I miss Dennis!

I'm on a brief trip to Atlanta, without Dennis. I left before he woke up this morning, but I did sneak in and get a hug and kiss. I heard him talking at 4:50 a.m. (alarm was set for 5:00) so thought I'd go in and have a conversation with him before I left. He was just talking in his sleep, though. When I hugged and kissed him goodbye, he blinked sleepily at me and said "paci-fro?" (Dennis for pacifier). When I called home tonight, he got on the phone, heard me and said "HEY MOMMY!" and then something about a truck or car. He also told me "night night Mommy" over the phone. It just made my day complete. I miss that little guy.

evidence of a working brain

Dennis came to a number of correct conclusions today. For example: he found a roll of gift wrap in the playroom at Gran's and Pop's house. It was green with Christmas trees on it. He happily waved it all around, marching through the house chanting "Santa Claus!". Connection: wrapping paper = presents, Christmas trees on paper = Christmas presents, Christmas presents = Santa Claus. This morning we drove up to the grocery store where David works and Dennis announced "here Daddy works, time to say bye bye to Daddy, see you later Daddy!". And tonight, David said "Dennis would you like to go home?" and Dennis ran into the dining room and said "bye bye Uncle Denny, I go home!" and then told his Daddy "hug Gran, hug Granny" and went in to hug each of them and tell them bye bye. Then he said "get in carseat, I go home" and proceeded to do just that. He did all of that with no prompting and no words spoken from us other than what I've written. He's a pretty smart little guy!

it's never easy to say goodbye

We had another fabulous day at the lake today, bittersweet because it was the last one we got to spend with the extended family. After their naps, Caedmon and Mirella got all packed up to leave with their parents, and though Dennis said goodbye to everyone then, he came into town with Gran and got to play with them for a few more precious minutes. I said my farewell at the lake house, though, and sniffled my way through cleaning up and packing the car and checking the Carroccinos in to their flight online. I was a basket case by the time I picked David up from work. It is usually not this bad, but with things so rough for us financially, I have no idea when we'll all see each other again. Plane tickets are not cheap! And I already miss Michael and Kristin and the kids so much and will treasure our time together and late night talks and cuddles with the little ones... *sniff*

Dennis was happy to be home and barely made it til a 7:30 bedtime. He's been doing some serious playing this week. He seems to be fine, though a bit worried about sad-eyed Mommy, and he was conscientious about giving me lots of hugs. I love that little guy, and I'm so happy that he was so affectionate with his aunt and uncle and cousins, free with his hugs and snuggles and happy greetings every time he saw any of them. I know he will certainly miss everyone.

today was just packed!

I'm thrilled to be introducing my child and his cousins from the Pacific Northwest to some very special staples of Southern summers. Today they all ate watermelon on the screened porch, all with melon juice running down their arms and dripping off their elbows as they nibbled down to the rinds. They got rides in the wagon and golf cart today. We took a walk tonight to see lightning bugs, and we saw plenty of them flying around us and over us and staying just out of reach as we tried to capture them. Dennis and Mirella pointed out some of them, waving chubby little baby hands (and pointing with wet, drooled on fingers) and indicating the direction of the flashing insects. We've played in the sprinkler this week, and this morning all three kids enjoyed canoe rides with Michael. Tonight they all rode in the paddle (pedal?) boat with Michael and me providing the power just after we finished a big ride in the pontoon boat. What fun we've had with the family! We will miss them so much when they leave tomorrow. Dennis will be so sad when he can't play with Caedmon and Mirella and Uncle Michael and Aunt Kristin. He's given out lots of hugs and smiles and happy laughs to them, and I hope he isn't inconsolable for the rest of the weekend coming up. We're just going to have to find a way to get to Washington sometime this year (when no snow is expected)!

baby pool fun

Dennis absolutely could not get enough of playing with his cousins. They didn't like the baby pool or sprinkler quite as much as he did, though, despite his repeated urging "Caedmon, Mirella play in water!". Dennis danced in the pool and ran through the sprinkler, giggling and screeching despite the coldness of the water. His fun ended when he pushed Mirella down in the sprinkler. I'm not sure if it was malicious in intent or if he was trying to get her to play as exuberantly as himself--he's not a pusher unless he's with his cousins, and he pushed Mirella down more than once today. He was very disappointed to be in time out when he wanted to play in the water, and he hugged Mirella (though we never could get him to say he was sorry--this is a new concept for him even though he apologizes easily and frequently to the inanimate objects he 'hurts').


