Zachy'sFavoriteThings7.16.11

Time for another edition of....

Zachy's Favorite Things!

• Balls.
• Throwing balls.
• Riding bikes.
• Riding bikes in the front yard.
• Looking at bikes.
• Saying the word Bike.
• Story time in Mackenzie's room before bed.
• Throwing pieces of paper.
• Throwing things in general.
• Being held upside down.
• Sneaking and getting into things. In the bathroom especially.
• Pushing strollers.
• Driving 'cars.'
• Digging in dirt.
• Trains.
• Ice cream.
• Pushing then hugging Mackenzie.
• Barney and The Wiggles. Whatcha gonna do!?
• Oh, and Thomas the Train.
• Chase.Running and screaming.
• Squirt bottles.
• Last, but NEVER least...GUNKY!

Zachy'sFavoriteThings

It's been awhile since we've gone over favorite things. Zachy, in particular, has gotten very particular about 'things.' He has definite preferences. And, is very vocal about them. Especially if they are disrupted.

In no particular order...

• Thomas the Train. He lovesLovesLOVES Thomas. Before he even saw the cartoon. And even more since.
• Accordingly, he loves his Thomas the Train pajamas. He wants to wear no others.
• Of course, this all means he loves his Thomas the Train 'train toy.'
• Soy beans.
• Bell peppers, raw.
• Ham.
• His pillow pets - all THREE (two big and one small). When he gets up from sleeping, he throws them all out of his crib and then wants them moved to whatever room he's going to be in next. It's a lot of work.
• Barney AND the Wiggles. Oh my. Say what you want. I know there are much 'cooler' shows out there, but if you really need a toddler under the age of two to be entertained, those'll do it.
• His Momma. Right now he's in a total Momma phase. As a result, I am back to doing things pretty much with one hand.
• Sand. Dirt. Water. Mud.
• Running and falling down.
• Being tickled. I can hear his laugh and see his face. Purejoy.
• Playing ball.
• Ashamed, but not just milk, he really wants Chocolate Milk and makes his wants known. Loudly. Clearly.
• Last but definitely not least...Gunky. Still important. Still Number One. And, still as Gunky as the name implies.

TotTalk&Happenings

Thought I'd get in a little TotTalk tonight. Mostly things they have said and a thing or two or three they have done lately.

First up, Miss Mackenzie:

• Mackenzie's teacher sent an E-letter home with awesome pictures of the class. Some nursing students had visited and when she was looking at that picture, she said When I grow up, I want to be a nursing student.
• She's ambitious, yes she is, because today she also said When I grow up, I want to be a Fireman, and a Policeman, and a Teacher and a Nursing Student. I going to be all those things!
• She has also said she wants to be a Cowgirl, but not lately.
• The other day I called her 'Sweetie Pie' and she said I not a sweetie-pie, I a Mommy. Nice! Almost as good as You're not a person, you're a Mommy.
• We were at Walmart this weekend and out of nowhere, Mackenzie said That's cool!
• This made me laugh. She's become a tattler. Yesterday she came in and said Daddy's not good at this game!
• Earlier in the day she came to tell me Dad had hurt her feelings. I suggested she let him know and she looked up at me with her head down and said Will you come with me?
• Still not too nuts about Zachy's pronunciation of her name. In response, she said But Miss Anne doesn't call me Kengy. She calls me MAC-KEN-ZIE!
• She has a new morning ritual. She wakes up. If I'm awake, I pretend to still be sleeping. She goes to the bathroom, gets her undies on, gets a summer dress in the middle of winter almost spring on, turns on the kitchen light and then comes back to the room and yells SURPRISE!
• We've been playing Store quite a bit and the conversations are hilarious. She gets so into character. Uses an 'adult' voice; Brings in her baby, 'Chaser' (Saige's new little brother); Makes small talk; Asks where certain 'sections' are (Do you know where the balloon section is?); Brings her things over for purchase and then asks how much - usually I will say $2 and she offers me $1 and then wants $3 back; Then she goes 'home' and comes right back, often returning something with a full explanation and everything; And on and on and on. I like the store game.
• With Dad she's been playing Baby Room. He's the teacher and she drops off - you guessed it - Chaser who is in the Baby Room with Zachy; Then she goes to work, which is in the kitchen but yells out instructions to Dad the whole time; When she goes to pick up Chaser, 30 seconds later, she pretends she's at the outside window and says Guess who's here? and Dad acts surprised and says It's Chaser's Mommy (often adding in a sarcastic, Who's been gone for a whole 10 seconds); And on and on and on.
• I told her that Grammie will be watching them one day next week and, very concerned, Mackenzie said Does Grammie know how to watch kids? I will teach her rules about how to change Zachy's diaper and feed him and that he naps and I don't. I'm sure you'll let her know all the rules my little sweet!
• My favorite Mackenzie~ism this week? She got mad about something today and very dramatically said This is the worst day of my whole life! And then Michael Jackson music started to play on Ellen, I asked Mackenzie if she wanted to dance and the world was right again.

