January 31, 2010

Downside to having a Christmas brother

It is hard to get the concept of christmas, when you have a brother who was born just after.... and gifts and presents trickle in for a month.... especially when some of those gifts are not all for Brock, but some are for Quinn.

Running in circles

Quinn, literally ran circles around me for nearly an hour... She loves to grab a jump rope and with me as the center, run circles around me "really fast"

Awesome... I can't think of any better way to burn energy. Me sitting stationary holding on to a rope, and she running as fast as she can for an hour.

If only it was always this easy.

January 30, 2010

Baby health expo

Had a great time at this expo.... It was a perfect thing for $8 and 40 degrees outside... All of the bounce housed and obstacle courses that you could want.... Then 100% juices, yogurts, and healthy snack samples from just about every vendor....

Downside!??? Just so overstimulated that nap was exceedingly difficult



January 29, 2010

With enthusiasm

It is such fun to watch Quinn's face when she has something to say. Her eyes light up, her smile goes from ear to ear, and she get so excited about whatever catches her eye. Today, walking back to class after gymnastics, she pointed out the big slide at the deep end of the pool. I asked if she had gone down the slide with daddy. Her reply, with face alight was, "No, but maybe I can do that when I'm older!" A new adventure to look forward to!!

Even her teacher, Miss Marie, said how enthusiastic Quinn is. And how flexible. I don't know if she was referring to Quinn's physical flexibility or if she meant that Quinn would easily go along with new ideas. Oh, and how verbal she is, how smart she is, and what a joy she is to have in class. :-)

January 27, 2010

Swim class

Here is a quote from Quinn's swim coach:

Today, during lesson, Quinn kept volunteering to go first for each swimming skill. She would have preferred that I keep letting her swim and skip the boys (Harrison and Collin)! She did terrific today.

January 26, 2010

Two chopsticks

At dinner, Quinn crossed two chopsticks, and said look it's a "t". I took her lead and we made a "v","T", and "x". The I asked her to make an "L", she handed me one chopstick, saying here is the "l". A perfectly valid answer.

Popo said that it was an answer that daddy would give.



January 25, 2010

Just one of the girls...

When Pam's Dad and Cindy were here for a visit Quinn got the most enjoyment in being in the "all girls" car with just mom and Cindy (who became a tia for this trip). So Pappy, dad and Brock had to ride in a separate car. Only when there were less than all six of us did she allow us to "mix it up".

January 24, 2010

You say what

Quinn says "What" alot... even after you give her an answer..... a usual conversation is....
"Quinn, please put that down"
"What"
"put that down"
"What"
"Please put that down"

So today after the initial comment, and Quinn said "what"... we said "what" back.
So quinn said "what", and we said "what"

this went on a couple of times, then Quinn got frustrated and said "I say what" you say "yes".

So she said "what", we said "yes", and then Quinn said "what??" - as if to ask what we were saying what to.

It was a very funny exchange, that doesn't translate well to this blog.

January 19, 2010

Beauty and the Beast

We had a spontaneous playdate with Jonah tonight. Now Jonah is the reason why the "Terrible Twos" exists.... he is quite a handful (Although I'm not sure that is as appearent to Quinn)...

Anyways, while Jonah was taking a bath and Quinn was watching... we got on the subject of princesses and princes, and then Quinn says "I'm the beauty your the beast".

How true it is....

Dreams

Since Brock has been born, I (Daddy) have had a very realistic dream nearly every night. It is just a dream, but I always wake up believing Quinn has come into the room and either played with the ipod, or come into bed, or something. When I wake up, I'm always confused as why she is not there.

Like this morning, I truely believed that at 4am there were three of us sleeping in bed, but when we Brock woke at 5:30, I asked Pam where Quinn was.... She looked at me funny and said - still asleep.

January 18, 2010

Quinn in charge

Not that Quinn runs everyone's lives all the time, but she is pretty firm in her beliefs. And she believed, this time, that the way to go home from Popo's house was to have the "girls car". Mommy, Cindy and Quinn would ride together. Daddy, Pappy and baby Brock would be in the boy's car. And that's the way it went.

January 17, 2010

Pretend diapers

While using wipes as pretend diapers, she wanted more.... Pam said no. Quinn says "but they have poop in them," in a perfectly toned whine



My nails are too long

"My nails are too long" is code for "let's watch a sesame street podcast while your trim my nail.... trimming my nails is optional."

January 16, 2010

Heart melting

While putting Quinn to bed...."Daddy, I had fun painting the menorah with you today." Followed by a big hug and kiss.....

Awwwwwww......shucks..........



January 15, 2010

Egocentric example

When I picked Quinn up from school, I told her that Popo, Popop, Pappy, and Cindy would be having dinner with us tonight. She said that "Popo and Popop have never met Pappy before."

Dunno.... I think that is cute.

Problem Solver

Quinn is very good at solving problems. Twice today she came through. Pam had wanted me to take a picture of Coach Carrie from gymnastics so Quinn could put it on her calendar board. I was explaining to her that we'd have to wait till next time as I had forgotten my camera. She said, " You can use your phone, Popo." Duh. Why didn't I think of that? Well, I haven't yet conquered all the mechanics of my new phone. I asked Quinn how to take a picture with it. She came running, but the coach helped me first.

