Spunk, Anyone??

Though the photo at left has little to nothing to do with this post, I post it anyway.....because this was the smile that was pasted on that oh-so-innocent face tonight, when those cute little lips spewed forth buckets of spunk. 

Set Stage:  Bill, Jen and Camille sit at kitchen table, regrouping after day at work and childcare.  Jen has feet on chair, feeling lack of energy on Friday afternoon. 

Bill:  "Geez....it's been a few weeks now and my hamstring still isn't quite right." 

Camille:  "Well Daaaad...You're just gonna have to learn to live with it." 

And approximately five minutes later, apparently fed up with small talk and lack of action, after Bill suggested twice that I go exercise:

Bill (to Jen):  Okay, mom.  Go work out.  Go for your run.  I'll take Camille and Jack and go get Brooke.

Jen:  Okay......okay.

Camille:  "Well, Mom, how come you keep saying okay but you aren't doing a thing about it?" 

Okay, I guess we're calling it like it is today.  

Beth, remember on one of your last days here in Omaha at the Tasting Room when we worried together about her speech and ability to sustain conversation??  You really need a dose of her in person.  She's come a long and sassy way.   




Post-script:  I missed the boat on blogging about her piano recital back in May, but this picture was from that day and she did a smashing job with her two-handed Cuckoo piece.

Five equals Two

As of Sunday, when you ask Jack how old he is, he proudly holds up his hand, spreads out all five fingers, and announces, "I two!!"

And two he is.  Hard to believe.  I just happened upon some extraordinary pictures that my uber-super-photographer sister-in-law Carol took the day after he was born, and in doing so, I felt a little as though I was in a time warp. 

Gone is Jack in one-day-old fresh innocence.  Here is Jack, taking ownership of toddlership. 

Some of my faves about Action Jack at two years, four days:

• He is BUSY, BUSY, BUSY.  Though this mostly wears me out, his energy also inspires  me.



• His favorite place is outside.  Try to make him come in and you get the glare and the head tilt to the shoulder....or an outright scream. 

• His second favorite place is the pantry.  Insert Jack quote: " I anna sack."  Insert translation: " I wanna snack.

• His favorite activity:  Baseball.  He would play out in the yard with his daddy and his wiffle ball all day long.  LOVE watching this out the window when they don't know I'm looking.

• He loves that his Aunt Sissy lives in town. Eight out of ten times, when we turn into a neighborhood, his voice pipes up from the back seat, "Aun See-see?  Peena?"  Insert translation, "Aunt Sissy?  Athena (the dog)?"

• His signature run.  You have to see it to know and love it. 

• "Weed it ma-mee."  Insert translation:  "Read it mommy."  This refers to love of books and story time.

• His sweetness in being a great helper, at daycare and at home.

• His ability to be flexible in assuming his role as "the student" of his two older sisters.  At this rate, I'll have little left to teach him as they've already taught him colors and shapes!

• And probably my most favorite thing of all:  "PIES!!"  Insert translation: "Surprise!"  This would be referring to his routine of wrapping up in a towel after bath and flashing it open with a huge smile while shouting previously mentioned quote, revealing his buck nakedness.   Sorry, you're going to hate me for that one later, bud.

Love you little man Jack!  Happy five equals two.

P.S.  You gotta see the cake that Tonya at Hyvee made.  I asked for Cookie Monster, and she gave it to us....check out the frosting that looks like fur!!  And the real cookie crumbs in Cookie's mouth.  Priceless.