If you didn't come to dance, then you don't want the funk....

Nolan has been a dancing machine lately. He's progressed from his stomping dance, which I have demonstrated on this blog, to in-place bouncing, which is what you will see today. However, what I haven't yet captured are his killer ballet moves. My parents visited yesterday and got to see him do his thing....and he seriously looks like he's gonna pull out a grand jete any minute. (Jason was running an errand while this went down, so he hasn't yet seen it. I have a feeling his reaction will be more of the "hey, let's play catch now!" variety!)

Yes, we had a morning o' video on Saturday. First, here is Bailey's rendition of "Silent Night" along with a lyrical dance she choreographed herself. The ending is pretty great - she's a professional who knows how to turn any mistake into a statement.

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Next, we have Nolan's little be-bop.

I hope everyone stays warm during this ice storm!

Kendy

New Year, New Stages

I'm not feeling particularly inspired today, but I'm aware of how long its been since I've posted here so I'm going to push on through. I'm selfless like that. :-)

Jason and I had a new experience this morning.....a parent/teacher conference. As if I don't already think Bailey is growing up way too fast, her school had to add this to my plate full of things to worry about. In all seriousness, I was excited to learn firsthand how Bailey is doing in school. She is such a - let's see - vocal child, that I am always worried about whether she's the holy terror of the group. My fears were assuaged, however. Her teachers think she's delightful and are humored by her more than anything. They did say every now and then she exerts her control a little forcefully, but they can easily correct her.

I'm starting to worry about next year. The problem is that her birthday is in late August, missing the deadline for kindergarten at her current private school and BARELY making the deadline for public school. Do I keep her where she is - where she'll have to go to Pre-K 4 days a week - or send her on to kindergarten. I think she's ready, but she'll be the absolute youngest kid in her class. But, she'd be withe friends she's made for another year if she stays put. And, of course, there's the $ factor. Private school = 2nd mortgage. Public school = yea, new clothes! Sigh.

Nolan is finally chubbin' up, we think. Of course, we've thought that quite a bit through his short life, only to be told the opposite by his doctor. But, I really think he is this time. He's been eating really, really well. I don't have a picture showing his little frog belly, so I'll have to take one for next time.

On the flipside, he's been behaving quite badly....or as badly as he can at his age. He continues to want me to hold him 24 hours a day, and gets rather bent out of shape if I don't comply with his demands. He's started hitting me (better than biting, I suppose) and has developed the "mean face" when he either doesn't get what he wants or is testing us when he's ABOUT to do something he thinks we don't like. Here is my best try at capturing the mean face. It's not exactly right, but you get the picture. To truly be the mean face, he needs a bit more crease between the eyes. I think this was just him being irritated by the camera.

His favorite activity these days is looking at the pictures on the walls. He LOVES to go from frame to frame looking at them. Most of them are of Bailey....hey, I'll get around to displaying his image one of these days!! But, he always says some unintelligible word when he looks at the pictures (which I keep hoping turns into BAILEY, but sounds absolutely nothing like that). I still can't get him to say a single word other than momma and dadda. At this stage - where everything makes him mad - I'd really like him to be able to tell me what would make things better!! Oh, well. I guess the hitting will toughen me up.

Here are a couple of random pictures for your enjoyment. Bailey made me a smashing hair-do last night!

And I made her some art for her wall.

2 Twinkies, a Gallon of Ice Cream and Poop for $600

Bzzzzzzz

What are all things that Nolan ate over Christmas vacation, Alex?

And, you are $600 richer.


So, I'm sure the twinkies and ice cream were long forgotten when you read the word poop, so I'll save everyone the build-up and just start there....even though that is getting a little ahead of myself.

Nolan has a wonderful new obsession with the bathroom...toilet paper, throwing clothes in the bathtub, pulling out all the drawer and cabinet contents, etc. And, yes, he likes the toilet. And four-year-olds sometimes don't see the need to flush said toilet. It only took a couple of episodes of Nolan digging out soggy toilet paper FROM the toilet for us to institute a mandatory flushing, closing the toilet lid and closing the bathroom door rule in our house. However, we neglected to remember this issue when spending time at Jason's parents house when his brother's family was in town. Their 3-year-old must have the same anti-flush problem, as the girls apparently had a "poop party" in the bathroom (this is what I call Bailey's strange desire to accompany others to the bathroom while they do their business...and have people join her when she does hers) one night and then went off to play. Nolan was in the bedroom playing with the girls. Or so we thought. Here he came around the corner into the living room holding something that I thought, for a brief moment, looked a little like one of those wax molds you get made at the zoo of, say, a giraffe. As I was then thinking about where he would have gotten one of those since we haven't been to the zoo in awhile, I realized that his possession was poop. I immediately grabbed him up, he dropped the offensive item, and we ran to the bathroom to disinfect. Only then did I see the faint smudge of brown on the skin below his bottom lip. I really can't be sure he ate any, but if you're gonna grab poop out of the toilet I don't think there's anything stopping you from seeing what it tastes like.

And, that concludes the nasty mcnasty part of this post. FLUSH, PEOPLE, FLUSH.

As for the other food items mentioned in the post title, I think Nolan may have overcome his food aversions this holiday season. He has eaten so well, and then some. Grandma and Grandpa Cruson fed him a few twinkies behind my back (and in front of it - I have no authority around my dad!) and he consumed A LOT of ice cream. The kid couldn't get enough of it. I think we're going to have to avoid eating it in front of him in the future, as he went a little psycho. Once one person was done with their bowl, he'd just beg for more at the next person's bowl. He may get some meat on those bones yet!!

Here are a few pictures from the various holiday activities. NOTE: The brown all over Nolan's face in pics below is NOT poop.....I was a little preoccupied cleaning him up to even think about capturing the "memory." No, the brown is chocolate fed to him, yes, by my dad.

Fun With The Cox Clan

He's laughing at cousin Lauren and the Curious George monkey.

This was our New Year's Eve.....watching the kids attempt to play games.

Lauren and Bailey on their sleepover

Fun With The Crusons

Cooking with Grandma

I like chocolate...and world peace.

Grandma got a new car!

Christmas Eve Party

The kids - all raising their hand when I asked them who heard Santa's sleigh land on our roof.

Excited to see Santa!

Anticipation (and a little fear) as he knocked on the door.

When he walked THROUGH the door.

Christmas Eve/Morning

Cookie for Santa

The loot

This is pretty much what Nolan thought of Christmas.

And, finally, here is Nolan trying out his new (to him) car seat pre-installation. I'm not sure he's quite 20 lbs., so don't tell anyone. Smile.