Monday, March 30, 2009

Catch up...

This weekend, while attending a baby shower/party for some friends, Koen experienced his very first live band. He had the funniest look on his face at the beginning of their set. It was obvious that, until that very moment, he thought that music only came from radios, CD's and iPods....certainly not real people! After the initial shock and awe subsided, he began to dance, albeit gingerly. He was the only one dancing, taking small side steps around and around in a circle out on the dance floor. He brought smiles to many faces, and some people even joined him for a little while in his circular routine. It was funny and cute. After the fact, I started feeling like a bad parent though, having later noticed that all the other parents had promptly taken their small children with tender ear drums outside to play. I guess Koen got started on his lifelong hearing loss a tad early....darn, I hate that!

On Friday night, we drove over to the Kid's Quest Children's Museum which happens to be right near Clay's office building. So Clay came over to meet us after work, and Koen got to play with daddy at the museum. It was a fun, rather chaotic place. We were taking advantage of their Free Friday Nights event, along with the rest of the city! We stayed for a little while and then went out for some dinner. Here are some shots of the outing:




Then today, we had Isabel (Izzy) over to play. Koen absolutely loves his friend Izzy. From the minute I told him she was coming over until the moment she arrived, he talked about all the things he wanted to show her (Bucket the fish, his new dance moves, his newest library books, and Scruffy). We did many fun things with her. We danced, sang some songs, read some books, the kids colored a picture together, and played the 'roll game' (something Clay and Koen made up). Koen had such a blast that we made plans to see her again tomorrow!








A few funny things that Koen says/does lately:

He's very quick to request help these days for a runny nose...he'll call us into his room at night to say "Need a nosey wipe". I don't know why Clay and I think it's so cute...I guess it's the way his sweet voice sounds when he says it. He's also started going in to the bathroom to get tissues on his own. Sometimes he wipes his own nose and sometimes it's Scruffy that needs a 'nosey wipe'.

I tell ya, this boy has a serious funk factor awareness already. Today, as he was going down for his nap, he started wailing in his crib (I mean serious crying). I hurried in there to find him buried in his blankets, holding out his finger high in the air so I could see the booger stuck to it. He was trying to tell me (in between sobs) that this intruder had somehow come from his nose. He was completely horrified and after I had wiped his finger clean, he looked long and hard at it to make sure nothing remained. Wow! I'm not sure if I should laugh at this behavior, or be concerned.

He also has a coined phrase that he says often, when describing how he threw an object in the air, or jumped up high. He says, "way too high in the ky" (the last word being 'sky' without an 's'). It's so funny, because he says it very casually, as if the entire phrase is synonymous with the word 'high'. And one of my recent favorites is how he pronounces 'vitamin'. To him, it's a 'bite-a-vin'. Very close, as you can see.

And one more funny thing, he's inherited my old, broken, hot pink cell phone. Over the past few days, he's been making many imaginary phone calls, most of them to my mom. He'll come in with the phone to his ear and I say "Koen, who are you talking to?" He says, "Grammy Pat". And then he'll carry on an entire conversation with her, complete with pauses in the appropriate places. He'll ask her what she's doing, and tell her what he had for lunch, or about his favorite book, etc. Then he wraps it up with "Bye!" and snaps the phone shut.

The funniest part is when I sit next to him during one of these pretend phone calls. He'll hold the phone up to my face and say, "say 'hi' to Grammy Pat". But even, funnier is how he gives me the same direction that Clay and I always give him when talking to someone on the phone. He tells me what I should say, and then tells me to "say it loud" (just like we do when he starts to whisper into the receiver). I guess he's onto us, huh? Funny guy.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Bucket

...and the fish tragedy ends in a non-tragic way.

I decided to take the dead fish back to the pet store last night after Koen went to sleep. They returned my money and suggested I take home a beautiful little Betta instead. I couldn't have agreed more. In fact, I wanted to get Koen a Betta in the first place but we had decided to let him pick out his very own fish, hence the red and yellow guys. I have much better luck caring for Bettas. Our last Betta lived for FIVE years! Can you believe that? A lonely little fish in a bowl....FIVE years!

