Life Is Groovy

The Great Name Debate

2012-02-02T22:22:00.001-05:00

Kate and I are knee deep in trying to figure out a name for Jellybean. (Confession, I originally typed balls instead of knee *cough*.) Jack has given up on his aspirations of having a sibling named "Earth Rumble," and has mostly decided to not play the name game. Amelie, though, is all about trying to come up with names for the baby. Surprisingly, none of her choices ever derive from a Disney Princess. She rotates between wanting us to name her Lucy, Peppermint Patty, or "Cheeky."

For Kate and me, this has been a lot harder this time around. We both arrived at Jack rather quickly and we both were rather pro-Lily from the start. (I think I kind of had to convince her of the coolness of Amelie, though.) This time, though...well, it could go down to the last second the way we are currently going. I thought I would share a snippet of how our conversations go by providing only Kate's responses to some of my ideas from the past few months.

Hmm, put it on the list and we will see.
Sure, put it on the list. It will give me something to cross off when we narrow down.
No. No names from Wagner operas.
No. No names from Tolkien.
Oh, it's not from Tolkien? Still no.
How did you not know the names of Obama's daughters?
That's how you would pronounce that? This is southern Ohio, you know.
... [cold stare]
Uh, we're not Indian.
I don't care how you try to spell it, we're not naming our daughter that.
You do realize there is a character on Glee named that, right? Oh, you don't like it anymore?
She'll be a baby, not a little old lady.
Well, that name will ensure that she grows up to be wild.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-oh, you were serious, weren't you? I'm sorry...HAHAHAHA

Cupcake Practice

2012-01-30T21:22:00.000-05:00

Amelie has been having a hard time deciding what type of birthday party she would like to have. Actually, that's not true. She knows what she wants: A Princess Butterfly-and-Ladybug My Little Pony, and um, Michael Jackson party. We just have wanted her to pick one of those and she has had trouble narrowing it down. We finally compromised and it will be a Princess (Rapunzel) Butterfly-and-Ladybug party. (And maybe we pressured her a bit to throw out the Michael Jackson part.)

Kate decided that if she is going to make the cupcakes for it, she should practice. I think her practice ones turned out awesome, and Amelie is very pleased and excited to have the "real" ones at her party. (She kept telling us that we were having a practice party.)

Kate made purple butter cream frosting for them. She plans on making the icing look a little nicer for the party than they look in the pictures, but her icing bag kept breaking the other night.

Here are the princess crowns.

And her first attempts at ladybugs. She got a little carried away with the antennae, but the kids thought it was great. As soon as she finished they both gleefully shouted, "Toebiters!"

Kate tried a couple of different butterfly styles. We were all in agreement that the one on the right was the way to go.

Finally, she made one I named the "Drunken Frog Takes a Bubble Bath with His Magic Wand."
I don't think it will make the cut.

Amelie's New Look

2012-01-20T21:46:00.001-05:00

Kate has been threatening for several months to chop off Amelie's hair. Actually following through with it has been another matter. To put it bluntly, her hair was beautiful. Everybody we told that we were going to cut it gave us grief. Of course, they did not have to deal with taking care of it. Washing it has been an ordeal, usually involving screaming in the shower. And she has not been crazy about letting me fix it in the morning. (That is an understatement.) Well, Kate finally found a place not called Cookie Cutters that specialized in kids and...

Before...

After...

We were worried that she would be upset, so we kept talking it up telling her she was getting it cut like a couple of the older girls she likes that live down the street. But we didn't need to worry because she was so proud. (Look at that grin!) She kept admiring herself in the mirror and talking about how pretty she looked. And it did indeed turn out super cute!

Jack's New Look

2012-01-10T12:51:00.001-05:00

Well, it was inevitable. Given Kate's and my atrocious vision, our children apparently are genetically predisposed to have bad eyesight. We had hoped it would be awhile yet before Jack needed them but we have noticed him squinting quite a bit while watching TV the past couple of months. I took him to the eye doctor and, sure enough, he is just like me--astigmatism and near-sighted, with the right eye worse than the left. For now, he does not need to wear them all the time, just at school and while watching TV. (Thankfully, not when he is playing or I don't think they would last long.)

Luckily, he was super excited to find out he needed glasses. He was counting down the days until they arrived and (literally) bouncing off the walls today before we went and picked them up. Hopefully, this enthusiasm continues.

Amelie was a bit jealous, so she has been wearing sunglasses non-stop since Jack got his glasses.

We Made Jack Cry

2012-01-09T20:19:00.001-05:00

We knew Jack really wanted a little brother. What we did not realize was just how much he was counting on the baby being a boy. I'm not sure what plans he had, but they must have been good.
We gathered Amelie and Jack on the couch to break the news to them. Kate asked them one last time if they thought it was a boy or girl. Both Jack and Amelie shouted, "Boy!" Kate then told them, "No, you are having a little sister!"

And then Jack fell apart. I was videotaping it, but I can't bring myself to post the video. I've never seen Jack's face just crumple like it did. And then he just started sobbing. (Amelie shouted, "Yay!" by the way.) He was heartbroken. After he stopped crying he marched into the other room to play by himself. But, as five year olds do, he got over it rather quickly and fifteen minutes later was talking excitedly about what he is going to do when his new little sister arrives. (It also helped that I pointed out to him that he now gets most of my old Transformers from when I was little.)

Before tucking in Amelie, I asked her if she was excited that she is going to have a sister. She told me, "Yes! She will pway with me and say 'I'm a baby! I wuv you!" (Imagine that last bit said in a super squeaky voice.)

Now to figure out a name...

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T20:46:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve Train Surprise

2011-12-24T15:12:00.002-05:00

We had no family commitments today, so we thought we would take advantage of the free time and take Jack and Amelie to the Museum Center to see the holiday train exhibit. We tried to tell them that we were just running to the store but had to change it it to a "surprise" after ten minutes in the car when Jack noticed we were headed toward downtown. The boy is too clever for his own good.

We made it a pretty short trip since both kids were already worn out, and we did not want to exhaust them too much before Christmas. Jack was disappointed that we did not stay longer (and go to the Children's Museum while we were there), but he still had a great time--though it is hard to tell from this big fake smile.

This one actually has genuine enthusiasm behind it.

Of course, it was next to impossible to get pictures of them, since both Jack and Amelie were enthralled with the trains. Most of the ones I took were back of the head shots.f

Or they were "fine here is smile, now leave us alone" pictures.

In the caboose.

Amelie was excited that we found Thomas, coming out of a tunnel.

Look at how serious little boy is about his trains!

Amelie was having fun looking at her reflection in some giant ornaments.

Union Terminal is such a beautiful building. I forgot to get pictures, but we broke away from the crowds and went up to the tower to check out the freight train yards.

An Argument

2011-12-20T21:31:00.000-05:00

Jack wore a Santa Hat to school this morning. While we were walking down, I commented that he looked like a Jolly Little Elf. Then things got...ugly. It was the most bizarre fight I've seen in a while.

Jack: Yeah! I'm one of Santa's elves. And you are Santa!
Amelie: Me too! I'm an elf too!
J: No Lil', you can't be an elf.
A: Yes, I am an elf!
J: You can't be, you aren't wearing a Santa hat.
A: (screaming) I'm an elf, too!
J: No!
A:...Den you are an elf, and I am...Michael Dackson!
J:Well, then I am a Michael Jackson elf!
A: No! You just an elf! I AM MICHAEL DACKSON!
J: But...
Me: Stop! Jack you get to be the elf. Amelie, you, um, get to be Michael Jackson. Now let's stop fight--
J: (whining) But I wanna be Michael Jackson too-oo.
Me: Look, the neighbors are giving us weird looks. Just be an elf, or give me the hat.

Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-22T13:18:00.001-05:00

Jack had his "Thanksgiving Feast" at school this morning. Kate volunteered us to make some of the Turkey sandwiches for it, and I went in to help. Actually, Jack made the sandwiches. He was pretty disappointed, though, because we were under strict orders about what went on them because of nut allergies in the class.

Jack: Mommy, uhhh, what about cheese?
Kate: No, no cheese.
J: Well, where is the mayonnaise?
K: Just turkey, no mayo.
J: So, we can't put cheese or mayonnaise on them? And it isn't nut and seed bread?
K: No.
J: Ew.

He still had a grand time and enjoyed it. All of the kids were dressed up like either "Pilgrims" or "Native Americans." Jack chose to be a Pilgrim, which kind of surprised me. Amelie went with me and she was mad because she did not get to dress up. She kept asking where the "Tanksgiving Mermaids" were, and that was what kind of costume she would pick. (I don't remember Mermaids in the Thanksgiving story. Disney version, maybe?) She was really good, though, because the other Moms kept sneaking her treats, like Oreos.

Jack is still young enough that he thought it was cool that his Dad and little sister were visiting him at school. He kept showing us off to his friends, with his chest all puffed out.

At the end, they sung a little song. (I'm breaking my rule of putting other people's children without their consent on here, but it's too darn cute.)

Surprise!

2011-11-09T08:56:00.001-05:00

The Little "Mommy"

2011-11-02T23:10:00.002-04:00

Much to the chagrin of grandparents, etc., Amelie refuses to play with dolls. She will not touch them. Anytime she has hold of one, she gets a very distrustful look on her face -- almost like someone just handed her a snake. Well, a snake may be a bad example since she actually loves to pet them when we go to the zoo. How about...a cheeseburger. She despises those. So, for the sake of this story doll = cheeseburger. But I digress. Badly. Anyway, she does not like dolls. (Or cheeseburgers.)

