We Got to See Daddy!

Awwwww. Seriously? This is so cute. A few days ago, AJ asked me how to draw a t-shirt. On Friday, he drew this. He said, "Mom, you have to come here right now. You have to come and see what I made." That character looks like he's made for tv.


My mom, Kim, and Paul came on Saturday, as I think I already mentioned. While I was out picking up Richard some pretzels at Zellers, I saw the Smartfood popcorn for a pretty great price. I love the stuff, so I picked it up.

The next morning, Sunday morning, AJ spots the bag on the counter while I was on the phone. He asked for some. I said sure. He pulled it off the counter to take some. I say, "Hey, just take a handful."

Next thing I know....
I get off the phone, a mere two minutes later, and I see this! They've turned on a movie, and they're snuggled up chopping down on popcorn.




Then is was Sunday!!!! Time to see Daddy! And Grand-Dan!!!! (I, of course, forgot my camera)


Spent the morning packing up all I would need for the day, plus all the stuff on Richard's list of stuff he wanted me to bring to him. After lunch, the boys and I headed out (during nap) to pick up Richard.

After a couple stops, we headed to my dad's. Thanks again Dad for letting us 'use' your place to have Richard get to visit with the boys. And of course, we all got to visit Grand-Dan too. Richard can't really hang out in public places due to his lack of an immune system, and it was too yucky out to hang out outdoors, which he shouldn't really be doing either.

The boys played. Dexter screamed about not getting to play with the keyboard and mouse. The boys ate dinner. Then we all enjoyed some Chinese Food. Yum! Thanks again, Dad!

It was so nice to Richard. It was especially nice to see him with the boys. And especially nice to see him with eyebrows.

Oh snap! Did I just say that?

Oh, he was so handsome. I mean, he's been handsome the whole time, but man oh man, you throw some eyebrows on this guy and suddenly he looks like his "Richard". You know what I mean?

Prrrrrrrrr. Oh yeah!

We headed back in the car at about 7/7:30. We dropped Richard back off at the Cancer Lodge, and after some BIG hugs and kisses, I headed home with the boys.

Shockingly, AJ didn't fall asleep until 5 minutes before we got home.

Once again, to get the totally up to date scoop on Richard's progress aside from "he's so handsome", please go to Richard's blog.



All About AJ

Favourite movies right now are "Enchanted" and the old "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".
Not much to update in the reading department. He's still a whiz at sounding out words. He's really liking that he can read some books all by himself. He's taking more guesses at words that he doesn't know to see if they make sense in the sentence. He knows about 40 sight words now, I would guess. It's not something we get to 'work on' a lot, but we do read lots of stories, so I guess that keeps things fresh in his mind.

He will not go up into his loft bed without bringing a book or two now. It's really nice to just watch him up there with his LED light, reading. Or pretending too, depending on the book. Or, just flipping through the pictures. A couple times, he's climbed all the way out of bed and down the hall to see me to say, "What does this word say, Mom?" That's funny. But I hope it doesn't become a habit.

AJ has been filled with some cute statements lately....

1. While AJ was watching a Baby Einstein dvd with Dexy, and a picture of a truck with the word 'truck' was shown, he said,
"Where's the 'c-h' ?"
I said, "There isn't a 'c-h', it's a 't' t-ruck."
He says, "You know, like chruck, Mommy. It's 'ch'ruck. Where's the 'c-h'?"

2. While waiting for Richard to get out of the Cancer Lodge and into the car, AJ was talking about the hospital. I can't totally remember what he talking about. I think he was asking when daddy is going to the hospital again. Anyhow, that part doesn't matter. It's how the pronunciation went...
AJ - "When is Daddy going to the hostable?"
Me - "hos-pi-tal" - "When is Daddy going to the hos-pi-tal."
AJ - "Yes. When is Daddy going to the hostable?"
Me - "It's hos-pi-tal."
AJ - "Okay. When is Daddy going to the hos-tab-le?"
Me - "Hos---- pi-----tal"
AJ - "When is Daddy going there?"
Me - (our conversation continues with an explanation of Daddy going everyday to the hospital but not staying there like before)