This was his first experience this year with a baby pool and he didn't need any instruction on how to enjoy it. I imagine we'll be playing in the baby pool very often this summer.

I added a video clip to Dennis' YouTube channel (see link on upper right side of blog) to show his water fun!

the good and the sad

Boy was Dennis happy to see and play with his cousins today! And he loved being with his aunt and uncle as well, as he kept going up to them for hugs or just to say "Hey, Michael!" and "Hey, Kristin!". They played and played and played this afternoon, first at Gran's and Pop's house and then down here at the lake. We took them for a mini walk tonight to see lightning bugs and then put their sleepy selves to bed. I can't wait to watch them play together again tomorrow.

As fun as the afternoon was, the evening was touched with a bit of sadness. We lost Sniffles, Mom's dog of 13 years, the first family dog we had in this town (first one since our early childhood). She arrived after I left home, but we were all very fond of her and are sad to think that she won't be there to greet us whenever we go to visit. It was especially hard on Mom, and I think she had already had a difficult day (week, month...) before she discovered that this had happened.

Farewell to you, Madame Oreo Sniffles, lhasa apso supreme, and may you run and jump and play like a puppy in doggy heaven. You will be missed.

memorial day 2009

We said goodbye to Ju-Ju and Steve this morning as they headed home to Tennessee. Dennis was sad to see them leave, of course. I told him that Caedmon and Mirella would be here tomorrow to visit and he said "and Michael and Kristin?". I assured him they were coming as well.

We left the lake to take lunch to Daddy at work, and Dennis was so fast asleep in the car (after having come to me crying earlier and saying "want to go to bed now") that he never even knew David got in the car and came home with us for lunch. He slept through the transfer to his bed and slept through the transfer back to the car to take David back to work! He stayed asleep while I had to run home and pick up the shopping list and bags that I'd forgotten and only woke up when the cat jumped into the car and onto his lap while I ran inside the house to pick up my items. We stopped by to visit with Uncle Denny and enjoy a snack and conversation with him and then walked the track with Gran. We picked Daddy up from work and grocery shopped--Dennis chattered nonstop and 'helped' us shop by adding things to the cart whenever he could reach them. We made a run back to the lake house to take some things that we'll need when we stay the next few nights and then it was home to bed. We had dressed Dennis in his pj's so that he could fall asleep in the car--he didn't wake back up when we got home. He was one tired little man today!

happy 2nd birthday Chloe!

Cuteness lives! I don't know that I've ever seen more fun had by anyone than I saw today watching four two-year-olds run through a series of sprinklers in the yard. They were hopped up on birthday cake and ice cream, fed to them just before they were changed into swimwear and released in the yard, and they giggled and danced and slid and jumped and squealed in pure glee as they got wetter and wetter (and sillier and sillier). Chloe's party was one of the most fun parties I've ever been to and it was geared toward making two-year-olds happy! (what does this say about me?)

After eating burgers and hot dogs, watching (and helping) Chloe open gifts, eating cake and ice cream (twice, since he charmed some grandmothers into getting him a second piece), playing in the sprinklers, and then playing on Chloe's new outdoor play structure, Dennis came in the house with me to gather our things to go home. He stopped, turned back and looked at me, and said "whew! I had FUN!". I asked him to hug Dave and Ellen goodbye and he said "I hug Chloe" and proceeded to give her the biggest and sweetest bear hug (that she returned just as enthusiastically as it was given). He had the best time ever.

Also, Happy Anniversary to Gran and Pop!

hey donkey boy

Inexplicably, Dennis was walking around chanting "Hey Donkey boy!" last night. I had no idea where he got the phrase and accused several people of teaching it to him, all of whom proclaimed their innocence. This morning, Dennis asked to watch the Tigger Movie. Tigger pounced on Eeyore and yelled "Hey Donkey boy!". Now I know where it came from!

happy birthday to Gran!

