Adventures with Owen & Kasey

Dear Santa...2011 edition

2011-12-22T15:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa,

We are getting REALY excited for you to come visit our house in a couple of days! We know that you are a super busy guy, but if you have a spare moment or two there are a few things we have been pondering lately...

How old are you exactly?
How old are the Reindeer? Are they the original Reindeer, or the descendants of the original ones?
Does our Elf on the Shelf Elvin tell you the good stuff we do, or only the bad stuff?
Are there different types of Elves? We think there must be toymaker Elves, baker Elves, scout Elves, wrapping Elves, etc. Are we right?
We believe that Rudolph truly exists, but is the movie "based on a true story" or somebody's made up version of how he came to guide your sleigh?
We've been listening to the Holly station on XM Radio and have heard Mrs. Claus say that she wants us to leave you healthy snacks this year. Are you on a diet?

We hope you have a Merry Christmas! We love you!

Love,

Owen & Kasey Babb

PS....We made some Reindeer Food that we will sprinkle on the lawn for your Reindeer. We also made some Peanut Butter Blossom cookies for you. We know Mrs. Claus wants you to have healthier snacks, so Owen thought the protein in the peanut butter would be a good thing for you to have!

PPS....Here is our list of questions to you from last year. We are very curious children!

Who needs the USPS?

2011-12-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

Who needs the US Postal Service? Not us. Or at least not when it comes time to deliver letters to Santa. We have something better and far more reliable. We have Elvin the Elf!

I didn't know that the magical powers of the Elf on the Shelf included personal messenger service. Kasey was the one who suggested that we skip the trip to the post office and just leave the letters near Elvin one evening. There was never a doubt that Elvin would happily deliver the letters along with his nightly report to the Big Man himself.

Elvin perched on Brian's guitar....

the kids' letters to Santa are tucked into the guitar strings below

Owen's letter to Santa

Kasey's letter to Santa

Elvin came through!

This is where the kids found him the next morning,

along with a note and a treat!

Sometimes I Can't Remember to Tell My Mouth to be Quiet!

2011-10-20T16:53:00.000-07:00

Progress Reports came home today. The format that Owen's school uses for Kindergarten has a section that covers "Social Development" and one that covers "Academic Development." There is also a place for comments.

Owen's teacher commented that he is "very smart and shares a lot of his knowledge with his classmates." Then in the area of Social Development, she pointed out that he needs to work on remembering to raise his hand and be called upon as opposed to shouting things out loud.

When I discussed the progress report with Owen, the conversation went something like this...

Me: Mrs. Coe says you still need to work on remembering to raise your hand and wait to be called on. You can't just yell things out.

Owen: I know Mommy! But when I am in school there is just so much going through my brain that sometimes I can't remember to tell my mouth to be quiet. I just really, really want to tell everybody what I know!

A glimpse into the brain of Owen...

A Year in the Life of Owen

2011-10-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

In the past 12 months, Owen has...

Become a total daredevil on his bike!

Channeled his inner Jedi almost daily!

Danced in a hip hop recital!

Discovered his love for running far and fast!

Learned how to roller skate!

Played his second season of basketball!

Actually attempted to field the ball!

Discovered that he really, really likes playing catcher!

Discovered that he really, really likes gymnastics!

Spent a week as a singing cowboy!

Got to visit "Owen heaven"

aka the American Museum of Natural History in NYC!

Visited a planetarium for the first time!

Was a human bird feeder!

Learned how to boogie board!

Got brave enough to ride a horse for the first time!

Requested a "faux hawk" when getting his hair cut....

and became a fan of making funny faces!

Turned into a really good defensive player in soccer!

Started Kindergarten!

Happy 6th Birthday to my little Jedi-Lego master-Sports fanatic-Nature loving-Knock knock joke telling-Sweet-Sensitive-Smart Owen!!!

Pre-K Favorites by Kasey Babb

2011-09-13T19:07:00.001-07:00

Kindergarten Favorites by Owen Babb

2011-09-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

Owen & Kasey's Summer of Togetherness

2011-09-06T16:46:00.001-07:00

Phineas and Ferb are wrong. There aren't 104 days of summer vacation - not in Torrance at least. The total here was 83.

83 days of Summer Vacation - 83 days in which Owen and Kasey have pretty much been together 24/7 - 83 days of arguing over tv shows (Phineas & Ferb being the one show they agree upon) - 83 days of sharing - 83 days of bickering - 83 days of laughter and hugs - 83 days of memories.

Time "Off the Grid"

2011-08-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

A few of the many reasons I love our annual summer camping trip...

Unplugged fun!

Breathtaking scenery!

Time with extended family and friends!

Seeing some of my childhood memories lived again

through Owen & Kasey!

He's thinking ahead...

2011-07-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Dinner table conversation this evening...

Owen: Mommy, I don't have to get married if I don't want to. Right?

Me: You don't have to, but someday you might want to get married.

Owen: Nope. I'm going to be a paleontologist and live in a tent. I think it will be easier if I am not married.

He's such a planner...

And he has a theme song...

For the day in the future when they don't LOVE, LOVE, LOVE each other...

2011-07-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

I was chatting recently with a friend about the CRAZY first year of Kasey's life.....having an infant and a toddler 16 months apart, with a husband working full time/traveling for work a ton/getting an MBA is not for the weak of heart. I basically lived in a blurry, fast forward sort of auto-pilot until Kasey was about a year old. If we'd planned it that way we would have been nuts.....clearly we did not plan it that way, but now that we are several years on the other side of that insanity, I can't imagine things being any other way.

As different as their personalities are, they love, love, love each other. Sure they fight and bicker and make each other crazy. But they play together more than they argue. Miss each other when they are apart. Cheer each other on. Kasey even says she would marry Owen - although she finally understands she can't marry her own brother. So much love. So sweet.

But as sweet as it is, I also am realistic to know that there will be stage in later years when the polar opposite personalities outweigh the strong sibling bond....I'm thinking sometime in middle school they might need to be reminded of how much they do actually love, love, love each other. OK - I might need a reminder (they'll be pre-teens, how can I possibly think they'll care about what I have to say?!)

So, for the day in the future when they can't stand to be around each other.....photographic evidence that once upon a time they really, really did LOVE, LOVE, LOVE each other!

Love is....a brother who will happily play dress up with his little sister

Love is....squeezing into a teeny, tiny space and then playing together for hours

Love is....Kasey constantly hugging up to Owen for pictures

Love is....wanting to share everything with each other (in this case a ladybug Kasey found during one of Owen's games)

Yin & Yang

2011-07-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

Up & Down

Cold & Hot

Light & Dark

Long & Short

Ebb & Flow

Yes & No

Stop & Go

Owen & Kasey

Opposites

But they can agree on at least one thing....there is a certain song they both love. Ironically enough, it could be the story of them...

Going and Coming

2011-06-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

Children do not mark the passage of time with a "traditional" calendar. For them, time is marked by the days between birthdays, holidays, sports seasons, and school years...

Owen walking off to school on his first day of Preppy K

September 8, 2010

Owen and Kasey riding home after Owen's last day of Preppy K

June 16, 2011

Should I be flattered?

2011-04-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before about the fantastic imaginary world that Kasey occupies in tandem with the real world the rest of us occupy. In the past couple weeks, the two worlds have merged. Kasey's current favorite alter ego is somebody who feels strangely familiar.

Consider the following conversation...

Kasey: Mommy, can you babysit my babies tonight? I have a very important meeting.

Me: Babysit?

Kasey: Yes, for Rosa and Baby and Dolly and Boy and the Triplets and Eva and Olivia and Fancy Nancy. I have a very important meeting so you need to give my babies dinner and put them to bed. My meeting is at 7pm and that is past the babies' bedtime. Ok?

Me: Ok. What is your meeting for?

Kasey: It's a Board meeting. We have to talk about raising money for the school. It's very important!

And then there was this scenario....

We were waiting for the teacher in Kasey's art class the other day, to pass the time she took my phone from my bag, held it to her ear, began walking around the classroom and "talking" into the phone - "Hello, Zingo? Yes, we have that very important meeting tonight. Mmm hmm. Board meeting at 7pm. Yes, yes. I am going to bring the snacks."

Gee. Who do we suppose she is imitating?

Should I be flattered?

Picasso was...

2011-04-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

Kasey is an artist at heart. She can spend hours drawing, painting, coloring, crafting, creating. We don't have enough wall space to hang her ever growing collection.

Today, she had the first session of an art class at the YMCA. The class is based around the idea of teaching the kids some basic concepts and also introducing them to different famous artists. Today they learned about Picasso and were creating paintings of faces in the style of Picasso.

When I picked her up from class I asked her what she learned today. Her answer? "Picasso was a really, really good artist just like me!"

The Small Moments Carry Me Through

2011-04-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I have a stroke of creative brilliance. And sometimes, the kids actually agree with me that my ideas are brilliant!

Such was the case recently when I looked at a blank wall in the backyard and decided it needed a huge chalkboard - and not just any chalkboard, an amazing chalkboard. One we would make from scratch so we could ensure it was as large as we wanted. A piece of plywood, some primer, chalkboard paint, drilled holes and a few bolts later (thanks you Brian!) we now have an amazing chalkboard in the backyard.

The kids watched excitedly all weekend as the project went from one step to the next. When I finally declared the paint completely dry and the chalkboard "open" they both ran outside and this is what they each drew first...

Kasey drew a picture of me.

Owen spelled out I love you.

These scribbles were quickly erased and replaced with large drawings...

Kasey drew a picture of Kasey, Mommy and Chloe the cat (who mysteriously is on a leash!)

Owen drew a picture of Owen and Mommy on a Sunny Day

Such bliss in a small moment in time. This was one of those small moments that can carry me

through the "other" moments.

Every parent knows what I mean when I refer to the "other" moments. They don't look the same in every family, but we all have them. Those pesky, ugly, smelly, annoying, bothersome, itchy, horrible moments that can tip the balance from happy family to unhappy family quicker than the time it takes to blink your eyes.

There are some that I am sure will look familiar to most of you...The moments I find myself barely able to breathe because one (or both) of them is redefining disobedient. The moments I am operating on fumes because they have both been sick and none of us can get some sleep. The moments when the dinner table turns into a war zone because somebody does not like the way a meal looks.

But there are also those that are unique to our family...The moments the pain from my fibromylagia is keeping me from being the active Mom that I strive to be. The moments Owen's emotions become bigger than he is and seem to take over the entire house. The moments when Kasey's drama can temporarily stop time. The moments when Brian is traveling on the other side of the world and time differences can mean the kids don't get to speak with him for days on end.

The moments that make up a lifetime. We don't get to choose each one, but we do get to decide how they shape us over time. I choose to just role with those pesky, ugly, smelly, annoying, bothersome, itchy, horrible moments - by definition they are just moments and will pass. That means I can also choose to bask in the wonderful, blessed, love-filled, joyous, amazing, perfect moments such as a drawing on a chalkboard.

They may be small moments, but they are our moments.

10 Things Larger Than a Television

2011-03-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Owen had a question on his homework this week that had him name 10 things that are larger than a television. Without hesitation, the first thing to roll off his tongue was...

