else) and thrusts them into my, now extended and still kind of tingly hand.  Then more toddling-around to the other side of the bed-it's easier to climb up from that side-that's the usual climbing side.

"Me help" he says as he tries to pull the comforter off my snuggled body.  Then he's confused when he finds a layer of BOTH blanket and sheet under the comforter...he doesn't use blankets on his own bed yet...much to my dismay.

"Me hold you" (which really means I want YOU to hold ME).  
"Det out.  Me help"  

That's when I get up...who can resist that?

I promised Quarter-pint cinnamon rolls for breakfast...and he came into the kitchen as the rolls were baking.  He scrunched up his face and said:

"Man, you make smelly cinnamon rolls!  They smell really good."


Peewee-pint, watching the rolls bake, excitedly piped in:

"Cimm rolls smell yum!  So yum me!!!"

Then, after enjoying the good smelling "cimm rolls" we were off to Half-pint's last basketball game of the season (they won, which always makes the season-end celebration more fun!), and after the game, he and I had pizza with the team.

Random Photos...

I know I am WAY behind on posting...it's been a CRAZY few months at our house...but here's a preview of what's coming to blogland:

And this is what I find when the kids get ahold of my phone...

And these are just the "good" ones.

Porcupine Head...

Porcupine Head???

Who Me???

HA!

...At least, that's what Daddy and Half-pint have started calling Quarter-pint recently...

The First Day of School...

The boys (yes, plural) started school mid-August.  Half-pint began 2nd grade, and Quarter-pint is a kindie!  

(No Quarter-pint-that's the wrong way!)

The school requested the parents escort new kindergartners into the classroom on the first day of school.  I knew parking would be a nightmare, so I offered to walk the boys all the way...they were ecstatic, so the 3 of us all loaded the "two seater" stroller with kids and backpacks and off we went!  It's over a mile to school, so we allowed extra time and I was glad (and prepared) to have the big stroller-Quarter-pint requested to ride a couple of times.  

When we got to school, seasoned Half-pint marched into the building through the designated 2nd Grade door and he was off...I made him come back to give me a hug before I left him disappear into the bowels of the building.  Then, Quarter-pint, Peewee-pint and I headed in through the front doors and into the mayhem of the first day of kindergarten.  

Quarter-pint was a little nervous and apprehensive, but he did great!  The teacher had the kiddos find their hook / cubby and hang up backpacks then find their name on one of the tables...meet new friends, don name tags and then all head to the alphabet rug for a story.  When the story was finished, the parents were kindly told to leave and the kids officially began school.  

I got a little weepy thinking about Quarter-pint being at school and not home with me (but who am I kidding---he was gone more last year between his 2 different preschools than he will be this year), but held it together in front of him.  By the time I got outside, I was totally distracted with Peewee-pint's refusal to get back into the stroller and then by visiting with friends and neighbors to actually cry.  We finished our walk for exercise on the way home and turned around about 2 hours later to pick Quarter-pint up.  

Quarter-pint was really excited to start riding the bus on the second day of school.  Riding the bus alone was harder for me when Half-pint began school; but this time around, I didn't think twice about Quarter-pint's first bus ride.   I knew he had his older brother to look out for him.  Half-pint has already missed a few days because of a concussion, and Quarter-pint has been anxious to make it to the bus stop on time...he's fine on the bus by himself.  What a big kid!

With a few weeks under their belts, both boys are comfortable and happy at school.  They are enjoying all the "specials" (ie p.e., technology, music and art) along with recess, book buddies and library day.  Half-pint is loving math and Quarter-pint has been focused on colors.  Book orders and school fundraisers have already begun.  Everyone is settled back into the routine...now we just need to weather to cool down a little bit so it begins to feel like fall.

Peewee-Pint Discovers Sidewalk Chalk...

Peewee-pint discovered the creativity of sidewalk chalk this afternoon.  He spent a good half-hour or more (which for someone his size is an amazing amount of time on one thing!!!) outside exploring with color and lines.  He roamed the entire driveway-marking his territory the entire way and covering himself-clothes and skin in the process.  It was fun for both of us!