PAL and Sissy: December 2008

Monday, December 29, 2008

Christmas Day

Santa sure did leave lots of goodies under the tree for the Louer's!

Even more in their stockings!

It wouldn't be Christmas with out a Hulk toy.....a Hulk spy kit!

Gorilla Mountain....just what Patrick wanted!

Elizabeth loves her new dolls with the snap on clothes.

Merry Christmas!

Santa really out did himself. He even left presents in other rooms of the house. Big presents.

Grandpa came over for Christmas day round two. Patrick and Elizabeth gave him his annual calendar.

Trying to get Patrick and Elizabeth to pose in their cute Christmas outfits was impossible.

Christmas ping-pong at Uncle Bill and Uncle Will's. Notice Patrick's concentration!

Sissy LOVES her Uncle Will!

Working over his older cousins.......

Kansas twisters for all!

Winding down with a new movie.
What a great Christmas day!

We spend Christmas Eve at our house and have Pop-pop, Grandma, Grandpa, Linda, and Uncle Buddy over for dinner. Our meal was great and we all had a wonderful time. Patrick and Elizabeth were spoiled by Pop-pop and Grandma!

Patrick got a cool ride on peddle John Deer tractor.

Elizabeth sporting Uncle Buddy's new slippers.

Do you think Santa will mind sharing his cookies?? Patrick did leave a whole plate full, a glass of milk (a big T-rex one, way up high), and carrots for the reindeer. He was astounded when the whole plate was empty the next morning.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Pre-Christmas Highlights

We have officially begun celebrating Christmas. We began by going to Ciochi and Mark's to do presents with Sarah Jane and Will. Brian and Mark headed to the bar to watch an SU basketball game and the mom's stayed at Ciochi's. Here are the kids with their new Christmas presents. We played lots, watched a Christmas movie and laughed....a lot. Probably so much laughter due to the FOUR bottles of champagne that Ciochi and I drank before the boys came back.

On Sunday we went to the zoo for breakfast with Santa. We had a great meal, got to say hello - with out crying- to Santa, and see the animals. Patrick and Elizabeth also got to each make a Christmas ornament and frost a cookie. Both kids talked to Santa and told him why they have been good this year.

Mom's Santa therapy is working.

Sissy steering the ship around the zoo.

Just before we left we bumped into Aunt Peg and she took us for a behind the scenes with some of the animals that she cares for. We got to see lizards, snakes, a tarantuala, ferrets, and a hedgehog. Oh yeah, and we found a whole bucket of play animals that they use for the zoo classroom.....highlight of the day, according to Pat.

Peg, Pat and a hedgehog.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Patrick Turns Four - OMG!

We can not believe that Patrick is 4 years old. For whatever reason, that seems so grown up to me. Although his party was 2 weeks before, we celebrated at home on his actually birthday. Pat also went to school today, so they had a celebration at school. We made iced snowman cookies to send in. Yum!

Patrick requested macaroni and cheese, homemade, for his birthday dinner. No complaints here...we love it too!

And for dessert, chocolate and chocolate cupcakes....not homemade, the good kind, from Cupcakes and Smiles.

More loot for his birthday. Will there be anything left for Santa to bring??

Pat got everything he wanted.....Horton Hears a Who, Gray Hulk, and a Safari Plane with a cage!

Pat and Dad were very into the plane. I hope every birthday that Patrick has is as happy as this one was!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Christmas Tree Highlights

We finally got our Christmas tree up and decorated. We went around and around about getting a real tree or using the fake, again. We decided that the fake was the way to go.....and we blamed our choice on Sissy (sorry Sis) rather than the truth, sheer laziness. We figured Sissy would be too curious about the tree to deal with a real one. Next year it is definitely back to a real one, or buy a fake one with the stupid lights on it.

Pat was a great decorator....very thoughtful about ornament placement.

Elizabeth was a very talented de-decorator. She moves with lightening speed.

And then we had to explain the purpose of stockings to Patrick. His use was much more appealing.

Cuteness!

Friday, December 12, 2008

Snow Day Silliness

Dress-up silliness......

Reminiscent of my grandmother, minus the knee highs with the open toed shoes.

Monkey see, monkey do.

One cool dude.

And then we were animals.....

every bunny needs a carrot (says Patrick after asking, "Do bunnies eat M&M's?)

