First trip to Bassett's

My Grandpa took my dad, my dad took my brother and I. Saturday it was Zack's turn. It was a big hit (and the water tastes the same).

2 years, 40 weeks

He's been pretending to be various animals lately--a cat, a dog, a snake, a rabbit. What's really sweet is that wants us to pet him when he's a dog or cat or rabbit (not the snake). He lies on the floor and we rub his back. I started picking up the cat or dog or rabbit to pet him on my lap. Now he's started lying in my lap and saying "I'm a rabbit." It's as if he's too much of a big boy to snuggle with us, but it's ok if he pretends to be a snuggly animal. I think it's super sweet and am loving it.

He's becoming a bit more melodramatic when things don't go his way. It happened a few times this week when I took him to school. I'd say No to something he had his mind set on, and he'd look at me. And the bottom lip would stick out--oh, can he work that lip! And the face would start to crumble. And then the crocodile tears would start to flow. And flow. And flow some more. I'd explain to him why x,y, or z wasn't possible amongst the wailing. I'd ask him if he were listening to me---sniff, sniff...yeah........sniff. Then the dramatic wiping of the eyes with the hem of his shirt. I can't quite describe it but even that has the ability to tug on heart strings. A few more sniffs and then we're usually ok, though he is entirely capable of keeeping the distraught face going for some time for maximum effect.

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

His picture day outfit, while he's making waffles for himself.

Zack was scheduled to have school pictures taken last week. We realized that perhaps we should have his hair cut so that he didn't look like a ragamuffin. Given his past reluctance to have his hair cut, we figured we should start talking it up. His first reaction when we said he might get his hair cut?

"Lollipop?"

And that was his primary concern for the next couple days. He marched into the shop, sa on the seat all by himself, sat completely still while she cut away, and all in all acted like he got his hair cut every day while Rob and I wondered what alien had possessed our son. He didn't even want a second piece of candy--just a lollipop.

And then we were told he wouldn't smile for his pictures.

We went for a walk this past Sunday. I'm not sure why we bother with the stroller anymore. After about 10 minutes of that, Zack announces "out!" and he runs the rest of the way. Literally. He's already training for cross-country, as best I can tell. Of course we stopped at the playground. My boys had fun.

Zack rediscovered his pull toy dog. He was treating it like a real dog, pulling it around, saying "Come on." He had it lie under his chair while he was eating dinner. I asked him what the dog's name was. Without missing a beat he answered "Placido." I recalled that a few days before we'd been watching a Sesame Street episode with a character named Placido who then met and sang with Placido Domingo. I guess he recalled the same thing.

We were lucky enough to be visited by our dear friend Kristen one night last week. Zack asked numerous times to go for a walk, and I had told him numerous times that we couldn't because we had to be there when Kristen arrived. After asking for the umpteenth time, I responded by saying "What did I say?"

"Please."

"No, that's what you say. What did I say about going for a walk?"

"Yes."

Trouble does not even begin to describe what we're in for.

Way to go, JoPa!

Halloween

Yes, I'm behind in posting. This fall is turning out to be pretty busy--both with work and with fun. I'm sure there's a lot of interest in Halloween, so I'll start there.

Zack has been having a blast walking around the neighborhood looking at the Halloween decorations. He's particularly fond of pumpkins but also likes bats and skulls. It's amazing how quickly he picked up on all the new things like jack-o-lanterns and witches.

Zack picked out his own costume and dubbed it Bruce, after the Bruce in Finding Nemo. He even started saying "Fish are friends. Not food." But clammed up as soon as I brought out the video camera.

Sunday was a blast. Uncle Geoff came over for the first time in awhile, which gave Zack a new audience which started getting him really wired. the M n M's may have made a small contribution as well. Then we asked him if he wanted to get his costume on to go trick or treating. He headed right for his jacket and was ready to go (I love how he takes it upon him self to get the ball rolling.) He went to a few houses. He got the royal treatment (along with a few more pieces of candy) at Ed and Cecelia's house. He'd say "Trick or treat" to anyone he saw on the sidewalk but totally clammed up when he was at someone's door. After he got back, he answered the door with me, still in costume, and gave everyone a good "Roarrrrrrrr". There's something wacky going on with our camera, so the pics aren't as good or as plentiful as I'd hoped, but I think you get the idea. Just picture a little shark running around in our front yard and you'll get the idea.

At the end of the day

The Friday before Halloween was a breakfast and Halloween party at Zack's school. All the parents went into the auditorium to wait for the kids to parade in and sing a bunch of songs. This was really just too adorable for words. This was pretty much Z's expression throughout--kind of "So this is what those crazy adults have cooked up now."

Aside from Halloween, he's been busy growing, exploring, and trying to outsmart us. Oh, and did I mention that I've found him in the fridge on a number of occasions, getting himself a yogurt? Ummm, yeah. It's amazes me what he can do, like make himself a waffle. He gets it out of the freezer, opens the bag, takes one out, puts it in the toaster oven and pushes down the button. All I have to do is cut it up and put on the syrup.

Play-doh is his new favorite thing. He plays with that for the longest time. He'll ask us to make things for him, too ("Make an airplane/sea horse/mouse/pumpkin/ghost/turtle/giraffe, Mommy!") And then he proceeds to cut them up. Sigh.

His vocabulary continues to grow at what seems to be a rapid rate. Which means he can use it to his advantage, too ("No, Mommy do it, not Zack"). He can tell us about things that happened awhile ago. And he loves to play jokes and games. His big thing now is to "boo" people--in other words, scare them. You just have to ignore the fact that you can hear him coming a mile away.

He still loves his school and talks about all the other kids by name. It takes us forever to get him out of there in the evening. They do a lot of art projects and music, get a lot of outdoor time (he was riding a scooter the other day when I picked him up), and he gets Spanish and yoga classes, too.

His meltdowns are a bit more intense these days, but they're no more frequent and are usually fairly short-lived. Oh the crocodile tears that he sheds! But once he starts to calm down, he take the bottom of his shirt or goes and gets a tissue to dry them. I can't quite describe it, but it's so endearing how he does it.

We hope you all had a happy Halloween!