Food Revolution

If you've been keeping up with me you know that I love Jamie Oliver and am passionate about the Food Revolution. This clip (bear with me, I hope it works!) shows Jamie in a 1st grade classroom, kids about 6, and none of the kids can identify simple veg like tomatoes, potatoes, or broccoli. Well, here at the Everett Food Revolution we have taken it a step further. OK, Jake still mixes up the words for potato and tomato occasionally (he is, after all, only 2.5 and they do sound the same) but he knows his herbs! Here is a video of us touring our herb garden with Jake as a guide:

I have the best kid in the world.

We had an up and down weekend. Saturday was really fun. We went to Fairy Tale Town and had a blast. Jake especially loved the train and the pirate ship. To no one's surprise. Those are basically his favorite things in the world right now. To the extent that we are thinking of one or the other as a birthday party theme. Of course, if I can figure out how to do train pirates we're set. Saturday night it was just Jake and I and we played explorer with flashlights in his room. He crawled under the table in his closet and KiBa joined him. The door closed. There was lots of giggling and KiBa came squirming out at the earliest possible opportunity. I didn't ask. After that we played with blocks. Usually he builds a tower out of the single legos as tallk as he can go. This time he actually built a structure (out as well as up!), which was cool.

Sunday came and we did the usualy morning stuff: park, market, Marie's. Then we picked up Papa to go to Best Buy to get him a new TV. Well, a day of crazy ensued in which Jake was dragged to Papa's house (not exactly a playground), Best Buy, home an hour late for lunch and nap, Papa's house again after playing with Memaw for a while and eating dinner. Through all of it he was in a great mood, even while tired and hungry. I got him an ice cream on the way home from our second trip to Papa's because he'd been such an angel. He even helped me throw out the food when we cleaned out the fridge at Papa's. At Best Buy he had a ball because he could open the fridge doors for as long as he wanted and press the buttons on the dishwashers. Two forbidden activities at home. At Papa's he played with the balls on the pool table and the felt brush. He entertained himself in some tough places and was solid gold. Seriously, could not be more proud.

The school had an ice cream social and ladybug release last Friday. Daddy went and took some pictures. Apparently he didn't squish any (an improvement over last year) but shook them off right away because they tickle. True, but if he's going to keep helping me in the garden he's going to have to get over this anti-bug thing!

His new favorite phrase is "okie dokie, artichokie." I know he got it from me and it makes me laugh every time. He's getting taller and taller and more like a boy instead of a baby, physically and mentally, every day. I'm so very proud of him but it also makes me a little sad how fast it's going by. All I can say is I'm enjoying the ride because I've got great company! Love you, my baby!!

If not Stanford football...

then maybe Jake has a future in Ultimate Fighting or some other martial art. Or maybe just hockey. It was very rainy this weekend so we were doing our running around indoors (mostly. There were a few minutes of jumping in puddles outside). Jake was having a great time running in from the front room at top speed and tackling me. I used to prented to let him knock me over. It's not so much pretend any more. One of the times he got me, he head butted me right on the bridge of my nose. I actually heard soemthing go "crunch." It's not broken (yet) and not much bleeding, but I was hit badly enough to make my eyes water and have to get ice (or frozen corn, as the case may be). I had thought it might turn into a shiner, but it looks like just a big bruise is developing right across the bridge of my nose. Thanks, kid. Now I have to tell people Steve beats me just so I don't have to live with the stigma of being beaten up by a 2.5 year old. And, of course, Jake started crying. It's hard to have a lot of sympathy for the bat when you're the ball. Sorry, Hon. Not my most empathetic maternal moment.
So the latest thing Jake is doing is making up random words. He will be playing and just jabbering away. Almost like a cross between words and sound effects. Hmm... I wonder what goes on in that brain of his!? He is also starting to randomly break into song. This is less troubling since his father and I both do that too, so it's easier to see where he gets it.
We went to Ama's house this weekend. She's away on a trip and Jake missed her. Of course, he still got a cookie right when we got there, so that took the sting out. However, he didn't want to leave and now wants to go on a trip. I imagine we will, but probably not to Europe like Ama just yet. When she called on Sunday morning he insisted on talking to her. Not sure what that will cost, but she assured me it was worth it. He is getting much better about having a phone conversation (more talking, less nodding) and is more coherent and understandable. It was really sweet.
All I can say is no one's throwing up. The dogs are still alive (a seeming miracle some days) and all is right with the world. That's all I could ask for an I'm grateful!

Not so happy Easter.

Well, we've suvived Jake's first stomach flu. I can tell you, he hates the process as much as I do. You can't even get the bowl we were using to "catch" near him without him starting to cry. But it was blessedly brief. Now I'm just hoping that after being thrown up on 6 times and spending a very uncomfortable night on Jake's floor, I don't get it. Oh please, oh please, oh please...

About Cherries

There are times when you just need to have the little robot that hovers around your child taping contantly because if you get up to get the Flip you know the moment will be over. Since those little hover robots haven't yet been invented, I enjoyed the moment and will write about it here so I will remember (even if I can't share). Last night Jake delivered one of his trademark impromptu concerts. Stage (big step stool), guitar, singing, and everything. There is a ritual to be performed now. The large step stool must be brought into the play room. The doors to the den have to be shut. The door to the playroom has to be shut. The lights in the playroom must be shut off (thankfully, for this concert, it was still light enough outside to see the performer). The guitar is fetched, the stage is taken, and the concert begins!

Last night Jake decided he wanted to sing a song about cherries. Now, I don't remember the last time he had a cherry, but I'm guessing it was last cherry season. Except for the ones in his ice cream on Tuesday nights. Maybe he was singing about those. Not sure where "cherries" came from. Anyway. I told him I didn't know a song about cherries and asked if he did. He said yes and that's what started this whole process off. He strummed his guitar, sang "about cherries" repeatedly, and even did a little dance (added bonus points for the red flashy shoes! Like strobe lights at a rock concert!). At one point he looked about and did a little improv, singing about other things that he could see (about the TV.... about Daddy's toy (the Wii)). He ended with a musical flourish, left the stage, and bowed to the cheering audience (ok, the order of those needs some work, but he is only 2, after all). All in all, an amazing concert. One of Jake's best yet. Carnegie Hall, here we come!!