Demolition Day

Several weeks ago the building across the street from my office was marked for demolition. Once a political landmark--it's where the Herman Cain sex scandal took place--the final tenants moved out, a big fence went up around it, and it the developer began preparing to knock it down so that, in it's place, they can build a nearly identical office building. Only with a glass exterior. Hooray for progress.

Anyway, when we came into town for church one night I explained to Cody that the building was going to be demolished. He likes demolition. If you browsed through our Youtube favorites folder, you'd notice that about two-thirds of the movies involve demolition. (The other third: Hurricanes, obviously.)

And so began Cody's obsession with the demolition of the building next to daddy's office.

Well, last week they finally started. They brought in three normal sized excavators and one giant specialty demolition excavator and went to work on the north side. When I told Cody the big news I promised that I would bring him in one day to watch. Today was the day.

When he work up this morning I surprised him with the news that we were skipping school to go into town and watch demolition. We hit the road just before 6:00 a.m., got to my office around 7:15, and went straight upstairs to scout the action. There was none, due to the hour. So we walked over to Pain Quotidien and had an incredibly civilized breakfast of Belgian waffles, orange juice, an ommlette, and coffee. Then we strolled back and met up with my friend Adam Keiper. Adam brought two friends from his (excellent) magazine, The New Atlantis and we all sat in a coffee shop and visited for a bit with Cody being sociable and charming and his very best self. He was incredibly content. And when his beloved Miss Emily showed up a few minutes later, he just about burst with joy.

It being near a civilized hour, our little party decided to finally walk across the street and see if anything was going to get demolished. Cody allowed me to make my own way so that he could hold Miss Emily's hand for the stroll. And when we got there--mirabile dictu!--the operator was just getting into the giant demolition excavator.

What follows is absolutely not meant for general consumption. It's a 20 minute video whose existence is only for the purposes of allowing Cody to relive the day while watching it on the iPad in the early mornings. (Translation: I made it so that I could get an extra 20 minutes of sleep every morning for the next year.) So please, don't bother watching the whole thing. But the first 30 seconds or so will give you a general sense of the tenor of the event.

Of course, we stayed for the better part of an hour and a half.

At the end, we decided to take a "Metro train" to Old Town, where we met Shannon and Cordelia for lunch.

This was one of those unspeakably rare days where Cody had built up in his mind--for weeks--an amazing fantasy of what it would be like to witness real, live demolition. And somehow the reality wound up trumping his fantasy to a degree that bordered on magic. I don't think I'll ever forget it.

Later in the afternoon, Shannon sent me the following picture of Cody playing:

Notice how he's using the green crane to recreate the cherry picker with the hose. Note how he's repurposed a metal bracket from his Judy clock to fashion a demolition shear for his excavator. But more important, notice the look of deep concentration on his face. SLL said he played like this for an hour.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

One of the things that's been a little hard for Jonathan us to learn is that the reality of special holidays with small children doesn't always match up to the dream we have in our heads. Like, for example, when I asked Cordelia to taste my special, amazing mashed potatoes (what kid doesn't like mashed potatoes?!) at the end of her meal. She resisted, I insisted she take just a bite to try them (when will I learn?), she then spitefully made herself gag and promptly threw up the rest of her Thanksgiving meal onto her tray. It was one of those less magical moments. But this was one of them, from just after Mass yesterday.

Here are a few pics from the past several weeks -- new hats, holiday baking, and mommy's triumph over a craft!

And Eat It, Too

Me: Cordelia, I love you.

CML: I love cake.

Me: Yes, of course. Anyone else you love?

CML: Candy.

Me: And...anyone else?

CML: Cody. And I love Daddy. That's all, Shannon.

P.S. Now that she has started calling me "Shannon" or "Shan-Shan" pretty much exclusively, Cody--after almost two years of addressing me thus--is back to "Mommy."

You can't make it up.

On the other hand, last night Cody's ongoing sickness devolved further and we wound up at the pediatrician until nearly 9. Double ear infection, strep test (negative thank goodness), and an absolutely miserable little coughing child. JVL was up in DC at work and fought through the Thanksgiving traffic to meet us there. He offered to take Cordelia home to put her to bed and she (figuratively) put her hands on her hips and said, "No! I do not want to go home! I need to stay here at the doctor to support Cody!"

(This support was short-lived when it came time for her strep test and ear exam. Then, it was a wail: "I am ready to go to the car!") But it's the thought that counts. She does love, love, love her brother.

And, cake.

Adolescence Will Be Awesome

Cordelia: Shannon? Is it always all right to feel our feelings?

Me: Yes. Always. And it's good to talk about them, too. What are your feelings now?

Cordelia: They're good. But sometimes I am very angry with you. And mad. And really mad!

Me: Well. That's okay. Those are your feelings. Are you mad at me right now?

Cordelia: No, not right now. Probably in a little while, though. 

Twenty minutes later:

Me: Cordelia, please put the red play dough away before you take out another color.

