Nervits

The latest addition to our little kid lexicon came from Rudy on Saturday night. We were camping out on the deck. After about an hour of him squirming around and NOT falling asleep, we were all started to get a little irritated with his antics. Brady was exhausted, but Rudy kept rolling on top of him, singing, hitting him in the head, etc.

We were all quiet, trying to ignore Rudy's behavior, when Rudy says, "MOMMY! I'm just being a nervit."

(Picture Rudy's new mannerisms, lately, where he holds his hands out to the side, kind of shrugs his shoulders, and raises his eyebrows in an expression like 'I just can't help it.')

K: You're being what?
R: I'm being a nervit.
K: Annoying?
R: A nervit. I can't remember the word. What's the word?
K: Are you being annoying?
R: Yes. But I can't remember the word. What's the word?
K: Obnoxious?
R: YES! I'm being a noxious!

Parallel universe

Someday, probably in the not-too-distant future, I will look back on this weekend and it will seem like a parallel universe...

Brady came home from visiting my parents and was thrilled with the new chore chart I had made him. Couldn't wait to start doing chores. Positively ecstatic when he got to move the first magnet over for completing his daily chores.

It's kind of hard to see in this picture, but my favorite part
is the little Brady faces in the magnets...

Yesterday, he requested that he be allowed to stop playing Leapster in his room by himself so he could help me fold laundry. (Which is not even one of his chores!)

In the last few days, he's also read an entire book by himself for the first time and asked that I make him some reading manipulatives. (Not the word he used, but they are basically homework and he loves them!)

On an unrelated note of strangeness, I heard Maggie howl yesterday for the first time ever. What could that possibly mean?!?

Adventures with Flat Stanley

Brady has been talking for weeks about Flat Stanley. Apparently, they read the story at school and hi preschool class is taking turns bringing home Flat Stanley on the weekends. Flat Stanley has his own journal, where we're supposed to document his activities.

We got our turn last weekend. It started off well. Flat Stanley came with us to volunteer at the SPCA. We got to visit "our kitties".

That night, we realized that Flat Stanley forgot to pack his pajamas. He had to borrow some of Brady's baby pjs.

The next day, we took Flat Stanley to run errands. He was so good that we took him out for ice cream after.

Unfortunately, things went poorly for Stanley on Sunday. Rudy tried to steal Stanley out of Brady's hands and managed to nearly decapitate poor Stanley. We called around to all the neighbors until we found someone with a piece of posterboard. We created a Stanley clone and took him to be laminated.

We did not write about Flat Stanley's demise in the journal!

Dollars and Sense

A year and half ago, when Brady started preschool, we started giving him a small allowance. We explained that it was his "job" to go to school and do his best, so we thought he might be old enough to get "paid." However, we also said that he had to remember to ask for his money on Saturdays. If he forgot, then he wouldn't get it that week. We also decreed that a portion could go in his new wallet for spending but some would also have to go into savings and some into charity.

He enthusiastically collected. For about 2 weeks.

Sporadically after that, he would remember or we would remind him. Between Christmas and his birthday recently, he had a fair amount of cash in his wallet. I took him to the bank to deposit it, explaining that we could get it out if he found something he wanted to buy but that the bank would keep it safe for him.

Last week, I asked him he wanted his allowance.

K: What day is it?
B: Saturday.
K: What happens on Saturdays?
B: What?
K: Do you want your allowance?
B: No.
K: If you don't get it today, you don't get it this week.
B: I don't want to.
K: Why not?
B: I don't want to give any away.
K: What do you mean?
B: If I get it, I have to give some away and I don't want to give it away.
K: What?!?
B: I don't want to give it anyone. [I assume he means the bank and/or charity.]
K: But you still get to keep some. If you don't get your allowance, you don't get any money.
B: OK.

Apparently, we're not quite there yet!

Rudy

Rudy has been very insulted lately on weekdays, when James goes to work.

