Blow out King

I'll apologize to Henry now for putting this out there but I couldn't resist. We called Liana the blow-out queen to label her penchant for frequent and massive blowouts. The McNugget is on an every other day movement cycle or so but he has had 3 blowouts in 3 days and we are not about to give extra points for being consistent. I don't remember Liana having one this bad, but maybe that is revisionist history. Either way, we have yet to settle on a nickname for Henry (McNugget, Big Game Henry James, Hank the Tank, etc.) and Blow Out King could stick :-)

Mama texted this picture to me at work the other day and believe me - no matter how bad my day was going I smiled knowing I did not have to clean up this mess. The little guy is doing well and weighed in at 15 lbs 3 oz on his 2 month check up (actually he was 9 weeks old on that day). Comparitively, he has gained 5 lbs in 9 weeks compared to the Nugget gaining 2 lbs and we thought she was big! He's fun to have around and he such a good baby. Smiles are coming more frequently and he is adored by his big sister and all who meet him!

"Kill 'em with Kindness" and "Let's Make a Deal"

The Nugget has been on a roll lately, complimenting anyone and everyone, and in some cases, calling them like she sees them.

For example, she told me "dada, I like your shoes" or "dada, I like your belt". I like to think the compliments are genuine and that I have a few years to wait before those are followed with "... can I borrow the car?" In the doctor's office the other day (she was there with us while Henry was getting a check up) she went up to a girl in the lobby who was probably a couple years older than her and said "I like your barrett". She had no reason to say anything, I guess she just liked it.

This past Sunday mama took Henry to a baby shower and I had the Nugget all to myself. Mama and Henry took off right at lunch time. Liana and I were sitting at the island in the kitchen and as Shelly was opening the door to head into the garaga Liana called out "Mama, that's a pretty bracelet". Just as Shelly closed the door Liana softly called "drive safe!". I swear that I realize more and more that I have to be on guard for what I say as she hears and repeats everything! Minutes later I told her if she took a couple more bites she could have some cake. She looked right at me and said "that a good deal, dada?" Apparently we are negotiating hard with her lately because there have been many occasions where she will say that exact phrase but she has it timed perfectly and in context. So, again, to when she is 16 years old I am likely to hear ... "dad - you look like you've been working out. When I finish my homework I want to drive my friends to the mall - is that a good deal?"

PS The call 'em like she sees 'em aspect of this came true a couple of weeks ago on a visit to her grandparent's and aunt Joanne's house. Apparently Joanne's hair was a little frizzy, maybe teased a bit - I can't say since I wasn't there. The Nugget apparently looked right at her and said "you have messy hair!". Classic. Also, I sweat just thinking about exercise so anytime I am remotely damp from exercise or doing yard work Liana will call me out and say "dada, you a little bit sweaty?"

Where do they learn this stuff?

It happens more and more and I know it will continue, but I am always surprised by the things that the Nugget says ... I know that some of them seem to be rooted in overhearing things we say but some of the others just seem to come out of nowhere. Here are some examples:

We were at a baptism party today and while one of her little friend's grandma's was reading a story to the kids Liana reached out and touched her bracelet and said "is those diamonds?". They were sparkly stones and were not the real deal but just that she knew about diamonds cracked me up - it's not like they are in abundance at home or that mommy wears the ones she has very often while cleaning up spit-up and changing diapers every day.

In the tubby tonight she took the top and bottom of a soap dish ... made sure that it was filled with water and pressed it together and then declared "that my lunchbox!" Again, not being in school and not having one of her own I don't know where she got it from.

"You hear my toot?" - this is not a new one but it has been used more often in the presence of people she is meeting for the first time and said with such enthusiasm as if to break the ice.

