The Lindenbergs

Today was the first day of orientation at Pierce's preschool. All reports are that Pierce took to it like a fish to water. He raced to the door after breakfast and said let's go to school, completely forgot about his Mom when they got there, and said he really wanted to go back tomorrow.

What a great kid!







-Eric (Dad)

Wow, you get busy and the next thing you know weeks have past and you haven't done any new postings to the blog. What's new:

Pierce successfully pooped in the toilet three times and got his remote control car.






Pierce starts preschool today (Tuesday, August 31). He'll be attending the phoenix Montesouri school (Montesouri is a system for educating kids at a very young age using play as a main tool for learning). He'll be going until lunch five days a week.

Nora and I are going to Jamaica this week for our 5th wedding anniversary. We're both very excited. We leave this Thursday and fly back on Labor day. Hopefully we'll have lots of pictures to share.

Anna's new word is "Poop". She also likes to sit on the potty chair (fully clothed).

Both kids are regular toothbrushers (with Anna actually enjoying it). We've started to force Pierce to use toothpaste -he hates it. But he's been brushing with only a wet toothbrush for about a year, so we figured its time.

Nora's telecommuting days are coming to an end. At her annual evaluation they gave her a raise and demanded she come back to the office. Sigh, we're both disappointed. Such is life.

I went to the USTA sectionals (tennis) in Tulsa and our team made to the semi-finals before being eliminated. The team played very well, I played pretty poorly. It was a very fun time.

Well, that's it for now. See you on the flip side.

-Eric (Dad)

Here in the Kansas City area we've been having incredible weather. Usually this time of year is in the 90s with a heat index in the 100s. Instead we've been in the 70s and low 80s.

This Sunday we went to Powell Gardens (the local botanical garden) to see the Butterfly Festival. The kids were great and the gardens stunningly beautiful.














-Eric (Dad)

We've been having a heck of a time getting Pierce completely potty trained. He can do it, he just has no interest in telling us when he has to go. He is too engrossed in playing and will hold it for a long time, but he stays dry most of the time.

But, the poop - that's a different story. I've tried a chart where he gets 1 sticker for telling us when he has to go and he gets 2 stickers for pooping in the potty. Then after 10 stickers he gets a little toy. That hasn't completely done the trick though, so Eric gets the idea to promise Pierce a new Remote Control Car after he poops in the potty 3 times. We know he likes them and can drive them because both Eric and I have those Micro remote control cars and Eric has a big remote control PT Cruiser. Pierce can sucessfully drive them all!

Tonight, he earned the car! Part of the bedtime routine is sitting on the potty, so tonight Pierce took his Fire Engine Book.

[Mom] OK, time to sit on the potty.
[Pierce] OK, I'm going to read this book while the poop comes out.
[Mom] OK, I'll be right back (He has said this before but didn't poop)
I walked down the hall to the master bedroom and then next thing I know...
[Pierce] I did it! I did it! I pooped in the potty!
Both Eric and I run in to confirm and, sure enough, he has pooped!
[Mom and Dad] Yes, that's great! You did it and we're so proud of you! That's the third time, so now you get your remote control car!
[Pierce] (Big smile) Yeah!

Tomorrow night, Eric and Pierce are going shopping for a remote control car! I am excited to see what he picks out.

Nora (Mom)

Last night Nora was out with the girls, so getting the kids ready for bed was my exclusive job.

After giving the kids a bath I took Anna to her room to get her into her pajamas. I told Pierce to brush his teeth while I was gone (at this point Pierce is a pretty good toothbrusher, but he does refuse to use toothpaste, just a wet toothbrush).

On returning to the bathroom I find Pierce washing the soap dispenser under running water.

[Pierce] I'm washing the soap bottle
[Dad] I'll take care of it son, you start brushing
[Pierce] I need to dry off my hands

Looking at Pierce's hands I realize their coated in liquid soap (as was the soap dispenser). I rinse both and hand him his toothbrush.

[Dad] Start brushing kiddo
[Pierce] Uh oh
[Dad] Come on Pierce, keep brushing
[Pierce] Dad, the soap on my toothbrush makes it tastes sour

"Soap on his toothbrush"? What was this kid doing while I was getting Anna dressed?

-Eric (Dad)

I figured I better start carrying my weight on this blog-thing that Eric created. The problem is, he created it and puts all the good stories out there before I even have a chance!

In all seriousness, though, it is a cool thing and I intend to try to get out here more often.

Yesterday was my b-day and Eric had Pierce draw a picture for me. It is the most beautiful picture in the world and I am not saying that just because Pierce is my son...well OK, maybe I am. But to me, the picture is awesome. I believe Eric scanned it and posted it out here somewhere for the world to see. He also scanned and posted a wonderful finger painting that Anna did a while back.

Sunday was the Komen Kansas City Race for the Cure. I signed up our whole family for it (Eric and I walked it last year). This year, Eric couldn't walk because he had to participate in a tennis tournament in Tulsa, so my friend, Carrie, walked with me, Pierce and Anna. The kids did great and it was a beautiful, cool morning. We even saw Brett at the finish line as he was photographing the race participants as they finished. We had him take our picture.

Well, that's it for me right now. I'll be back soon.

