The Daily Jude 8/31/11

Jude was invited to Will Snyder's 4th birthday at Pump It Up. He was just a bit too little to play on all the inflatables but it was so close to our house that I'm sure we'll have lots of other chances to go. Besides, Jude got to play in a "big car" AND we got him his very own green Pump It Up ball, which he has not let go of since we got home (literally - he's actually sleeping with it as I write).
In other related news, this was the weekend we decided to GIVE UP THE PACIFIER. That's right - no pacifier. It's been replaced with a green ball. Awesome.

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo, how about you, you, you?

For our first big outing of the weekend, we went with Mardi and Will Snyder to the Minnesota Zoo.  It was a hot and steamy day, so we got up early to get to the zoo when it opened.  Our first stop was the brand new penguin exhibit.  Jude decided that the penguins were both exhilirating and terrifying at the same time.  He loved getting up close to the glass and watching the swim, but as soon as they came face to face with him, he had to say "no, no, no" to the penguins.

He only wanted to turn around for a second...you never know when those penguins are going to sneak up on you!

We took a long loop around the outside of the zoo.  This was the fourth time that we have been to the zoo since we moved to Minnesota but the first time that we had ever been able to go outside.  I think that pretty much sums up the Minnesota weather. 

Even the camels were hot, and we found them relaxing in the swamp.  If you look close, you can see the baby's head just sticking out of the green muck!  Mardi, Liz, Will and I all recited lines from Dear Zoo:

"They sent me a camel.  He was too grumpy!  I sent him back!"

The big even of the afternoon was the splash pad.  We changed Will and Jude into their swim trunks and let them have at it.  There were tons of kids playing the water, and they joined right in.  What a great way to cool off after a steamy hot walk around the zoo.

And then we headed to our regular after zoo haunt, Perkins.  We stopped for a picture before we got back in the car so everyone could take a big rest.  What a great time with the boys!

The Daily Jude 7/29/11

Behold! His masterpiece!

The Daily Jude 7/28/11

Have we talked about how much Jude loves spoons? He LOVES them. He must have at least one spoon with him at ALL times. Today he was beyond thrilled that he had TWO purple spoons to keep him company on the way home from school. Crazy baby.

The Daily Jude 7/27/11

Mommy had a work thing tonight so Jude and I went on a date! Where? To the gyros place where Lindsay never wants to go, of course!

The Daily Jude 7/26/11

Shake, shake, shake, maraca!

The Daily Jude 7/25/11

The blurry white-ish thing in the foreground is the ball that Jude was practicing throwing today. Let me tell you, he was IN to it.

The Daily Jude 7/24/11 (part 4)

Last one, I swear. This is how we play in the water, townhouse-style.

The Daily Jude 7/24/11 (part 3)

How could I not add this one? Jude was experimenting with sticking both feet inside the clear plastic toy bucket. Fortunately this didn't end the way you'd think it might.

The Daily Jude 7/24/11 (part 2)

I couldn't resist a two-fer. We're shopping for carpet and Jude thinks the samples are the best dancing floors he's seen. But have you guys seen his belly?

The Daily Jude 7/25/11

Mommy is still sleeping and I was just doing some dishes from breakfast when my mama-senses told me Jude was too quiet. When I went to check on him, this is what I found.

You can hardly tell he has an educator for a parent.

The Daily Jude 7/23/11

Five toddlers, one couch. There's no way they were all going to be happy.

Reading time with mommy

A little sumpin' sumpin' for Saturday morning.




Liz

The Daily Jude 7/22/11

Beans on your face, big disgrace.

The Daily Jude 7/21/11

Sorry, folks. This was the best I could do. We left Jude with Andrea this evening so we could shop for carpet (I know, right?). Shortly after I took this picture the kid woke up crying. Ooops.

The Daily Jude 7/20/11

That shape sorter never gets old.

The Daily Jude 7/19/11

Totally hott! Told you this kid has a shoe fetish.

The Daily Jude 7/18/11

Open your mouth for PEAS!!!!

