Lick-lish

A couple of weeks ago, I went to pick up James from his class at church.
Me: "How was class James?"
James: "We had lick-lish!"
(James loves red vines and was understandably excited.)
Me: "You did?"
James: "Yeah! I was rev'rent for my lick-lish! Gabe wasn't rev'rent for his lick-lish. The teacher just cut it a lot of times and eat it."
The teacher had red vine ropes for each child and if they were misbehaving she would cut a piece off and eat it. At the end of class, each child got what was left of their red vine rope.

The next week when I went to get James, he came out with his head hanging low and said, "I wasn't rev'rent for my lick-lish. She cut it one time and eat it."

Blankets

Mike has had serious kidney stone pain all week (same kidney stone). I took him to the doctor on Monday. James and Patrick were with us, too, and had both fallen asleep in the car on the way there. So, I dropped off Mike at the front and went and parked. I put Patrick in the stroller and then picked up James. He was totally out until we were outside the elevator and he popped his head up and said, “I don’t wanna get a shot!” I couldn’t believe he could be so coherent so quickly and that he recognized where we were. Then, when we got into the exam room, the nurse asked him what Santa was going to bring him. He thought for a few seconds and said, “Presents!” Nurse: “Oh, what kind of presents?” James: “Uhhh . . . blankets!” Nurse: “Do you like blankets?” James: “Yeah, he’s gonna bring me ten blankets!” Blankets. You gotta love it.

The Licking Monster

Genevieve came running wildly into our room tonight laughing, giggling, and screaming, “Aaaaaaahhhhhh . . . the licking monster.” Sure enough, not too far behind was Mr. James with his tongue out, ready to lick Genevieve, if only he could get close enough to her. He’s a bit tongue obsessed lately. Just last week he told me he wanted to give me a tongue kiss. I quickly explained to him that that is not a good way to kiss your mom and to please keep his tongue to himself. So glad we got all our flu shots this year.

Highlights from Hawaii

Patrick just cut four teeth at the same time! That has been cause for much sleep deprivation this week and no energy for blogging. Thank goodness for the Sunday afternoon nap. Here are some highlights from our recent trip to Hawaii.

Here's James with his Hawaii bff, Johnny (Papa and Gramma's neighbor) at Alligator Pond, our favorite beach.
James kept saying, "Gabe! I mean, Johnny!"

















James loved the dinosaur exhibit at Bishop Museum.



















James was way into the fire dancers at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
We went twice to see them.



Eagerly awaiting shave ice.


Swimming at Waimea Falls.


James and Genevieve in their PCC shirts.
James: "Now I'n a fire guy!"


A birthday cupcake before we left. James' birthday was the day after we got home. Also, notice his chin. That's not frosting. It's a butterfly bandage. Somehow James managed to split his chin open while he was in the hot tub. I decided to forgo the trip to the ER this time and butterflied and super glued it myself. It's healing rather nicely.

Turkey vs. Brazil

James was being his usual self today and at one point I said, "James, you're a turkey," to which he replied, "No, I'n a Brazil." Clever boy.

Fish Out of Water

James has been thoroughly enjoying his sister-free time here in Hawaii. Especially, the fact that he has Papa and Gramma all to himself. What more could a 3-year-old boy want in life really. It has been kind of stormy since we got here, so James has resorted to non-beach entertainment. Papa showed him how to use the snorkel and mask in the hot tub and he was such a fan that he has been snorkeling indoors as well. Other non-beach related activities have included unrolling all of the toilet paper into the toilet and flushing, locking the bathroom door and then closing it from the outside (I got to climb in the window to get the door unlocked), and spraying air freshener all over the bathroom floor and his bare chest. (He got a bath in the laundry sink after that one.) And when he finds a bit of time between bathroom antics, he has been laying on, standing on, and squeezing 9-month-old Patrick. It's not in a malicious way so much as James seems to think that Patrick is big enough to hold his own and wrestle with him now.



Also, we went to McDonald's to get a Nerf gun Happy Meal. I'm so not the kind of mom I thought I would be . . . but . . . James is so not the kid I was expecting. I guess we all adapt.

Turkey the Country and Turkey the Boy

James and I were looking at the globe earlier this week. First, we found the United States and then Brazil. Then, James turned the globe and pointed. "What's dat, Mom?" Me: "That's Turkey." James: "Turkey??? I nee a go dare!" Me: "Yeah, 'cause you're a turkey."

The next day, when I picked James up from school, Mrs. Marsh was already laughing when she was putting him in the car. And knowing that James has been really into continent work at school, I totally saw it coming. She said James was looking at a map, pointed near Asia and said, "I'n goin' dare." Mrs. Marsh, "Oh, you're going to Asia?" James: "No, Turkey. My Mom's sending me dare 'cause I'n a turkey."

I LOOOOVE this!

Orange spider web witch hat? Check.
Spider man unisuit? Check.
Fireman boots? Check.
James, are you ready for Halloween? Oh yes.

During trick-or-treating while we were walking between houses James said, "I LOOOOVE this!"

I think this was one of my favorite Halloweens. The weather was perfect. The moon was full. There were leaves everywhere. And c'mon, James' costume was just short of perfection.

