Indianapolis Children's Museum

Mojo & Mom on the Yule Slide - Indy Chilren's Museum
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Having fun in the Barbie exhibit

Barbie exhibit - Indy
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Had enough of the Barbie Exhibit

At the Indy Children's museum, waiting for Mojo to be done with the Barbie exhibit
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Baseball Bat

One of Rowan's first words was Ball. Then he somehow added the word Base to Ball to make Baseball (most likely influenced by his grandmother.) And last week, we went downtown to see the monumental baseball bat down at the Slugger Museum - he added Bat to his phrase, which is repeated several times a day.

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What a nice holiday.

It's been a great Christmas break - very relaxing and stress free. Maureen and Rowan seemed perfectly satisfied with and appreciative for their gifts from Santa and their very generous extended family. And they seemed not to get into major arguments about playing together (as much as a three-year-old and a year-and-a-half-year-old can.) No disappointments, no holiday blues, just plain nice.
Christmas eve mass was a bit of a challenge with Rowan - he is at the age where his energy is overwhelming and he must be on the move at all times. We had plenty of assistance as he was passed between Meemaw to Papaw, from Uncle Scott to Aunt Kathy, from Cousin Abbey to Cousin Gus, from Great Meemaw...you get the picture. That evening we did the whole cookies and milk bit with Maureen - of course she was amazed that all the refreshments were gobbled up by the time she awoke. Score.
Gift highlights: Fancy Nancy paraphernalia for Mojo
Sports oriented everything for Rowan
Evil Roy Slade DVD for Dad
Things Mom bought for herself for Mom
It's been the perfect respite at the end of a not-so-perfect year. We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, especially the family and friends who live out of town (in particular, the Dolberries and Carrie and Almost Uncle Gabe). Here's looking forward to a loving yet prosperous 2010!

Annie Leibowitz?

Her are a few shots Mojo took with her new Dora the Explorer digital camera:

The first of many Christmas disappointments

Maureen has mentioned only one thing that she wants for Christmas. A Max and Ruby Christmas DVD. She's had her mind set since Thanksgiving. She finally got a chance to ask Santa Claus for it yesterday during his visit at the Bonnycastle. This is one of those events that you block out how truly awful it is each year. The place transforms from a private men's club to Chuckie Cheese in a matter of minutes. They always have a creepy clown making elaborate balloon sculptures; and the clown usually has to be told to simplify his creations because the line moves at a snails pace as he replicates Michelangelo's Pieta for antsy children. The main room was already packed to the gills when we came in, so we had to park all six of us in the three available chairs next to the creepy clown. You could tell that Maureen was thinking over how she would handle her brief visit on Santa's lap. We were given forms to fill out with the child's name, age, what they want for Christmas, and their goal for the coming year. Of course Rowan's goal was to win the lottery for dad, while Maureen's was to contribute to the family finances. Both admirable goals for young children if I do say so myself!

Finally, the fat man showed up to a frenzy and made his way to the front of the room. They started to call the kids up, starting with the newborns to toddlers to have a brief, personal visit with Santa (with Mrs. Clause by his side.) Rowan really wanted nothing to do with this tradition - He opted out of the lap sitting, got his toy (a ball - yay) and got the hell out of there.

When it was finally Maureen's turn, she cautiously approached Santa, sat on his lap and was very, very good. Then the Jerk said to her (after being told what was filled out on the form), so, you want a DVD for Christmas. Maureen obediently said yes, and was escorted off his lap and handed a wrapped present. Now put yourself in a three-year-old mindset. What do you think should be in that package? Certainly not a pretty baby doll, right? Wrong. Under normal circumstances she would have been thrilled with this baby doll, but she was really expecting the DVD. Tears immediately started to flow.

We had to promise that he is coming back to our house on Christmas eve and that he will have that DVD for her. I told Mojo that I personally had a chat and he promised the DVD. She will get that DVD. After a half hour of convincing her that she will get that DVD, she started to love the doll.

Her Memaw was very happy to hear that she was naming the doll Karen until Mojo explained that her baby's name is just like that of her babysitter, Miss Karen. Oh, the brutality of an honest three-year-old. All was well after dinner and the children went to bed happy. Whew!

Holy Moly, It's almost Christmas again

I can't believe another year has come and gone. The last thing I remember was dressing the kids up for Halloween, and now we are making plans for Christmas. Maureen is more in tuned with what's going on right now, especially in knowing all the words to various Christmas carols. Rowan doesn't really have a clue about what's coming up -- I can't wait to see what his reaction will be to sitting on Santa's lap this Sunday when the big fat guy in red visits the Bonnycastle Club.
It's going to be a fairly low-key holiday this year. We had bigger celebrations over Thanksgiving, with the Dolberry Family and Carrie and Almost Uncle Gabe (Kristin's sibs et al) in town. I only have to make it through Monday and Tuesday at work and will enjoy a five-day weekend. It should be a slow, short work week where I can get my office clean and catch up on billing.

Oh, my early morning buddy seems to be waking up now. More later...I hope.
See you cats later.

Most likely to succeed - part 2

Turns out that all the kids were named most likely to succeed. I call BS on that - but if it makes their kids feel better, whatever. We all know the truth.

PS: Rowan said "I love you" to me over the phone for the first time last night. Sweet.

Most likely to succeed

Maureen brought home a piece of artwork from her class today. It was a bigger that life-size outline of a girl, with Maureen's photo where the face should be. There were dabs of paint on the artwork, and photos of fruit, Dora, Juice, and other toys glued throughout. Also, there was a sign that says:
Maureen
- Most likely to Succeed
- Vice President of the Drama Club
- Friendship Club
- Lunch Buddy

Most likely to succeed? At what? Still proud of her, though I'm not sure if they did that on everyone's cut-out to make all the kid's parents proud. It's a mystery.

Happy Birthday Baby

Today is Kristin's 40th birthday!! Celebrate good times, come on! Let's celebrate yow!