The Daily Jude 7/17/11

Nothing much special happens in this video (though Jude does say,"bubble"), but it's been a while since we've had a video. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGVxqcc3Re4

Liz

The Daily Jude 7/16/11

Today was HOT and sooo humid, but we had a great time hanging out in the backyard with some mama friends. Jude tried to entice us into getting a house with a yard by demonstrating how he'd mow the lawn while holding a spoon (?).

The Daily Jude 7/15/11

He's smiling! He's laughing! He's in a good mood! There is light!

The Daily Jude 7/14/11

Do you see how everyone is kind of even-faced and spent-looking? That's because this morning AND this evening Jude had his two most epic tantrums to date. EPIC. This bath was the only part of the day when he could even stand to look at me. I didn't know "The Terrible Sixteen-months" was a thing.

The Daily Jude 7/13/11

You know what a sleeping picture means? Yup. It usually means I was working late. Not tonight! Tonight we had a BABYSITTER and went OUT with PEOPLE to a concert. The Indigo Girls, to be exact. It was fantastic and I'm ever so glad we went. But now it's tomorrow and I must go to sleep. Goodnight!

The Daily Jude 7/12/11

Jude threw up at school yesterday (even though he didn't throw up once on Sunday), so I was home with him today while he was "sick." I actually spent most of the day thinking about how I was paying someone else to take care of him while I was busy trying to entertain him (and I think if Jude could give me a score, it would be a four. I really didn't live up to his standards). Thank god for the park. And slides. And sand.

The Daily Jude 7/11/11 Observed

Ok. This picture was actually taken today, which is the day after the day in the subject line. But remember when I said Jude threw up at school yesterday? Yeah... He also threw up twice at home. That meant an express trip to urgent care and then the pharmacy, which meant I forgot to take a picture. Plus I know I had another day or two that I missed recently AND I couldn't decide between the two pictures SO.... two.

The Daily Jude 7/9/11

That yellow bowl is our barf bowl. It's sitting on Jude's lap because yes, Jude spent most of today throwing up. We're hoping for a better day tomorrow.

The Daily Jude 7/8/11

Um, excuse me? There is a bowl on your head.

Bye bye.

Jude is up to 15 or so words in his vocabulary.  I think that approximately 20% of these words would be understood by someone who he doesn't call "mama," so we're not talking about clear sentences here.  Jude's words up to this point include:

Heyer's Dictionary, Volume I

Ba = ball
Bo = boat
Da = dog
Doo = two
Dow = down
Ohp = help
Mo = more
Mama = Mama/Mommy
Ma = Grandma
Pa = Grandpa
Tee = tree
Doh = door
Ow = Out
Hi = hi (clearly one of the 20% that is comprehensible)
Ah dah = all done
Dahktah = doctor
Bobo = bubble
Kee = kitty (and oldie but a goodie with Jude)
No = no (20%, but in case it isn't clear, Jude emphatically shakes his head when saying this word over and over and continuing to do what you told him not to in the first place.)
Ee = eat

But the word that has gotten the most play in Jude's vocabulary is "bye bye."  Let me tell you, bye bye is as multi-purposes as Windex according to Jude.

Don't want to be in the car seat any more?  Just tell it bye bye! Going to bed?  Why learn to say good night when bye bye works fine?! All done brushing your teeth?  YELL bye bye many many many times.  Don't want to eat the meat on your plate?  Just say bye bye and feed it to the dog.

Of course, he is my child.  He says his favorite phrase all day and night, over and over again, with changing inflections.  But when we are face-timing with my parents on our iPhones tonight and I say "Jude, say 'bye' to Grandma!" he waves and says nothing.  And better yet, he looks at me like "What in the hell do you want me to do?"  Stubbornness runs in the family.

The Daily Jude 7/6/11

Attack of The Ten Foot Tickle Monster!

The Daily Jude 7/5/11

Preparing for takeoff, heading back to the Midwest. Avoiding the stinkeye from the guy across the aisle...

The Daily Jude 7/4/11

Happy Fourth from Malaga Cove School!

The Daily Jude 7/3/11

We hit the beach today and Jude looooved it. I'm sure he got his daily protein intake with the sand.

The Daily Jude 7/2/11

The littlest ringbearer...

The Daily Jude 7/1/11

You CAN bite the skin of the orange, but I wouldn't recommend it.