Meet "Dutch"

In the last few months, James has started naming his "pets" (um, yes, he calls his stuffed animals pets).  Of course, his train engines have always been referred to by name, even those that aren't officially from the Island of Sodor, but rather are the faceless type from Ikea.

Well, he did name Burnsey the Duck sometime last winter or so, but then stopped talking about him so much.  (I think maybe that was around the time Ezra was born.  I do recall that Burnsey was treated like a baby; James rocked him, swaddled him, put him to bed...)
You can see Burnsey (from behind) in this photo from the summer of 2010:

But the more recently named pets include Knuffle Bunny:

and Trixie (both of whom owe their names to Mo Willems).  Here Trixie is sleeping in the Pack and Play (which we had out when some friends were visiting with their one year old).

There is also "Grown-up Trixie" who sometimes even is said to have a baby in her belly.

Of course you know Woody, but James has taken to calling him "Tootsies" recently.  You can see him hiding behind Zumi the puppy here.

Speaking of Zumi the puppy, he went by the name "Puppy" for quite a long time.  Then last month when we were in Greenville, he was "James the Puppy" (not to be confused with James Lepori or "James the Grown Up," mommy's cousin, shown holding him below).  Not long after arriving back in NJ, he became Zumi and has been so consistently ever since.

And here are Gretchen, Frank and Ezra M'Jen.  Ezra M'Jen is waving the checkered flag, and I believe Frank is telling Gretchen that her helmet is not on properly:

It may be worth noting that these three were named almost immediately upon James receiving them as a half-birthday/baptism anniversary gift from Auntie Ali and Uncle Preston.

Oh, and there's Marie whom you may recall was named after James saw "Aristocats."

And also Murdoch the cat, whom you may remember if you're my facebook friend.  James said that Murdoch would be a "real pet" if we colored him with chalk:

But, this blog post is titled "Meet 'Dutch'."
Where's Dutch?
Right here!

James's First Day in the Threes

This post is a few weeks overdue.  Oops.

James has settled into his new classroom with Ms. Lisa.  He was thrilled to see all his friends again, though he regularly tells me that his favorite tracks are in the twos room.

During the first week of school, there was a lot of wistful talk of the twos room, as well as much jubilation when I'd arrive to pick James up from school.  Now, however, he's returned to his more typical afternoon greeting of, "Mommy, wait!  Don't come yet!  I have to finish _________."  You can fill in the blank with whatever activity he's doing-- reading a book, playing with this toy, listening to this story, having a snack, playing with my friends...

Here's James in his new classroom on the first day (Sept. 7th):

 James and Daddy in the Threes Room (Sept. 7th)-

 James finds a toy tractor in the Threes Room.

Unfortunately, there's not a full body shot of his cute little first day of school outfit, but alas.

My Little Cherub

A few weeks ago James got a postcard in the mail inviting him to the first Cherub Choir (ages 3-6) rehearsal of the year at church.  That rehearsal was last Wednesday.

When I went to pick him up from school, he was still on his nap mat, and was quite grumpy about getting up.  He then got upset because he didn't want to miss snack, specifically the cookies that were on the counter.  He said, "When all the mommies and daddies get here, we can have cookies for snack!"  Actually, the cookies were for the mommies and daddies, but for Back to School Night that evening, not for the kids at all.  After much crying and carrying on, I finally got him to the car.  Where there was more crying and carrying on.

"This is going to be great," I thought. 

We made it to church on time, and went inside to find the two super-nice directors and the other children.  James got to pick a smiley face and put his name on it (he asked Mommy to help) as well as a sticker for his attendence.  He told me not to leave (the other mommies left), so I sat behind him.  Well, partway into the first song, he yelled out, "Mommy!" and ran back to me.  Then I sat next to him in the little semi-circle of cherubs.  And I knew the song quite well by the end of rehearsal; meanwhile, he wasn't singing at all.