3. AJ for many months now, has had quite a geneaology (sp?) facination). He is always wanting to clarify his knowledge on who my mom is, who here mom is, who Richard's mom is, who her mom is, and what about her mom's mom, and on and on and on. Actually, it's quite amazing how much he knows. He knows that my mom is my mom, Kim's mom, and Paul's mom, but he knows that my dad is Grand-Dan and that Kim and Paul's dad is Papa. He knows that my mom's mom was 'Gigi', and that Daddy's mom is Grannie. And his knowledge about our family tree doesn't stop there. But here's what was neat. He had a bit of an epiphany about the whole thing while in the car with Richard and I. He said,
"Grams are also people's moms. Like, your mom, Mommy, is MY Gram. And Daddy's mom, is MY Grannie. So Grams are moms. Whose Gram are you, Mommy?"
Then I had to explain that I wouldn't be a Gram until he and Dexter had kids.
To which Richard of course, said, "But not together."
Oh man... Richard.

4. When AJ went and got something for me. I can't remember what it was, he returned with it, and I said, "You rock." And he said, "No, I roll."

5. A few days ago, while making Dexter's bed when AJ was in the room, I said to him, "So, how are you doing today?" He said, "Well, I got a cold. So.... not so great."



All About Dexter

1. Dexter was having a few night wakings last week. It could be Richard being gone. It could be two year molars coming in. It could be a growth spurt. But I think it was because he's working on a 'milestone' which I know can cause nightwakings. He had about a week there of waking and crying. Not going right back to sleep like usual. And lo and behold, this week, he's finally trying to copy more words, and more words are starting to sound like what they should. Yesterday he said, "Here you go." And it was almost as clear as day. He's full of sentences now. He even came up to me to whisper a whole rambling of something to me. But darned if I could figure out what he was saying.

2. Full of hugs and kisses. Kisses on my face, my arm, my head, my leg, anything. So sweet.

3. Some hitting too. At least he gives lots of hugging and looks sorry afterwards.

4. Not so much eating right now. Very light eating. Hope he goes back to his old eating habits soon. I try not to let the no-eating not bother me, but it's hard.

5. Otherwise, he's just a happy happy guy all day with smatterings of screaming and temper tantrums.


AJ and Dexter

1. They are loving to play Rescue Heroes and Fisher Price Little People together. Everytime I think that it's time to sell the Fisher Price Little People stuff, someone gets interested in it again. Geesh!

2. Today the health unit called to book AJ's next speech appointment to see how he's doing with his annunciation. Just so happens the lady can fit us in on the 20th. Just so happens that I'm already going to the health unit that day for Dexter's shots! Perfection! And, I asked if I can fit in Dexter into the speech appointment too, just to be sure that everything's okay. I know I probably over worry because he doesn't talk as much as AJ did at this point, but better safe than sorry. Those waiting lists for help are HUGE. As the speech and language pathologist said, agreeing with me.... better to get him the referral now, like I did with AJ because if he doesn't need the help later... great... but if he does, he's already in the system and on the wait list! AJ loves the visits. All he does is play with toys and the lady listens to him talk to me and then asks him a few questions.







A Day in a Life
(one of my favourite songs, btw)

Today was a special Monday because Jack and Rya were over.

Once again (and mostly for the sake of Daddy who thinks about the boys and what they're up to all day, or Grannie who's far away), here's a typical day with 'the kids'...


AJ and Jack look like they're having an interesting discussion over a book. Perhaps it's a bookclub meeting? I think Rya is saying, "Dexter. Where are your pants?"



Here Dexter is saying, "This is no different than you wearing that skirt, so give me a break!"

More intense book talk ensues.



This is what I was doing at that time in the morning, as I do most mornings once the kids have settled into some activity. Sipping my coffee (from home) whilst watching "Say Yes to the Dress" or any other TLC program before I shut off the tv. I like to allow myself one show in the morning, or at least most of one show. Mmmmmm.

Now, today was AJ's gymnastics day. I gave Jack the option of going with Auntie Jen to watch Makenna and AJ's gymnastics class or to stay with me and the babies. He chose to stay with me and the babies.

After I watch my TLC show and before I go wash dishes or vacuum the living room or kitchen, I usually collect the babies for some music and instrument time. Something special for them while the boys are at preschool. This is usually when they get their big horsey rides too. But, I had already given the horsey rides before AJ was picked up for gymnastics (and poor Jack and AJ were a little saddened to hear my rule that the big kids aren't allowed to jump on my back like the babies), and the babies were having quite a great time together. Why interrupt!?

