"Awww, Ishy"

"Ishy" is what Gracie calls Lucy, our Australian Shepherd.

Ishy is brimming over with patience for toddler types. She tolerates them extremely well.

And, maybe, Ishy occasionally enjoys them.

Boppin'

According to Jonah, Part II

This morning, Jonah leaned over until he was looking straight in Gracie's eyes. "Gracie," he said, "this is a NOT-taking-stuff day."


(Before typing out this next bit, I have to explain...in Cheesemyhead Land, lost balloons float to China. Because Charlie & Lola on the Disney channel said so.)

J: Mama, is God way up high in da sky?
Me: Well, God doesn't have a body like us. He can be everywhere at the same time.
J (after some silence): So He's invisible.
Me: Yep.
J: No. I phink He's up in outer space. He goes up high, high, high, all da way in China.


When he got home from pre-school the other day, Jonah noticed some tracks left by the vacuum cleaner in his bedroom.
J: Oh, Mama! Phank you! It looks wonderful! And vacuumy!

Follow-up Interview with Jonah

This quiz was floating around on Facebook last year, and Jonah's answers were so funny at age 3 1/2. I got curious what his answers would be this year (at 4 1/2).

Here are the directions, if you want to play along:
Copy this note, ask your child the questions and write them down exactly how they respond!

1. What is something mama always says to you?
nice phings

2. What makes mama happy?
bein' nice...listenin'

3. What makes mama sad?
bein' naughty, and phrowin' stuff. Like TV's in your face.

4. How does your mama make you laugh?
silly faces

5. What was your mama like as a child?
I don't remember. Did you like your blanket when you were little?

6. How old is your mama?
Fourteen

7. How tall is your mama?
Fourteen. Sponge Bob is the tallest.

8.What is her favorite thing to do?
Do computers ***BUSTED***

9. What does your mama do when you're not around?
jes' mess up my toys!

10. If your mama becomes famous, what will it be for?
umm, Mama, you're silly.

11. What is your mama really good at?
bein' good

12. What is your mama not very good at?
baseball

13. What does your mama do for her job?
I don't know. Play violin?!

14. What's your mama's favorite food?
spaghetti, or somphin'?

15. What makes you proud of your mama?
cleanin' up

16. If your mama were a cartoon character, who would she be?
nothin'. And if you were on a baseball field, then you would be on TV!

17. What do you and your mama do together?
jes' play around.

18. How are you and your mama the same?
I don't know. We'll talk about dat later.

19. How are you and your mama different?
We'll talk about dat later too. Be quiet, please. Beep. Beep. Quiet.

20. How do you know your mama loves you?
wif her heart

21. Where is your mama's favorite place to go?
to Walmart. ****WHAAAAT???***

1 and a HALF

Holy cow. Gracie turned one and a half today. It's insane that tomorrow she will be closer to 2 years old than 1 year old. In. Sane. I'm a little sad about this.

Last month, (besides conquering the milestone, "awww you") Gracie has been enjoying Peekaboo and Imgonnagityou more than ever. If we come at her with a change of clothes, she will take off running and squealing and giggling like NOTHING has ever been so fun. Then you will find her. Nekid, underneath the crib, or behind Daddy's shirts in the closet, or IN THE FREEZING GARAGE (she can open doors) giggling uncontrollably.

On that note, her mischief factor has taken on a tinge of the dangerous. It's not just climbing out of the crib, or unrolling the toilet paper and shredding it anymore. It's dunking that unrolled toilet paper in the toilet, then sucking the water out of the paper. Or climbing on the step stool in the kitchen to reach for the cutting board, with the knife on top. I watch her every waking second of the day. And pray every half second.

She started calling Lucy (our Australian Shepherd), "Ishi", and scolding Dixie (our JRTerror) in a perfect imitation of Mama. "No DeeDee. Ow! Ow Shy!" (Translation: No, Dixie. Out. Outside).

