Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Santa Big Boy
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Halloween 2007
We had a cranky and exhausted Tinman until we got to the parade. We got to be in the parade with the ASPCA. The three of us eventually broke away from our group and went skipping down the parade route, Oz style. We had never been so photographed!
Friday, October 26, 2007
School Visit
For a while we couldn't tell if he was a lefty or righty, but it's finally starting to show that he's dominant with the left.
After the swing, Theo hung out upside down, then did the spider walk. He likes to do these things at home in our hallway.
After the physical stuff was done, we sat at the table and Theo cut out leaves (I was proud to see him cut curves!) and glued them on a giant tree on the wall.
Back in the classroom, I sat with Theo as he ate breakfast. I noticed most of the kids barely touched their cereal, but not my boy--he finished his, and drank all his milk. And he opens the milk carton by himself! I still can't do that, which is why I buy the gallons with the cap top.
Next, Yushi came to do speech therapy. I told her that when I ask him about what he does at school every day, he just says Grace or names a kid, and it would be helpful if I knew what he did. So now she's been sending home pictures of his activities, which has been incredibly helfpul.
In the computer room, it was so cute to see Theo with an actual mouse. Last time I was there he was using the touch screen. Here he is clicking on bubbles to pop them -- definitely a Theo game. Each kid has a job to do every day, and they rotate. Today was Theo's turn to be calendar leader. Grace, his teacher, went over the day of the week and the date, and Theo got to attach the date to the corresponding number on the calendar. It was cute to see how excited he was to do his job, as all the other kids were with theirs.
After that, they sang a few songs. That's when I left. I gave Theo a hug goodbye and he made a sad face. When I reached the door and turned around to look back at him, I realized he was crying. Which is, you know, both heartbreaking and incredibly satisfying for a mommy.
To be honest, I wrote the good things about the visit. With every visit there are a number of hard things for me to see, like Theo sometimes not being quite with it or on the level of most of his classmates. But it's more fun to write about the cute stuff, and for now it's enough to know he loves school and he's where he needs to be. I can see that the teachers are really prepping him for kindergarten now. They are working on his socialization and sometimes he does his therapy sessions with one or two other kids. And he certainly absorbs everything, even though it doesn't always show at school--it shows at home. Theo's an observer.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Piano Man
Whenever my mom comes over, she and Theo play the piano. She's taught him some amazing things, like where middle C is and how it's next to the two black keys. You'll see that in video number two.
I often find Theo sitting at the piano playing a tune. Sometimes he bangs like a normal kid would, but other times really pretty music comes out! He's so sweet to watch. His face is focused and he is fascinated.
Sorry these videos are so dark. I wish I knew how to fix that.
I get a kick out of the fluctuation in his notes. And the way he says pamio instead of piano. Check out this super cute ending!
This video begins with Theo asking to go to the mailbox. He loves mailing stuff!
Monday, October 01, 2007
Day Out with Our Buddy Katie
Friday, September 28, 2007
Crackin' Me the Hell Up
If I'm watching TV, and he's trying to get my attention and I'm ignoring him, he'll stick his face directly in front of mine and say "helloooo-oooooo." It's the funniest thing!
He has a game where he sits down on the couch and I lay down and put my legs on his lap so he can drive his little car up and down my legs. God forbid I'm not in the mood for a game or sitting up on the couch. "Mommy, sit here! Mommy, lay down! Right here, mommy! Come on, mommy!"
Yesterday morning I was putting on my bra, and it was below my boobs while I was attaching the clasp in the back. He said, "No mommy, up here" and tried to move my bra up over my boobs the way it's supposed to go. So friggin funny.
The other night I was exhausted and he refused to go to bed. Finally, I gave up and I told him "Do what you want, mommy is going to bed." And so what did he do? He brought me the pillow from his bed! The silly little sweetie!
When we get to the playground, if I follow him to the slide he corrects me and orders me to take my usual spot on the bench. He points to the bench and says "Mommy, go sit down!"
He is a riot to hang around! We're always, always laughing at what comes out of his perfect little mouth.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sunday in Harlem
Friday, after I fired my babysitter for not being there when the school bus dropped off Theo (I'm still too mad to write about it), he cheered me up by being a cutie pie when I took him for comfort pizza.
Sunday we went to Harlem for some authentic fried chicken, and to visit that lovely side of Central Park with the gardens and fountains...it's just stunning, I love it over there.
HIT PLAY TO SEE THIS VIDEO
Theo was a daredevil on the tire swing. He is so strong, he had no problem holding on, and daddy just couldn't push him fast or high enough! That other little boy you see in the picture above--he's also 4, and he was terrified. He made his dad go very, very slowly.
Theo gathered shells and brought them to me one at a time.
Check this out...you can actually see the penny going in. Do you see it?
