A new chapter

So the Isaac starts kindergarten in the fall, and there was a microscopic amount of doubt as to where he might be going. We applied to the K-8 charter school here in town, a stellar school on all accounts, probably one of the best public schools in the state. However, their enrollment is limited to 80 kindergarteners. They have a lottery to pick who fills the spots. Well, who fills the spots after the class is populated with siblings of already-enrolled kids and teachers' kids. That left a whopping 23 spots available to the general public. This lottery, you may guess, has a reputation that goes something along the lines of "snowball's chance". But hey, somebody has to get in, right?

The lottery was held today, and I went. My man Ike was approximately the 300th name drawn out of their tumbling cylinder of index cards, making him 277th on the waiting list. Oh well. We'll try again next year, for first grade. Kindergarten at his assigned public school (which is a good one) will be great anyway. It has two major pluses the charter school did not -- 1) it's half-day (the charter school only does full-day kindergarten), which I think appeals to Isaac's personality right now; and 2) it's a block from my house. So, now we know. I like knowing.

Christmas at Mamaw and Dadaw's

The next day we headed to Mamaw and Dadaw's for snuggling and presents...



... and to feast our eyes on Mamaw's killer new kitchen! She redid the wallpaper and put in a Pergo floor. She also handmade her own window treatments, because she has the mad skillz.



Our boys were spoiled rotten, again. They both got a bunch of super-foxy clothes, including a new pair of slim jeans for Isaac that make him look like a supermodel. Isaac got a big tub full of dinos and ice age animals that he continues to play with on a daily basis. They got lots of Berenstain Bears books, a church song book, a neat Cars puzzle that will entertain us for many years to come, a karaoke keyboard, a Cars sports set with a baseball glove, bat, ball, soccer ball, and football. Jacob got three remote control cars. His favorite that he wouldn't let go of for the next three days was this off-roading Dodge Hemi truck. We had to try it out right away. Oh, and that is a new jacket for him, too.





Then the boys climbed up on the couch with their snuggle buddies for some Tom and Jerry action while Daddy and I ran around town ALONE!



Later on, we treated them to a dinner at my favorite restaurant, Steak and Shake. Jacob slept through the whole thing, but Sideshow Isaac was totally on his game.

Minutes from a Thursday

Last year, our whole family went with Daddy to a meeting in Boston. This year, that same meeting is being held in Vegas. I spent most of a frustrating day talking on the phone (my most favoritest thing!) to United's frequent flier mile travel reps, all outsourced in India, trying to figure out how to get our family to Vegas for free. Daddy joined in for a good portion of the frustration this evening. We ignored our children. They were peeved. We were peeved. I am about ready to spend our vacation money on a nice quiet trip to the Poconos. At least when it's this cold, they have snow there.

GAH!

We went to playgroup this morning, which was nice. SOMETHING to get us out and away from the infernal cold. During cleanup time, I caught Isaac mid-description of his stomach flu to one mommy. He was so excited. "And my mommy put a pukey-pot next to my bed at night in case I had to throw up!" I was all "It's over! He's all better!" And she was all "I know. He told me." Of course he did, that Professor Isaac.

Another snippet from Isaac today. Daddy dressed him this morning in a dapper new brown shirt Mamaw bought him for Christmas. Daddy himself wore a brown sweater, so Isaac commented on how they were matchies. Also, he wanted Daddy to know, "Your shirt is the coolest". No, said Daddy, Isaac's shirt is the coolest. "Daddy, your shirt is definitely the coolest." And so on and so forth for a few minutes until Isaac stopped their debate with, "Daddy, why don't we just agree that we both look cooler than everybody else?"

Jacob is in a growth spurt. He eats every minute of every waking hour, and the last two nights he has awakened hungry in the middle of the night. Isaac and I have also figured out that Jake will sit still for Magic Tree House books. Chapter books! Kid is TWO.

Also, Jacob wants to take his new scooter with him everywhere. He fusses unholy at me if I don't let him ride it from the door to the car and then transport the thing around town under his feet. It's ridiculous. To get some exercise on Sunday and visit Daddy while he was at work, we took their scooters in Daddy's building and scooted up and down the empty halls. It was a hoot.

As for me, I am in the middle of writing two books, both due at the end of the month, because I am secretly an insomniac. Also, I dyed my hair dark brown. It doesn't suit me, I think. It will be blondish again soon.

Daddy is trying to write three papers by the end of the month and is trudging along, as one would expect from someone who has worked every day since we've been home.