1. 10-story building

He then tried to convince me that the next answers should be 9-story building, 8-story building, 7-story building, etc. I told him that while those answers were in fact correct, I was pretty sure his teacher would appreciate it if he were to use his brain and come up with a greater diversity of items larger than a television.

After a little thought, the rest of this list looked like this...

2. house

3. Kasey's playhouse

4. full grown tree

5. moving truck

6. armored truck

7. bookcase

8. airplane

9. train

10. telephone pole

The Faces of Anger

2011-02-21T17:34:00.000-08:00

If you spend any amount of time around our family right now, chances are you will hear the phrase "Manage your anger" coming from Brian or myself several times each day. Several times each hour on the really challenging days!

I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say that super emotional-super intense-super spirited Owen has recently added anger to the list of emotions he wears on his sleeve.

My good friend Janine let us borrow a children's book last week called Ahn's Anger. It is a beautifully illustrated story about a little boy who meets his anger and discovers positive ways to work through his strong emotions.

The first time we read the book, both kids were intrigued by the idea that an emotion could "look" like something. I jumped on their curiosity and encouraged both of them to draw pictures of what their own anger might look like. They both ran to the craft table, began drawing and talking about what it looks and feels like to be angry. It rates near the top on my list of all-time best Mommy moments.

In the book, Ahn's anger looks like this...

And in case you are curious about how anger looks to my own 4 and 5 year old darlings...

This is what Owen's anger "looks like"...

...and this is what Kasey's anger "looks like"

A Year in the Life of Kasey

2011-02-04T17:02:00.001-08:00

In the past year, Kasey has...

taken lessons in ballet, tap, and hip hop dancing
performed in both her first dance recital and church pageant
seen a live concert by The Fresh Beat Band
been to a tea party
learned how to rope from a real cowboy in Arizona
ridden ponies in NJ and CA
explored a cavern in the Sequoia National Forest
been hugged by Elmo and Abby Cadabby
started preschool
played on a basketball team
been a prolific artist
learned how to roller skate
started gymnastics lessons
made me laugh until I cried one minute and shake my head in exasperation the next
turned another year older

Happy 4th Birthday to the little girl who sings and dances her way through life and always helps me remember to find the joy in life's little moments!

Eat, Pray, Love - Kasey style

2011-01-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

2011 has not started off so great. Weird, icky, cooky, messy, and just plain annoying situations and people seem to be lurking in every shadow waiting to pounce. None of this is catastrophic, and much of it is not even in my control. But all of it has the combined effect of chipping away at my attempts to face each new day with a positive attitude.

It is at times like this, when I am beyond thankful for Kasey's ability to float joyfully through her day. She sings (songs of her own composition!) about everything, she has a posse of invisible friends (all of whom have names that rhyme with Ringo) who share her adventures when there are no real friends to play with, she enjoys her food with the passion of a true gourmet, and she has the kindest of hearts. It was a combination of these last two things that helped lessen the blow of the latest annoying situation today.

Long story, short - somebody decided to help themselves to Brian's beloved smoker/bbq. It was next to the garage yesterday and now today it is gone. Ugh. I called the police, they came and took a report, and on we went with the day....but not before the following conversation...

Kasey: Why were the police here Mommy?

Me: Somebody stole Daddy's bbq and we wanted the police to know.

Kasey: Will the police bring the bbq back?

Me: Probably not.

Kasey: But Daddy loves it and I love the food he cooks on it!

Me: I know. And it is said, but sometimes the police can't find things that get stolen.

Kasey: Will we buy a new one?

Me: Not right away, they are a little expensive.

Kasey: You can have all the money in my piggy bank and my allowance I did not spend. I will buy Daddy a new one, because I love him and I love food, and Jesus said we should help each other.

Clearly, she does not have that kind of money sitting in her piggy bank. But, I truly believe she would empty it out to make her Daddy happy. It's the preschool version of Eat, Pray, Love.

Dear Santa...

2010-12-23T11:31:00.001-08:00

Dear Santa,

There are a few things we've been debating in our house lately regarding you and life on the North Pole. Could you possibly answer a few questions for us?

1. Is Rudolph real, or is pretend? We do not doubt that you have a wonderful team of magical reindeer, we just do not agree on the existence (or not) of Rudolph. Owen is convinced he is absolutely real and will guide your sleigh on Christmas Eve. Kasey seems to think Rudolph is just a very nice reindeer in a story - after all reindeer don't talk (do they?) and Rudolph definitely talks.

2. How exactly do you fit all those toys on your sleigh?

3. At what point is it "too late" to redeem oneself and be moved from the Naughty list to the Nice list?

4. If you know when we are naughty or nice, do you know when we "accidentally" do something naughty and feel really, really bad about it?

5. Who is the REAL Santa? Kasey is pretty sure it was really you who visited her school and that the "Santa" at the mall is just a nice man dressed up to look like you. Owen wonders if your magic also allows you to clone yourself and be in every mall, school, parade, etc. all at once.

We know you're really busy right now, but maybe when you get a chance after Christmas you could find some time to answer these questions for us. We'd really appreciate it!

Thanks, Santa! Merry Christmas!

Love,

Owen and Kasey Babb

PS.....just in case you somehow misplaced our Christmas lists, Owen would like a a Lego Star Wars watch and Kasey would like a "big girl" doll with brown hair. Thanks!

Empathy

2010-12-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

How do you teach Empathy to a 5 year old? This has been one of the things we have struggled with lately. And just when I think the kid does not have an empathetic bone in his body, this happens.....

The kids are watching Ice Age on television as I am working around the house. Owen comes running into the room and says...

Owen : "Mommy!! You have to come rewind the television so you can see something REALLY important!"

Me: "No Owen. I am in the middle of folding laundry and I am not going to come out there to rewind the show so you can show me a toy commercial."

Owen: (close to tears) "But it's not a toy Mommy! It's animals who are hurt and alone and we need to do something to help them! Please Mommy! Please!" (now in full tears and sobs)

Oh my. It was an ASPCA commercial. He has now been asking what we can do to "help all those poor animals."

Empathy.

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

How many more years do I get with Halloween still being cute? I am SO not looking forward to the day Owen chooses something creepy, bloody, icky. And I dread even more the day Kasey asks for a costume that is inappropriately sexy for her age.

How many more years do I get of this...

The Girl Who Cried Wolf...

2010-10-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

Kasey has a flare for the dramatic. Ok, that's an understatement. Kasey embodies drama, thrives on drama, creates drama.

Don't get me wrong, this is not always a bad thing. The dramatic side of her nature means she can be funny, sweet and charming. She almost never uses the dreaded "B word" (bored) - even the most mundane activities become launching pads for a game or a round of make-believe. Her quirky view on the world has me laughing several times a day. Sometimes, I am thankful that she was blessed with such a creative spirit and flair for the dramatic.

Sometimes.

And then there are the other times. The times when the quirky and creative flair for the dramatic takes a nosedive straight into the abyss of full blown D-R-A-M-A! Hysterics, tears and ultimatums have been known to fall from her lips over perceived injustices. Her storytelling has recently been surpassing creative, bearing a closer resemblance to lies than to truth.

I don't think she intends to lie. It's more like she enjoys "spicing things up" and the attention she often gets as a result. She is The Girl Who Cried Wolf - and we've been calling her on it a lot lately. I've lost count of the number of conversations we've had about the fact that if she lies too much, people (ok - Mommy and Daddy!) may not believe her when she is being truthful about something important.

On the way to school this morning, she and I were listening to Kids Place Live on XM/Sirrius. Imagine my delight when the songs gave way to a story - the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. I turned up the volume and told her to listen carefully because this was the story Daddy and I kept telling her about. She listened intently and then declared in very dramatic fashion, "Oh Mommy! I would never tell a lie about a wolf because then one would eat me! I promise to never lie about wolves!"

Back to the drawing board...

A Year in the Life of Owen

2010-10-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

In the past year Owen has....

become an "expert" on dinosaurs
ventured into the world of team sports....basketball, t-ball and soccer
decided he is a fan of any meal involving sea food
taught himself how to read
memorized the locations of more constellations than I can name
been on 2 aircraft carriers
found his voice and the confidence to perform
learned how to play chess
taken a roping lesson from a cowboy
gone bowling for the first time
taken hip hop dance lessons
explored a cavern in the Sequoia National Forest
"graduated" from preschool
amazed, astounded and frustrated me on a daily (hourly!) basis
become a BIG BOY!!!

Happy 5th birthday to the boy who will always be my "monkey"!!!!!

Sometimes, we get it right...

2010-09-29T19:34:00.000-07:00

RUMP (yes it's a hysterical acronym!) - aka Riviera United Methodist Preschool - was Owen's preschool and is now Kasey's preschool. It is a co-op school and we love it for so many reasons. I am currently president of the school's Board of Directors, and have the opportunity to write a little article for the school newsletter once a month.

As I was writing the article for the October newsletter, I recalled the conversations I have had over the years with people wondering WHY we choose to do co-op. I think the article answers that. Judge for yourself...

Most of you know that Kasey is my second child to experience the joys of RUMP. My oldest, Owen, has moved on to elementary school and given me a fresh perspective and renewed confidence in co-ops (in general) and in RUMP.

I think we can all agree, that a major objective in raising our children is to help them move toward independence while providing them with a safe and nurturing environment. At it’s core, this is what a good co-op preschool (RUMP included!) is designed to accomplish. Even so, there were times in recent months when I seriously questioned whether or not a co-op had been the best choice for my super-sensitive, spirited, and intense son. I never questioned RUMP’s merits, but I did have moments when I wondered if a program with more structure would have been a better place from which to launch Owen out into the “real world.”

My doubts were without merit. In this first month of school, I have seen time and again that the 2 years Owen spent at RUMP absolutely prepared him to succeed. RUMP exposed him to learning experiences that developed his curiosity, love of learning, and sense of security. He is happy and excelling; due in large part to RUMP, Mrs. Bille and every parent who spent time nurturing, supporting, and encouraging him.

When you decide to enroll in a co-op, you are not just sending your child to school. You are becoming part owner in their education, as well as in the education of all their classmates. It is equal parts challenge and reward - and so, so worth it in every possible way!

"My mommy loves..."

2010-09-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

Brian and I were wine tasting in Paso Robles this past weekend. Several times over the course of the weekend, I had flashbacks to a recent conversation that Kasey had with a friend of mine...

Scene - Craft room at Riviera United Methodist Preschool. The project involved water color paints, and the water for rinsing the paints had apparently turned purple.

Kasey: Is this wine? My mommy loves wine!

Yes, Kasey. Mommy loves wine...

Owen the Athlete

2010-09-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

In the past few months, Owen has been exploring the vast world of team sports. In theory, he loves all sports. In reality, however, he is finding that he may not actually love PLAYING all sports.

His first attempt was basketball last winter. The fast pace of the game suits his personality, but the noise level in the gym would often have him

overwhelmed by the end of a game.

Next up was t-ball. We knew going in that this was not a likely candidate to be "his sport" but he asked to play so we signed him up. What followed were a few months of a love/hate relationship. He loved putting on his uniform, being a part of the team, and his turns at bat. He hated fielding and the slow pace of the game - but made up for this by spending the time digging for treasure, catching bugs and examining blades of grass. If there was a designated hitter position in t-ball, he would be a great candidate for the job!

