With toddler French on hiatus for the week, Simon's weekend actually began on Thursday. He and Matthew spent their two weekendesque weekday mornings Thursday and Friday at the Museum of Science and Industry. If it seems like Matthew and Simon are always at the Museum that is because, in fact, they are. One of these days, they may be offered the chance to design their own exhibit. Thursday and Friday Simon and Matthew came home with lots of museum booty: a container full of corn kernels to plant, a plastic submarine they made from a mold to go along with the plastic train and plastic tractor from other visits (we've been told that there is only one more, the space shuttle, to complete the set!). There was an official ice cream parlor mug (which had contained ice cream until it was eaten), and there were candies made by pushing buttons to mix the ingredients (which may have contributed to Matthew feeling unwell later that day).

Friday we were excited to finally use our tickets to the sold out show of They Might Be Giants at the Lincoln Park Zoo. The three of us are big fans. Unfortunately, we were tipped off Friday morning that the band wasn't going to come on until 9 to 10:30 PM. Being that there is no possible way Simon would be able to stay awake that late (and, in fact, he was sleepy at 7 PM) and it was too late to get a babysitter, with much sadness, we decided to forgo the event. The Zoo wouldn't refund our tickets even though all of the signs said "SHOW STARTS AT 7:00 PM!" in big friendly letters and the tickets were non-transferable. We're still a little bitter about this since, when we purchased the tickets, there was no mention of the three bands opening the show. But hopefully the Zoo will use the money to care for some of the animals - animals which have an alarming tendency to DIE without explanation.

Saturday evening, Simon went over to Amelie's house to play while his parents had Brazilian Barbeque. When we returned to Amelie's place, Simon and Amelie were sweaty from jumping and running and playing. It was obvious how much fun Simon had had while we were away but once we got him in the car and asked him if he had a good time he insisted that he had had no fun at all. Then we took him home and he sat on the potty and gave us a fifteen minute non-stop stream of consciousness talk about how he "can't do it" with mentions of "gol-fish" (goldfish) and "fock" (frog) and "Elmo" and "Ermie" (Ernie) and the lights being on and off and no mirrors being around and how getting hit on the head hurts and how his friends can't do it but then he did it and "gol-fish!" and...

We wondered what Simon had been saying when he used to talk non-stop and not make any sense. Now that we understand the words, it still doesn't actually make sense but it is really fun to try and connect the dots.

Sunday evening the front of Simon's crib came off while Matthew was making his bed. We've been thinking about the right time to transfer him to a big boy bed and thought this might be the perfect opportunity to see how he would do when he wasn't fenced in. He seemed to really enjoy climbing in and out of bed but once he was put down for the evening he whispered "Want the side back." So, for now, he will remain sleeping in a four sided crib.

Other new things for Simon: for the past week or so he has been making up his own songs by using words of his own put to tunes he already knows. His favorite "real" song to sing is currently "What's the Weather?" something he learned in school to the tune of Clementine. He sings the song and then runs to the window to "check" before continuing the song with either "sunny" or "rainy" (we're trying to add "overcast" and "partly cloudy"). When Simon is cranky the best way to lighten his mood has been to sing "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes." He enjoys his baths again thanks to the purchase of new bath toys and he remains very interested in cooking, dancing, reading (Curious George), watching Bob on DVD, playing in his tent, singing, jumping, kicking and throwing balls, and falling forward or backward on something soft for dramatic effect. He's a pretty remarkable kid at this point (which is why we continue to feel the need to remark).

Posted by kagledom at 07:49 PM | Permalink

Since the FlavorFest was just across the street, we were able to come and go with ease. Post-nap, with his energy renewed, Simon sampled drinks and snacks and then danced and danced and danced. We've been working on his moves over the past weeks and now he dances less like a toddler and more like a drunk. What do you think? This movie is large. If you're not in the mood to wait, you can catch some of his moves below:

Posted by kagledom at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

We didn't have to go far this weekend for excitement. Both Saturday and Sunday the Whole Foods FlavorFest was across the street at our park. There was children's theater and singing, bands for the adults, cooking demonstrations, food, drink, and "trick or treating" adult-style. We may have enough energy bars to last us through winter.

Simon sings along with the tots.

Tired out from dancing, just before a well deserved nap.

What it looks like to slide when you're exhausted.

