Kill da wabbit

I had planned to put up a post of David's first three (of six) trips to the Taste of Chicago and some other stuff tonight. We got home late from Uncle Dave's game, and then the dogs killed two baby rabbits in our back yard. So tonight's activities are more carcass clean up focused than we had originally planned. I suppose we should be happy they didn't bring them in the house. I will leave you with this cute picture of David assisting with dinner earlier this month and try to post more in the next day or two.

Block party weekend

Well, I have now accidentally broken the news of Dave's engagement to Aunt Fran, Rich's sister who lives in Rome (nothing like telling a nun about her nephew's engagement via a blog post entitled "Holy crap!"), and to one of Dave's fiancee's co-workers when I called to sign up David for another round of Mandarin classes this fall. Let the record show, I asked permission before posting anything, so I don't think my big mouth is the issue. This time. Also, hi Fran! Thanks for checking in on us. Can't wait to see you next time you visit or (even better) next time we're in Italy.
And now on to the uninteresting minutia of our lives. It was block party weekend. We could not ask for better neighbors. They are such a fun group of people with really great kids, and lots of them. This weekend, we barricaded off the street for Saturday and Sunday. Fiona told anyone who would listen that she could cross the street without having to ask permission. We rented a bouncer, which David loved. I was impressed with how careful the big kids were when the little ones were in there jumping. They would even pick David up and let him dunk the ball in the oversized inflatable basket. There were kiddie pools and junk food galore, and miraculously there was also sunshine and warm weather for what felt like the first time all year.
Sunday a fire engine came in the morning. David refused to hold the hose and put out the fake fire but did enjoy getting in the truck and wearing his new plastic fire hat. Grandma and Grandpa Maas came over to celebrate Father's Day and so did Uncle Dave. A good time was had by all, except perhaps Dave who suffered through an endless barrage of (my) wedding and engagement questions.
Saturday: in the bouncer, chillin with Olivia and Jackson and with the ladies in the pool

The neighbors were impressed with David's swing (here beating on the pinata) and his ability to ride a two wheeled scooter. Also pictured, David and Olivia playing hockey-football.

Sunday: checking out the fire engine

Playing catch with Grandpa. Demanding that Pete lick his face. With Grandpa and Daddy.

Holy crap! Uncle Dave is engaged!!!

We are thrilled and, quite frankly, mystified. Uncle Dave asked his girlfriend to marry him last night, and she said yes!!! Congratulations, Uncle Dave! Plus this special message from David to his soon-to-be aunt:

[Video removed]

Stuff David is doing

David is going through a NO NO ME DO phase right now. He must do everything. Everything. Except for the parts that involve a hot stove, he makes his own scrabbled egg in the morning. He takes the eggs out of the fridge, picks one, cracks it, adds milk, salt and pepper and scrabbles it with a fork...all the while telling me "No, Mommy! Me. ME." If we are grocery shopping, he must take the food off the shelf and put it in the basket himself. If we try to get something ourselves, he demands it, puts it back in its place, then takes it off the shelf again himself. The same applies to opening doors (including unlocking them with the key), opening the shower door when I'm done showering and about a million other activities of daily living.
He is talking like crazy. We now get a play by play of every thing that is and is not going on around us. If he sees someone with a hat, he tells us. He then points to every other person around and tells us if they are or are not wearing a hat. Every airplane he sees is going to Nahnee's house to play choo choo, and any time we bring him inside he demands that he not be forced to nap against his will. "No nap no nap no nap no nap!"
He is obsessed with driving. It is impossible to go anywhere now without him insisting that he sit in the front seat and "dwive." He genuinely does not understand why the car won't go when he's at the wheel.
He is Kevin's son through and through. He loves sports. All sports. Sometimes we'll go down in to the basement, and he'll say "tv on...baseball." And if I turn on Sportscenter for him, he'll jump up and down and shout at the highlights. He even yelled "Go Blackhawks!" when he saw Stanley Cup highlights the other day. Never mind that it was the Penguins and the Redwings, he knew it was hockey and that he's supposed to cheer for the Blackhawks. He started his parent and tot sports class with Kevin Tuesday night. It was football week. David will now put his arm up in the air like a place kicker and run up and kick the football. He'll also hold it with one finger for Kevin. While I worked yesterday, Kevin and David went to the toy store and got a street hockey set that David loves. He is currently sleeping with one of the hockey sticks. They took it to Lil's house and had a great time. David kept insisting that Great Grandma Lil play with him.
We started our Mandarin class at Language Stars Friday morning. David was a little apprehensive for the first few minutes. He looked at me several times like I must be a crazy fool to bring him to a place where he can't understand a thing, but by the second activity he was actually repeating words and phrases after the teacher and seemed to enjoy himself. I was pretty impressed to see how much some of the other kids in his class who had been in the program for a while knew. One of the moms there told me that David was doing great for his first class. I wasn't quite sure what to make of that since her son spent about 80% of the time having a complete meltdown. At any rate, I can now count to 10 in Mandarin, and I know the words for ball, star and water. If I can pick up that much in one hour, I can only imagine how much David's little brain that is still wired to learn language will absorb. Pretty neat.
Friday night we went downtown to Blues Fest. We listened to the music for a relatively short time. David was mostly interested in the food (he devoured some shrimp and vegetable tempura) and getting back on the choo choo to go home. We capped of the night with ice cream at Oberweis.
This morning we went to Lincoln Park zoo with our friend Nickie. There was no construction equipment, so David was forced to look at the animals. He really like the monkeys and the farm. He also really liked eating. This afternoon we went to Fiona's birthday party at My Gym, which is essentially a room filled with balls and toys and climbing stuff where kids can run around like maniacs. David loved it.
Playing hockey with great grandma. Blues Fest with Kevin. Millennium Park with me.