Anyway, I found a gorgeous, feisty little guy and brought him home. Koen met him while eating breakfast this morning. The look on his face was priceless...a mix between "What happened to the other fish?" and "Wow! That's a cool fish!" I think he likes this one better. He kept smiling at it, commenting on how big it is.

I explained that Boba Fett and Tomba got sick (my explanation ended there). I told him that I took them back to the pet store and got him a new fish that would be happier at our house. That's the truth right? I didn't lie. The other two did get sick, gravely.

I told him that he now needed to give this new fish a name. So he ate his cereal thoughtfully, watching the little guy swim around the bowl. By the time Koen finished his bowl of Cheerios, he had decided. He looked up at me and said, "Bucket".

:) So that is the Betta's name....Bucket. Wish us better luck with this one!


Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Fish Heaven?

Early this morning, as Clay was leaving for work he went in to say goodbye to Koen like he usually does.  Koen typically wakes up around 7:15 or so, then is happy reading books, singing and talking to himself in his crib until I'm showered and ready for the day.  It's a pretty good routine that will soon be blown to pieces by a newborn schedule, I'm sure.

Anyhow, on this particular morning, Clay came in to Koen's room, opened the curtains, and quickly discovered that Boba Fett and Tomba had moved on to their next life some time during the night.  :(  

Hmmm.

Koen apparently noticed their inactivity on his own, pointed at the fish bowl and told Clay that Boba Fett and Tomba were 'stuck'.  The moment was sad but funny because of the way Koen has starting talking lately....much like Forrest Gump, really.  So if you can imagine the slow, up-and-down intonation of Forrest saying "Boba Fett and Tomba are 'tuck'", with special inflection on the last word....you'll hear how Koen said it.  Pretty hard not to laugh during a particularly sad time.

Yes, the certainly are stuck, my little one.  I was not prepared to explain this unfortunate event to him so soon.  I did realize the day would come, but 9 days after we got the darn fish?  Come on!  I'm pretty peeved, actually.  I'm not sure what happened, other than the fact that they have not been eating their food since we got them.  

So, it's 5pm and I still have yet to explain anything to Koen...he still thinks the fish are stuck.  I'm stalling, trying to decide....do I miraculously bring the fish back to life by going to get a new Boba Fett and Tomba tonight while he sleeps?  Or do I just tell him the truth and get a different fish...one that I have more experience with and I know will live much longer?

To be continued....

Friday, March 20, 2009

Soundbridge

Continuing on with our fun filled week (or attempt at one, anyway), yesterday I took Koen downtown to Benaroya Hall where the Seattle Symphony performs. They have a neat little music studio for kids called Soundbridge, where there are all sorts of instruments for little ones to test out. We also conveniently timed our visit with the musical story time they offer (of course we never miss a story time). The story time had a jazz theme that day. They brought out a marimba and a trombone for the kids to try out, and then read a book called "The Jazz Fly". Koen sat very still and followed all of her instructions...when to clap your hands, when to play the 'air saxophone', etc. I had no idea he'd be that enthralled. Maybe we'll buy their cheap membership and go more often. Besides, it's conveniently located right down the street from Pike's Place Market. And I just can't resist a stroll through the market! We did manage to sneak over there and share a strawberry and Nutella crepe (also can't resist those!) before catching the bus back home. What a fun little field trip...I look forward to next time.

Here are some pics of our musician-in-training:









Also, today was our turn to host the PEPS toddlers. I made some zucchini bread for the event and we had about five kids and their moms show up. It turned out to be a really fun morning. Koen was unusually energetic and social...I hate to say it out loud, but he might be coming out of his shell a little? He didn't hesitate a bit when all the kids climbed up to the table for a snack...climbing right up there with them. He brought out some of his favorite books to share with the kids, and I even caught him (out of the corner of my eye) having little 2 year old conversations with kids here and there. Who knows what they were discussing, or if they could even understand each other for that matter. But it was terribly cute. I've also noticed lately that his behavior gets a little rowdy toward the end of the party and afterward. He's a little uncooperative after all the kids have gone and likes to run around tossing toys and jumping on the couch. I guess being around all his friends gets him pumped up?

Oh, and he also learned a new 'phrase' from one of the kids today, which he has been shouting at me ever since this morning..."That's mine!" Great. Koen's never been very possessive about anything, but suddenly everything today was 'his'. :) Oh well.

