Pumpkin Patch!!

From Mickey to Cars. and Journey too!

Trevor's obsession with Mickey Mouse has transferred over to Cars. He still loves Mickey and says "Mouse" whenever he sees him, but constantly asks for Cars. He watches that movie more than I could imagine. He even woke up in the middle of the night last night, and clear as day, said, "Cars! Mommy! Cars! Daddy! Cars!" But he went back to sleep eventually. Then at 5:30, he heard the train and said, "Choo-choo."  Thankfully, he slept til about 7 today, even though I forgot to turn off my alarm!
Jack started CCE classes. The first week, Trevor threw a fit when we dropped off Jack. We couldn't even stay for church. I tried again the next week, but it was the same. It was pretty embarassing!  At least he loves his brother!
He's getting pretty good at climbing too! He climbed into the jogging stroller all by himself several times. Next, he'll be strapping himself in!
The book fair is coming to school next week and Jack made a list with about $50 or more worth of books he wants. He asked if he could do chores for a few dollars. I told him if he cleaned his room really well, I'd buy him a book. I've NEVER seen that room more spotless besides the times I did it! Maybe I'll get him to mop and vacuum for another book too. He also kept it pretty clean when I was giving him a quarter for each day he kept it clean. Spunky gets in there and finds the little things and plays with them around the house. Trevor does the same too, I guess.
He doesn't pull Spunky's tail quite as much as he used to. And Spunky has ventured into the front yard many times now. I think he was out all night last night. He bit me pretty good when I wouldn't let him out earlier.
His other favorite phrase is, "Not nice!" He screams it at the top of his lungs sometimes, even when Jack is trying to share with him. The daycare said he was pushing kids one day, but then quickly said that the other kids do it, and he probably just picked it up from them. He swats his hand at us constantly. If you have any suggestions on how to stop that, PLEASE let me know. We put him in "timeout" because he seemed to know what that was from daycare, but it's not working.  I guess that's better than standing and dancing on the kiddie table like the other two kids at daycare were doing.
Jack and I went to two concerts together last weekend! He came with me to BestFest, which was an outdoor concert downtown featuring CAKE. After we had to move because we thought our friend was being arrested after an incident of him using his super nice camera to get some really awesome pictures, we went to the back of the area. It was there I think I embarrassed Jack the most. My friend Mary pointed out that it wasn't as embarrassing as it was for the girl in front of us whose mom was dancing around like crazy.
Then we rushed off to the Woodlands for Journey! We caught the last song of Foreigner. Then when Journey came on, everyone stood up. He didn't want me to hold him up. I guess that was too embarrassing too! Then I made a deal with him...if he let me hold him up, we'd look at the shirts. He was okay with that. But when we went, they didn't have any kids' shirts and he was devasted!! We went back to our spot that our cool older couple neighbors saved for us and he fell asleep, granted it was really getting late by then. By the time we got to the car, we probably left 15 minutes before they would've stopped. I knew he should've taken a nap earlier in the day.

I don't even know where to begin...Trevor has grown so much over the past month. A few weeks ago, he actually held Jack's hand at the store. He has been playing with him more and even gives him hugs and kisses! We fill out surveys for the Ages and Stages Program. They keep up with the development of preemies. Every few months we get a survey. When we get it there always seems to be something we are worried about. Then a few days after we mail it, he starts doing whatever we were worried about. So this month after we mailed it, he started talking so much more. He loves to climb on the couch to reach the light switch, then turn it on and off.  He has also learned how to open the refrigerator. I think doorknobs might be next! YIKES! I'll post pictures soon!

This past week, Trevor started saying Nana, Nanny, love you, and thank you (just today). He copies alot of what we say. He still loves Wheel of Fortune and yells "LOOK" when they spin the wheel. He said A, E, and H after the people on the show did yesterday. Last week, we were at Space Center Houston (Trevor's first trip) and he was squirming to get down and said, "I walk." I thought it was just a coincidence, but he's done it several times since. He'll pick up things and say either Mama, Daddy, or Dack (Jack) if he thinks it's ours, but its' more of a question (like he'll pick up Conor's shirt and say "Daddy's?") It's super cute. He even went to give it to Conor one time.  Today, he picked up a big pack of paper towels that I had set down outside the car and he carried them in for me!! I made it a point to show Jack that he did it without me asking! : ) Jack complains ALOT and had just complained about carrying them at the store.  The past two days have been the first in a LONG time that they've played together and had fun. Yesterday it was with the shopping cart Trevor got for his birthday. Jack never had one, so I think that's the reason behind it. Then today, they were sword fighting with foam poles and Trevor was yelling "Bang, Bang!"

