Ben the "Fighting Boy" - Nutcracker 2009 preview

Ben makes his big stage debut this Christmas season as one of Fritz's friends in the annual production of The Nutcracker. Sunday afternoon practices, Monday night Jazz dance class, and production week all come to an end after tonight's final blocking/dress rehearsal at Stephens.

Note: Fighting Boys is the name of Ben's stage family in the Nutcracker. The boy characters in this family are aptly named, and Ben was a initially a bit troubled by the label, and behaviors required to be a bad kid :)

 

One rehearsal to go and then it's go time! Weekend shows on Sat afternoon and evening. He's really enjoying this experience.

 

Go Ben!

-loving dad

Doggie pants day!

A big congratulations to Gabriella who went 24 hours with a dry diaper yesterday! She chose to wear her training pants(doggie pants)today and has kept them dry so far today. Many thanks to her pink "potette" for making it possible to take care of business when we are away from home. Such a big girl!

Delicate

I was just getting ready to take the van to the car wash. Josiah requested that we go through the drive through instead of the one you do yourself. I said we would do the second because it is less expensive.

Josiah said, "I know it is more expensive, but can we do the delicate one instead?"

Why did you call it delicate? I asked.

"Because things that are delicate are always more expensive," he answered.

Spooky girl!

 
A belated Halloween cheesy grin from our spooky girl! This is the outfit she wore to Kindermusik a few days before Halloween. She kept deciding she didn't like her skirt, taking it off and throwing it across the room. Good thing her tights were nice and warm.

Loving fall weather

 
 
 
Last week when the weather was equally lovely, and I was feeling better, we met friends at Brookside to play. As a treat I brought along a thermos of Hot chocolate, Chex mix and fruit. The kids visited every play structure at the park and had a great time. While the boys were enjoying their hot chocolate with marshmallows, Gabriella kept looking up at me with those big blue eyes, pointing to the marshmallows and saying "I vegetables?" The first and only time I believe I will ever say no to that question. She was happy with her apple slices but those vegetables sure were intriguing.

Raking the leaves

 
 
 
 
I suggested we go and rake leaves this afternoon and expected to hear sighs, but instead they ran out the door to help. Sure the leaves never made it to the bags, but once I saw them in action I couldn't bring myself to bag them either. I just pitch in and make the pile higher. They had fun jumping in the pile, throwing the leaves, making themselves into human scarecrows and leaf monsters and taking turns burying eachother. Gabriella was very timid at first and they were sweet and calm with her. Once she was comfortable, they buried her and threw leaves at her. At one point the little purple Keen sandal disappeared, but they were excited at the chance to use the flight light and found it at the bottom of the pile. I l love the squeals and laughter of my happy kids.

Potty Time

Gabriella has developed a new interest in going potty on the toilet the last few days and is doing well knowing when she needs to go. She is also getting very good at taking off her diaper, throwing it away and streaking around the house saying "chase me!" I think I need to make sure she has a onesie on at naptime so that doesn't try her latest trick unattended.

Bunny - no bottom :(

I just put Gabriella to bed with her bunny. No, make that two bunnies. We have two to alternate between, but she has discovered my hiding place for the clean bunny, and now sleeps with one under each arm fingering the tags as she drifts off to sleep. Tonight though she got very sad about bunny's lack of legs, bottom, and diaper. She was sure he had a dirty diaper but, alas, there was no bottom for wiping! (Mr. Bunny is a little pink blanket with arms and a head attached.)

She wants to dress him, she wants to change his diaper, but what is a girl to do when bunny has no bottom half?

I'm sorry your sad

Gabriella just did something that upset Josiah inadvertently. Here is her one sided conversation:

Ju-Siah, whats-a-madder?
Ju-Siah, why cry?
Ju-Siah, why sad?
Ju-Siah, what happen?

Repeat this string of questions 3 or 4 times with her head tilted to the side in a sweet voice. The first time he told her, the second he got mad and said "I told you already," and by the third he couldn't stop laughing.

Sweet to see her being compassionate and seeing the love that is modeled to her by the boys coming through in her actions.

New words, new ways

Gabriella's vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds. I am amazed at what she can communicate. For instance, at the park yesterday:

"swing, slide, run, myself, my turn, I do it, where are you?, where doggie go?, squirrel, fire truck, more tomorrow, I love you, and NO! etc."

Right now she is asking for "ice cream?" at breakfast...

Anyway, I love all her words and carrying on conversations with her. I was a little sad when she mastered the "B" for Ben and Bunny instead of Nen and Nunny, but this week she started saying Joe-Siah. It sounds so grown up. As "Siah" was her first word, and she always says it so sweetly, I am going to miss hearing it.

Trunk-or-Treat

 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday was the annual trunk-or-treat at school. Our scuba diver, octopus and little bunny visited each car collecting treats, checking out the decorations, and playing little games some families had as part of their decorations. I had pictured Gabriella sitting with me and helping pass out candy, but she had other plans. Instead she took hold of Ben's plastic pumpkin (he had to come late) and took off with Josiah to gather treats, dance in front of cars with music and attempt to help some of trunks to redecorate. Grandma Millen and I took turns chasing her and passing out candy from our van. The boys loved acting out the octopus attacking the diver and diver attacking the octopus. All the kids had a great time and I loved seeing all the clever costumes.

Brookside photos

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Our talented friend Judy took these fabulous pictures of our crew on Saturday. The kids were troopers and we had a great time enjoying the fall day. I am so happy with the pictures I couldn't wait to share!

Old Mac'on'ld's Pig

I'm home with Gabriella and Ben again today. After a short nap, G is sitting at the dining room table playing with Play-Doh.

I found out that she wanted to play with Play-Doh when she got excited and starting asking for colors, or to color and asked me to help her open one of the doors on the buffet. I opened the other door and pulled out the box with her special crayons and she shook her head at me saying, "No. Put them back," then proceeded to pull on the other door. I opened the door and revealed the Play-Doh containers. "Play-Doh?" I asked.

"Yah! Pwaydoe!"

Ah...

So we got out the P-D and cut out a green butterfly and a blue hippo. She picked up the butterfly and tried to put in her hair; reminded her of a hair box, I suspect. Then she started singing, "Ol' mac'on'ld farm. Piggy!" It's a pretty squat little hippo.

Now she's playing with the Play-Doh lids and containers, grunting at me when she wants help.

Rhyming?

On Wednesday morning, as she finished up her breakfast, Gabriella reached towards her sippy, which was sitting next to her on the dining room table. "Uhhh. Uhhhn!?"

Would you like your milk, Gabriella?

"Yah. Milky," was followed by a thoughtful expression, then she pointed towards the living room where she had watched Curious George the evening before. "Minky? Munky! Munky!" as she reached for the living room. Rhyming?


-kevin

Handy Manny

Gabriella was given a "Handy Manny" toy by some friends recently and he has been the favorite toy the last few days. Handy Manny has a tool kit with six tools, each tool is about three inches long and has a face on it. When attached to the tool belt, Handy Manny talks. Gabriella ran around yesterday in just a onesie saying "I'll fit it! I'll fix it!" and tightening the screws on every piece of furniture and cabinet. Today Handy Manny was "babied," rocked, cuddled and sung to. This evening she strolled him around the living room in her little stroller with a small hot pink purse in the crook of her arm filled with all the tools. It was a fun combination, wish I took a picture...