Wednesday, October 26, 2014

While Michael was cooking dinner, Micah and I were playing a bit. He came over with some measuring spoons, pretending they were an alligator. Chomp. They bit me. I played along. Chomp. And apparently just like that the alligator swallowed me. 

Micah: You're inside the alligator now.

Mama: Oh, it's so dark inside this alligator.

Micah: ((Whimpers)) I miss my mom. I'm not going to see her ever because she's inside the alligator. I want the alligator to eat me in his belly too.

Mama: Come on in!

Micah: ((turns the spoons on himself)) Chomp Chomp. Now I'm inside with you!

I picked him up on my lap and we hugged each other and laughed. So cute.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014 - Sleeplessness

Micah woke up seven times Monday night. Admittedly some of those "wake ups" were extremely consecutive and probably didn't include sleep in between them, but each required that Michael or I get out of bed and go to his room. He needed a hug. He needed his fan on. He needed a light on. He wanted some water. He wanted to talk about his "trouble sleeping." His cough was keeping him awake (do note that he was not coughing). And then he woke up for the day at 5am and refused to go back to sleep so I told him he could read a book in bed or play in his room until his alarm clock turned green (at 7am). At 6am I could hear him pounding around and wanted to be sure he wasn't going to get hurt so I went in for a safety check. At 7am I told Michael to please get him up and just give me an hour of sleep. 

Needless to say it was not a good day yesterday. Micah was pretty much hitting and kicking me from the moment I set foot in the room with him at 8am. He didn't want to go to school. He didn't want to get dressed. He wanted to bring a page from a newspaper he found blowing down the street in to school with him. He wanted to use wooden toy trucks as roller skates on a concrete floor. At play time, he laid down in the sandbox, picked up a handful of sand, and deposited it in his hair.

Also needless to say, he napped for more than two hours. At naptime, he put his head on my shoulder while we lay in the bed to read, and by the time I finished Otis, which is a not very long board book, he was sleeping so hard that his thumb was falling out of his mouth and when I removed my shoulder from under his head and then clumsily proceeded to maneuver my pregnant body over the siderail of his bed, he didn't stir a bit.

Here's the highlight from yesterday's sleepless chaos:

Micah doesn't want to get dressed, I pin him to the ground and force his clothes on.

Micah: "I'm gonna take my socks off! I'm gonna take my pants off!"

I pick Micah up and carry him downstairs before he undresses.

Micah begins to walk back upstairs.

I pick Micah up from the third stair and put him back on the first floor, then turn to pack a bag for school.

Micah begins to walk back upstairs.

I pick Micah up from the third stair and put him back on the first floor, then continue to pack a bag for school.

Micah: "I'm mad at you!"

Me: "That's okay. Why are you mad?"

Micah: "YOU NEVER LET ME DO ANYTHING!"

I laugh out loud. Then compose myself. "What don't I let you do?"

Micah: "I want to go upstairs and bring my balloon down!"

Me: "Well then why didn't you just tell me that? I thought you were going upstairs to take your clothes off." 

We then went upstairs together to get the balloon, tied it to the doorknob in the kitchen, and went to school hand in hand.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - Spelling

Yesterday, we were going through the checkout line at Trader Joe's (where everyone literally knows our names). The guy checking our groceries said hi to Micah and then asked him if he could spell his name. I said, no, he's not quite there yet. Micah on the other hand said, "M... I... C... A... H"
Then last night, he got out of bed to ask for some water and after I gave him some and put him back in bed, he crawled down to the bottom of the bed, looked at a stop sign on his comforter, and spelled "STOP." Then when I put him back in bed he told me that if you do it the other way, it's "POTS."

Friday, September 19, 2014

Tonight Micah and I were playing a game. He made a "ding dong" for himself out of play dough and put it on the wall outside the bathroom, went in the bathroom, closed the door, and waited for me to come ring the ding dong to be let in.

When I did, he answered the door, "Hi. This is my house. I don't have any toys." Very matter of fact.

