Jelly Beans

We have hired someone to pick up the boys from preschool, take them home, make them dinner, etc. She is a kindergarten teacher, and one day last week had some leftover jelly beans from class. She asked the boys if they'd like a couple jelly beans if they finished their dinners. The boys answered, "What are jelly beans?" Her comment: So, I guess you don't give them candy much, huh?

Candy having been offered, however, meant it must be distributed. Having now learned that we don't generally have candy at home, she then learned one of the reasons. The boys began crying for jelly beans, and Finn refused to eat dinner, crying out for the beans instead. Now, bear in mind that Finn could eat his weight in black beans, and might not have understood at all, but he finally ate enough dinner to earn three jelly beans. Being 2, and a Kressin boy, his favorite color is yellow, so he chose the yellow jelly bean, and, as the partially chewed candy fell from his mouth, we discovered the first yellow thing he didn't like.

I'm guessing she won't bring candy again.

Hide and Seek

It has been oppressively hot outside for the last couple of weeks, and the boys have been forced inside more than usual. As a result, Liam has re-discovered the fun of playing hide-and-seek with me. Fortunately, Finn is a bit older and no longer cries pitifully when he can't find me, so it is more fun for me, too. Liam, however, still doesn't really get it.

When he hid the first time, he asked me for help hiding in the bathtub. I told him I couldn't help, because I would be looking for him. I found both him and Finn in the bathtub. A fine place to hide. When he hid the second time, I called out loudly, "I think I'll check the bathtub again!" because I knew he'd be somewhere else and I like to really look around before I find him. Now, Liam is not very good at hiding, but he has a few different spots in his repertoire, including closets. Well, really it is just closets and the bathtub. I've tried to demonstrate some other hiding places, but he never finds me, so he sticks to his closets and bathtub.

Naturally, on this turn, he was once again in the bathtub. He asked, "How did you find me?" I told him I just looked where he had hid last time. For his next turn, I once again announced I would begin my search in the bathtub. Once again he was there. Matt and I tried to explain that you have to change where you hide, and eventually he hid in the closet. With his toes sticking out. Again, "How did you find me?" He could really play this all day. I'll admit, it's kind of fun!

Then and Now

The boys have been in their new school for almost 2 weeks, and there have been a few changes in their life experiences since the switch.

Then: (whiny voice) I don't want to go to schooool . . .
Now: (crying) I don't want to go home!!! I want to stay heeeere!!!

Then: (enviously) Corey eats a doughnut for breakfast every day.
Now: (confused) There's a girl in my class who had seaweed for lunch.

So far, none of his new friends have expressed the aspiration to grow up and smoke cigarettes, which is refreshing. Liam and Finn also eat breakfast together at school, and Finn has been excitedly telling me about his day. "I played cars!" "Fish and shawks!" He's also been singing new songs.

Overall, it has been a good switch!

Finn Funnies

So the little boy in the house has started really coming into his own. His use and grasp of language has really made the family interactions much more entertaining.

A few weeks ago, Liam discovered that he could no longer call Finn a baby. We were driving back from school and Liam informed Finn that he couldn't do something because he was "a baby". Finn immediately responded by telling Liam, "No. Liam a baby." Or really "Mee-am a baby." Liam takes a pause and says, "No, Finn, you're the baby." Finn fires back, "Mee-am a baby." Liam now gets a little mad and tells Finn that he's the big brother and that Finn, in fact, is the little brother. Response: "Mee-am a baby." Liam now quite upset calls from the back seat, "Dad! Finn's calling me a baby!" Finn appears quite satisfied with the result.

We were having a little park time last weekend where there are a few hanging bench swings, which can accomodate several little people or three adults comfortably. Liam and Finn were wanting to swing, but some older little girls were taking turns pushing each other and the boys were a little timid about interupting. Liam finally got on and sat on one side next to the armrest to hold on. Finn wanted to join, but the only spot was in the middle without any handles. I had been cajoled into pushing everybody, so I told Finn he needed to hold on to something. Finn takes a moment to assess the situation, then announces "Hold on to pants". He grabs the end of his shorts, confident in his newly acquired swing security.

Liam Lexicon

The boy is smart. The boy is gifted. The boy still has some funny "Liam-isms" that show up and have even been adopted by Finn. We still have "camote retrol" for television and DVD player. Some of our favorite reading material is the Birthday Express catalog that comes in the mail. Of course it is Liam's "mazagine". He has spent days looking over it-

"Look Finn, monster trucks." (as both boys would enjoy a monster truck party)
"Monster trucks?" says Finn.
"Yes." Liam turns the page.
"Monster trucks?"
"No, ponies." Liam turns the page.
"Monster trucks?"
"No, Elmo." Liam turns the page.
"More trucks?" Finn asks again. And so on...

And of course, "hangebur". Pronounced hang geh burr. As in, "hot dogs and hangeburs". Which reminds me that we have become VERY picky about dinner. Liam will say, "I don't like it." To which Finn will then chime in, even if to this point he has been happily eating dinner, "No like it." Then they will both squish up their faces and twist away from the plate as if offered a feast of mealworms. Mealworms without any ketchup if you can believe the horror of it all.

thank goodness for ebay

Matt and I are a bit tired of frantically searching the house for "Jamie's car". It has become utterly essential to Finn's every sleeping and waking moment. Liam has been telling Finn over and over again that it is not really Finn's car, it is Jamie's. Then he cries that Finn "never shares Jamie's car!"

So what is a parent to do? Go to ebay, and look for another purple scion. It is a 2004 model, so it was not in any of the local stores. Ebay had one dark metallic purple matchbox scion. The price, including shipping, seemed outrageous, but if it bought us a little less stress when trying to find this car for bedtime, it was worth it.

The car arrived in the mail yesterday. A lovely, 2004 scion, in dark metallic . . . red. Unfortunately, Liam saw it, and got all excited to have a scion of his own. The package was opened, the shiny red scion removed, and Liam was thrilled to have his very own Jamie's car. He got a little frantic when he couldn't find it later, and then wanted to take it to bed. So we ended up searching to house for two scions for bedtime. The seller agreed to refund the cost, even though it was opened, but there was no taking it away from Liam.

So now we have two "Jamie's car" to keep track of. Yay. Glad I solved that problem.

Four years old

It is hard to believe that Liam is four years old. I guess we have to stop threatening to not let him turn four if he doesn't dress himself.

He was so excited this morning. I asked him if he felt bigger and he said, "Yes!". A few moments later, he went into his bedroom to look at himself in the mirror. :-) He's really excited to have a birthday party, too.

I guess I'll need to post new pictures, and they are growing so fast, sniff, sniff . . .