And now, he is playing soccer. A few weeks before the season started, he told me "Soccer is going to be MY game!" He might be right. The pace is good for him, he is trying hard to master the rules, and puts forth full effort at practices and games both.

We'll have to wait a few years to see which sport he ultimately "chooses", but until then at least he can be assured of one thing.....each season ends with a shiny trophy!

To recap...

2010-09-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

I was just reading the latest installment of a good friend's blog (love you Scott!) and began to wonder exactly how long it had been since I posted on my own blog. The answer? About 2 weeks shy of a year!

Upon reflection, I could not really come up with a compelling explanation. I did, however, realize that there was a time when sitting down to type out an anecdote about the kids was both therapeutic and enjoyable. So....let's give this a shot again.

Stay tuned...

"Ballerina Class"

2009-10-13T19:40:00.004-07:00

Kasey has been asking for months to take ballet classes - or as she says it "Ballerina class." I finally found one that worked with our schedule and a couple of weeks ago she took her very first class.

She is in love.

In love with her little pink rehearsal dress. In love with her minuscule pink ballet slippers. In love with her teacher Miss Sara. In love with the studio, and the ballet bar and the mirrors. In love with the whole thing.

And we are in love with how absolutely, heartbreakingly adorable it is to watch her...

The Fisherman & The Mermaid/Surfer Girl

2009-08-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

We took the kids camping in Kings Canyon last week. The Kings River gave both kids the opportunity for some fun and great memories.

Owen is turning out to be quite the little fisherman....

Kasey just loves water in any form...

Teenage Drama....

2009-08-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

Kasey is 2 going on 12.

Last week was Vacation Bible School at church. Owen was finally old enough this year to officially participate, but Kasey is still too young so she comes to the opening and closing times and spends the time in between with a couple of her favorite teenage babysitters in the church nursery. Kasey loves Amber and Briana. Kasey wants to be Amber and Briana. Kasey thinks Amber and Briana are her bffs.

On the last day of VBS, many of the teenagers involved were planning to hit the beach after we wrapped up the program for the day. At some point during the day, Kasey became aware of this plan and decided that she was going to the beach as well. When I found her at the end of the morning, she ran up to me and the conversation went something like this...

K: I'm going to the beach with Amber and Briana!
D: Not today, sweetie. We need to go home to bake cookies for the party tonight and then it is going to be nap time

Approximately 5 seconds of silence passed, during which the smile on Kasey's face was replaced with a look of disbelief, followed quickly by a pouting lip which melted into full blown drama-queen hysteria.

K: I AM GOING TO THE BEACH!!!!
D: Not today. Maybe next week.
K: YES TODAY!!!

And at this point she ran off crying, straight to Amber and wanted nothing to do with me for about 10 minutes.

When she did come looking for me again, it was only because she was hungry. Amber did not have her lunch. Briana did not have her lunch. Mommy had her lunch.

Even a pint-sized drama queen needs her mommy sometimes!

And it will go really fast too...

2009-07-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

Owen wants to be a firefighter when he grows up. But Owen being Owen - just being a regular firefighter won't be good enough. He is going to invent and build the first ever, fire-motorcycle!

The obvious benefit being that he will be able to travel faster than the firetrucks, thereby getting to the scene of a fire to "put the wet stuff on the hot stuff" quicker than ever before possible. The hoses will attach to the bottom of the bike (because clearly there is not room anyplace else!) and there will be 2 sets of flashing lights and sirens....one set on top for people to see and hear and another set on the bottom for ants and snails to see and hear.

Ants and snails? Yes, you read that correctly. He apparently does not want to run over and squash any ants or snails when he is zooming off to fight fires on his fire-motorcycle...

I am Belle...

2009-06-26T20:25:00.001-07:00

...or so says Kasey, otherwise known as Sleeping Beauty. Do not be alarmed if you hear us addressing each other by our Princess names....it goes on for hours at a time some days!

And just so we are not the only ones involved in the game, Kasey has christened other family members as well - Brian is Cinderella, Owen is the Prince, and Poppa is the King. There are two Queens - Grammy and Chloe the Cat.

Don't forget you are amongst royalty the next time you are at 17206 Patronella Avenue!

Sail Away...

2009-05-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Brian had to attend a couple days worth of training in San Diego last week, so the kids and I decided to tag along, take advantage of the company paying our hotel bill, get another use out of the Sea World passes, etc. A mini vacation.

On the last morning of the trip we decided we would like to rent a sailboat and take the kids out for their first experience sailing. Where better than beautiful Mission Bay on a sunny Saturday morning?

I wish I had a cute picture of the the kids in the boat to insert right here - but since we did not really know what to expect, I thought it was safer to leave the camera in the dry truck! Turns out, I would have been able to get tons of great pictures because they both did great. Oh well - next time.

For me, the really amazing part of the story is this - the boat ride brought out the most diametrically opposed qualities of the kids' personalities.

Kasey - little miss uninhibited - sang songs, hung as far over the edge as we would allow, pretended to be a pirate and attempted to hold conversations with people on other boats. Our extrovert in her full glory!

Owen - whose middle name should be Control-freak - sat very still in a corner unless we asked him to move, laughed nervously as he proclaimed "this is fun!", and over the course of the first 20 minutes or so became increasingly (and noticeably!) more nervous. When Brian asked if Owen wanted to help him run the tiller, Owen relaxed a tiny bit - after all he finally had some sense of control over something in the little boat! - but I swear I heard him breathe a sigh of relief when we told him we were going to be heading back to the dock!

When we were back on shore, I asked both kids if they had enjoyed themselves. The answer from both was a resounding YES! I promise pictures next time :-)

To the Mountaintop

2009-05-04T16:07:00.000-07:00

We spent this past weekend at the Lazy W Ranch outside of San Juan Capistrano for church camp...a weekend planned to be unplugged, spending time as a family with our extended church family. This was the first year we were able to make the trip, and other than a few minor bumps (mostly involving lack of sleep for both the kids and myself!) we had an amazing weekend and are already looking forward to next year!

We did all the typical camp type things - involving lots of dirt, playing in the creek, some more dirt, admiring nature, more dirt, a fantastic campfire and lots more dirt. The highlight for me, however, was watching in absolute awe as Owen conquered a 2-mile round trip hike up (and then back down) the hill behind the camp. This is by no means an easy hike. A couple of adults turned back half way - but Owen powered through and made it all the way to the top on his own 2 legs.

This is him RUNNING as we started out - the idea of the hike was somehow very exciting to him!

He is about half way up the hill in these next 2 pictures and still going strong - hadn't really even stopped to rest at this point.

This is the view at the top, of the crosses on the side of the hill...

...the view looking back down into the camp...

...and this is a now tired Owen realizing we also have to go all the way back down and that nobody is willing to carry him.

He did manage to get a piggy back part way down from Brian and part way down from one of the teenagers who was with us...but who could blame him, my legs were tired so I can only imagine how his felt!

When I asked him at the conclusion of the weekend what his favorite part had been, he said without hesitation "hiking up the mountain!!" - so clearly as proud of himself as we are of him.

As a PS to the story - Kasey made it all the way up and back down as well. Most of the way up she was on Brian's shoulders and then in his arms as she fell asleep for the final 1/4 mile or so...

...and on the way back down she was carried by an assortment of people including Miss Pat, Brian and a couple of the teenage girls!

Clothing optional?!

2009-04-21T16:51:00.000-07:00

Apparently the kids have decided clothing is optional around here. When Owen came out of his room after nap today he was completely naked. And then Kasey came out of her room a few minutes later in this fetching ensemble...

Super "Zs" to the Rescue!!!!!!!!!

2009-04-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

We have superheroes in our midst!

They are a crime fighting duo and have named themselves the "Super Zs" (in recognition of the large letter Z on the back of the capes the Easter bunny brought them). According to Owen, their super power is the ability to "crush bad guys". Best we can tell, this involves a lot of running, jumping and yelling "Dadada! Super Zs to the Rescue!" Might not be the most effective means of fighting evil - but it sure is entertaining the heck out of the neighbors!

Up in the Sky!!

2009-03-30T08:55:00.001-07:00

We took the kids to their first airshow this past Saturday. It was a gorgeous day - and we all had a great time....

Owen probably enjoyed it most of all. He had a nice long chat with a firefighter from CDF who flies in the helicopter, got to sit in the CDF helicopter, walk through a military transport plane, see tons of cool aerobatics, watch a mock police chase with cars, the helicopter and police dogs, and experience a fly by from a "jet fighter." Great day for him!!

Kasey enjoyed herself too - mostly when she got to pet the police dogs and eat an Hawaiian shaved ice. The downside of the day for her was when she did not get any warning before the jet fly by and was scared so bad she was shaking for at least 15 minutes!!

And Brian finally got some quality time in using the super cool zoom lens he bought me for Christmas. The great airplane shots that follow are all him.

Leprechaun Food

2009-03-24T20:01:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time I had two kids who would eat pretty much anything I put in front of them and meal times were easy. Sadly, this fairy tale does not end happily - at some point, Owen decided that he would no longer eat everything - and now will pretty much not eat anything without some serious coercion, threats or bribes. He would happily eat a pb&j or chicken nuggets for weeks on end - but since I am not a short order cook I pretty much insist he eats whatever food I am putting on the table or he does not eat at all. There are many, many, many nights when he opts to not eat at all.

On St. Patrick's day I made corned beef and cabbage for dinner. Knowing full well that Owen would take one look at the meal and declare his disgust - I came to the table prepared. He had learned about leprechauns at school that day - so I told the kids we were having leprechaun food for dinner....special food that would make their eyes so powerful they would be able to see leprechauns after they had eaten their meal. I promised a trip outside to look for leprechauns after dinner - but only for those who ate their dinner.

Kasey dug in - no surprise there! Owen did not immediately push his plate away - he talked about leprechauns and rainbows and pots of gold. He wondered aloud if there really would be a colony of leprechauns living in the back yard. He moved the food around his plate, and seemed almost ready to take a bite - but in the end he must have decided the risk of trying the food outweighed the benefit of the adventure.

No leprechaun hunting for Owen....but as soon as Kasey was done with dinner she declared "Me go find leprettycan!!!" So out to the yard we went. I told her that they like to hide and are very shy so we had to be super quiet. We peeked underneath the slide and after a couple seconds of careful searching she declared in a stage whisper "Look Mommy!! Theys leprettycans right there under the slide! I see them! I see them!"

Amazing stuff that leprechaun food - just not amazing enough to get Owen to eat!

Do Not...

2009-03-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

Owen's school puts out a monthly newsletter to keep parents informed of (sometimes) important school things. It also includes a little section called "Quotes from our RUMPsters" - funny things that come out of the mouths of 3, 4, & 5 year olds.

A couple of weeks ago, Owen's teacher told me to make sure I read the quotes section in the March newsletter because Owen had said something that had absolutely cracked her up - not just because it was funny, but also because it was a great illustration of Owen's budding problem solving skills.

This is the excerpt from the newsletter...

Owen asked me what the cover on the sandbox was for and I said it was to keep cats out. He then asked "Why don't you put up a sign telling them to keep out?" I replied that cats don't read. Owen then observed "Well, you could draw a red circle around a picture of a cat and put a line through it - then they wouldn't have to read it!"