I asked what he did have if he didn't have toys. "I have some sinks. I have this toilet. I picked it out at a store. It came in a box. I carried it very carefully so it didn't fall on my head and smush me. I put it on the corner and I told the man how much does it cost. He said three dollars. I said I want to buy it. So he gave me some money and I gave him some money and he gave me some papers and I took it home and I put it here."

All the while, Micah is also pulling over the step stool, lifting the lid on the toilet, pulling his pants down, and now pooping.

Thursday, September 18, 2014 - Spot and Daddy

I found this gem in a note I wrote to myself. Micah had been reading a book to himself in bed, paraphrasing the book based on what he remembered:

"Daddy and spot having a whole day together. They play soccer ball at the park. Someone else wants to play says daddy. It's bunny! Spot likes to fly his kite in the air, that's fun says spot. Feeding time for the ducks says daddy. Yummy says spot. At night daddy reads a special book for spot. I love you says spot. I love you too says daddy."

Tuesday, September 16, 2014 - Happy Birthday, Micah!

Micah has had an excellent birthday so far. On Sunday we partied at the baseball field. We brought a whole slew of balls of all sizes for kids to play with, a little grill for cooking hotdogs and hamburgers, and everyone pitched in by bringing a dish to share. As with last year, I think everyone enjoyed themselves even if it wasn't your run of the mill kids' birthday party! 

Micah got totally overwhelmed with shyness when everyone started singing to him. He hugged my leg and grinned from ear to ear. He is also now old enough to be able to blow out his birthday candle without assistance!

Today in our preschool class, they sang to him as well. When the teacher put the candle in front of him, he got upset because he wasn't done eating yet. The kid can put away biscuits and apples like no one's business! Again, he enjoyed being sung to and blowing out his candle. 

At the end of class, everyone goes outside to play for a half hour but since we had a doctor appointment for him, I wanted to skip it. He wouldn't have it and promised that he just wanted to make "one sandcastle" and then he would be ready to leave. I was pleasantly surprised to find that he was fairly true to his word. He very carefully took off his shoes and socks, got a bucket and a shovel, made a sand castle, put a twig in it for a flag, stomped on it, and then made "just one more." And then he left with me completely willingly.

At the doctor, he practically begged for a shot, but the only one he needs is a flu shot and they don't expect theirs to be delivered until tonight! He is 32 pounds and 37 inches tall. The doctor was impressed that he didn't want to sit on my lap, he wanted to sit on the table and he did everything that was asked of him, laid down so the doctor could feel his stomach, giggled as the doctor felt his pelvis, watched as the doctor listened to his heart, sat still while he looked at his eyes and in his ears. He also had a blast with the vision test, finding the smallest pictures he could with each eye. I promised him that we will go back for a shot. :)

And now, here's a quote from our conversation in the car on our was to school this morning: 

Micah: I just farted.

Mama: Do you need to use the potty?

Micah: No, not with my butt, with my mouth! I didn't get poop in my mouth! Then  to go to the potty, I would have to put my head upside down! Then my butt would be a face! And I could be a butt!

Wednesday, September 3, 2014 - Vocabulary

Micah has been a serious handful for a couple weeks now. "No" is a very commonly heard word, he's no longer as willing to go to bed for us, and he's generally been rambunctious: screaming, running, biting, kicking, hitting, and then laughing and asking if it's "funny." We once read somewhere that these phases of tantrums and misbehavior usually last a few weeks and are followed by noticeable new skills. Micah seems to be coming out of it and if I had to pinpoint what his "new skill" is, I would say it's that he's suddenly using a whole slew of adorably grown up words and phrases. 

For example, we came home from a cookout the other night and when we got home, it was raining. As we're walking up to the house, Micah says, "It's raining on my head and on my arms!" We get onto the porch and he looks at me, throws his hands up in the air and says, "Oh. My. Gosh!" I don't imagine it's as adorable in print, but I literally laughed out loud, and then brought him back out into the rain for a minute and then back onto the porch where he reiterated, "Oh. My. Gosh!" and we both laughed.