We love our children so much and wish for less busy times. But until then, we curse our babysitter and the knee surgery she had to have that is keeping her away from us. What was she thinking with all this tendon-repairing nonsense?

Christmas at the Ross estates

After Missouri, we came back to Meemaw and Poppop's for the present-opening gala with Jonas. We got him the Foot Book, one of our faves.



Isaac and I do our best to cheese in front of the Christmas tree:



Jacob was a total treat. Every present to him was a treasure, even non-toys. Here he is opening a new (and MUCH NEEDED) pair of jeans:



I see a future for him as a Christmas elf, the designated present hander-outer. He was very patient. He asked who each present belonged to, then would take each gift to its recipient. And proceed to open it for them.

Here's Isaac in the same clothes-receiving predicament. Note the drama! The tragedy! That Meemaw should DARE give him a pair of jeans instead of a toy!



One of our favorite presents was this dueling karaoke CD thing Meemaw and Poppop found. Isaac and Jacob serenaded us with it right away.



Isaac especially was in his element. Once Jacob had had his fill, Isaac picked up the mic and started a prelude to his crooning. "I'd like to sing a little song for you now. It's about a snowman. Who came to life. His name? Was Frosty." My Rat Pack Christmas mix CD for the car stuck with him, I think.



Jonas enjoyed the blocks we gave him, I hope. But he obviously desired his Daddy's new power tool.



(you'll notice in the background how Jacob is helping Jean open her present). Well, power tool or wrapping paper.



Jacob and Isaac also got scooters. Jacob couldn't wait to take his out for a spin, so we got him all saddled up and cuuuuuute for his first ride.

Daddy's new toy

A couple of years ago Daddy came home and told me of this fantastic idea he had for a new research toy. "A blimp, Claire! We could fly it over the beach or wherever and attach all kinds of instruments and cameras to do detailed monitoring!" My reply was along the lines of "Are you kidding?!?"

The answer? No.



Daddy and his co-conspirator Mr. Jack had an open house today for their sexy new blimp, bought with money from a rich old lady in Texas. Thank you, lady!



(Mr. Jack is in the blue coat. He is also daddy to AnthonyCarlos)

Daddy showed us how very light his blimp is.



The kids could pull it down. If it wasn't tethered to a few cinder blocks it would float to the ceiling of Mr. Jack's building. Word is it's due to fly around the stadium sometime this spring. Daddy is excited for the UD PR people to paint a gigantic blue chicken on it.

Sick bug version 2.0

After it took us THREE WEEKS to kick the last sick bug, today we came down with its twisted frat-boy afterparty brother. Isaac woke up in the middle of the night and walked to the bathroom himself. This is very unlike my kids, to get out of bed by themselves in the middle of the night. We've somehow managed to convince them that, in the darkness, their bedroom is carpeted with fire.

Anyway, it's 4:30 am. Mike poked me. "Is that Isaac?" Uhn. "Do you think something's wrong?" Probably. We both got up to check it out. Poor kid dribbled puke on his pillow and blankets, but had the presence of mind to save most of it for the potty. We cleaned him up, got him a puke-pot for his bedside, and put him back in a tidied-up bed. After he puked again an hour later, he came to sleep in the big bed with me. Poor kid puked once an hour until 11, when he passed out and took a three hour nap. He woke up feeling much better, but tired and full of fever. Poor guy. He kind of looks like death. His food intake for the whole day is as follows: two glasses of diluted Sprite/2 spoonfuls of applesauce/5 grapes/a small sugar cookie/half a glass of apple juice. He just did not want to eat at all. Yikes. Since I'm going through Christmas pictures now, I will make myself think of happier times with this picture of him at Steak and Shake where he does not look at all like death.



Rumor has it that EVERYone is down with this bug right now. We just got back from Anthony's birthday party on Saturday, and last night all three of their kids were busy puking their guts out. So far it hasn't been to bad for us, with the exception of extra laundry. Jake was stoked about all the TV and intensive storytime, and that I let him drink soda and eat crackers all day long. As for the growups, we are so busy this week that we are crossing our Purell-soaked hands that we escape unscathed, yet we are also too realistic to believe that might happen.

**UPDATE -- only a 24-hour bug, and so far just for Isaac! I feel like we dodged a bullet.

Christmas in Missouri, part Peetz

After partying at Aunt Cindy's on Saturday, we stayed at Grandma Ross's house, talking with Grandma and Grandpa, my Uncle Ed, as well as my cousin Aaron and his wife Kelli. Professor Isaac impressed them all with his knowledge of dinosaurs. Consummate teasing professional Uncle Ed spent about an hour telling Isaac about the pet triceratops he and Aunt Brenda were keeping across the street. Grandma Ross, brave soul that she is, read him a bedtime story from his new book about ice age animals.