Even with a dislike off dolls, almost everything she plays revolves around there being babies and mommies. We have a Mommy Thomas and a Baby Thomas (The Tank Engine), a Mommy Mikapeen (Lightening McQueen) and a baby Mikapeen. Whether she is playing Ponies (as in My Little Pony) or even Transformers with Jack, there are babies to be taken care. Jack gets so frustrated when his Transformers are preparing for battle and Amelie's start discussing plans for a birthday party for Megatron. (Of course, Jack usually gets his revenge later when Transformers start attacking the My Little Ponies. Never a dull moment)

For once, Amelie let me take a video of her playing. It is pretty darn cut to see her acting like a little Mommy and tucking in Pup-Pup and New Puppy.

Oh, and for the record, she picked her own outfit.
Also, when we tuck her in we usually leave her face uncovered.

This Is Halloween

2011-10-31T21:34:00.000-04:00

We survived the insanity that is Trick-or-Treating in our new neighborhood. And then we were informed this was a "quiet" year. The kids had a blast. Amelie did not last very long, as she was getting cold. Jack lasted a little longer, but he loves handing out candy more than getting it, I think, so we had to hurry back so he could distribute. I learned that next year I need to get Amelie to walk faster so we can keep up with the big kids on our street (Jack's age through 10)--their Dad's apparently pack a mobile beer cooler to take along.

This is the view from the bottom of our street as things were just getting started.

Jealousy (Warning! Contains Pets and Me, No Kids)

2011-10-31T14:43:00.001-04:00

I think Frankie enjoyed being the only dog for a year...

Books

2011-10-27T21:38:00.002-04:00

I can't say enough how much I love that our children are developing such a love of books. As evidenced in many places on this blog, Jack has for a long time loved to make himself a snugly place and curl up with a big pile of books.

And Amelie happily does the same thing. Though she does tend to one up him on the snugly end...

The Boy...um...The Bird Wonder, or, Confused Sidekicks

2011-09-23T08:31:00.000-04:00

*Last night's dinner conversation*

Kate: Jack, what did you do in recess today?
Jack: Oh, we played Batman again.
K: Were you Batman?
J: No, I'm never Batman. I'm always Robin.
K: Why are you always Robin?
J: Because, he is cool! He has a beak and goes around pecking people.
Me: Huh? Wait a minute. Robin does not have a beak.
J: [The "you're pretty dumb for a Dad" eye roll] Of course he does, Daddy!
K: Jack...Robin is not a bird.
J: Yes he is. Robins are birds.
K: But...Batman's friend Robin is just a person.
J: So, he dresses up as a bird.
Me: No, he just wears tights, a mask, and a cape. Sometimes.
J: [Big sigh] Robins. Are. Birds. Why would he be called Robin and not dress up like a bird?

Me: I think we have some Batman to watch...

Big Girl Bed

2011-09-01T15:11:00.026-04:00

I think the transition from a crib to a "real" bed is one of those areas that non-parents see us parents blathering about and just shake their heads and roll their eyes at our excitement/trepidation.

But it is a pretty big deal. Along with diapers, it is kind of the last visible sign that your child is still a baby. More than anything, I think the crib is the most obvious representation of babyhood. And though we want to see our children grow and evolve into little people, it is hard to let go of the fact that they are no longer babies.

Of course, the other downside of not having a crib is that they are now free to roam around and a handy "jail" is no longer there to contain them. Let's be honest.

We've put off transitioning Amelie to a bed quite a bit longer than we did Jack. Our excuse list for not doing so was long (a new house will be enough change, etc.) but mostly we just did not want to. But, alas, she was very ready and very excited.

Perhaps the smile on her face for her first nap in the Big Girl Bed shows just how excited she was...

So far, she has adjusted very well with no issues. That is, she has slept well and not fell out, despite having no bed rail. And, just like Jack did, she will not get out of bed until we come in and "let" her out of it. Also, she has been very insistent that we not lay her in it. She has to climb in herself.

After all, she is a Big Girl.

First Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-26T19:56:00.076-04:00

Hard to believe, but my baby boy started kindergarten yesterday. I know, he is a "big" boy now, but it seems just like last year that he was just our tiny baby
.
But a big boy he is and he is very ready for kindergarten. He has been counting down the days for almost a month, now. I am glad that he is so excited and hope that this continues. The school had an open house on Tuesday night for us to see his room and meet his teacher. When we finally met Mrs. A., Jack told her he was excited to start.
"What about school are you most excited for?" she asked him.
"To learn!" he yelled back.
There was no prompting on our part. Actually, I was surprised by his response. (I would have guessed "making friends.") Mrs. A. loved it.

As soon as he woke up for his first day, he was bouncing off the walls. The first thing he had to do was retrieve all of his school buses from his "city" in an attempt to guess which one his bus would look like. He was rather disappointed when Kate shot down his theory that a "Hot Wheel School Bus with flames painted on the side" would pick him up.

We were all ready to take a picture in front of the house, which seems like the thing to do for the first day of school, but it was pouring down so right inside the front door had to suffice for the morning.

He was not pleased at all when we suggested a picture of both him and his sister. It was his special day, and not hers, after all. Amelie hammed it up extra just to annoy him, I'm fairly certain.

But when it came time for Jack to get on the bus, she was not pleased at all. She pouted the entire way back to the house because he got to go and she did not.

Luckily it stopped raining by the time we got to the end of the street for the bus stop.

The buses (three or four for our subdivision) pick up at the end of the cul-de-sacs. Have I mentioned there are a lot of kids on our street?

Fifteen that ride the K-6 bus as we found out. That does not count the two that go to a private school, the six or so that not five yet, and who knows how many Jr. High and above. And that's just for fifteen houses.

Jack was last to get on the bus as he had to run back and give Kate a hug at the last minute. He looks so little!

And how did it go? He was all smiles getting off the bus.

He felt compelled to hold up his name tag so that we knew for sure that it was him.

Kate: Hey, big kindergarten boy, what did you do at school today?
Jack: Nothing.
(And so it begins.)
Jack: Mommy, the bus went so fast! And I did not get to look out the window!
Kate: Oh, did you have to set by the aisle?
Jack: No, I was just too busy talking to all my friends.
Me: Noooo! You talking a lot? Impossible!
Jack: Really! Hey, one of my new friends wants me to come to his house and play.
Kate: Alright, what was his name?
Jack: I don't know!
Kate: Well then, how about you learn his name first and then we will talk.

A Day at the Beach

2011-08-13T10:21:00.001-04:00

Last weekend we made a somewhat last minute trip to go visit our good friends the Rousts, whom we hadn't seen in way too long. (With very humble apologies to all of Chicagoland friends we did not have a chance to see.) Aside from his cousins, Elle is probably Jack's "best friend," so he has been clamoring for quite awhile to play with her. And they indeed had a great time together. (As did we. And Amelie.)

We ended up spending a good portion of Saturday ~~exhausting the kids~~ playing at a beach on Lake Michigan. We had not made a very good effort of taking the kids to a beach previously, as Jack's introduction to one when he was much smaller was quite disastrous and he tends to be a little skittish around water. Avoiding them, though, was apparently a huge mistake as they had a blast. Amelie (almost literally) dove right in, and Jack has requested several times over the past week that our next vacation be on a beach.

He had a great time digging sand castles, but he spent a good portion of the time rock hunting and came home with quite a collection.

Protective and loving big brother.

After Colin took this picture, he remarked that it looked a bit like a fake backdrop...

And check out this picture I snagged of these two beautiful ladies!

Jack thought it was neat to be able to write his name in the sand.

So did Amelie. At least she said this is her name she drew.

Occasionally, I get a picture when I very much see Kate's or my features in the kids. (Usually more so Kate's)
But as Kate said, this is very much my expression Jack is giving the camera. I'll admit it was a bit like looking in the mirror...

Kate is always bugging me to "make some pretty pictures black and white to hang on the wall." So I thought I would share.

Princess in a Pickup

2011-08-12T08:47:00.000-04:00

Amelie and Jack were playing the other day, and this was Amelie's contribution. This picture pretty much sums up what type of little girl she is.

A Bit Tired

2011-07-04T22:23:00.000-04:00

I'm a bit overwhelmed with house things to do a proper blog right now...but I thought this picture from the day before we moved kind of sums up how we all feel right now.

Sweaty, But Happy

2011-07-02T13:19:00.002-04:00

And the Keys Are in Our Grubby Little Paws

2011-06-27T22:52:00.000-04:00

We closed on our house tonight at 6 pm. Although it was late and we were all exhausted (hence the brevity of writing in this post), we were all too excited to not go over to our new house for a little bit. Jack and Amelie are pretty proud of their "big Ohio house."

And since we had not eaten, we had a picnic in our new house. Nothing like a little Steak 'n Shake for a first meal.

Jack was ready to play outside.

But he was more ready to play with his toys in his new house.

He was very insistent that on our first visit it to our new house, we take a box of toys. He even made me write on it, "This box goes first."

