"I'm Four!"

After his friend Tyson had his fourth birthday in September, Jay insisted he also turned four and ignored any attempts to correct him.

One day a neighbor asked how old he was. He held up four fingers and said:

"I'm four, but my grown-ups think I'm three."

(Now that his birthday is a couple months away and talk of his own party has started, he's decided to be three again.)

Jay's First Day of School

Jay loves preschool and his teacher Ms Cathy. Almost every night he asks if tomorrow is a school day, and, if it is, he gets a huge grin and does a little happy dance. This year he goes to the Isle of Palms Rec Center program three times a week. It's a small class with one teacher and 7 kids.

The first months of school, he'd be ready an hour before we had to leave. I'd talk him into watching Blues Clues to kill time, and he would hop onto the chair with his backpack still on and his lunch box in his lap, ready to race out the door.

He, of course, wanted the same style backpack as Cole. As you can see, it's huge on him. It's hilarious to watch him walk with the bag bumping against his little bum. After careful consideration, he also picked out a Hello Kitty themos to go in his lunch box. So far, none of his friends have told him that Hello Kitty is for girls like I expected. Or, if they have, it hasn't bothered him. Already at 3 the kids are acutely aware of the lines between girls and boys. Jay, however, still likes pink and plays with his baby doll. I hope he can hold onto his individuality as well as his excitement about school.

Cole's First Days of School

It was hard for me to have Cole go to kindergarten. The school day seemed like such a long time away from home. The first few months were a big transition. I think he was a little homesick and I definitely missed him. Poor Jay really missed him. His constant companion and playmate was gone for seven hours each day and I was a poor substitute.

Now, several months into the school year, we have all adjusted. Cole seems to be loving it. He's so proud of the work he does. I'm glad we didn't push reading on him in preschool because he is at the perfect level to learn quickly and not be bored.

He's also making some good friends, some of whom we were excited to learn live in our neighborhood. A couple of the boys are only children, so Cole gets invited to their houses quite often. It makes me glad to have had two boys close in age who love to play together.

Summer Vacation, Part II

In August, we went to Maine for Ken and Nancy's 45th wedding anniversary. You know it's a good time when the state troopers have to come! The kids were playing in the basement with their cousins when we received a call from a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Someone from our number had called them and hung up, and the dispatcher was concerned about "screams and sounds of a struggle."

Cole, Jay, and their two cousins were playing in the basement. We could hear them running around and jumping on the beds. Somehow we figured out that they were involved.

We assured her that there was no emergency, but a few minutes later, two Maine state troopers knocked on the door. The culprits got a lecture from one state trooper while the other tried (rather unsuccessfully) not to laugh at the kids' stricken looks. The troopers were very nice about it
The four cousins (looking innocent):

Sometimes Pop Pop got involved (or instigated) the craziness:

We all had a wonderful trip. Even now, Jay will say, "I want to go back to Maine. I miss Maine." We assure him we'll go back again and he wants to pack his bags immediately.

My Summer Vacation

If I were still in school, I would have flunked the ubiquitous What I Did for My Summer Vacation essay due to its being two months overdue. Here's a quick recap so we can return to the present day.

We had a wonderful summer of traveling. First, to my family's cabin on Lake of the Woods for two weeks. We were all relieved to escape the July heat in South Carolina for the cool summer they had up north. The boys had a blast with the freedom to run around outside. The house is perfectly set up for laps around the deck through the kitchen, out to the porch, and back onto the deck. Grandpa spent most mornings yelling, "Don't slam the door!" (I think at the end of two weeks with energetic little boys, he was rather glad to have had girls who spend the summers quietly playing paper dolls or sunning on the dock.)

The boys weren't quite ready to jump into the cold lake, but they had fun playing in the baby pool Yingy put on the deck and filled with warm water from the tap.

They also spent as much time as possible in the fishing boat playing fishermen with the dock lines. They'd throw the lines over the side of the boat and pretend to catch whales and sharks. We had to stop Jay from climbing over the side of the boat several times.
Jay enjoyed the times he really went fishing and even helped Grandpa cut the fish into fillets and dispose of the guts (something we girls never, ever, under any circumstances, ever did). He and Cole now play fishermen on my bed with belts as the fishing lines. They are very precise about it, down to bonking the fish on the heads to kill them and cutting the fillets with a knife.

A Rose by Any Other Name...

Jay gets the names of two boys in his class confused: Tyson and Jackson. When he played on the playground after school last week, he kept calling Tyson Jackson. When I corrected him, he responded:

"Well, I call him Jackson."

Jay's 3rd Birthday

Scrolling through the blog tonight, I noticed a terrible oversight. I haven't posted pictures from Jay's 3rd birthday party!

