Little Buddies

Yes —they even have matching highchairs!

Planning their escape

Maybe Toby will help?

Baby train! (excluding the caboose :) )

John is so strong!

Dazed by camera flashes

How cute are these two?

Lil' Twins Fan

 We're #1!

Tessa is gearing up for the Twins game we're going to in September. We're getting as much wear out of that outfit as we can; it might not fit come September!

Wish you were here!

While we were doing this (Colorado)...

Tessa was doing this (Minneapolis)...

Thanks, Aaron & Jessica, for taking such good care of our babe while we were away! We missed her terribly, but knew she was in good hands. :)

Potty Progression

We introduced Tessa to her potty chair back in February because she was showing all the signs of being ready to start training. She did really well for a while, going on it every night for about two weeks or so. She was doing so well that we asked her teachers to start trying during the day. That wasn't as successful, and a few weeks later, Tessa lost interest, so we took a break. Now, she's back at it. We were at J.C.Penney yesterday when Tessa said, "Potty, potty, potty!" We weren't sure how she'd do since there was no potty chair there, but we rushed to the restrooms anyway. I held Tessa as she sat on the toilet, and she went! She even had a dry diaper. The people in the restroom probably thought I was a bumbling fool; I was praising Tessa like there was no tomorrow. We are SO proud of her! She's getting better at telling us when she needs to go, but we didn't expect her to tell us when we were out and about. It's a step in the right direction.

Daycare update: Tessa's teachers told me she did wonderfully in the 2 room last week. She even ate lunch and napped with her new friends. One of Tessa's favorite teachers, Tina, looked like she was going to cry when she was telling me about Tessa's day. We know Tessa will miss her, too. None of us will miss the biting, though.

In other news, Tessa likes going to Hobby Lobby and T.J. Maxx. Last week on our ride in to daycare, Tessa kept saying, "T.J. Maxx!" After I told her that Daddy probably wouldn't like it if we skipped daycare and work to go shopping, she said, "Hobby Lobby!" I told her we'd go there in a few weeks to get supplies for her birthday party, to which she replied, "Whoop, whoop!" with a little dance. I know we don't go there THAT often...they're just that exciting. We go to Hy-Vee and Target more frequently, and she never says she wants to go there. Priorities, I guess.

Well we're movin' on up

To the eastside! To a room with no biters, at the Y-aye-aye! (Think "The Jeffersons" theme song.)

Today, Tessa will start transitioning to one of the 2 rooms, which the directors assured me has no biters in it. She'll be in her new room for the long-run as of July 12. It's amazing how quickly things change when you complain enough... I guess it took one more biting incident (on Tuesday) and me having a face-to-face with the directors (Wednesday morning) to have them really act on this matter. Throw out phrases like, "discipline issues" and "infections from bites," and they really take you seriously.

A visit from Grandma & Grandpa

Church, Bagel Boy, playtime and DQ with Grandma & Grandpa. Tessa had a blast! 

Happy Father's Day!

dfkjdskfsdklfjijekf

Only a random string of letters — not words — can describe how frustrated we are with the number of times Tessa has been bit at daycare over the past five or so weeks.

Owie.

I'm tempted to get that bad tasting stuff that some parents use on their thumb-sucking kids and apply it to Tessa's arms. That would teach the little monster(s).

I talked with several of Tessa's teachers about it. Her main teacher said she decided to speak with the directors about the issue even before I approached her. Evidently one of the main culprits (they don't reveal names, although Tessa has mentioned Emmy) was moved to one of the 2-year-old rooms. Problem not solved. Tessa will be there in two months. But her teacher said she'll request that Tessa not be put in the same room. So, other children will have to feel the wrath of this biter.

Every time she's bit, I have to sign a report (the biter's parents do, too), and it always details that Tessa was minding her own business when another child sunk his or her little teeth into her. Or something like that. Tessa has never bit anyone. I almost wish she would start biting back. Another one of her teachers told me that a lot of the kids don't know how to communicate very well, so they bite when they get frustrated. That won't fly in the real world, kids. Just you wait. Ever heard of Mike Tyson?

After the incident, the biter (yes, I'm labeling these children) is shown the mark (there is usually a nice bruise) and told no and that he/she hurt Tessa. Then, said biter has to sit in a timeout. Once out of timeout, he/she is encouraged to hug Tessa. But she doesn't always accept these insincere gestures. Good for her. I wouldn't want a hug from my attacker, either.

"Dogs never bite me. Just humans."

                           – Marilyn Monroe

P.S. Since I happen to post on people's birthdays ... Happy birthday, Linds!

Earmuffs

Examples of things I should no longer say

While driving...

"Move it, grandpa. This isn't a parade!"

Because Tessa says...
"Grandpa go?"
(And probably soon, "Parade go?")

I've learned my lesson. I will never again stereotype slow drivers as having grandpa-like qualities, or vice versa. My apologies, Bill! :)

And, in general...
"Damn Walmart."

Because Tessa says...
"Damn Walmart."

Don't judge me.

P.S. Tessa turned 12 the other day. Wait, no. It just seems that way because apparently, she knows how to text message...???

P.P.S. Happy birthday, Mima!

Hey, cousin!

Tessa and John got to hang out for a bit when we were in the Rochester area last weekend. In the last picture, it looks like Tessa is about to squeeze his cheeks. (That's my job as his aunt!)

They're such sweet babes.