We were all a bit sad to go back to the condo, but we are not moving everything over until this weekend. I had to promise Jack that we would go "visit" the house everyday until then.

The Weber Family Variety Show

2011-06-20T10:06:00.000-04:00

After lunch on Saturday, Jack told us that he had a surprise for us--Amelie and him were going to put on a show. I thought I would share the beginning of it...

Jack the Photographer - Part 2

2011-06-12T23:06:00.001-04:00

I decided the previous post did not have enough pictures, so here are some more.

I should have also added in the previous post that he takes a lot of pictures of his sister, too.

I was rather surprised he managed to take only one picture of Elle...

I hereby declare that Jack has taken a better picture of me than anyone has in years.

Jack the Photographer - Part I

2011-06-12T22:54:00.001-04:00

One of the biggest drawbacks to me not blogging for so long was that I have not been able to post updates of Jack's photography. We bought him a Fisher Price camera for Christmas and he set about taking pictures of anything and everything. Granted, it does not take the best pictures in the world, and he has trouble holding still while taking pictures. Even so, Kate and I get a big kick out of looking at his pictures.

We get some big laughs flipping through to see what he has chosen as his subjects. (Though after a few unfortunate incidents early on, we banned him from following us into the bathroom with the camera. No camera in the bathroom, now.) And as Kate has said, looking at his pictures is "like looking at a modern art photography exhibit." As far as we can tell, his favorite subjects are himself and pictures of trains. (Yes, he takes pictures of the trains in his books.) Out of over four hundred pictures he has taken since Christmas, I counted over a dozen of his face and close to fifty trains.

At first we thought he was accidentally taking pictures of some things, but when we looked at the pictures with him he would comment, "Ah, there is where I got a good picture of the floor" or window, etc. Also, he likes standing very close to his subjects.

I thought I would share a sampling. So, enjoy Jack's art.

On House Hunting and Buying with Jack (Followed By a Boring Story about Our Experience)

2011-06-08T15:20:00.002-04:00

Jack and Amelie ended up going house hunting with us a few times and behaved very well whenever we went. Amelie was mostly indifferent, but Jack really got into it. After a couple of houses, he was pointing out broken seals on the windows and open stairs down to the basement. And, being Jack, he was very opinionated on which house we should get. The Realtor was cracking up at his observations at every house. The first house we walked into, Jack nodded his head and very seriously asked her, "So. This house is made out of wood?"

As far as we could tell, Jack liked a house based on the following criteria.

1. If it very obviously had a little boy living there.

2. More importantly, if that little boy had toys he likes. (Legos and trains got the biggest responses.)

3. If it had a finished basement. (Jack: This will be the "train room.")

4. If it has a storage room with old toys. (Jack: Woh. The little boy here has his own storage room.)

4. If it had a coy pond. (Jack: Will they leave us the fish? (To the Realtor) We will have to ask them to leave the fish if we buy this house.)

5. If it had cats.

6. Bonus if it had multiple cats. (Kate: Jack, the cats do not stay. They go with the owners. Jack: Maybe they will forget them?)

Jack's favorite house was one that had a coy pond AND a boy with toys. Of course, we think the "boy" was in high school and still had all of his toys from when he was little out and about. And that house was a DUMP with trash laying around, things broken all over the place, and rotting trim on the outside. He also kept talking about how much he liked the house that had cats following us around all over the place. Never mind that is reeked of cigarettes and did not have as many bedrooms as advertised, it had cats.

And of course, the house we picked meets none of his criteria. When we told him which house we were getting he replied in a disappointed tone, "Oh. Well, you better find some carpet to put in the basement."

AND NOW THE BORING PART

When we found out we were moving to the Cincinnati area last year, we decided that it would be best that before committing to buying a house, we should rent for about awhile to get to know the area. Also, we figured that we should wait until I had a job so that we would have an easier time getting approved for a mortgage and would have a better idea of what we could afford. Little did we know that I would have so much difficulty finding employment. So we kept pushing back our time frame.

We ultimately decided that we needed to proceed even though I have yet to find a job, since who knows when that is going to happen. So we managed to get pre-approval for a loan and were already to house hunt. And then the kids were sick. But no big deal, it was just a short delay. But then a day before we were scheduled to meet with our Realtor, we were rear-ended in The Accident. (Sorry, I have no desire whatsoever to blog about that.) Needless to say, that delayed matters and we cancelled our meeting.

Eventually, though, we were able to begin our search. Imagine our surprise when we found that the FIRST house we looked at was The House. It was exactly what we wanted. But we figured, we really needed to look some more. And as we should have known, when we decided to put an offer on it, someone had beaten us by less than a day.

So we kept looking and eventually settled on another house that we had looked at on our first day out. If it had not been for the first house, we probably would have thought this was The House. The offer did not quite go as smoothly as we had hoped, (not really the seller's fault as much as their Realtor's) but it was all resolved and a closing date was set.

As many bumps in the road as we have had, I hesitate to share too much about the house until the keys are in our grubby little paws, lest I jinx us.

But just to give a general idea...

The Daddy Song

2011-06-07T15:03:00.001-04:00

Every night before bed, Kate and I have one-on-one time with the kids to tuck them in. Each night we alternate who we tuck in. Tucking in Jack involves reading to him from "big boy books." (Right now, we are making our way through The Hobbit.) For Amelie, it means snuggling and singing to her.

One night a couple of months back, I sang "Mockingbird." (Er, the nursery rhyme one, not the Eminem one.) Every night since then, she insists that when I rock her I sing the "Daddy Song." And she gets Very Angry if I fail to do so. But it is not quite so simple as just singing it to her. It has become quite interactive and she now has running commentary throughout the entire song. I have tried to remember last night's version to share.

Hush little Lily do-
--No, it baby, not Lily.
Okay. Hush little baby don't say a word, Daddy's going to buy you a mockingbird
--It for me.
Yes. If that mockingbird doesn't sing, Daddy's going to buy you a diamond ring.
--Oh, it for me. I like pwetty rings.
If that diamond ring turns brass, Daddy's going to buy you a looking glass.
--So I can look at me?
Yes. If that looking glass gets broke, Daddy's going to buy you a billy goat
--Ha ha, a doat! Oh no! The Doat's going to pee on me! Ahhhh!
Can I go on with the song now?
--Yes.
If that billy goat runs away, Daddy's going to buy you a--
--Pup Pup. Get me a Pup Pup.
Um, okay. If that billy goat runs away, Daddy's going to buy you a Pup Pup. That doesn't rhyme, you know.
--I wuv my Pup Pup.
If that Pup Pup...uhhhh, doesn't want to snuggle, Daddy's going to buy you a bottle of bubbles.
--Ooooohhh.
If that bottle of bubbles is knocked over, Daddy's going to buy you a-
--Another bottle of bubbles!
Another bottle of bubbles. If that bottle of bubbles is knocked over, Daddy's-
--Buy me another bottle of bubbles!
Sigh. Going to buy you another bottle of bubbles. If that bottle of bubbles...runs out, Daddy's going to buy you-
--Some shoes!
A pair of pretty shoes.
--They pink ones.
Okay.
--I wear them on my feet.
Yes, that is where they go. Are we done singing, now?
--Yes. I go in twib now.

Sometimes we get a lot more verses in. Sometimes we do not. It usually ends up with her calling out what she is going to get, regardless of keeping to the rhyme scheme.

Hot Time at the Zoo

2011-06-06T14:26:00.025-04:00

We finally made it to the zoo yesterday in what is probably the latest in the spring we have been since Jack was born. It has seemed that the weather, health, and house hunting have all conspired against this year to go. But with Amelie recovered from her strep and the subsequent allergic reaction to penicillin and only a 30% chance of storms, we made a last minute decision to get in a trip, if only for a couple of hours. (Of course, we had to wait until after an hour-long meeting with the mortgage broker to sign all of our mortgage application papers.)

It was stinky hot and Jack was a bit disappointed not to get to see everything he wanted, but we all still had fun. Amelie informed us that her favorite parts were, "the owl, the twain wide, the titty seeping in the twee with it's foot hanging, and the bird eating whino poop." She kept going on and on about the bird on the rhinoceros poop. Jack was rather smitten with the baby giraffe. We could only see it through a window since they were trying to keep it calm as it had a broken leg, but it was pretty darn cute.

Last Day of School

2011-06-02T21:59:00.000-04:00

Today was Jack's last day of Pre-K. We were a little disappointed with how the end of the school year was handled for some students, but rather than go on a rant I would rather focus on our awesome little boy.

I wasn't sure how Jack would feel about school ending. We will be moving soon to a different area of the city, so he will not see most, if any, of his friends again. (Another story/rant there that I am not going to touch.) But he has been really upbeat and excited. He was ready for school to end and have "sixty big sleeps of summer and then go to kindergarten!" (Probably more than sixty, but it was a nice round number for him to remember.)

We asked Jack what he wanted to do this summer. After a little thought, he answered "Go to the park everyday. Well, not everyday. Days we do not go to the park, I want to go to the pool. Actually, we should take turns between the park and the pool. This summer will be all park and pool days!"

Here is Jack all excited about his last day.

Amelie was rather excited, too. Mostly, she was just excited because Jack was.

After an entire school year, all of Jack's classmates and friends still call him Jackweber. I've noticed he is the only one they do that for. Even Amelie calls him that at school. He very much carved an identity for himself at school.