Last night, Michael put him to bed and he asked if I would come up to give him a hug. When I got there, he stood up in bed and said, "I want to give you a hug." So I hugged him, put him back in bed, and he asked, "Are you going to bed and Dada going to bed too?" And I said I would be going to bed very soon. He asked, "Are you sad?" At first I didn't understand, he clarified, "Are you sad because you're going to bed?" So cute. I told him no, I very much like sleeping. He said, "Don't you like waking up?" I said yes, but I also really like sleeping.

He's been using words like "usually," "perfect," and "beautiful." Just things that seem a little like he can't possibly really know what they mean. He's also experimenting with "yesterday," "today," and "tomorrow," but he clearly does not quite have a handle on the distinction between the three yet. 

Michael told him we were going to go to Andrew's house tonight and he looked at him, clasped his hands together, and said, "perfect."

I was taking him for a walk the other night and when I came out, he was sitting on the porch, covering his socks with chalk, and told me, "I'm making my socks beautiful, Mama."

Thursday, August 14, 2014 - Big Boy

In response to Micah's dislike of his big boy room, I took him to Target last night to pick some things out to improve it. Michael hung curtains, we hung a moon shaped light on the wall that Frank gave him, Micah picked out some very grown up bed sheets, we put down a new rug, and we replaced the pillows on the futon mattress in the corner of the room with bed pillows. This morning he said it was much better now. :)

As we were walking to the car with our Target haul last night, this conversation happened:
Micah: Mama? I'm thinking about your baby in your tummy.
Mama: Oh yeah? What are you thinking?
Micah: About everything. Your baby. And your tummy. And your baby's mouth. And your baby's arms. And your baby's face.

OMG

Also, I got this text message from Michael yesterday, while I was in a medication safety meeting where we were talking about all the medication related harm and potential harm that had occurred to patients in the last month, and I accidentally laughed out loud:

Message: Micah clipped a flip phone to his foreskin and sang "I have a little penis on my little body."

Apparently Michael recommended against this, and Micah asked "Why." Michael said, "Because it might hurt you." To which Micah replied, "It doesn't hurt me." Try again Dada!

Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - Big Boy Bed

Micah spent the night in his big boy bed last night for the first time. He also napped there the last two days but wasn't quite ready to sleep overnight the first night.

Apparently he was up at 6:30 this morning which is early but only about a half hour earlier than usual. He told Michael that he doesn't like his big boy room so much. Michael asked what he doesn't like and he said he doesn't like his pillow, his blankets, his bed, his sofa, the sofa pillows, the rug, or the toy box.

I think maybe a trip to the store to pick out some new sheets, curtains, a rug, etc might be in order!

Friday, August 8, 2014

Micah was role playing some discipline the other night and I know it's just the way kids figure this stuff out, but it was really cute. 

Michael had been asking Micah what he wanted to eat for dinner but Micah was too busy playing with Legos to answer. Eventually Michael had to take his toys away to force him to pay attention and tell him what he wanted to eat. Micah ended up crying and running to me for comfort and then I was able to get him to answer the question. 

While Michael got dinner together, Micah requested that we walk around the block. While we were walking, Micah said, "Mama, why did Dada take my toys away?"So we talked about it and he said he understood.

When we got home, he did a pretty good job of eating some dinner and then went to play some more with his Legos. This is the conversation the Lego people were having with each other:

"Okay kids, it's time for dinner."

"But we playing!"

"It's not play time. It's dinner time."

"But we want to play."

"It's time for dinner."

"No." 

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

etc.

Monday, July 21, 2014 - Family Reunion Follow Up

Micah had an absolute blast at the family reunion last weekend. He especially loved his cousin Sophie who was also in love with him. The first night, I put him to bed while a group of kids were loudly playing Monopoly outside his bedroom door and he went to sleep without a problem. In the morning he asked, "Where are the kids?" and was sad to find that they had gone back to their own rooms.

