Zoo time

We celebrated Greg's birthday and took advantage of Easter break by heading to the zoo in Baltimore.  It's days like these that I don't miss Minnesota at all.  The weather was beautiful.  Upper 70s and a slight breeze.  Not even a threat of rain, let alone snow.  We were joined by friends for a wonderful day.

Gregory's favorite was the polar bear.  And I do have to say that it was quite neat to see one so close up.
  

Maggie wasn't sure which animal she liked best.  But she sure loved the zoo map.  She insisted on carrying it around and checking it after every animal.  This basically consisted of her handing the map to me and asking where we were.  I'd show her, tell her what was next and we'd be on our way. 

The kids also got the chance to feed a giraffe.  They went right up to him and handed him his leaves.  I was very surprised they didn't freak out.  (Perhaps making them pick up earth worms while gardening and making them smoosh their own bugs is starting to give them thicker skin.)

Joseph just slept or nursed the whole time.  Perhaps next time he'll be more interested in the animals. 





Maggie (extremely exasperated): "Mom, I don't know why you keep folding the map before giving it back to me.  I just have to unfold it every time." 

Remember your mercies, O Lord, and with your eternal protection sanctify your servants, for whom Christ your Son, by the shedding of his Blood, established the Paschal Mystery.

White boy dancing

Music is a saving grace right now.  The big kids love to dance and Joseph loves to watch them (and even tries to join in).  It allows my back and arms a short reprieve from carrying around heavy, clingy Joe too.  Gregory has been blessed with dance moves that match his skin. 

Things I learned this weekend.

• There are no tornado sirens near our house (at least none that we can hear)
• I must stink at gardening.  My kids' little flower garden was the only one on the block that washed away during the torrential rains. 
• Joseph loves Gorgonzola cheese
• When only one of the gospel readers reads dramatically, it makes the whole thing sound silly.
• Yellow Crocs look silly with church clothes.
• Dandelions make little hands very very messy.  

Maggie (as we were walking out of Mass) "Dad, can Gregory and I sword fight with our palm branches now?"

And now for a little dancing by Joseph.

Fugitive on the loose=New Crocs!

As I was driving to pick up Maggie from preschool, I happened past this sight.  I wasn't expecting police tape, squad cars, a police helicoptor and news crews.  I found out that there was a fugitive loose but they were not giving out any other information.  Awesome!  I didn't exactly want to go home so I took the kids to the outlet mall to get some sandals.  They needed some and it was going to be in the 80s today so it seemed like the perfect opportunity. The kids each picked out a pair of Crocs with a starfish on them. 

I called Greg from the mall to see if he could give me an update on the situation.  He was already on his way home.  (Evidently they did not turn the heat off in his office and they insist he wear a collared shirt to work.  Sorry, but you're in the real world now Honey.)  We went home and even though my mother advised against it, we played outside all afternoon.  In our new Crocs!  We didn't even get taken hostage by the fugitive.

Fugitive update: The fugitive has since been apprehended.

Maggie: "Good thing we didn't wear our tennis shoes out today because it's freakin' hot outside"

Goldilocks No More

I finally broke down.  Gregory got his very first haircut today.  Had I thought I'd be able to do it myself, he would have gotten one before today but I knew that if I messed it up, it was going to mean the clippers were coming out.  And I was not prepared to do that.  From the day his whispy white hair started curling, I've been dreading his first hair cut. 

May 2010.  First little wisps appear.

As his hair got longer, it also grew magnetic powers.  It attracted men and women of all ages who thought the brilliant white locks just needed to be touched.  "Look at that hair".
Then last winter happened.  The humidity went away, and the curls were not quite as tight.   I heard the first "oh what a pretty little girl".  I shook it off.  I really didn't understand how someone could think this little boy in cargo pants and a dinosaur shirt was "a pretty girl".  Doesn't he look like a boy?  I mean, he'd actually be kind of an ugly little girl (in my humble opinion).

My "pretty little girl"?

But I kept hearing it.  "Oh she has pretty hair"  "Look at her blonde curls"  "Where does she get that blonde hair"  "GIRL"  "SHE"  "HER"  I was tired of people calling him my little girl and tired of correcting people.  And then his sister caught on.  A little teasing from her brought tears to my boy's eyes.  So I told him we were going to get his hair cut.  He protested.  I told him that he had three options.  He could A. Look like a little girl and leave his hair the way it is. B. Get it cut and look like a little boy or C. Have Momma cut it and look like a goofball.  He chose option B. and so I made an appointment.  His sister was almost in tears.  "Please don't let them cut Gregory's curls off.  I like his hair." 
As we sad there waiting I had second thoughts about it.  But then the hairdresser walked in and said "Oh she has such beautiful hair."

In the salon, waiting.

Gregory was a bit scared when I put him up in the chair.  He liked the dinosaur cover they put on him but did not like getting his hair sprayed with the water bottle.  But then he was given his own water bottle and after spraying Momma a couple times he was good to go.  She started snipping and the locks started to fall.

Gregory's curls

He held still and let her cut his hair, only looking around every so often as one of the patrons of the salon would goo and gaa just how cute he was.

I didn't cry.  After all, it's just hair.  My golden curly haired little boy is gone and in his place is a boy with white waves.  He told me on the way home that his Daddy was going to say "Who's this little boy coming into my house?"  And his Daddy did say that.  And Gregory was so proud to look like a boy.  He looks so sweet.  I just wish it didn't make him look so old.

After the haircut

How does she do that?

And why?  Why on earth would someone want to eat dinner with their foot in the air?  Strange, flexible child. 

9 months!

Joseph had his 9 month check up today.  He weighed in at 24 pounds.  To be fair though, they made him keep his diaper on and I'm sure that added a few ounces.  He was 30.5 inches long.  That puts him in the 95th percentile for weight and the 97th percentile for height.
He's the biggest of the three.   At nine months, Gregory was 21lbs 15oz and 28.5 in and Maggie was 20lbs 6oz and 29in long.

To celebrate his heavy weight win, Joseph decided to stand up in the middle of the floor all by himself.  He's been letting go of the furniture for a couple days now but this makes me believe that he's going to be my earliest walker.

Other nine month tidbits:

• Joseph is in 18 month clothing and slowly making his way into 24month.
• He loves egg yolks, bananas and avocado (among many others..those are his favorites).
• The phrase he hears most often: "NO NO NO JOE JOE!" said lovingly by his sister.
• Aliases: Joic (for his stoic face), Lofus (Gregory's pronunciation), Josephmichaelmurry (when he's in trouble with his sister)  I am sad to note that Gregory no longer calls Joseph his "big red dog".  I was hoping that might stick for a wile longer.
• He has eight teeth.
• He says" mama", "dada", "bubba", and "ssssssssssssssssssssss".
• He signs for "more" and "all done"
• Still taking three naps a day.  Morning, afternoon and evening.  He falls asleep for the night around 9pm and wakes up whenever Gregory comes in the bedroom in the morning.  Usually around 6:30.  He sleeps comfortably at night, next to or on top of me. 

Joic