R: Where's Daddy?
K: He's at work.
R: Why??
K: Because that's where he goes 5 days a week to earn money.
R: I don't want him to go. I want him to stay home with me. I love him. I want to see him.

Rudy was in desperate need of new shoes. I was in the market for sneakers, which they don't seem to sell in his size in our town for less than $35. We did find these "Lightning the Queen" shoes for $5. I'm not a fan (at all!), but he loves them and the price was right!

(I did manage to find some new sneakers in a nearby town today for a much more reasonable price!)

Childhood politics

Between talking about Martin Luther King at school yesterday and watching the inauguration coverage, we had some interesting conversations with the kids yesterday. Two in particular stick in my mind:

Is it broking? - First, let me preface this one by saying that Rudy pronounces "broken" broking. I had the TV on a lot yesterday. It's a pretty unusual occurrence for it to be on that much around here, but Rudy still didn't seem that interested. When it came time for Obama to speak, I told Rudy that I really wanted to listen. I can't remember exactly how the conversation went, but it was along these lines:

R: Why?
K: Because he's our new president and I want to hear him talk.
R: Why we have a new pres-dent?
K: Because the old one is finished.
R: Why? Was he broking?

Well...I'll just leave THAT with no comment!

Which team? - Brady told us that they talked about 'Junior Martin' at school yesterday. He told us all about how there used to be white signs and black signs on the playgrounds and black kids couldn't play on the white kids playground. He thought that was a pretty silly policy. We took the opportunity to talk about all the progress in racial equality.

He really seemed to get it - which is great. I have to say though, that I was a little disappointed. Up until the lesson in school yesterday, he thought that white guys were anyone wearing white shirts and black guys were anyone wearing black shirts. We even had a few potentially embarrassing experiences in public where he would refer to "that black guy" - meaning only some man in a black shirt.

I thought it was so amazing, though, that he didn't even NOTICE the color of people's skin. I knew he'd figure out that difference eventually, I guess...

Sleepy-time routines

This is what I found when I went to check on Rudy during nap time...

We've rearranged his room so his workbench is at the foot of his bed. He got new Bob the Builder tools for Christmas and apparently decided to get some work done before falling asleep. I love the construction hat on Simba :)

I've been meaning to write about our sleepy-time routines with both kids. This seems like a good time to document Ru's!

Naptime

I worked hard this summer to push his nap time to later in the afternoon. It was nearly impossible to keep him awake until after we got Brady home from school last year. It's worked well and he's happy until at least 1 or 2 now. He can actually get by with out a nap, but it generally leads to a rough hour or so in the evening.

Since he's convinced he doesn't need to sleep, he usually has a lot to say on the way upstairs: Me not go to sleep! Don't sleep me mommy! Me not take a nap!

And, as if to prove it, he'll sometimes play for an hour before finally falling asleep. Sometimes, I have to go back in and tell him it's time to go to sleep. Generally, at this point, he'll let me cover him up and he'll go right to sleep.

He still wakes up and calls for me until I come get him. If I don't come soon enough, he lays on the bed and kicks the wall until I come in.

Bedtime

James and I trade off taking each kid to bed - two nights and then we switch. Rudy gets one book in bed (lately, Goodnight Moon is a favorite again. Other standbys are How Does a Dinosaur Say Goodnight and Casey at the Bat.

After the story, he says his prayer. (We start the lines and he finishes them. Often with his own twist - which I've put in brackets.)

Dear God, I thank you for your care
You've been right with me everywhere

At school and at play, you're by my side [by myself]
My special friend, my loving guide

With all I do and all I say,
Help me to walk in Jesus' way

Help me to do the things I should [do]
To be to others kind and good

You're always with me, not far above
Watch over me and those I love [you]. Amen.

After that, he sings ABCs with us and then we sing him Kum-Ba-Yah with the second verse as "Rudy's sleepin', Lord. Kumbaya..."

We give a kiss, a big hug, and an eskimo kiss before leaving. Generally, that's the end of it, but he's starting to test the waters to see how much he can get away with!

