Logan and the Amish

My family and parents went to Shreve in order to get our Christmas tree. We saw a horse and buggy across the street and the horses were in a full run. Logan said, "Wow Mom, they haven't used those since the eighties!"

Elliot Update

Elliot has been teething. He has stopped taking a bottle completely and is horrible for anyone keeping him who isn't able to nurse him. (Although, he does LOVE Lilly, his babysitter's daughter.)

He enjoys rolling over into peril and gumming toys. He also enjoys blowing raspberries. He has drooled himself into an itchy mess around his chin and has what has been described as a "backwards goatee."

Elliot rolls back and forth grabbing his toes while blowing occasional wet berries for the family.

He has been nicknamed Mini but has recently been going by the alias Boo. This is because Connor can pronounce Boo and heard me call him Boo Boo Bear one time. It has stuck and Connor uses it often.

Connor Updates

Noug Nougs (pronounced Nuck Nucks) - Chicken Nuggets.

Yesterday he was asking for Noug Nougs for breakfast. . .so I made him eggs and yogurt. He ate his food and then asked immediately again. I stopped and got him nuggets on the way to my mom's. He started crying when he went in and was yelling, "No! Ma noug nougs. No! Dock" Because Chester was coming toward him to say hello.

I spied on Kevin and Connor last night. Kevin was reading in his rocking chair and Connor was laying in his crib. He had his leg up in the air, crossed over onto his other leg. His book was balanced on his leg and he was reading, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," and chuckling.

Connor has been painting his face with his food. He got a small container of baby oreos and has been licking each one and running it on his face until he is covered in blackness. He also does this with yogurt, syrup, and anything else he can find.

Logan's definitions

Logan saw Christmas lights at the Hickeys. He was trying to decide what shape the lights made and said that they looked like a "Medieval Mickey Mouse." I asked him what medieval meant and he said, "You know Mom! When it is mostly evil but still a little good."

Connor's Potty Training

Connor pooped in the potty today at approximately 8:05. He then proceeded to tell his daddy by pointing at his booty in the hallway. He celebrated with a rice crispy treat. I have taken pictures (of Connor, not his accomplishment) and will be posting.

Adoption Day!

Kevin and Logan are celebrating their adoption day today! After first playing the Wii, Kevin and Logan headed off to Krispy Kreme for a healthy lunch that makes every mother cringe. They continued on to Dave and Busters in Cleveland and then went to Bob Evans (Logan's pick.)

Kevin said that he wasn't sure who was more excited about the games. Logan won a huge stuffed dog (which has sparked several feuds between him and Connor) and got Connor a neat cup with a twisty straw.

We finished the evening together as a family. Connor chanted "Hulk on!" until the Avengers started. . and we all hung out.

Logan went to school the next day and told his friends and teacher that he got to stay home, eat donuts, and play video games.

Overall, both boys says the day was a success.

My sick day

Last week (Thursday) I got really sick. I ended up staying at home in bed with the flu, my head spinning on Friday. Logan got home and found me. He asked if it was okay if he checked up on me every thirty minutes. He went and made me a get well card and then asked where he could put it so I could see it right when I woke up. He came back every thirty minutes until 9:00 when he said he was done for the night and asked if there was anything else I needed.

It so nice to experience his nurturing side. It gives me hope that Kevin and I are doing something right and that Logan will grow into a wonderful husband and father!

Connor

Connor has been adding words to his vocabulary like crazy. Here are a few of his favorites:

Lalala - Butterfly
Too Hot! - Bon Fire
Appa Joots - Apple Juice

He is still talking in sounds. Here is a story that he told Kevin about Friday night.

It went like this:

Ababababa too hot! (The bon fire was too hot!) A poop a wawa. (I pooped on the wagon.) Anana Bach Bach Apapa Bach Bach Abooboo (Grandma Tam and Grandpa Tom and Elliot were there.) Connor opens mouth and points repeatedly (I put marshmallows in my checks and ate them.)

Connor is also becoming just like Kevin. He sits in his play room and goes through all of the action figures that are down there. His favorites are Cyclops, Magneto, and Batman. He calls all heros Ironman but refers to his toys as his "Dadas."

Elliot was holding a toy that Connor wanted and he was insisting he needed it. My mom gave it to him but asked him to go get another for Boo Boo. Connor left and actually came back holding his prized Magneto and gave it to Boo Boo. He said, "Anana Bach Bach, A dada, A BooBoo?" (this meaning, Grandma, Can I give Magneto to Elliot?"

