Cheers to Me!

Summer 2009 - Jojo, age 1.5 years

We were reading a counting book together.  First, Mommy would count the ducks or the fish, and then Jojo took his turn. 

"One, two, fwee, two, fwee!"

"Very good, Jojo," I said.

Then I turned the page and counted the geese.

Jojo clapped enthusiastically and said, "Good mo-may!"

(Joseph Sebastian, age 2 years; 8 months)

Springtime Fun

Recently our neighbor gave us a twig (piece?) from her lilac bush, and the boys helped Daddy to plant it. Hopefully it'll do much better than the rose bush that had occupied that same spot.

Last weekend Mike, Christian and Gaby went camping with our neighbors Tad, Derek and Kevin.  Unfortunately, Tad couldn't find the posts for the tent.  And Mike forgot to bring their pillows.  It was just as well: it hailed and rained so much that the ground was too wet.  They all made the best of it though.  They started a campfire and then came home around 11:00 that night exhausted from their adventure.

Nothing like bananas and Hi-C around a campfire.  I'm pretty sure they also had S'Mores and roasted marshmallows, too.

The boys enjoy camping in our living room most weekends with Daddy. They watch movies, play the Wii and have 'boy talk'.  This summer their cousins Daniela and Anthony are coming to visit.  Christian and Gaby can't wait to use their indoor tent and camp out with them!

Potty Protest

Everyone knows that our middle child, also known as weasel tot #2, is a handful. But this time Gaby, urine big trouble. He's been marking his territory and leaving his mark wherever he goes.

For the past several months we've caught Gaby peeing in various places besides the toilet. It's been frustrating to say the least! Mike caught him about to pee in Aunt Patsy's closet on her new carpet a few months ago.

I became upset when I noticed the stench besides Christian's and Gaby's beds recently and it reeked of pee. Could Gaby have done that I wondered? It was too late to find out unless he was caught in the act. My mother also noticed some yellow stains behind a chair in the study room and behind her night stand. These are just a few examples of what we have noticed lately.

On Sunday I trimmed some bushes outside and as I was admiring my work I noticed a little boy's bottom through the branches of a bush, right next to the sandbox.

I ran back outside and caught Gaby peeing by the bush. Luckily, he hadn't urinated into the sandbox.

"Gaby, why are you not using the potty?!" I asked/yelled.

Gaby replied, "I forgot." This seems to be his standard reply when he is caught.

And last night as he changed into his pajamas I reminded him to use the bathroom before bed. Did he do that? No. When I was distracted by Jojo I caught Gaby in his closet. He quickly ran out when I found him there.

"What are you doing, Gaby?" I asked.

"Nothing," he quickly said and off he ran.

I took a closer look and noticed a wet keyboard toy and wet carpet! Oh. My. Gosh. Steam came out of my ears and Mike took over.

Mike and I began to think about it and we know that Gaby seems to really be bothered by the flushing sound. Many times we find surprises in the potty and we have had to remind Gaby to flush. I guess he knows better than to go #2 anywhere else. His right ear tube is also coming out of his ear drum and the sounds could be a little louder than normal, too.

Gabriel's new instructions are to NOT flush the toilet and to let one of us know so we can do it for him. If this doesn't work I will have to find a Potty Whisperer.

Now these adults should know better! They actually contacted the TV station to protest the lack of port-a-potties at a local park by allowing them to film footage of their potty breaks.

More Funny Quotes

Gaby got tired of Mommy reminding him to stay away from the rock fountain at her favorite coffee place.
"Mommy! If you keep telling me to stay away from the fountain, I will do it. So stop telling me!"
Gaby (4 years; 3 months) 5/14/10

When Jojo heard the music in the movie we saw last night at the theatre he exclaimed,"Lady Gaga!"
Jojo (2 years; 7 months) 5/14/10

This is How We Roll

Headlines

Here are a few comments overheard this week.

"Daddy you lied to me. Mommy said these shorts don't match my shirt."

Gaby (4 years; 3 months) 5/9/10

"If you don't give me my ice cream now, I'm going to scream!" And then she screamed.

Feisty, awesome niece Simone (2 years; 3 months) sometime last week

And Christian is learning to read! and write!  It's been amazing to see him soak it up.  Here is a note he wrote; there is no doubt he wanted to go to Miles' house to play the Wii. Christian left this note conspicuously on the kitchen counter.  Apparently he had written the note at school.

"To Mom and Dad and I like to go to Miles and I want go to play the Wii and me and Miles. From Christian"

"Mom, Derek says that I can come over to his house today so I can play Lego Star Wars."  "Mom, Miles really wants me to come over and play the Wii."  Nana and Papa got the boys a Wii last week as an early Christmas present.  Now we can ask his friends to come and play more often because our house was so boooorrrrrrrinnnnnnngg before.   

Wee.

Alberto, Alberto II, Alberto III, Alberto IV, y ....Diego!

Here is my little nephew, Diego, who is about two weeks old in the photo above.  He is my cousin Alberto and wife Rosa's child.  Alberto helped deliver his son into the world on January 25.

Look at his beautiful baptismal gown.  One can find many beautifully sewn, knit, and beribboned children's clothes in Spain.  Diego was about five weeks old in those pictures.

Here is Diego this morning. He's barely three months old and he's growing like a weed.  I wish I could squeeze those chubby legs! Cousin Alberto stopped in Dallas for one night to visit Jaime and Jeanne at the end of some conferences he had attended in Louisiana.  This morning he sent us these photos after having arrived in Madrid.

And here he is with his mama.  He's almost as big as her! We can't wait to meet you, Diego!

Adios, guapo!