What a nice evening we had celebrating Gran's birthday! We cooked her a steak dinner and enjoyed cake and ice cream after. Dennis sang "happy birthday to you, happy birthday Gran!". He was absolutely delighted to see Ju-Ju and Steve as well and we are all happy to be together at the lake house. Dennis sampled some Sprite Zero and LOVES it. He kept calling it "water" and would say "want more water!" and would drink as much as we would let him. He enjoyed eating corn on the cob tonight and this was the first time he'd ever used those corn cob holders. It took him a while to understand the concept but when he finished eating the first piece of corn, he ripped the holders out so that he could 'help' install them in the second piece that he wanted to eat. The cake and ice cream were the highlight of his month--he gets to go to another birthday party in 2 days when Chloe turns 2. He'll be beside himself!

Dennis' first pillow fight

We had a little party at Gran's and Pop's house tonight. It was totally unplanned--we stopped by so that David could work on a computer problem for them and so that Dennis could deliver a birthday present to Gran (a pack of Sno-Caps). While David tinkered, Dennis and Gran and Pop and I (and Granny after a while) all settled into the living room. Dennis gave a concert on the piano and insisted we sing along ("sing happy birthday" and he would name the object or person we were to sing to) while he played. Then we were tickling him and giving horsey rides and bouncing him and suddenly we were all throwing a pillow around. He would count to whatever number and someone would toss a pillow at him. He just chuckled and chuckled, almost howling with delighted baby laughter that a pillow hit him in the face. He would count again and throw the pillow at one of us. This went on for a very long time with him getting more and more wound up. Then he started throwing the pillow into the hall and shouting "Go get it, Gran!". So we took turns running away with the pillow while he chased us, laughing hysterically and shouting "Say oh no!" (because Ellen did this with him once and now he's hooked--we must shout "oh no!" and run from him). He got so worn out that when he finally tackled me and got the pillow, he laid down on it and said "night night!". He was back up soon enough, though, and when the time came for him to actually go home and go night night, he was very upset. We were having so much fun that he didn't want to leave!

bad mommy moment

Dennis loves to touch the stereo. There are fascinating lights and dials and eject buttons and a nifty slide out CD tray that holds five discs. Despite repeated Time Outs and warnings, he continues to touch the stereo. I was working in the kitchen when I heard the music stop. I went in there and caught him touching the stereo, of course, and unloading the CDs onto the floor. I told him to stop touching it. He didn't. I spanked him one tap on his bottom and STILL he wouldn't take his finger off the stereo. He started crying and I picked him up to remove him from the stereo, probably a little forcefully, and that's when I noticed that his index finger was stuck in the CD tray. My pulling him away caused a nasty cut on the tip of his finger that bled a good bit for awhile. Oh, he cried. And he didn't understand why I wouldn't let go of his finger, why I kept pressing on it with tissue to stop the bleeding. He kept crying and begging me to let him down. He finally told me he wanted to go to bed. The bleeding stopped, a Band-Aid was applied, and all was well again, especially since Daddy came home and the pizza finished cooking just after the bandaging. I wonder if you can imagine how terrible I felt and still feel.

We hiked again this afternoon, and somewhere in the wilderness, my child littered. There's a tiny Band-Aid loose at some point on the trail. It was a good hike, with Dennis shouting encouragement to Gran (who was behind him where he couldn't see her) the entire time. He enjoyed chatting with Allison, too, and just as we were finishing the last bit of Yellow trail, he announced "ready to get down" and "ready to go to car seat!". I suppose he's not crazy about the confinement of the backpack, but he knew all day that he'd be riding in it. I'd ask him "Dennis do you want to go hiking?" and he'd grin and say "walk woods?" and "ride backpack?". He was very excited to go. He did get to tromp around a bit in the middle of the hike. We arrived at Maggie's Glen and he climbed up on the bench and sat to have his snack and drink, and then he walked down to the stream and said "Mommy let's sit rock". We sat together on a big rock and watched the water flow by. We also said "excuse me frog" and "bye bye frog" and "happy birthday frog, happy birthday waterfall" repeatedly on the trail (yes, we saw a frog). I don't imagine I'll see much wildlife with Dennis along--he's a happy little chatterbox and talks continuously throughout our hikes. I think it's kind of fun.