We had a small party with friends from preschool and gymboree in the backyard. When I first asked him who he wanted to invite, he listed all of Cole's friends and classmates. It's no wonder he considers them his best friends, he's been around them his entire life--tagging along on playdates, going to all the birthday parties, running around the preschool courtyard after class. He's spent his entire life keeping up with the big boys. No wonder he thinks the 2 and 3 year olds are boring.

The kids spent the first part of the party playing in the backyard on the swingset, in the jumpcastle, and with all the toys. Then we went inside for pizza and cupcakes (the ubiquitous birthday party menu). Because it was a small group, we opened presents after eating. All in all, it was a nice, simple party--perfect for a new three-year old!

Catching Bubbles

Playing on the deck

Yummy! Frosting!

Update to "Puppy Was a Rolling Stone"

Puppy number 2 has been found in the play kitchen--in the oven of all places!

I think I'll go back online and purchase puppy numbers 3 and 4 just in case.

Puppy Was a Rolling Stone

I've been touched by the concern and sympathy of family and friends in regards to Puppy. Your kind thoughts are greatly appreciated in our time of grief, especially now...

...because we have TWO puppies missing!!

Yes, you read that right. Two puppies.

Jay began asking for Puppy last week, so I got online and slogged through Beanie Baby websites until I discovered that Puppy's alias is "Fletch, the Golden Retriever, version 2.0" (not to be confused with version 1, which is missing the lightning bolt logo from his rump). I ordered the replacement and eagerly awaited his arrival from "Africa."

He came while I was in South Dakota at my cousin's wedding, so Rob got the honor of welcoming the prodigal puppy. Jay was ecstatic! Once again, Puppy got his own plate at dinner (with real food, of course); accompanied Jay everywhere; and snuggled next to Jay at night with his head on the pillow and blanket tucked under his chin.

The reunion was short lived, however, since the next day, Puppy II also disappeared. Apparently we can't tame the Beanie Baby wanderlust.

Have You Seen This Puppy?

Our house is in full-scale search-and-rescue mode. Jay's beloved puppy, named Puppy, is missing. He was last seen on a picnic at Center Park on Daniel Island, where I dinstinctly remember bringing him to the car. Rob and I are panicked, since we believe Jay will be inconsolable soon. At the moment, however, Jay is remarkably calm about it. According to him, Puppy is having a great adventure:

Me: I haven't seen Puppy for awhile. Do you know where he is?

Jay: He's at work.

Me: Okay. Where is he working?

Jay: In... Africa.

Me: Did you put him someplace?

Jay: No. He had to go in the biggest airplane.

Me: Where will Puppy be when he comes home?

Jay: He has to stay for this many days (holds up five fingers).

Me: Well, it's fun to pretend Puppy's at work in Africa, isn't it? But I'd like to see him right now in real life. Do you know where he is in real life?

Jay (sounding slightly exasperated): Puppy's in Africa.

When Rob got home from work today, I told him about this conversation. He tried to question Jay about Puppy's whereabouts and got the same answers.

If you happen to go to work in Africa, please tell Puppy to come home!

Imaginations at Work

Some of the boys recent playtime activities have been hilarious. I thought I'd share some of their antics.Jay with his block family: a mommy, daddy, brother, sister, baby, and cat. In the picture, it's naptime and everyone is comfy and cozy in their block beds.

A surpise birthday party for Stee (Jay's blanket) and Orange (Cole's monkey). They were expecting quite a crowd. I was lucky enough to be invited and got lots of cake and a goodie bag.

Future cross-country skiers. They had me tape blocks to their feet so they could ski around the house. Instead of snow, however, they had to ski over burning hot lava.

At least one of us will be prepared if the 90-degree temperature suddenly drops below freezing!

Say "Cheese"

A half hour before dinner, Jay decided that he was starving and needed some cheese. I told him no because I didn't want him to spoil his appetite. He whined and begged a little, then seemed to realize I wasn't going to give in.

As dinner cooked, I went upstairs to check on Cole. After a few minutes, I realized it was very quiet downstairs. Too quiet.

I quickly returned downstairs. Jay was no where to be found. I called his name a few times, then heard a rustling from behind our big chair and a half.

I tiptoed to the chair and peered over the back. There was Jay with a fork and a previously unopened bag of shredded cheddar. He had stabbed the plastic bag until he made a hole in it and was gorging on handfuls of cheese.

The sheepish, yet devilish look he gave me was priceless! I couldn't help but laugh. Nothing gets between Jay and his food!He apparently was quite pleased with the fork trick because soon after he attacked an unopened box of Corn Pops. He was not happy when I caught him before he got through the inner bag.