And tonight, we went out on a movie date. The local community center hosts a family night movie once a month. They serve popcorn and drinks, and everybody comes in pajamas, with blankets and pillows. Tonight's feature was Brother Bear, a movie about a Native American hunter that dies and is reincarnated as a bear.  At least I think that was the plot.  It was a little hard to hear over all of the kids.  But Koen had sooo much fun, nonetheless.  He got his very own bag of popcorn and a little cup of lemonade.  We cuddled up together and watched the whole movie (I was sure he'd be done after about 20 minutes).  Every now and then, he'd look up at me and smile, sometimes rubbing my cheek with his hand.  And at one point he insisted that I close my eyes so he could rub my back and my feet.  :)  He is quite possibly the most tender little kid I've met.  Anyway, it was a fun wrap to the week.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Pools & Play Dough

With Clay out of town all week, I've decided to do something 'fun' each day...in hopes that Koen will not get completely bored of me, and begin to protest. This will only make the week longer! :)

So this morning Koen got another shot (not so fun event). It was a big one, and a little worse than the previous two...PCV7. He was perfectly brave all the way through, but afterward he curled up into me and cried a little. He was so sweet with his Smarties roll clenched tightly in his hand (now a regular reward for such big events). He did great. And immediately after that, we took off for the Mountlake Terrace Pavilion pool (a hot spot with plumbed water sprayers, bubbling jets, floaty toys, inner tubes, lazy river...you know, the works!). Our PEPS friends met us there. All five moms taking a little vacation from gravity pulling on our expanding bellies, we couldn't help but make Shamu jokes about ourselves.

Koen had a total blast and felt pretty cool showing off to his friends how he could 'swim like a fish' by spinning around under water with my help. His little friends were in awe, and Koen couldn't hide his smile when he realized he was doing something no one else dared do. I didn't get any photos...I don't know something about being 8 months pregnant, chasing a fearless toddler around a large pool and managing a camera all at the same time....not a good idea. But I did capture Koen's silly moment this morning after he discovered the swim bag and the swim diapers within. What a better place for swim diapers than one's own head?




Later, after nap time, I finally got around to doing something I've been meaning to do for six months or more. I made my very own batch of play dough. It worked beautifully, and was beyond easy. Too bad I put it off for so long. Anyway, I'm sure we'll have plenty of this stuff around from now on. It lasts up to 3 months! And I have just as much fun playing with it as Koen does! Today we made a pizza, a whale, little replicas of Boba Fett and Tomba (the fishies), and last but not least, we molded Papa's head out of play dough (upon Koen's request). The likeness was amazing! I wish I would've snapped a photo of him, bald head and all! It was funny.












We finished up the day, playing 'Red Light, Green Light' with Koen's rawhide drum. He's learning about fast, slow, stop and go, etc. He got pretty good running around the living room. I'm hoping that this game comes in handy next time he decides to run away from me in public. It's only happened twice, but both times were scary as there were parking lots involved! Yikes!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Boba Fett & Tomba

Today was a special day for Koen.  We took him to the pet store where he got to pick out his very first, very own fish.  Clay had the idea a month ago, and we've been pondering the pros and cons for weeks.  Mostly, I've come to accept the fact that I will be the only one cleaning out the bowl every week.  Love it.  So once I had come to terms with that, we decided to take the plunge.

Koen picked out all the little accessories for the fishies 'house' and then he picked out the fishies.  They are some sort of neon colored species (of which I can't remember the name) and they are extremely fast swimmers.  Seriously!  After the first several minutes of watching the employee try to catch even one, I started to wonder if we should begin looking at other options in the neighboring aquariums.  Finally, two fish were in his net...one red and one green, per Koen's request.








On the way home, we asked Koen what he wanted to name the fish (fully expecting toddler suggestions such as Pinkie and Greenie, or Oski and Koen). But never underestimate this little guy's mind. Out of nowhere he said their names were going to be Boba Fett for the red fish and Tomba (pronouced Tahm-buh) for the greenish-yellow one.

When we got them home and all set up, Koen got to feed them for the first time.  He was beaming with pride.  He knew they were his very own little pets.  We're so happy for him.  I'm just crossing my fingers that he never decides to make an attempt at 'holding' them, or worse, transporting the bowl to another location.  Hopefully, it's high enough out of his reach to prevent this potential disaster.