Posted by kagledom at 08:21 PM | Permalink

Hava has very good elevator karma. Since she started working for Motorola in Chicago, she's been in the elevator with Bono, almost in the elevator with Janet Jackson, and this very morning she met Jessie Jackson in the elevator. Hava and Rev. Jackson shook hands. If Simon was there he would have liked to shake his hand too. Simon often puts his hand out for his parents to shake while he says "How'r you? I Simon."

Posted by kagledom at 09:32 AM | Permalink

Simon got a new ball this weekend.

Posted by kagledom at 07:17 AM | Permalink

Simon eats a lot; consequently he poops a lot. Earlier today we refrained from mentioning how sometimes, like this morning, his diaper can not withstand the sheer amount of poop and fails - spectacularly. So spectacularly in fact that all three of us had to take showers. We're not going to give you details of where the poop went and why two Legos are being disinfected at this very moment. NO! Instead we are going to show you a very cute video in which Simon sings "Simon's Song" while on the potty. The fiasco part comes in when Matthew gets hit over the head with the shower curtain...

Roll the Video!

Posted by kagledom at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We've been under attack these past four afternoons. The Blue Angels are apparently out to get us, or house, our neighborhood, or maybe just the City of Chicago. In any case it is very loud in Kagledom and when Simon isn't scared out of his wits he isn't even slightly interesed in looking at the crazy airplanes doing acrobatics. Lucky for us, we didn't attempt to get a spot on the beach for the Air and Water show. Another thing Simon could care less about: airplanes.

We did, however, take him to Menards this morning to see their selection of ceiling fans. WOW was that fun. The only thing that could possibly have thrilled him more is if he could have turned them all on and off and could have touched them *while* they were moving. Simon is still very much a fan, button, and switch boy. The only anomoly is his intense interest in Bob the Builder - he has no interest in construction equitpment so it must be the tools.

Yesterday we took Simon, once again, to the Museum of Science and Industry where he was happy to be near the toy assembly robotic machine even though it wasn't working and threw a tantrum when we forcibly removed him from steering and flipping switches in the John Deere tractor (it was no longer his turn). In the evening we took Simon to see the blues band playing at the park across the street. They got through one and a quarter songs before they ran for cover. The sky opened up and the already muddy park became slippery and cold and very very wet. Barefoot Simon was having such a good time that we stayed out in the open sharing a blanket for cover only when the rain became too intense.

Posted by kagledom at 04:20 PM | Permalink

Today was Parade Day at Simon's school. Being that Parade Day seems like a pretty important occasion, Hava took the day off. The Blue Guppies (Simon's class) has been reading The Cat in the Hat this week and they made their own costumes (they were Thing Ones and Thing Twos). Simon was lucky enough to get a size 4 Elmo shirt in the mail just in time for it to be a part of his costume (thank you).

Here is Simon with classmates pre-parade:

And here is Simon, who had had enough of marching and who wouldn't wear his blue hair, in the parade with Matthew:

After the parade a tumbling team performed:

Simon loved the hip-hop music and jumped and danced:

Then the drummers did their thing while the L train slowed to watch:

Simon performed his wierd walk/lunge/jump routine for the crowd:

And here is Simon in motion: this is actually Simon dancing - notice the subtle movement of his hips and shoulders

Posted by kagledom at 03:20 PM | Permalink

Last week Simon left school in different clothes than when he went to school. We hadn't seen these "backup clothes" in a while but Matthew, being a man and not as in touch with his inner fashionista, didn't notice the change. Since Matthew didn't notice, he didn't ask the teachers what had happened before the week was out. Over the weekend we pondered what terrible fate must have befallen Simon's wardrobe. Worse, what crusty stinky mess would we find when we next visited Simon's cubbie? As it turns out, we had nothing to fear, Simon followed another boy into the restroom just before falling into a toilet.

Most of the time we want details. This time? Not so much.

Mystery solved.

Posted by kagledom at 10:12 AM | Permalink

About once a week Simon's school sends him home with an art project. It appears that Simon isn't much more interested in paint and crayons at school than he is at home. His preferred artisitc mediums are play doh and photography.