Uncle Denny is home!!

We visited Uncle Denny in his new lair--the den at Mom and Dad's house, where he is staying while he goes in for physical therapy. We were thrilled to see him wheeling himself all over the house, getting out of bed by himself and everything. He helped Mom cook breakfast! We brought him a treat today, a Whataburger (yummy!) with everything, and Dennis and Mom and I ate lunch with him around the dining table. We ate lesser fare (peanut butter and jelly for Dennis and me and a Lean Cuisine for Mom) but still enjoyed the meal. We're just happy that Uncle Denny is doing so well.

Granny came up for a visit today as well and Dennis was so happy being with his Uncle Denny and his Granny. He wanted to help Uncle Denny in the wheelchair and picked up Uncle Denny's foot and put it on the footrest. He went around to push him and even knew how to undo the wheelchair brakes! Poor little guy was a bit fragile today and whenever we told him no, he stuck out his bottom lip (which trembled) and got teary-eyed. He needed a bunch of hugs today. I was happy to give them.

another wilderness adventure

Dennis and I enjoyed another hike today, this time with Allison. I can't believe how much easier it was to carry him on my back today compared to Friday! Our hike was going so well that we decided to come out on the yellow trail and though we found ourselves severely short of breath after topping the big steep incline that leads to the ridgetop from Maggie's Glen, we never stopped going. We were so proud! We hardly stopped at Maggie's Glen, but Dennis wanted to "go see waterfalls, Mommy", and so we walked over to the stream to look at the water tumbling over rocks. I didn't let him get down from the pack because the water was rushing so fast that I considered it hazardous to let him walk anywhere near it. He tends to run near danger, not walk, and I didn't want a scary situation to develop.

We went to see the owls at the Treetop Nature Trail boardwalk, but Dennis was only interested in looking at the first one. Then we picked David up from the movie he went to see and met back up with Allison at Subway for supper. What a beautiful day it was today! Dennis sang happy birthday to the trees and the waterfalls and the water and to Allison's car. He was jolly all day long.

sweet Sunday

Dennis looked so cute for church this morning--his Daddy dressed him in a bright two-tone blue Hawaiian style shirt and khaki pants that belonged to his cousin Caedmon. He loved the nursery, as always, and he loved going out to "eat chips" at the Mexican place. He greeted the other diners, turning around to say "How are you doing?" to the folks that passed by. He must have been irresistible today because many people stopped to talk to him and he shook hands with a couple of guys.

After we got home from lunch, he kept insisting "change my diaper", and so we did, and he put himself right to bed. He didn't get up for around four hours. When he did, we played with his little people and trains until it was time for me to cook supper. We had such a fun afternoon together--I can't describe how much I enjoy his little conversations with me. Even when he says "fine, how are you" and I reply "fine" and he always says "chicken double stack" and then we list fast food menu items back and forth for long minutes, it just brings me such joy. He's a fun kid, a real charmer, free with his hugs and kisses. I love him so much! Now at night he insists on "one more hug, Mommy" and "say prayers" several times after we've prayed with him and tucked him in. Each night means one more day of his childhood that has passed, and sometimes I get nostalgic and a little sad. But each morning means one more wonderful day we get to spend together, and there's nothing more special than his "Hi, Mommy-- 'morning!" when I open his door every morning.

rainy day project (that failed)

After running Gran's errands with her this morning, Dennis and I returned home so that he could nap. He told me again and again in Wal-Mart "I ready to go to bed" and "want nap", and that's exactly what he got to do when we got home. Just after I put him down, I opened the front door to feed the cat and I heard the ice cream truck on our street. I didn't know it came here. I went to his room to grab him and intended to RUN to the end of our long driveway and let him experience one of those really fun things I remember from childhood. But when I opened his door, he was sleeping so hard that I didn't wake him. I wrote on our dry erase calendar what time it came by so that maybe I'll remember to listen for it again.