Preschool Homework ?!?!

Genevieve was filling out her reading calendar the other day. I guess James thought it looked like fun 'cause he came up to me and said, "Uh, mom? I nee uh do my homework. I got a lotta homework." He was so insistent that I ended up finding a calendar online to print for him. And who knew, but that calendar kept him busy for a good 20 minutes. Then it became a paper airplane. The end.

It's Hard Work Making Your Parents Crazy

James pooped on the floor and in his pants today. It's been awhile since that has happened. We were not happy. In fact, I decided that James would not get to go to Sunday dinner at Gramma and Grampa's today. So, Mike left with the girls. James was not happy. I sent him to his room to finish throwing a fit and after 30 minutes of wailing and sobbing, it got very quiet. I waited a few more minutes and then decided to take a peek in his room. This is how I found him. He does always manage to make me laugh.

Funny Duh-ta-to

James and I ventured out to the farmer's market this week, where we picked up lots of lovely, local, organic produce. At one of the stands there were boxes of potatoes, picked fresh that very afternoon, low enough for James to reach. 5lbs for $4? We were all over it. Naturally, James chose the funniest potatoes he could find. "Wook, mom! I got a funny duh-ta-to!"

I was excited a few days later, when I realized that James could take his funny potato for show-and-tell at school. They are encouraged to bring things with educational value, especially things from nature. No toys allowed. James was excited, too. When he got in the car after school, I asked him how show-and-tell was. "It was awesome. I make my funny duh-ta-to be a gun!" How convenient.

What to Do With a Flat Soccer Ball

James found one of his old soccer balls the other day. It was completely flat and he asked me to fix it. Mike was home, so I told him I didn't know how to use the ball pump and pawned him off on Daddy. When they got back from the garage, James showed me his ball and said, "Dad humped it up!"

New Church Shoes

Sadly, James has outgrown his beloved black penny loafers. I loved them, too, because, well, they are miniature-sized penny loafers and more importantly, because James could quickly slip them on himself. We are always in a rush to get out the door. So, in an effort to avoid another week of church in Spongebob crocs, James and I went shopping for some new church shoes. We did not find any penny loafers. We were sad. But then, James came up to me with these beauties and said, "Mom! I find dem! Dare my new church shoes! Dare green ones!" How could I say no? And why would I say no to the most awesome church shoes ever?

Funny Prayer

When I picked James up from school on Friday, I asked his teacher how he was doing. I have been understandably apprehensive about him being at school. What with the running, and dumping of toys, and potty inconsistency, and well . . . the general craziness that accompanies James everywhere he goes. So, Mrs. Marsh said, "Well, every day he gets a little bit better. " Which is code for he can't get much worse. Earlier in the week, she said, "Wow, he is nothing like his sisters. I didn't know a Nyland child could have so much energy!" Yeah, that one is code for he's totally out of control. Anyway, they had their first group snack on Friday and James didn't get the memo that you're supposed to wait for the food to get passed out to everyone and then say a rhyme before you start eating. He had all his grapes in his mouth while everyone else sat patiently. On the way home in the car, I asked him how group snack was. He was very eager to tell me all about it. "We had peanut butter crackers! They're so yummy! I wike dem berry much!" Then he paused a moment and said, "Mom, they said a funny prayer."

Phone Fun

While we were at Gramma and Grampa's house tonight, Gramma played back a very funny phone message from Friday, featuring James answering the phone and talking to a solicitor while Gramma was doing laundry. Audio will be forthcoming. Here's a transcript in the meantime.

James: Hadoe?
Unsuspecting Salesgirl: Hi, is Gerald there?
James: Yep.
Then a few seconds of nothing but cartoons in the background.
James: I go to school.
Salesgirl: Oh, you do?
James: Yeah.
Salesgirl: Oh, how cool. Is your mommy or daddy there?
James: No, I'n just by myself.
Pause . . .
James: I'n at Gramma's house.
Salesgirl: Gramma's?
James: Yeah, Gramma's house.
Salesgirl: Oh, can I talk to Grampa?
James: No, he's at work.
Salesgirl: Oh, he is? Oh, okay. Well, we'll just call him back another time.
James: Okay.
Salesgirl: Okay, thank you.
James: Bye.
Salesgirl: Alright, bye.

Have a listen for yourself.

I Believe in Miracles

James just pooped on the potty. Then he said, "That was awesome." It really was. Now he's playing wii resort.

Cold Turkey

This week was probably the worst week of James' life and subsequently one of the worst of mine. We took away his binkies, bottles, and wii. . . cold turkey. (He gets to play the wii again after he goes poop on the potty. So far, he only goes in his pants.) The first couple of nights were pretty pathetic. He just cried in his bed and said, "It's too hard. I don't wanna do it. I don't wike it." He had some serious withdrawl to contend with. Now that it's been a week, I dare say he's a bit calmer. A bit. Without the constant need to feed his wii addiction, he has taken to doing jigsaw puzzles again to fill his time. A couple of days ago, after one of the girls came out of the bathroom, James said, "You go poop on the potty? You can play wii!"