July 2011

7/7/2011

Christopher-

     Happy Birthday!  You are 3 years old today, I can't believe it.  You are growing up so fast!  I wanted to make cupcakes for you to take to school today but after totally screwing up 2 batches at 11pm last night I ended up going to the grocery store at 6:15am this morning and picking up some brownies for you to take.  While I was really disappointed I know that you really don't care, at least at this age.

     We had a birthday party last night with Jeep, Granny, Aunt Toodie, Uncle Jim, Aunt Jenny, Emma, Auntie Rie, Uncle Booker, Aunt Kristi, Uncle Jeff, Toby and Miles.  It was fun and laid back and I think that everyone had a good time.

Some of your gifts:

- Tag reader and I Spy book :  mom and dad

- James Engine:  Jeep

- Giraffe tag book:  Jim, Jenny and Emma

- Lightning McQueen pillow and baseball clothes:  Auntie Rie and Uncle Booker

- Lightning McQueen car and clothes:  Aunt Toodie

- Mekanimal book and $:  Granny

- Rescue book, Tractor book, moon sand:  Aoyagi's

Today you went to school and after I picked you up, Granny and Aunt Toodie came over for a little bit and sang happy birthday to you and Alex.  Jeep came over for a few minutes and you showed her how James fits on your train track.  Then dad and I took you and Alex to the park so you could play on the playground.  After a while you happened to notice that there were some girls playing on the grassy hill, rolling down it.  You decided to run up the hill and join right in.  It was pretty funny. 

     I tried to get you to go to sleep by yourself, but you just cried for the 2 minutes that I left the room.  Maybe we'll just try again tomorrow.  You'll get it someday, I know you will.  

     You've been doing a great job with your undies except that you refuse to poop on the potty.  So, when you need to poop, you say "mommy, am I wearing undies?"  I say yes and you run into your room, take off your shorts and undies, put on a pull up by yourself and put on your shorts then you usually run into my bedroom, slam the door and come out a minute later and say "mom, I pooped".  We keep telling you that when you run out of pull ups you're going to have to start pooping on the potty.  I guess we'll see how that goes :)

7/11/2011

3yr well exam with Dr. Broadbent

Height:  38 7/8" 80%

Weight:  32.5 lbs  52%

- dr. suggested that we try a simple reward to try to get you to stay in your room at night and hopefully that will help you go to sleep on your own.

-  we told dr. that you go to bed about 10p and wake up between 7a-8a and you take a 2 hour nap.  he said that seems fine.

June 2011

6/5/2011
Christopher-
After months of working with you on potty training, this past week out of the blue you decided you were interested in wearing your undies.  You've actually done pretty well and have had fewer and fewer accidents as the days go by.  I'm not sure if I am going to let you wear your undies to school on Tuesday, though.  I guess we'll see how tomorrow goes.  Dad and I are really proud of you!

6/16/2011
Christopher-
I think we let you wear your undies to school last week and you did awesome.  But for some reason you haven't really been interested in wearing your undies much this week.  You've also had a harder time in the morning when dad has dropped you off at school.  We're just not sure why.  But you're going to spend the weekend at Grandma Stephie's house so maybe that will be the "reboot" that you need.  We love you and want you to be happy!

5/22/2011

5/22/2011
CJ-  It's been so long since I've written in here.  I love you so much but I've been losing my patience really fast with you for some reason.  I've been reading books to try to figure out what to do and I guess you're at the age where you're testing your boundaries and I shouldn't take it personally and the best thing for me to do is stay calm.  I've definitely noticed that you respond better when I stay calm, but it's extremely difficult for me to do.
     You've started staying at school longer on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Now you stay and have lunch and take a npa and I've been picking you up at 3pm instead of 11:30am.  I think you really like your friends and your teachers and enjoy your time there and it's helping me to try to get settled here at the house.  Alex is on the waiting list and as soon as there is an opening then he'll be going to school with you.  That will allow me to do some accounting work from home for Uncle Gary.  Hopefully it will give me some work/life balance.
     Please know that I want the very best for you and Alex but it's really difficult trying to figure out what that is and how to get it.
     You seem pretty happy here in the new house.  Your room is smaller but we have a big basement and big backyard for you guys to play in.  If I could just get you to stop picking on Alex than I think we'll be ok.  You are constantly pushing him over and taking toys away from him.  Hopefully that will stop when he's a little bigger and can defend himself.

March 2011

3/16/2011
Christopher-  It seems like just yesterday we were noticing how you have gone from using just words to being able o have full conversations with us.  Now I think you've even gone a step above that.  You really seem to be thinking for yourself and figuring things out and developing a really funny personality.
     On Saturday, 3/10, we took you to the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Nano Nagle/St. Vincent's had a float and we were going to walk with the school.  We got there before the parade started so we just kind of wandered around and got kind of a behind the scenes look at the parade.  You got to see lots of cool things.  I think you really enjoyed it.  I got a little emotional at some point because it's so strange to feel like I have a child that's part of a school.  It's hard to explain but it was a good emotional feeling.
     On Sunday, 3/11, we took you and Alex over to the park.  It was the first time that Dad and I got to see you going down all of the slides.  You couldn't get enough of them.  I think I got some pictures and Dad got some video.  You had so much fun!  I can't believe how fast you are growing and learning and changing.