When I went to pick him up, all the kids lined up to give him a hug goodbye. (Most of them will return for "summer camp" or be back for kindergarten there.) I wish I would have had the camera ready for it. Instead I just got him wiping away a couple of little tears. He didn't cry--just teared up a bit when he realized he was saying bye.

Of course, by the time we left the building, he was all smiles. Not much keeps this boy down.

As a celebration, we let him pick any restaurant he wanted not named McDonald's (and hoped he would not say Chuck E Cheese) and he chose Red Robin--the "best restaurant in the world" as he calls it.

I think he enjoyed his last day of school.

Now, if I can just deal with the idea that my baby boy will be starting kindergarten next year.

Disposable Toddler Art

2011-06-01T21:22:00.013-04:00

Amelie loves to draw -- as long as it's on a Magnadoodle. She does not really seem interested in drawing on anything else, which is too bad because she is actually starting to get really good. The only way the picture "lasts" is if I can be fast enough with the camera, which I am usually not.

The other day I just missed a really good drawing of a puppy dog. As in, it actually looked like what she said it was. Luckily, I was able to get this. Can you tell what it is?

Amelie: I dwaw a titty tat!

P'aying Pony T'actor

2011-05-26T21:22:00.000-04:00

What is a typical day playing with Amelie like?

Well, when Jack is around she kind of has to do what he wants. It's not completely because he is so bossy (though he can be), but more that if she wants to play with him it has to be what he wants. This means that she ends up playing a lot of trains and cars. Of course, she has to add her own "rules" in, and some of the cars and trains become Mommies and some are babies. A large Lightning McQueen toy of Jack's is "Momma McQueen," while the normal sized one is "Baby McQueen" and the same is true with some Thomas engines.

But when Jack is at school, it's all about the ponies.* (My Little Ponies to be exact.) And while the Ponies primarily like to have "st'awbehwee pahties" (think tea party, but with strawberries instead of tea) at the "Pony Tastle," they do other things like ride in shoes (need to find those pictures), strollers, airplanes, and....tractors.

*Jack actually really likes to play My Little Pony and insists on being Pinkie Pie every time. The problem is, Amelie is very strict about how to play and they usually end up fighting.

Fine. You Win. I'll Blog

2011-05-26T14:40:00.000-04:00

So, I thought maybe Google telling me that I was out of photo storage space was a good excuse to stop blogging.
But Kate started ~~nagging me relentlessly~~ requesting that I keep blogging.
And then friends started saying things.
And then the aunts (both sides!) lamented the loss of ~~my supposedly witty banter~~ stories of the kids.

But then my Grandma started in on me. Nobody disappoints Grandma and gets away with it.

So here we go. I'll try my best to keep it up, but we will see.

The last few months in a nutshell: Househuntingtempertrantrumshorriblecarcrashwithkidsinthecarhousehuntingmoretempertantrumsstrepmorehousehuntingvacationmorehousehuntingdealingwithinsuranceafterwreckmorehousehuntingmoretempertantrums

Anyhow. We're back.

Photo Blogging Temporarily Halted

2011-01-17T21:02:00.001-05:00

Google has decided I have used up all of my picture space without paying so I am looking into other options for the blog. I have a bunch of Amelie stories to tell, so I will try to get those up until I figure out if I am going to move to WordPress or just create my own site. (And some stores, like those involving her "Angry Chair," really need pictures.)

Just Like Lily

2011-01-02T20:14:00.000-05:00

This was actually Jack's idea. He thought it would be really cute (his words) if Kate did her hair the same way as Amelie's.

The Holidays Are Over, Now What?

2010-12-31T15:54:00.027-05:00

I guess it makes sense that if her castle was for ponies and not the people, then Amelie's new stroller is not for babies, either. She buckled the ponies in herself.

Our little family band.
Me: It's a drum circle!
Jack: No, it's a marching band!
Amelie: Dums!

Someone knits you a blanket, you make a b'ito.

Jack: It's an army blanket! You can't see me!

The gift that Jack wanted the most for Christmas (aside from the $400 power wheels jeep) were "big boy" Legos. He got them, and luckily Uncle Andrew visited to show him how to build them.

I cringe looking in the background of the pictures I have taken over the past week.

Kate: It looks like Toys 'R Us exploded in here.
Me: Hmm, I was getting ready to say it looks like Geoffrey the Giraffe just took a big toy dump in our living room.

Aunt Tina was really sweet and read a truly awful children's book Amelie picked out at the library.

Assorted Christmas Images

2010-12-29T23:16:00.000-05:00

Seriously, the girl is always texting...

Helping Mommy make a...um, cheese cube turkey.

I love Jack's victory dances when he gets a present he really wants.

He also has some great expressions...

Lily Belle was more subdued.

The whole gang.

Mmm, cupcakes.

Santa brought Amelie a Fisher Price Little People Castle. (I'm sure it has a fancier name than that.) Amelie excitedly ran over to it and analyzed what she had in front of her. She quickly tossed the prince and princess aside, picked up the horse that came with it and and announced. "Dis My Pony Tastle." (She calls My Little Ponies "My Pony.") The little horse was then climbing the stairs, dancing, etc. Soon her two My (Little) Ponies joined in. Occasionally, the prince and princess are allowed to ride the ponies, but mostly it's the ponies sleeping in the beds and feasting at the tables.

It warms my heart that he was this excited about getting a book...

Amelie was so excited about getting new clothes that she started undressing as soon as she opened them. You can tell she is not happy that we told her no.

She was not amused.

"I wide my Bubble Bee!"

Christmas Eve Fun

2010-12-28T16:05:00.054-05:00

We were very excited this year as it marked the first Christmas since Kate and I have been married that we woke up in our own home on Christmas morning. (It was wonderful.)

Our Christmas Eve tradition is to open one present before bedtime. Of course, there is not much surprise since it's always new pajamas. (Or pa-jAH-mas, as Jack insists on calling them. He also eats Ba-nAH-nas.)

Jack was really excited to get new footie jammies, since he did not have any. (Okay, he calls those "zippies.")

Amelie was just happy to get a present. ("Open to me!")

Then there were Kate's. Jack was really into picking out presents this year. He was super excited to pick out Mommy's pajAHmas.

Me: What kind of pajamas do you want to get Mommy?
Jack: Christmas ones.
Me: Well, yes, they will be for Christmas. But what do you want them to look like.
Jack: They have to look like Christmas! With Santa or snowflakes or snowmen. And they have to have animals on them. And let's get her one that looks like a dress.
Me: Uh...okay. Won't Mommy's legs get cold?
Jack: She can wear socks.

So that is how Kate ended up with a red flannel sleepshirt that has sock monkey's riding snowflakes. And then I let Lily pick out the socks. She was rather insistent on the red knee-highs with white polka dots and a faux fur fringe. Yup.

Posing with new Christmas jammies and ornaments.

We were getting the cookies and eggnog ready for Santa when Kate asked Jack if he wanted to leave carrots for the reindeer. He did, but then added, "They need hummus, too! They can't eat the carrots without anything for dipping!"

So the reindeer had some hummus.

Look how serious, but pleased, he was.

Jack's offering.

Christmas Cookies

2010-12-27T14:46:00.001-05:00

Kate was excited for Amelie to help her decorate Christmas cookies this year. It took awhile for her to get the hang of it, though. After sprinkling a few decorations on, she kept saying (demanding), "I wan' eat tewtie, now!"

She eventually figured out that she was not getting any and reluctantly kept her mouth away from them.

When she did finally get to eat one after dinner, she smiled and yelled, "Oh, yeah!" (Think somewhere between Duffman and the Yello song and you have how it sounded.)

Jack was an old pro and knew what to do.

He did not try to eat any and kept his face...um, Jack what are you doing?
"They just smell so good Daddy!"

Actually, he was very serious about it and did a good job.

Happy Holidays from the Webers!

2010-12-25T22:37:00.000-05:00

Little Daddy

2010-12-22T16:25:00.001-05:00

Complete with purse

Another Musical Interlude

2010-12-20T15:06:00.000-05:00

Snow

2010-12-19T13:22:00.000-05:00

The snow this past week allowed the kids a chance to get out and play. Last winter, Amelie could not walk yet, so this week was the first time she could really enjoy it. She was so overwhelmed, though, that she did not quite know what to do. So she mostly just stood around with a big silly grin on her face or followed Jack.

Jack decided he had to do his favorite snow activity -- mow.

Christmas Program Quickie

2010-12-17T21:31:00.001-05:00

Jack had his Christmas concert at his school yesterday. We were a bit irked that they scheduled it for 10:30 in the morning, which meant Kate (and other parents) had to take off work to go to it. And then they refused to cancel it for weather. Every other school (including the public school across the street) and daycare in the area was closed. Jack was so excited to sing in his concert that we could not let him miss it. So we slid down the hills in our SUV to his school to hear him sing "Rudolph," "Jingle Bells," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

I am not posting any pictures of him performing for two reasons. First, I feel kind of weird about posting pictures of kids who I don't know. And then there were the rude parents who were all standing in front of us so those of us who were short and in the back could not see. (Seriously, if everyone had sat, everyone could have seen.) Kate and I stood on chairs so that we could see, but our pictures/video did not turn out the best.

