I have so many little matters to tell you of, that I cannot wait any longer before I begin to put them down.
Feb 21st, 2011 by ECM
Derek is so on top of things–he’s already uploaded Tommy’s birthday videos!
First, our family celebration on his birthday:
And second, cake decorating at the party on Saturday!
And, just for fun, the recipe for chocolate buttermilk cake that served as the base for the white wall tire cake and the mini car cakes. (It makes enough for one 9 inch round layer or and 8×8 pan.)
Feb 19th, 2011 by ECM
This year, Tommy asked to have a boys-only birthday party. Zach, Isaac, and Tim are all as into cars, trucks, and trains as Tommy, so we had quite a rambunctious afternoon! The boys chased each others’ cars around the house, much to the delight of Lizzie.
Tommy requested soynut butter and jelly, so we had a low key lunch with sandwiches and fruit on Lightning McQueen paper plates.
Once again, we decorated car-shaped cakes with fun frostings! That clearance Williams-Sonoma mini-cars cake pan I picked up when Tommy was a baby was the best birthday investment we’ve made yet. =)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that four little boys will not look at the camera at the same time, no matter how many times you try…
Feb 18th, 2011 by ECM
I knew it would happen, but I wasn’t quite prepared for it in under a minute from getting outside…
So Tommy was so excited to ride his new bike in the house all day yesterday, and after his sister got up from her nap, we eagerly headed outside into the 58 degree afternoon to try the bike out on the sidewalk! Unfortunately, I got his helmet on first, took a picture, and was still getting Elizabeth situated on the trike when he took off down the driveway and down the (steep) hill in front of our house. Needless to say, without knowing how to stop, he wiped out in about 20 seconds. Despite much crying, he had no scrapes or bleeding. His bike seat was busted up, and the handlebars were scraped. He flat out refused to get back on and spent the next hour screaming and crying any time I suggested we try again. After a pep talk over the phone from Daddy, he eventually got back on and learned to stop just in the little blacktop beside our garage. But I have a feeling it’s going to be awhile before he’s willing to actually ride. Moral of the story: so glad we got the cheap option at Walmart rather than the specialty bikes people were recommending on my mommy message boards. I would be even more peeved if I had a busted up $150+ bike sitting unused in the garage for the next several months!
just moments before catastrophe:
in a better mood by dinner, specifically the white wall tire cake:
Feb 17th, 2011 by ECM
Hard to believe that Tommy turns 4 today. Tommy is in general an introspective, thoughtful child. He is shy in large group situations, though he does open up and act silly with friends and family whom he knows well. He is very detail-oriented (as the firstborn of two firstborns, he even arrived right on schedule on his duedate!), and I often find him lining up things…books, cars, underwear…in straight, orderly lines. He thrives on a schedule and always asks me, “What are we going to do next?” He takes deep satisfaction in recounting our plans for the day, and like me, he seems to find peace and confidence in the predictable routines. Like me, he’s quite thrown out of joint when something disrupts them.=)
Tommy has become quite helpful and moderately independent in the past year. That independence has been difficult when it manifests itself in refusing to eat former favorites for dinner (last night he informed us that the only two dinners he likes are cashew chicken curry and bread with sunflower seed butter and banana slices) or coming up with a different plan for the day than I’d had in mind. But it’s mostly good! He can put his shoes on by himself, completely dress himself head to toe (as long as the clothes fit), buckle himself into his car booster seat (as long as he doesn’t have his coat and mittens on), and (occasionally) pick up toys without being asked. I’m so glad we started practicing picking up toys before age 2, because he is completely capable (though not always willing!) of putting away any of our toys in the proper location. I anticipate that he will want to help me a lot with the baby, though I’m not sure he’s quite big enough to carry him or her around!