Thanks, Mike Rowe

The boys love the show Dirty Jobs. Its host, Mike Rowe, travels around the country doing real jobs that have some dirty, dangerous, or revolting element to them. It's a hilarious show that features jobs I am glad not to have.

One afternoon, while I was upstairs putting away laundry, I heard the boys giggling and saying, "This sure is a dirty, dirty job." Relieved that they weren't fighting, I continued to fold clothes. I should have known better.

When I returned downstairs, I discovered the dirty job that kept them so occupied:They were extremely disappointed that their version of the show ended before they had all their games and toys thrown around the kitchen. I was disappointed that unlike the professionals on the show, they did not clean up after a hard day's work.

I sent a message to Mike on his blog blaming him for the mess. I'm still waiting for him to arrive to help with my Dirty Job!

Gravity's a Bummer!

Me: Cole, get out from under the table! That is not restaurant behavior.

Cole: But Mom, I can't help it! A giant piece of gravity's holding me down.

My Sweet Southern Boy

Cole is definitely becoming a southern boy.

Today after school, he took something from another boy and made him cry. On the car ride home, he ignored my scolding, so I stopped the car, made him look at me, and told him how his behavior was wrong. When I finished, I asked if he understood and knew how he should act instead.

He hung his head and quietly replied, "Yes, ma'am."

What?! I almost laughed. I have never heard him say that before.

It makes me wonder...What did he do at school to be taught to respond that way since he has only said it when being disciplined? Hmmmm.....

I probably should teach the boys to respond to adults that way, because many southerners think it is rude for children not to say ma'am or sir. But all I can think about is the boy who moved to my elementary school from Georgia. When he called a teacher "Ma'am," she thought he was being fresh and punished him. Poor kid was so confused.

After five years here, I'm still startled by being called "Ma'am," so I doubt I'm up for teaching southern etiquette. Perhaps there are enough northern transplants in the area that the teachers are used to Yankee rudeness.

I think I'll be okay if he starts saying "Ma'am" to me since it's meant respectfully. Now I need to adjust to his southern drawl.

First a Brother, Now a Friend

Cole and Jay are becoming great buddies. Each boy now calls the other his best friend and when they are apart, they really miss each other.

Last week, I went with Cole's class to the aquarium, while Rob took Jay to Gymboree. The entire ride home, Cole wondered what Jay was doing and whether he was home already. I asked if he missed Jay, and without hesitation, he replied, "Yes!"

It is the same with Jay. When we pick Cole up from school, Jay pushes his way through the sea of parents and rushes to him. They give each other a big hug that often winds up as a tackle. It's clear they are happy to see each other again. Poor Jay is going to be a bit lost when Cole starts full-day kindergarten in the fall.

Of course, the flip side is that they also annoy, tease, torment, and compete with each other. Their fights can be vicious brawls with punches, bloodshed, and hurt feelings. But we always make them apologize and hug, and before long, they are back to playing again. I found a quote from Dylan Thomas that describes this exact relationship: "I made a snowman and my brother knocked it down and I knocked my brother down and then we had tea."

Rob and I long ago agreed that our first child would be followed by a second. We believe kids need siblings, and we are thrilled with the way it is turning out. Every day, I see them teaching each other fairness, cooperation, graciousness, and the golden rule of do unto others what you would have them do unto you. We couldn't ask for more.

Cole and Jay will always be brothers. I hope they will also always be friends.

The Ballad of Old Crust and Poopy Head

I knew this day would come. Every mother of older boys had warned me.

Cole and Jay have begun to play with pretend guns. Since we don't have any toys resembling guns, they made theirs out of Legos.

After explaining that real guns are serious and can hurt people very badly when used the wrong way, I eavesdropped on their play.

After firing a hail of Legos at each other, Cole decided there should be good guys and bad guys. And, since he and Jay were good guys, they needed names.

"My name is Old Crust," said Cole. "Jay, what is your name going to be?"

"Ummm," said Jay, thinking hard. "Poopy Head!"

So, Old Crust and his trusty sidekick Poopy Head galloped around the house, shooting Legos at all the bad guys.

We all slept well knowing that they had kept our little corner of the world safe and secure for another day.

May Old Crust and Poopy Head ride again!

Let the Fun Erupt!

Happy 5th Birthday, Cole!This picture is from Cole's party at school. I wasn't going to have a party there because the whole class was invited to our house, but as his birthday grew closer, he told everyone that at school he's going to get cupcakes and a balloon tied to his chair. He had no idea that the parents arrange and pay for it. I didn't have the heart to deny him his balloon. He had just said, "I'm the king!" when I snapped the picture.