Clay leaves for Chicago tomorrow morning. He'll be gone a whole week, and Koen and I will miss him so much! We figured this was a good 'family' activity to do with Koen before his departure. Wish us luck with this new little adventure!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Mini transportation day

We took advantage of public transportation and a sunny day this morning and headed down to the Children's Museum on the bus. Our PEPS friends, Sara, Anna, Jonah, Barb & Drew, were all meeting us there for some good times. Koen was in a great mood from the very beginning of the day. I was able to get lots of smiles from him...even in the frigid morning air at the bus stop. He made several people smile, as he sported his DC hat and sunglasses.





Once at the museum, we went straight to the arts and crafts room to paint a picture, in hopes that by the time we had to leave it would be dry. Koen painted a beautiful piece of art...a true Monet...which we promptly forgot to pick up on the way out. :( Oh well. We also made a 'tail' for Koen to wear around his waist. This we did not forget because he wanted to wear it all over the museum. He was so proud of his little tail, complete with staples, scrap fabric, cotton balls and feathers. I could swear he was swaying his hips as he walked around all morning, as if to wag the thing. Cute.





Eating fake tacos, beans and rice. We had to practice 'pretend' eating here. Koen kept sticking the plastic pieces into his mouth, much to my disgust. I'm sure every third kid that visits the museum has had those in his mouth.



After the museum, we took a short ride on the Monorail, stopping at the other end to each a quick lunch. Take a look at the stoicism here. Koen and Drew can be so alike sometimes. They're both sitting, having a grand time on this new adventure, but neither is willing to reveal his true joy to anyone. It's almost a stare off on the way back! Hysterical. I finally got Koen to crack a smile near the end.







We ended our trip with another bus ride home. But the good times didn't end there. Koen plopped himself down on the front lawn and started to giggle for no reason! He also insisted on wearing his hat even though it was now considerably warm outside. I couldn't resist some snapshots of Guy Smiley.







Koen is also really starting to warm up to idea of 'a baby'. He comes up to me, out of the blue, and wraps his arms around my stomach, giving it a big kiss! Then he'll say, "Hi Baby". Occasionally, he likes to ask if the baby is dancing. This is how we explain what is going on when the baby starts a kicking frenzy. Koen loves the thought of this because he is also an avid dancer....so he and the baby already have something in common. And when I put him down for naps, we've started singing one song for Koen and one song for the baby. As we sing the baby's song, Koen sings with gusto right at my belly, while gently patting the rhythm for the baby. Precious.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Uno, dos, tres

Yet another high chair performance from Koen. He's showing off his Spanish skills with pride.

You'll have to copy/paste again...still haven't figured out my link problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGXKOAi3_0M

Saturday, March 7, 2009

ABC's

Koen was feeling the spirit of performance the other night at dinner. We thought for sure that if he saw the camera, he would quickly go mute. But we were wrong. In fact, we were able to capture several takes because he kept asking us to film it again. We finally had so many takes, that we just began holding up camera as if it was turned on (but it wasn't). :) He was really having fun with his ABC's.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Greenleaf Pizzaria

Tonight, we tried something new and interactive for dinner....pizza! Clay and I used to make it more often before Koen came around. But we thought it was time to introduce Koen to the art. Actually, after the first attempt at transferring the raw pizza to the pizza stone, I don't know if I can accurately use the word 'art'. It was a tense moment, but we got through it.

Koen donned his little apron that Nana made for him, washed his hands, and then really got into it. There was some serious pride on the kid's face as we pulled the bubbly masterpieces from the oven. He knew he'd done something cool. :) We made a total of four mini pizzas, and believe it or not, they were quite tasty!






Some Koen-isms to share:

noodle = 'noo-nole' (he also says this when we see the Space Needle down town...it's the Space Noo-nole)

Koen figures that when you have more than one football, you call them 'feetballs' (I love that one so much!)

And finally, last night we again talked about possible names for our new baby. He really surprised us when he suggested "asphalt paver"....no joke, that's what he said. He does have a book about heavy construction equipment that we read from time to time. That's the only place he could've gotten the idea. Hysterical! What do you think...Asphalt Paver Greenleaf.