Kasey The Musical

2009-02-18T06:44:00.002-08:00

We've thought for some time now, that Kasey hears music in her head that the rest of us somehow miss. In the past couple of months, she has been inceasingly sharing that music with the world - she basically walks through life singing about everything she sees, feels and does.

Her repertoire includes such favorites as - The I Love You Song, Mealtime Melody, Owen Touched Me! Blues, Dance! Dance! Dance!, and the background track to most days, the wordless La La Song.

Little Diva that she is, she is also generally of the opinion that she should be the only one allowes to serenade the world. It is quite common for her to snap "No Sing!" at anybody else who even dares.

The word is Kasey's musical comedy (or tragedy depending on the day!) and the rest of us are the audience!

When I Grow Up

2009-02-18T06:44:00.001-08:00

Owen has recently begun to list the things he want to be and do when he grows up. On our way to school one day last week, he spent the better part of the 15 minute drive monologuing about his aspirations...

"Mommy? When I get bigger like you and Daddy I want to drive that tow truck over there. And also a digger, and a trash truck and a cement mixer and dump truck. Or maybe a tow truck. I also want to be a fireman so I can drive the fire truck, rescue people and put out fires. And a policeman so I can help people and catch the bad guys. Look! There's the UPS truck - I want to drive the UPS truck. And Kasey can fly the UPS plane. When I get growed up like you and Daddy I can go to work and make money and drive a truck like Daddy's and go shopping. I want to be a teacher like Mrs. Bille and work in a big, huge, office tower. Can I Mommy?"

Sure, buddy. You can be anything you want to be!

A Year in the Life of Kasey

2009-02-18T06:43:00.001-08:00

Kasey's year in review from chubby 1 year old to sassy 2 year old!

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008

May 2008
June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

September 2008

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009 - Happy 2nd Birthday!

Owen's 1st Fieldtrip

2009-02-18T06:42:00.000-08:00

Owen had his first school fieldtrip experience last month. Keep in mind that he attends a co-op preschool, so fieldtrips are basically Mommy & Me, so it was not the great adventure it might have been under different circumstances! But to Owen it was still one of the coolest things ever.

We went to a local pizza place, where the kids had the opportunity to make pizza (duh!) The night before the trip, I explained to Owen that we would be going on a fieldtrip for school the next day. 30 minutes, and lots of "but why?" questions later, he finally understood that it was like school, but not at school. That his teacher and all his school friends would be there, but his friends who do not go to school with him could not come. That they were going to be making pizza, and that yes, he could eat it even though it was going to be closer to breakfast time than to lunch time.

The morning of the trip, he came running into our bedroom, yelling "Let's go make pizza!!" He pretty much was bouncing off the walls all morning until it was time to leave, and continued to boing, boing, boing as we waited to get inside the restaraunt. Here he is with his friend Jake, before they were allowed to go inside...

The kids all got to take turns rolling dough and sprinkling on ingredients. Pretty gross if you consider the fact that at least half of the kids either had a cold or were getting over one! I am sure the cooking killed any lingering germs, but I don't think I saw one adult eat a piece of pizza!

While the pizzas cooked, the kids got a tour of the kitchen and then were each given a small dough ball to play with. Many of the kids - Owen included - ate some of the dough. Yuck! And then, of course, came the best part of all - getting to eat the pizza and wash it down with sugary pink lemonade at 10:30am. If he and his friends were not bouncing off the walls before their feast, they certainly were after!

On the way home, Owen asked if we could go on another fieldtrip the next day. No? How about next week? No? When then???

Clearly, he enjoyed himself. And I am glad I was able to be there. One of the really great things about a co-op school is having the opportunity to experience all these firsts right along side Owen.

First Snow

2009-02-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

The kids got their first experience in the snow when we visitied Grandma & Grandpa in NJ last month. Funny thing about kids and snow - even though they had never seen it before they seems to instinctively know exactly what to do and how to enjoy it. It was a pretty hard, icy snow - so not good for snowmen and they only managed a few handfuls of snowballs - but they still had a great time exploring, riding on the snow saucers, and, of course, eating the snow!

Owen's first steps in the snow

Kasey's first steps in the snow turned into a slip...

...and a fall......and an assist from Grandma!Time out from playing for a family shotSnow saucers!This may have been Owen's favorite partOwen catching a ride from GrandpaKasey getting a ride from Daddy with an assist from OwenEating snow was ABSOLUTELY Kasey's favorite thing! If we did not watch her she would have picked it up out of the middle of parking lots and started munching!

CATerpillar

2009-01-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I had a post about something funny one of the kids said. Owen is pretty much past the point where he mispronounces words in a humorous manner, and Kasey is not quite to that point yet. However, in the past month or so, Owen has begun to make up stories about things he sees or as he is playing.

Last week we were driving to a friend's house when Owen noticeD a billboard (I think advertising computers) that had the image of a very large caterpillar spread out across 3 monitors. Owen began to tell me a story that went something like this...

"See that caterpillar mommy? I am going to bring it home. I am going to bring it home and it will be friends with Chloe (our cat). It will sleep with Chloe on my bed and they will play together and eat together. They will be best friends and they will be so happy!"

When I was replaying this conversation for Brian later that evening, he pointed out the likely reason that Owen thought the caterpillar and Chloe would be best friends....it is a CATerpillar after all!

For those of you who think she is all sweetness all the time...

2009-01-11T20:02:00.000-08:00

The closer she gets to turning 2, the more we wonder if we actually have a teenager instead of a toddler in the house. Since pictures speak volumes...

The "Meaning" of Christmas...

2008-12-06T18:01:00.000-08:00

The past few days have told me a ton about what the kids think about Christmas.

Owen understands that it is a celebration for baby Jesus' birthday. He is also pretty certain that Santa brings presents because Jesus wants it that way and that the Polar Express is going to pull up outside our house on Christmas Eve to whisk him off to the North Pole.

I am not quite as clear on what Kasey understands - except that she is pretty sure she is supposed to take Santa a present because she saw Dora the Explorer do it. She has also developed an interesting vocabulary surrounding the holiday including "baby cheesess" (translation baby Jesus) and "knock knock" (complete with hand gestures to match, translation egg nog).

And then, of course, there is the ever growing list of requests for Santa Claus. Things should get really interesting when we go to pay the old guy a visit!

The Agony and The Ecstasy

2008-12-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

Two views on Thanksgiving this year.

The first from Kasey, who LOVES to eat and therefore was in absolute bliss during dinner...

The second from Owen, who would rather do almost anything other than sit down and eat a meal...

This Was Just BEGGING To Be A Mess!

2008-11-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, my mom asked if there was a day I could bring the kids out to her house for a couple of hours to make cookies. She has saved all the holiday themed cookie cutters we used to make sugar cookies with as kids, and thought it would be a nice time to start the same tradition with the grandkids. Cool.

She actually came up our way this past Thursday morning and took the kids home with her. When I arrived at my parents' house on Friday morning, she and the kids had already made the dough, cut and baked the cookies. They were cooling on the kitchen table awaiting decoration.

When my siblings and I were young, in lieu of actually frosting cookies, mom would make a concoction of milk and food coloring that we would paint the cookies with. We loved it and the mess was minimal (compared to frosting). I had assumed that my mom would have the supplies for the grandkids to do the same thing - I assumed wrong.

She had FROSTING. Thankfully it was a gorgeous day and we could set them up at the table outside. Keep in mind that they are 3, 21 months and 17 months. ANYTHING is liable to be a mess, but with the frosting scenario Grammy was basically inviting the mess.

It was fun watching them. And they certainly had a good time. I will point out that I did hear my mom say that maybe for Christmas she will get them the stuff to paint cookies instead :-)

Iddy Biddy Martial Arts

2008-11-12T18:19:00.000-08:00

We signed Owen up for "Iddy Biddy Martial Arts" at the Y. The class is described as a VERY beginning introduction to martial arts combined with self-defense/kidnap prevention for pre-schoolers. His first class was this afternoon.

When I told him the class was called "Iddy Biddy Martial Arts" he did not have a clue what I was talking about - so I told him it was sort of like karate. He has some idea what karate is from seeing a couple of things on tv. In fact, there was a segment on Sesame Street today that was in a karate class. I pointed it out to Owen and reminded him that he was going to have a class like that starting today. He was excited.

In the car on the way to the Y he was excited. Dropping Kasey off in the childcare room he was excited. Waiting for class to begin he was excited. Once the teacher began the class, Owen just sat and watched. For 10 minutes he sat and watched - nothing I said or did convinced him to join in on the class.

After about 10 minutes, he stood up and walked off the mat to the side of the room. I followed him, and the conversation went something like this:

Me: What's wrong?
Owen: This is not karate.
Me: It's the very beginning - everything the teacher is teaching right now is to help you learn karate better later on.
Owen: Is not karate - I is very sad.
Me: Are you going to do what everybody else is doing?
Owen: No. Is not karate.
(At this point I repeated my explanation about it being the very begining)
Owen: Also, I have to go make my craft.
Me: What craft?
Owen: My karate craft - you said it was arts.
Me: Martial Arts is another way to say karate.
Owen: Yes, arts. I need to go make my craft.
Me: There is no craft - just the class the teacher is doing right now.
Owen: No craft? This is not karate or crafts. I no like martial arts.

So, it didn't go as well as I had hoped today. We'll give it a shot again next week - although I am not sure what I am going to tell him between now and then to convince him!

Owen Still Says "Curious George for President!"

2008-11-05T07:38:00.000-08:00

Owen was shocked to learn that we were electing a new President yesterday. His pre-school is attached to our church, which is also used as a polling place. When we arrived for school yesterday morning, I warned the kids they had to be extra careful in the parking lot because of the increased number of cars. Owen asked me why there were so many cars, and I told him it was because people were coming to vote for a new president. Before I relay the conversation that followed, first let me remind you of a conversation he and I had back during the summer...
http://adventureswithowenandkasey.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

And here is what happened yesterday...

Owen: Why are all those people coming here?
Me: They are coming to vote. We are electing a new President for the country today.
Owen: But we already has a President. Can only be one President. Is Curious George. Remember Mommy?
Me: Not Curious George, Owen. Just George. And his turn is over, it is somebody else's turn now.
Owen: But can only be one President. Right Mommy?
Me: Right.
Owen: Curious George should still be President.

And the best part was the elderly man who leaving the polls who was cracking up through this entire exchange.

Me vote!

2008-11-04T16:11:00.000-08:00

Kasey went to the polls with me this morning. I am not sure what she expected when I told her we were going to vote, but all the way there she kept telling me "me vote!" When we arrived at the polling place she informed the poll workers "me vote!" She stood between my legs as I was voting informing the entire room "me vote!"

When I was done, the poll workers told her how sweet and well behaved she was, so again she proclaimed "me vote!" The poll worker gave her the reciept off my ballot and her very own "I Voted" sticker and off we headed to the parking lot.

At this point, Kasey must have realized that she did not get to do whatever she thought voting is...in the parking lot she started screaming and crying "No go! Me vote, me vote, me vote!" A complete meltdown.

I can only hope that once she does realize what it means to vote, she is even half as enthusiastic as she was about the idea of it this morning.