And, finally a couple funny bedtime stories from the last few weeks (long post, I know!)...

After reading Casey at the Bat:

J: There was no joy in Mudville, the mighty Casey had struckout.
R, after a moment of thought: Why Casey have a mighty struckout?

After being tucked in for the night...

R: MOOOOMMMMMMEEEE! MOMMMEEEEE!
He gets James instead.

J,at the door: What is it, Rudy?
R: inaudible whisper
J, now at Rudy’s bedside: What is it?
R, still whispering: I need a kiss.
J, after a quick peck and walking back out: Night, night, Ru.
R: another whisper.
J, back at the bedside: What?
R: And some pants.

His too-short pajama pants were up around his knees, so he thought he wasn’t wearing any.

J: You have pants on.
R, after further investigation: Oh.

Again, after being tucked in (a different night, thankfully!) After the initial hollering, the rest of the conversation was conducted in whispers.

R: MOOOOMMMMMMEEEE! MOMMMEEEEE!
K: What Rudy?
R: Come here!
K: No, Rudy. It's bedtime.
R: Come here!
K: No, Rudy, it's time to go to sleep. Good night.
R: Mommy! Come in.
K: Rudy, if I come in I'm going to spank your bottom.
R: Good night Mommy.

...a couple minutes later...

R: MOOOOMMMMMMEEEE! MOMMMEEEEE!
K: What Rudy?
R: Don't spank my bottom.
K: OK, Rudy. Go to sleep.
R: OK, Mommy. Good night.

Wheresis da kitties?

Rudy spent the last two nights at Nana and Popsie's house. He walked into the house this afternoon when he came home, took a lap around and came back to me...

R: Wheresis da kitties? [anytime he can't find something he says wheresis]
K: They were sick. They had to go to the doctor.
R: Why?
K: They had colds and they needed a lot of medicine, so they needed to stay with the doctor.
R: [In deep thought for a while]
K: After the doctor makes them better, they'll go to new homes.
R: I have an apple??

I took the kittens to the SPCA to see the vet yesterday because Frankie and Lola were very lethargic and all three of them were sneezing and had runny noses. The vet called and said that all three of them needed 3 different meds 2-3 times a day for 10 days. I didn't feel like we'd be able to keep up with that schedule, especially around the holidays. We talked to Brady, who didn't seem too interested in keeping a cat, so we decided to leave the kittens at the SPCA where they'd be better taken care of.

I was worried that he would be distressed to come home and find the kittens gone. Apparently not...as long as we have food!

We did find out that the kids and I can start volunteering at the SPCA, so we'll be able to visit with Frankie, Lola, and Fiona until they get adopted.

Good morning!

Rudy generally plays in his room for a while every morning before he calls me in (which he does by shouting MOMMMMEEEEE).

I went in to get him one day last week and he had taken his striped Cookie Monster socks off his feet and put them on his hands. He had also found two wooden hammers in his bed and was using them to build a boat (or so he told me).

Thank you, Adam Sandler

Of all the Christmas songs we've been listening to lately, this is the line my two year old picks to sing over and over and over:

One fine looking Jew.

As in "Paul Newman is half Jewish. Goldie Hawn is half too. Put them together...what a fine looking Jew" from the Hanukkah Song, by Adam Sandler.

For what it's worth, at least it sounds a little like funny looking shoe when he says it, so if anyone else asks we'll just tell them that's what he's saying!

More chuckles

A few more laughs we've had the last few weeks...

-Rudy was awake for several hours one night last week. I was also asleep and apparently very out of it, because it didn't occur to me in the middle of the night that he might not be feeling well. It was the next morning, that it started to register. He was in a good mood and eating his breakfast, but he kept telling me (very matter-of-factly) that his tummy hurt. Except he was pointing at his ear. I would ask him if his ear hurt. "No, Mommy, it's my tummy." And he'd point to his ear again. In any case, he had a terrible ear infection and you'll be glad to know that his "tummy" is better now!