Jack was pretty proud of his new dress up clothes. He is excited to wear them again.

Amelie was also excited to hear Jack sing. I took some pictures of her while we were waiting. Looking back at the pictures it struck me how much she is looking like a little girl and not a baby anymore.

Silly face

Post-concert high

The Fashion Files -- Amelie

2010-12-16T21:04:00.002-05:00

Amelie is continually becoming pickier about what she wears and has been know to throw some vicious temper tantrums if she is not properly attired. She is always a bit disappointed in the morning if her clothes do not have "mee-ows, pitty f'owers, or butterf'ies" on them.

She is a bit of princess about it all...

She got her first pair of snow boots last week. She refused to take them off for her bath (much screaming ensued) and the first thing she did in the morning was ask for her "new pitty f'ower shoes."

They look great with pajamas.

And then there are the accessories. This girl loves to accessorize. There is the tiara, of course. And she has to pick her barrettes every morning. (Well, at least when Kate does her hair. I'm a bit afraid of them.) The more the better seems to be her philosophy as she will want up to six of them.

And then there are the "b'acets" Oh, the bracelets. She actually has a couple of actual bracelets she wears, including one with little peace signs that my grandma gave her. But mostly she piles on the links that were for attaching her baby toys to things. Nothing like finding additional uses for something! As soon as I change her diaper in the morning, she starts putting them on. The picture below is rather conservative as she is wearing only two. Usually she will have six on one arm and one or two on the other.

Cold-weather girl

I have no clue

Snuggly morning girl, complete with Do'ah s'ippers, binket, Mommy pants (what she calls yoga pants) and But-wer (yes, it's an IU one, but she calls it a Butler one.) s'eater in reserve.

The Fashion Files -- Jack

2010-12-15T22:00:00.004-05:00

We think Jack gets a bit jealous that Amelie gets to wear all kind of things in her hair. Since his hair is buzzed, we can't even really humor him by sticking in a barrette. Amelie also likes to wear her princess crown. A lot. And Jack does not have one.
But why were we worried? Jack is super creative and solved the issue himself. He started digging through Amelie's box of "hair pretties" and found a head band from when she was a baby. He wore it all day Monday.

He was quite proud.

The mixed plaid gives Kate fits.

Of course, then there was this...

The Yearly Adventure of the Holiday Picture

2010-12-12T22:16:00.000-05:00

Say Cheese!

Gesundheit Amelie. Um, Jack, over here.

Cute! Wait, is Jack wearing mismatched socks?

Okay, we'll leave the socks. Um, Amelie, can you sit up?

Over here, little girl. Jack, you are closing your eyes again. (He does that when he smiles.)

You can see him say, "Cheese."

Jack, eyes!

Uh, where are you going Amelie?

Jack, where did you sister go? And, um, eyes!

Sweetie, look over here. Wait, where is your brother?

Yes Jack, you may hold your tractor ornament. And you can hold something too, Amelie. Uh, but you have to look at me, not the ornament.

No, you can't tell I just took the ornament from her. Not at all.

Uh, Jack, could you not...dominate the picture quite so much? Great.

No Amelie, It's okay. You can keep the ornament.

Getting tired, Sweetie? Almost done.

The "hug shot."

Jack, I think your sister is getting ticked you keep hogging the camera.

Gee, I wonder where Kate is standing?

Need another clue?

Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo.

2010-12-10T23:30:00.000-05:00

Last week we bundled up and made it to the zoo one evening for the festival of lights before it got too terribly cold. We went on a week night, so it was not busy at all. Of course, it made it a bit creepy being dark with so few people there. But, the kids absolutely loved it. We didn't tell them where we were going until we were almost there. Jack still thinks our main reason for going out was to go to McDonald's and we just happened to stop by the zoo.

When we got there, Amelie started chanting, "Zoo! Zoo! Zoo!"

The giant lion nutcracker at the entrance. (Amelie: 'ion! ion!)

Amelie was more interested in the lights than pictures. I don't blame her. The bridge from the parking lot to the zoo was cool.

Actually, overall it was pretty impressive.

Jack was all about the funny faces for pictures...

Don't take my blanket.

Reindeer!

I actually think this face was due more to hat malfunction than trying to be goofy.

Santa was there. Jack was excited, but Amelie screamed, and Kate had to rescue her. So no. we did not pay $35 dollars for a picture of a screaming toddler.

The zoo was all about the light tunnels.
I was all about pictures of the family in the light tunnels.

Hey, look it's me getting eaten by a light snake. How droll.

I suppose every once in a while I need a picture of me in the blog just to prove that I exist. It's amazing how many events happen I thought I was at, but judging by the pictures I must not have been.

Weee! Pictures on the train ride. (Cold, but very pretty.)

Most of the animals were either asleep, or you couldn't see them. But there were so many lights it didn't really matter.

The lights on the lake were really pretty. The ducks seemed a bit confused, though.

Jack has asked almost every day since we went if we can "go back to the zoo at bedtime to see the lights." He had such a good time. We are hoping for it to warm up a bit so we can.

A Music and Dance Interlude

2010-12-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

Or "New-zick" as Amelie calls it.

I'm trying to get Amelie to sing all of Jingle Bells for the camera, but this is as close as I have come. You can hear Jack singing in the background.

I love it how excited she gets when the piano comes in...

Trimming the Tree

2010-12-09T21:31:00.006-05:00

Early last week we set up our Christmas tree. Jack was really into it this year and wanted to help as much as he could.

And so did Amelie

I insisted that we did not have room for our full 7.5 foot tree, so I drug our little four foot one out of storage.

Check out how serious Jack is about assembling the tree.

Once it was assembled, Kate became rather depressed about how small it looked. I had to take a picture of Jack and her looking sad. (This picture is best viewed as a "Charlie Brown moment," like in Arrested Development.)

So, I dove - well, stumbled - back into the storage room and brought out the big tree.

Jack felt triumphant.

And we started over.

Kate handed out non-breakable ornaments as fast as she could find them.

Looking through the pictures, I just realized I have yet to take a picture of the finished product.

This was the best I did.

Cuteness to Hold You Over Until I Get Various Internet Issues Worked Out

2010-12-02T22:43:00.001-05:00

Long Overdue Wedding Cuteness--Reception

2010-11-03T10:02:00.000-04:00

The last post was getting long, so I thought I would break them up.
We didn't really stay at the reception as both kids were flat out exhausted.

Jack thought he was big stuff drinking the sparkling grape juice from the fancy glasses. I think he drank his, mine, and Amelie's.

They did get to dance some, though.

Jack took over the dance floor...so they could do "Ring Around the Rosie."

This is what a four-year old looks like after going to bed late, getting up at 5:30, not napping, and going strong all day...

Long Overdue Wedding Cuteness--The Wedding

2010-11-03T09:16:00.000-04:00

My darling little sister got married a couple of weeks ago in Evansville, and Jack and Amelie were the ring bearer and flower girl. The cuteness of Jack in a white tux and Amelie in a little princess dress was almost too much to bear. (And sorry Tina, I don't think I took a single picture of you or Andrew. Ahem.)

And the thing was, Jack knew he looked good. He was eating up the attention. When we got to the church, he insisted that he take his sunglasses inside. The boy had a plan.

Once the tux was on, he put on the shades and started posing.

He likes his lemonade shaken, not stirred. Yes, it's 004 1/2.

There were some colored lights in the church (not really stained glass) that faced East. They produced some neat lighting effects in the morning that made for some cool pictures.

This one is my favorite. I'm not sure what Jack is doing, but it kind of looks like he is getting ready to break out some of his dance moves.

Little sweetie was, of course, extra cute too. I think she knew she looked good as she was really eating up the attention.

The Little Princess.

I bought Amelie a toy cell phone as a treat for the wedding. She was busy taking pictures and texting all day.

It was a long day, but thankfully our cousin McKenzie kept the kids entertained.

Little diva decked out with her purse and phone.

Seriously, she carried them everywhere.

Sorry Kate, this picture amuses me.

Watching Wonder Pets!

I did manage to get one picture of her holding the flowers. Poor tired girl dozed off right before it was time for pictures, hence the sullen look.

Big brother cheered her up, though.

We were worried that Amelie wouldn't walk down the aisle. I don't know why--she loved the attention.

The only drama was when I tried to switch her cell phone with the flowers right before she walked down. After a blood curdling scream, I relented and let her carry the cell phone. Who needs flowers to be the flower girl?

For the recessional, she traded the cell phone for her new horse.

Being the diva, she refused to be in any of the wedding party shots. Sorry Tina if you end up on Awkward Family Photos.

Chillin' post wedding.

The Pirate and the (Pirate) Princess

2010-11-01T09:44:00.003-04:00

I am way behind on blogging (a wedding and Homecoming to share!), but I though I would try to get the Halloween pictures up.

Since we live close enough now to do so, Jack wanted to go Trick or Treating with his cousins. So we drove up to Greenville for the day, where they do the T or T at two in the afternoon.

Jack was excited to be a pirate because he would get to wear an eye patch, or a "hidey-eye" as he calls it. He's been wearing it all week, but then refused to wear it yesterday. Go figure.

For Lily's costume, we kind of cheated. We just reused her flower girl dress from a couple of weeks ago and bought her a tiara to go with it. Voila! A princess!