Tanaka Farms

2008-10-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

We LOVE Tanaka Farms....pumpkin patch, vegetable patches, tractor rides, petting zoo, corn maze. What's not to love? It was extra fun this year, because Kasey is big enough to enjoy it as much as the rest of us...although she still is not too sure about petting zoos and spent most of the time we were in there either being held or hiding between Brian's legs! We brought 4 beautiful pumpkins and tons of great pictures home at the end of the day!

Interpretation

2008-10-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

I was packing a bag to head to the park this morning and was looking for hats for the kids. I asked Owen is he wanted his tow truck hat or his dinosaur hat - he decided on the dinosaur hat. Apprently Kasey did not hear the word "hat" - she ran to his room, came out with a toy dinosaur, handed it to Owen and said "Go paaahk (park) now!"

A Year in the Life of Owen

2008-10-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

Owen's year in review...from a 2 year old toddler to a 3 year old preschooler...

October 2007

November 2007

December 2007

January 2008

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008

May 2008

June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

September 2008

October 11, 2008 - Owen's 3rd Birthday

Halloween Season

2008-10-06T20:09:00.001-07:00

We took the kids to the first Halloween outing of the year this past weekend. Disney does a Halloween party every weekend during October at the CA Adventure park. The entire Abramson family was there - us, Grammy & Poppa, Aunt Dawn, Uncle Joe & Jakey, and Uncle Doug. It was really a great evening - the kids pretty much cooperated with their costumes, we got onto several rides with little to no wait, and since Disney does everything HUGE the place was full of super cool (but not too scary!) Halloween-type things to see and do.

And yes, I did say this was our first outing of the "Halloween season" - we still have a party and parade at the YMCA for Kasey, a party and parade at school for Owen, a costumed playdate on the morning of Halloween and the actual trick-or-treating on Halloween night. It seems like a ton, but at least it helps me self-justify the somewhat ridiculous amount of money I am willing to pay for the adorable costumes :-) Stay tuned for more of Firefighter Owen and Tulip Fairy Kasey...

UPS turns

2008-09-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

Owen recently noticed a no u-turn sign on a traffic light near our house. He asked me what the sign said and I told him it meant that cars can't make u-turns there.

This weekend he was riding his bike and started making u-turns in the middle of the street..."Look, I is making UPS turns." Huh?

He repeated the same statement this afternoon when he was riding his bike, so I asked him if what he actually meant was that he was making u-turns. "No Mommy, that's silly. Is UPS turns when you turn the car around."

First Crush

2008-09-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt about it...Kasey has a crush on a boy. And not just any boy, an older boy. I think he's 12. His name is Keith. He lives across the street from us.

Kasey flirts up a storm with him every chance she gets and talks about him when he is not around. I swear she even blushed when I asked her the other day if Keith was her boyfriend.

And here's the really good part - she completely has the boy wrapped around her little finger. He will do anything for her.

Let's not forget that Kasey is not even 20 months old yet - we are in for a world of trouble when she is old enough to actually realize what she is doing!

Neighborhood Watch

2008-09-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

Owen has recently begun to notice the signs for Neighborhood Watch posted in our neighborhood and in others around town. During a walk earlier in the week, he asked me what the sign said and I explained (as best I could without freaking him out about "bad guys") what it said and what it meant.

He listened very carefully and and then said to me...."There is a picture of scary black cat on that sign. Policemens will come help if I see a scary black cat. I no like scary black cats."

For those of you who may not know what a Neighborhood Watch sign looks like - there is a small picture of a black-caped man wearing a hat on the sign. Apparently the picture looks like a cat to Owen.

We were driving to a friend's house this morning and he saw another Neighborhood Watch sign. Since he has had a few days to ponder the complexities of what Neighborhood Watch might entail, his explanation has expanded to include....

"That sign say we no like scary black cats or bad men. If I see bad man, the policemens will help me. But if I see scary black cat, policemens no can help me. Firemens will come with water hose and scare scary black cats away from dark places if I see one. I no want to see scary black cat in a dark place because that means I will be getting lost from home."

It's going to take me some time to decipher all of that.

Things Kasey Would Like to "Barbah"

2008-09-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

Kasey has been using a new word an awful lot in the past few days. "Barbah" is the way it comes out, but the word really is "borrow." She has an amazing grasp of the meaning of the word, and is developing an ever increasing list of things she would like to "barbah" from people. The list includes:

Any and all of my jewelry. She will point at a piece I am wearing and request to barbah it. She will also point at my jewelry box and ask to barbah the whole thing.
Anybody's watch - but most specifically the one belonging to Keith (the 12 year old boy who lives across the street)
Owen's carseat when he is not using it. I think it may make her feel better that he is at school - she wants to sit in it after we drop him off and when we go to pick him up, but so far has not made the request when Owen is with us.
Owen's tricycle, even though she can't reach the pedals
Pretty much ALL of Owen's belongings on a rotating basis
Any item of food or beverage she lays her eyes upon
Any dog she sees walking down the street
Anything she gets caught with that she knows she is not supposed to have (pens, pencils, makeup, etc.)

In other words - anything and everything she knows is not hers, that she would like to have.

Owen withdrawals

2008-09-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today was Owen's first official day of preschool. Brian went in to the office late this morning so we could all drop Owen off together. Owen was ready to leave for school the second he got out of bed - and when we got there gave quick hugs and kisses and was off and running without looking back. No problem.

No problem for Owen, that is.

Kasey, on the other hand, had a very rough morning. About 2 blocks away from school, she started asking for Owen. Then when I told her that she and I were headed to the Y, she started crying/chanting "No Y. No play. Oh-en!" Things got even worse for her a few minutes later when we dropped Brian off at his truck so he could go to work - at this point Kasey was sobbing and screaming her demands for "Oh-en!"

Basically, she does not know how to exist without Owen around. If she is awake in the morning or from a nap before him, she asks for him. If he is doing something, she wants to be doing it too. They have never been apart for more than a couple of hours at a time.

Obviously, it will get easier over the next couple of weeks. She will probably even come to realize that not always having Owen around can be a good thing.

The one bonus to all of this - when she and I went to pick him up from school she started clapping as soon as we got into the parking lot and almost knocked him over with a hug when he came out of his classroom. I have filed that image away for a day when they are teenagers and "too cool" to hug each other in public!

Speakng of images....here are a couple of pics of the Big Boy ready for school this morning. Of course, Kasey had to get in on the pictures as well :-)

Big Boy = Weepy Mommy

2008-09-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

This is a BIG week for Owen....pre school begins on Tuesday and today he graduated from the Nursery to Sunday School at church.

All week I had been talking to him about what a big boy he is and how exciting it is for him to be able to go to preschool and Sunday school. This morning I reminded him that when Children's time was over in the service he should go with the big kids to Sunday school while Brian took Kasey to the Nursery. From my vantage point in the choir loft, I could see that he did exactly that.

What I forgot, was that this being the first Sunday of the month it was a Communion day. The Sunday School teachers bring the kids back into the service in time to take communion with the rest of the congregation. When I saw them coming back into the sanctuary, I had a moment of panic. We had never talked to Owen about communion before, and I was not sure what he would do - with Owen ANYTHING is always possible.

I was pretty sure he would not act out - and knew if he did one of the teachers would take him back out. But I was a little concerned he might freak out - Owen likes to know exactly what is happening and doesn't do well with sudden changes in his routine. Several months ago he had a melt down during the Children's time of the service, because the Pastor had the kids walking around looking at different things in the sanctuary instead of sitting on the chancel steps like normal. I held my breath until communion began, and then was rewarded with an incredible and amazing sight.

From my seat in the choir loft I had the opportunity and privelage to see Owen with his sweetest and most awestruck face as he took communion for the first time. He was a perfect little gentleman, using his best manners and best listening. He looked like a sweet little angel as he dipped his piece of bread into the chalice of juice. My eyes filled with tears and my heart was close to bursting with love and pride for the little man he is becoming. It was an amazing moment.

I had myself prepared for him to take his first steps toward indepence on the first day of school this week. Life played a trick on me and he took those first steps today. I am still teary eyed just thinking about it.

Song and Dance

2008-09-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

A peek at what passes for entertainment at our house these days...make sure to look at both videos.

Curious George for President

2008-08-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

Owen sat and watched some of the DNC coverage tonight - by some I mean he was in the room for about 30 minutes, but actually listened for no more than 5 minutes (or less). The part where he was listening was a speech by Joe Biden. This is what Owen took away from that speech...

Biden mentioned something about hard working Americans including firefighters...Owen heard the word "firefighter" and delcared:

"Mommy! He likes firefighters. Just like me! Does he know firefighters? He a good man. Is he going to be President? He should be President because he like firefighters."

A couple of minutes later, Owen heard somebody say "President George Bush" and with GREAT excitement declared:

"Curious George is President!!"

I told him that it was not actually Curious George, but a different George, he said:

"But Curious George would be very good President. He a very smart monkey!"

Preschool Insanity

2008-08-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

Owen begins preschool in just about 2 weeks - 15 days, to be exact. He will be in school 3 mornings per week at Riviera United Methodist Preschool - from here on to be referred to as RUMP.

RUMP is actually affiliated with our church, and is one of the most acclaimed preschool programs in our area. It is just one of the many reasons we chose Riviera as our church looooooooong before the kids were born, but in the past 18 months we have been really thankful that we are members at Riviera.

Admittance to a preschool of choice in our area is stupidly competitive. Waiting lists for the "best" schools are so long that even if a child is placed on the list when they are 1, they are not guaranteed a spot when they turn 3. We know people who had their kids on close to 10 waiting lists - including the one at RUMP - and did not get into any of their top choice schools.

As members at Riviera, we were fortunate to not have to play this silly game. Children of Riviera members are guaranteed a spot in RUMP.

So now we are in the official countdown to Owen's first day of school. Truth be told, I have been counting the days for months now - and it certainly is not because I am "getting rid" of him. RUMP is actually a co-op school which means each family has to commit to a minimum number of work hours in the school per month - including being in the classroom one morning every week. By choosing RUMP, I am actually increasing my own workload each week!

So back to the reason I have been counting down the days - of course I am misty eyed at the idea that my baby is growing up WAY too fast, but I am also a realist and I know that RUMP is going to be fantastic for him.

Stay tuned - there are certain to be tons of great blog stories to come out of this new chapter!

Klutz

2008-08-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

Those who know me well, know that I am basically a walking disaster - clumsy might as well be my middle name.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Kasey is doomed to a similar fate. Take today for example, she tripped over her own feet at least a dozen times, managed to conk her forehead on the back step (hard enough to leave a nice dent) and basically fell over while standing still at another point.

It's not looking good for a future as a gymnast or dancer.

Sweetest words

2008-08-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

Owen to me, completely out of the blue yesterday..."Mommy, I loves you from the bottom of my heart."

Sweetest words ever.

Dancing to the Beat of a Different Drummer

2008-08-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

I don't have any pictures of the kids at VBS last week, but this video clip is even better.