He also had a blast in the 1 foot deep toddler pool, even when the temperature was in the 70's. He had a horse that was driving a dump truck all over the bottom of the water and he played for quite a long time in that pool. On the drive home, he asked if we could go to the pool when we got home. He was very upset when I told him the pool would be closed by the time we got home, but he got super excited when I suggested we go to the pool today instead.

In other news, I recently read that at his age, Micah should be able to use 4 word sentences. Here are some recent speech samples:

"The bunny was floating down the stream and his little boat tipped over and now his butt is wet because he doesn't have hands so he can't swim."

"Pillows are warm and comfortable to sleep on at night."

After having his first red hot candy, "This candy is a little bit good."

While using a potty on the side of the tollway and wearing dinosaur stickers all over his face, "I'm a monster and I have a monster penis." hahahahaha

Satuday, June 28, 2014

Micah: How do you get the milk out?
Mama: Out of what?
((silence))
Mama: The cow?
Micah: Yeah.

Okay, let's do this!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Yesterday, Micah found two pieces of essentially an enormous shoelace that Michael had taken out of a hooded sweatshirt and cut into two. He immediately gave one to me and pretended to fish with them.

I took the game one step farther, I got two magnets from the fridge and taped them to the shoelaces, two kitchen knives and taped them to the other end of the shoelaces, put a piece of blue fabric on the floor in a circle, and then we pulled magnetic letters from the fridge, put them in the "pond" and fished for them. 

I got a pot from Micah's kitchen and we put the fish into the pot and then after a while I asked him to cook the fish for me. He got us plates and forks, pretended to cut the fish up and put one on each plate and served them to me.

I took a few bites and then asked him if he cooked them on the stove. He said no. I asked if he cooked them in the oven. He said no. I asked how he cooked them. He thought for a minute and then he shrugged with his hands up in the air and said, "I didn't cook them. I just cut them." I made a grossed out face and insisted his cook them for me so he cooked them on the stove and also in the oven and then brought them back. It was a very fun game.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - Milestones

Two significant milestones occurred last weekend when we went to Matt Ley's family's cabin for the weekend.

Micah learned to pee standing up (and outside). I guess Michael has attempted it with Micah before and Micah looked at him and said, "This is hard." and couldn't quite make himself do it. On Saturday, people were showering and so I took Micah outside to pee, he also couldn't quite make it happen standing up, so I supported him in a sitting type position and he had no problem. Then on Sunday, Michael and I were outside with Micah and we looked over and Micah said, "I have to use the potty." He already had his pajama pants pulled down just a little bit and was ready to pee right there so Michael went over to help him and he peed like a champ, not a drop on his pants! 

The milestone that I think will have a much more significant impact on our life is that Micah took a shower by himself. There's a fairly small shower stall at the cabin and so I guess Micah got in first and was doing so well that Michael didn't have to get in to help him clean up! Since we've been home, Micah has showered alone twice and I don't see any return to either baths or to joint showers. :( He really loves it, he's willing to get his hair and face wet and the only problem is that he never ever wants to get out. He's even secured space in our shower shelving for his rubber duck!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - Micah had a dream

Micah woke up from his nap and thus conversation followed:

Micah: I had a dream.
Mama: really? What did you dream?
Mi: An elephant.
Ma: Was it a nice elephant?
Mi: Yeah.
Ma: What was he doing?
Mi: He was playing with me with his trunk.
Ma: Really?
Mi: Yeah, the trunk was a little bit scary. I had another animal.
Ma: In your dream? What other animal did you see?
Mi: A tiger.
Ma: What did the tiger do?
Mi: He said, "Rawr," and then he ran over there.
Ma: Was it a nice tiger?
Mi: Um.
Ma: Was it a mean tiger?
Mi: It was a scared tiger. And I had another animal.
Ma: What was the other animal?
Mi: It was a little tiger.
Ma: Really? You had a big tiger and a little tiger?
Mi: Yeah, and I brought it home with me. And I fed it a carrot.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - Where is my sister?