Elliot

Elliot began rolling over at the beginning of last week. He was making his way from back to front, and getting stuck. He is now able to roll from front to back as well - but doesn't do it nearly as often.

Elliot has also been refusing his bottle. He has gone for nine hours without eating because he hates it! He screams when he sees it and thrashes around. He would rather sleep than take from the bottle.

So - we tried cereal this week. He doesn't get it with me because he is happy nursing. Jill is going to try it though and see how he does. I gave him his first few bites yesterday and he just looked confused.

Elliot has also decided that he loves Kevin this week. He has been smiling like crazy at him when he walks in the room with a look that says, "Here I am! Over here, Over here! Come get me!" It's really sweet!

Logan's interest in girls.

Logan says, "Mom, if you want to see some beautiful girls, just look at my phone." He left for school - as serious as could be.

He had taken pictures of my mom's chickens and had them set as his background.

Connor's new accomplishments

Connor has been using the potty off and on for the past two weeks. He is now peeing in the potty up to four times a day. He consistently wakes up from nap and bedtime with a dry diaper. He insists on pushing his button (belly) and then giggles in glee when he hears the pee. He yells "Ta Da" when he is done, claps once above his head, and then gets to flush.

Connor also spoke his first real sentence. It went, "a foobaw a Jill's how." Translated, it is "There's a Football at Jill's House." He is consistently using two words together now, and is pretty articulate.

Connor still speaks in sounds. Here are some of his new favorites:

Vroom Vroom Box - Cars lunch box used to carry his cars.
Vroom Vroom Potty - Cheer after he uses his potty - taught to him by Grandpa K.
Bock Bock - Chickens
Who Who Ha Ha - Monkeys (often blamed for peeing in his diaper)
num nums - anything tasty
Boo Boo - Short for Boo Boo Bear A.K.A Elliot
A ton Mac - On your mark

Connor's newest troublesome behaviors are: Helping himself to an assortment of condiments, drinks, and treats from the refrigerator. Painting himself and the table with his yogurt. Slurping his applesauce out of his cup like a puppy. And stealing/opening packages of Ho Hos in the market and at breakfast time.

Connor feels left out when he isn't given homework and lies on the floor next to Logan to complete his while Logan works on his 3rd grade work.

Logan and Isaiah

Logan and Isaiah, a friend down the street, wanted to go into Isaiah's house to play. I told them they needed to wait for Isaiah's mom to get home. . and then they could ask her.

I then heard Logan and Isaiah conspiring to get inside. They waited for Jody to return, and Isaiah asked to use the bathroom. Then Logan followed him inside, pretending that he too needed to use it.

Both boys insisted that they needed "to go number 2." However, Jody found them lounging on Isaiah's bed. . not in the bathroom.

We both had to tell the boys that lying about Number 2 is no excuse. It was ridiculous!

Elliot's 4 month check up

Elliot weighed in at 15 lbs and 32 inches. He is in the fiftieth percentile for height and weight. They checked his hips, pulled on his arms, looked in his ears, and tinkered with him and decided that he is in fact a baby and is doing well. Connor at this age was off the charts in both height, weight, and head size.

Connor at Fazoli's

Every time we go to Fazoli's, Connor begs for new bread sticks before he finishes his own. I told him that he needed to finish his bread stick before he got a new one. So Connor picked up his stick, moved it to the opposite side of his plate, said "done" and reached for a new one.

Logan and Baby Elliot

Logan was looking at Elliot and me in confusion and finally says, "Mom, are you sure Elliot is a boy?" I say, "Yeah Logan, we're pretty sure!" Logan says, "How do you know?" I say, "Well, the Dr. said so, plus he has a wiener." Logan says, "Yeah! But everyone does."

About three hours later, Logan asks me again if I'm sure. He says, "Mom, look at his eyelashes! I mean, come on! That's a girl."

Logan and Tyler

Logan was inside crying because Tyler (the neighbor) elbowed him in the mouth giving him a fat lip. He told me that he then chased Tyler and was punching him when his dad stepped in. I told him that he wasn't allowed to hit, even if he was hit first, and carried him to the neighbors house so he could apologize.

So, Tyler and his mom came out to the front porch. Logan says, "First, next time we battle I'm going to totally destroy you. Oh. . .and sorry I punched you." (Imagine him saying this in the snarkiest voice possible.)

Tyler says, "Yeah. . .sorry I hit you in the mouth like this (shows what he did.) I meant to hit you in the chest.

Both boys then chuckled about how Tyler had meant to hit Logan and were friends again.

Trip to Idlewild

Kevin and I promised Logan that we would take him to Idlewild if he didn't get into any trouble at school last year. So, we waited until the last weekend of summer and took of with my parents.