My handsome, statuesque husband and my fascinated-by-the-fountain cutie.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Spend Sunday with the Orecchios
1. Wake up, eat breakfast. I made a power omelet - egg whites, tomatoes, and asparagus.
2. Laundry - whoohoo!
3. Dunkin Donuts for coffee and munchkins. Theo ate his usual glazed donuts until he spotted another boy with powdered munchkins. After that it was all over. He HAD to have "the white ones." Luckily, the other mom suggested a trade, so we didn't have to spend a whole-gasp-extra dollar!
4. Playground
5. Haircuts for daddy and Theo. Awwwwwwwwwwww. Theo was so excited to watch Joe get his, and couldn't wait for his turn. How do I have this kid who makes everything easy? I'm so lucky! He can get excited about anything! Laundry, haircuts. Sheesh! Someone needs to send him a memo explaining the real fun things on life.
6. Train time! Off to the San Gennaro festival we went, in Little Italy. We got some zeppolis and Theo ended up wearing white powder all over his black sweatshirt. We sat outside at some cute corner restaurant, and Theo ate most of my Rigatoni alla Vodka (grrr) and a bunch of my broccoli. [See Gloria, I give him other things besides rice and beans!! :) ]
Like I said, he's so good. Since it was a special day, I let him put way too much butter on his bread.
7. At home, it didn't take long for Theo to pass out after a day like that. Or us. We passed out watching the Emmys.
Pajama Fashion Show
Saturday With Uncle and Aunt
At the playground, Theo wouldn't leave my brother alone. "Ewwwwiot! Ewwwwiot!" He made Elliot help him cross the swinging bars repeatedly, and Elliot chased Theo all around the playground. Up the ladder, down the pole, etc.
Don't you love the dual baseball caps?
Theo wouldn't let Elliot stop, he kept turning around and making sure his uncle was following him, hysterically laughing. I have some video evidence of their cuteness:
Back at Elliot's house, Gloria came home and took Theo back out to the park!
Hence his sweatiness. Theo's aunt and uncle spoiled him with chocolates, bananas and juice.
I'm really glad that Theo has gotten to know them and gets excited when he finds out he'll see them. Warms a mama's (and sister's) heart. Elliot and I sat on the couch playing video games, and he mused about Theo playing with us in a couple of years. I can't wait!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Little Genius...Future President?
Last week, Joe taught Theo about the first president while showing him a quarter. The next day, Joe asked Theo,"Who was the first president of the United States?"
Theo thought about it for a few seconds, then responded, "Quarter."
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Theo's First Day of Preschool: Year Two
This morning, Theo and daddy drew together as we waited in the lobby for the school bus. Theo's been asking about school all week, and he was so excited to finally be able to go! We went to the window and his face smiled at us through the glass as they drove off. And so another year begins.
I was disappointed to see that there was a different driver and bus matron, but they seemed nice enough. We'll miss Miriam and Sharon, though!
I wonder what he's doing right now. Probably all kinds of introduction songs and having a blast. He'll be with some of the same kids, and some new kids. This year, he'll be the pro!
Max starts kindergarten this month. He'll be going on a school bus too, as Ethan and Alexander already do. All the boys are so big now, it's insane!
Munchies Glorious Munchies
Theo's got vanilla swirl in one hand and chocolate chocolate chip in the other (mommy's favorite). He was so funny alternating bites from both cones that I had to whip out the camera!
This is from our Starbucks excursion. Look at him lounging...such a New Yorker already!
Such a big boy! I love you so much, little man.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Happy Birthday Aunt Gloria
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Visit to the Ladies
Here's Theo saying goodbye to Nonny and Aunt Donny after a good, long polka. As usual, this was a great visit. Before we left the house I asked Theo what we eat at Nonny's - meatballs! I asked him what we do at Aunt Donny's - cake! "Yes, we eat cake, but what do we DO?" - Dance!
I was so impressed with his answers to non yes or no questions!
We brought play dough to Aunt Don's and the ladies marveled at this advanced toy! They thought it was the most amazing, creative invention. Aunt Don took the pink play dough and showed me how to make pasta the way her mom did. There was one kind of pasta (I can't remember the name, but it was cavatelli-ish) that I couldn't quite get the hang of, which frustrated her. She thought it was so easy, you just take two fingers and give it a quick roll. She had such finesse and such skilled, practiced fingers that she didn't understand why I didn't get it right away!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Happy Birthday, Hubby Wubby!
Joe just called to tell me that he and Theo are both in time out. Theo pulled over a chair next to his time-out chair and said, "Daddy and Theo sit!" And so right now, there they are, sitting in the corner together.
For You, Aunt Pia
I dare you to tell me his voice isn't the sweetest thing EVER in this video!!