Days of Our Kids' Lives

Sheesh, six months since I last posted ALREADY?

It's late, I'm tired, but I desperately want to let everyone know I haven't been intentionally neglecting this blog. It's just hard finding time. But now that I've got my new laptop (happy birthday to me from Marino), I'm hoping it'll be easier. (Case in point: I'm typing this from the comfort of the "chair and a half" in the living room while everyone else is sound asleep.)

Cece is officially four and a half now, which, as we've learned, is old enough to fall in love. Yes, you read that right. Our conversation went a little something like this:

Mom, when I get married, can I wear your wedding dress?

Sure, honey. I would love that.

And can I break the law and throw rose petals like you did, too?

You betchya.

I want to wear my hair up like this (pulling her hair up on top of her head with a few strands hanging down).

Don't worry, you've got plenty of time to grow up, meet a nice man, fall in love and plan your wedding.

But Mom, I'm already in love!

Oh, really? With who?

Jack P.!

And how do you know you're in love?

Because of his cute little laugh!

Which, I gotta say, is about the best reason I can think of to love someone.

Cece and Jack P. recently had a playdate together at our house. Here's a pic of the momentous day:
Jack P., by the way, has been the only Jack at her school ever since Jack A. moved away last summer -- but to every kid there, he's still Jack P. ;)

But it doesn't end there. Just the other night at the dinner table Marino and I were talking to Cece about the importance of being polite to people -- especially people you care about. She chimed in with, "Yeah, I know. Jack P. and I almost broke up the other day because I was being rude to him. But thank goodness later that afternoon we got back together."

Um, yeah. She's 4 1/2! Since when did watching Days of Our Lives become part of the accepted Montessori teaching method? I don't even think they have a television at the school ... I seriously need to check on this. ;) But honestly, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that my daughter is boy-crazy already. My cousin Brandy and I used to organize throngs of girls in our preschool class to tackle and hold down the object of our 4-year-old desire, Danny, every recess so we could cover him in kisses. So yeah, she comes by this stuff naturally.

Meanwhile, the littlest boy in our household isn't so little anymore. Nico is 7 months old today! He's now eating baby food, crawling, beginning to pull up and cruise, and just two days ago his lower-left front tooth broke through the gums. (The lower-right should be through any time now, too.) He babbles and laughs all day long -- especially at his big sister -- and is still our easy-going, happy boy.

Ah, but he has such determination and persistence! He often grunts and growls at his toys, and gets visibly (and audibly) pissed if he's unable to master something on the first try. When Cece was a baby, I remember it being easier to distract her. If she wanted to play with a forbidden object, you could show her another toy and she'd forget about the other. Not Nico. In a room full of toys, he wants the remote control, the telephone, our shoes and socks (the dirtier the better), the CDs, Dad's can of Coke Zero, the laptop, and the electrical cord. I've told Cece that we don't need a puppy -- we have Nico. He wrestles our shoes while rolling on the floor with them and growling, just like a puppy would. Fortunately, since he's virtually toothless (for now), our shoes make out better than they would with a puppy, though.

He crawls or leaps head-on into furniture like a pigeon flying into a window. He's currently got two bruises on his forehead and a scrape beneath his nose. I have a feeling he's going to be one of those kids who's always sporting a cast ...

He discovered the stairs tonight. I'll be VERY surprised if they aren't the first thing he crawls over to tomorrow morning.