NiklasAndZoe.com

Cuddles wishes a happy Mother's Day to anyone to whom that would apply.

Niklas will tell Zoe the names of all of these buildings, even if he has to make them up.

May 2012

2012-05-17: So, today being Thursday, we didn't have anything going on in the morning. Since it was once again exceptionally nice out, we headed for the playground. And then we went to five other ones. I might print up commemorative shirts. To illustrate the impact of a six playground day between generations, I was near fatally exhausted while Niklas chatted on at length and Zoe was literally jumping up and down in her seat at the Goose Island when we stopped there for lunch.

Remind me tomorrow to tell you the story of Zoe seeing a cat.

2012-05-16: Here are some phrases that my children say fairly often:

"No, I don't want to" (whatever it is I suggest we do) - Zoe
"Daddy, I've got some bad news for you" - Niklas (note that his news is rarely something that would be considered bad)
"Want to watch Yo Gabba. YO GABBA!" - Zoe
"OK, pigeon. Sit down." - Niklas (this is from a Bugs Bunny cartoon)
"Mine!" - Zoe (I'm working on this)
"I'm a cyborg! Half man, half machine!" - Niklas (he's not, though)

And one from me:

"Daddy needs a minute."

2012-05-15: Well, we broke the sunblock out for the first time this year. "But Jay, haven't you had the kids out in the sun many, many times this year?" I'm sure you're wondering. Shut it. Anyway, I pushed Zoe on a swing for nigh ever while Niklas tried to dig a hole to China (or the middle of the Indian Ocean, more accurately) in the sand box. Then, we went to the beer store.

2012-05-14: So, it was super nice again today which means we headed off to the playground. Niklas loves the playground, but Zoe looooooooooves it loves it. The only thing she doesn't like about it is when it's time to go. "Noooooooooo!" says Zoe. "Go to playground!" Again, this is after we have spent nigh an hour running about at the playground. Anyway, we had fun. Zoe went down the slide a few thousand times and Niklas once again displayed his predilection for climbing things. I did some standing around, which I don't object to.

2012-05-13: Well, Niklas and Zoe had a pretty fun Mother's Day with Andrya today. We kicked things off with an action packed trip to the grocery store as I had neglected to buy important Mother's Day stuff like flowers and the basic elements of food. Andrya was still sleeping off some jet lag when we got back, so that worked out. Then the kids helped me (more accurately, shouted at me to) make some chocolate chip pancakes and they gave Andrya her Mother's Day gifts (a couple of CDs and a pair of shoes that Zoe tried to appropriate for herself). Mostly, though, they just liked hanging out and talking Andrya's ear off about whatever. So, a fine time was had by all.

Did I take any pictures this week? Hardly any!

2012-05-11: So, Zoe's all about singing these days. Mostly, she wants to sing the "I Have A Name" song she knows from her music class. She thinks "Jason" and "Andrya" are particularly hilarious names. She'll shout "I have a name" whatever (an actual name, "gentleman", "doggie", "baseball") at you (me) until you (still me, maybe Andrya) sing her the song in appropriate fashion. Another song she's a fan of is "Monkey vs Robot", which explains why she was singing said song today at 2:00 instead of taking a nap.

2012-05-10: So, Niklas had t-ball practice with the Braves today. Who is furious that she's not allowed to play t-ball with her brother's team? This lady:

The coach had all of the kids gathered together on the mound as he explained to them something like "don't stand five feet from the tee when someone's hitting" or "you shouldn't all chase the ball at once" or whatever.

Zoe: I want to go with the coach.
Me: I'm sorry, Zoe C, you're not quite big enough yet.
Zoe: (throws glove on the ground; stomps off) Nooooooooooooooooo!

2012-05-09: So, today in "Ridiculous Things Said By Niklas", there's this: "Daddy, why didn't you pick up my dirty clothes last night?" My response:

Andrya is in Zurich until Saturday, which is a drag and also explains how dirty clothes ended up on the floor for nigh twenty hours. Other than that, though, it was a pretty good day. This morning, Niklas had school and Zoe had her music class and then we went to the playground in the afternoon. We also stopped by the weird toy store, which is always a good time.

And now, here's the entirety of Zoe's first haircut which was late last year. Timely!

2012-05-08: The weather today was super nice, so we headed to the playground (much as Zoe has requested every day since she learned to talk). That was fun. For the kids, I mean; there's not a lot for me to do at the playground other than make sure Zoe doesn't fall off things which, by the way, success. Niklas ran into his friend Catherine from school, so I left him to his own devices lest I mess up his game (I don't really care about messing up his game, the existence of which is purely theoretical at this point, but I will take any excuse to cut the number of children I have to entertain in half). Today was a marked improvement over yesterday when it rained all day and the kids kept throwing all of the cushions off of the couch thereby messing with my efforts to lay down on the couch.

By the way, I posted some new pictures on Sunday but I negelected to mention that. So, consider that mentioned.

2012-05-06: Well, I missed a couple of days worth or updates due to some good excuse that's not laziness or drinking. Here's what's been up, much like Zoe in the five o'clock hour of the morning for some reason.

Wednesday: Zoe and I took Niklas to school, then we went to her music class where she updated her dancing style to incorporate kicking. Then we took the car to the dealer for an oil change that devolved into a four and half hour dystopian nightmare that included us walking to Niklas's school and walking back with him to the dealer for some awesome waiting. Let us never speak of it again.

Thursday: We did a bunch of stuff. Niklas's afternoon t-ball practice was canceled, so we went to the park in the morning for some batting practice and general running about. We also got Niklas a haircut (at his barber, not the park), grabbed lunch at Michael Diversey's and played with (or, if you're Zoe, tired to eat) some Play-Doh.

Friday: Andrya took the day off, so she hung out with Zoe while Niklas was at school in the morning. In the afternoon, we drove over to Indianapolis where we were serenaded by the dulcet tones of Niklas's coughing as he is apparently allergic to leaving the city of Chicago.

Saturday: Andrya took the kids to get donuts for breakfast while Josh (Niklas's godfather) and I ran in a half marathon which we managed to finish without dying, so success. Later, we all walked over Victory Field (home of the Indianapolis Indians, the AAA affiliate of the five time World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates) where the kids acquired a couple of stuffed versions of this guy and I got the Indians hat I have coveted since the Pirates got rid of their affiliation with Nashville, who had awful hats.

Sunday (today, even): Niklas had a t-ball game this morning at 9:00, so we hit the road from Indy at five Chicago time. Niklas hit the ball really well today and joined his team mates in some high comedy defensive-esque efforts. Zoe took a massive nap today, which she needed after recording her latest album, No Sleep At All in Indy.

2012-05-01: So, as is per usual for a Tuesday, Zoe and I dropped Niklas off at school this morning and then went to the gym where Zoe tore it up at the playroom. Now, our path to the bus from the gym takes up past the Apple Store. The weather today was fairly decent, so they had the doors propped open.

Zoe, being the curious sort that she is, decided to bolt into the open door and run around the display tables a bit. We had a couple of minutes to kill before the bus showed up (thanks, CTA bus tracker app!), so I was cool with that. After twelve or so laps around the iPads, it was time to head out, so I took her by the hand and we started walking toward the exit. We were about ten feet or so from the door when she decided to bolt yet again and show herself out. Unfortunately, high speed Zoe has trouble differentiating between an open door and well cleaned glass wall.

Once she stopped crying, she asked "Daddy, what happened?" I told her she ran into a window, but I think what I should have said is that I stopped her from running by using my mind powers. Next time.