The children's choirs perform once a month, on Family Sunday (which is the third Sunday of the month).  The way the calendar worked, that meant that the cherubs would be singing in church Sunday after their first rehearsal!  I wasn't sure how that would fly with James, but the two directors assured me, his timidity was completely normal, and that some kids had even cried through their entire first practice(s).

For the rest of the week, I tried to practice the song with James, but any time I started to sing it, he'd tell me to stop.  Okay.

Sunday morning came, and we all got ready for church.  When we got there, we walked downstairs with James, and he marched right into the choir room and didn't even look back at us!  After assurance from the director, Dan and I went back upstairs and found a seat in the church.  We decided to sit more towards the front than usual (we tend to hang in back for the sake of James's behavior/attention).  As Dan said, "If he really does this, I want to see it!"  We also wanted to be sure he could find us.

Well, soon enough a little parade of cherubs made their way into the church, with James in line.  They assembled on the steps at the front of the congregation and started to sing.  James and his big brown eyes didn't actually ever open his mouth, but we were so very proud nonetheless! 

When they finished, he saw us, smiled a BIG smile and came and sat down.  He made it the entire church service (even joining the children sitting at the priest's feet for most of the sermon) and was more well behaved than he's been in church in years.  No joke.  I think it helped that two very cute, friendly, fellow- cherub twin girls were sitting in the pew in front of us.

After church we told him we were SO PROUD of him.  "But I didn't sing," he replied.  We told him that we were proud he got up in front of the whole church anyway.

This week, I failed to remind him of rehearsal Wednesday morning, so I was a bit nervous when I went to pick him up from school.  I didn't want another tantrum.  As I was pulling in, I saw his class on the playground.  Great.  But by the time I'd gone inside and gathered his things, they lined up and came in.  He was at the end of the line and saw me.  "James, do you remember where we're going today?" I asked.

"Let's go to the train playground after music class," he said, grabbing my hand and happily walking out to the car!  Wow!

When we got to church, he marched off to rehearse in the sanctuary with the other cherubs, so I stayed back in the parish hall with the other mommies.  It was lovely.  Afterwards, as the director was handing out copies of the new song to us, she said that he knows it but told her, "I'll sing when I'm four." 

Train Bully?

Today we were at the playground, as we have so often been this summer.  (Let me just take this moment to whine about the fact that it has been so rainy and otherwise cool in August that we haven't been to the pool much at all this month!  Boo!)  One of James's favorite activities there  --no wait, it IS his favorite activity there-- is to play on the train.

There is this three-piece playground equipment that has an engine (with steps up the coal tender portion and a slide down the cow catcher part; it also has a ladder on the side for the "engineer"), a passenger car (a tunnel with windows), and a caboose (a.k.a the Dining Car as it has a small table and benches built in).

Well, when we got there this morning, James bee-lined for the train.  (Not sure if that's really a verb, but anyway...)  Some little girls were there as well.  James got on board the engine and promptly told the little girl that he was the conductor.  Impressively, she held tight to the "steering wheel" and didn't budge out of his way.  He kept insisting, and I told him he needed to take turns.  He started to push her out of the way, and I removed him from the train.  I told him he had three choices: 1) take turns, 2) play somewhere else and come back when the girls were done, or 3) go home.

He told me he was going to be the whistle and toot until her turn was done.

Well.

He got on that engine and tooted with all his might.  He didn't touch the little girl or the steering wheel.  He just tooted.  And tooted.  Loudly.

"TOOOOOOOOT!!!!    TOOOOOOOT!!!!"

She started crying and left the train.

Happy Mothers' Day!

As you can see, James thinks I rock (ha! as if he's the one who bought the shirt...), but I think he's pretty amazing as well. Unfortunately, he spent the day with a fever of 102, so it was a pretty laid back affair, and he's already fast asleep for the night. However, we did have a lovely day complete with cupcakes. Yum!

Many thanks to James's school for teaching him this lovely song which has been melting my heart all week:

Oh, and btw, the photos that were missing from my "bad blogger" post, are repaired.

Thanks for the deposit, Blitzen.

James LOVES his new back yard. Lately, every time we head to the new house, that's where he wants to go (even today, with a high of 30 degrees).

