Good Family, Good Friends

We’ve had a wonderful past few weeks spending time with family and friends both in Colorado and the Bay Area. TJ & Mommy were able to take some time off and fly to Denver for the Memorial Day weekend holiday. It was the first time in six weeks we saw Daddy, and it was a happy reunion!

TJ was reunited with Ga, Pa, Aunt G and his best buddy Jack and his Mommy Susie.
It was so funny to see Jack and TJ pick up right where they left off… they had such a fun time together.

TJ was greeted with a new beach ball/water sprinkler and a tent at Ga & Pa’s. He loved the new toys, but spent most of his time in his favorite part of Pa’s house – the sandbox! He spent hours on end playing in the sand!

During our visit with the grandparents, the whole family ventured to Salida to plant flowers for Memorial Day. We had lunch at one of the parks Mommy used to play at, and TJ was able to charm his way on the teeter-totter with Ga & Pa! It was hilarious to watch them on that thing – and even funnier watching them try to get off it!

We were lucky enough our visit coincided with the graduation of one of TJ’s second cousins. It was so fun to have the entire Reno group together. TJ loved playing with his cousin Stevie (he called him Steamy) and his crazy Uncle Carl!

Before driving back to Denver, we celebrated Aunt G's birthday with dinner and ice cream cupcakes... so of course, TJ loved that!

When we headed back to Denver, we were able to get TJ’s whole gang together at the park. He was so excited to see Jack, Asher, Camden and Pay… and he cried when it was time to leave. We are so fortunate to have found such a wonderful group of friends for not only TJ, but Mommy, too! And we are happy to still get to see everyone when we visit!

It was more difficult saying goodbye to everyone this time around… especially Daddy. We’re happy that was the last time we’ll have to do that because Daddy is driving to SF for good!!! Yesterday, we closed on our home in Parker, and Daddy hit the road. We can’t believe this long chapter is finally over! How we managed to get through the last five months, I don’t know! We’re just all glad we made it out alive!

Last weekend, Uncle Marshall made a trip to SF and spent time with Mommy & TJ. It was so nice to have company! We had a great time taking him around the city, down the coast and up to Sausalito. TJ introduced Uncle Marshall to Korean cartoons, and watched Cars2 with him. When I picked TJ up from school on Monday and Marshall had left TJ said, “Where’s Uncle Marshall? He’s not in our car. I want him back.” Guess he’ll just have to come back and visit!

This weekend, we plan on getting some much-needed family time in together, then Ga & Aunt G make their way to SF later next week!

TJ Loves...

Cupcakes.  (if you can't tell from the picture)

Singing.  Some of his favorite songs are: "Life is a Highway" "You've Got a Friend in Me" "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" "You Are My Sunshine"  "Que Sera Sera" and "Sing a Song of Six Pence" Ms. Irina says he loves to sing solos at music class, and if they skip a song, he'll tell them, "Hey guys, you forgot 'Twinkle Twinkle!"  He also likes to dance to Kenny Chesney and sing "My tractor's sexy!"

Korean Cartoons.  He watches "Robots" and "Little Bus Tayo" on YouTube.  I'm not even sure how we came across them, but he loves them!  I had to google them to find out what their names were since it was written in Korean.  But TJ, he knew the blue bus' name was Tayo without me saying anything.  Freaky.

M&Ms.  He eats them with Pa on the computer.  TJ will pick out a color and tell Pa to eat the same color with him.

BoBos.  He enjoys playing and sharing with our cat, Bo.  He'll give him chicken, blackberries, peas... everything but M&Ms.  He likes to play trucks with Bo, rolling them along his back.  Bo enjoys the massage, too! :) This morning, TJ was so excited because Bo slept in his room on his rocking chair.

Cars, trucks and blocks.  He has a ton of them, and he plays with them all.  He tells me he loves "trash trucks the best," but he likes any kind of construction trucks and tractors.  He also loves all of his Cars from the movie.  He can play endlessly with his Legos... making trains, airplanes and cities.

Jack.  Every night he talks about his best buddy Jack.  He usually says something like, "Jack's trouble." or "Susie's a hot mess."  But he always says, "I go see him in Colorado."

Daddy, Ga & Pa.  Every night before bed he has to call both Daddy and his Ga & Pa and tell them "night night!"  He gets mad at me if I hang up the phone before he gives them a kiss, and he'll make Mommy call them back.

Watching TV.  Cars, Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Firemand Sam and Caillou are on the most requested and most-watched list right now.  He also loves to watch Wipeout and Dancing with the Stars... and he acts BOTH of the shows out!

