Gymboree!

I broke down and signed him up -- the cold and snow and consequent cabin fever are just killing us. Cody seems to like it so far (particularly the part where Miss Tiffany blows bubbles) and he gets to play with his little buddy Violet to boot!



I was particularly struck by how easy it is for him to do...well, anything physical. He hasn't encountered ladders of this sort ever, and he just stands there, surveys them each, figures out what makes sense, and then somehow he just does it. Is this a boy thing? He certainly didn't get that kind of coordination from his mama.






But of course, this was the highlight:

Exhibit B, for all those who tell me Cody is "advanced"

(He was listening to this song whose lyrics go, "Put your toes to your nose." : )

I MISS you, Granny and Pop-Pop!

On Saturday I woke up and Mom said there was a big surprise waiting downstairs. I ran down and guess who was there? POP-POP! It was amazing. Granny was downstairs too -- I went into her room and climbed up on her bed and woke her right up! She was so happy to see me. Saturday was a little bit of a tough day because I woke up at 5:15 and I didn't take a good nap, so I was kind of cranky, but I still loved having them there. Pop-Pop and Daddy painted Mommy's bathroom and Baby Robin's room! And Granny and Mommy took me to the playground! And we vacuumed and read lots of books! And built towers and played with my zoo and had the best time.



Ever since they left I've been calling Granny on my cell phone to say, "I MISS you, Granny and Pop-Pop!"

Weekly Roundup

Hi everyone! I'm really sorry I have not had time to blog. Things have been busy, and I haven't really been the best napper lately. So that doesn't really leave Mommy or I much time to get the basics done (though Mom has a very different idea of what "the basics" are than I do), and blogging has fallen to the wayside. But never fear, Cody is here! Here's a quick look at what I've been up to lately...

On Monday Mommy had a holiday, so we got to play all day! We went to New Playground in the afternoon. We went on the slide together about 23 times and then I went on the swings and then I got all wet in a puddle on the bench! It was awesome.


When Mom said it was time to go because it was getting cold and dark out, I started to cry. Mom said "Don't worry Cody -- you can get toasty at home by helping Mommy vacuum!" Then I stopped crying right away and ran to my stroller and asked if I could sweep, too. Mom said yes, and I'm such a good helper!

On Tuesday something tragical happened. Mommy took me to Pebble Playground and I was swinging and swinging, like this...

...when suddenly I started screaming and screaming! My finger got caught on the chain! It was awful. Mommy extricated me and kissed me seventeen hundred times but I was so upset. It really hurt! But then something magical happened: Mom said we had to go to the market anyway, so she thought if we got a lollipop it might help my hand to feel better. And it did! And I chose a BLUE one -- can you tell?


On Thursday, my babysitter Kim and my little buddy Violet invited Mommy and I to come to something called Gymboree. Mom tried to explain it to me in the car but I didn't understand until I got there. It was the most amazing place ever, especially on a cold and rainy day that kept me from Pebble Playground! It was awesome! There was so much stuff to climb on and jump on, and you were allowed to touch EVERYTHING!



But then I found the best thing of all -- a water fountain! Just for kids!


Afterward I was SO HUNGRY from all my playing so Mom called Dad and we met at Five Guys! I ate all my burger, and half of Daddy's, and then we shared fries like we always do!

All and all I thought it was a great week. Mom said if I would sleep better during the day I could have even MORE fun, but I don't really see the logic of that. Anyway, the weekend was even better! More on that soon.

Mommy bit the bullet: "All gone, mullet!"

Before/During:

And after:

Tell THAT to the tall kid in the size 5 diaper!

He's so darn cute. COME ON!!

Don't You Eat That...Snow

Everyone who has heard Cody talk (and talk, and talk, and talk, and talk) lately tells me he is "extremely bright" and "quite advanced." To that, I offer the below:

This is the first afternoon that wasn't utterly frigid and he was so happy to be outside. So when he said, "Please Mommy, golf clubs in the snow?" I said "Sure, why not?"

You know, so he could suck the dirty snow off the bottom of the dirty golf club.

The only way I could get him inside for lunch without him bursting into pitiful tears was to get a little tupperware cup, fill it with snow, and promise he could eat it with a spoon once he got into the kitchen. It worked like a charm. Yes, he's quite the prodigy.

And also, quite thrilled to be back out in the watery sunshine at what he calls "Pebble Playground."


We're already counting the days until spring!

Saints & Angels

Cody spent a good part of the afternoon trying to figure out how to work Joseph into his construction efforts. The blocks come with little people, but they aren't really doing it for him so far. ("Mommy, please get Cody's buddy Joseph Jesus's Daddy please!")


Finally he exclaimed, "DID IT, Mommy! Tower of Joseph!"

It looks kind of like the Statue of Liberty, only with a plastic Baby Jesus at the top.

Wake up, Mr. Chopper!

Cody has a new friend, and a new responsibility in the kitchen: "Mr. Chopper."


The first time he turned it on and heard the noise, he jumped a foot...then got an enormous, satisfied grin on his face. And now every time we start making any meal, he asks hopefully, "Mommy, wake up Mr. Chopper? Cody push the buttons?" :)

Suddenly, he just seems like such a little man.

And it's not just the speaking in paragraphs stuff. He just looks like a little boy to me. What happened to my baby?

Hail, Bathrobe Mary!

You'll be glad to know the Christmas season has only strengthened Cody's obsession with love of Mary. He has spent tons of time before the manger. He's not so much worshipping as rearranging. And sometimes adding some rather...surprising characters.

("Mommy! Patches is IN the manger!")

Today he got a revolutionary idea: He came up to me and said, "Mommy! Get bathrobe Mary please! Get crown Mary please! Get other Joseph please Mommy PLEASE!" (If you'll recall, these are the two broken Marys that live on my kitchen window. The Mary in the blue robe has somehow become "Bathrobe Mary" and the one with the half-broken crown is "Crown Mary." He now likes to greet them by saying, "Hi Crown Mary! Morning, Bathrobe Mary!") Anyway, he thought the only way to improve upon the Holy Family in the manger would be to add more of them. Look closely and you'll see three Marys, two Josephs, and two Baby Jesuses.


It's slightly disturbing that he chose to hang Joseph by the head on the nail that, historically, has been reserved for the angel. But he didn't find anything odd about this arrangement. As soon as he went to bed, I restored everyone to their rightful places above the sink, so we can do the whole thing again tomorrow.

Night night, manger!