A Few of My Favorite Things

Latest faves:

Andrew 3 years, 51 weeks

Color: Green
Book: Froggy Plays T-Ball, Curious George
Movie: Doggy one (Air Bud the baseball version)
Sports Team: Phillies
Sport: Hockey
Food: Pizza and chicken

Patrick, almost 8 1/2 months

Book: Baby Einstein books - loves the pictures
Toy: Stuffed penguin, paper
Things: animals, especially dogs and penguins
Food: All

The Age of Questions

My almost 4 year old has become quite inquisitive. I always enjoy reading of the questions my friend (Irene) is asked by her son...now we've entered that phase, also.

My favorites as of late:
"Mommy, ...

where does the dark go when I wake up?"
where does the gas from our car go?"
what is soul?"
what is God?"
what is heaven?"
How will we get there?"

The conversation with the last four questions finished with, "I think we will ride in our car, and JJ and Papa will come with us. But there's no room for JJ and Papa in our car, so we will have to meet them there."

Most Recent Memorable Moments

Ahem...I am updating my blog - alert the media. I feel about my blog right now the way I do about scrapbooking and house cleaning...I'm so far behind, I don't know where to start. But I'd better get started now, because Patrick is going to crawl any minute, and then who knows when I'll have a chance.

It's really been a wonderful few months since I last posted. The Phillies won the World Series (I cry every time I watch the recap DVD). This was reallly exciting for everyone except Patrick, who cries when the rest of us scream and jump up and down. He'll catch on soon enough...heaven knows the other one did. Brian's whole family (sans one brother-in-law) were lucky enough to be at the NL East clincher game, where his dad announced the starting line-up. B also got to attend Game 3 of the World Series with his parents and brother. We will be celebrating for a long time. I love that team - just a bunch of average guys...no prima donnas. When the stars don't play well, the others step up - it's truly a team effort. Ok, I'm done with that, really...

In November, we were able to join my mom's family in North Carolina to see my cousin, Andrew, marry the lovely Jenny. Brian and I froze our noses off while watching Penn State win the Big Ten Championship, spent some time with my best friends from college, and made our annual pilgrimage to the Basset Hound farm, where I constantly have to remind myself what a pain the one I have is, so I don't leave with another. I fear one day I may lose this battle, and pay an exorbitant amount of money for another adorable, stubborn, temperamental critter to mess up my house.

Then December - the month of joy. Joy for a savior, for Patrick's first Christmas, for 15 days off. :) This was such a wonderful Christmas, as Andrew, at almost 4, was just super fun. He really understands the Santa thing (perhaps too well), and was trying to be so patient, but often mentioned, "Santa's taking so long to bring my triangle tar." Translation: triangle (v-shaped) guitar that he's wanted since June. There was a moment of panic, when after months of searching, Santa found a triangle tar, and Andrew informed us that he now wanted a Spiderman hockey stick instead. But, after he sat on the big man's lap, and told him he wanted a triangle tar, he informed us we would have a band. Mommy on her "pano," Daddy would play his 'tar, Andrew would play his 'tar, Patrick would play his drum (or any household object on which he can bang), and even Grandpa Cliffie would play his 'tar (the only one who really can play an instrument, so I feel he is vital to the success of the tour).

On Christmas Eve morning, Andrew very purposefully marched down the steps and over to the Christmas tree, where he stood staring, looking confused and forlorn. Apparently, he had misunderstood and thought there would be presents that morning. The following morning he excitedly announced to B that Santa had eaten all the cookies. He then proceeded to unwrap at an alarming speed, ending with the much loved triangle 'tar. Later that day, he came upstairs to show Mommy and Daddy that he had washed his triangle 'tar, so it would be "shiny and clean (more about this obsession later)." I was almost paralyzed when I saw the DRIPPING WET triangle 'tar, which was making an odd hissing noise, even when turned off. Thankfully, it dried and still works, so we had our band's first performance when Brian's parents came to visit. Andrew was ready, for he had immediately started practicing his Risky Business moves, tighties and all, while watching his performance in my bathroom mirror. Patrick thoroughly enjoyed wrapping paper...clutching little scraps like a cherished blankie. He favorite toy was the box in which is new crawling tunnel came - he much enjoyed talking to the baby on the box. I think they may have set up a date.