On Friday night we had a big potluck and celebration for the families of the kids who attended VBS. As part of the festivities, the kids perfomed the songs they had learned during the week. You may recall from my earlier post about VBS, that Owen and Kasey LOVE the music we were singing and were both doing their best to sing and dance along with the bigger kids. Friday night was no exception. When I invited the kids up to the front to sing Owen and Kasey came right along and skipped happily through their own version of the songs and dances. Take a peek at the video to get a better idea of what I am talking about....the sound is not great becasue Brian took it with his phone, so keep in mind that the song they are singing is supposed to be slow and prayerful.

What was even funnier than this, is what Owen did in the middle of the first song. Unfortuntely (or maybe fortunately!) we did not catch it on video, so you will have to allow me to attempt to paint the picture with words.

About 1/3 of the way through the first song, I glanced at Owen and noticed he was taking his shorts off. That's right folks - stripping in a room full of people at church. Keep in mind that I was in the middle of leading the other kids in song and dance. Somehow without missing a beat, I was able to swoop Owen up, get him to Brian (who took him out of the room to get redressed) and still keep the other kids going in their song. Of course, most of them were laughing so hard by then that you could not really understand what they were singing!

When Brian had Owen outside, he asked him why he was stripping and all Owen would say was "I NEED to go dance Daddy!" Brian let him come back inside with a strict promise to not disrobe again. Later in the evening when I finally asked Owen why he had been stripping he said, very matter-of-factly, "My shorts were getting in the way of my dancing."

I had to laugh - there was just nothing I could say to that!

Too Disgusted to Snap a Picture

2008-08-11T12:44:00.001-07:00

As I was making lunch this afternoon, I caught sight of both kids out of the corner of my eye. They were bent over on the back step, just outside the kitchen door. At first, I thought they must have been looking at a bug, Upon closer inspection...

...they had their faces in the cat's water bowl and were both trying to drink the water. Water that sits outside and we know is shared by other cats, a couple a racoons and at least one possum. GROSS!!!!

I yanked the water out from under them to the sound of Owen protesting "But Chloe wants to share with us!" GROSS, GROSS, GROSS!!!!

Had I not been so completely disgusted I probably would have stoppped long enough to snap a picture - and then get the bowl away from them - because it really was pretty darn funny to see them trying to both drink like the cat out of a bowl that is probably less than 2 inches in diameter!

Adventures in "Jerusalem"

2008-08-08T17:11:00.000-07:00

We have just finished a week of bible school at church. It was a "Jerusalem Markeplace" theme this year - which was really a cool way for kids to experinece what life was like during Jesus' time. In some stroke of brilliance (or not!) we all decided we should take advantage of our beautiful courtyard and set up a true outdoor marketplace as the center of festivities for the week.

For me this has meant teaching music to 60ish kids in the August heat and sunshine decked out in a costume that was not made for the August heat and sunshine. For Owen and Kasey it has meant a week of being the center of attention around mostly older kids, making crafts (one of Owen's favorite things!), trying really hard to sing the songs and dance the dances being taught, and running around in costumes of their own that I fashioned out of a pillow case and an old shirt of my own. They LOVED the costumes and were super excited every morning to be heading off to church and bible school. In fact, they love it SO much that the only music they want to listen to in the car right now is the CD with the songs from VBS - it's pretty funny to hear them trying to sing (and getting most of the words wrong) and also trying to do the hand motions that go along with each song.

I was so busy with the 60ish other kids, that I did not get a chance to snap any photos of Owen and Kasey in their bible-time costumes. I am sure somebody else did get some though, so as soon as I get them I will post them.

"Scuse you"

2008-07-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

If I do one thing right with these kids, they will learn good manners and how to be polite. I am a stickler about pleases, thank yous, table manners, and saying excuse me when appropriate.

Owen has recently not been saying "excuse me" when he burps, so I am often reminding him by telling him "excuse you!"

Kasey has picked up on the fact that it is also polite to say excuse me or pardon me when you are trying to get around somebody, but she is clearly slightly confused....for the past few days she has been saying "Scuse you!" whenever she wants to get past or around somebody. Even when I tell her "Not excuse YOU, excuse ME" She nods and says "Yeeesh. Scuse YOU!"

There is nothing funnier than a 17 month old trying SO hard to be polite and getting it not quite right!

Gender roles

2008-07-27T16:06:00.001-07:00

We are in the midst of "birthday" season around here....the majority of Owen's friends have their birthdays from July-September so most weekends we are attending one (or more!) 3 year-old parties.

The party today was for his friend Madison. Madison LOVES all things Princess and her party was in fact princess-themed. When we were shopping for Madison's present last week, Owen kept gravitating to things he would like - race cars, trains, dinosaurs - and was rather disappointed when I settled on a craft kit which will allow Madison to make a tiara and a wand among other things. "Madison no like Princesses!" is what Owen kept insisting.

By this morning, he had come to grip with the fact that Madison does, in fact, love princesses. He spent his time at church informing pretty much everybody that he was headed to a princess party. He was even a pretty good sport when we got to the party and he realized the princess party did not include a bounce house. He spent most of the party playing with his buddies Dylan and Mikey, but also took a time out to do the little craft project of making himself a Prince crown (he actually REALLY liked doing it and kept going back to add things to his masterpiece!)

About the time the cake came out, is the when things got interesting from my perspective.

Owen: Mommy, there are Princesses on the cake. I love those princesses!
Me: You love them? They are nice princesses. Maybe we should hace a Princess party for your birthday.
Owen: No Mommy. Madison is a girl. Princess party is for a GIRL birthday. I a boy.
Me: Oh...boys can't have a princess party? What should there be at a boy birthday party?
Owen: A train and a train set and trucks and a bounce house and cake. No princesses.

And so it begins...

Budding Van Goghs

2008-07-18T16:40:00.001-07:00

A few months back, Owen began asking for a "painting picture." Once I figured out that what he actually meant was a painting easel, I told him it was a big toy and that maybe he could have it for his birthday. I figured that it would be like most things, and he would forget that he wanted it as soon as another cool thing caught his fancy.

I was wrong. He kept asking and asking and asking. After a couple of months of regular requests, I figured maybe it really was something he was interested in, and HALLELUIA it was not a toy with lights and sounds and chaos! Of course, it still was a relatively expensive item so there needed to be a decent reason to buy it.

A couple of weeks before we headed back East for Ami and Gene's wedding I made Owen a deal...I would buy him an easel when we came home from our trip as a thank you from Mommy & Daddy for being such a good boy at the wedding and on the trip. He filed that bit of information away and reminded me almost daily while we were gone that he could have his "painting picture" when we got home.

A couple of days after we got home, the kids and I set out for Toys R Us to purchase the coveted easel and painting supplies. The second we got home, both kids were practically jumping out of their skins waiting for me to get everything set up for them to paint. And paint they did!

Kasey was clearly more into making a mess than into the actual painting! But Owen was truly and deeply involved and in love with what he was doing. I was shocked and delighted to see my super-active, mile-a-minute boy so still and thoughtful, and best of all, proud. He was SO proud of what he made! He looked at it dozens of times throughout the day, kept askming me if I liked it, and could not wait for Daddy to get home to see it as well.

Dog Wash

2008-07-17T07:14:00.001-07:00

What happens when a kid freaks out at the thought of his favorite stuffed animal getting tossed into the washing machine? A dog wash, of course!

Owen had an accident during his nap the other day. When I went to pull the sheets off his bed, I discovered that one paw on his beloved "Blue Dog" was also soaked and tossed him on top of the sheets that were bound for the washing machine. Owen saw this and was instantly enraged...

"NO! Mommy! Blue Dog can no go in washing machine - he go down the hole with the water. NO, NO, NO! Please Mommy, please!"

Given that he is more often likley to throw and/or destroy his belongings in some way, I was moved by his intense reaction to Blue Dog's fate and agreed that he did not have to go in the washing machine. He did, however, need to get clean - and in a stroke of genius I suggested a Dog Wash.

Owen loved the idea and could not get out to the backyard fast enough. Once Kasey realized what we were doing she brought her own "Pink Puppy" outside to get a washing of her own.

These are the moments I live for and love.

The Great East Coast Adventure Part 4: New Jersey

2008-07-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

The final leg of our trip was to New Jersey for 4th of July weekend with Brian's parents and family.

The two highlights of the weekend for the kids were the parade on July 4th...

And a visit to the Turtleback Zoo...

It was a nice visit, but after 10 days on the road (sleeping in 4 different places) we were all ready to get back home to our own beds....all of us, that is except maybe for Owen - he kept asking if the plane could take us back to "Ketticut"!

Pigtails

2008-07-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking for a few weeks that Kasey's hair might just be long enough to get some pigtails in. This was our first attempt...

Crooked, but cute :-)

The Great East Coast Adventure Part 4: Connecticut

2008-07-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

The morning after the wedding we packed up the rented minivan and headed to Connecticut for a few days with the Stoddard clan - Scott, Leah, Sam (6), Aidan (4) and Noah (4).

Ordinarily the thought of 4 adults and 5 kids (not to mention the dog and cat) in a 3 bedroom house for 4 days would have my stomach in knots....but this is different. Brian went to college with Scott. Leah went to college with me. There is no need to do the math, but we have had the two of them in our lives for slightly longer than Brian and I have been together. A long, long time. We've been together through a lot - both the good and the bad - and hate the 3000 miles that separates us most of the time. In a perfect world they'd be our next door neighbors and our kids would be growing up together. Of course, it is not a perfect world. Instead we have to pack as much as possible into a few days every 12 months or so.

We had a great visit. That's not to say that it was perfect - don't forget the 5 kids age 17mos to 6 years! But I can not think of a single other location I would have preferred to be for those 4 days. The kids played (and bickered!) and played. The adults sat outside long after the kids were in bed, enjoying the kind of great conversation you can really only have with people who know you as well as we all know each other. We even managed something we have not done in almost 6 years...an adults ONLY night out. They actually have a babysitter who was brave enough to handle all 5 kids (and did an amazing job!)

All in all, we did not really DO anything. We did take one brief trip into Mystic and spent one morning at the beach. Mostly we just spent time. Time being together. Time enjoying. Time reminiscing. Time making new memories.

The visit (as always!) was too short. I always cry when we leave them and Brian is usually misty. And now that Owen is old enough (and outspoken enough) to voice his own opinions...he made it very clear he did not want to leave. Much of the way to the next (and final) stop on this great adventure, he let us know that he did not want to leave "Ketticut" and that "SammyAidanandNoah (he runs all their names into one) are so fun. They my favrite!" He has also requested "Can we fly to Ketticut today Mommy?" at least once a day since we got back to California. If only he knew how often Brian and I wished for the same thing. And Kasey has let us know in her own way that she loves the Stoddards as much as the rest of us. Anytime Owen brings up the boys, Kasey will chant "Nono! Aiiiiien! Sah!" (her version of their names). And often now when she sees a dog she will yell "Rahrahh!" (her version Rocky, the Stoddard's dog)

We are planning something different for next summer....a joint trip to Bermuda. It is either the best idea we have ever had, or the worst one yet. Time will tell. Either way, we'll all be in it together.

The Great East Coast Adventure Part 3: The Wedding

2008-07-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

The impetus for this great adventure was Ami and Gene's wedding in New Hampshire. I don't just mean attending the wedding - Owen and I were actually in the wedding. That's right folks, Ami & Gene were brave enough to ask a kid who is not quite 3 to be a part of their wedding. And not just any kid, but Owen, the king of excess energry and unpredictability.

