Jack’s Christmas Program

Jack was thrilled today to be performing in the show that he has watched Owen do for two years now.  Owen has been excited to watch the show as well, and asked if  he could go a few weeks ago. 

Owen: Mama, you know that thing where you put on a hat and sing and the parents come at my old school?  If Jack does that, I really need to go!

So I decided to  (wait for it, Rob) pull Owen out of school early to watch the performance.  Jack appreciated the brotherly love – listen for his shout-out to Owen during the show.

Jack had a whole entourage to support him- me, Eric, Owen, Uncle Marc, Mamau, Great-Grandma, Nana, and Tyler.  We took up almost the entire first row!  We all were thrown many kisses from the little ham up on stage.

On Jack’s request he wore his dress pants and shirt, his tie, and his vest.  (Owen was quite put out when he found out he had to wear “not-fancy” clothes for the day…)

This video is dedicated to Great-Grandpa and Grandma Mary and Auntie Mimi who weren’t able to make it but really wanted to be there.

Jack–Christmas show 2010

Santa’s Elves

Jack and Owen had their holiday recital for Gymnastics this weekend.  Jack was very excited as it is the first time he has been old enough to perform. 

Forgive my terrible focusing job on Jack’s video.

Mama: Jack, you did so great up there!  Was it fun?

Jack:  It was a little bit fun.

Mama:  It was a little bit fun?  What was the rest of it?

Jack: Scary!!

Before the show Jack was very nervous about leaving me and only when to the “backstage” because Owen could go with him.

Owen was not with any of his classmates in the performance and had another teacher to follow rather than his normal teacher.  He was more nervous than I expected he would be. He was so serious and kept very focused on the teacher even though he had practiced and knew the moves pretty well.

Capt’n Sharky

Last Saturday was Jack’s 4th birthday party with a pirate theme.  Jack does not like ‘scary’ pirates and wanted a pirate party based on a German Pirate, Kapt’n Sharky, that we found while on our Big Big trip. We bought a nice hardback book (all in German, which we can’t read) but the monkeys and I have “read” it many times.  All we know for sure is that Capt’n Sharky is a good pirate and he fights the baddies.

There is a GREAT deal of pirate themed party stuff out there, but it is, of course, all ‘scary.’  So, I spend an unreasonable time making my own things for the party.  An insanely unreasonable amount of time – but it was fun.

Party favors made from stiff felt and sewn with embroidery floss.  (I stole this idea from Pottery Barn Kids thanksgiving settings)

The MapThe map ended up being completely useless during the party – so glad I made two…

The party goers were greeted by this rhyme,

A pirate costume,

a ship to explore,

A sword to decorate with gems and silver sparkly foam,

Then new ‘clues’ appeared leading to new games…

Pin the Parrot on the Pirate

Destroy the ‘baddies’ bombs

At first I was a little worried because the kids couldn’t pop the balloons. Seriously?  How is it my kids are often in tears from accidentally popping their balloons and these things we want to pop – won’t pop?!?!   I was just about to bring out some toothpicks to hand to the kids when Lisa said, “relax and just watch what happens!”  Super advice!  The kids had so much fun because it was a challenge. (Though Eric did sneak in and pop the last three with a toothpick.

baddie “bombs”

And here is poor baby Tyler who was just drifting off to dreamland in the back bedroom when the “bombs” were discovered…

On to Poison Pretzels where the pirates put on hooks (foil covered candy canes inserted into red plastic cups.) They used the hooks to move  a stash of pretzels from a bowl on one side of the table to a box on the other.   

The kids were not convinced that they were going to be harmed by the poison in the pretzels, and many kids abandoned their hooks and began eating the pretzels…

The next game was to use small catapults (that we made from popsicle sticks and clothes pins) to launch weighted ping-pong balls at enemy ships and their baddie pirates. The making of this game is an entire blog in itself…

 

We also had a Walk-the-Plank game where the pirates put their life on the line while walking the 8-foot plank at the great height of 4 inches -  surrounded with crocodiles/alligators… sideways, backwards, and eyes closed were popular techniques for walking the plank.

Then the treasure was discovered!

Treasure Found

We had dinner and a cake and then present time.  All the kids were very gracious at present time.  They all clambered around Jack excited to see what he got – no one sad that the presents weren’t for them.  Sweet Logan opened the packaging to a motorcycle that he bought for Jack, taking off all of those little twisty plastic-covered-wire-things that make most parents swear they will never buy a toy again (I may have to hire him on Christmas day…) 

Reindeer Engine

On Friday we went to ride the Reindeer Engine.  Our friend Tom is a fire fighter and he and his family host a party at their house  each year and let the kids ride on a decked-out fire engine complete with a sleigh and Rudolph-the-Red-Nose-Reindeer on top.  Everyone brings food and drinks to share and the adults stand around and chat with the kids play football on the lawn (or at least tackle each other if they don’t quite get a game going.)   We have done this every year since Owen was a baby and it is a really fun tradition.

I didn’t get a photo of the whole engine, but here is the important part.  The monkeys were especially excited to climb the ladder all by themselves. 

We also got to ride inside the engine.  I sat in a real seat while the monkeys sat on a tall platform in the middle of the truck.  They lay on their tummies looking out the front window.  Even though the engine simply drives around the block, the boys are thrilled by the adventure. Of course, Owen is never too thrilled; not enough to make him overlook rules…As Tom started driving the engine (at approximately 1/2 mph on the rarely-used residential road) he turned around and greeted the monkeys asking if they were having fun at the party.  Owen politely answered, “We are.”  Then, “Um, could you face forward please, so you don’t crash?”