-Since my birthday, Rudy has been impressed with the concept of surprise. He loves bringing me gifts or hiding and then jumping out and yelling "PURPRISE!"

-Remember last week, when I wrote about a good way to bring tears to my eyes (when the boys act like they love each other)? Well, we had a new way to make Mom want to cry this week. We had friends over and all the kids were upstairs playing. I overheard this lovely snippet:

Brady: Rudy, do you wanna get hit? [spoken in a voice like Ru was about to get a treat]
Rudy: No.
B: Do you wanna get hit? Do you want me to hit you?
R: Nope.
B: Then give me that jet or I'm going to hit you!

Oh. my.

What's making us laugh...

We've kind of had a mental list of funny things the kids have said lately that we keep meaning to write down...here's what I can remember at this moment...

• Chicken week - I sometimes call Thanksgiving "Turkey day". He can't seem to keep it straight that it's turkeys that are Thanksgiving-like and keeps referring to chicken week at Oma and Papa's house, our chicken craft project, and the Thanksgiving chicken.

• Potatoes and grapes - We were all playing on the jungle gym. Apparently, the top was our fort, from which we were fighting the bad guys. Brady decided we needed to have dinner up there and asked Rudy what we should eat. Rudy's response: Potatoes and grapes. (At least it's healthy, right?)

• Jazz - We got into the car and my Christmas music (yes, I am already listening to Christmas songs!) started. It was a big band version of some holiday classic. Brady asked, "Is this jazz?" Who knew I was raising such cultured kids??

• Just bubblin' - *Potty humor warning* - Rudy was a little stinky. James asked him if he needed to poop. Rudy said, "Nope. Just bubblin' Dad." Gross, but funny...

• Recipes - Somehow, Brady and I got talking about cooking today. I asked him how he would cook the Thanksgiving turkey...apparently, you put the turkey in a pan and then put some salt and pepper on the top. Then, you put the turkey in the oven at one or two degrees and bake it for about 20 minutes.

• Career plans - We just watched Madagascar 2 with the kids last weekend. The "king" (a lemur) talks about how he would love to be a professional whistler because he's so good at it, after which he "whistles" which is really just blowing raspberries. Brady has adopted that as his favorite movie line and keeps telling us that he wants to be "a professional whistler...pppbbbttt..." (followed by fits of giggles). Rudy can't quite keep the movie plot straight and keeps telling people that he wants to be a penguin when he grows up, after which he blows a raspberry and laughs hysterically.
  

Thankful

Brady had his first "homework assignment" this week. He was supposed to draw a picture of what he is thankful for for a class book they are creating. He drew a picture of his family and his house. I, apparently, am the tallest one...with the long hair and purple shirt. Maggie, with her three legs (each set counts as one leg, I guess) is between my legs. James is beside me and Brady is beside him. He included his extra finger on one hand. Rudy is closest to the house with a hat and his hair sticking (way) out of his hat.

Not to be outdone, Rudy also wanted to draw a picture. James asked him what he was thankful for. "Uh...snakes."

Are you sure?

"Yes. This is Brady." (The purple design in the middle).

He also added "jungle guy" - the design in the lower right.

Then he drew the snakes (the rest of the lines) because "they're my best" (his alternate word for favorite).

Mayflower

Brady is learning in school! I'm not sure why this is SO thrilling for me...he's been learning at an amazing pace his whole life, but somehow it's just so exciting when he comes home from school and can tell me all the new things that he's learned.

Last year at preschool, I think he was learning more of the intangibles (following directions, manners, etc.), although one of his teachers did work with him to use the th sound. This year, though, he's learning so much...he already knew his letters and sounds, but he's also shared with us some letter combinations and I can see the about-to-start-really-reading-wheels turning in his head!