Posted by kagledom at 08:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We checked another Chicago Landmark off of our "to see" list this weekend by visiting Grant Park and, in specific, Buckingham Fountain. This was the fountain featured in the opening credits of Married With Children. The fountain is lovely but we didn't stay long enough to see it spout because it didn't rank high on the Simonial scale of delight. Had there not been a fence around the thing it would have ranked much higher. As it was, there was nothing to do but look and attempt to keep Simon from squeezing through the bars of the fence.

On the way back we stopped at one of the City's organic vegetable gardens. The garden scored much higher on the Simonial scale of delight. Hava and Simon were entertained by running up and down a small grass hill and looking at leaves that Simon thought were similar to "peacot fedders."

We walked past the Art Institute of Chicago and Millennium Park and took the L back home in time for lunch. When Simon had trouble napping (he said "Why you not sleeping? I don't know.") we decided to drive him to sleep along scenic Lakeshore Drive. He woke up a few hours later with the worst case of crankies he has had in a very long time. We endured the grocery shopping trip from hell along with some spectacular screams from the back seat of the car when we decided we deserved to listen to NPR instead of toddler French. But after a very toddler friendly dinner on the roof deck of strawberries, blueberries, corn chips and hummus, steamed asparagus, and sliced tomatoes and after a bubble bath with Daddy, Simon calmed down enough to be loveable once again - just in time for bed.

Posted by kagledom at 08:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So far the weekend has been highly successful. Friday night we watched a little Finding Nemo with Simon and his large stuffed clown fish which he then took to bed after naming it Nemo. This morning Simon slept in almost an entire hour (dutiful son that he is) so that when he woke up, we were actually well rested and prepared to take him out and about. We walked him to "hot coffee" and then ran him and Furby in the stroller twice around the park across the street.

After evaluating our options for the day over breakfast we decided to take a trip to THE MALL. Simon's eating spree has caused him to outgrow a good percentage of his clothes over the past two weeks. In fact, we would almost swear that he is five inches taller. If we ever measured him we might actually have proof of how much he has grown but instead we care about reliable evidence - like that his new Elmo shirt (size 3) no longer reaches his waist. Now we don't like to consider ourselves "mall people" but since having a kid we have come to understand the glory of the mall experience - fountains, escalators, cheap bland food... what's not to like? So, to make ourselves feel better about spending the day at THE MALL we chose to drive to and through areas we'd never seen ending up at Oakbrook Center, the largest upscale open-air shopping center in the United States.

Simon had an amazing time until he became deliriously tired and began to say "bye bye! I love you!" while blowing kisses to imaginary people and concrete poles.

This evening Simon was reunited with his friend Amelie, her baby sister and their parents. He was so excited to see them that he couldn't eat right away (which, for him, is shocking) and he enthusiastically said "bye bye!" and waved over and over nearly forcing his parents out the door so he could spend some quality time alone with his friends.

Posted by kagledom at 07:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

You may have noticed that since Simon turned two the link to the current month's collection of photos has disappeared. Hava is planning to change image host providers but the reason she hasn't got around to that is because it has become increasingly difficult to take photos of Simon. Here is the way it works. We get to take one photo, like this....

And then Simon insists it is his turn to play with the camera and fills the memory card with photos like this...

and this...

and this...

(And those were the good shots.)

Posted by kagledom at 07:56 PM | Permalink

One of the really great things about Simon at this age is that you can ask him to do just about anything and he will at least try to comply. After his bath we place an open diaper on the floor and ask him to sit on it and he straddles the diaper, sits down and lays back to have it affixed. That's just one step closer to our goal of being able to ask Simon to change his diaper by himself.

Another really great thing is that you never know what he is going to say. He used to cry when he woke up, then he repeated "Daddy Daddy Daddy Daddy Daddy Daddy..." until one of us opened his door, now the morning commentary from the Simonial crib is "Daddy? I WANT PANCAKES!" This morning Simon played with his Bob the Builder Lego set while Hava prepared a single large fresh blueberry pancake. When Simon walked into the kitchen and saw that his wish was being granted he looked genuinely surprised and said "THANK YOU!" He asked to "see it" and when Hava lifted him up he looked at the pancake, looked up to the ceiling, stretched out his arms and declared the pancake "So beautiful!"