Last weekend, I spent lots of time out there with him playing funny games like stand-atop-a-boulder-then-run-to-another-one. Well, at some point James says to me, "Look at these things I found, Mommy." I look down, and he's moving some little objects from one spot to another....

"James, put that down! Don't play with that! Yuck! That's poop!" Yep, folks, deer scat. (Understandably, it looked like little marbles to Jamesy.)

James said, "Who pooped in our yard?"

"Some deer."

"Why did the reindeer poop in our yard?"

"I don't know, James. They don't have a potty. Now, let's go inside and wash your hands."

And, every so often this week, James will ask again, "Why did the reindeer poop in our new backyard, Mommy?"

Spring?!

It is snowing right now.

It snowed Monday as well.

However, there are some early bulbs coming up in the yard. Last week, when they were just tiny green sprouts, Dan pointed them out to James.

"Look, James! That's spring!"

A couple of days ago as we were walking up the steps to the deck after school, James noticed one of the bulbs had sprouted much more. "Mommy! Look! Spring is getting taller!" he exclaimed. "I want to go check the others." And back down the stairs he darted to check on the others. "Look, Mommy! This Spring is getting taller, too. And this Spring. All the Springs are getting taller!"

Recent Jamesisms

Dan told me about this exchange this morning:

J: Why isn't Mommy taking me to school?

D: She had to go to work, but it's my pleasure to take you.

J: Why isn't it Mommy's pleasure?

As we were eating sushi for supper:

J: No rolls tonight! No dumplings tonight! Just these!

Some favorite words and phrases of late:

• perhaps
• chuffing
• pump your pistons
• sure
• yes, please
• no, thank you
• lackadaisical (they learned that one at school)
• I'm not feeling very well.
• I'm a baby.

Unfortunately, there's been a lot of whining lately as well. And emphatic declarations of, "I don't want to!"

Update

I'm not sure the last time I failed to post for an entire calendar month. Sorry, February 2011.

The last week of February was especially action packed. Dan & I headed down to SC to be with family and celebrate the life of UJ at an amazing, music-filled memorial service. James was a champ and had lots of fun on a four-night sleep-over at Grandma & Grandpa's.

We were so happy to be back home together on Tuesday night, and spent a quiet day together on Wednesday. James opened a gift from Nana & Pops: a doctor kit! He loved it, and gave each of us an exam. Then that evening we headed over to the hospital for a tour because James was scheduled for same day surgery first thing Thursday morning.

He was super excited on his tour of the hospital. He took along his brand new Fisher Price doctor kit, and wooed all the nurses and staff (and greeted all the patients and visitors he passed along the way as well). He especially liked the little teddy bear dressed in scrubs that was relaxing on the bed in the pediatric area. James did not want to leave to come home, and was looking forward to returning to the hospital the next morning.

Of course, he had a hard time falling asleep, and ultimately ended up falling asleep in our bed with Dan around 10 (I tried to watch Top Chef, but fell asleep on the couch instead, and joined them in the bed after 11).

James was none to happy about waking up at 6 Thursday morning and said he did not want to go to the hospital, but once we got there he was chipper again. He did get upset that I hadn't brought along his doctor kit--oops! He remembered right where to go, and marched himself to the elevators and to Same Day Surgery. So cute. Again, he was quite cooperative, and everyone was quite enamored and complementary. He LOVED the plush puppy they gave him (and he also received a nice little quilt from the Linus project that actually coordinates nicely with his beautiful quilt from Neida).

When it was time for surgery, they gave him a medicine that is supposed to help with any anxiety-- James got loopy and was throwing his stuffed animals around. I was fine until they wheeled him away (with a goofy grin on his face). Then I cried a bit.

Dan and I got some breakfast at Kurth Cottage (the hospital restaurant) then hung out in the waiting area reading the paper. We got a call from the recovery room, and I could hear James crying in the background. Luckily, the nurse had warned us that a lot of kids wake up from the anesthesia very upset, so at least we weren't surprised. He was pretty much inconsolable for a little while. He was drifting in and out of sleep, but complaining about the pain ("My scrotum hurts"). Once he got some ibuprofen, he pretty much passed out.

