Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Mr. Affectionate. . .


We all went grocery shopping together Monday night. . . DeliveranceMart and Giant Eagle. . .
The usual. . .

When Jack was little, he loved riding around in the grocery carts that looked like a car. . .which have now evolved into giant red carts that resemble giant red cars. . .with the little ones sitting on top with two steering wheels. . .

Jack still enjoys the ride. Lukey . . . well, he's not so much a driver, but will tolerate sitting there with his big brother. . .
Right now, they both just fit. . .probably not for too much longer, however.

As Sam pushed them around Giant Eagle's produce department, I scurried around getting items from the list. We stopped together to pick out apples (pink ladies for me; granny smiths for sam). Peeking over at the boys, we saw Luke with his head on Jack's shoulder. . .

Such an aaawwwww moment. . .
And then, he reached up and smoothed Jack's cheek with his tiny fingers. . .

Be still my mama's heart.

Such a sweetheart. . .

And then last night, at bedtime. . . After a multitude of Thomas tales, Sam put Luke into his crib. . . turned on the birdies and the dog train. . . and shut the door.

And a little voice cried out: kisses! kisses! kisses!

So we all rushed back into his room for kisses for his sleepy head. . .
contented, he went to sleep.

Monday, April 28, 2008

mama. . .doant you wan to take a picture. . .


silly puppy torture. . .





and the innocent smile. . .

so much like his Dada. . .



dinner conversations. . .

[Jack, age 4, hoping to catch a robin last May.]


Jack discussed his plans for the summer this weekend with Dada at the dinner table.

Namely, that he is going to catch a bird this summer.
Is there anything to help you catch a bird?
[He was catching butterflies Thursday in a little net he repurposed from the elephant game in the basement. Very cute to watch him racing across the yard. . .Max bounding after him. . .trying to catch those cute little white butterflies of early spring. . . Anyway, I think maybe he was hoping there was a net to catch birds as well.]

And Dada, in his usual teasing way, What are you going to do with a bird when you catch it? Eat it?

The look on Jack's face. . .classic. . . Who in the world eats fevers? (feathers)

He spent the rest of the weekend devising ways to catch birds. Throwing water on their wings so they can't fly. . .Sending Dada in on the flank while he approaches from the side. . .

Sunday, as we pulled into the driveway after some shopping, we noticed a robin, a rabbit, and a squirrel in the backyard. Moments later, Jack was across the yard

. . .tiptoeing. . .

stealthily hoping to catch one of those illusive guys.


Friday, April 25, 2008

Boy Games

I walked outside with Max for not three minutes (I take him out obsessively. . .trying to keep the floor clean). . .and I walk in the door to find the boys at the top of the steps.

. . .giggling. . .

usually not a good sign.

And then I hear the words that makes a Mama's heart happy. . .

Lukey's turn. (jack)

And then I see them both slide down the steps on their bellies. . .

Joyful.

Oh well, it's Friday. Everyone's celebrating.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

schma schmatest. . .

Or, the latest (in Schmuzzish. . .we watch The Upside Down Show during breakfast everyday. . .and Jack and I are determined to learn to speak the Schmuzzies language).

Sunday we had sgabetty (Lukanese: spaghetti) for dinner. And we all sat at the table at the same time. Amazing. And fun.

Max is growing taller day by day, I swear. Those legs just get longer and longer. Sam and I keep telling Jack that he is eventually going to be taller than the house (ala Clifford) . . . and I'm beginning to believe it.

Max loves to race from the entry way into the living room and leap into my lap (when I'm on the couch). I absolutely love it. And am determined not to have a dog (especially his size) who thinks the couch belongs to him. . . oh well. . .

Luke adores Max. Chasing him around the house calling Come here, Max! Wanting to throw toys for him (sometimes right to his face. . .oops! we're working on that one). Laying on the floor on his belly watching his every movement. . .laughing hysterically.

Pap Pap will be here twice this week. . . Once yesterday (so I could volunteer in Jack's classroom) and once today (so I can get root canal #3. . .ugh. . .). Yesterday it was Eat n Park cookies. . . Today, it's ice cream. . .


Luke loves:

playing with battery operated Percy on the train track. . .especially watching him fall of the track (and just letting him run and run. . .I should count how many times I've said help Percy in the last week. . .I swear he's going to burn out the motor. . .but it never
does. . .)

playing with Lightning MacQueen and Mac the Truck. . .

going outside to swing

singing little songs and repeating little stories to himself as he plays (love it!)

reading Ain't Gonna Paint no More; Up, Up, Down; A Was Once an Apple Pie; Yankee Doodle; Ten Apples up on Top


Jack loves

playing with the soccer ball outside with Dada

running around with Max outside

playing outside period

going to the library

playing his video games


Happy days.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

I want to remember. . .

Jack stayed home from school yesterday. . .with the stomach flu (day 2). . .
And we played Legos all morning. . .creating our own Ferrari car garage (found the instructions online at the Lego site. . .and improvised our own cool garage. . .complete with lots of speed gadgets. . .a gas gun. . .and a coffee pot).

Luke told us he was "hungee" (hungry) and sat at the dinner table for the first time. . .
He also said grace with Dada:

Thank you god
Goodies, goodies
For this food
Food! Food! Food!
Amen

Too cute. His dinner consisted of Dora yogurt. . .roasted tomato wheatables. . .and goldfish crackers. . .Lukey specialties.