"You just have to pull the tabs" - this declaration came yesterday when Auntie Julie was visiting. The Nugget asked for some help opening up a barrett that goes with her Strawberry Shortcake doll. Auntie Julie said "I don't know if it opens" and Liana told her exactly what to do!

big newtons - I just think it is funny that she calls fig newtons "Big Newtons"

"I got new bitamins" (aka vitamins)- Liana is now on chewables as opposed to the liquid and she repeated this about 30 times tonight while I was putting her to bed.

Every once in a while she will ask me "dada, what wrong?" if she senses something isn't going the way it is supposed to and I tell her "it's okay, daddy's just a little bit frustrated". Now, anytime something seems remotely wrong she will look at me and grin and say "you a little bit frustrated?"

We say bedtime prayers each night and we usually thank Jesus for the friends we played with during the day... whenever we say prayers for her friends Jameson and Andy and their mommy Erica and daddy Andy I move on to the next part of the prayer but the past two nights Liana has quickly inserted "... and Frank!". I guess she wants Jesus to be sure to remember their little dachsund doggie !

Oh, Henry Boy

Henry is going to be 2 months old on Monday and sadly we don't have a nickname for him yet - well, actually he is know as the McNugget, Big Game Henry James, Hank the Tank and Lian's favorite "Henry Boy". He is growing so much and is starting to wear 6 month clothes - he has big chubba legs and everyone thinks he couldn't be any bigger since he was 9.15 at birth. He had some skinny legs but not anymore - he is giving Michelin Man a run for his money :-)

He basically hangs out and does what babies are supposed to do. He is losing some hair but that is about all he is losing. Smiles are coming about once or twice per day and prediction thus far about his eyes is righ on ... from week #2 I said he wasn't going to have brown eyes. Grandma Jean rolled her eyes at the mere thought of anything but brown eyes given everyone we can think of in the family has them, but I just had a feeling. There is still time for him to prove me wrong but they will be either a darker blue or hazel.

The Nugget is a big fan and although she knocks him on the head every once in a while or roars at him occasionally she usually just gives him kisses, wants to hold him, wants to know what he is doing. Without fail, every morning when I go in to get her out of her crib she asks me "es Henry?" ("where's Henry?").

By the way, he is pretty much famous, or at least going to be - Henry is coming to Hasbro on Monday to be part of an internal Playskool sizzle. They needed babies and he got the call ... he has also taken part in two toy tests for babies - a rattle and a gloworm glowbright that goes in his crib - pretty awesome!

A few stories for a Saturday

Just a few highlights from a conversation I had with Liana earlier today. Now, we all need our privacy but with two kids sometimes you just have to do things that need to get done, like going to the bathroom. Liana and I went upstairs to take a shower before bed time. I had to go to the bathroom (#2) and she was in the bathroom with me. I was sitting on the toilet and I must have been pushing or something becuase the Nugget looked at me and said "you usin' your muscles dada?" and she squinched her face just like someone working hard to get out some pooh. Pretty funny!

At bedtime we were talking about our day which included swimming at the Y. There was a boy in the class who basicallys screamed the whole time and his dad should have just taken him out of the water. Anyway, while we were talking about swim class I asked the Nugget "what was the boy doing?" She said, "cryin'". I said "how come?" She said "he needed his binky" then a pause "and he needed his blanky". Funny how he might need the two things that the Nugget needs when she is having a rough time :-)

The last thing was story time tonight. There is a "Sleep Tight Elmo" book that has made its way into the rotation. On the last page Elmo is in his bed asleep and his daddy is in the door way saying "sleep tight, Elmo". We have read this book many times and the Nugget usually asks "is that Elmo's Daddy?" and we I will say yes and say "look at Elmo's milk" (which is on his nightstand) and the Nugget will say "and a snacky" (which is next to the milk on the nightstand). tonight, on the last page Liana abruptly grabbed her milk bottle from her lap and "clinked" glasses with Elmo's milk cup and proclaimed "cheers, elmo"!

She cracks me up every day, many times per day - all of these stories are funnier if you are there, I'm sure but I know I will look back some day and read this and laugh out loud.