Nick's Forty-Fifth Month

We moved into our new home at the end of August - Nick loves the "New Red House" as he calls it. There are lots of little boys with very cool toys for Nick to play with, which he had no hesitation moving in and taking charge. We (Brandi and Nick) are in Georgia for our annual fall visit. While at a Halloween store we found a "Super Why" costume (a cartoon character from public television) and Nick fell in love with it. He won't take it off and we had to buy a second so that he could always have a clean suit to wear. This costume has really fired up Nick's imagination. Nick awoke one morning, spouting make-believe scenarios in which Wyatt (a.k.a the REAL Super Why) will ring Grandmama's doorbell and call to Nick, and then Nick will save Mama. He also stands in the mirror says, "I'm Super Why, I'M SUPER WHY!"

Nick attended his first Fair and saw a pirate acrobatics show, along with a ton of rides. The huge slide with the burlap sacks was his favorite, which we rode three times; he also rode a small airplane, kiddie train, bumper boats, moonjump, and a small coaster that looked like a dragon (he didn't like the dragon train so much.)

We bought him a Doctor's Bag, which he runs around checking everyone's blood pressure, giving "big pinches" with the syringe (vaccinations) and checking temperatures, plus dispensing get-well juice from the plastic thermometer. He knows the proper name of the ear checker ("...that's the Otoscope, Mama.") He's pictured here giving Uncle Ron a checkup.

We continue to move up the chain of children's entertainment, away from toddler shows, to "Super Why" (educational) and Polar Express (movie).

Favorite foods this month: "croissonicks" (croissants) "Oleo's, Orea's, Orella's" (Oreo's), "Michigans" (which are small Nerds candy, with no intentional offense to UM grads).

He continues to favor planes and trains. It feels as if we are on a mission to own every train ever made!

- Brandi

Nick's Forty-Fourth Month

Nick took his first big tumble, falling seven feet off the jungle gym platform, head first, to the ground. He landed on his back, after missing a step heading onto a chain ladder he never typically uses. He's been getting over-confident, and this will slow him down. After a short cry (him, not me) a mom on the playgorund came over to console us, reassuring me that I had been following him step-for-step, and he was a quick mover. When she asked if he was ok, he replied, "I'm so tough."

We were at the McDonalds playground in Dundee one evening, where there were at least 6 other kids he could play with. Instead, he latched onto one of the young moms, named Savannah (so he tells me - I didn't ask hre name). He was hugging her and her girlfriend, telling them stories, and sitting on their laps. I tried to direct him toward some McNuggets, but he told me, "No! I have to talk to the girls!" Give the kid credit, they were cute. (They looked like his mother.)

He's been reading Dr. Suess too much again, as he now refers to Brandi and me as Daddy Bird and Mama Bird. This will pass in a few days.

I got the first shrugging of shoulders this week, when I caught him trying climb up on a chair, and apparently out a window. When I caught him and asked of his intentions, he just shrugged his shoulders with an empty look. I didn't expect it so soon.

Nick and Seth are pictured here on the playground in Atlanta.

Alot of this month has been tied up in preparation work on the house. That will be a separate post all unto itself.

- Jason