3/22/2011
-  You just asked me to get out the changing pad so you could change Gordon's bum.  (Gordon is one of your little trains).  Then you unfolded the diaper and put Gordon in it.
-  Yesterday we were driving home from school and we drove by St. Mark's Hospital.  You asked me if that was the post office.  I told you that it was the hospital and that Jeep works there.  You asked me if Grandma Bev was there also.  I started to cry a little and told you that Grandma Bev was in heaven.  I don't know how long you'll remember her or how much you remember, but she loved you very much and was always so happy to see you.  Every time you went across the street to visit her she always went and got you a cookie.  It was a special thing that only you guys did.  I wish you could remember her forever, but I know you won't. I just want you to know she loved you and you always brought a smile to her face.

2/15/2011

2/15/2011
CJ-  You have been so good the past few days.  You've hardly whined at all :).  Yesterday Jeep took you to the park and she said you just kept going down all the slides all by yourself.  In the past you would climb to the top of the slide but you wouldn't go down it.  I guess you discovered that it's fun and there really isn't anything to be afraid of.  Jeep said you even sat on the swing and let her push you and you climbed the rock wall.  I can't wait to go to the park so I can see it too.
     Last night Granny and Aunt Toodie came over for a little bit.  Granny had been to the doctor to have some marks burned on her face so she had a bunch of scabs on her face.  You asked her what they were and she said they were owies.  You told her that if she came upstairs and looked at your train track that she would feel better :)

1/19/2011

1/19/2011
CJ-  You crack me up! :)  You have been so funny and entertaining lately.  Some things to note:
- sometimes you call me "Jo" and dad "Frank".  I don't think you have any idea why that's funny.
-  when you try talking to us and we don't turn to look at you you'll say "look at me I'm trying to tell you something."
-  we've just started leaving the upstairs gate open at nap time and in the morning so that you can just come down when you get up.  You haven't fallen down the stairs yet, so that's a good thing.  When you come down stairs and walk into the family room you have a look on your face like you're so proud of yourself and you're such a big boy.
-  even though it still takes forever for you to fall asleep at night, I think we've established a night time routine that works for all of us.  Dad does your bath and you've been so good with him.  I think you even tip your head back for him when he washes your hair.  He gets you lotioned and dressed and then brushes your teeth.  It seems to be going well.  And at the end of brushing your teeth you jump off the counter to dad and do a high five and say "hoo-ah".  It makes me smile every time I hear you say it.  Then you say good night to dad and Alex and you and I read some books and I sit with you until you fall asleep.

12/25/2010
Christopher-
     Dad and I were talking yesterday about Christmas's that we remember from when we were kids.  You have had a lot of fun this Christmas and I know you won't remember it when you are older, but I'd like to try to preserve the memories.  Some of the things you've done this Christmas Season:
- Dad took off work and we went to the mall and saw Santa Claus.  You wouldn't sit on his lap but we all sat with Santa and had our picture taken.  You told Santa you wanted a race car set.
- A couple of weeks ago we had a pretty big snow storm and Dad made you into a snow man.
- you were excited about opening the doors on your advent calendar that Granny gave you, even though you didn't like the candy.
- Aunt Kristi gave you a Little People Nativity and you've had fun getting to know the characters.
- We decorated a gingerbread house, but you mostly just ate the decorations.
- We went to your school Christmas program.  I was fully prepared for you not to participate at all, but you played your drum and looked so cute.  you didn't cry at all while you were up there,  I know it was a simple thing but I was really proud of you.
- you spent the 23rd night at Grandma Stephie's house so dad and I could get some stuff done around the house.  Christmas Eve we had a prime rib dinner at Grandma Stephie's.  She gave you a race car set and Uncle Jess put it together for you.  You were alittle scared at first of the cars that went by themsevles but once you got familiar with them you had a lot of fun.  Grandpa was there and of course Grandma Donna.
- We went to 9p mass at st. Vincent's with Jeep, Auntie Rie, Aunt Toodie and Granny.  You actually didn't do too bad at Church but dad did have to take you out for a little while.  I guess it's not surprising since we haven't been taking you to church at all.
- Christmas morning you got up earlier than I had hoped, but it was fine.  You had a lot of fun opening presents.
  - chalk board easel (santa)
  - train table set (Jeep)
  - lightening mcqueen chair (auntie rie and family)
  - lincoln logs (granny)
  - clothes (aunt toodie)
  - monster truck (jim and jenny)
- We went to Auntie Rie's for dinner with Jeep, Granny, Aunt Toodie, Auntie Rie, Uncle Booker, Tyson, Andy, Sam, Abe, Uncle Jim, Aunt Jenny, Emma, Uncle Butch, Aunt Toni, Chris, Heather, tyler, Hiedi, Destiny, Damien (Hiedi's son), Debbie, Catherine (Houston), Larry, and Mary Catherine.