Micah would like to know where his sister is! Michael was putting Micah to bed and was faced with an interesting question that I have also heard on one occasion recently. "Dada, where is my sister?" Um, what? "Where is my sister?"

Dada says, "You don't have a sister."

Micah: Yes I do.

D: Dada has a sister. Mama has a sister. Do you know who my sister is?

M: Traci.

D: You don't have a sister. Maybe you will someday. If you do have a sister, it will be in your mama's tummy for a long time first.

M: Oh.

Yeesh! Does this kid know something I don't? I'm kind of creeped out by this.

Saturday, April 13, 2014 - Micah's First Pedicure

As I was getting dressed for a yoga class today, I decided to wear flip flops since it was beautiful outside. As soon as I put them on I realized that I needed to paint my toenails, something I almost never do but somehow it still seemed necessary. I put on a quick coat and came downstairs, ready to get out of the house for yoga. I barely stepped into the room and Micah noticed right away.

OOOHHHHHH! MAAMAAA! NICE TOENAILS!!!!

I thanked him and laughed and walked into the kitchen to tell Michael how observant our kid is. Micah followed me, got down on hands and knees to look closer, and then demanded that he needed his toes done too.

Mama! Help my shoes off!

I picked out a fairly subtle light pink polish, sat him on the stool in the bathroom, and put a light coat on each toenail. He looked down, "They gonna turn brown now?" He wanted a darker color. 

I wiped off the pink and pulled out a red/orange color like mine were painted. I put a new thin coat on each toenail. He was ecstatic. He walked out of the bathroom to show his Dada with stiff feet and toes so that he wouldn't mess them up. He demanded flip flops like mine to protect his toenails. 

Apparently, while I was at yoga, he excitedly showed everyone he came across. He showed the next door neighbors, he showed the guy who sweeps all the leaves down the street. He refused to wear shoes when he took a bike ride to the park with Michael. When they got to the park, Michael made him wear shoes and socks to play and Micah was very disappointed. He went to the playground, went down the slide once, and then told Michael he was all done. Michael said, "you're ready to go home?" Micah said, "yeah." Michael said, "you want to take your shoes and socks off and get in the bike?" Micah said, "yeah, I want to take my shoes and socks off." Michael said, "do you want to take your shoes and socks off and play some more?" And Micah said "YEAH!" Poor kid just wanted his toes out. :)

Monday, March 31, 2014

Micah has very unique ideas about weather. For example, you might ask if he is cold while you are out for a walk on a windy day and he will say no, he's not cold, he's windy. If you are taking a walk at night, he wouldn't be cold, but rather he would be dark.

Here is the conversation we had on the way home from the babysitter today:

Mama: It was a nice day today, huh?
Micah: No, it wasn't a nice day, it was a sunny day. It was a sunny day and a muddy day.
Mama: What would a nice day be like?
Micah: A snowy day. A nice day is a snowy day.

I'm not the only one who loves winter!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Micah: Hey dada. Was dis doggie's name? Snoofie?

Dada: Your mama calls him Mutt.

Micah: Oh. Mutt.


Micah: Dis is a mess.
Dada: What's a mess?
Micah: Dis.
Dada: Your floor?
Micah: Yeah. My floor is a mess.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - Music Time

Monday night, Micah sits down to play the xylophone. The xylophone is on a little table and he sits down on the edge of a milk crate while Michael and I are finishing dinner. 

Micah instructs me to "sit on the mat." (This would be an invisible mat in front of where he is playing, similar to the story mats he sits on during story time at school or in the library.)

He begins to play the xylophone and sings "TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR!" At the top of his voice. He pauses. He looks at me. "Put your arms up like this!" 

I put my arms up over my head. He continues, "HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE!" He stops. "Now put your arms like this. Love you!" (He is hugging himself) I hug myself.