Tommy is still very sweet and affectionate with us. One of my favorite things in life is to sit on the couch, reading a book to Elizabeth, and have Tommy run up and sit on the other side, nestling his head on my shoulder while I finish. He willingly gives hugs and kisses and often tells his sister and his mommy how beautiful we are! (Obviously he has a good role model for that in Daddy!) We’ve done a TON of debating about putting him into some sort of preschool situation because of his shyness in large groups, but he is currently completely content to stay at home with me. I know that will change, and I’ll want it to change because he can’t always be tied to my apron strings, but I really do love that he’s still a sweet little boy for a little while longer! Lately, when we tell him something (“Grandma is coming!” “So-and-so is going to have a baby brother!”), he’ll go, “What?! I didn’t know that!” Derek’s been working on teaching him to say “breakfast” instead of “breakIST” (which I sortof miss). He’s getting big so fast!
This morning we did the Muller tradition of waking him up to breakfast in bed–truck and plane pancakes! He was overwhelmed by the whole thing…
Because it’s supposed to be in the 50s today, we decided to give him his big birthday present first thing so he can try it out before Daddy gets home for dinner. He was astounded to see a big boy bike just for him!
Elizabeth wanted him to get on it right away, but he took awhile to take it all in…
Inspired by some homeschoolers for whom I used to babysit, we have the birthday tradition of giving the kids a book for every year old that they are. (Obviously this will be more of a big deal when they’re, say, 17…) So Tommy had four presents waiting to be opened!
He had to look all the way through each one before opening the next, so it was quite a long process. So getting him three French Tintin books seemed like a good idea at the time…but I just realized that, barring a visit from Eleanor or Natalie, I’m the only one around who can read them to him! Next year, we’ll have to get more books in English.=)
After breakfast, he finally decided to try the bike out–just a couple turns around the house to see how it felt…
On the schedule for the rest of the day: meet our play group for storytime at Barnes and Noble followed by lunch at McDonalds, then a bike ride this afternoon when things are warmed up and the sidewalks are (hopefully) melted clear!
Feb 16th, 2011 by ECM
Katey at Having Fun at Home is hosting a giveaway from my etsy shop! This is my first giveaway, and I’m super excited to get some exposure on her lovely blog. Go check out her review here, and while you’re over there, read my favorite article on Ten Characteristics of Real Play. Though we have never met in person (only online through our mutual friend, Andrea), Katey and I are definitely on the same page about such things. Our kids are roughly the same age, so I’m always getting inspired by her creative preschool activities. What are you doing still reading my blog? Go check hers out!
Feb 16th, 2011 by ECM
Today at lunch, we polished off almost an entire bunch of grapes. I guess the kids are big fans!
Feb 15th, 2011 by ECM
The only thing better than Valentines (which the kids are loving–thanks to all who sent them) is Valentines AND stickers together.=) I didn’t notice until I was editing these pictures how she was sticking her tongue out in concentration as she pulled stickers off the sheet!
Feb 14th, 2011 by ECM
In the past month, even the babysitters and friends who see her frequently have mentioned how much she’s growing up! She’s communicating more easily, giving hugs and kisses (my favorite) all the time, and separating from Mommy without the screams. She is still copying her “Bud-DEE” in everything, especially stickers, coloring, making car sounds, cooking in the play kitchen, and putting her hand on Mommy’s tummy to feel the baby kicking. While Tommy’s usually sleeping in ’til 7 or later, Elizabeth has been waking up right at 6:30, at which point she calls, “Mommy!” until one of us gets her and brings her into bed for a little morning snuggle session before Daddy gets ready for work and Tommy wakes up. I love waking up to her cheerful face. Lately she must have been having a growth spurt–she’s had three helpings of yogurt and chex (the kids’ latest breakfast obession) every morning for several days now, and she’s still hungry for lunch and dinner. She got two new top teeth last week, and this week we’ve seen signs that teeth 15 and 16 are on their way in, as well.
Feb 12th, 2011 by ECM
To each her own…
Feb 11th, 2011 by ECM
I got a coupon for a free Burger King kid’s meal for Tommy’s birthday, so the other day when I desperately needed a bribe/reward for good behavior, we headed out to BK to redeem it. We really only go “out” to eat on roadtrips, and the kids had never been to Burger King, so the crowns were a real hit! (Yes, they had hamburgers, but they both requested apple fries and milk, so it wasn’t a total disaster.) Derek was appalled, but I keep cracking up when they put them on to eat breakfast, help me cook, read, etc, etc…