Just being a princess wasn't good enough for her, though. She kept stealing bits of Jack's pirate costume, with the hook being her favorite. Being a good brother, Jack let her have it. Lily kept telling everyone, "Arrr! I a Pi'ate P'incess! Arrr!"

Captain Milkbeard the Pirate had a swashbuckling good time.

I think my favorite part about the Pirate Princess was all of the double takes she got.
"Ahhh, what a cute prin--Is that a hook?"

You can also see in this picture Amelie's "Pitty bacets." She found a bunch of the links that we used to use to hold her toys on the stroller, etc. and immediately started using them as bracelets. She wears up to seven of them at a time. All the time.

The whole gang.

As much as she enjoyed being "pitty," we knew she was a bit jealous of Jack. So at the end of the day she got to be a pirate for a little while.

Quotes of the Day

2010-10-19T21:02:00.004-04:00

When I woke Amelie and Jack this morning, Amelie's hair was completely covering her face as usual. I began singing to her, "Where, oh where is my Lily Belle? Oh, where, oh where can she be?"
Before I could go on, a groggy Jack looked at me with a stinker glint in his eye and sang, "Where, oh where is my Daddy's hair? Oh where, oh where did it go?" He then fell on the floor laughing.

***********************************************************************************

When I woke Jack up from his nap this afternoon, I carried him in to get Amelie, who was already awake. He was wearing his Cars underwear, which she noticed right away. Amelie started giggling and pointed to his rear. She yelled, "Dack Dack butt ha(s) McKeen! Ha ha ha! Hih butt ha(s) McKeen!"

Misquoting the Late Gary Coleman

2010-10-18T19:52:00.005-04:00

Me: Jack, it's time to turn off the TV.

Jack: (Snarky voice.) What did you say to me, Fungus?

Me: I'm sorry, but what did you just call me, Jackson Edward Michael?
Jack: I said, what did you say to me, Fungus?

Me: (Trying very, very hard to keep a straight face and not laugh) I thought that is what you said. Jack, you do not call someone a "Fungus," especially your Daddy. It's not nice. (Snicker.) Did you learn that from school?

Jack: (Alarmed) I'm sorry Daddy. I didn't learn it at school, that's what Mommy says to me.
Me: I really doubt your mother calls you a fungus.

Jack: Well, what does she say to me, then? Oh, it's "What'choo talkin' 'bout, Fungus?"
Me: ...?

Jack: No, wait--What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis? That's it! Turn off the TV? What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?

Then we both laughed.

Mothering

2010-10-15T14:30:00.002-04:00

Amelie has lately really taken to playing with her doll bed that my Grandpa Weber made for her. Tucking in animals keeps her occupied for long stretches at a time. It is really fun to watch.

Pup-Pup, naturally, is the favorite to put to bed.

First, the bed time story has to be read.

And then the bed has to be made. I love how serious she looks.

All tucked in and cozy...

Pup-Pup gets a goodnight kiss and a "Night night. S(w)eet deams."
(On a side note, has anyone else that uses Blogger had trouble with picture order? As in some days it loads them backwards, but then the next day it will post the in the order uploaded?)

The Dancing Face

2010-10-10T20:37:00.004-04:00

Or as Jack called it, his "Butt-Shaking Face." (If you read the blog regularly, you know he is into "faces" for things.)

Actually, he had a few different faces...

And Another Just Like Jack: Hats

2010-10-08T13:07:00.000-04:00

More Just Like Jack: Baby Burrito

2010-10-07T20:12:00.003-04:00

Last night, Jack was running around the house with a blanket wrapped around himself yelling, "I'm a burrito!" Because, you know, every four-year old loves to pretend to be Mexican food.

It didn't take long before Amelie started saying, "I nee banket!" We found her one, Amelie threw it over her head and joined Jack. Like him, she had to yell, "I a b'ito!"

Cute burrito

Angelic burrito

Sleepy burrito

Just Like Jack: The Puppy Bed

2010-10-06T09:43:00.002-04:00

Over the past couple of weeks, Amelie has started mimicking almost everything Jack says and does. Although occasionally she copies behavior of his we wish she wouldn't, it's usually pretty cute.

The other day Jack was really tired. (He would not admit it, of course.) He decided to make himself a little bed on the floor to get snuggly while he read.

As soon as Amelie saw what he was doing, she had to find a "pih-woh and bankit and book" to do the same thing. She worked very hard on her bed, even including toys. She did not look quite as comfortable, though.

When Toddlers Have Lots of Hair

2010-10-01T09:32:00.000-04:00

Dear Amelie,

Someday, like teenager-ish, you are going to see that I made a blog post about your crazy hair. You will probably be mad that I put these pictures on the internet for the world to see. Hopefully, you will by then be fully aware of the effects that food have upon your hair and have a touch of sympathy for what you put your father through.

Your poor Daddy has an awful time as it is doing your hair and ensuring that you do not look like you were raised in the woods by squirrels. (Or a clueless father.) Taking out your hair thingies while eating and running yogurt, applesauce, ketchup and/or spaghetti sauce through your hair while yelling, "Ook Daddy, pitty hair!" do not make my job easier. You eat lunch right before we go to pick Jack up from school so there is no time to wash it. A brush can only do so much to hair that has been yogurt-ed and detangler just does not get rid of that special ketchup aroma.

Of course, you still manage to be super cute and special, no matter what you put in your hair. Even if it is Garlic Lovers Hummus.

Pretty Girl

2010-09-30T15:30:00.002-04:00

Who Needs Disney World When There Are Tractor Shows?

2010-09-29T22:57:00.000-04:00

Since we moved, Jack has been able to go camping at a lot of antique tractor shows this summer. This past weekend was the final one of the summer, which we have went to the past couple of years. Kate, Amelie, and I joined him for this one. Thankfully, the weather cooled down Friday and it was beautiful weather. And no mud like last year.

I asked Jack to give me his best "Tractor-driving face."

One of the local orchards sells apples there every year. Jack had been talking about getting some all week.

Hopefully, you can enlarge this picture enough to read my Grandpa's "bumper" sticker.

I think Lily Belle would have stayed in in this swing all weekend if she could have.

I think Jack's favorite part of camping shows is getting sawdust from the sawmill demonstrations. It's the first thing he asks for at every show.

Arcade Fire According to a Four-Year Old: Jack's Brief Analysis of "No Cars Go"

2010-09-20T22:59:00.001-04:00

We were in the car when Arcade Fire's "No Cars Go" came on. Jack decided to really listen to it and gave a running commentary--while making his stuffed puppy dance. Here are some of the highlights.

Their cars are not going. I wonder why.

Hmm, Daddy, I think I know why their cars won't go. They are old fashioned and will not run anymore.

They have planes, too! And trains!

I guess their trains are old fashioned, too, since they are not going.

I hope they sing about semi-trucks next.

(Humming) Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm. Geesh, is this song still going?

Is it over yet? No? (More humming) Hmmm, hmmm.

Okay, can we listen to "Orange Blossom Special," now?
_________________________________________________________________

And in case you do not know the song he was listening to.

Pretty Girl

2010-09-20T09:59:00.002-04:00

I forgot to post these pictures of Amelie modeling her new dress and cardigan before a party last weekend.

She was rather proud of herself.

And what's a post without some Jack craziness?

If Only...

2010-09-19T22:55:00.002-04:00

This was an effective method for getting him to be quiet for just five minutes.

And of course, not to be outdone by her big brother:

Lily in the Sky with Daddy

2010-09-14T09:25:00.004-04:00

We were in the car the other day when "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" popped up on the iPod. Kate started singing along, only replacing "Lucy" with "Lily. Rather than smiling or singing along, Amelie shouted "Daddy!"
Kate: Ok. Daddy in the sky with diamonds
A: No, Daddy!
Kate: You want Daddy to sing?
Me: Lily in the sky with diamonds...
A: No! Wee-wee wih Daddy!"
Kate: Ooohhh. Lily in the sky with Daddy.

Amelie then smiled and clapped and "sung" along.

My heart melted a bit.

Anything You Can Do I Can Do Cuter

2010-09-10T22:07:00.005-04:00

Okay, I was so excited to post pictures of superhero Jack this morning that I did not think to wait until Amelie got a hold of his goggles. After her nap, she was immediately clamoring for "Dack gasses." Watching her try them on, I realized two things. First, Lily Belle has a much larger, um, hat size than her big brother. And second, whereas Jack was the superhero, his sister is the mad scientist.

Not to be outdone, as soon as he could get get the goggles back from Amelie, Jack began channeling Dr. Horrible.

Superhero Glasses

2010-09-10T14:16:00.003-04:00

Jack was playing superhero this morning. For his disguise he had to wear "superhero glasses." When I started to take pictures, he started posing.

These were his mean superhero faces:

Tiddy-tats and Buh-er Fies

2010-09-07T21:33:00.001-04:00

All Lily Belle needed were some ducks and she would have had the trifecta of her favorite animals.

I was trying to show her how to gently pet the kitten with one finger, instead of saying, "nice!" and patting it hard.

I took Frankie out and found a flower covered in (A dozen? More?) of these tiny butterflies. I had to bring Amelie out to see them all. She managed to scare most of them away, but she was still very excited about the few that remained.

She kept putting Pup-Pup right next to them and saying, "See Pup-Pup? See buh-er fies?"