We had been preparing Owen for this big adventure for almost a year. By the time we got to April, Owen knew he was going to be in "Aunt Mimi's" wedding, that he had to wear "fancy clothes and shoes", that he would get to fly to on an airplane to get there, and that he had a "very important job" to do. Ami made him a practice pillow so he could get used to the idea of carrying it. I bought the kids a Little People wedding playset so we could act out what would happen at the wedding. When we got to about 2 weeks away from the wedding, he would ask everyday if it was the day we were leaving for the wedding. He was excited and he really seemed to know what he was going to be doing.

When we arrived at the actual rehearsal, things started out a bit rocky. The flower girl was late, so for most of the time he was the only kid around - and wedding rehearsals are basically pretty boring unless you are the bride. He was restless and I was starting to worry he would not fare any better at the ceremony the next day. Then Marissa (the flower girl) arrived - not only were they instant friends, I think it may have actually been love at first sight on both sides. They were hugging, holding hands and going up and down the aisle with glee. Of course, they got a little to into the whole thing and by about the 3rd trip up the asile they were running...but the whole instant bond gave me great hope for the next day.

The wedding was on Saturday afternoon. Brian kept Owen occupied all morning and got him to the church looking handsome and excited. Marissa had been hanging out with the bride and bridesmaids while we got dressed and had been asking me for Owen all day. When they were reunited at the church it was love all over again.

We had to wait for a few minutes in a downstairs social hall - Owen and Marissa held hands and ran around. Fine with me. I figured it was good for them to burn off some steam and just kept reminding them to be careful and keep their voices down. They are 3ish afterall....and excited out of their skins.

With just a couple of minutes to go before the processional began, we all headed upstairs to wait in the back of the church. Owen and Marissa were still holding hands and other than having to be reminded to whisper were holding in pretty well. Once upstairs, they were having a hard time standing still - again let's remember they are 3ish - and at some point adults other than their parents decided to "make them" stand still and the sweetness unraveled quickly....the tightly held hands were torn apart, Marissa thought it meant Owen didn't want to hold her hand, Owen thought it meant Marissa did not want to walk with him and there were tears all around.

All of this as the first bridesmaid was making her way down the aisle...

I tried to do some very quick conflict resolution....but the processional was moving and they were crying. No luck.

Thankfully, Grammy was hanging out in the back of the church in case of emergency! Right before I had to make my way down the aisle I had her take Owen aside. He didn't make it down the aisle. I carried the ring pillow with my bouquet. Marissa was carried down the aisle with tears on her face, by the matron of honor.

Brian spent the entire ceremony outside of the church with Owen. By the time I got to him, about an hour later, he started crying again and said to me "Mommy, I no do my important job. Aunt Mimi be so mad at me"

Broke my heart.

Fast forward a couple of hours to the reception. Owen and Marissa had their moment to shine when the bridal party was introduced. When their names were called, they marched right in (holding hands of course!) were perfect and sweet as the rest of the party was introduced and even managed to stand (mostly!) still while Ami and Gene had their first dance. Adorable and amazing.

And then they danced, and danced and danced the night away.

I asked Owen today to tell somebody about the wedding. This is what he said "I no do my important job, but Aunt Mimi not mad. Aunt Mimi and Uncle Gene give me Curious George and trucks. Risa and I danced and ate cake and danced."

All is well.

P.S. - Aunt "Mimi" was definitley NOT mad at him :-)

The Great East Coast Adventure Part 2: Exploring Boston

2008-07-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

Less than an hour into our arrival in Boston, we experienced our first "now what" moment of the trip. We took a red eye flight, landing in Boston around 8am. Our plan had been to get our rental car, grab some breakfast, check into our hotel and all get a nice long nap - apparently the people at the hotel had different plans...we could not check into the hotel until 2ish.

So...now what?! Pump some caffiene into Mommy & Daddy and some sugar into Owen & Kasey and head out to see some of the sites in Boston. Breakfast may have actually been Owen's favorite stop of the day....we went to a McDonalds that was right next to a a very active construction site. Breakfast and entertainment all in one!

Our first stop was Bunker Hill...I am not sure if either kid actually saw the tall monument in the center of the park. Owen was pretty focused on utilizing the path around the monument as a race track and wanted to know why the museum did not have any dinosaurs. Kasey split her time between trying to keep the wind from blowing off her hat and trying to pet every dog we walked past.

Next, we headed down the hill to the waterfront to check out the USS Constitution. We drove in circles for 10-15 minutes looking for a parking spot, which gave Owen the opportunity to see the playground near the Constitution several times. By the time we found some parking, Owen was practically chanting "playground, playground!" - so we took a detour to the playground where the kids had the opportunity to experience playing in the rain as a light sprinkle was falling. Owen was actually very concerned that we might be making a mistake - "Is raining. Can't play outside in rain. Have go in now." It was pretty comical listening to Brian try to explain how the light rain in 80 something degrees was different than the cold rain we get during the winter in CA. At some point he basically shrugged his shoulders and began to play.

After about an hour at the playground, we were finally able to convince Owen to head over to the "big boat". Unfortunately, they are in the midst of major renovations on the ship so much of it was stripped down, but the kids still loved exploring and pooking at the world from the deck of the ship. We also enjoyed a lunch of fish and chips (for the kids) and lobster rolls (for the parents) at a cafe next to the Constitution....can't truly enjoy being in New England without eating great seafood!

By this point we were FINALLY able to check into the hotel. The kids and I promptly fell into bed for nice, long naps. Brian was not so lucky...we decided at some point during the day that we needed to upsize our rental car to a mini van so Brian had to head back to the airport to switch vehicles and got stuck in a massive traffic jam on his way back to the hotel.

And all of this in less than 8 hours...

Total Recall

2008-07-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

Driving down the road this afternoon, ignoring the child-geared music coming from my XM radio, I hear Owen exclaim...

"Hey! That song from movie I watched at the boys house in Ketticut (translation - Connecticut) the other day!"

Huh?

A peek at the display for my radio let me know that the song was from the soundtrack to the movie Madagascar.

A movie that Owen has seen once. And it was in deed last week with the Stoddard boys at their house in CT.

He saw it once and remembered a song from the movie. Total recall...scary!

The Great East Coast Adventure Part 1: Getting There

2008-07-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

So what does it take to get all 4 of us packed and headed to the East Coast for 10 days which will include activities ranging from time at the beach to a semi-formal wedding? The better question would be what doesn't it take? I managed to cram an amazing array of clothes and paraphenalia into 4 suitcases and 4 carry ons - quite the accomplishment.

Even better than that truly amazing feat, was the fact that we somehow managed to get both Owen and Kasey to sleep through most of the red eye flight! Of course, doing so meant very little sleep for Brian and myself, but the well rested kiddos meant a pleasant start to our trip as we arrived in Boston.

And arrving in Boston signaled an end to Owen's daily question of "Can we go to Boston today?" Not that he has any idea of where Boston actually is - he just knew going there meant an airplane ride and his "very important job" of being ring bearer in Aunt "Mimi's" wedding. Much more on that to come in subsequent posts....as the title says this is just Part 1 - we have a long way to go (accompanied by amusing antics and photos) before we get to the end of this story!

Protector of the Shoes

2008-06-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

In the past few months, Owen has been taking an odd assortment of things to bed with him. A typical night will usually include his favored stuffed animals, a couple of train pieces, a couple of small cars, a book, and perhaps a dinosaur or two. Most of those things are certainly not soft and cuddly, but that fact does not seem to bother him.

A couple of days ago I was tidying up his room and could not find one of his Crocs. I looked in all the "normal" places one might expect to find a lost shoe, but to no avail. That night, as Owen was getting ready to get into bed, I found the missing Croc - in his bed.

Me: Owen, why is there a shoe in your bed.
Owen: I slept with it at naptime.
Me & Brian: WHY?!?!?
Owen: I love it - I sleep with both shoes tonight.

Try as we might, we could not convince Owen that the shoes would be happier sleeping in the drawer where they belong. The Crocs were among his sleeping companions that night.

Today, when I went in to get him up from his nap, I found both of his sneakers sitting next to his pillow.

Me: Did you sleep with your sneakers in bed?
Owen: Uh huh
Me: Why?
Owen: I needed to keep them safe.
Me: Who are you protecting them from?
Owen: The books!

He left me speechless with that one!

Grease Monkey

2008-06-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

Apparently Kasey heard Brian and I discussing the work we need to get done on my 4-Runner and was going to take it upon herself to help us out....

Mark this day on a calendar....

2008-06-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

...Owen pooped on the potty! I know this is too much information for some of you, but after the months long battle we've had over this, I feel the need to note this victory!

He's done it a couple of times before because we just happened to catch him at the perfect moment. But this time he had gone to the potty bu himself because he needed to pee and then told me while he was sitting there that he needed to poop. And not only did he do it, he did so with no screaming and crying and then looked at me and said "I so proud of me Mommy! I pooped in potty - now I can go preschool!"

We've been telling him for weeks and weeks that he can't go to school until he poops on the potty. Apparently that information finally sunk in. Now I just need to get him to understand that school does not start until September and that he needs to continue pooping on the potty. Knowing the way his little brain works he might be thinking he guaranteed his spot in school with just the one performance :-)

If only life were so simple...

2008-06-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

Brian has been working looooooooooong hours since starting his new job a couple of months ago. There are days the kids only see him for a short time in the morning and then a shorter time at night - and even some days when they don't see him at all. As I am sure you can guess, this is no fun for any of us.

It has been even harder on Owen since we returned from our trip to AZ. The time we were there the kids had both Mommy & Daddy full time. Even better than that, they had both Mommy & Daddy full time, with none of the day to day worries and responsibilities since we were on vacation. At some point during that weekend, Owen decided that life should always be like this - and he has reminded us of this fact several times a day since our return home.

The conversation usually occurs while Brian is at work, and goes something like this:

Owen: I miss Daddy from work.
Me: I know, but if Daddy does not work, we don't have any money. And if we don't have any money we can't buy or do anything.
Owen: We no need any money. We have everything we need already. Daddy no go to work anymore!

If only life were so simple...

The PS to this story, is that Owen does apparently think there are certain times when it is OK for Daddy to work - namely when it means he gets to have or do something he wants. Today I took the kids to see the Sesame Street Live stage show. On our way there Owen stated "I miss Daddy from work" When I reminded him that Daddy has to work for us to have money, he said "Daddy no work , we have no money. No money, me no go to see Elmo show. Daddy need work."

The Boy's Got Wheels...And He FINALLY Figured Out How to Use Them!

2008-05-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

About a year ago, we bought Owen a trike. We knew when we bought it that he was not quite ready to pedal yet, so we purchased one with a removable handle so we could push in comfort as he was learning how to pedal. Here are a couple of pictures of him the day he got the trike...

Fast forward to this week.....he FINALLY figured out how to pedal AND steer AND do both at the same time AND decided it is way more fun to do it himself than it is to have Daddy or Mommy pushing him! These are pictures I snapped this week - what a difference a year makes!

And then there is Kasey. She certainly can't reach the pedals yet, and her head is so small that even the smallest helmet makes her look like a bobble head - but she is determined to do anything Owen does!