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Santa Therapy

Both Patrick and Elizabeth were petrified of Santa, so this week we did a little Santa therapy. Elizabeth went from screaming and pulling my hair (ouch) when we approached the jolly old elf to playing with his jingle bells and giving high fives. Patrick wouldn't even come within the Santa fence when Sissy and I were talking with Santa. I think he changed his mind once he saw Sissy giving high fives. Now, he wasn't sittin' next to the big guy, but he did show off his new dinosaur, give high five's and rattle off his Christmas list. I am like the therapist on Oprah that makes the OCD people put their hand in a garbage can and then lick to get over their fears. Oprah and Santa fearers, here I come!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Birthday Bash

Patrick is celebrating his 4th birthday and Elizabeth is celebrating her 2nd birthday. We had a great party with family and friends.....complete with pin the skull on the T-rex fossil, a Dora pinata stocked with good candy, two fun cakes to fit our Dora and Dino's theme, and an extra cake for another birthday girl, Aunt Di. Thanks to everyone who spoiled Patrick and Elizabeth. Wonder what is left for Santa to bring?

Listening to a chorus sing Happy Birthday

Sis got right in there to claim her candy after the pinata broke.

DORA and....

DINOS.
(The T-rex on this cake is the only plastic. Everything else is edible. The T-rex has a motion sensor and pops up, growling with eyes glowing red. Too cool!)

This was the best shot of two sugared up, excited to open their presents, guests of honor that we could get. Can you see Pat's stained fingers?? They were black from sticking them in the icing of the dinosaur cake so many times.

Friday, December 5, 2008

SU Basketball Practice

Brian took Patrick to an open SU basketball practice at the Dome. The two of them had a really good time - father/son bonding. Patrick was into the players and watching them practice until he met Joey, one of the assistant coaches 3 year old son. Then Patrick was much more interested in running around and playing with Joey.

Patrick and Arinze Onuanku

Patrick and Scoop Jardine

Patrick and Andy Routins

Patrick and Sissy Say the Darndest Things!