Spunky is still Spunky. He has random attacks on us. Jack is getting a little upset with him because Spunky likes to go in his room and jump on everything, therefore knocking all the little things down, or forts. I think he needs to be an outside cat, but I can't leave him out there now when it's been over 100 degrees. So maybe in the fall he will go find new friends outside to keep him company.
We started school this week. After the first day, Jack said all they were doing this week was listening. He sounded incredibly bored about it. I explained that you had to learn all the teacher's rules so that was understandable. The second day, he said the same thing. The third day, without asking him, he said "We actually did something today. I was shocked."  It was very hard not to laugh at that. I wasn't sure what to say.

It hasn't been as hard as I thought it'd be starting this year without Suzy. It's only because I've been so busy. At school, I'm usually not ready enough, so every spare moment I have I'm trying to think about what I should be doing. I have an interesting class this year. I know alot of the kids' parents, so it's kind of weird. Today we were practicing how to "waft" (smell something by waving the smell to your nose with your hand instead of just sniffing it) So I had different things in Dixie cups for them to smell. It made it more interesting because I made them close their eyes so they wouldn't see what it was. One of the kids reminded me of Ratatouille.  It was so hard not to laugh. So I did it anyways - we all were.  We had lots of fun. We had 8 different things to smell. On the eighth one, the principal and the superintendent of the district walked in the room. I had saved the best for last - apple cider vinegar. Of course I was laughing when he walked in b/c the last student had just smelt it and was holding his nose afterwards and complaining. So then Dr. York walks to the front and says he has to try it. I made him close his eyes first and then he didn't know what wafting was!!  We had to help him out and he said he learned a new word. I didn't ask if he knew what the scent was. But after some clues, one of the kids blurted it out! It was a good way to end the day.  It's been a great first week. I knew all their names by the end of day 1 - all 17 boys and 7 girls. I get to keep them all day this year, so this'll be interesting!! : )

Trevor's come a long way in the past few weeks. He's finally saying Momma on a regular basis now, and even Daddy too!  He says outside, mine, look, and the cutest is please.  He gets very excited about seeing 18-wheelers on the road. He still did not like the beach, but Jack sure does.

The second picture is of Trevor and Spunky taking a nap. I was stuck in the middle of them!  Then we have Brooklyn (I believe) with Dumo (Jack's buddy). She didn't know what to think of that.  Then one of Trevor is Spunky's new play area, that they enjoyed more at first than the cat (see video...they also liked the mouse toy almost more than Spunky). Then Jack digging for gems, Trevor at the beach, celebrating 2009 (...WHAT?), Trevor in Dad's flipflops, and Jack feeding one of the girls (I knew which one then, but now I'm not sure!).

Trevor and Jack are both in daycare full time now since Conor started his new job last week! Jack likes it alot. He was getting pretty bored at home. Friday I picked up Trevor, told him to say bye and he went back in the room and gave one of his friends a high five and walked right back out. It was so cute. Then he picked up his blanket and pillow and carried them outside. We went to the beach again this weekend and I got him to play in the sand for a little bit. We even sat in the water after a little bit of fussing. Jack and Jeremy had a blast on the float and few waves there were.  Trevor is now saying "please" and "yes" sometimes, although yes to him is "uh-uh" which really sounds like no. I had him putting his hands together like he was begging a few times. Instead of "open" he says something like "gunk."

Spunky ~ The Kitten

Yes we got a kitten on Thursday. The look on Jack's face when we asked him if he wanted one was priceless! He even agreed to clean the litter box, although that hasn't happened yet. Jack said he already had a name for him - Spunky. Not sure where that came from AT ALL, but after meeting him, it definitely fits. He has already scratched up Trevor's face, but what do you expect when Trevor gets up in his face.  We need to trim his claws....soon.
 After putting the flea medicine on him today, we couldn't touch him after being at the beach all day. Jack was in there talking to him saying, "I can't pet you Spunky. But I would if I could."
Speaking of the beach, Trevor absolutely hated it, while Jack wouldn't come out of the water according to Jessica, who went to the beach while Dusty and I watched the girls. Little did I know he took the calm one outside and I was left with the fussy baby and the other fussy baby, Trevor. After Trevor stopped his ear piercing screams, Brylee (I think) fell asleep on me while Trevor pulled at my pant's leg.

Then to dinner for Jeremy's birthday. It went much better than I thought it would with three small children. Trevor was happy and walking around giving my mom hugs and rolling the crayons across the table. We came home to an extremely hyper kitten and a pop up tent in the living room. The video shows what happened next.

Jack's birthday party yesterday was a success! It was a scientist party so we did several experiments. Some didn't turn out as well as planned, but the kids still loved it. Based on my past experience with making cakes at the last minute, I was a bit nervous about this one. But it turned out just as planned, except I was so rushed that I forgot to put the markings on the beaker. Jessica brought the girls, so the grandmas got to entertain them!