Micah continues, "UP ABOVE THE WORLD SO HIGH!" He stops again. "Put your wiggles up!" I do spirit fingers above my head.

"MICAH DIAMOND IN THE SKY! TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE!"

Afterward I tell him what a good job he did and to come give me a hug and he is so happy and runs over to hug me and then runs over to hug Dada. So adorable.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - Talking with Toddlers

Scene: Micah is loading the toilet up with a huge amount of rancid poop and requests that I sit in the room with him.

Micah wants me to get him a piece of toilet paper and wants to wipe himself. I say, no, I'm going to do it. (Because I prefer not to have him wipe poop all over his back, etc.)

Micah: Grandma poops and Grandma wipes her butt.

Mama: (laughs) Yes, that's true.

Mi: Mama poops and Mama wipes her butt.

Ma: Yep.

Mi: Dada poops and Dada wipes his butt.

Ma: Yep.

Mi: Kayaaaa.... Kaya poops outside, Kaya doesn't poop in the potty!

Ma:That's true.

Mi: Micah don't wanna poop in the yard! Micah wanna poop in the potty!

Ma: mmm hmmm

Mi: Grandma don't wanna poop in the yard! Grandma wanna poop in the potty!

Mama don't wanna poop in the yard! Mama wanna poop in the potty!

Dada don't wanna poop in the yard! Dada wanna poop in the potty!

Erin don't wanna poop in the yard! Erin wanna poop in the potty!

Cece don't wanna poop in the yard! Cece wanna poop in the potty!

And on and on and on. It was hilarious.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

On a walk with Micah...

Micah: Mama! Sometimes people bonk their heads.
Mama: Yeah, sometimes people do bonk their heads.
Mi: Mama! Sometimes little girls bonk their heads.
Ma: That's very specific. Is there someone in particular who booked their head?
Mi: Micah bonked his head.
Ma: Oh yeah?
Mi: Yeah, and Cece bonked her head.
Ma: Yeah?
Mi: Everybody bonks their head sometimes.
Ma: That's true, everybody does bonk their head sometimes.
Mi: And everybody falls down sometimes.

Life lessons from a two year old.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Yesterday morning as I was getting ready for work, I carried my work bag into the kitchen to get some food together and Micah walked in right behind me carrying his doctor's kit.

Micah: You have a big bag, I have my little bag.

Micah: I'm a gonna doctor you.

Mama: Okay.

Micah puts on his stethoscope and I squat down in front of him.

Micah: Take a deep breff!

Adorable, where does he learn this?

Monday, March 3, 2014 - Homecoming

I had the most wonderful homecoming from a weekend in Chicago this morning. Michael and Micah did great while I was gone and they actually didn't talk about me at all for Michael's fear that thinking about Mama might lead to a downward spiral. My train arrived at 6:30 this morning, I grabbed a cab in the city to get home and shower. Michael got Micah up and just casually walked him by me as I was getting ready in the bathroom and Micah didn't say a word, but just stared at me. I picked him up from Michael and he just sat in my arms looking at me and smiling. It was adorable. He was so obviously happy to see me but didn't even want to talk to me, just looked at me and cuddled with me. How nice to feel so loved.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Tonight Micah went to the bathroom all alone for the first time. He went into the bathroom, closed the door behind himself, when Michael went in to check he had already pulled his pants down, put the potty seat on the toilet, and sat down. Michael said "Do you need some help?" and Micah said "No, close the door please." He pooped, and then he (allegedly) wiped himself, he flushed the toilet, pulled his pants up, washed his hands, and he closed the bathroom door behind him when he left. Really the only thing he can't do yet is turn the light on, but in this case I think it was already on from the last time he had been in there.

He's growing more independent and imaginative by the day and has a surprising understanding of the world around him. The other day he told me this long story about two little pictures we had colored together. He proceeded to fold them in half and said he was going to give them to Grandma Roo and she was going to say "oh thank you" and he'd say "your welcome" and she would like them so much and she would put them on her fridge.

