jody berger

Once again

...hooray for backdating!  Here are some funny ones of Ethan wearing his Captain America mask from back in September of 2011....click here!

check up

Stats from Jordan's 6 year old well-check appointment:

45 pounds (50th percentile)

46 inches (60th percentile)

All is healthy and great!!

catching up

I have lots to catch up on from the end of 2011, and I'm going to try to get stuff up in the next couple of weeks.  My birthday, Jordan's birthday, spending time with family and friends...and a few new recipes.  Good stuff!

For now, here's a photo from a few months ago that never got posted.  Ethan and Scott hanging out at Jordan's second soccer game:  hanging out

for Jordan

"I love that in your mind nothing is impossible, everything is attainable and the world is one giant place to ask questions about."

(from this post from mooshinindy.com)

I can't believe my little boy--my big boy--is going to be 6 in a couple of weeks.  To see him finish up a soccer season, start playing basketball, reading on his own, asking tons and tons of thoughtful, intelligent questions...it seems impossible that six years ago today I was waiting to meet him.  Wondering what he would be like; what he would look like.  It's getting hard for me to pick him up.  I can't carry him upstairs.  He doesn't need me to, but sometimes he wants me to.  He is tall enough that his feet almost drag when I pick him up.  The other night, when the nighttime coughing we still sometimes battle popped up again, he and I sat in his chair in the middle of the night and rocked, just like we did when he was brand new.  I feel like I stare at him all the time.  Memorizing his face.  Searching it for that same little baby who was all mine for so long.  Wondering what he will look like as he continues to grow into a big boy.  I hope he knows how lucky I feel to be his Mommy.

Pancakes

Almost 2 years ago, I threatened to give up making pancakes at home.  I didn't.  And I'm so glad I didn't, because over those last two years I have discovered a TON of pancake (and waffle) recipes that we love!

Here's a really simple one that we all enjoy. (Note:  this makes enough for the boys, and for Scott and I to have one or two pancakes each.  If Scott and I wanted to join in the meal, I would definitely double this recipe.)

Maple Pancakes (from a find on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (the real stuff, not the high fructose corn syrup stuff!)

Directions:

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, combine egg, milk, oil, and syrup.  Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just blended (over-stirring can make them dense instead of fluffy).  Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased griddle or pancake pan.  Turn when bubbles form on the top of pancakes and edges look very slightly dry.  Cook until second side is golden brown.  (Pancakes will be thin).

 

I dare you

I dare you to look at this and not smile:

It's from back in August (8/12/2011), and we were hanging out at home.  The boys wanted to wear tank tops and basketball shorts (their outfits were very interesting that day).  Ethan kept stealing Jordan's glasses and putting them on, but he didn't realize they were upside down.  He got a firm "no" regarding touching Jordan's glasses, but not til after I snagged this photo.  =0)

a random Ethan post

Ethan recently started a "parent and me" sports class on Saturday mornings.  (He and I were supposed to do one on Thursday mornings, but it got cancelled due to low enrollment.  So we chose Saturday instead.)  They started out with soccer, which Ethan is loving.  Especially since he goes to Jordan's soccer practice during the week and his games on Saturdays.

(I kind of like this one in black and white, too...)

I'm glad that E is getting to do some of his own stuff these days.  He is definitely at the age where he doesn't want to just be dragged all over to Jordan's activities.  He asks me at least a few times a week if he can go to preschool (which makes me feel guilty!  Hopefully he'll be as excited about it next year when he actually will start preschool!) and he tells me all these funny things like "At preschool, we have to wear our shoes."  Jordan's soccer team is the Blue Lightsabers, so he says that his team is the Blue Jedis.  Sometimes he'll make up some other Star Wars related name.  (Mind you, he's not even on a team!)

His favorite song is "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull.  He also likes Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night" and "Oh, Darling" by Plug in Stereo.  He and Jordan both like "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO.  The other day he heard about three words of a song on the radio and started yelling "Blackout!  This song is Blackout!"  (It was.)  He loves to read and current favorite books are Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse and some random Curious George Goes Fishing book.  He just started getting a little interested in television shows (fine with me if he's not all that into it) and tentatively likes Blues Clues, Dora the Explorer, and Curious George.

He doesn't call Jordan "Da-Da" anymore (now it's more like "Jo-din") and he loves to call Lucy "Luce Pup" like the rest of us.  He can spell his first name out loud (though he often forgets the "a"), tell you how old he is, and count at least to 10.  He likes the Green Bay Packers and talking about sports in general.  He likes his back scratched at bedtime and calls it his "big back" (the top of his back, and you must put your hand down the neck of his shirt to scratch there) and his "baby back" (his lower back, and you must put your hand under his shirt from the waist to scratch there.)  Every day he tells me he doesn't want to nap, but then falls asleep for at least 90 minutes and I often have to wake him if it gets too late (Jordan's school schedule doesn't allow him to go down for his nap any earlier).  He loves the crossing guards at Jordan's school, and loves the yellow fire hydrant that we usually park near.  (Seriously loves it.  He actually hugs it several times a week.  Weird kid.)  Every day after we cross the parking lot and get onto the sidewalk, he tells me, "Mommy, I don't want to hold your hand."  Sigh.  Mr. Independent.  He adores his big brother and wants to keep up with the big kids (though Jordan will still hold my hand!)

I know I'm forgetting to include a million wonderful, funny things about him in this post.  I don't want to forget these little snapshots about what he's like RIGHT NOW.  Love you, E! 

blech

I am going to cry just looking at the weather forecast for tomorrow.  (100 degrees +.  Excellent day for school pictures, don't you think?)  The end.

tomorrow

I'm going to volunteer in Jordan's kindergarten class tomorrow!  I am really, really excited.  I can't believe it's been 14 years since I taught kindergarten.  It will be nice to be back in the classroom, even if only for a short time as a volunteer (and he's really excited, too, which makes me feel so good!)

Blink

Finally!  I finally found time to read and finish another book.  It is sad how long it takes me to get through a book or magazine these days.  I absolutely love reading, so I try to squeeze in at least one or two pages per night before I fall asleep.  At that rate, you can imagine how long it takes me to actually finish anything!

I read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, and LOVED it.  A while ago I checked out a few of his other books from the library, but despite renewing them THREE times, I couldn't finish them (for lack of time, not interest.)  I will definitely be going back for them again.  For a long time, I have been fascinated by sociological non-fiction type of stuff, and I like his writing style.  Next up will probably be The Tipping Point and Outliers (I previously checked out Outliers and loved it, but ran out of time to finish before my renewals ran out....grrrr....)