I Love My Kids

2010-09-05T22:54:00.000-04:00

I was sorting clothes in our bedroom. I heard Amelie making kissing noises and turned around and saw this.

Happy Birthday John Cage!

2010-09-05T08:59:00.002-04:00

The great Mr. Cage would have been 98 today. Inspired by Alex Ross and others I created a 4'33" playlist on iTunes. I feel compelled to roll some dice to determine the order.

(Click to super size.)

I noticed that there were far more tracks on my iTunes that were 4'34" that represented a wider cross-section of music. But I was very pleased that Cage actually showed up on the list created in his honor. And Zappa is a nice touch--not so much Better Than Ezra.

Nature Trails at Winton Woods

2010-09-02T22:01:00.000-04:00

Hamilton County has some pretty awesome metro parks. In Wayne County (MI) they were...okay, but they seemed to have more emphasis on the "metro" than they did the "park." The closest one to us here is Winton Woods, and we love it. Last weekend, my sis in-law's family came to visit and, despite the 90+ heat, we decided to attack the short nature trail. The kids thought it was great.

They thought the signs were cool, since each one had a different animal. (Click the picture to make it bigger.)

Of course, Kyler freaked Jack out by telling him there might be snakes and bears.

So we made Kyler "protect" him.

The only animals we saw, though, were a butterfly, a frog, and some minnows.

We did spot some busted beaver dams. (At the extreme right of the picture.)

Amelie seemed content in her stroller, but she was actually bored and wanted to walk like every one else.

And she did for a very impressive distance.

Jack started wearing down at the end, but he still enjoyed himself.

Amelie's "Idea"

2010-08-25T09:36:00.002-04:00

Granted, it may have not been her best one...

Another Weekend, Another Tractor Show

2010-08-24T09:28:00.001-04:00

Jack entered another Pedal Tractor Pull...and did not finish last this time!

He is very pround of his ribbon.

My Dad was excited that Amelie now can say "Don Deere."

First Day of Preschool

2010-08-23T22:03:00.003-04:00

Well, it is technically Pre-K

Either way, today was the start of the school year. Jack has been counting down the sleeps (he measures time in sleeps, not days) for the past month. He has been begging us to go to school so he could "learn, play, and meet new friends." We love it that he always puts learn first. Although, I think he does it because he thinks it will help his chances of getting to go.

Little boy was so excited this morning that he was bouncing off the walls. I mean, he was literally running up to the walls and bouncing off them. I had always heard this expression, but I had never seen anyone actually do it until Jack came along.

Amelie and I dropped him off. We discovered that his homeroom for the year is the music room. I was very pleased, of course.

I was worried that once he got there he would not want me to leave, since he stopped going to daycare back in February. Ha! I don't think he even said goodbye. The other kids were quietly milling around, a couple of them talking to each other. Jack marched right up to the teacher and the aide and announced, "I'm Jack Weber, J-A-C-K." He rambled on and forgot I was even there. (Actually, Amelie was the upset one, since she did not get to stay, too.)

When we picked him up, his homeroom teacher told me that he did great and added, "My goodness, for such a small boy he certainly has a big personality!"

You have no idea lady.

Jack loved it. But it was hard to get him to tell me exactly what they did.

Me: So, what did you do on your first day?
J: Sat Criss-cross applesauce and told our names.
Me: Oh, what were your friends' names?
J: I have no idea.
Me: Were you not paying attention?
J: Oh, I was. They were just too quiet.
(Later in the day, he remembered some of their names--just the girls.)
Me: Well, what were some of your teachers' names?
J: I have no idea.
Me: Okay, well what else did you do?
J: Well, we did not play with toys. And we did not go in to the train room. (The geography room?)
Me: Okay, but what did you do?
J: Hmm, we did not go into the Spanish room or the Theater.
Me: I'm sure there are a lot of things you did not do, but I want to know what happened!
J: Oh, gave our names. Spelled them. Played with some puppets. Ate lunch.

Much later, Kate had much the same conversation, but with the following addition.
K: Aaah! Well, did you...sing any songs?
J: Oh, yeah! We sang "Blah Blah Black Sheep."
K: You mean, "Baa Baa Black Sheep."
J: No, Mommy, the song is called "Blah Blah Black Sheep." You know, "have you any wool?" And maybe there is a "Blah Blah Pink Sheep," too.

**************************************************************************
Kate wanted pictures of his first day. I ended up with a "family" shot.

Jack quickly lost interest in pictures.

This would be his "snarky" look...

He did not say it here, but he will occasionally ask me, "Do you see me rolling my eyes?"

Si-wee Girl

2010-08-18T14:52:00.002-04:00

A couple weeks ago, Amelie started saying "Dat si-wee" (that's silly.) when something amused her. Now, it seems that every thing is "si-wee."

"You si-wee" is common, but I hear her say "Dack-Dack si-wee" the most often. (I have to agree, her brother is indeed silly.) She's expanded it to "Dack-Dack siwee. What he doin?" The last part said in very much "I don't claim this weird kid as my brother" sort of voice.

But my favorite is when she makes herself laugh. She will be playing by herself and suddenly break out in a big belly laugh, followed by, "I sooo si-wee!"

*************************************************************************

I am constantly trying to get Amelie to dance and talk for the camera, neither of which she will do. Kate did get her being kind of goofy for the camera on Sunday, though.

Kids and Puppies

2010-08-17T14:37:00.000-04:00

Just a few pictures from this past weekend.
I had an awful time getting Amelie to smile for the camera.

Until the puppy showed up. Then she was all smiles.

18 Months

2010-08-13T20:55:00.004-04:00

Hard to believe, but my baby girl is 1-1/2 years old today.

I had to be mean and take Amelie this morning for her check-up. Amelie really despises going to the doctor. As soon as we went into the exam room she started crying and yelled, "No sot!" (She had to get one prick and one shot. See rant below.)

All is well with her. We've been noticing that all of her summer clothes are rapidly shrinking. No wonder, she grew THREE inches in three months. Her height was literally "off the chart" for her age. (Edit -- I moved my rant about the nurse. See shortened version below.)

Kate and I were trying to figure out how to celebrate her 1/2 birthday. Jack is at his NeNe's for a couple of days, so we did not want to be too exciting. And Lily Belle is at that age that is impossible for eating out. (At least it has been with both our kids.) We really were not sure what to do. But Amelie decided for us. We were watching Wonder Pets! this afternoon when one of the characters mentioned pizza. Amelie perked up and said (well, demanded), "Ah wan peesha! Eat peasha?!?" She loves pizza, so we ordered one for her, and it seemed to be exactly what she wanted.

********************************************************************************
Edited Rant about Nurse--outline version. (The original version was just too long and whiny.)

1. Nurse: Do you have a nickname I can call her? Something easier? That name is just impossible to pronounce.
Really? She just said that? We do, but...wow.

2. Wait, you are pricking her foot first? Before measuring her, checking bp, or letting the Dr. see her?
And yes, she did scream hysterically the rest of the visit.

3. Nurse: Take this Autism checklist home, fill it out, and bring it back.
Me: Uhhh, it's only 20 yes/no questions? Why can't I do it now?
Nurse: You want to do it now? But will you know the answers to the questions?
Me: May I have a pen please?

Jack Weber -- Fire Safety Instructor

2010-08-12T22:39:00.003-04:00

(I was given the following speech by Jack after watching a cartoon that had a fire safety sequence at the end.)

Okay, Daddy, this is what happens if there is a fire.
First, if you hear a fire alarm then there is a fire. Do we have fire alarms? On the ceiling? Huh.

Now, if I see smoke I am going to pretend I am a puppy and get down on my hands and knees and run away from the fire. (Proceeds to crawl around the floor and bark.)

If my arm catches on fire...um...I am going to roll around on the floor and hope it goes out.

If there is a kitty in my house that is on fire (I think he meant the house on fire, not the cat)...well, I think I might just go hide somewhere.

Hot Fun in the Summertime

2010-08-11T22:48:00.005-04:00

It was stinking hot Tuesday evening, but that did not stop Jack and Amelie from going full speed at my Dad's house. They may have played a little too hard as they were both tired little messes the next day.

Amelie adores the "orsies."

Jack is becoming quite the little gardener this summer. He even has his own little wheelbarrow for hauling veggies.

Amelie was very proud of her little banana pepper.

This is right before I made Amelie go inside for the evening. The heat finally did her in.

Bubblebeard the Pirate

2010-08-10T09:42:00.000-04:00

Jack was sporting the most impressive Bubblebeard I have ever seen the other night. By the time I found the camera, most of it had dissipated. It was still cute, though.

North Vernon Train Days

2010-08-08T16:00:00.004-04:00

But not really Train Days because there was a Beer Garden so most of the town boycotted the festival and made them change the name to "Summer Festival." Or something like that. All that mattered was we all got to take a 40 minute train ride with my Mom on a "real train" with virtually no crowd. It was mostly just us and other little boys Jack's age who were grinning ear to ear.

I tried to get a good picture before the ride, but the train was just too neat to not stare.
A happy Jack with his Granny.

Me: Jack, turn around so I can get a picture of you with the train.
Jack: *Grunt*
Me: Please turn around?
Jack: *Grunt* Train.
Me: Turn around Jack! There is a...jet driving down the middle of the street followed by construction equipment!
Jack: *Grunt*

Okay, he eventually stopped being quite so awestruck.

