School Picture

He's squinty and shaggy, but I still had to have one.  He's matured so much from last year.  Can't wait to follow the progression of pictures from year to year one day.

Family Resemblance?

Hans Olaf

Hans Edward

Reader

On recent library visit Freddie discovered his friend, Zach, could read.  And that was it; he needed to read too. 

He is pretty consistent with knowing letter sounds, sounds out words here and there and knows a few sight words, so I have been feeling like he was ready.  It's nice to see him think he is ready.  I love seeing him so proud of himself!

23 Months (and 4 days)

I suppose we are in the countdown to the big T-W-O!

 Appearance:

• Your hair is getting so light!  It's just about white.  And curly.  And growing back.  Whew.
• Taller and leaner, but the belly is still there and you love to show off that outie belly button
• 29ish lbs
• 35ish inches
• Big, round bottom
• Pigeon toes, especially the right foot, although I don't think it is as pronounce as it had been, and I am not seeing it interfere with your ability to go, go, go.
• Two of your two year molars are out, and the remaining two will be out soon.  

You refuse the baby bucket swing now opting to be like Freddie!

Personality:

• Your personality screams "I am two years old!" lately.  
• Stubborn, testing, challenging
• Cuddley, kissy, tender
• You'll hide behind my leg when strangers talk to you, but you're pretty good about answering their questions.
• You don't like the attention of others, even when you definitely deserve it....like when you boogie down in music class and then realize everyone is giggling at you.
• You are very independent.  Everything is "I do it!"

Language:

• You are on your way to being a full blown chatter box, comlplete with articles and prepositions.
• Your sentences are longer and you are pretty understandable.  I think everyone understands you 80% of the time, not just me.  You get most irritated if you aren't understood and it is very frustrating for both of us.  You don't let up and repeat, repeat, repeat until I get it.
• You understand multistep instructions, and even comply most of the time.
• A sentence you just said to Me:  Mama, music not working needs batteries

Motor:

• You draw lots of attention on your little scooter.  I get a handful of comments daily about your balance and speed.  You haven't quite masters putting on the brakes, but that doesn't in any way inhibit your need for speed.  
• You run and jump and climb and keep up fairly well with Freddie.
• You hold a pencil and a marker almost just right, and you are showing more of an interest in writing.  This week you drew a colorful picture this week and declared:  I drew a fish!  A killer whale!
• You like puzzles and you can easily manipulate puzzle pieces to get them to fit.
• You are beginning to really work on dressing and undressing.  

"Hold you, hold you"

Diet:

• The house has made a shift to low fat milk.  You're drinking less milk, somewhat due to this I assume, but also you get milk in a glass at lunch and supper so there's less chugging with the sippy cups going on.
• Less milk means more real food.  Lots more.
• You eat a good sized portions at every meal.  More than Freddie for sure.  
• We're trying a three meals plus one afternoon snack routine here, and you're not finding it easy to give up the snacking habit you'd acquired.  You ask for "snacks" several times a day.
• You really like salad, especially cucumbers.

Likes:

• You have your favorite friends, and I like watching you seek them out on the playground.  
• Freddie is your absolute favorite, above all things.
• Cars and trains
• Playing ball
• Throwing sticks and rocks into the river
• Bath time...Hurricane Hansie in the tub
• Bob Marley, although the other day you told me you liked a song and it was Lynard Skynyrd. You generally love a good beat, and have even been singing along with your dancing lately.
• Brushing your teeth
• Reading stories
• Street Sweeper!!!  It is your favorite work truck and you can always hear it before you see it.  It's fun to watch you search for it once you hear it coming.

Dislikes:

• Taking turns and sharing
• Being told to pick up toys, or just generally being told to do anything other than what is getting your immediate attention

Potty:

• Totally, 100% trained.  Very few accidents.  Mostly compliant and will go without a fuss when I tell you to go potty before we leave the house or when we all stop at the bathroom.
• Few to no accidents.
• You are beginning to take off your own bottoms.  Lord help us.  I appreciate your independence but it is very challenging to watch you struggle, scream, screech, and refuse any help or guidance.  But that face when you've finally gotten it all by yourself is worth it!
• Dry morning diapers happen every once in a while.  You want to potty as soon as you get up, which is great and will help when we finally ditch the overnight diapers.  I am thinking we'll wait until the end of the summer and our summer travel plans to attempt that unless you give the directive sooner.