We also have frequent conversations about how his day was at the babysitter. Usually they are about how Erin (the sitter) told Harper (another 2-year old) not to do something, not to cry, not to hit, not to climb on something, etc. Or he brags to me that he hit or kicked or stepped on the baby that is at the sitter with him. I don't think the stories are true because Erin is constantly telling us how good he is with the baby, but I do my duty and tell him that's not nice and he shouldn't do that, and he seems satisfied with my response!

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Conversations with the kiddo....

(on a nighttime walk)

Dada: Micah, are you cold or are you warm?

Micah: I'm dark.

(watching Polar Express on tv)

Micah: Oh My Good Ness.

(cuddling in bed)

Mama: I love you, baby.

Micah: I'm not a baby.

Mama: What are you?

Micah: I'm a Micah.

Mama: What's your big name?

Micah: It's two. (holds up fingers)

Mama: What are they?

Micah: Micah-langlo Fuh-caro.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Mama: Micah, you are just the smartest.
Micah: Yeah. I'm am.

Friday, January 17, 2014 - Post Holiday Review

I know I'm late on this post, but Micah had such a good holiday. We spent 10 days in NJ (and eastern Pennsylvania) beginning with a hotel stay in Bethlehem, PA. Micah fell in love with the luggage carts and spent the first night coloring in a new coloring book while sitting on the luggage cart in our room! He slept wonderfully the whole time we were travelling, he loved hanging out with his family even though he sees them all so infrequently. He walked the halls of the hotel counting the number of ducks he saw (part of their logo) and was apparently so cute that the hotel gave him a copy of a children's book about ducks at the hotel. He loved the buffet breakfast in the mornings. He sat happily at dinner while we lazed through a three hour meal at the casino! And he was the most grateful gift recipient you can imagine, trying on every item of clothing he was given, fixing chairs with his new tool set while wearing a tool belt and eye protecting goggles, reading new stories while sitting on people's laps. He also made it through the car ride with ease, a feat I never would have thought possible as he wailed for two full hours on our way to visit Aunt Karen and Uncle Bob at two months old!

At Grandma and Frank's house, Micah had the run of the place! Up the stairs, down the stairs, playing with (and breaking) all sorts of fragile decorative bowls, figurines, etc. He loved hanging out with Grandma and was willing to eat almost anything she gave him. He assembled lots of puzzles (well, one puzzle, lots of times), built many airplanes and cars with his new tinker toys, prepared and distributed many strange wooden sandwiches (another new toy), and he was generally just as agreeable as possible. Again, he loved every gift he was given, gave all his toys the attention they deserved. He treasured his new rubber ducks, wore his new backpack, attacked people with his new alligator mittens, and tried really hard to make the remote control car work, but mostly in vain. And of course, he enjoyed distributing gifts to everyone but was a bit disappointed when he didn't have any left for himself. When Uncle Steve and family came over, Micah loved showing off his new toys and playing with the family. 

And now that we're home, I can still see the difference that trip made. He always comes home a little more grown up after visiting with family. When we went back to preschool on Tuesday, he was talking up a storm, I don't think he's said more than ten words there before now. He's just so much more comfortable with his social self. He wanted to show me all the things he was playing with, explain what the dolls in the doll house were doing, collaborate on building sand castles.

At home, he wants to see the work we're doing on the third floor, bring a puzzle up there while we work, bring a toy screwdriver up to help us. Every time he sees the new stove in the kitchen, he asks to see the old stove which is sitting in the lobby. He's a super puzzler, probably completing 5-10 puzzles per day. Once a small puzzle is complete, it becomes a pizza, he asks everyone if they want some pizza, puts it in the "oven" (usually a box or just underneath a table), and then distributes pizza pieces. We are in such a fun stretch right now!

Thursday, January 2, 2014 - Twinkle

Micah thinks the words to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star are:

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are

Up above the world so high

Micah diamond in the sky

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are