So, I did my usual, and turned off the tv, and turned on the xbox to play some CDs.

Now, may I interject? We don't have a DVD player. We have an Xbox. We don't use a CD player. We use our Xbox. AJ is very capable of using the Xbox controller to play movies. He's a real 'background noise' kind of person like me. However, I like to play music. He likes to play movies. Whenever I go to turn on the music, no matter where he is in the house, probably if he was even outside, he can hear the click of the Xbox screens. And he'll come running from wherever it is he's playing to say, "Nooooo! I want to turn on a movie!" And he'll put on a movie and take off. I'm not saying that he never sits to watch a movie. He does. But in the mornings, it's just the noise I think. So, I need to be sneaky. I need to turn the volume all the way down.

Which is what I did at this point in the morning. I snuck in a Fisher Price Barn Yard Songs CD, and AJ was none-the-wiser. Phew.

Now, when the music is on, this is what is on the tv screen...
So the babies still get lured into thinking it's a tv program. And they all toddled in....







Dexter was 'fixing' his water with a drill.



Emerson was talking on the phone, while driving a train, and following Toboo (one of our cats) around saying, "Come on! Come on! Come on, cat!" while she tried to get him to follow her.

Rya is in deep thought while she ponders the next shape to sort.



Jaxon stopped playing with the fire truck to pose for this picture. Man, I wish AJ would pose for me. In fact, I wish both of my boys would pose without squinting their eyes, which I think I inadvertently taught them.


I checked my email and then headed to the kitchen to wash some dishes.
I thought that Jack would be loving AJ being gone so he could play with all the Rescue Heroes alone! Or, I offered to set up the train track, but he said he just wanted to talk to me.


So here he is. He started at the table, eating his morning snack and talking to me while I washed dishes. Then he moved to the fridge where he played and played and played with the fridge farm and the Fridge Phonics, asking me about letter sounds.
We had deep conversation such as....

J - "You have a key for your door, right?"
Me - "My front door?"
J - "Yes."
Me - "Yes I do. To lock it so that people can't just come in."

or

while holding a "J" from the fridge phonics...
J - "Is this the J for AJ's name or for my name?"
Me - "You have the same J for your names. But it's more your J because your name starts with a J."

or - when we moved into my room so I could sort some laundry...

J - "Do you have a basement?"
Me - "Yes, that's where the playroom is."
J - "But where's your basement?"
Me - "The playroom is in the basement."
J - "But where is your basement?"
Me - "The basement is the whole space downstairs. There are a whole bunch of rooms in the basement. There's the laundry room, the bathroom, the playroom, the sewing area, the door to the garage, and the computer room."
J - "Huh? Where is the computer room?"
Me -(I explain)
J - "My Grandpa's basement is a workshop."
Me - "Wow. The whole basement is a workshop? There are no other rooms?"
J - "Nope."
Me - "Whoa. Cool."




More playing....



At this point, Dexter is ticked off. He actually climbed up in bed to grab dino, laid his head down, and then changed his mind, crying to come back out of his room.

While Dexter cried on the couch, Jack helped the rest of the babies with the piggy bank toy.



AJ and Makenna returned shortly after this. Everyone played down in the playroom for a while. Jen had brought me a coffee, naughty girl (thanks!). We chit chatted. Then Jen took her three home while I got lunch ready for the other four.

As usual, we had movie-picnic-lunch. I let AJ and Jack sit at stools in the living room while the babies are in highchairs and we watch a movie. Today it was "Enchanted". If you've never seen it, you should.

A little bit more playtime while I turned some more music on.

Then naptime for Jack (who wanted to stay up late with his dad tonight), Rya, and Dexter. AJ and I hung out, and I ate my lunch (while AJ and I finished watching Enchanted).

After nap, is snack time, then more play, more music, and MORE dancing!!! YAY! Well, the babies and I danced. AJ and Jack went downstairs to play more.

When Auntie Erica arrived, she stayed for a little visit. Nice. Thanks!







This is one of the reasons that Dexter must sit in a high chair to eat a piece of Hallowe'en chocolate.

A Kit Kat. Should be easy, right? It was just one stick. Should be pretty tidy, right? I don't get it. This is only his face. You should've seen his hands.

When I was letting them each have a stick of Kit Kat after dinner, AJ said, "Dexter wants to eat his in the living room with me."
I said, "Yaaah, no."