From the Mouths of (Our) Babes

Avery left the Halloween festivities at the park today and said, "What a fun party!" He hung with his friend Max, who was Cookie Monster, and his good friend, Charlie, dressed as Spider Man. He enjoyed the 'scavenger hunt', which included a dig in hay for special treats like lollipops. We think he'll be pretty blown away by trick or treating, which he is already looking forward to---but I don't think he quite knows what to expect.

This morning, Avery hopped into our bed and told me that he likes to paint pictures at the art museum. He's previously told us that he takes art classes there. But this morning, he provided some evidence of such courses. Avery: I want to paint a picture. M: Really? Do you want to do that today? Now? Avery: Yes, I want to paint. And I want to mix red and blue to make purple. M: Wow! Where did you learn that red and blue make purple? Avery: At my class in the art museum. !!!! Happy Halloween. We will post Halloween shots later today. Avery decided that he wanted to be a pumpkin this morning, despite our clear winner on the survey, Mighty Mouse. He said, "I want to be cute as a pumpkin!" However, no time for pumpkin costume making....

After his bath this evening (about 20 minutes ago), Avery said he wanted to "use the bathroom." There is no "potty talk" for this kid! He requested the toilet. He sat on the toilet and actually pee'd (sp?) in the pot! Walker remarked that my overzealous squeals were a little scary, as appears to be corroborated by this weird evil look I have here. Not sure what was going on there, but I hope this doesn't scare Avery away from future attempts forever. But look at Avery! Yay! He was really proud. Our BIG Boy: He also said to me tonight, "First, we take a bath. Then, we read stories. And then I cry. I cry and say MOMMMY MOMMY MOMMY." Awwwwwww. He's been having a little trouble getting to sleep in his crib for the past few nights in a row. I asked him why he cried in his crib. He wasn't able to tell me. We decided that he could sleep with anything he wanted that might make him happy. He first chose bath toys---fine with m...

There is a lot of work going on at our house right now. Today, for example, there were electricians, guys putting in a new heater, and someone fixing our internet connection all converging through our living room. There was sound and fury, and Avery slept right on through the yelling, pounding and power tools. Yay! When he did wake up from his nap, he explained to Nan, "These people aree building my playroom." And in his new playroom, he can play basketball, which is the newest sport at his school. He apparently played yesterday, which I have to see for myself. His team included Olivia, Beatrix, and Theo. Avery played both offensive and defensive positions.

After some brunch at Du Jour yesterday, Avery and Sophia had fun shooting rockets in the air, and at us. They were just so excited to be together, running around in the park and playing, swinging and squealing.

When Avery was asked to sit in the bread bowl this weekend, he was excited. The bread bowl! We can make some bread! So he waited patiently, with is measuring cup in hand. He was disappointed to learn that we were not, in fact, making or eating bread of any kind. In fact, I am not sure if bread has ever been made in the "bread" bowl. We returned it to Pop Tom this weekend, with a little consolation prize as a thank you for letting us borrow it to take pictures.

Avery's pal Charlie came over last week. He pulled two chairs into the living room, one for Avery and one for himself. He then announced to Avery, "Afree, let's sit here and talk. Why don't we?" They discussed pop ups: Then, they discussed the fate of a stuffed dog: Finally, they discussed the virtues cars in general, and particulary, of the car Finn got Avery for his 2nd birthday. They ended with theories on how to reinvigorate the U.S economy.

Avery wanted dumplings for dinner tonight. We went to find out if they had them at the "Chinese store." While waiting for our dumplings to steam, the nice woman at the restaurant gave Avery a fortune cookie. This was his first. It said, "You love life very much." I found this very fitting, as I always do with fortune cookies, like there really is a reason that YOU were chosen to get that particular cookie. We came home with dinner, and after dinner, Avery got a second fortune cookie. It said, "You are the center of attention of all those around you." I might save these two for his high school yearbook.

Now it's my turn. I don't know if I caught something just because it's in the air, or if it is what Avery had. Sometimes, I feel like I want to catch what Avery has just so I know how it felt, or how to make him feel better. Anyway, I am feeling a little big buggy this evening. I told Avery that I wasn't feeling well. He replied, "I am going to make you some soup, mommy. I am going to make you some soup." Uncle Eric said, "I'm trying to imagine soup a la Avery.....one whole onion, a truck, a crayon, 7 pennies and "some" salt." Avery does love the salt! Realizing that Avery Soup might not cut it, Walker & Avery headed out to get some Chinese soup. When they returned, he exclaimed, "I got you some soup, mommy! Daddy didn't make it. A Chinese grill made it. A Chinese lady." After I had soup, he asked if it made me feel better. Then, he put his head on my lap and said, "I make you feel better, mommy. I ma...

