Halloween

Well tomorrow's Halloween and I'm hoping Jake has a better understanding this year of how to go Trick or Treating. Last year, when someone would answer the door, he thought that was an invitation to go in. At one house, I literally had to chase him right in to the middle of someone's living room; where the family was watching TV. Here' a picture of the boys costumes this year.

Back From Hospital

Good Evening to Everyone: We're back from our trip to L.A. for Sam's surgery. Everything went well, Sam had surgery for strabismus. The doctor cut the upper muscles of both eyes to try and bring them downward (he has already had the side muscles cut). We thought Sam's vision was terrible because every time he tried to read something he would put it right up to his face, but also hold it below his face. That was so he could look upward at what he was reading; which is when his vision is best.
The doctor noticed this when he had Sam read the letter board and Sam would bring his chin down and look up at the letters. His vision was about 20/60 when he looked upward at what he was reading.
Anyways, the doctor was very pleased with how the surgery turned out and is very certain it will help.
Sam impressed every staff member he came in contact with; even a pediatric cardiologist who was there for eye surgery. They couldn't believe how knowledgeable he was about medical things (he has insisted that he is going to be a pediatrician when he grows up) or how many intelligent questions he would ask. I literally had 4 doctors, including his, and every nurse that cared for him mention something about his intelligence or inquisitiveness. One anesthesiologist told me he couldn't keep up with Sam's questions, join the club, doctor.

Blogs

Hi, Just wanted to let everyone know I won't be adding anything for a few days as Sam is going in for eye surgery in L.A. Should be back in a few days.

Jakeism 10-20-08

Tonight Jake saw me getting some chocolate out of the 'fridge and asked for a piece. I told him it was dark chocolate and he probably wouldn't like it. Of course, telling a child they're not going to like chocolate is pretty much a waste of words.
Anyways, I gave him a piece, which he proceeded to devour. After he ate it I asked him if he like it.
His response, " Yea, I like that glow-in-the-dark chocolate."

Under-Roo's Linked to Headaches

Last week we were at a friends house and Anya was playing so hard that she didn't quite make it to the bathroom on time. Since this has not happened in ages we had nothing for her to wear. So her brother being the nice guy that he is, opens his lunch box and pulls out a pair of Scooby Doo under-roo's and handed them to her(he's so prepared. I didn't even ask him to bring them). So after 15 minutes of consoling her, telling her that no one cares if she wears boy underware, she finally puts them on. Then on the ride home, her brother was singing and I was laughing and she got upset and said that we were making her headache "worser". When I asked,"Do you have a headache?" the reply was,"Yes! Don't you know these boy underwares are giving me a headache!"

Shoes

I was walking Sam to school today and sense he didn't PE, I let him wear his generic Vans slip-on shoes. While we were walking I heard a yell behind me. It was Sam yelling about his shoe falling off his foot (he has a bad habit of over-reacting to little things-don't know where he gets that from) well, I went back to help him put the shoe back on and as I was doing so he asked me why it had fallen off. I told him, "Because it's a slip-on shoe."
He asked, "Why do thay call it slip-on shoe?'
To which, I replied, "Because it just slips on your foot, it doesn't have any laces or straps."
Not entirely satisfied with my answer, he responded "Well, it's also a slip-off shoe."
How right you are, Sam. How right you are.

New Underwear

When it became apparent that Jake no longer required diapers (one of the greatest milestones, at least for the wallet) and was potty trained, we pursued the next obvious step. We bought him some underwear.

Now these days you can't just buy plain old underwear, oh no, they have to have the child's favorite character on them. For Jake that was Elmo.

When we got home we left the package on the table not thinking how irresistible a package with Elmo on it would be to Jake.

Sure enough, he got in to it, and as I learned, being potty trained doesn't exactly mean a child knows what to do with a pair of underwear, as you can see by the pictures.

I'll bet you never thought you would see a T-Rex wearing a pair of Elmo underwear.

A little X-Mas tip

This story was relayed to me from a friend at work and corroborated by video on his cell phone. This happened during his son's 3rd birthday party. With X-mas coming up I think it's something to keep in mind.

Anyways, his son had just opened a gift from his Aunt, (my friends sister) after he unfolds the shirt you can hear his aunt trying to convince him what a cool gift it is, "Wow, look at that! It's a shark! Isn't that cool?" she says. "It's a shark, isn't that cool?"
Her nephew's reaction, "WHAT THE HELL!" "Your supposed to buy me toys."
The room, of course, erupted in laughter.
Just something to keep in mind with X-mas on the way. Kids want toys!

A talk about marriage

As you were on the subject of marriage I thought I would contribute my conversation I had with my two children Aiden 3, and Anya 5 while in a waiting room at the OB/GYN the other day.

They had seen pictures of babies, and my daughter Anya said that when she marries she will have a baby. Of course, my son blurts out and told her that she was going to have a "guy" baby. After I had calmed Anya down, and reassured her that we don't even know the sex of her future baby until it happens.... she asks me "I wonder who I will marry and have my baby with?" Aiden, always to have the last word says,"Me, of course!" The whole waiting room was snickering along with me.
I tried to explain to both of them that they are not to marry their family. But every time, Anya would say a different family member's name.
But, Aiden wasn't giving up that she was going to marry "Aiden". So I told him that maybe her dream guy will be named Aiden too, and he seemed ok with that and shut up.
Anya was still thinking of men that aren't her family. Then...."I will just marry Dr. Walker"(their pediatrician who happens to work in the same building and 50 years her senior).
I whispered to her, "If he is still around when you are finished with college and old enough to marry, you go right ahead." LMAO

More Jakeisms

Last night I took the family to The Yard House for dinner. When Jake asked where we were going I said, "The Yard House."
Jake said, "Oh, My House."
"No," I replied. "Yard House."
"Yea, My House."
"No, we're going to THE Yard House."
"Oh" Jake said. "THE My House."
"Okay, Jake," I responded. "Whatever you say buddy."

Actual Dinner Conversation

This conversation took place at our dinner table last year with about a, month and a half, left to go in the school year.

Sam, "I'm getting married!"
Me, "Really?" " To who?"
Sam, "Samantha."
Looking at my wife, quizzically (I know the girls in his class, and had never heard of her) I ask, "Who's Samantha?"
Wife, "She's a new girl in his class."
Sam, "Yea, and I'm going to marry her."
Me, "You are?"
Sam, "Yep, and we're going to have 3 kids, Jerry, Tim, and Tom."
Me, "Wow! 3 boys, and you already named them."
Sam, "Yep, and we're going to move far away."
Wife, "Well, don't move too far. I want to be able to see my grandchildren."
Wife, "Why don't you move to San Diego."
Me, "No, they're going to move to the country, so we can go fishing when we come to visit."
Sam with a most serious look on his face, "Daddy, girls don't like the country."
Where he got that idea from, I have no idea.
Me, "Well, if your going to marry this girl, you are going to do it properly. Your going to ask her dad for permission to marry her."
Sam, "But, I don't know his phone number."
Me, "Your not going to call him. Your going to ask him in person."
Sam, "But, I don't even know where they live."
Me, "Well, maybe you should hold off on the marriage until you know her better."
Sam, "Okay!"