And now for Zachy. He doesn't talk quite as much, but he sure is learning to get his point across!

• Lately when I ask him if he wants something, he very clearly says Yah! or No! And pretty much seems to know what he is saying Yah! or No! to.
• I swear when he got up from nap he said: Where's Dada? Where go? Work? All without me saying anything. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.
• When he likes doing something, he says, 'Gain!
• He knows the words No and Mine in a (really not so) Terrible Twos way. Learned them much faster than his sister ever did. Interesting. At least I think so.
• He loves jumping on the bed and jumping off the couch onto the bean bags (with help) and dancing. Oh, he is such a cute dancer.
• Lately when I am in the shower, he comes to find me and keeps opening the door and saying HI!, which has become one of his favorite words. He also likes the word Bye! a lot. And blowing kisses. Really into working on his social skills I suppose.
• He still says Whoa, but also likes Weeee now. Maybe more than Whoa.
• And, he likes to ask for a Hug! and loves to give hugs.
• This evening Mackenzie came crawling in the kitchen with a pacifier in her mouth (yes, she is the 3 1/2 year old) and Zachy pointed at her and said Baby!
• When I give him something he asks for, he says Tank You!
• He knows the name of quite a few foods now: Eggs, Bananas, Crackers, Cheese, Beans, Milk, Apples, and of course cookies and juice, two things that Mackenzie never had until she was probably 2! I'm sure he knows other food words (as well as other words in general), but I can't think of them right now.
• The other day he decided to join Mackenzie and I in playing doctor. He was using all the doctor things and so intent. Really serious. Really cute. He loves to play the 'big kid' games that his sister plays.

FavoriteThingsNo.2

Over the weekend I took on the task of labeling my posts. As tedious as it was, it was also fun to look back. One post I did that I liked was a post where I listed their 'Favorite Things.' I thought it provided a nice snapshot of them at that moment in time. Thus, I have decided now and then to do a Favorite Things post.

Zachy still likes most of what I listed last time. Especially, his Pillow Pet; their relationship continues to blossom. He continues to love being outdoors and, accordingly, loves his shoes and socks. Of course, he still likes to get a rise out of his sister, until she retaliates, that is.

Three days shy of being seventeen months, some more of Zachy's Favorite Things are:

• Throwing food.
• Throwing things away.
• Getting into the cat litter box with a small bowl or something and scooping it out.
• 'Jumping' on the bed.
• Turning in circles. At first he was imitating Mackenzie playing ballerina, but then I think he decided he just liked getting dizzy.
• Fitting things into things, taking off and putting lids on things
• Running around with choking hazards in his mouth.
• Laughing.
• Being chased.
• Being naughty. Silly naughty that is.

Mackenzie also still likes a lot of the same things as before as well. She still twirls hair, her's and our's. She is still into role play. The newest one is 'Puppy.' BuddyCat, he's a constant. They're attached to one another. And, she still loves her family.

One day past turning three years and five months, some more of Mackenzie's Favorite Things are:

• 'OLIVIA.' She is obsessed with 'Olivia.' At times she makes believe she is Olivia's friend, Francine.
• Purple. She loves the color Purple.
• The book 'Too Loud Lily.'
• Helping and getting praise for helping.
• Accomplishing something by herself. Much as she fights it, she feels good when she 'Does it!'
• Having her very own new special 'place' to have quiet time.
• Using her imagination.
• Not napping.
• Being a Big Sister. She has really started to take on this role and takes her responsibilities seriously.
• Being a 'Big Kid.'

FavoriteThings

Oprah recently had her Favorite Things episode. I didn't see it, but since it's her last, I thought in Honor of Oprah and her Favorite Things, I would list Mackenzie and Zachy's Favorite Things.

Zachy first:

• The word Ut-oh.
• Bubbles.
• RufusDog. He calls him Roo.
• Mackenzie's Pink Loving Family Dollhouse Car.
• Song: If You're Happy and You Know It...clap your hands!
• Clapping his hands.
• Sand.
• Dirt.
• Pushing things.
• Balls.
• His Pillow Pet.
• Anything Mackenzie is doing at that particular moment.
• Mackenzie getting upset because he takes things from her.
• Chapstick. He likes to eat it.
• Climbing.
• Putting things to his ear like he is on the phone. Anything. Most things. Random things.
• Carrying things. Because he can now that he's a wobbly-walker.
• His shoes. And socks.
• Music instruments. The louder the better.
• Throwing things. Again, the louder the bang, the better.
• Being outside.

And now for Mackenzie...

• Dresses.
• Role play.
• Her most favorite role play game is Preschool.
• She also likes playing Mommy.
• Noodles, pancakes, ice cream.
• Steak night.
• Running.
• Riding toys - playing 'road construction.'
• Cuddling.
• Twirling her hair (or ours).
• Music.
• Any one of her five hundred stuffed animals at any given time.
• Baby Bucee.
• Crafts.
• Practicing writing.
• Making parties.
• Playing parking cars.
• BuddyCat.
• Caillou
• Books and Reading.
• Her family.