Addicted to trains

Well, we might have a problem. My son is addicted to anything train. He loves them. We have GeoTrax at the house and it's getting bigger and bigger. He even has GeoTrax parties with his friends (that we got hooked by the way!). He has a couple of wooden Thomas tracks and engines - but of course, when you ask him, not enough. And the thing is - he plays with it, or both, every single day. I know, some of you might think I am exaggerating, but I am not.

Well, knowing how much he loves trains, we got him a real big train set, you know, the one that goes around the Christmas tree - don't worry, we did NOT spend the $100 from the store. This one was located, by me, at a giant flea market in New Jersey last summer. The wonderful thing cost the high price of $5! Absolute bargain. And it runs great. So this year, being home for Christmas, we had to put it under and around the tree.


But if that is not enough. On a trip to Target, he located a ginger bread train. Yes, not a ginger bread house, but a train. I had to get it for him. It was the same price. If I would have spend (or should I say wasted) the money on a house, I might as well do it for him on the train. So he spend one morning with his aunt, called Tia, to put the whole thing together:

But that was not enough!!! No. Grandma, aka Mema, got him a cookie sheet from Michael's - a railway cake pan. [pix here] It has nine little compartments, one for the engine, one for the little red caboose, and seven cars. He had to make one cake with Mema and decorate it with me. He had so much fun. I am just so glad that he has not a sweet tooth, so he tries one or two bites and then he is usually done. He loves sharing, too, so we all got our share of the cake.

He also got a train calendar 2010 that he loves to look at.

We took a train ride on a local line over here, that he enjoyed greatly. We had both sets of grandparents with us, so it was a blast. He even got his own hat.

In the car

I still remember those days, when Coqui was a baby and did not like the car. For some reason, I had hoped that Peanut would be different - I don't know why I was thinking it could be....
Well, as you might have guessed already, she does NOT like the car. Though since all our visitors were here, it has become better. Even on a five minute car ride to the local grocery store, she cries.... Today, we had to go on a 45 minute drive, and she did cry, but only after about 25 min. and only for about five minutes. So I am hoping, that with time, she is getting used to the car and even though she might not like it, that she does stop crying excessively.

Wish me luck.

Car Bingo

We, as parents, have decided long ago that we will not have DVD players or such in the car. I grew up looking out the window while driving, and so can my kids!!!
So I have pulled out my old car bingos (and bought some new ones too a while ago!), and Coqui is now a passionate bingo player in the car. Not only is he interacting with me, but also looking out the window to find all the items in his bingo card. While we had our visitors riding in the car with us, we had almost a contest going on. It can become quiet funny....
And by now, he has remembered which sheet has which objects on it. So it is great for his memory as well.....

Peanut's new skill

For the last couple of days, Peanut has been blowing raspberries.... it is hilarious to watch how she puts her lips into a certain position and gets started..... then we do it to encourage her and she gets such a kick out of that!
We love to see her laugh and smile....

Sorry, this is such a short post.

PJs

When Peanut came along, we had to buy more furniture. She got the crib and the dresser / changing table, and Coqui got a toddler bed and a new, bigger, dresser.
When I reorganized his clothes, I wasn't really thinking of where I put things, I was more concerned of fitting it all in..... but I did put all his pajamas in the bottom draw. He is not taking a nap anymore, but I still have him take of his morning clothes - usually they are dirty anyway - and change into pajamas. At night time, he wants to have footies - meaning pajamas that are one piece with feet, so he is covered from top to bottom (as he uncovers himself with the blankets alot!). So at nap time, he can chose what ever "fun" PJs he wants to wear.

I mean there are sooooo many choices, from Handy Manny to Mickey Mouse to Thomas the tank engine to Cars and simply monkeys or dogs.... He can dress himself, and found a new passion in getting dressed and undressed...... so he can spend half his nap time, peeing in his underwear - I am not sure if he does it on purpose (?) - and then choosing a different pajama.....
It is hilarious and fun to watch him. Maybe that is how he learned how to dress himself, for certainly it was NOT something I taught him! He is just that kind of a self-made guy.....
I love him to death and am real proud of all his accomplishments. And mostly, he puts that smile on my face for just being himself!

Here is a picture of his pajama that I bought for the kids in advance, to wear next year for Christmas.... he loves it, even though he trips over the way too long legs all the time. He got the dogs, she got the cats.