Memorial Day with The Buzzards

We spent the Saturday before Memorial Day having fun with Jacob and Eloise (and EJ and Tim, too). The boys enjoyed running and playing and having a great time. Eloise is a cutie pie!

We also played with water guns outside. The boys loved that too!

Jackhawk & Mommy's Birthday

Pop-Pop & The Zoo

Jack is Iron Man!

Jack fulfilled his goal of pooping on the potty three times (intentionally). His reward was this Iron Man costume which he treats like it was the real thing. We are very proud of him.

Monkey Joe's

Jack attended the birthday party for his friend Matty from daycare. It was Jack's first birthday for a school friend. He was a little standoffish until he recognized his friends and then he ran and jumped and enjoyed cake. It was nice seeing him within the circle of friends.

Banji vs Gojira

Thats a Good Photo

Skinned Knees

Summer is almost here and the boys are itching to be outside as much as possible. This is evident by the sweaty heads, skinned knees, and bruised shins. These boys like to play rough, fall, cry, and repeat. Luckily the weather is beginning to cooperate, so the fun can begin. We have a busy Summer planned. Lets hope we get to most of this stuff, on top of Ben's birthday party.

• Wiggle World at Great America/Six Flags
• Water Park (Elgin)
• Bike rides through Elgin bike trail
• Cantigny or Botanic Gardens
• Starved Rock
• Children's Museum
• Aquarium
• Millennium Park
• Thomas
• 4th of July Fireworks
• Carnival
• Navy Pier
• Brookfield Zoo
• Lincoln Park Zoo

Ben Words Explode

Ben is now adding new words almost daily. There are too many to list on here and I am sure I will forget some, but he has added at least a dozen or more since my last post!

The #1 Prize

Jack chose his prize for completing his responsibility chart this week. Well, actually he did not complete the No Whining or No Hitting requirements, but the fact that he peed in the potty every time every day for a week was worth a big prize. And, as with everything he has picked for the last few months, it was something Iron Man related. At this point I believe the Iron Man toy total is at 11. I wish he was old enough to actually watch the movie!

Ben Says

Ben says:

Yes
No
Don't want this
What's this?
Why sad?
Indeed ("deed")
Banana ("nana")
Ma ma (food)
Mama
Mommy
Daddy
Pop-Pop
Grannie ("gah-nee")
Done
Ba Ba (his blanket)
Bye
Night Night

Vomit

Ben has thrown up 3 times in the past 3 weeks. He had a 103 degree fever over the weekend. He has been very irritable. Our ENT said it was a sinus infection and gave him zithromax to knock out the bacteria, but he still has a cough and runny nose. Today was the best day in a while, but now Jack has green eye discharge and lots of boogers.

Allergies seem to be a big possibility. I just hope we can figure it out with minimal suffering to these boys.

Photoless

I haven't taken a photo of the boys in over a week. I feel guilty.

Trip to Florida 2010

Sorry for the delay in posting these!

Super Hero Squad

Right now the boys enjoy the educational preschool type shows you find on PBS Sprout and Disney Channel. Jack also has started to get into superheroes. But, most of the superhero shows are too dark for kids his age. I recorded a couple of the new Batman cartoon but they are too scary for him. Jack has been playing with the Super Hero Squad toys which look like very cartoon versions of all the Marvel characters. Turns out they recently made a show out of it. It reminds me a lot of the old 80s cartoons like He-Man, Thundercats, G.I. Joe, etc. Jack really likes it.

It is very weird seeing my little guys so interested in a show that I would have liked at their age as well. Surreal.

Black Iron Man

Jack wanted an Iron Man toy while we were in Florida. But, he wanted the Red Iron Man for himself and the Black Iron Man (aka War Machine) for Ben.

Granny was happy to oblige.

We went to Target and they both found an Iron Man toy they liked. When we got back to the house, Jack realized they were both RED. He was upset.

"Where is Black Iron Man? Ben needs Black Iron Man because I am Red Iron Man!"

The next day Granny went to another Target and got two smaller action figures for the boys. One was Silver Iron Man and the other was Crimson Dynamo. Both were not sufficiently Black Iron Man.

A couple days later we hit another Target and found the Super Hero Squad mini toys. It was a two pack of (Red) Iron Man and War Machine. Excuse me, Black Iron Man.

This was okay for Jack. We eventually found a bigger Black Iron Man which Jack still wants. I think the closer we get to the movie release of Iron Man 2 the more toy options there will be.

Bensplosion!

Something happens when we go on vacation. The boys always return with something new up their sleeves. This time Ben came back with dozens of new words. And sentences. Ben is now fond of saying "Don't want that" or "I want this." It is very cool to see him with developed language. I have a sneaking suspicision the don't and no phrases will become his go to answers. Sigh.

The vacation was very good. The boys had a great time. I will post photos soon.

Planet 51

Jack has moved past Meatballs, which he still asks for almost daily, and is now obsessed with the movie Planet 51.

It is a far inferior movie to Meatballs, but both boys like it.

After 100 viewings, I am sure I will like it too. Or want to break the DVD.

Cloudy X 100

Jack is OBSESSED with the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Since it hit DVD on 1/5, he has watched it at least 50 times and asks for it DAILY. Ben even can quote some of the funny moments in the movie. Sometimes as soon as it ends, Jack wants to watch it again.

The worst part is, I have not gotten tired of it.

After it got a horrid review on At the Movies, I had little hope for it. But, if you are a fan of the current SNL cast, you will like it. The humor is definitely aimed at adults as well as kids. I find myself finding hidden jokes each successive time I see the movie. It cracks me up and we all quote dialogue around the house like inside jokes.

I have a feeling this will be played multiple times on the drive down to Florida next week.

Profound

9:15am - Jack had to poop and he asked if I could take him to the potty, which I did. He sat and said he was almost ready and then he went. He was very proud. We wiped and washed hands and he was very proud of himself.

10am - Watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, their new favorite movie.

12pm - Jack said he had to go potty again. We went and sat on the toilet. He asked for a magazine. He flipped through US Weekly to an article about the women on The Bachelor, who Jack said were all "fat."

He only had gas, so we flushed and washed hands. While washing hands, Jack asked why Flint's mom died (the mother from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs). I said because she got very sick and sometimes when you get sick you don't get better because there is not enough medicine. Jack asked if that meant she was alone. I told him she was not alone because her family was there with her. I promised him if he ever gets sick that Mommy and I will be there to take care of him. He said OK.

12:30pm - Eating corndogs.