8/24/12 We were out to dinner at a Meixcan restaurant and Patrick was talking about his football game the next day. In the spirit of the atmosphere he was talling us how he was going to "Salsa into the sack tomorrow." Since Brian and I were chuckling, he kept saying it over and over.
7/1/12 We were waiting for lunch at Blarney Stone and Liz says, "Wait! This is a bar?!?" then fist pumps the air and says "Yes, my first bar!".
12/16/11 When Mommy was warning Elizabeth that if she didn't behave herself Santa would bring her a stocking full of coal, Patrick piped up, "Well, you could build with the rocks, or write with them, or make a cabinet, or play with them."
12/16/11 While driving to Toys-r-Us to get a toy for his birthday, Patrick said, out of the blue, "It would be ok if I didn't get any presents for Christmas because I have you guys."
12/9/11 Patrick and Elizabeth both wanted a bag of Teddy Grahams as a snack. Patrick was in the cabinet getting them out and proclaimed he wanted chocolate. So did Liz. There was only one chocolate. Being the big brother that he is, he tried to convince her that she wanted something else by reading the packages and making suggestions like, "Honey or Chinamoon" (cinnamon).
7/14/11 Instead of hoola-hooping, Elizabeth hoop-a-loops.
7/12/11 I returned from grocery shopping and told the kids I bought them Cookies-n-cream ice cream. Liz replied, "Just like in my cheerleaders hand!" (She has a cheerleading doll that does five cheers, one when you squeeze each hand and foot and one in the tummy. One goes "Cookies, cookies, cookies and cream, what's the matter with the other team" when you squeeze her one hand.)
7/1/11 Patrick to the concession lady at the movies - "No butter on the popcorn. My Dad went to the doctor and they said he can't hvae butter."
6/17/11 (Elizabeth says the best stuff......she is definitely making up for delayed talking) Liz turned to me at Patrick's kindergarten moving up ceremony and said, "MOM! Oh no! I forgot my pom pom's!"
5/19/11 Driving down the turnpike towards our house we have been passing a farmers unplanted field, full of yellow dandelions. The dandelions have turned to puff balls, a whole field of them. As we pass, Elizabeth yells, "Mommy! Look! A whole field of wishes!"
10/15/10 Patrick out grew a pair of slippers that look like skunks, so he gave them to Liz. She was walking funny in them this morning, turning her heals towards me as she walked, so I asked her what was the matter. She replied, "Mommy, I spraying you with tomato juice."
10/1/10 Patrick and I were discussing what was going to happen during the day at school before leaving the house. I said something to which Pat replied, "I see what you are saying, Mom."
9/30/10 At Open House at Patrick's school, his teachers were sharing with us that Patrick is a great role model for the other students. He has been heard telling his kindergarten friends to "make good choices."
9/2/10 If there is a toy, on tv or in the store, that Elizabeth likes she will always ask us "I get this for my birthday?" As it stands right now, I think she is due 543 gifts for her birthday.
9/1/10 Elizabeth LOVES the movie Monsters vs. Aliens. Her favorite two lines, which she often repeats, are "You got a better idea nerd?" and "Where's the giant jar of pickles?" It is pretty funny to hear her repeat them in her nasally little voice.
8/26/10 After defeating a hard guy in a Wii game, Patrick turned to me and said, "I am pretty awesome at a lot of things."
7/24/10 The cutest thing ever.......Patrick to Liz at 8:30 a.m. "Sissy, would you like to go in the living room and read this book (Anamalia) with me?"
2/25/10 When Elizabeth is really upset with someone, mostly Patrick, she will tell them "You're impossible"
10/5/09 Elizabeth will tap her fingers on her lips and say, "Hmmm, let me see" when you ask her just about anything.
10/5/09 Patrick to Mom. "Some girls are beautiful and it just freaks me out."
7/28/09 Patrick to Mom at dinner. "Mom, can I have more teeter totters?" (Tater Tots)
7/28/09 Patrick to Mom who was holding baby Davis. "Mom, Davis is so cute. SHE is cuter than Sissy." Well Pat, Davis is a boy. Pat thinks. "Does he have a penis yet?"
7/18/09 Patrick to Mom and Dad on our drive home from Maine - "Are we still in New Hampster?"
6/17/09 Patrick to Mom.....my existential child......"Mom, how does Spiderman climb buildings?" Well, Pat, he really doesn't it....it is just pretend. "Mom, is Spidermen real?" No. "Is Larry from Night at the Museum real?" No. "Mom, is Ice Age real?" No. "Mom, are we real?" Yes Pat. "How do you know we are real?" I didn't know where to go with that other than I just know.
4/24/09 Patrick to Sara "I am very allergic to girls!"
3/11/09 At a function at Mommy's school there were lots of adults who were asking Elizabeth her name. She replys with Dora!...not Elizabeth.
3/3/09 Pat to Daddy...."Daddy, you know the store Whale-mon?? It has whale shirts, whale jammies, whale breakables, whale clothes, whale movies, whale toys, even a whale hanging from the ceiling." His description was a little "Bubbaesk", as in Bubba from Forest Gump. Can you tell we are into ocean animals and just got a new whale toy??
2/26/09 Elizabeth will randomly be a witch. She says "Witch" and then swirls her finger around and around and then points at something (putting a spell on it). Sometimes her spell is followed by a "Ahahahahah"!
2/26/2009 It is no mystery Elizabeth loves Dora. Her way of saying Dora is to shake her shoulders back and forth (kind of like a booby shake, if she had them) and say Dah-dah-dah.
2/2/09 Patrick bought a toy plastic cow at Target. Upon getting in the car he asked me, "Mommy, a cow drinks milk and then it comes out its (pointing) one, two, three, four penises??"
1/09 Patrick. "Mom, Dad....did God make everything?? The sky? The trees? Even Home Depot?"
12/27 Sissy. When you mention the zoo she says, "ZOO! " then roars and makes monkey sounds and motions
12/20 Pat to Mom. "Mom, God and Jesus are Santa's cousins, right?"
12/1 Daddy, when I sleep I dream about playing with you.
10/31 To Sissy, anything Halloween is "Ghost"
9/29 Sissy has a new word. "MINE!"
9/28 Pat and Mom.....Pat, get on the school bus. "But mom! I'm not five yet!"
9/15 Pat to Mom....."I don't want to go to Sara's (the babysitter)." Why. "Because." Because why? "Because I don't want to have fun."