It was raining hard when he got up and I tried to think of something fun and different for us to do. We decided to bake cookies. He was very excited about the concept and stood on a chair while I consulted the chocolate sugar cookie recipe from the Southern Living magazine we just got. I put the sugar and butter in the mixer and started it and he seemed very interested in how the mixer worked. The mixer is an ancient Sunbeam Mixmaster, the very one that I watched my own mommy mixing cookie ingredients in during my childhood. When it started to not work as well a couple of months back, I had hopes of having a reason to finally own a Kitchen Aid stand mixer (a red one! or a white one! or a blue one! or ANY of them!). I don't use a mixer much but think those Kitchen Aids are SO cool. David fixed the Sunbeam, though, and it works good as new, darn it. I suppose it's still a cool mixer, though, because the new Sunbeam Mixmasters are retro in design (and look very much like mine). After we mixed the butter and sugar and I had him help stir the cocoa into the flour, he completely lost interest. He didn't want to help roll out the dough or cut the shapes, though he did tell me what shapes to cut. Mostly he cried during all of this because he wanted me to do something else and he did NOT want to stand on that chair and help. He wanted to eat the cookies and didn't know why in the world it was taking so long. He stole a cookie from the cooling rack and when I ran after him I discovered all the drawers he'd emptied in the den while I was baking. My countertop is full of drying glazed dark chocolate sugar cookies in various shapes, and I had to clean up one of the worst kitchen messes in a long time, and he totally hated the whole event. I think I learned something here. I hope David feels like eating cookies when he gets home.

big adventure day

Today Dennis and I hiked the white trail to the yellow/red connector trail to the red trail back to the trailhead at Oak Mountain State Park. We were accompanied by Allison, Ellen, and Chloe. Ellen and I were backpacking the little ones. I forget how much work this is! A backpack plus a 30 pound Dennis plus 2.5 liters of water plus snacks, diapers, and wipes all makes quite a load! True, I've lost about as much weight as I carried today since the last time I hiked with him on my back, and I did find it easier but still challenging. Since I survived, I look forward to doing the yellow trail some time within the next week. I'll work up to blue and then tackle green. That's the summer plan.

Dennis loved his time in the park. He and Chloe screech-laughed gleefully at each other for nearly half the hike. They walked around and played at Maggie's Glen, where we stopped to rest and refuel and rehydrate (it was rather hot today--high 80's and very very humid). We got back to the cars after hearing ominous and ever closer thunder for the last half mile and just as we unloaded the kids from our backs, the rain started. We didn't get very wet and the kids stayed dry--what great timing! Dennis and I went over to Allison's place and went swimming in the chilly water in the pool at her apartment complex. Dennis was trying out his new swim vest and seemed to acclimate pretty well by the end of the session but was nervous at first. He insisted on holding tight to me at all times, and I think this is a good thing for him to do in water, so I'm pretty pleased. He counted "1-2-3" and I threw him up in the air on "3", and we did this over and over and over again. He said "watch Allison float" or "watch Mommy float" and we floated for him to watch. We performed again for him when he said "watch Mommy flip" and "watch Allison flip" (we did somersaults and flips in the water while the other one held him). He of course slept like a rock in the car on the way home and then Daddy and I used a gift certificate we'd won and all 3 of us ate a delicious supper at a local barbecue joint. This was a very very long day for all of us, but it sure was a good one! It's great to play outside.

a date night

Dennis and I went for a long (4 mile) walk this morning in our neighborhood. It's hard to walk at a fast pace while singing happy birthday to random objects that he thinks up and asks me to sing about. I had to sing happy birthday to the yellow car, the red truck, numerous Thomas engines, the black mailbox, the white mailbox, the black horse, the white horse, the yellow flowers, the pink flowers... I lost count of how many things Dennis thought of and said "happy birthday red truck (substitute other items here)" and kept repeating the phrase until I sang the song.

Tonight he's at Gran's and Pop's house while we are on our way home from a movie and dinner--we'll be picking up a sleepy little guy pretty soon! His Gran says he's been asleep a while now. This is our third date without Dennis, and we had a very nice night. We highly recommend the new Star Trek movie!

