Where's T-Mo?
There you are!
It was VERRRRRY cold here a little over a week ago. For about a week, we had high temps in the teens, lows in the negatives (!), and bitter wind. I know this is standard issue for northern locales, but we're not used to it in Asheville. It was too cold for snowballs! But not too cold for sledding, though it must be admitted our snow was a little sparse. Check out this video of one of Isaac's first sledding experiences. We took him down hills a couple of times, but the tennis court "slalom" was by far his favorite activity of the day. If you don't count the post-snow hot cocoa...
(Sorry it's a link--I had no luck uploading the video to this blog.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us2YgJb0DM0
Most shockingly, the weather took a sudden turn, and it's been unseasonably WARM for a week now! Highs in the 50s and 60s! It's been nice, but we are bracing ourselves for a return to the cold on our trip to Ithaca. Anyway, it is, after all, WINTER.
In honor of winter, Isaac has been perfecting his "glare." Here are some examples:
(Dig the "bed head" hair...)
We've had lots of fun finding all the baby daffodils coming up (in February...dumb flowers!) around our house. Thanks to the previous owner, there are tons!
Other fun activities of late have included watching movies. Isaac likes to remind me at some point each day in a voice dripping with incredulity and amiability, "Hey mama! I think I haven't watched a movie yet!" T-Mo's current favorites are Veggie Tales and the School House Rock series, particularly America rock and Multiplication rock. Don't worry, he can't multiply yet; it's just his impeccable sense of retro style that demands he study 1970's era Saturday morning cartoons.
But in case you were worried because he doesn't know his times tables yet... Isaac is reading! He can sound out most 3 and 4 letter words with short-vowel sounds, though he does often get confused whether "a" says "aaa" or "ay." Let me assure you we haven't pushed this development at all. Really! Except for reading to him every day because he just loves it. Oh, and well I guess you could count the hour a day we do phonics worksheets before breakfast...and the 2-hour daily rigorous reading-training classes...just kidding! Anyway, T-Mo's just super motivated on his own, and he doesn't get discouraged when he makes mistakes.
Also, you could have knocked me over with a feather the other day when Isaac invited me to the sandbox to observe him WRITE his NAME in the sand with the handle of his shovel. I had no idea he could do this, and neither could Matthew. The letters do not always go in order, of course. I don't know why we started calling him T-Mo, when
A
ISS
CA
is so much obviously cooler. (and yes there's an extra S--don't know how we missed putting that on the birth certificate)
On the other hand, we might just might maybe finally be reaching the last mile of the potty training marathon. Yee gads. Maybe we should write it for him in the sandbox: "When you have to go, use the POTTY!!!!" (He does sort of understand exclamation points.)
We are not sending Isaac to preschool yet, but we have been participating in a wonderful "preschool swap" two mornings a week with several lovely families with similar-aged children. These kids are fun buddies for Isaac, and it is so fun to watch all the kids learn how to really play with each other (as opposed to next to each other). The moms of these kids have become beautiful friends for me, and I feel incredibly blessed to have all of these people in our lives. Isaac will begin attending a 3-day-per-week preschool co-op this fall. I'm simultaneously thrilled for Isaac (and me and Matthew--since it is a co-op) to join a program with good, fun people...and a little sad that we're entering the school years soon and leaving behind baby things.
BUT, not to dwell on weighty topics...
If you ask Isaac to make a smiley face for the camera, this is what you get:
Kari: Awww, how sweet! OK, now give us "surprise!"
Kari: Whoa! That's definitely got surprise taken care of.
OK, T-Mo, do you have a special message for your fans?
Kari: Hey now, try to be serious!
Isaac: snort
Kari: Never mind.
Isaac: The sun smiles upon my quest. I win!
We love you all! Have a wonderful, heart-warming Valentime's (T-Mo's pronunciation) Day!