Nora

Both Pierce and Anna seem to have an artistic bent. Anna loves to play with chalk (although not always drawing on appropriate places) and Pierce has got a catalog of favorites he likes to draw (cars, moons, circles, ...). Below are two of the kids more recent drawings: Anna's first attempt at fingerpainting, and Pierce's birthday gift to Nora (if you look closely at Pierce's drawing you can see the words Mom, Pierce and Anna, as well as a stick figure of himself).

-Eric (Dad)

About 10:30 last night I heard some movement coming from Pierce's room and peeked in to see what was going on. Man, what a smell.

[Dad] Pierce, do you need to be changed?
[Pierce] Yes, Daddy
[Dad] Lay down on the floor and I'll get you a new diaper

Pierce lays down while I flip on the lights and get the wipes and diaper

[Pierce] Dad?
[Dad] (holding breath and attempting not to breath) Yes son?
[Pierce] This is my biggest poop ever
[Dad] Oh god

Not his biggest poop ever, but certainly in the top 20.

-Eric (Dad)

# posted by Eric : 8:42 AM  0 Comments

Anna has a new favorite activity -"more run". What this means is she wants me to pick her up and run around the backyard at full speed. At maximum velocity she giggles and screams with glee. The problem, when I stop (panting and sweating) she demands "more run". Course she's my little girl, so you know she gets what she wants...

-Eric (Dad)

We got a call last night (8/3) from Stacey, my youngest brother's girlfriend.

Their engaged! Here's Stacey's version of how it happened:

Scott and his son, Chance, popped the question about a week ago while she was getting ready for work. Their timing couldn't have been more perfect, while she had been anticipating the question for quite sometime, she always thought it would be while they were out at dinner. Of course she was completely flustered (although she managed to say yes) and had to call in late while she, Scott and Chance cried and danced around the house in excitement.

Scott timed the proposal so that not only would she have a ring to show off at work, but she's heading out of town to be in a bridal party, now she has a ring to show to all her friends and family too (and our Mom was coming in for a visit with them for a few days so they got to make the happy announcement to her before the rest of the family found out).

Stacey - welcome to the family. We're very excited and glad to have you.
Scott - good catch. Whatever you did right to get such a wonderful woman, keep up the good work.

All our love to you both
-The Lindenbergs (Eric, Nora, Pierce and Anna)

Because so many of our friends and relatives live out of town I thought I'd post some current pictures. Enjoy!

-Eric (Dad)

Eric's 3rd Degree Black Belt Test (June 2004):


Saturday Morning (pre-shower):



Playing in the backyard pool:



Trapped in the Lincoln Logs (thanks Dad):


Hey Pierce, why don't you play with the hose...


Pierce and Anna playing:

Part of why I created this blog is because Pierce and Anna keep doing funny stuff that, when told shared with others, always results in the response, "You should really write that down before you forget". Sadly, I'm forgetting very quickly.

This post is to document one of Pierce's more priceless moments this year. Back in about April (2004) the family went to IHOP for brunch. There was a pretty signficant wait, with people milling about virtually elbow-to-elbow.

At one point a short, fairly wide woman (roughly equal in width and height) brushed passed Pierce to get to the hostess station. Pierce assessed the situation, and summed it up by declaring "Biiiig tuuushy", followed by the chant, "big tushy, big tushy, big tushy,...".

Now understand, Pierce meant no disrespect. He was just commenting on the world as he saw it. The noise level in the waiting area was high enough I don't think the woman heard a thing, but none the less, "big tushy" is not something you really want your 3-year declaring in a crowded restaurant. Therefore, being a responsible parent, I immediately broke into laughter (Nora rushed over and told him to stop).

-Eric (Dad)

This weekend was packed full of fun activities.

On Friday I booked an anniversary vacation for me and the little lady to go to Jamaica for early September. We're already very excited.

Friday night we had pizza with our new neighbors. They have two little boys, Evan and Mattie (ages 5 and 3) and the kids had a blast playing with each other. Anna is in love with dogs, and they have two small ones. I can envision us getting a dog in the near future. You've never seen the kind of smile Anna has when she's banging on(petting) the dog's head and yelling "Doggie!"

Saturday was our street's annual block party. Pierce's favorite part was the "moon bounce and the fire engine and the cookies and the...". If the kids hadn't started to tire we would have been there all evening. We had a chance to meet some neighbors what hadn't bumped into before. Anna made fast friends with one of the firemen, Todd, who was the unit's medivac/ambulance person. He gave her a little teddybear they keep in the ambulance for when they need to treat kids. She clutched it to her chest the rest of the day.

We took the kids to the pools Sunday morning and the kids couldn't get enough of it. Pierce has no fear of the water and is starting to really swim. He's only good for a couple of feet unaided, but would be happy to live at the pool if we'd let him. Anna and I started a new game, where I put her on my back and swim with her riding me like a seahorse. She calls the game "Shoulders" because she has to hang on to them. When we got home we all took naps, fun in the sun can be pretty draining.

I recently purchased the Mike Meyers "Cat in the Hat" movie on DVD. While Nora and I don't think too highly of it, Anna and Pierce loved it. We watched it for movie night on Sunday and both kids sat enthralled. Also, it turns out Anna is a popcorn junkie. She ate most of mine and a good portion of Pierce's.

-Eric (Dad)