Big Thomas

Granny brought up this giant Thomas train that she picked up for Dennis at a yard sale for a ridiculously low price. It's much bigger than I anticipated. I was thinking it was one of those carry cases for Take Along Thomas figures, which I have seen in the toy stores. Instead, it's much bigger and has tunnels all through it. It's designed to hold Trackmaster Thomas figures, and luckily we have a few of those on hand--that's the only kind you can find at Wal-Mart these days. Trackmaster engines take batteries and will move along the tracks and tow cars. We had hidden Dennis' Trackmaster cars from him because we were tired of fetching the things from under the bed, under the couch, wherever their little batteries would carry them. We got them back out today so that he could play with his new "Big Thomas" (as Dennis calls him) and the engines that fit inside and travel through him. This entertained Dennis for over six straight hours. True, I got so tired of hearing the battery-powered engines getting stuck against walls and would beg him "Please go turn Rusty off" or "turn Dennis off", which he would do. But then he'd turn them on again and subject them to more peril.

To give myself a break, I asked him if he wanted to watch a movie and he said "no, listen to music" and pointed to the stereo. We enjoyed an afternoon of contemporary Christian music together as a nice backdrop to train engine noise.

precious passenger

Dennis accompanied me everywhere today. We drove Daddy to work, picked him up for lunch, dropped him back off, and then went to the track to walk. He patiently rode in his stroller for an hour while I walked 3.5 miles and then happily accompanied me home. At home, we played with all his Fisher Price wheeled vehicles, and they charted new territory on the kitchen counter. He poured out a bunch of salt on the table while I was answering the phone. He's been in a pretty great mood all day, chattering happily from his carseat and stroller seat.

David reports that Dennis flirted with some old women at lunch--they went and ate together while I went to the gym. Nothing really special about today; just another happy Dennis day. We've had to sing Happy Birthday to about a million things, including a jeep, a bird, shopping cart, Daddy's work, Bob, Pop, Grandma, Daddy, and Dennis. I think it's his favorite song.

night night Mommy

I didn't feel my best this morning when Dennis decided it was time for me to get up and play with him. When we went to the den, I kind of crashed on the couch. Dennis urged me to get down on the floor and play with him but I just wasn't up to it. I told him that Mommy wasn't feeling so good (I was just exhausted from a poor night's sleep and am fully recovered now, thank goodness) and couldn't. I lay down on the couch and Dennis went back to his room. He returned dragging his quilt and pillow. He pulled my head up (using my hair) and placed his pillow underneath it and then covered me up with his toddler quilt. He patted me on the leg for a long while and said "night night, Mommy, sweet dreams" and "go to sleep, Mommy". I couldn't believe how sweet he was to go and get those things from his bed! I enjoyed it for several minutes before he jumped on me and yelled "wake up Mommy!". But then he pushed my head down and urged me to go to sleep again.

Later I was unloading the dishwasher when he came in to help. After we'd finished, I went into the den and turned on the stereo, playing some contemporary Christian CDs for us to listen to while we played. He grabbed my hands and said "let's dance, Mommy" and so we did. He's become very conscious of things around the house, helping us clean when he can. He loves to sweep and today helped me put away the laundry by taking his pajamas to his room and putting them in the correct spot in his wardrobe. Whenever we leave a room, he turns off the light if he can reach it, and if he can't, demands "Mommy turn light off!". He's a good little house steward!

Mother's Day 2009

We started our morning listening to crying coming through the baby monitor. It was a quarter til seven and he'd lost his pacifier. We knew he wouldn't be going back to sleep. Sweet sweet Daddy got up and entertained him while Mommy slept in a little, and then they brought me my Mother's Day cards while I was still in bed. We went to church and Dennis had a wonderful time, as always, in the nursery playing with the trucks. When we went after the service to get him, he was sitting in the corner surrounded by trucks and he was smiling hugely. He didn't want to leave until I told him we were going out to eat at the 'chip place', which in Dennis speak means the Mexican restaurant. He happily announced "go eat chips" and left willingly with us. Gran and Pop treated us all to lunch there and then Gran and I went on a Mother's Day hike while Daddy stayed home and played with Dennis. I came home to a clean kitchen, a clean bedroom, a happy child, and supper already fixed for me. David, as it turns out, is a better Mommy than I am!

animal friends

A toad was visiting by our front door today and I pointed him out to Dennis. We 'petted' (touched) it and it hopped over to a bush and rested in a vee in the trunk. It stayed there all day and Dennis kept going over to the window and pointing to it and saying "hey, Frog". We went outside to visit it several times, amazed that it was still there after six hours. When we left to go pick up David from work (his car is grounded until it gets brakes so we are sharing mine), Dennis walked over and leaned down and waved and said "bye bye frog". He was sad to see it had left when we got home a few hours later, but he told it bye-bye again in case it was somewhere where it could hear.