Annual Pilgrimage to AZ - 2008 edition

2008-05-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

For the past several years, we have journeyed to AZ over Memorial Day Weekend for Brian to play in a hockey tournament. Here are the higlights from this year's trek...

Here are the smiling faces of Owen & Kasey as the journey begins - notice that Kasey has her almost-constant-companion, Baby Bailey and that Owen has a snack in his hand - copious amounts of snack food bought relative peace and harmony on the 7 hour car ride!

Like I said, we have been making this trip for several years now and have come to expect certain things. For instance, the weather is typically HOT, afterall, this is the middle of the desert in May. This year, however, it was cool (verging on cold at times) and rainy for the first day and a half we were there - I did not pack for the weather so our trip to the park the first morning we were there was chilly. Even so, we enjoyed a nice morning at the "train park" playing on the payground, and, of course, riding the train!

By Saturday afternoon, the weather began to warm and we were finally able to get some time in at the swimming pool. We also spent several hours in the pool on Sunday morning. From the pictures, you can get a sense of which kid is destined to be the swimmer in the family....Owen only leaves the safety of the steps if he is safe on a float or in somebody's arms, Kasey thinks she can swim on her own already (I think the highlight of her week is usally her swimming class!)

Kasey spent most of the weekend asking me where the babies were - the specific babies she was talking about are the 2 month old Rytz twins, Destiny and Luke. Kasey is interested in all babies, but she is absolutely in love with the Rytzs...

Monday morning, we made another trip to the train park - this time with the Rytz clan - for more playtime, train and merry-go-round rides. Owen had a HUGE first during this trip. He has always been afraid to ride the horses on the merry-go-round, but this time he asked if he could ride the horse - not only did he ride a horse, but he did so unassisted and loved it!

And just in case you are wondering where the hockey was in all of this - yes we did go to Brian's games and here are the pictures to prove it!

Fun (and DANGER!) with Buckets

2008-05-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

It took me about a week to prepare for the bash we threw for Brian's MBA graduation this past weekend - and I am still cleaning up. Not the trash, bottles, etc....but the serving dishes, extra furniture and such.

One of the "and such" things are 3 plastic bins we use for cold drinks during a party. They were stacked nicely, but still sitting in the backyard when Owen and Kasey discovered them yesterday afternoon.

Initially, Owen lined them all up in a row and delared them to be a train. He sat in the middle, invited Kasey to sit in front (to be the "conducktah", although she was turned the wrong way to drive the train), and pestered me to sit in the back ("in the cabooooose Mommy!") until I was able to convice him I was too big.

When Kasey tired of playing, Owen gathered some stuffed animals to join him on a journey.

A few minutes later, I was in the kitchen getting dinner ready and heard something like this coming from the backyard...."Mommy, I's up here with Kasey!" Followed by, "Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls!"

At this point I stuck my head out the back door to find this....

....and yes, I did stop to snap the picture before I put an end to the game. But only because Kasey did not seem in any imminent danger of falling off!

I love that his creativity is really starting to take off, but it scares me to death to think about what he may come up with next!

All she's missing is a credit card...

2008-05-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I informed the kids we were headed out to run some errands. Kasey toddled out of the room and came back a couple of minutes later with her purse looped over her arm. Inside, she had just about everything she would need to go shopping - keys, a cell phone and a hairbrush. I had a split second when I was certain the child in front of me was 15 years old!

Freckle Face

2008-05-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

If you look close, you can see the evidence of Owen beginning to freckle. He also has a few on his arms and legs, and a nice smattering of them on his forehead. They have pretty much all popped up in the past week or so, and I am noticing a new one each day.

For several months now, he has been concerned about my own freckles....poking at them and telling me I should "get them off Mommy!" When he first noticed his own freckles he informed me "Mommy I have feckles like you.....they no come off."

As much as I hated my own freckles growing up, I love seeing them pop up on Owen and am looking forward to having another freckle face in the house!

Happiness Can Come from a Sprinkler....

2008-05-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

The Prettiest Dinosaur Ever

2008-05-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

Day by day, we can see Kasey coming into her personality. I am truly amazed already at the range she exhibits. For example....

After her bath tonight, we were sitting in the living room while I brushed her hair. Mid-brushing she slid off my lap, took my hand and let out a string of syllables which I have come to recognize as her "words" for asking me to follow her. She led me by the hand into my bedroom and motioned toward the makeup table.

I will often let her sit there with me in the morning when I am getting ready for the day, and she definitely enjoys playing with all the girly things, but it was the first time she had actually "asked" to sit down there.

So, we sat down. I finished brushing her hair. She played around with closed tubes of makeup and some velcro hair curlers for about 10 minutes. She then decided she was done, slid off my lap, and toddled out of the room.

Less than a minute later, I hear "roaring" coming from the living room, followed by Owen declaring "RUN! It' Kasey-saur!"

Apparently in the midst of getting "pretty" our little love decided she needed to go play dinosaur with her brother. That in and of itself could be funny, but the real humor lies in the REASON Owen called her Kasey-saur. It has little to do with the fact that Owen is a pretty typical 2 1/2 year old boy who loves dinosaurs. It really stems from the fact that our petite little princess has been letting out little roars and growls since she was about 3 months old. Somewhere along the line we started referring to her as Kasey-saur. Recently, she realized that she could draw Owen into a game with the roars and growls.

I am not sure what went through her little mind in the midst of her "makeover" that led to her transformation into Kasey-saur, but I am looking forward to figuring out exactly how the mind of our pretty little dinosar works!

4 days and (hopefully!) counting

2008-05-05T22:09:00.000-07:00

I am actually quite hesitant to put this tidbit out into the world, for fear that this good fortune will come to a screeching hault, but, as of tonight Owen had 4 straight days absolutely dry. That's right....for those of you who are not in the midst of potty training hell, please allow me to translate - he has gone 4 straight days of ALWAYS peeing in the potty and NEVER having an accident!

If you remember back to a post from back in February (see Stickier than Sticky in the February archive) we have not had the easiest time with the whole process of potty training. So, the fact that he is actually wearing underpants (except when he is in bed) AND is on streak with dry days is a HUGE milestone. And the best part is that he is really, really proud of himself.

Now if only he would get over his fear of pooping in the potty. Stay tuned...

Baby Bailey

2008-05-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

Kasey has a baby doll named Bailey. Grammy and Poppa gave her to Kasey for Christmas. Kasey LOVES Bailey.

The first time they "met" Kasey greeted Bailey with a kiss. It was the first of many...

The only way we could convince Kasey to sit still during her 12 month pictures, was to let her cuddle Bailey...

And recently, on most afternoons, Kasey will insist upon taking Bailey for a walk in front of the house...

She's quite the little Mommy.

House Hunting

2008-05-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

Now that Brian is done with school, you might think we would take some time to relax and enjoy a relatively calm life. You might think that, but you would be wrong. The fact is we always have and seemingly always will jump from one sort of chaos into another sort of chaos.

In this case, the chaos I am referring to is a house hunt. We outgrew this house the moment Kasey was born. I have spent almost every second of the past 15 months trying to rearrange, and downsize, and multi-use so that we would not go insane while inside the house. About 3 months ago I began to lose that battle. That is the short story of how I now find myself in the midst of a house hunt.

Step one in this little adventure, consists of the kids and I taking lots of detours when we are out and about so I can check out potential houses on a "drive by." I've been doing this for about a week now, and just yesterday Owen realized that we were taking strange detours on our way to or from familiar locations. The conversation that occured at that moment went something like this...

Owen: Mommy where you going? This is not way to grocery store.
Me: I want to drive by a couple of houses before we go to the store, so we are going a different way.
Owen: Why you looking at houses?
Me: We want to buy a bigger house. Ours is too small now. Do you want to live in a bigger house?
Owen: Mmmmmmm.....our house too small? Mommy looking for one that is just right size?
Me: That's right.
Owen: Can I take my toys and slide and swing to new house?
Me: Of course
Owen: OK

In the meantime we have reached the location of one of the houses I wanted to check out. I didn't even slow down because I could tell at a glance that it was the worst house on the block, and we are certainly not in the market for a fixer upper!

Me: That's not the right house for us. Let's go to the store now.
Owen: Mommy, go back! That's just the right house! I LIKE IT!
Me: It isn't the house we are looking for. We'll look some more another day.
Owen: Mommy that house right there has a BIG slide. I like it. It's my favorite house!!!!!!

The house I was looking at, was located right next door to a lovely house with an even lovlier wooden swing set and playhouse - which is of course what Owen saw when he looked out the window. I have a feeling he is going to be mighty disappointed when we do finally find a new house and it does not come equipped with upgraded play equipment!

Stay tuned...no doubt there will be dozens of more gems to come out of Owen and Kasey's take on this whole process!

THE END!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-04-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

Tonight is Brian's LAST CLASS for his MBA program at USC. Graduation is still a couple of weeks away, but as far as the kids and I are concerned tonight marks THE END!!! Can you tell we are excited?! We spent some time this afternoon working on the following work of art in celebration....it is taped to the front door awaiting Brian's return home late, late, late tonight.

I am sure that at some point in the future I will decide that all the pain and suffering we all endured over the past three years were worth the end result. I'm not quite there yet. It's honestly been harder on all of us than we ever imagined. For now I am just looking forward to the extra time we are about to get for the family - time we have never had since Owen was born when Brian was already 2 months into the program.

So while we are celebrating the END what I am looking forward to is actually the BEGINNING.

Adventures with Cousin Jakey

2008-04-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Brian is gone on a business trip this week, so the kids and I spent a few days with my parents. Since my sister and her family live just a couple of minutes away from my parents, it also meant lots and lots of play time for the cousins. My sister's son Jake is 4 months younger than Kasey, (although pretty much from the day he was born he has been bigger and taller than her!) In the big picture, 4 months difference in age is nothing. But when you are talking about that age difference in babies and toddlers - 4 months can be huge.

Up until recently, Owen and Kasey "playing" with Jake basically meant Jake watching what they were doing and/or Jake trying to figure out how to catch up with them. This time around, things were a little bit different. Jake is quite the speed crawler and can keep up with Owen and Kasey - it is really fun to see all three of them playing "together"

We took them all to the park one morning - notice in the pictures that in terms of size, you would never guess that Jakey is younger than Kasey!

Where's Kasey?

2008-04-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

Peek-a-boo!

A Marketers Dream

2008-04-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

Owen has recently been supplementing his requests for certain tv shows with some interesting details. For example...

"Mommy I wanna watch Little Einsteins. It's on Playhouse Disney."
"Let's watch Super Why on KCET - for kids that is"
"Oswald is on Noggin, like preschool on tv."

In case you haven't caught on, the bits in italics are Owen quoting the tag lines for specific television channels. Obviously he doesn't know that's what he is doing, but he is doing it.

I am torn between wanting to laugh or cry each time he comes out with one of these little gems. Laugh because he says them with a straight face and has no idea he is saying something funny. Cry because I worry daily that I allow him to watch too much tv - all to make my life easier - and the fact that he has memorized the taglines for multiple channels is a disturbing reminder of that fear. I am sure this is a debate I will have with myself until the kids are off to college.

More often than not, I do laugh when I hear him say any of these things, because it is funny. And I just can't help but think how Owen is truly a marketer's dream come true!