Connor walked around with my mom and I. . .visiting all of Storybook park. Logan went with my dad and Kevin. . .riding all of the coasters and working on "conquering his fear of heights." By the end of the day, he felt better about heights but said that that didn't include riding the Ferris Wheel because that was "a different type of fear."

Overall, the trip was like any trip to an amusement park. So. . I'll stick to the highlights.

Connor was holding batman and a car (a.k.a. Vroom Vroom) and was also holding Grandma's (a.k.a. Anana Bach Bach's) hand. I asked him to hold my hand too. . and he looked from Grandma to me and didn't know how to do it. He ended up giving Batman to my mom. . but couldn't part with his car. He passed it from his left hand to his right hand trying to figure out how to hold all three. He finally opened his mouth and put his car in and reached out for both of our hands.

Logan and I were schooled in a game of Monopoly with Grandpa. Logan told Grandpa that it wasn't right for him to take money from his Grandson and tried to hold off the inevitable. During the game, the word jockstrap was brought up. Logan giggled and told us that it was a bra for men.

More later. . with pictures.

Max and Erma's

Kevin and I met for lunch last week (Hall of Fame week for Canton) at Max and Erma's. As soon as we sat down, Elliot wanted to eat so I started nursing in the corner of our table.

When we first arrived, there was a man down the aisle trying to catch my eye. When I looked up, he smiled and nodded his head. I felt a bit odd, like he was trying to flirt, so I just didn't look at him.

He turned in his booth so that he was facing the family and he stared the entire while we sat. Kevin noticed too, and we both agreed that it was the most uncomfortable stare and lunch we have ever had. Connor loved it though and turned to have an unintelligble conversation with the man.

The man got up and limped around our table twice, which was odd because there wasn't anything behind us. We just assumed he was trying to watch me nurse. I mean, honestly there are really only two types of Americans. Those scandalized by nursing mothers and those who are fascinated by it. I'm so use to both that I assumed this man was the same.

So he takes off his shirt and walks over and places it on the table and says, "Your son is very beautiful." He walks away and Kevin says that he thinks the shirt is for me to cover up with. So, I left it on the table and refused to touch it. The guy is now talking with Connor and laughing at whatever Kevin says to Connor during our meal. I told Kevin that if he followed us, I wouldn't be able to take him back to work because I didn't want him to know where to find us.

Anyways, Long story short. He was from the Italian soccer team that had played in the 2008/2010 world play offs. He actually kicked the first goal of the year agaisnt Slovakia. He had given us an autographed shirt because he was impressed by our family and wanted us to have it. He lost his five month old son last month and was sad.

I felt like the biggest jerk for not being nice and avoiding his eyes the entire time we ate. If he would have told us before he left, we would have been much more receptive. European countries don't view nursing like the backwards USA and he probably didn't even realize what I was doing.

But. . .now Connor has an amazing keep sake for his box and can brag that he is so gorgeous that famous men take off their shirts for him. And Ive learned that not everyone is out to get me while nursing. . and that a simple question asked can help avoid miscommunications in the future. I wish I could have thanked him again though. . .

Logan

Logan has also been changing. He has grown his hair out and has it a bit shaggy. He enjoys chasing Grandma's chickens and petting them. He also enjoys playing with his friends and going on play dates. He spends entirely too much time on his computer and watching Sponge Bob Square Pants. He eats entirely too much brown beans and hotdogs/ham.

Logan has recently spent cousin's camp with the Hickeys and Grandma Dot. He traveled to Florida and spent the week swimming, monkey-jumping, and eating Rita's. He prides himself on staying up the latest on the plane.

Connor's Language

Connor has been changing so much lately. He has now developed his own speech that is made up primarily of sounds. Here are some of his words:

1. Vroom Vroom - cars
2. Boom Boom - fireworks,airplanes,loud noises.
3. Ha Gack - hot dog
4. Mama
5. Dada
6. Walck, Guck, Duck, worck, boock, bock - walk, stuck, duck, work, book, bike
7. Uh Huh - appropriate for any response
8. Ick - any brown piece of nature or nasty of any sort.
9. Baba - drinks, puddles, any liquid really.
10. anana - Grandma Dot or Grandma Tam
11. Anana Bach Bach - Grandma Tam
12. Bach Bach - chickens
13. Vroom Vroom Back - Motorcyle
14. Da - Downstairs

Connor enjoys long strolls around the block, controlling Daddy, eating grapes, playing with cars, and napping. He also enjoys tormenting Logan and stealing his D.S.