Cordelia, indignant: No! (throws container)

Me: Take a break, Cordy. 

Cordelia: NO! I WON'T take a BREAK!

Me: Oh, goodness. We don't shout at each other. Now it's up to your room.

Cordelia, wailing: Nooooo! I am angry! I am ANGRY at you now, Shannon!

Me: Yes, well. Feel your feelings. 

An hour later:

Cordelia: When I'm mad at you, I will just call up Jesus and Mary and ask them to come over and help me be good.

Me: Are you mad at me again?!

Cordelia: No, not right now. I'm happy! I'm so happy! And if I get mad at you I will just tell Mary, and she will be mad at you too, probably.

Me: Probably. 

Gall Bladders are So Yesterday

Light blogging, due to trying (with dubious success) to balance work, being super preggers, JVL's gall bladder surgery (last week) and two sick kids (read: three dependents, not two, and possibly even four if you count Peanut, who has developed a frustrating yet tenacious affinity for sitting on my sciatic nerve). Anyway, two things I wanted to write down before they escape me.

My fantastic parents  came down for a couple of days to man the fort so I could be with JVL at the hospital all day and to help me take care of everyone. At one point, I gave Cordelia an Andes chocolate mint (she LOVES them). Dad said teasingly to her, "Oh, Cordelia, I love those! Can Pop-Pop have a bite?"

She looked wildly around, then steadied her eyes on his and said, thinking fast, "Um, well...um, sorry Pop-Pop, but no! These candies are just for girls. They are not for gentlemen!"

And this morning, after a long and restless night of fever and coughing, Cody appeared beside my face, coughed heartily into it, then said, "Mom? During the night, I had a village."

"A village?" I queried?

"Yes. I had a village that Baby Peanut--good morning, Peanut!--is a boy. A boy. That was my village."

Groggily, I replied, "Oh! You mean you had a vision. Like a dream?"

He answered, "It was not a good dream. Because I want Peanut to be a girl so Daddy and I can be outnumbered and be just the guys. And have our guy time be just the same." He continued, grimly, resignedly. "But in my village you and Cordelia were outnumbered instead. Peanut, I love you to the North Pole and back but I hope you are a girl."

Just Overheard

Cody: Cordelia! I feel like I want to be aggressive to you right now! (Pause) But, I'm not. Okay? But I want to. But I am stopping myself.

Cordelia: All right.

Aquarium Adventures

Yesterday, we packed the kids into the car for a grand surprise. An hour and two Chick-fil-A breakfasts later, we arrived at the Baltimore Aquarium! We had fantastic time, exploring all the underwater exhibits...

 ...seeing divers feeding the fish...

...visiting the waterfall in the rainforest...

 ...descending into the shark tank!...

 ...and finally, attending the dolphin show! We could have stayed there all day. The kids were absolutely enchanted. The most amazing part of all--at least to Cody--was that the youngest of the Aquarium's eight dolphins is a four-year-old female named...Bailey. Her mom's name is Chesapeake. Cody was in his glory. 

Naturally, following the show, we popped into the gift shop and emerged with two more stuffies--because, you know, we don't have nearly enough in our house. Cody promptly chose Bailey the dolphin. Cordelia, after careful consideration, chose a dolphin as well--and named her Chesapeake, "so that Bailey and her mommy can be together at our house, too!"

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Fortunately for us, Frankenstorm did not dampen our Halloween plans. Thor and Spider-Girl had a great time. Cutest moment was when Cordelia got her first piece of candy, and then clung to it...clearly not realizing that she would get more. She just assumed, "I got candy!" and was satisfied. They were the politest trick-or-treaters you've ever seen. At each home (and I think we only hit about 9) they'd say, "Hello and happy Halloween! Trick or treat!" After which Cody would say fervently, "My sister is allergic to peanuts!!!" At one point a neighbor offered them a handful and Cody said, "No thank you, we just take one, but thank you for offering!"

Let's cut to the tape:

This, apparently, is Cody's "spooky face." Inexplicably, this was his pose of choice for many of Kelly's wedding pictures. Who can say?

 This one's my favorite. And, the other one, too.  : )

 Here, he's clearly thinking of another use for his hammer.

Calling forth thunder. 

 

 Relaxing after a long trek to nine -- NINE! -- houses. : ) 

This picture says so many things, really, doesn't it? Look at the contentment on Cody's face. Look at the empty chair. : )

Here comes the bride!

This has been a bizarro week, what with Frankenstorm, but I wanted to post just a few wedding pictures, along with a hearty CONGRATULATIONS to Aunt Kelly and UNCLE Mark. The wedding was beautiful, and I couldn't have been prouder of my little flower girl and ring bearer. They were total pros, and were overjoyed to be a part of this day. You can't tell from Cordy's face in the photos, but that's true. : ) (She just didn't really cotton to the strange photographer instructing her to smile.) Anyway, here are the few I have so far. They illustrate the kids' personalities...perfectly. :)