Yesterday, he came home with this "map" that he had painted and a bottle cap ship:

Without prompting, he shared all of the details of the voyage. This video doesn't really do his newly-acquired knowledge justice because we had to prompt him a lot. In the original telling, he rambled it all out, almost in one breath! (I think the camera is a bit of pressure!)

Parking garage

Last week, Rudy and I were studying the toy catalog and he was showing me what he wanted to put on his Christmas list. (I want dis. I have dat.)

He pointed out a wood parking garage for toy cars: "I like this." I said it looked pretty fun and that it was made out of wood.

"It's made out of wood?"
"Daddy make that! I help him." [said with great authority and finality!]

So, sure enough, when James got back into town this week, the parking garage was the first item on the agenda.

Planning and design:

Gluing and stapling:


Adding the guardrails:


Rudy told me this was his excited face:


Construction supervisor:


And, finally, getting to play with it:

Where do they come up with these things?

R: Maggie have three legs!
K: Yup, Maggie has three legs.
R: Why? [Rudy has recently discovered the wonder of why and no.]
K: One was sick.
R: I not have three legs.
K: Nope.
R: I use-ta-have three legs.
K: Oh really?
R: Yes. [long pause] One fell off in my garage. [long pause] Crabby chomped it off. Now it's all gone in the garage.

Trouble with the bad guys

Brady is at my parents all week, so we're looking forward to some quality time with Rudy. It's amazing how different his personality is when his big brother isn't around. (We tend to get a little less "bad guy" trouble and a lot more typical 2-year old play...animals, cars, etc.)

Rudy did have some funny bad guy stories today though:

Rudy: I take my socks off.
James: Why are you taking your socks off?
Rudy (very matter-of-fact): No more bad guys.

*****
Rudy (attacking James at the breakfast table): You a bad guy.
James: No, I'm not a bad guy.
Rudy: Yeah, you a bad guy.
James: No, I'm not a bad guy.
Rudy (confused): Where all de bad guys den?

What say?

If I haven't mentioned it before, "What say?" is one of the kid-phrases that I think is likely to endure forever in our lexicon. From the time Brady has been old enough to ask us to repeat ourselves, this is what he's said. (And, we hear it quite often!)

Today he came downstairs after his shower and told me that he had used "air conditioner" in his hair.

Later, he asked me how our friend Miss Roxanne got her name. I didn't really know what he meant, so I asked him why he was asking..."Well, why is her name rocks and sand. It's kind of funny." When I listened more carefully, I realized that he really does pronounce her name exactly like that: Miss Rocks-sand.

Looking at the Christmas toy catalog with Rudy, he pointed out Hannah Montana. I asked him how he knew who she was..."I watch commercials, Mom." (He's already got that teenage "duh" tone perfected.)

His favorite spiderman shoes wore out, so I had to find him new sneakers with some urgency. The only thing I could find that was even close to a reasonable price was a pair of Sketchers. I tried to talk them up as cool skater shoes. Once I told him they were Sketchers, he was very excited because he's "seen them on the previews on TV". Brand loyalty at age 4.

In Rudy's language world, we've added "rhinerous" to "hippowatermus" in the zoo animals category. He's also discovered the word "Why"...so now we have his chorus of "Why, Mommy" and "What's dis, Daddy" to add to Brady's questions. I love it!

OK smartypants!

Brady and I were playing "Would you rather" this afternoon:

K: Would you rather fly to Saturn or to the moon?
B: That's too easy, Mom! [sounding very exasperated]
K: It is? Why?
B: The moon of course.
K: Why?
B: Because I would sink on Saturn. Saturn is all gases.

A budding astronomer?

Not

Typical two year old that he is, Rudy is finding his independence and seeking ways to express himself. Recently, we've heard:

Not cut it! (his pancake, at breakfast)

Not sleep me, Mommy! (when he thought I was taking him up to nap)

Not handsome! (he didn't want me to comb his hair)

Me not sweetie! Me RUDY!

Dese muffins not bery rully good Mommy. (referring to my pumpkin muffins, which are actually very really good thank you very much!)