The grocery store where David works was having a charity event to benefit the Humane Society here (which desperately needed the help) and they had animals out in front of the store. Dennis fell in love with a dog named Duke that I wish we could have brought home for him. Honey isn't really his dog--she was here six years before he came along and she doesn't seek him out (unless he is dropping food from the high chair for her) and barely endures his affectionate 'love taps' and hair pulls and attempts to ride her. Dennis also fell in love with the one day old baby goat that was there (and I admit to falling prey to its total cuteness as well). I'd like to have a goat or three here to eat some of this jungle grass that has killed our lawnmower yet again (darn thing only goes in reverse, I think, or something weird and transmission-y like that). Probably it isn't the grass that killed it--we just have TERRIBLE luck with lawnmowers. I want a tractor or a Bush Hog to go behind the four-wheeler.

Tonight Dennis walked the track with Gran and me and ran around and around with his Daddy on the little football field that the track surrounds. He got all hot and sweaty and his hair was soaked and plastered to his head. He ran and ran and wore himself out, but he found new energy when he got home and into the bath tub. Naturally he went right to sleep. He had a pretty special day.

important lessons

Today Dennis helped me to learn some important concepts.

1. Not only does Splenda taste like sugar and look like sugar, it also pours out of the box like sugar and makes a big mess just like sugar. Luckily he poured the majority of it onto a placemat, so it was easy to roll it up and dump the Splenda out.

2. It is almost impossible to paint your toenails in front of your two year old. He was extremely interested in the process and very much wanted to touch and help.

3. It's really really cute when you offer a two year old cranberry juice and he misunderstands you and repeats back "Canada juice?". For the record, he knows to call it cranberry juice now, but I kind of miss "Canada juice".

Little People fun

When he woke up this morning, he insisted we "play Little People", and so we went into the den and set the whole town back up. Sonya Lee got stuck on top of Farmer Jed's barn, so we had to call Firefighter Cheryl at dispatch to send out Michael in the fire truck. Michael and Michael (we have at least two of them) sent up the ladder to help Sonya Lee get down safely and then returned to the combination fire station/post office/police station. Then, Police Dog's favorite stop sign had a birthday and we had to sing happy birthday to the stop sign. Soon after that, Eddie and his frog pal Freddie headed over to the construction site to pick up the tow truck, since apparently Farmer Jed's tractor broke down. Eddie towed it back to the farm safely. Mail Carrier Kelly delivered mail to EVERY person in town (and each person thanked her very much), and then she boarded a plane at the airport to talk to Pilot Paula. There was an emergency of some kind at the airport and the fire truck went out to investigate. After Michael 1 went inside the airport, it was determined that things were okay and then the truck returned to the station. Pilot Paula flew some tourists about 2 feet over to the farm and they got out and talked to all the animals (who talked back). Maggie and Sarah Lynn and Maggie and Sarah Lynn (we have 2 of each) were very busy driving the dump trucks around at the construction zone and moved some heavy boulders from truck to crane to front end loader and back to dump truck.

It was a busy morning in the town in our den!

the informant

Dennis was quick to inform me of pertinent developments today and to hurry me along. When he discovered that we were going to the lake house, he couldn't wait for me to get ready to go. We made the mistake of getting him dressed first and then he worried us to pieces to "go lake house now, ride carseat, go outside, we go lake house, c'mon Mommy, c'mon Daddy!". While I was cooking supper tonight, he marched in at a crucial ingredient adding time and informed me "I poo poo, Mommy" and when I didn't respond, came over and grabbed my pant leg and said "I poo poo, I poo poo". He chanted this again and again and then I heard grunting, but I couldn't get away from the stirring and boiling and baking right at that time. I'm wondering if he was telling me BEFORE he did it. Wouldn't that be something?