Until we boarded and the train started rolling.

Amelie enjoyed it almost as much as him.

Jack was flat-out enthralled.

This picture, with its soft glow on their faces and the reflection in the mirror, amuses me.

It seems like I take this picture once a week. Lily Belle looks so much like her Mommy.

There were model trains set up at the Train Depot, which fascinated Jack almost as much as the real thing.

All he has wanted to do since we came home last night is play with his trains.
Go figure.

Nothing New. Just the Usual Cuteness

2010-08-07T06:47:00.002-04:00

Amelie really wanted her "gasses" while we were playing outside yesterday morning. Sadly, they were in Kate's car. But never fear, Jack generously shared his ~~to keep her from screaming~~ so she could could be fashionable.

She left them on better than her own.

He is a good big brother.

Another Type of "Beeg Bite"

2010-08-05T22:49:00.001-04:00

Amelie is getting so big. First it was the watermelon that she had to have a "bee bite" (now "beeg bite) of. Why settle for corn on the plate when you can have corn on the cob?

"Ah wan torn tob!," she yells at us.

Jack can not stand Amelie getting all the attention. "Take a picture of me with a corn cob!"

Jack's Top Three Misheard Song Lyrics

2010-08-02T21:33:00.002-04:00

I have mentioned a couple of these on Facebook or Tweeted about them before, but some of my loyal readers may not have seen these, so a-blogging we will go.

Everybody has songs they sing along to only to discover (usually embarrassingly) that they have been getting the words a bit mangled. Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" ('Scuse me while I kiss this guy) or CCR's "Bad Moon Rising" (There's a bathroom on the right) are classic examples.

Being very young with a developing vocabulary, Jack has had many of these mondegreens. (Look it up.)
Here are our current favorite three that he continues to sing, despite our half-hearted attempts to correct him.

1. Backyardigan's "Into the Thick of It." Jack sings "Into the Pickle Bit! Into the Pickle Bit." You can hear a bit of the song here.

2. Wonder Pet's "Theme." Jack always sings "Winny, Suck, and Ming-Ming, too." And that is what he also calls the characters. And Kate and I crack up at him calling Tuck "Suck" every time.

3. Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" Jack calls it "Single Legs." And he indeed sings "All the single Le-egs, All the single Le-egs."

(And no, I am not embedding it or putting a link to it.)

Please comment with the favorite mondegreens (yes, I used it again) of your own or your children.

Even More of Amelie Playing Mommy

2010-07-30T22:39:00.000-04:00

The other stuffed animals (at the bottom of the screen) could only watch.

I guess she decided Pup-Pup needed company

Then Mee-Ow (the second favorite) had to be a part of it.

And of course, Jack just can't stand to not be a part of the action.

Girly Girl

2010-07-29T22:35:00.004-04:00

Although she does like to play tractors, cars, and trains with Jack, we've watched as Amelie has started gravitating to playing more with "girl" toys. It amuses us, because we have done very little to encourage her to do so. She loves playing with stuffed animals, her doll stroller, and Kate's purses

Also, she loves playing with shoes. When Jack and I walked in the door afte returning from swimming lessons a couple of weeks ago, Amelie squealed and ran toward us. Time slowed down. I swore I heard Christopher Cross singing "Arthur's Theme." Or maybe it was a little Joe Cocker, "Up Where We Belong..." Anyway, it melted my heart because I thought she was that excited to see her Daddy. But when I bent down to give her a hug, she shoved me out of the way and yelled, "Shoes!" She had played shoes while we were gone, but Jack and I provided two more pairs for her. I know where I rate.

I love watching her play on her own because she is such the little Mommy to her stuffed animals--especially the favorite, Pup-Pup.

(Note the shoes in the following pictures)

As for Jack, too bad I did not take a picture of him playing tractor crash-up derby with a purse on his shoulder.

Back From a Blogging Hiatus

2010-07-29T22:08:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I did not intend to drop off the blogosphere for such a long time. Every time I thought I should blog, I just...did not feel like it. Put it this way, I get such little time away from the kids that I value my "alone" time. And blogging about them kind of defeats the purpose.

But then I started feeling guilty about not blogging so I thought I should. But then I could not find the camera. It was missing for over a week until tonight when it was discovered languishing at the very bottom of the Abyss of No Return.

Well, that is what I call it. Kate calls it her purse. It was found between a crushed Fortune Cookie and a Chik-Fil-A mayo packet.

Of course, then I had to find the camera cord. I eventually located it in Joe's Pit. Well, that is what Kate calls it. I call it the coffee table next to my recliner. It was under a stack of CDs behind the external hard drive.

When Lorikeets Attack

2010-07-11T10:28:00.004-04:00

We've done the "feed the Lorikeets" at zoos before, but not at Cincinnati.

Maybe the ones here are just a little crazier, but my were they aggressive.

Or maybe they were just really hungry since we did it first thing in the morning. I should have known it was going to be entertaining when the guy selling seed sticks and nectar chuckled and mumbled, "Good luck. You are the first one with nectar this morning."

Kate had the camera out right when they...swarmed me.

They liked Jack's seed stick, too. He thought it was funny to have them crawl on my neck.

And chest.

After awhile, Jack was starting to get a little weirded out by their aggressiveness. I had enough of them when they started pulling down the collar of my shirt and plucking my chest hair.

Amelie did not like the Lorikeets, but she was really into all the other animals. She is getting so big. She was able to say almost all of the animals names after we told her what they are called.

Pictures From the Fourth

2010-07-07T15:44:00.003-04:00

Amelie adores her older cousins.

We had another failed attempt at getting a group photo of all the cousins. Our nephew Kohen refused to get on the couch. The Kohen-less pictures mostly looked like this.

It was stinking hot, but we still managed to have some fun outdoors.

Though, it must have became a little too hot for clothes...

For Amelie

2010-07-05T15:11:00.000-04:00

Amelie absolutely loves Butterflies and Bumblebees (Buh-er Fies and Bumba-bees). She had fun watching both in Kate's parents' garden on the 4th. I was able to get a picture of one of the two for her, though.

Sure They Say and Do Cute Things. But All You Get Are Cute Pictures.

2010-07-04T21:19:00.000-04:00

Amelie has mastered this look with the sunglasses?

Helena Bonham Carter?

Rocket Boy

2010-07-03T22:39:00.004-04:00

Uh, Jack. What are you doing?

I'm flying a rocket ship! See my steering wheel?

Tractor Mania (And Other Assorted Fun)

2010-06-27T10:02:00.005-04:00

Jack went camping with his Papa and Grandma Rose at a tractor show this past weekend. We went over to visit him on Saturday. The highlight was Jack's first competitive event--the kiddie tractor pull.

Kate and Jack made sure to check out the competition. (It was really hot, hence the sweaty head.)

He gave it his all.

Pedaled hard.

Had a blast doing it.

And finished in last place. But who cares? He had a great time and was proud of his ribbon.

There was a special exhibition by the mightiest puller of them all.

She was by far the most fashionable kid to sit on the tractor.

She even got to drive a golf cart.

All Jack talked about before going was playing in sawdust. Luckily, he was able to to do exactly that all weekend.

In A Wagon With a Flower

2010-06-21T14:31:00.000-04:00

...and a cell phone?

Taking Care of Mommy

2010-06-18T23:01:00.002-04:00

Jack and Amelie were playing in the pantry last night, as they usually do while I make dinner. Jack seemed more industrious than usual, and started making a pile of very specific foods.

"Mommy, I need a bag."
"Why Jack?"
"I'm packing your lunch for work and dessert after lunch."
"Okay..."
"I'll put it here by the door so you don't forget it.
"How about you put it in my purse?"

And being a good Mommy, she did take it. She said she would eat it all. Eventually.

Well, she did sneak the popcorn back into the pantry.

Bee Bite!

2010-06-17T22:43:00.004-04:00

My kids love watermelon. Jack asks for it almost every time we go to Kroger. (But not Jungle Jim's.) I usually do not buy it because it either looks gross or it is way overpriced. Occasionally, I oblige him, though. Today, Kroger had a special on some small melons called "Personal Watermelons." Though the name disturbed me, they had a nice thump to them and Jack was excited about these little watermelons that were "Jack and Amelie size" as he told me.

After dinner, I cut up some in small bites for Amelie and she dug right in. But then I gave a whole slice to Jack. Amelie looked at his plate. Looked back down at her little pieces. Looked back at Jack's. Looked back at her own. Then she looked at Kate and pointed to Jack's large slice and started shouting "Dack Bee bite! Dack Dack Bee bite! BEE BITE!"

She wanted a "big bite" of the watermelon. Just like Jack had. She refused to eat anymore until I cut her a slice.

Then, she was a happy girl.

She was so pleased with herself.

This, my friends, is a look of food ecstasy.

Here you can hear her tell Kate "Dat Dood." (That's good.)

She finished that slice and asked for another. I tried to get a video of her saying watermelon, but was unsuccessful. It came out as "nawanehwah."

Another Edition of Why I Can't Keep The House Picked Up

2010-06-16T23:36:00.000-04:00

She accomplished this in under fifteen minutes...maybe ten.

On a side note, the only DVDs she bothered to open were Dora and the Baginaninans (Backyardigans). She loves "Pah-bo."