Avery had a really hard time getting to sleep last night. Maybe he was worried about the debate. I went to him after he was crying for a while and we talked. He did not appear sick at all, and hugged me and said that he just wanted me to come to him. While hugging he said, "What are we like mommy? What are we like?" I had to put him back in bed at a little after 9. After that, he cried some more, and about 20 minutes later, Walker went to him. Walker ended up lying next to him on the floor at around 9:45, as a last resort. However, because Walker himself was so tired, they both fell asleep, and Walker woke up at about 1am to limp into bed. I am not sure what was up and why Avery had such a hard time. Speaking of the debate, by chance, Avery pointed out yesterday that it said Barack Obama on a piece of paper I was reading. He was right, but I think it was just because we had talked about Obama shortly before he pointed it out. He also reminded me that he was going ...

Avery was performing a little this evening, and wanted to make a video.

I asked Avery what he dreamt about last night, and he told me the following: "I dreamt about horses. They were green. There were four green horses. And they were stomping all around. They were stomping everywhere, all around. And then they went to a museum." "Why did they do at the museum?" "They went to see other animals. They couldn't bring food inside, because other animals would want it. So they ate their food outside. Then they went in to see the other animals."

There is a bamboo plant in the lobby of nan and popi's building. We pass it each time we walk through. When walking through this weekend, Avery stopped at the plant to say hello. (Hello, Bambooooooo plant!) Then, he turned to me and asked, "Can I eat it?" I told him, "No, sweetie, you can't eat the bamboo plant." He replied, "Why not? You can eat basil." Good question. Later, we discussed how you can, in fact, eat bamboo shoots (think: Chinese food) so I corrected myself later. However, we still felt the leaves were probably not so tasty.

Conversations in the car last evening, on the way home from nan and popi's. A: Look! The moon! It looks like a globe. It is glowing. M: Yes, wow! It is beautiful. A: I wanna be a duck. Ducks say QUACK QUACK. I wanna be a duck. I wanna be a duck NOW. NOW!

Updates: 1. Avery has learned how to gallop. He calls it skipping, and he has been doing it all around the living room, street, park, store... since yesterday afternoon. Everywhere. 2. Avery asked Walker, "What alphabet does your name begin with?" 3. I asked Avery what we are going to do tomorrow, and he said, "We are going to get some hay and ride on a pumpkin!" He's very excited, although he seems to have it switched around a bit.

Avery had so much fun at Lucas' birthday party this weekend at the park. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and friends joined around 11ish. It was a day of firsts! We haven't had many of those lately, have we? Avery rode the carousel for the first time, which he became more enthused about the second time around, as this picture shows: He also ate his first fluffer nutter sandwich. Here, he reveals a little fluffer nutter sandwich evidence. We brought out our cute little BOOTH stools (from the previous owners of our house) and the kiddies found a NEW use for them (also a first): Avery snuck TWO cupcakes by edging up upon the grandparents before any were served. He even had one that blue cream cheese icing. He also convinced me to swing with him, and is learning to swing himself by pumping his feet. And, finally, he got a balloon twisted in the shape of a motorcycle. (((It promptly popped about three feet away from the park, but luckily Avery had fallen asleep by then.)))

Avery seemed to have clearly made his choice about who to vote for in the upcoming election. However, after reconsidering, he thought that that perhaps his cousin, Finn, might be a better choice.

Today at Avery's school, they began a yoga program. I just can imagine how ridiculously adorable (and chaotic) yoga with the toddler set would be. To prepare, we've been practicing taking off and putting on shoes independently. Apparently, that's what the kids are asked to do to get ready for yoga. So this morning, Avery and Walker were putting on shoes together. Avery said to Walker, while putting on shoes, "My shoes are called Pumas. What are your shoes called, Daddy?" Walker responded that he wasn't sure what his shoes were actually called, but that they were dressy shoes. So Avery said, in response, "Mine are dressy, too. Mine are pretty dressy for me." ***** Avery set the table two nights ago. I've been trying to use placemats as a way to dress up our evening meal. Avery clearly has taken note. He took the placemats, one by one, and rolled each out over each of our places when I was preparing dinner. It was like his first ...

This isn't setting a bad precedent, is it? Avery's been helping in the kitchen lately. And when I say "helping" I really mean providing entertainment.

Last night, while getting ready for bed, Avery started screaming. He was almost inconsolable. He finally calmed down and I asked what the problem was. He said he really needed a banana. He was yelling for a banana at the top of his lungs, "I NEED a BANANAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!" His dad came running up, worried that he was dropped on his head. He then kindly ran back down and got Avery a banana. Avery then calmed down. His Uncle Eric and I have concluded that as long as his emergencies can be solved with bananas, he is not a man. We are working on further definitions of "not a man". Thoughts welcome.

Avery woke up the other morning and declared, "I am a man!" I think he got it because someone must call him a "little man." He insisted that he was, in fact, a MAN, when I tried to argue otherwise. Growing up before our eyes!