Kiddo Update

Now that I've had some time to adjust to the apocalypse and hoist myself out the depressed haze I've been wallowing in for the past week, it's time to fight back.   This includes donating my time and money to causes that promote civil liberties, women's rights, immigrant justice, and environmental protection.  It also means raising three amazing kids that (perhaps more in spite of me than because of me) will grow up to add more truth, kindness, and integrity to the world.  Take that Trump.  So here goes...

Aaron

• Aaron is reading like crazy!  He likes to sound out words on signs and in books and he has even started trying to read books on his own during quiet time in the afternoon.  I am so excited for him to continue to develop a love of reading.
• He has gotten very into (and very good at) creating artwork for our fridge and our walls.  We have lots of pictures of flowers, trees, fish, and rainbows.  And he especially likes to draw pictures of our family.  In fact, I have one of his family portraits hanging up in my office.  In it, Aaron, Danny, Chris, and I are all standing next to each other.  And then there's Jill...flying through the air above our heads.  Hmmm.

Jill

• Jill is in a picky-eating phase.  The only thing she wants for breakfast is a blueberry muffin.  And the only thing she wants for lunch is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Why does it always work out this way??  Why can't she refuse to eat anything but broccoli?
• We are slowly but surely phasing out of the temper tantrum stage, but Jill continues to be very emotional and when her feelings are hurt, it's tough to reason with her.  She kind of reminds me of a cat.  A cat that doesn't bite and that loves to cuddle and nuzzle and sit on your lap.  But if you rub its fur the wrong way or step on its tail, it will yowl and run under the couch and refuse to come out until you speak softly and offer it a treat.  Also, it doesn't respond well to commands or being put on a leash.  And if you make it really mad...it might poop on your bed.

Daniel

• Danny is now speaking in full sentences and has a rapidly expanding vocabulary.  He knows well over 100 words.  When I take him for a run with me in the jogging stroller, he just chatters the whole time.  He squeals "garbee car!" whenever he sees a garbage truck.  When we run past a construction site, he bounces up and down and points to the "boyoyo" (bulldozer), the "excapetor" (excavator), and the "dump car" (dump truck).  He loves when a bus drives by: "Coo bus!  Coo bus!" (school bus).  He swoons when an "awwpeecar" (airplane car) or "hawcowa" (helicopter) buzzes overhead.  Life truly is so much more exciting through the eyes of a toddler!
• At bedtime, Danny has very strong preferences about which songs I sing to him.  His favorites include: "Happy" (i.e., You Are My Sunshine), "Halleloowah" (i.e., Hallelujah), and "EIEIO" (i.e., Old McDonald's Farm).  And when we sing Old McDonald, he tells me exactly what he wants me to sing about on the farm, and it's usually not animals.  He likes naming off all his favorite people and things, so I end up singing, "With a Jill here and a Jill there...with an Aaron here and an Aaron there...with a garbee car here and a garbee car there" and so on.  He is quite the creative musical director.
• Danny started getting his first time-outs this month.  Is that a milestone?  He is old enough now that he knows it's naughty to smack his brother or sister on the head or push them when he's mad.  The first time I put him in time-out I expected him to be confused but he just looked straight at me and grinned the whole time.  When it was over I asked him what he learned.  He gave me a huge smile and said, "No hitting."  Little stinker.

10/7: Three peas in a pod

10/7: The Halloween costume makes an early appearance

10/8: Hanging on for dear life at his friend Emme's ice skating party

10/8: From the beginning to the end of the party -- he made a vast improvement!  So proud of him for trying something new and sticking with it even though it was hard.

10/8: Taking a breather

10/10: Just drive already.

10/10: Three tykes on a turtle

10/10: No matter what they tell you, they really do love each other

10/12: Catching up with old friends

10/15: Fall beach day

10/19: Three little birds on my doorstep

10/20: Fall is here!

10/21: "Dump cars!"

10/21: Getting up close and personal with the tiger in the zoo 

10/21: "She-shes!"

10/23: We lost count of how many times he did this, and always with a bemused look on his face.

10/24: Twinkletoes

10/25: Jill is learning how to whistle!

10/28: Danny loved visiting Shedd Aquarium.  He kept beckoning to the turtles and saying, "C'mere tuhtuh!  C'mere!"

10/28: Getting up close and personal with the stingrays

11/3: 'Sup

11/3: Doggie salon

11/4: Danny's latest move is sticking his food in his hair and calling it a hat.

11/6: Sunbathing in November

11/7: Pulling her brother along on the "cooter!"

11/11: There was a bulldozer working in the street next to the park and that was all Danny cared about.  When it drove away, he would dejectedly come back to play.  And as soon as it came back, he would rush back to the fence (sometimes to his peril, like when he threw himself off of the swing mid-push) shouting, "Boyoyo boyoyo!"

11/12: My boy's got skillz

11/13: Mooning over the rhino

11/13: Hello hippo!

11/13: Five little fishies all in a row

11/17: Tongue tied

Quote Wall
-Aaron: "Mommy, someday you're going to get old.  And you'll get smaller.  And then you'll die."

-Jill (playing doctor): "Your temperature sounds good!"

-Me: "I need a hug.  Can I have a hug?"
-Aaron: "Why?"
-Me: "Because I love you."
-Aaron: "And because Donald Trump is president?"
-Me: "That too."

-Aaron (standing by the door, tapping his foot): "I'm ready to go!  I'm heading out the door!"

-Aaron (practicing his counting): "...98...99...what comes next?"
-Chris: "One hundred!"
-Me: "Wow!  You just counted all the way to 100!"
-Aaron: "Is that the end of counting?!"