Funky Dog

Here is what Jack has been up to lately:

I am going to brave and say he is potty trained.  We had a few set backs here and there with traveling and sickness, but he is pretty much there.  We took our time and did it slow.  I did it later than planned but having Charlotte and all our moving threw us for a curve.  He is pretty easy to bribe with stickers and marshmallow and a few toys and that's what worked for us.

I feel his thoughts are becoming quite complex these days.  He is really into counting and what sounds letters make.  He asks me all day long what letter different things start with.  His latest thing is counting.  He loves to count anything and everything.

He still LOVES cars/transportation.  I don't see this changing for a long time.  I have been able to slowly integrate other toys in his play such as animals, but there must always be cars involved (example: cars and blocks, cars and animals, cars and play food).  The other day we rode the bus just for fun around town.

Jack says "yesternight" a lot.  Example, "I went to the store yesternight."

He has suddenly started putting "ka" in front of some words.  Kamote instead of remote, katato instead of potato, katar instead of guitar.  It's mostly funny and he will occasionally say it correctly so I am not too ka-worried.

The other day Jack was sick with a cold.  He asked me why he was sick.  It's amazing how difficult children's questions can be to answer when they know so little.  I did my best and this is what he repeated back to me: "Stingy Bees and ants got in my mouth and now I need to sleep."  Sounds about right.

A few days after a family home evening on families, Jack told me that Grandma Alice and Grandpa Bruce's tractor were in his family.

Jack uses the phrase "little boys" a lot.  It partly refers to himself.  He will say things like, "Sister has to be quiet because little boys are sleeping".  

He can never remember the word for Liahona even though we read the story every night.  He usually calls it the Hialona.  The other night he called it Lemo.

He still loves fruits and veggies.  The other day I kept track and over the course of three days he ate six apples,  3 bananas, 3 bowls of grapes and strawberries, and a giant pile of broccoli.  He is a very expensive eater.

I hope I haven't already posted these, but calls any blanket spread out on the floor a picnic, usually greets Charlotte in the morning with "Oh hi sweeties!", and when I tell him it's time to put toys away he usually says "just two more weeks!"

Oh and the reason for my post title is Jack gets really mad if you call him a funky dog.  Random but true.

  

This boy couldn't be happier right now.

I love to see Jack's creative play.  Here are some bears eating blocks of berries for lunch.

Jack asked me for a bowl of grapes.  Thinking I was being funny I brought him this.  Didn't even phase him.  Now when ever he gets a bowl, he picks this one.  I regret I started it.

This picture doesn't do it justice but after getting him dressed I couldn't help but notice he looked like old Biff from Back to the Future. I called him Biff all day long and as you can tell he didn't like it.

Jack fixing his bike.

In an effort to get him to eat meat, we brought out T-Rex to help us out.  He chose to eat it out of the dinosaurs mouth.  Whatever works.

Montpelier Races

We went to the Montpelier Races.  We have been dying to go to some horse races since we moved out and it didn't disappoint.  These races were held at Montpelier, President James Madison's house.  There were seven races through out the day.  When a race was going on we would watch and in between we checked out Montpelier, ate food and let Jack run free.  Tailgating was a huge deal.  Everyone had giant tables lavishly decorated with delicious food.  We didn't get the memo on this and had to settle with our lunchables and picnic food.  Seriously, these people were business.  They had fancy dishes, wine, pheasant, centerpieces.  So fun.  I was a bit worried to wear my big derby hat, but once I got there, I realized I fit right in.  

And now a fun story.  Jack currently has a fear of public toilets.  So there we were sitting in front of James Madison's house and Jack needed to go potty.  After three attempts of getting him to go in the port-a-potty, we had no choice.  Logan ran him behind some bushes and Jack relieved himself on the former Presidents lawn.  Sorry Mr. President, no disrespect intended.      

Tailgating.  This is a huge part of the races.  People go all out with centerpieces, fancy dishware, roast pheasants, and eat wine and cheese. 

My derby hat.  This is basically the whole reason we went, so I could wear a big hat with a peacock feather.  I want to go the races in spring.  That's when people go nuts.

Jack playing with mini horses.

Montpellier, James Madison's house.

Playing horses on Montpellier.

We loved the race over the brush.

Charlotte was all tuckered out.

Turned out pretty good considering my camera is sitting on my stroller in timer mode.

Football League

Logan played football on an intramural team with some buddies at UVA.  They ended up doing really well and winning the tournament!  The kids and I hung out with the other sports wives to watch the games.  The team won two gift cards.  One was to a local bar (haha, 5 out of the 8 team members are LDS) and the other to a pizza place.  We all celebrated with some pizza and afterwards Logan locked the kids in the car.  But that's a story for another day.

Louisa Airshow

We attended our traditional air show in Lousia a couple months ago.  Jack loves it.  It has it all: balloons, airplanes, firetrucks, etc.  It was a pretty hot and muggy day but we still had a good time.  We went with our friends the Hardings and Jack and Addie got to play a bit.

Jack and Addie

Me and Rachael

Sharing.

Firetrucks!

So vain.

A wing walker on the airplane.

Dating Co-op

We started a dating co-op with a three other couples.  Greatest idea ever.  So once a week, we get to go on a date for about three hours.  In the past Logan and I have been quite creative with our dates so I was excited to see what we would come up with.  Food.  This is all we do, eat, eat, eat.  Seriously, it's out of control.  With that said, I don't know one parent that gets to eat their food slowly, peacefully, and still warm. It's so nice to just savor each bite all the way to the end.  We are making our way around town to try all the famous C'ville eats.  It's been fun. 

The Flat.  Crepe dinners and dessert.  So good.

Dumplings from Noodles and Dumplings.  

Lamb curry.

Sweet Frog frozen yogurt.

This is Halloween

Halloween was fun this year but also a bit unpredictable.  With Hurricane Sandy, most activities were cancelled.  A few things ended popping up last minute and I still feel we had more than enough Halloween fun for the month.  Jack got sick again just like last year and ended up throwing up.  I am convinced he has a Halloween curse.

Having fun with a Halloween sensory dig.

We got TWO Halloween packages from the Grandma's in Utah.  We are so loved.  The kids loved them.

Carving/painting pumpkins.  Jack was really into this

Charlotte sucking on everything.  She has been quite the drooling/sucking teether.

The finished product!  Don't mind half-naked Smeagol in the picture.

We finished the night with a glow in the dark bath.  Of course with my camera flash, it doesn't look very glowy but it was.

Next was trunk or treat at the church.  Moved inside of course due to Sandy.

Jack with his buds Liam and Addie.

Costumes were somewhat last minute since I didn't even know if there was going to be a Halloween.  So I  did some borrowing getting bits and pieces here and there.  We are the Toy Story gang.  Woody, Woody, Ham and Jessie.

Little Ham was tuckered out.

Jack loved riding the bus to Trick or Treat on the Lawn.   He is always asking me to go for a bus ride.  Sometimes we just hop on until it brings us back home.

Headed to UVA on the Lawn.  Logan skipped class so he could come this year.

This giant creepy thing was inflated and would breath.  You had to reach in his mouth to get some candy.

Jack and Liam.

This doesn't look very appetizing but it was.  $2 Boo-ritos at Chiptole.