Catching up AGAIN

Artwork from iPhone. James loves to play around on our phones, there are a few easy "apps" that he likes- art, a Goldilocks interactive story, the lightsaber noises, and then a matching game. We've limited his use of the apps not because we're worried about his use of technology but because we just don't want him to break our phones!

Jim said that after he "drew" this picture, James wondered why his fingertips weren't brown or blue :)

Daycare rainbow. This replaced the winter wonderland, Christmas tree display. The colors of the rainbow are kids' handprints, in corresponding room colors. James is in the Orange room so his handprint is orange.


James was reaching into his locker to find his gloves, hat, and boots. His t-shirt says, "The world revolves around me." Yup!


We left for breakfast early on Saturday. So early that Jim didn't shower and he was hiding his hair under his Twins cap. James wanted a cap too. We've got an early start on Twins season! (We're looking forward to going to the new stadium! Even me!)


Air hockey


Lightsaber play. James pretended flashlights were lightsabers. He makes swishing noises and swings it like a sword.




I turned off the light and the camera flash to see if the light would reflect better.


Things sometimes get a little rough and tumble before bedtime.




One last golf swing before bedtime!


Oven-fried chicken for dinner. (South Beach friendly)


Key Lime pie with coconut pecan graham crust. NOT diet friendly :)


It was a fast weekend. We didn't do much but get things done around the house and play. Lots of playing. Jim spent a little more time with James than me, because I was cooking and prepping for my Dad's visit. (Grandpa Frank is coming to town!!! We've been hyping it up with James :)

Play: "bathtime" in the blankets, lotsa Legos, golf, sorting and playing with Valentine's day cards, cars, coloring, Leapfrog video games, lightsaber play, air hockey, Dora computer game with Dada, books, dance party (James was introduced to "Walk this Way" on my ipod) and probably more play that I'm forgetting! Oh yes, and nonstop chatter!

A Better Day

If you read yesterday's post, our first day of the year was a little trying. James wasn't in the best of moods for the day, and it was too bad that it was out in public! I think I'm over the (mock) shame of having THAT child that cries, pouts, whines, and then has to be carried away. Ugh! It wasn't my favorite moment with James.

Today we had a sweet moment in his bedroom, as we were playing. Originally we had planned to go to a movie or do something like that but with the weather being so FREAKING COLD (-15 degrees), we decided to stay home.

James read to me. Okay, really, he probably has the book memorized. He even reads it the way that I read it to him, with all the emphasis on certain words. It was very cute!



We didn't spend the entire day in our pajamas, but darn near. We also watched some TV, played with his remote control car, "cooked" and ate our pretend food, baked pretend cookies, chased each other around with the Wild claw, played a Dora video game, asked Dada lots of questions, sang Puff the Magic Dragon, and peeled oranges for a snack. What a day!

Its Fall!

Its time for lots of fall things like leaves artwork! and other things below.


James' first "incident" at daycare is so ridiculously minor. He has a small scratch on his forehead and they weren't sure if he scratched himself at daycare or at home, so they wrote it up anyway. Honestly, I don't know either. It could have happened anywhere! I'm glad that they take little things like that seriously. There was another (unwritten) incident where another kid hit James a few weeks ago. They told me about it even though it was really minor and the other kid was the problem. I guess James handled it fine.


Mmmm caramel apples!


James has been enjoying his music class every Friday. I don't know if he has learned songs at the class or just in the general daycare, but we have heard him singing the Days of the Week song, and the other night at bedtime I heard him singing the months of the year! Such a smarty pants!


Such a wonderful skill. Opening the refrigerator door whenever he wants. Ugh!


James chose a yogurt for this unscheduled snack.




We knew Saturday would be a rainy, fall-like day so we headed to Edinborough Park for some indoor play. I wasn't feeling well so Dada (Jim) bravely followed James around the many levels of crawl space and obstacles.




Bounce House.


Edinborough Park also has a large gym space with plenty of balls, hoops, and scooters.






Dada needed a push.




Watch out!!


I tried this idea because I thought I would tempt James with a Meatloaf cupcake with mashed potato frosting, but he was hungry way too early and ate before I could finish making dinner. Oh well. I doubt if he would have eaten it anway! (This was a good way to make meatloaf, it cut the baking time down by half!)


For dessert and sharing at work- Pumpkin spiced cheesecake brownies. I guess there is a shortage of canned pumpkin so when I saw a stocked shelf at the grocery store the other day, I loaded up! I had to bake something pumpkin! Pumpkin also screams fall!!

Boom Boom Pow

"Boom! Gotta get. Boom! Gotta get."

I guess I need to change my ringtone because James is singing the Boom Boom Pow song. He spontaneously broke out into song after his bath and I cracked up!

Another gem: "Mama! Get off the couch!" James said this to me because he wanted to jump on the couch and obviously I was in the way. I made him say this nicer before I would move. I'm hoping he isn't also commenting that I'm a lazy bum. Oh well.

James has a new show that he is obsessing over, Imagination Movers on the Disney channel. Its another nonsense show. They sing and dance, so maybe that's the appeal.

To distract James from the TV we painted with watercolors. Dada gave up pretty fast, but I kept at it with my amateurish attempts at a family portrait. I think James painted some fish, or at least that's what it looks like to me!



My scale is all wrong- James is as big as Jim, but I'm tall and skinny! And look at my Bob Ross tree! My paintbrush was happy.

Sunday in SB

The big day! We stopped at the pond before heading out to the party.









Grandpa arrives at the party!



Grandpa and the other elders sat in the shade.



Grandpa and Grandma model their Reunion t-shirts.



James made himself at home, at the park, playing golf and making a new friend. He must be one of my cousins' kids? There were soooo many people at this party/reunion that I did not know.



We didn't want to overwhelm the Grandparents but we paused to take one quick picture with them.



My cousin Linda made this "Luchas" cake. My grandfather, for as long as I can remember, has been a fan of Pro Wrestling!



My cousin Ellie and me.



My Uncle Joe, my Grandpa, and then his son Salvador.





My Grandma sat quietly for most of the day. I know she was happy to see my Grandpa happy.



My cousin Linda's daughter, Adia, serenaded my Grandpa.

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And then all of the Grandkids sang to Grandpa.

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Grandpa makes a speech.

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Grandpa sang to his love, Grandma.

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My Grandpa serenaded his "Rosita". She is so loved!

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James played with mini pinatas. What a good Mexican boy!



My cousins Ellie and Michelle.



My cousins Angie and Ellie, with Angie's daughter Isabelle.



My Uncle Ruben, Uncle Juan, and my Mom served up some birthday cake!



Just a few pictures of the overall scene. Lots of people! My Mom said they put out 100 nametags and they ran out eventually.





Ellie and Grandpa.



After a fun party, James played in Tia ChaCha's hotel room.