A great day in the Zeli house.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

the game. . .


For a little boy who loves to color. . . Who has filled up books and books with his circles and cookies and stop signs and chassy wites (traffic lights) . . . I continue to wonder if he knows those colors. . .

That's wed. . . that's bwoo. . . that's gween. . . that's yellow. . .

All while pointing at his blue blankie. . .

And he looks at me with that little tilt of his head. . .eyes shining. . .and smiles. . .

And now. . .

that's brown. . .that's brown. . .that's brown. . .

What's brown? This? (pointing to the computer)

That's door.

he's awake. . .

and moaning about changing his diaper. . .

no!

and put shoes on!

And when I suggest he go upstairs to get his shoes. . .

sprawled all over the gossip bench. . .not shoes on!

And when I suggest he color. . . no!

And then. . . Dora! Dora!

and then he. . .


and in Sodor. . .


yet another line has been constructed in Sodor.
When Jack was this age, I would construct tracks on the floor of his bedroom or the dining room. . .huge circles that he would go round and round for days. . . It was a special treat for us to go to the B House (Barnes and Noble) or the Star House (Toys R Us) to play with trains on an actual train table.
For Christmas last year, my Dad built the boys their very own train table. Which they loved. Although Jack uses it once in a while, Luke is here for hours every day. . . Making up little stories about the fubble fwocks (the troublesome trucks) on the foo fack (train track). . . Or troubles with James and the scawee (scary) dragon. . . And Gordon carrying his load. . . And, of course, Percy and Thomas. . .
The difference is that once Mama constructs a track, Luke is on the job reconstructing. He has very specific ideas of how he feels Sodor should look (ideas that change daily. . .hourly. . .). Love his creativity. His willingness to fearlessly try new ideas. . . And the sweet little boy stories he tells as the trains go about their day.

sick days



Monday. . .
a crayon coloring. . .
a lap snuggling. . .
floor napping. . .
sick day. . .

[love the little marker cap on his finger as he fell asleep on the living room floor. . .ten minutes before we had to go pick up his brother from Kindergarten . . .]




Today. . .
bleary eyed. . .
cartoon watching. . .
sock wearing. . .
sick day. . .
[Stomach flu. . .round two . . . hoping that this is the last of it. . . but spending a snuggly morning together. . .watching on demand episodes of our favorite cartoons. . .Dexter's Lab and Buzz Lightyear. . .]

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

kite flying


The wind was just right for flying kites last night. After dinner, we loaded up the boys and drove up to Park and Pool to fly kites as the sun set. I was amazed how quickly the wind lifted them from our fingertips . . . pulling them higher and higher into the sky . . .

Jack held tightly onto Buzz Lightyear. . . expertly tossing him back into the clouds when he crashed in front of us. . .

Luke eager to hold Elmo . . . asserting his trademark independence, and insisting he hold the line himself. . . And doing so well. . .

Dada, I call, look at Luke with his kite! And a smiling little boy tosses the string in the air out of my reach [that's so Luke]. . . and Jack and I race after the plastic string case which skips just out of fingertip's reach. . . And we laugh at our usual Zeli mishaps. . .

As poor Elmo crashes to the ground, Luke runs to him . . . In the sky . . .in the sky. . .

Above our laughter and kite follies, a plane draws his greeting to the setting sun. . . Jack, do you think he's watching our kites? . . .

A sweet end to a Monday. . . a perfect way to begin a new week. . .

moments together . . .




We took Max for his first official walk (with his leash) on the rail trail. Even Dude (aka the Old Dog) came along.

Early afternoon, and a little chilly. . . But we relished the chance to finally get out and feel
Spring. . .

We paused at the wetland along the way to watch the geese play tag . . . honking with childlike glee. . . diving underwater. . .and then emerging, wings wide, showering his companions. . .

Jack took turns holding Max's leash. . .beginning to learn the responsibilities of being a dog owner. . .and friend. . . Tiptoeing into this new role. . .timidly. . .but becoming more confident as the days pass. . . And again we are reminded how fast he is growing. . . becoming . . . right before our eyes. . .

Luke ran along the trail happily. . . Finding rocks. . . and walking all alone (without the insistence of UP) much further than those little legs could carry him in the fall. . . At times eagerly clutching Dada's strong hand. . . and then running (faster! faster!) far ahead . . . the bells of his laughter not able to keep up with his swift feet, and settling for the audience of our ears instead. . .

Ready for a new season . . . another unwritten Zeli chapter . . . stories we have yet to imagine . . .

Friday, April 4, 2008

He loves to wear shoes. . .


and tries to put them on by himself all the time.

And his Mama. . .who is directionally challenged. . .

is trying desperately to teach him the right foot and the left foot.

"Luke. Let's put shoes on." (I chase him through the house, because he only wants to put shoes on when he wants to put shoes on. . .and we end up at the steps.)

"Shoes on. Here's your right foot." And I slide the shoe on.

"Right foot."

"What foot is this?" (Pointing to the left foot.)

"Sock foot."

Oh well. . .I guess we'll keep on working on that one.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

and so it begins. . .


He loves a joke. . .

Makes them up all the time. . .

Stuff about tomatoes crossing the road and getting squished. . .

Yesterday, the biggest joke of the year, got his first April Fool Surprise for Mama:

Mama, there's a spider on your hand!

Oh no!

April Fools! Hand over mouth, giggling. . .