Out Like a Lion

Griffin got to play in the snow for the first time. Mostly because he was either in a cast or just too little the past winters. We didn't think it was going to happen this year but Mother nature decided 70 degree days were a thing of the past.
We got about a foot of snow which closed daycare at noon last Thursday.

He is a real parrot. He is also coming up with his own stories. Most are 3 word sentances that involve Sesame Street characters and always conclude with "The End". He and I had a rousing game of catch at Costco with an imaginary baseball. Griffin had the wind up down pat.

If Griffin were on a desert island these are the things he would take with him. His new shopping cart and Bob the Builder laptop from the toy library, TW, and Maria the cowboy duck nemesis or BAD DUCK! - sesame street reference. He just loves yelling BAD DUCK.

Nite nite

More Griffinisms

Our newest "going nite-nite" ritual ends up with me and Griffin talking and singing songs right before tucking in with "Baby" (blanket 1), "big bear", "little bear", "covers" (blanket 2) and "Ducks" (blanket 3). Tonight he asked for "baseball on" - which I quickly translated to "let's sing the Baseball Song, Mom). We do a variation on "take me out to the ballgame" - this was the first time he sang along. He chimed in with "One, Two, Three" (strikes your out - complete with finger counting) and wrapped up with "GAME!" (at the old ball GAME!)
Some mornings the whole crib full of bears and blankets all comes in to mom and dads's bed with Griffin to watch a little TT (Sesame Street).

Classic Griffin

I have to put this on here before we were to ever lose it. Our all time favorite video of Griffin - the early years.
He went through about a one week phase that he would just bawl whenever the announcer said "No" near the end of Teletubbies. We think it was about the time in daycare when they were being told "No" to doing things.

It was just heartbreaking to hear him cry like that. You could tell it really upset him. Fortunately it didn't last long.

Now Teletubbies and his cast are distant memories.

Grifinisms
Mom and Griffin celebrating St Patty's day at Jack n Grill.

As we were driving, I heard Griffin shout M…M…M. I looked up and saw the giant M was bright yellow and affixed atop a McDonalds’ sign.

We’ve installed a couple of photo sensor lights in the basement. I’ve told him to say “Light On” as we get near the light to help turn it on. He said it a little early the other day. I told him to say it again and then moved to turn on the light. He looked at me with a big smile on his face and exclaimed “I did it!” He starting to think it works for other lights in the house as well. When he walks into a dark room he shouts “Light On”.

Since we are carrying him most of the time he likes to lunge for the garage door opener near the inside door of the garage. He gets a big smile when the door goes up. He also waits for the light to go off in the garage when the garage door closes. He then tells the car it can go night night.

I found his lost bear that was tucked in the back seat. He gave it a big hug and proceeded to “I tickle bear” all the way to daycare.

We watched Cookie World today. I asked how Griffin would eat a cookie. He said, “No cookie, apple”. We hadn’t watched that particular episode for over a month. When Cookie Monster asks Bob how to eat a cookie he says he only has an apple and shows Cookie Monster how to eat an apple.

Griffin and Dad’s running gag. Griffin will say “no daddy, this way” and then I’ll go “no Griffin, this way pointing in the other direction. It will go back and forth for a good while. We’ll say it in funny voices or soft or loud voices. His favorite time for the game is in the car seat but he broke it out at Costco the other day while we were walking the aisles. We’d go one way and he’d tug at my sleeve and ask to go this (another) way.

Kim had a hard time keeping up with him last night at Ace Hardware. He was running up and down the aisles just laughing up a storm. I walked him over to the wrenches and hammers and we fixed some shelves together. To help prompt him along I gave him a wrench that was as big as he was. He threw in the towel when we had to work with a giant plumber’s wrench.

March in like a Lamb

Toy library
We went to the toy library on Saturday. Griffin and Jack had a great time playing with all of the toys there. We found a Bob the Builder tool set and Griffin and Dad spent 20 minutes fixing a chair at the library with the tools. Of course we had to check that toy out. I have some phone video of him fixing a cup with Mommy while we ran a long list of errands. Unfortunately it ran through his nap time and we decided to just try and power through it. No major meltdowns but we did get a very tired boy by dinner. We knew that when we saw him eating applesauce with his hands and proceeded to squish it between his fingers. We lost parent of the year rights a long time ago but we still feel very bad about this very isolated incident. It was the only time he’s been like this since he was a real little baby. For the sake of posterity, we managed to take a little video. He is fighting to stay awake while eating a cracker with peanut butter. Needless to say the peanut butter is everywhere and ends up falling asleep sprawled out on the table. I’ll see if I can post it sometime.

During one of our 60 degree nights last week, we took a walk over to our park and saw a bunch of people walking their dogs. Griffin wanted to play on the basketball court. He told Mommy he’d be right back he was getting ball. We talked him out of running home (5 blocks) by himself and got him to use our pretend ball. He ran up and down the court shooting baskets while Dad jumped up and moved the net when his shot went through.

We went to the NLL All Star skills contest Friday night before the big game on Saturday. He wasn’t too thrilled with everything until he got to go down all the way down to the seats next to the glass. He is going to be a rather expensive date to take to the regular games.


Mom and Griffin during a happier face off.


Believe it or not Mom suggested this photo.



Griffin to show off both is favorite hat - toilet seat - and his new underwear Grandma got him. This picture will circulate at his first Prom.




Griffinisms – things that Griffin knows and likes to talk about
Green light means go
Red light means stop
Yellow is careful.
Griffin told a story to Mommy at bedtime
It consisted of
Baby bear fall down
Cow no fall down Moo
Duck blick house = Duck has a brick house
The end.

Kidfest

Note name on horse

Griffin and Dad decided to give Mom a Break and Go to Kids-fest on Sunday morning. We were the first in line as they opened which was a pure blessing. I soon found out 2 year olds absolutely hate to wait in lines. We made a B-line to the ponies in the back of the exhibit hall. We just missed getting on immediately. My mistake. Meltdown #1. Finally, he stopped sobbing when we got on. He became very stone faced and quiet on the ride. I couldn’t tell if he was still mad about the line fiasco or nervous to be on the pony. All of his answers to my questions were done by him shaking his head. He was very good about getting off the pony as I was expecting Meltdown #2.
It came soon enough when I tried to get him out of the bounce castle. We were the only ones in there for about 10 minutes but by the time I coaxed him out a huge line had formed. He scrambled to get back in trying to dodge the kids waiting in line and squeeze in the mesh netting. The meltdown was so bad that we got free visit coupons from the owner.

There was no walking with Dad or sitting in his stroller. Had I been smart enough to bring it, the monkey leash would have been used to its fullest potential. Immediately after the castle incident, he bolted and ran to the train. Almost literally. He went underneath the curtained stations and started to walk out to the train oblivious to all of the people patiently waiting in line in front of him. Of course Meltdown #3 occurred when I told him he would have to wait to get on the train.


Happier times on the train

Wanted to throw baseballs, wanted sunglasses, wanted firetruck, wanted big kid bounce area, were just a few of the additional meltdowns that occurred. In fact during one of the meltdown and chase episodes I managed to lose the stroller. We found it back at the scene of Meltdown #8.

We finally turned a corner at the indoor soccer area. We kicked the ball up and down the floor for 20 minutes. Finally I counted down from 30 to leave and by the time I got to 5 he was running to the exit. He was great after that though I pretty good game of chase ensued near the exit doors.

Questions are coming fast and furious now. At night Mom has to deflect green monsters questions and hear about how they are sleeping and need to go away. We just remind him that he is a good boy, we love him very much and our house is made of brick. That usually does the trick. For now.