Tonight he got tired of listening to the music on the stereo and marched over and pressed the power button. I walked in just as he was doing this and he looked right at me and said "I touched it". As many times as we've fussed at him for messing with the stereo, I just couldn't say anything to him tonight. It was bedtime then and he did a lot of the undressing and dressing in pajamas all by himself, something I'm proud that he's finally interested in doing.

Today he told me "I'm so cute" and "I'm so sweet". He's got his Daddy's ego! So I won't spend any time worrying about his self confidence.

Daddy knows how to play

I got home from the gym and was greeted at the door by a very elated Dennis. Before I made it all the way in, I was warned that he and his Daddy were playing Little People Town. Sure enough, there were ALL of his Fisher Price Little People toys spread out all over the den. Dennis grabbed my hand and said "Mommy sit down, Mommy play". So I did!

He is really into his prayer book now and insisted tonight on hearing his bedtime prayer (and wanted to hear it more than once). This morning he brought the book to me to read him a morning prayer. He calls it his "Jesus book". I'm thrilled!

"the end"

No, not the last blog, but a funny quote from Dennis. We were reading books together and when we'd gotten through five or six of them, he tired of it. In the middle of a book, he jumped off the couch, ran to the doorway, then turned back and said "the end". I couldn't help but laugh. I followed him to his room intending to pick out some pajamas and discovered socks all over the floor. I laughed and grabbed the basket from his wardrobe that holds socks, planning to put the socks back. When I pulled the basket off the high shelf (that I didn't think he could reach), I discovered it was full of trains! I just laughed and laughed--the sock basket used to be the basket that we kept his trains in before we got a nice fabric bin that slid under his train table. I guess he remembered that they used to live there. I admit that I was impressed that he'd at least cleaned up his trains!

As we were putting him to bed, he said "kiss Daddy" and David kissed him, then "kiss Mommy" and I kissed him, and then "Mommy kiss hand". I kissed the hand he held up for me to kiss and then he said, as we were leaving his room, "night night hand".

Mommy's Girls' Weekend

I didn't see much of Dennis today since I spent the majority of my day at the lake with Ellen and Allison. I worried about him while I watched the radar indicating bad storms near our house, but David reports that they had a little tornado party in the hall with toys and blankets and pillows, and even Dennis' play table set up there. When I got home, Dennis ran to the door and nearly tore it apart trying to open it for me and then gave me a fierce leg hug. I stretched out on the couch and he told me "go to sleep, Mommy" and covered me up with a blanket. He had trouble unfolding the blanket and covering all of me with it and demanded "put toes IN Mommy!". He worked at it, chanting "night night sweet dreams" and "Mommy sleepy". And just when I had gotten very comfortable and snuggled in, he jumped on me and yelled "WAKE UP MOMMY WAKE UP WAKE UP!!!!!". Brutal.

i walk track

Dennis did a great job walking the track with us today. He strolled for 2 laps and then wanted to get out and walk, sporting his sunglasses ("Dennis gwasses") and 'workout' clothes because it was a rather warm day today. We strolled 2 more laps and then he walked the last one with us, stopping occasionally to dance or stomp on leaves or touch trees. He chased us and we chased him. He stopped at every bench and insisted "stretch!" and then hauled one of his legs up onto the bench. He insisted we all stretch as well. I'm glad he enjoys our walks as much as we do!

bragging?

Today we went on a long car trip to accompany Allison to Abbeville to pick up some stuff from her mom's place. Dennis had a good time--he chatted with us all the way to Ozark and we had to keep him awake for a few minutes so that he'd be awake when we got to the restaurant to eat lunch. He announced to us in the car "I'm so funny, I'm so happy, I'm so precious!". We had to laugh. And to agree with him!

We're having our musical mornings these days--he bangs tunes on the piano and insists that I sing happy birthday along with his playing. He tells me who we're singing happy birthday to, and it's usually Bob, followed by a number of other requests. After he runs through a few people, he says "Mommy say happy birthday tractor" and then "happy birthday fire truck". He sticks with it for a half hour or so before thinking of a toy that he'd rather play with than sing to.