Jack's haircut

I took Jack and Elizabeth for haircuts last Saturday--Elizabeth got a trim, and Jack got a buzz cut--the shortest it's been since he came home from China.  He made everyone around him laugh when, after the stylist spun his chair around so he could see what he looked like in the mirror, he said:  "Hey, where'd my hair go?"  It makes me smile just writing about it here!

Duncan

Duncan went to the vet yesterday for a check-up and shots.  He tested positive for Lyme Disease, though, so he's now on meds for the next month.  We had to re-schedule his shots for next month.  Oh, and he weighed in at a whopping 114 lbs.  (Wish I did).

more about my sweet Jack

While shopping last week, we stopped at W*lmart to look for Valentine's Day cards for the kids to take to school and to daycare.  As Elizabeth and I looked at the card choices, Jack wandered off a bit to do a little shopping on his own.  He came back carrying two plastic long-stemmed red roses and handed them to me, saying, Happy Valentine's Day, Mommy!  My heart just melted!  What a little sweetheart!  Two little old ladies standing nearby saw what he did and said in unison, Awwwww! 

On Valentine's Day, I gave both Jack and Elizabeth chocolate in heart-shaped boxes and stuffed animals, too--Elizabeth got a white dog with pink ears, and Jack got a blue dog covered with polka-dots--or, as he calls them, "poke-a nuts"!

Elizabeth brought a shoebox to school on Valentine's Day that she'd decorated last week to hold all of her Valentine's Day cards.  Instead of picking up after she'd finished decorating her shoebox, I'd left all of the extra stickers and glitter glue on the dining room table, and there everything stayed for a week.  While filling out Jack's Valentine's Day cards at the dining room table on Sunday evening, I really didn't pay too much attention to what Jack was doing.  When I finally did look over, it was to see him peeling and sticking heart stickers to the side of the bowl that I'd used to hold the stickers Elizabeth used on her shoebox.  He even found time to add some silver glitter glue to the edge of the bowl.  I couldn't get angry--he was so proud of himself--and it did look pretty, to be perfectly honest.

Happy Valentine's Day!



They really do love one another--it makes my heart glad.



Love how his shirt hangs out in this picture. 

So sweet.

While waiting for our pictures on Sunday, a family came into the studio to have their own photos taken.  I couldn't help but notice that the little boy in the family was wearing black shoes, black pants, a white shirt, and a red cable-knit sweater.  His mom and I exchanged smiles at our sons' similar outfits.  All the children began to play together while we waited.  A few minutes later, Elizabeth shouted over to me, Mom, his name is Jack, too!  The other mom and I laughed at that, and then she said to me, You have good taste!  I said, So do you!  Too funny!

my little chef...

...really loves his chef hat!

Elizabeth finally lost another tooth!

For the past few months, Elizabeth has had a very wiggly front tooth that stubbornly refused to fall out.  The adult tooth even came in behind it and pushed it so that it stuck straight out from the rest of her teeth.  I tried everything to get her to pull it out herself or to let me do it, to no avail.  She was so scared that it was going to hurt.  This afternoon, she and Jack went outside to play in the snow.  About fifteen minutes after they went out, Elizabeth came inside in a bit of a panic, asking me if her tooth had fallen out.  She said she'd fallen and bumped her tooth.  When she opened her mouth, all I saw was blood.  I initially thought that she'd swallowed it, but then I saw through all the blood that the tooth was still there but now was bent at a weird angle.  Elizabeth said, Just pull it out, Mom.  I asked, Are you sure?  She nodded yes, so I tugged a bit and--woo hoo--out it FINALLY came!  I think the Tooth Fairy will come to our house tonight...

"present moon" and other sweet things Jack says

Jack excitedly pulled me over to the window a couple nights ago to see the "present" moon.  It took me a few moments to figure out that he wanted to show me the crescent moon.  Pretty good for a three year old, I thought.

And, before I forget:  for Groundhog Day at daycare, the children made groundhogs out of construction paper and talked about how the groundhog looks for his shadow every year on this day.  Apparently, they had lots of fun looking for their own shadows throughout the day.  At pick-up, Jack couldn't wait to show me his groundhog, which he pulled out of his bag as soon as I walked in the door.  He said, "Look at my grandpa!"  (I really don't think he named it after my father, because he calls my father "Papa."  Nope, in his mind, the word "groundhog" actually is pronounced "grandpa").

He often says, "Pick me up me!" and "I have a present you!" (this, as he hands me one of his toys wrapped up in his blankie).

(to be continued)

Valentine's Day is fast approaching

 

fake grouchy

so Elizabeth did her Valentine's Day cards today after dance.  She and I then decorated a shoebox for her to take to school to hold all of the cards that she will get there.  (And can you tell from the pictures that it is snowing outside?)

their new game

Jack and Elizabeth have devised a new game, which they've called Poison 3.  Here's how it's played:  They both climb onto the back of the couch and call the dog to them.  When he comes over, Elizabeth jumps down on the floor and stands with her back to the couch.  Jack jumps down onto the couch and climbs onto Elizabeth's back, and she gives him a piggyback ride around the house in a big circle through the living room, kitchen, and dining room.  While they make their way around the house, they call to the dog.  The dog (of course) follows them.  The faster they go and the more they call him, the more excited he gets, and the more they laugh.  Their laughter, by the way, is contagious!  They've only wiped out once, a couple days ago, when Elizabeth slipped in the kitchen on water that had spilled from Duncan's water dish onto the floor.  Why is it called Poison 3?  Elizabeth said it's called Poison 3 because there are three players, and if Duncan touches one of them while they're playing, it's poison (???).  So, Poison 3.  I don't know how (or if) they keep score, and I have no idea where any of this came from, but they've played it every day for about the last week.  It really is funny to watch.  (I love to watch them play together, and to hear them laugh--oh, my!).