The next day we visited Grandma Peetz to open presents and hang out. She got Isaac and Jacob each a Christmas ornament. Aunt Joy did the same.



Having spent Christmas at home this year, we got an inordinate sense of enjoyment out of our small ornament collection, so we were all glad to get more. Our tree is not bare, but lacks the appropriate barrage of meaningful ornaments. We continued our tradition of letting the boys pick out their own each year. This year Isaac picked out a plastic crystal-looking snowman. Jacob picked out Homer Simpson tangled in Christmas lights. And now we have four more lovingly handpicked ones for our tree next year.

Of course eventually we all turned to the bubble wrap that came with the ornaments.



But that was before we opened presents! Grandma Peetz knows her some Isaac and bought him this huuuuuuuge Crayola art supplies suitcase, as well as two different-sized sketch pads. We use these things every day. She bought Jacob a vehicle hauler truck, which was also an enormous hit. Aunt Joy and Uncle Darryl got them two Thomas books, a Cars bop bag, and a Lite Brite.

We spent a lot of our visit outside, where we hadn't been for about two weeks. Daddy had taken a turn for the worse during our brief stay in Missouri, but the boys and I were feeling better from our week-long colds (though that didn't last). Isaac celebrated his liberation by running up Grandma's hill, and then rolling down it. Repeat until exhaustion sets in.




Jacob, meanwhile, would not let the new truck out of his sight.



Isaac was a total trip with all the folks from Missouri. I wish we could see everyone more than once a year, mostly because I always worry the boys will forget them by the time we see them next. But not Professor Isaac. As soon as we stepped in to Grandma Peetz's house, he grabbed her by the hand and led her around the house, no joke. "So, Grandma, how are you doing today? Can you show me around your house? What do you like to do in that room? Which bed do you sleep in?" She answered all his questions, laughing at her great-grandson, Mr. Personality.

Christmas in Missouri

First on our agenda was a big Ross family party at my Aunt Cindy's. Here's the hostesss with the mostest herself, chatting and snacking with her nephew-in-law:



Later, Mike, Jean, Aunt Cindy, and my cousin Lucy enjoyed a card game. If memory serves me right, Lucy and maybe Mike were the victorious spankers:



Jake and I went for a walk in their wooded backyard. Meemaw took this one of us just beforehand:



Father and son, engaging in that time-honored family activity. I think some kind of ball was on.



Meanwhile, Jake and Isaac face-painted themselves with a chocolate truffle.




There was a properly indecent amount of cooing over my gorgeous nephew Jonas, here being toted around by his permanent slave crew:




Mike managed to take a decent picture of the whole crew. Minus the talented photographer, of course.

You know your sons are completely different from each other when...

Daddy scored an awesome find while cleaning up at work -- a big roll (like, 4 feet wide) of decades-old white drafting paper. Of course we rolled out a big table-sized chunk of it on the floor and colored to our hearts content. My original idea was to trace their bodies and have them color themselves, but Jake wouldn't sit still for such a thing. In fact, Jake would sit quite still, but not to color. While Isaac moved all around the paper creating yet another elaborately constructed masterpiece, Jacob busied himself emptying our cardboard box of crayons. Not to make a mess, no. He did it to use pencils to poke holes through the box so that he could thread Isaac's shoelaces through them in the most complicated pattern.

I get it now. Both of my boys are so ridiculously creative, but in radically different ways. Isaac is a dreamer, a storyteller, an artist. He wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up. Jacob is the consummate craftsman, builder. He wants to hold things for awhile, then figure out how to take them apart. The first thing he does carry them around, asking why we can't break things apart and then put them back together. He wants to be a mechanic when he grows up.



It occurs to me that Jake's 3rd birthday is going to be so easy. For the gift-giving set, my ideas ... He has lots of tools, but not many that actually do real things. I think he would go stark raving crazy over Automoblox, fat wooden cars that you can take apart, rearrange, put back together. He would also love one of those plastic turny-gear sets. He always wants to play with his Hot Wheels stunt tracks and monster trucks. He likes to be active; he loves the outdoors and is into sporty things. He carries his new scooter around with him at all times, and when he lets go of it, he likes wrestling with his new punching bag. He loves to read almost any preschoolish book, and is already bored with the simplest ones. I also think he would enjoy a Build-A-Bear gift card, as he is very into his stuffed animals right now.

And Aunt Jean, he is so ready for his monogrammed backpack.