'Nastics.  We are lucky we found a great place for TJ to continue going to gymnastics once a week.  The one here offers more of a "free-play" style, and he loves to climb ladders, walk on the balance beam, do handstands, jump on the trampoline, and towards the end... chase the girls! :)

Talking.  This kid never stops talking.  He will talk (or sing) himself to sleep.  He will talk in his sleep.  He will talk when he's eating... he talks all the time!!! He even talks (and sings) in Russian.  He says please, thank you, you're welcome, car, jacket, poop, 'good boy,' and who knows what else. He's becoming quite the expert. Today, he even corrected me when I made a poor attempt at saying "You're welcome" in Russian.

Colorado.  Or as he says it, Codorado.  He misses home.  He asks about Colorado every day, and he talks about his Colorado house and his Colorado school and his Colorado friends.  He likes San Franchesco, too, but he's so excited to be going to "Codorado" this weekend to see everyone!

Fun With Grandma

TJ and Ga were reunited this past week, and the little boy couldn't have been happier.  He soaked up every minute with Grandma... waking early and falling asleep super late, like 10:30 p.m. late! Mommy had to work, but the two had plenty of fun playing in the backyard, reading books, playing trains and singing songs all day.

On Saturday, TJ decided he wanted to take Ga to Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf.  (Again.)  He wanted to eat at Bubba Gumps (again),  ride the zebra on the carousel (again) and watch the sea lions (again.) :)  TJ absolutely loves Fisherman's Wharf.  He asks to go back about every other day.  I love seeing him so happy!

TJ was spoiled rotten while Ga was here.  It was like Christmas!  He got gifts at the Wharf, the Mickey Mouse store, and Ga took him on a trip to Toys R Us where Pa told him he could pick out a big John Deere Tractor.  Of course, Pa couldn't be left out, and he mailed him a Goofy Monster Truck toy while Ga was here.  When it arrived, TJ took Goofy out and introduced him to his other cars.  He said, "This is Goofy.  This is Red.  This is Fancy (the name of his fancy red fire truck)... and so on and so on.  He did the same thing with John Deere.  This boy is a crack up!  Today, after Ga left he said, "Ga is the best.  In the world."  And when he played with Goofy he said, "Pa gave me that.  I like Pa's toys."  Well, I guess so!!!

TJ has had a busy last few weeks.   He met his new pediatrician, Dr. Berston, and TJ & Mommy really like him!  He had a quick checkup – he’s 70^th percentile in weight, 50^th in height, and Dr. Berston says TJ’s very advanced.  He says his comprehension, vocabulary and speech is at the level of a 3 ½ - 4 year-old.  It is pretty remarkable how this kid communicates.  Tantrums and fits are rare because he can express in complete sentences what he wants… what he’s feeling… etc. 

TJ knows shapes, colors and some of his letters.  He can say his ABC’s, count to 10… even counting pictures and everything he can see.  He knows feelings – TJ can look at a picture and tell me the person is happy, sad, grumpy, etc.  And his memory is absolutely nuts.  TJ remembers who gave him nearly every toy or book.  He told Aunt G the other day that she bought him the fire truck he was playing with.  She did buy it for him – before Christmas! 

He is also picking up Russian.  Ms. Irina is Russian, and she speaks the language with the children.  He sings songs in Russian, and he also can say thank you, car, and jacket.  The most amazing thing is that he comprehends what Ms. Irina is saying.  Today, she was speaking to him in Russian, asking him questions, and TJ was answering the questions correctly in English.  It was really something to see.

TJ also had his first dentist visit.  He cried a little during the cleaning from the dental hygienist, but when it was time for the dentist to look at his teeth, he opened up and said, AHHHHHH.  It was too cute!  He was so excited he got a sticker and a toy airplane, and the next morning he asked if he could go back to the dentist.

Last week, TJ gave up his binkies.  About a month ago when Daddy was visiting, he spotted a very special toy at the Mickey Mouse store – a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Glove Balloon set.  It was a pricey toy, so we told him he couldn’t have it then, and he would have to earn it.  Then, I remembered the idea TJ’s Colorado pediatrician had given us – Let him use his binkies to buy a toy at the toy store.  For a month, we talked about how when he was ready, TJ could pay for the glove balloon with his binkies.  He’d get close to doing it… even getting buckled in the car, then decide he’d like to keep the binkies, and we’d go back in the house.  When Ga was here, TJ decided he was a big boy, and he was ready.  He paid for his special big boy toy, and that was that.  He’s asked for his binky a few times, but then I explain to him what he did, and he accepts it.  He even told Ga, “I’m a big boy.  I don’t need a binky.  I like my new toy.”  Seriously.  The kid needs to slow down and stop growing up so fast!

This weekend should be low-key.  We’re counting down the days to our trip to Colorado Memorial Day weekend.  We’re extra excited that Daddy will be driving out a few days after we return to SF, and our family will be whole again!