For the party at home, Cole knew he wanted a science party, but we couldn't decide on a theme. Then, one day, he said very seriously, "I've been thinking a lot about volcanoes lately." So there it was: a volcano party.

Since true volcanologists wear protective eye gear, I handed out safety goggles when the kids arrived. They were a huge hit. I later heard stories of kids refusing to take them off for bed, baths, and church.

Of course, there must be eruptions at a volcano party! We buried bottles half-filled with baking soda in mounds of dirt. When we poured in vinegar and the mixture bubbled over, the kids practically erupted themselves. I couldn't have choreographed a better response! I'm glad we made multiple volcanoes because their reactions didn't dimish. After the third or fourth eruption, a girl got up the courage to touch the bubbly mixture and everyone gasped. When we said they could touch it, the braves ones tentatively stuck their fingers in the foam. I love the excitement and wonder children have!

Later, we tried the Mentos experiment. Apparently if you drop a pack of Mentos into soda, the chemical reaction makes a tremendous eruption. It looked great online and several sites warned to do it in a wide open area, so I expected an impressive blast. Instead we got some fizz, but no more than the vinegar-baking soda combination caused. We tried it twice with the same result. I'm still not sure why it didn't work. We have a few packs of Mentos left over so we'll have to try again.

The volcano cake was a disaster that actually turned out great. I wish I had pictures to chonicle the whole experience. The finished cake pictures are on Mom's camera. I'll post a few when I get them--they're definitely good for a laugh!

My idea was to bake the circles for a layer cake, then cut the edges off to make the yellow cake into a pyramid/mountain shape. It looked great until I tried to frost it with cholcolate frosting. I never knew that you can't frost cut cake. It crumbles and shreds and cake pieces mix into the frosting and look entirely unappetizing. The whole thing was a wreck.

I quickly dashed to Publix for more frosting and a back-up cake that I fully expected to use. At home I tried to glop more frosting on top of crumbled pieces of cake to cover up the mess, but it actually looked worse. In desperation, I scraped off the bits and pieces and was able to salvage two complete circles. After I frosted them, I had a puny, little, lopsided layer cake that I would have been embarrassed to serve.

In frustration, I started glopping the shredded cake on top and around the layer cake. To my amazement, it actually started to look like a dirt and rock covered volcano. I made rivers of lava flowing down the sides with a tube of red frosting then stuck a little glass candle holder (minus the candle) into the top for the volcanoes opening. Before singing Happy Birthday we wet dry ice in the candle holder and carried out a smoking, fiery five-candle volcano.

I'll never be a professional cake decorator, but I have to say, it looked pretty cool, especially to a bunch of 5-year-old scientists.

I still can't believe that Cole is 5 and will be in kindergarten next year. I actually tear up when I think of him in school all day. But then I console myself with the thought of spending more one-on-one time with Jay. Although he is going to be lost without Cole as well.

Look Who Found My Goggles

Christmas in Arizona (Part II)

We had a wonderful time in Scottsdale for Part Two of our Christmas. Grandma put up three trees--one for each grandkid. The big tree belonged to Cole; the medium tree belonged to Jay; and the little one to baby Sophia. A remote control turned on the lights and the boys loved pushing the button every evening. Unfortunately, they couldn't always remember where they put it, so we had to launch a few full-scale searches.

Of course, the best part of the trip for the boys was the presents! Jay's favorite was the jump castle from Grandma and Grandpa. It came in a nice, big box, which he liked as well. When someone asked him what he received, he answered, "A big box!!" We now have the jump castle in our family room until it warms up outside. Although such funishings have never been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, I think it adds a nice touch.Cole's favorite present was a rocket with detachable boosters and two astronauts. Once he opened it, he ceased to pay attention to anything anyone else did (it made a wonderful accessory to his space shirt).

The pool was another highlight. Last summer both boys were a bit tentative in our neighborhood pool. What a difference six months make! They were like little fish! Jay prefered to stay near the step. Cole hooked his arms over noodles and paddled all around, chasing the Creepy Crawler that cleans the bottom of the pool. I think they would have stayed in the pool all day. They also loved the waterfall that turned on at five o'clock. So did we because that was when the first bottle of wine was uncorked!

Christmas in South Carolina (Part I)

I've been procrastinating with the Christmas entries because so much happened. Posting it all seemed rather daunting. I finally realized that to wait any longer would just be lame.

We celebrated Christmas Eve at our home, then traveled to Arizona on Christmas Day. Santa knew our plans and visited our house a night early. We put reindeer food on the lawn so Rudolf would know the right house.

The boys' excitement was infectious!

It's FINALLY Christmas!!

Making Cookies for Santa

Enjoying Santa's Cookies

Did Santa Come??

YES!!