We weren't sure how long he'd sleep given his late bedtime the night before, early wake-up, and anesthesia. At 12:30 we decided to at least change him from the hospital gown into his own jammies again. He woke up and got upset about that, so they ended up sending the hospital gown home with us! Ha!

Within five minutes of our getting home, a bouquet of balloons held by a cute teddy bear arrived for James from some of his friends! So sweet! He spent most of that afternoon vegging out in front of the tv, cuddling with his puppy.

As if that wasn't enough excitement for one week, on Friday afternoon we closed on a house! It is still pretty surreal since we've been seriously house-hunting for a year and a half (and casually for many years). James was again a trooper, and spent the day relaxing with Grandpa. That evening we all headed over to "our new, big house" (as James calls it), where James excitedly ran all over the place. He brought along some toys to move in to the house, and let me tell you that their noise really carries in an empty house!

Funny "Baby"

I walked into the living room today to find James wrapped like a burrito in my fleece blanket (courtesy of Daddy).

"Are you a baby?" I asked.

"Yes. That's why I'm all swaddled."

So cute and funny.

On the twelfth day of Christmas your blogger gave to you...

... the much awaited meeting of James and Ezra!

James was SO excited to meet his cousin and loved having him here in NJ. When Auntie Peg and I asked James if he wanted to sit in the chair with his baby cousin for a photo session he was all too happy to oblige.


We had planned to head down to DC to see Nana, Auntie Peg, and Team Winter on Tuesday, but were THRILLED that they decided to come up to NJ instead. In this photo, James and Uncle Preston were playing Santa and his elf (I cannot remember who was who).
Here James helps Auntie Ali open a gift for Ezra. By this time (Thursday morning), he was a PRO at presents. He was so excited to see so much under the tree!
Here is the beautiful box of delicious Jaques Torres chocolates that Santa brought everyone. James had his eye on that dark chocolate heart truffle...
... and quickly popped it into his mouth in one bite!

Thursday night we had a family holiday dinner. Before eating, James and Nana participated in some festive dancing and merriment.
And Thursday evening Ezra had his first bottle.
James was very nice and let Ezra use lots of his outgrown goods. He'd see the papasan and say, "I could fit in there when I was little."


Friday morning came all too soon. James and Mommy said our goodbyes to Nana and Auntie Peg before heading to the New Year's Eve party and brought the Winters along with us. After the countdown to noon, James gave Ez a kiss goodbye,

and hugged his Auntie Ali.

When we were heading home, he asked where his little cousin Ezra was and was heartbroken to hear that he was on his way back to DC instead of at our house.

In the days since, he's been talking about Ezra a lot. One day he was playing with his cars and said, "Mommy, I am playing with the Jeep. Auntie Ali is going to play with the camper. And the Chevelle is for Ezra to play with when he grows up."

More Jamesisms

Lately, James has been an official three-year old with the constant, "Why?"

Additionally, the past few days we've heard a lot of, "Ohhh, I didn't know ______."

As in, "James, give me a kiss. I'm going to work."

"Ohh, I didn't know you were going to work."

or

"Mommy, what are you doing?"

"Making dinner."

"Ohh, I didn't know you were making dinner."

For a while he's been replacing words in songs with "Med" or "goat" to his great amusement. For example, "You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout. I'm telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to goat!"

His new favorite replacement word is "diaper." As in, "Santa Claus is coming to diaper!" He cracks himself up with this.

The other hilarious thing is that James now thinks that wearing a hat prevents ear infections! One day during the break Dan came in from outside, and James shrieked, "Daddy! You forgot your hat! You're going to get an ear infection!"

Come again?

Yep, every time we go outside, he comments on it. In fact on Saturday when we stepped out the door, he stopped dead in his tracks and covered his ears with his hands. I quickly put his hood up for him. I guess this is what they teach them at school...