Blankies

I decided this blog would not be complete without a posting of the kids' beloved blankies.  Five years ago (!) I wrote a post about what I thought might become AJ's lovie at the time, blue dog.  Let's just say I have no idea where blue dog is today, but we absolutely cannot make it through the day unless we know exactly where AJ's beloved polka dot blankie is.  This is one of three swaddling blankets I bought with different prints back when AJ was a baby, and the one with the polka dots and stars had by far the loudest print.  Perhaps that is what caught his eye and made it his favorite.  I was fortunate enough to come across a second one with an identical print somewhere around the time AJ turned two and it became clear this was a favorite, so we have the original polka dot blankie and its stunt double, the backup.

The polka dot blankie has been through a lot with AJ.  The original looks like it went through a shredder.  At one point, Joe even told AJ he had sent the blanket to the cleaners in Chicago.  It stayed in the backseat of Joe's car for several weeks while AJ had to make do with the backup-but-far-less-superior polka dot blankie.    Joe hoped AJ would forget about the original.  I can't remember how how or why it made a re-appearance, but when it did AJ must have forgotten how ragged it really was, because he immediately exclaimed "well the cleaners really tore up my blankie and ripped it all to shreds!"  But it was welcomed home nonetheless.

David and Julia have also become attached to blankets.  After seeing AJ's affection for his blanket, we bought three blankets each for David and Julia, and they rotate their love between any of the three but always ask for one when they are upset, riding in the car or ready for bed.  It is a common refrain around here to hear "my blankie! my blankie!"  It is sometimes said lovingly, sometimes with a wail but always with a deep love and desire to be comforted.  I am curious to figure out when AJ no longer needs or seeks out his polka dot blankie and think I will be a little bit sad when that day comes.

Wish List

Tonight Davey asked for paper and markers, and it quickly became apparent that he had seen someone, probably one of his teachers, working on a wish list for the holidays. He said "It has been a long year and I have been waiting so patiently and I would really like (taps pen to his lips)...ice cream!"  He repeated his same schtick over with each new item, and so far the list for Santa also includes a cookie, cake, jelly beans, and a tree.  And then came the biggie...an iPad.  I told him Santa only gives little boys toys, not $700 computers.  Hey, a kid can wish I guess.  Here are some shots of his list:

Ice cream

Cookie

Tree

iPad

Leader of the Pack

David's preschool director called me the day after the Halloween parade to tell me that he took to the spotlight during the costume parade.  Apparently all of the other preschool kids got a little shy when it came time to sing the Halloween songs in front of the big kids from the elementary school, but not David.  He was enthusiastically belting out the tunes and calling out other titles to sing.  He has always been a little ham.

My favorite part of seeing David dress up at school was his infatuation with one of his classmates, Miss N.  When we were walking into school, David started asking me "Where is N.?  Where is N.?  Is N. here today?"  I had no idea who he was talking about.  Once in his classroom, David continued to ask for N., until the girl in the long pink wig pictured above entered the room dressed as Strawberry Shortcake, prompting David to call out loudly for all to hear "I love you, N.!"  Not sure whether the flowing pink hair inspired his declaration of love or whether he is this enamored on a daily basis.  He has lately started to refer to her as his best friend.

Big Happy Jack

I wrote about our original Happy Jack carved with Papa back in 2010 here, and we were delighted when Papa and Grandma came for a visit a week ago and imported the biggest carving pumpkin we have ever known from Chicago.  Like a Chicago Superfan from the old Saturday Night Live sketch, this pumpkin was larger than life. This guy gets the title Big Happy Jack.  It is going to be a hard one to top in 2013, Papa.  We had several trick-or-treaters admiring it.

Ladybug

What a difference two years make!  Here is Julia on Halloween three days after she was born and then again two years later.