Posted by kagledom at 08:10 AM | Permalink

Grandma Whee and Aunt Arlene came from New York Thursday afternoon to be Simonized. Simon was so excited to see them that he wanted nothing more than for "G'ma Whee" and "Ar-ene" to lay down on the carpet to play, climb into his tent (which he calls his "bus" or his "car"), sit at his small table and make pretend "pea'budder san-i-ches." An outsider seeing Simon for the first time Thursday evening might have described him as hyper-active. Friday morning he went to the park with Daddy and stepped on a little girl's fingers and slapped her when she tried to climb and slide on the play structure. We're still working on his tendency to hit other kids when they get too close to the objects of his desire. He has been better in school. Last week his teachers were very pleased when he told a boy to "Stop it! Stop touching that!" instead of hitting the boy's hand.

After being hastily removed from the park, Simon was taken to his usual Friday French class. After the class he ran over to the instructor, put both of his hands on her cheeks, kissed her several times on the lips, and sat down on her lap. After lunch and nap, Simon, Grandma Whee, Aunt Arlene, and Matthew met Hava in the Loop for some spectacular Tall Ship viewing. Simon enjoyed walking onto the ships with Matthew; he rang a bell, tried to steer, and would have jumped overboard if Matthew had let him. We ended up at Navy Pier where Simon was given his first train set.

Saturday we indulged Grandma Whee's desire for Simon to own every toy on the planet by taking her to a toy store with Simon in tow. Here is where Simon really hit it big by getting his very own Bob the Builder Lego set.

Can we build it? YES WE CAN! (Even without pants.)

Later Saturday evening we took Simon and Grandma Whee out to dinner at Heaven on Seven. And here is where we are happy to be able to report that he was happy and sweet and wonderful all evening - for more than an hour in the high chair. He also ate more than we have ever seen. Now Simon is usually not a light eater but last night he was unstoppable - three large slices of bread with honey butter, three or four large steamed carrots, most of a large peach, a grilled cheese sandwich that was larger than his head, a couple of Tater Tots, and half of an ice cream sandwich. In case any of you are wondering where he manages to put that much food, let's just say that what goes in must come out and fill more than a couple of diapers. (Sorry non-currently-baby-having folks, we know how sensitive you are about poop stories.)

Simon was very sad to learn that Grandma Whee and Aunt Arlene we're leaving this morning. Hava took him out for "hot coffee" once they left to brighten his mood.

Posted by kagledom at 01:34 PM | Permalink

My mommy works near to the lakefront,
My mommy works far from the sea,
My mommy works at Motorola,
Please bring back my mommy to me.

Everyone: Bring back, bring back, bring back my mommy to me, to me!

Posted by kagledom at 08:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Now that the anxiety of dropping Simon off at school is behind us (he is happy and comfortable and gladly enters the classroom each school morning). So begins the new struggle of getting him to leave when it is time to go home. In some ways, it was easier on Matthew when Simon needed him to stay for a bit in the morning and was thrilled to see him at the end of his school day. We are happy that Simon likes school so much - we're just not ready for him to be a big kid and not need his parents. Simon will be spending four half days at school a week instead of three next month.

In other news, Simon had been having a rough time sleeping at night and during his naps. Matthew started turning the thermostat down during sleeping times a couple of days ago and we are back to long nights of uninterrupted sleep and four-hour daily naps. It has been very very hot lately and the air conditioning just doesn't seem to be able to cool the place down as it did before the heat wave.

Finally, since we introduced the M&M as a potty training incentive Simon has stopped using the toilet all together. Yes, we can convince him to sit on the toilet by offering an M&M but he no longer adds anything to the bowl. Before M&Ms it was very rare for him to sit on the toilet without any result. We're perplexed by this turn of events and about ready to give up the approach. Also, Simon spends a very long time savoring each tiny bite of each M&M which has the affect of turning everything he touches a lovely M&M color.

Posted by kagledom at 07:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Yesterday Simon began to use pronouns regularly (and with adorable incorrectness).

When he said: "I want help you!"
He meant: I want you to help me.

When he said: "I wanna see it."
He meant: I want to see her (Mama).

We'd also like to take a moment to appreciate a math genious in the family: Simon's Cousin Sarah, age six. Check out the evidence. Congratulations, Sarah!

We set up a small sand and water table on the deck for Simon. We've spent a lot of time with the table over the past two evenings. It is very fun and very messy...

Posted by kagledom at 07:24 AM | Permalink