Owen’s Christmas List

I can’t remember ever writing a Christmas list with Owen, but I often tell the monkeys, “Let’s add that to your birthday/Christmas list.”  (mostly to put a positive note on saying ‘no’ to something…)

I think Owen has been in awe of some of Jack’s birthday presents.  Tonight he decided to write a Christmas list . 

(I love his backwards letters and invented spelling!)

Cheetah Nai-nai-guy

Lego Star Wars

Star Wars Weapons

City Lego

Aircraft Carrier

Cart for shopping

Star Wars Costumes

Owen’s Christmas List

Five-Year-Old Funnies

Charlotte was at our house today for a few hours since she and Owen didn’t have school.  I was folding the origami boxes for the fudge, and asked if they wanted to sit down with me and make a box too.

After they had each made a box(quite impressive, I must say!), I suggested that they go up into Owen or Jack’s room and find something to put in the box.  Then I would ask them questions and try to guess what was inside.  (I felt slightly worried about my supervision skills over the last hour as I had let Charlotte play the Kinnect video game and then had let her play with toy guns with Owen – not exactly two things her mom is crazy about…I figured an educational-ish game might make up for it.)

They loved the idea and ran upstairs then returned quickly.  I asked them yes/no questions about their objects.  They were thrilled with knowing something that I didn’t know, and then equally thrilled with my correct final guess of their object.  They ran up and down the stairs many times bringing things like a turtle puppet, a mini Lego X-wing, a small train, a notebook, a fake credit card…After a while they graduated to gift bags to “hide” their object so they could hide bigger items.  After about 8 items each, they both came down giggling and their eyes sparkled. 

I was worried.

I asked my usual questions, is it soft/does it have wheels/is it an animal/is it made of paper… followed by new questions; would I like to touch it/is it disgusting?   I finally discovered that Owen’s item was a diaper(unused luckily).  Fits of laughter exploded from Owen and Charlotte, then they ran back upstairs.  They were still giggling when they returned – bags in hand.  Charlotte had a pair of underwear and Owen another diaper.  More ferocious laughter…  I commented that the game was turning quickly into a potty game which was, apparently, funnier than bringing down a diaper and a pair of underwear.  Owen’s next four objects were all diapers.  When you are five, jokes just get funnier each time you tell them – it was roll-on-the-floor-funny at this point…well, to some of us anyway.

When I suggested that they move on to another game, Owen brought the bag down, “Just one more time!”  After assuring me that the answer was not, “a diaper” I began to guess.  Surprise, surprise – it was a diaper AND underwear…

Happy Birthday Jack!

One of the first things Jack did today was announce, “I’m four today!”

He ran downstairs and noticed the banner that said “Happy Birthday”, then the  “Jack” banner that we had hung over the fireplace.  He noticed the letters were decorated with Captain Sharky.  He did not notice the gifts that were sitting just at his feet as he looked at the banner.  After some prompting from Eric and I he finally clued in and opened them up - a light saber night light and a garbage truck book.

Jack got to choose the events of the day. He yelled, “Museum of Flight” without hesitation.  Owen spent two hours attempting to talk Jack into going to Build-a Bear to no avail. (Owen was hoping to hang out with Uncle Marc close by and earn $5 for doing some work with him…)

So after Jack demanded “fancy clothes” and they were produced, we were off to the museum.

 

The plane that Owen is in, is right in front of the of the one Jack is in.  They boys were yelling back and forth to each other as they “flew.”  The yelled to go faster, to slow down, to land, or turn.  I decided to take a video of their exchange…and ended up with a typical Jack-ism – a very polite announcement of impending harm…

I’m So Sorry I Bombed Your Plane

After the flight museum, we went to the monkey’s gymnastics.

Then to Starbucks for a hot chocolate.

Then to visit Auntie Mimi at her work.

Nap in the car on the way home.

We watched a Shaun the Sheep show then read books.

Jack requested that Daddy bring home teriyaki, from the place near his work, for dinner. 

We opened more presents; a small StarWars metal lunchbox and a big transportation Lego set with vehicles like the ones  we used on our Big Big Trip.  Owen was very proud to give you a Jengo Fett outfit. 

We played with Lego, then the whole family put Jack to bed.

Jack was very happy with all of his decisions of what to do today!

_______

Dear Jack,

You are my baby, my dear sweet, out-side-the-box, crazy, unpredictable, affectionate boy.  You totally have me wrapped around your little finger, and though I know it, I don’t seem to be able to do anything about it.  Honestly, I am not sure I want to... I love your spirit – your unchecked way of expressing yourself.  You will yell that you don’t like me, then you will yell that you love me forever; and you mean both fully and truly at the time.

You have asked for several things for your birthday, none of which you truly want, I think.  It is that you adore your big brother Owen, and so you pick the things that he likes to play with.  Star Wars and Lego are on your list.  You do ask for garbage trucks too.  You already have quite an assortment of garbage trucks.  You still love them and we still watch them every Friday morning and pull the car over to watch them whenever we can – we did today!

What else is there to tell about you as you wrap up a year of being three?  You would eat crackers all day if I would let you.  You sometime curl up in bed on your own and take a nap.  You love cats – especially black ones.  You like to pretend you speak French.  You like to be loud – it is fun to you – a loud song, a loud sentence or a loud sound – doesn’t matter.  You also follow up sneaky sentences with a sly “I’m-so cute” grin.  And you are cute.

You are cute, and kind, and polite, and funny, and loving.  I am so glad you are in our family!