I am happy to report that Christmas was not all about Santa at our house. I discovered a new favorite Christmas book, Mercer Mayer's "The Little Drummer Mouse." I am so proud that my little boy talks about Jesus, Mary, and Joseph about as familiarly as Santa. Andrew and I were discussing what to give through World Vision. I asked him if he wanted to give Bibles to little boys and girls who don't have them. I explained that not all boys and girls know about Jesus. He decided that he wanted to give Bibles to his friends at school. How sad that I had to nix that, but that he could tell them about Jesus if he wanted. Truth is though, he already had. At Thanksgiving, the teacher was asking the children what they were thankful for to post on the classroom bulletin board. When she asked Andrew, he looked up from his coloring, immediately said, "Jesus," and went right back to his picture. The teacher had to check to be sure we were ok with that and that she was allowed to post it. I'm not sure I've ever been more proud in my life. Not just of Andrew, but of Brian and I, that we have created the conditions for that answer to be so natural. I cherish it, knowing that it will not always be so simple for him to share his beliefs. Back to Christmas, Andrew chose to give 2 chickens and 5 ducks through World Vision.

Moving on...Patrick loves the dogs to the point that I sometimes wonder if he thinks he is a dog. I fear this may become more of a concern when he begins crawling and is on all fours like them. He spent several months growling and now barks. He loves both, but absolutely adores Cali. We have to really watch him because he will scoot himself right up to her to hug, pet, etc. She's been wonderful, and I wish the dog book market weren't so cornered, so I could make my fortune off the story of the baby and the blind dog. I doubt Jennifer Aniston would play me...oh well. Tom Cruise would have to play Brian, and that would just be disturbing, so its best to lay that idea to rest.

It's now time for: the Andrew sports update. Now that the World Series is over, and Penn State is cooked, we move on to hockey season. (We will not discuss the Steelers and Eagles because the double header is tomorrow and I will not comment at this time.) The Penguins have apparently realized that Penguins only live in the southern hemisphere, thus they can't seem to play hockey in the northern hemisphere, so we're focusing on the remainder of our hockey fan trifecta: the Capitals and the Flyers (really all Brian & Andrew on that one, although I'm trying). Andrew did get the Spiderman hockey stick for Christmas from his brother, which, oh yay, meant we now had three hockey sticks, so "hey guys, we can all play" living room hockey. After attending a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins game in December, Andrew became a fan of the Zamboni and its job keeping the ice "shiny and clean." So, he now refers to the hardwood floor in the living room as his ice. He regularly cleans his ice (good that someone does), by crawling around the living room with a wet paper towel, making it "shiny and clean." He often speaks of the ice, as in, "Mommy, Patrick's on my ice," or "Mommy, could you get off my ice, please?" Even Andrew seems to realize the Penguins are in trouble, because now when we play "crazy hockey" (aka: all three of us) its the Caps v. Flyers.

And finally, what blog these days is complete without political commentary? Andrew is really becoming quite political. He became interested in Barack "Obambam" during the summer when he mistook the Democratic National Convention for a sporting event, and now tells me when the news is on, "Mommy, they're talking about Barack Obambam. I like Barack Obambam." We have nothing to do with this, which makes it fascinating. He really chose his political affiliation long ago, maybe at age 2, when my brother asked him his thoughts on George Bush, and Andrew replied, "Bobos." In other words, he called the President of the United States a monkey (from Diego). I'm not proud of that, but sadly for us, the whole country and much of the world was thinking it. May Obambam fare better. Happy new year!