From The Normans: Nothing Much

That's what we've been doing. Nothing much. It's nice, really. We go about out little daily routines - play dates, swimming lessons, Sunday mornings at the gym with Daddy and Dex swimming and Mama trying not to fall on her ass in Zumba class. Grocery shopping, trips to Wal-Mart, playing outside when we can. Nothing much.

John had his sock hand removed last week. His wrist is still stiff and tender, but he's fairly well back to normal save for a few "OWWs" yelled out several times a day.

We went to New York last week, just Dex and I, to see Grandma and Grandpa and see how Grandma's owie is doing. The new knee is doing much better than last time we visited, and if Grandma could just maybe get a BACK replacement she'd be good as new. I think full back replacements might be a year or two down the scientific road, however, so Grandma will have to make do with what she's got for a while. We had a nice time, and Buddy had a lovely time getting his face scratched off by the cat. It was good for him.

We have new next-door neighbors and Dex and I are going to try valiantly to be far more welcoming to them than our neighbors were to us. Our neighbors who we finally took cookies to (aren't THEY supposed to do that for US?) after three months of wondering if we actually had neighbors. Anyway, it's on our to-do list this week to make cookies and deliver them to the new neighbors before Daddy eats them all. The cookies, I mean. Not the neighbors.

Also not new - I took a billion photos over the last week. Although I am realizing as I just typed that - I have not turned on the camera today. Damn this 365 project. What kind of crap do we have lying around the house today that I can photograph? Give me a second - I'll be back to post a few pictures from the last week...

Winter is still hanging on here. Although this week is looking more promising. I shall be glad when Dex can get rid of the hat and the mittens.

Still going down the slide like a big boy. It's harder on the curly slide at the playground to go down like this - feet stick to the slide.

This was the day that Dex learned to say "poopie." As he helped me clean up "Buh-hee oop-hee." He thinks the word poopie is hilarious. Such a boy.

Posted for humiliation of the small child when he brings his first girl friend home. And also of the mother - what the hell did you dress your kid in??

Playing with Grandma's BIG ball. Four pounds is a lot of weight when you're two.

Dex gives Grandma a fabulous demonstration on "yellow light" in which he walks s-l-o-w-l-y across the floor, lifting his legs up high with each step. Hard to give it justice on film.

Reading "Hand Hand Fingers Thumb" with Aunt Jeanne. Am I weird to freak out when Aunt Jeanne doesn't read the words exactly as written? I am such a rule follower. Aunt Jeanne is a rebel.

Getting Dex dressed to go outside in the snow. So over-rated. Such a pain in the ass for 20 minutes of whining child.

He at least pretended to be happy here. Then immediately said "All done. In." The deck was covered with 6 inches of new snow the next day. Grandpa swears it was 10 inches, but I swear he's nuts. It always looks deeper when you're behind the snow shovel.

Throughout the course of the week we played about ten billion different games of "UP DOWN" with these pool noodles. I have no idea what the rules are. I just did what I was told.

Shhhhhh. Don't tell Mama I am sucking my fingers. I can totally get away with it because I am pretending to sleep...

So have you noticed lately that Dex doesn't have his fingers in his mouth for every picture? We started, in November, I think, telling him he could only suck his fingers when his clock was blue (so, sleep time, basically). It took a couple months to click, but it's rare that I have to remind him these days. Usually when I walk in to his room after his nap now he will put his fingers near his mouth, then say no and pull them away.

Ah, the balloon. God damn all the balloons in this world. ALL WEEK I heard about how Dex has two balloons at home, and Grandma has one balloon here, and then the balloon went up and down, and then the balloon was handed to me and I was told when, and where, I should shake it.

I think Grandma's balloon is going in the trash after all the damage we caused it...

More UP DOWN game. It made the boy happy.

Dex also helped us make cookies. At his request. Actually, he requested star cookies. These are not star cookies. These are I Love You cookies. But, still yummy.

Fabulous stir-er

Cooks must always taste test. I have taught the boy well.

And the finished product was pretty darn good, too.

Yeah, I dunno what's going on here. Practicing his dinosaur face? Oh, he did learn to say "roar." It's almost as cute as him saying "meow."

Buddy watching Grandpa snow blow the driveway. For some reason Buddy LOVED Grandpa. I know, I know - what's not to love? But from the fear Buddy had of John for so long, I thought he didn't like men. Turns out he just didn't like John...

Following Buddy's lead, Dex watches Grandpa snow blow the driveway. And then when we got home later than day, he told John all about how Grandpa's big snow blower has a light, while his little snow blower has no light. The details this child picks up on - it boggles the mind.

Practicing for more cookie stirring. It might happen tomorrow, kiddo. We have all the makings for more I Love You cookies to make for the new neighbors.