When gymnastics is over the coach gives the kids stamps. Quinn loves to get them on her hands, feet and belly. The problem today was that, for the first time, she was wearing a leotard. I could almost hear the wheels turning as she was trying to figure out how she could get a stamp on her belly since she couldn't pull up her shirt. She figured it out - she slipped her arm out of one side of the leotard so she could pull it down to expose the area. It's just always a hoot to see what she'll do next. :-)

January 11, 2010

Swim class

Swim class started today.... Teachers said she had a lot of fun.... Quinn showed alot of excitement toward it... When asked what she did in swim class, she said she got a lollipop



January 09, 2010

Screaming kiss

Maya came over for a playdate. She is just as precocious as Quinn... And there is certainly a love/hate thing going on( bouncing off the walls excited all day, but then didn't want her touching any of her toys when she got here.)

Anyways, when they got into it, they'd start screaming at each other and keep moving closer until they were literally screaming into each others mouths.

We couldn't help but laugh.

January 08, 2010

iPod touch

What a great tool. Not only can mom and dad surf and blog while feeding/holding Brock, but Quinn has her own screen full of educational games...


Everyone wins

January 07, 2010

So what do you do?

If your reasourceful daughter has taken it upon herself to cover her face at night to protect herself from scary monsters who might eat her face.... Do you reward her resourcefulness and ease her mind saying that will help ( with a little adjustment to make sure our nose and mouth stay out for breathing), but essentially confirming monsters.

Or ease fears by down playing monsters existance?

I guess the first, as it respects her emotions and resourcefulness.... Seems Luke the latter is not as sensitive to her needs.

Sorry for the rambling, I'm a little sleep deprived and need to do something to keep me awake while Quinn is trying to go to sleep.

Lindos momentos

Esta semana fuimos al Health Museum, Triple A (toy store) y volvimos a las Clases de Musica con la compania de Popo (Quinn muy sorpredida por su precencia). Juntas disfrutamos mucho de nuestros paseo, aunque son mas solicitados si papa y mama no estan en casa. Es muy interesante compartir con todos la noticia "hermana mayor" sin olvidar "la guitarra" . Que buenas son las tardes de Quinn despues de las siestas. Este ultimo tiempo mi espaƱol es traducido constantemente en Ingles por mi profesora Quinn. Disfrazarme, bailar y cantar son actividades que nos llenan de emosion. Quinn es muy delicada con su hermano pero cuesta recordad "lavarse las manos".

Imitation

Quinn breast fed her doll along with mommy today.



Whoa Quinn-e-o

Quinn said "whoa Quinn-e-o" when she squeezed out to much soap...

This is a variation on "whoa Daddio" which Pam says to indicate that daddy has put in "too much cereal"


100% chance of grumpy

Brock woke at 4am hungry, but didn't actually want to eat and didn't go back to sleep. His crying startled Quinn who wouldn't go back to bed. Pam got peed on twice. Drew can't go into another room without Quinn having a meltdown about him leaving. It is raining and the tempurature is going to drop 30 degrees to the upper 20s.

Brock gets his circumcision and 1 week appt today.

Sabrina was up late looking at a depressing list of apartments that she can't afford.

Yup, grumpy day all around... Can't wait.



January 04, 2010

Sequitor - stream of conciousness

(there is no way that I am gonna get this right as it happened in the course of about 10 seconds... But I'll see if I get close.. Couldn't tell if this was a sequitor or a non-sequitor, becuase I was laughing too hard)

I want a jelly sandwich
Not peanut butter
You like peanut butter, I don't like peanut butter
Apples and peanut butter are okay
You have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I'll have a jelly sandwich
You spread the peanut butter on half and the jelly on half
Cut them in half, they'll be the same.
Then the jelly squirts out
Then we have jelly on our clothes
Tina had food on her clothes
There was a party
Popo was at the party
A guy in a mask in a long sleeve shirt, long pants, and pig face.

Looks it's shampoo

"Look it's shampoo," says Quinn pointing to the dolphins in her coloring book. "No that's Shamu, and he is a killer whale, not a dolphin"



January 02, 2010

Losing a nap

If we are indeed losing a nap and can have Quinn expend as much energy as she did today ( it took every amount of our effort to not have her fall alseep in the 10 minute ride to dinner)... I don't know if I mind the 7:30 bed time.:)

Lama sneezes

Was at a bday party with a petting zoo. We were feeding the lama when it sneezed on us. Quinn was quite upset by this.

Instigator

At Maya's birthday party, Quinn kept convincing Maya that she wanted to open presents. Her Mom had wisely planned on not opening presents during the party. So with Quinn's help, her mom kept having to divert those efforts.

Also at a croweded house with 15+ toddlers, people are still remarking that "Wow she is busy"

January 01, 2010

Making Biscuits

Had a great time making biscuits today with Quinn. She told me when to stop pouring the milk; she cracked the egg and dumped in the yeast. She measured and dumped the flour sugar and salt. Then she helped stir a little bit.

She didn't help with the kneading or rolling, but came back for the cutting with the biscuit cutters.

She loves to cook!