Her appetite is insatiable. She's constantly asking to "Eeeee?", frantically signing at the same time. She loves scrambled eggs. And whatever you're having, she'd like that too, thank you.

Her manners are impeccable. "Peeeez?", and "Tin chooo!" are some of her best words. Along with "beshooo" for sneezers, and "shooz zooo" for belchers. She claps for my students and hollers "yaaaay", when they're finished playing their pieces.

Overall, this has been a hectic, hairy, but OH so fun, month. We love our baby girl!

Unsolicited Product Review

Since this is our online baby book, I don't usually post anything other than stories and pictures of the kids. BUT, there are 2 things that are making life with a curly-haired, cloth-diapered toddler easier, and I feel inspired to share...

JOHNSON'S® NO MORE TANGLES® Shampoo + Conditioner

The Johnson's website claims it will unlock knots and tangles, leave hair beautifully shiny and more manageable, there will be NO MORE TEARS^®, and most importantly, it will keep the spring in curly hair.

With our old regimen, the resulting curls were adorable and not greasy at all, but as soon as she napped or sat in the carseat, the curls on the back of her head were smooshed flat.

SO, we've tried the new stuff twice now, and I really like it. At first, I thought it should be better at getting tangles out, but last night I combed through her SUDSY hair and then rinsed, and viola! We didn't need any extra conditioner, and her hair is shiny with springy curls, even AFTER she slept on it all night!

The second thing we love? These diaper wraps from Rethink Crafts.

Our Bummis prefolds lay perfectly in RC's diaper wraps and they are just SOOOO much cuter than the diaper wraps available from big cloth diaper companies. Plus, they fit better. They don't pinch Gracie, and the closure tabs are more secure.

This is the new print we just got in the mail (Pink Ducks). I think it makes Gracie feel sassy.

"Aww you"

Last week, Gracie climbed up in my lap and snuggled her head into my neck, then said in her tiny sweet voice, "awww you".

I answered her, "I loooove you", and she repeated back, "awww you".

Maybe I'm a little slow, but it finally dawned on me that she was saying I love you!

Kissin' babies

FYI - I keep singing the Baby Signing Time song, because Gracie USUALLY chimes in.

How to make your child CRAZY

These are things I will remember about Jonah at 4 1/2 years old...

Favorite toys:

• Hotwheels (still!)

Favorite TV shows:

• Phineus & Ferb
• Peep
• Sponge Bob (not Mama's favorite. At all.)
  

Favorite Songs:

• anything he's made up himself

Favorite Books:

• Good Boy, Fergus by David Shannon
  
• Pigeon Books by Mo Willems (hilarious!)
  

Best Friends:

• K.C. (the very same K.C. he loved to hate LAST year)
• Lester and our pals from playgroup

Newest love/hate friend:

• Christian (who apparently teaches Jonah all the bad words he knows)
  

Newest fascinations:

• super heroes
  
• break dancing (specifically spinning on his head)
• new toys. Anything new, actually. We're really focusing on teaching him the difference between a "want" and a "need". It's a hard lesson!

Extra goodies...

The other night, after we had tucked him into bed, Jonah came out of his room asking for a "tennis shoe".
"Why do you need a tennis shoe?" I asked. "You're supposed to be sleeping."
"A tennisssss shoooooeeee, Mama! I needa blow my nose!"

To the cute teenage girl at Target: "I work out wif kettle bells. See?" Grunting and flexing (in the tuna fish aisle), "I'm four."

Jonah: Can I have some more Cheetos, please?
Me: Finish your apples first.
Jonah: But I 'jes LOOOOOOVE Cheetos!
Me: I know, Buddy, but Cheetos don't have anything in them that's good for you. Chicken nuggets have protein that makes your muscles strong, and apples have good vitamins to keep you from getting sick. Cheetos don't do anything.
Jonah: Yes dey dooooo! Dey make me CRAAAAZZY!

Jonah, at Lowe's, while handing a paint chip to the cashier: "Here. Here's my card."