At the zoo with Nickie. David at My Gym (with Fiona in the middle picture).

Action shot. Fiona in a sugar coma.

The Art 'tute and other adventures

We kicked off the week by celebrating Grandma Maas's birthday with a delicious Italian dinner at Antico Posto. They are known for their gnocchi, and David is known for eating gnocchi, so it was a perfect fit. David helped Grandma blow out her candle and got his own candle on his ice cream.
Tuesday night Kevin and David met up with the Mazhars, whom you may remember from such posts as our San Diego trip, and the Shuklas at Portillo's. The kids had a great time playing together, and I am told the restaurant is still standing.
David very relaxed at nap time (courtesy of Alma). David with Sulaiman and Veda.

Thursday David enjoyed the first of two birthday parties for Fiona. This one was the usual crowd at Fiona's house for Chinese food and cupcakes. Next weekends, we'll attend party #2 at My Gym. As always, the kids had a lot of fun, and David ate a ridiculous amount of food.

Friday evening we took the el downtown and walked around Millennium Park. We also attempted to check out the Art Institute (which David calls the "Art 'tute"). Kevin and I hadn't seen the new modern wing. Unfortunately, David had and is apparently bored with it already because all he wanted to do was climb the stairs and then go back outside to the park. So back to the park we went and got some ice cream before taking the train back home.

Yesterday we went to the farmers market in the morning. The donut line was out of control, so David gorged himself on some really fantastic strawberries instead.
Today we drove out to Roselle to watch Uncle Dave's baseball game. Uncle Dave did not disappoint. He was hit by a pitch (his signature move) in his first two at bats, and Roselle won 15-1. Afterwards we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house for some cookies and play time.
It was drizzling when we first got to the game, and David insisted on carrying the umbrella. No eyes were lost in the making of this photograph.

Playing catch with Dad. Refusing to play catch with Uncle Dave.

On the phone with Grandpa. Action shot (note exaggerated left arm swing).

No cavities

Friday I kicked off my "day off" by rolling out of bed and leaving the house at 5:25am to round at the hospital before David's dentist appointment. Nothing more enjoyable on your day off than working followed by the dentist. We were a little apprehensive about the dentist because their office (recommended to us by David's plastic surgeon) doesn't allow parents to go back with the kids for their appointments. We weren't sure how this would go, but he did great. He cried at first when they took him back, but a few minutes later they came to get me so that I could peek in on him, and he was calm and cooperating with his cleaning. His teeth got a clean bill of health: no cavities and, much to our surprise, the tooth at his cleft is finally coming in. After surviving the dentist and ridiculous traffic there and back (I can thank the stimulus package and "shovel ready" roadwork projects for that--who knew bolstering the economy would mean I would never get to drive more than 8 mph for the entire summer?), we took the el downtown and took Millennium Park by storm.

Yesterday I worked in the morning while David and Kevin went to the farmer's market. He was not as enthusiastic about his donut as he was last year, but I'm sure with practice he'll return to his old form. We went downtown in the afternoon to check out the newly renovated oceanarium at the Shedd Aquarium. David spent 90 seconds watching the animals, 5 minutes enjoying the hand wash stations at the interactive exhibit and the rest of his timing runing up and down and up and down the 1284 stairs at the oceanarium. Afterwards, we had dinner by Buckingham fountain before taking the choo choo back home.

David helping with dinner and enjoying Buckingham fountain

Today we made it to the early church service. David managed to keep it together through most of the sermon and then began chanting "outside outside outside!" which is where he and I spent most of the remainder of the service. We came home and packed a picnic lunch and headed for Starved Rock state park in lovely Utica, IL (population 1000). It is about an hour and a half drive. The park is on the Illinois River. We enjoyed our lunch and did some hiking. The climb up Starved Rock is very short and paved. It was amusing to hear all the people huffing and puffing about how hard it was to walk up. Then on our way down we passed a woman on crutches and an elderly couple pulling an oxygen tank behind them, neither of whom seemed to be having any trouble with the climb. Before we left, we enjoyed some soft serve ice cream at the visitor's center, which David was not very amenable to sharing. He was sound asleep about 5 minutes into the drive home. Overall, a very nice weekend.

Pictures from atop Starved Rock

Pictures from our hike in French Canyon. David eating most of my ice cream.

The opposite of good sleep hygeine

When I recommend to parents that they have a good bed time routine and wind things down during the half an hour to hour leading up to bed time, I mean the opposite of this, which is what David did over and over and over right before we put him to bed tonight.