Prolific

House with stairs, Mama, garden, and wind, and name followed by a fish.

Freddie kicking the ball to Hans, and Hans is crying.  Hans has his hands on his eyes.

Train with tracks and steam.  For Mama.

Freddie on the right, in a chair and hands in pocket, and teachers on the left.  (I like their eyelashes!)

Mama Rides

Watch out!  Coming through!

The passenger in the rear kept putting on his breaks and telling me to slow down.  The passenger in the front kept shouting for the turbo button.

It's a long load that requires lots of pedaling to keep moving.  We all got used to it within a few minutes, with the exceptions of my thighs which were screaming the entire time.

Fun times ahead with this rig.

Sand and Surf

Ahhhhh, the beach....

There really isn't anything better, even with especially with little boys.

The boys are at the perfect age for the beach.  They slip into their swimsuit each morning and dig, and dig, and dig all day.

 

We spent mornings on the beach and visited the {heated} pool in the afternoons.  

 

Foggy Morning

Both boys really loved the warm pool.  Hans jumped in and wanted to keep up with Freddie.

We saw lots of porpoise and a huge school of sting rays which passed right near our feet.

The boys fished and caught a shark! 

And we slept in, lounged around, and ate seafood.  Oysters, shrimp, and fish each day!

Perfect way to finish our vacation.

Jazzfest

It's been almost two weeks now, so I'm drawing a blank on any details, and we have only a handful of photos, sadly.  It was definitely an unusual year with unseasonably cool temperatures and lots of rain.

Both of the boys loved the music, Charlie loved the food, and Hans loved the mud.

Hans had no problems walking barefoot from stage to stage, stomping through the puddles to get the mud from between his toes.  Freddie is a bit more refined and avoided the mud.  It made for an interesting walk around the fairgrounds.   

We didn't get to see, hear, or eat nearly enough.  The weather made it tricky, but having two mobile little people with demands requests made things even trickier.   

We set up at the Gentilly Stage each morning and stayed put for the most part, leaving only to venture out for beignets or a visit to the Kids' Tent.  Charlie was in charge of taking the boys to use the port-o-potty, and he got major props from the crowd, and from this Mama.  

I am so thankful to have the opportunity to experience Jazzfest as a family.  The boys were exposed to so many varieties of music (and people!) over just a few days.  There's nothing that devlops a greater appreciation for musicians and their craft like seeing a live performance.  

 

Some tips on taking the kids to Jazzfest, for future reference:

• Kids tickets are only $5! (Adult tickets are $65 at the gate, $50 in advance)
• The tents (Kids', Jazz, Blues, Gospel) are better venues for kids to experience the music.  They can be closer, see the musicians, and hear the music with fewer distractions.  There's less room to dance, but most folks make room for a little guy who needs to get his groove on.
• Arrive early and grab something to eat while the lines are short and the crowds are thin.
• Plan on moving from one snack to the next:  beignets and chocolate milk, snowballs, and peanuts all were big hits.
• You are welcome to bring in snack if you have kids.  I had a huge lollipop for each boy and it kept them busy long enough for me to enjoy a few beers and chat a bit.

My Poboys

Both boys love shrimp, especially when it's a fried shrimp poboy.

City Boy

Surprisingly, Hans was very interested in the lizard Papi caught,

Thankfully Papi didn't attempt to hang the lizard from his ear. 

but ran out of here screaming "Scared of butterfly" and nearly in tears.

Spending time outdoors and out of the city is at the top of our to-do list this summer. 

You know they've been with Papi when...

They're saying "psych", requesting you push the turbo button on car rides, and looking for the sweet spot in parking lots. 

We've been away...

Eating, laughing, dancing...

Mother's Day

It is everything I ever imagined:  a painted picture frame from preschool, a bouquet of flowers that had been dropped on the ground, a "special lunch" where I was fed bites of macaroni and cheese.  I am so thankful for this life, these boys.