Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Thanksgiving
We had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend. We stayed in town and Nora's folks came over for dinner. Nora was the master chef and really outdid herself.
The day before (Wednesday) we were on the receiving end of record-breaking snow for this time of year, about 7". Thanksgiving morning we all went out and played; making snow angels, snowmen, and lots of sledding. I built a little sledding track with a few twists and turns and Pierce and a couple of the neighborhood kids spent hours on it (ok, ok... I spent a lot of time on it too).
One of the more interesting discoveries from this weekend is that Anna is nuts for gumbo. Saturday night Nora was out with friends and I made dinner for the kids. I tried to make all their favorites to ensure they were good eaters (Mac 'n cheese, broccoli, stovetop stuffing) and Anna wasn't interested in any of it. She wanted a "bite" of my bowl of gumbo. Four servings later she was still ploughing through it. I don't think she's ever had soup before, and her use of a spoon didn't quite match her enthusiasm for getting the soup into her mouth. She also tried to upend the bowl into her mouth, but mostly just poured the soup down her chest. At the end of the meal I had to peel her soaked shirt off and stand her on the table to shake off all the rice and spices that found their way to her lap. Ultimately I had to give her a bath to get the rest of the gumbo out of her hair.
On Sunday we went to Science City at Union Station. Union Station is the historic train depot in the Kansas City area. A couple of years ago it was refurbished as a commercial dining area with its major areas taken up by a museum targeted to children. Science City is showing a temporary exhibit featuring Sesame Street (both our kids our huge fans). They also have another temporary exhibit called "Grossology" which features interactive displays on all the gross things our bodies do and produce (a sample exhibit: squeeze the bulb and identify the smell that comes out: mouth, armpit, anus, or foot). Both exhibits were hits with Pierce and Anna.
inadvertently we showed up at the museum 45 minutes before it opened, but we stumbled across a pleasant surprise. Union Station had just opened a model train display that must have covered 1500 square feet. It featured towns, factories, bridges, covered tunnels, and trains from local train companies. A couple of other trains running on the tracks were Thomas the Tank Engine (from the TV show) and the Polar Express -complete with sound effects. Both kids were captivated and Pierce got upset when it was time to leave the exhibit to go to Science City.
We finished the day by going to a nearby restaurant called Fritz's for lunch. Fritz's is a train-themed restaurant with model trains running past the tables in fake "windows" and a food delivery system based on trains that run across the ceiling and drop your order at the table. It was hilarious -both kids were yelling "All Aboard" at the top of their lungs each time a train ran past our table. By the time we got the kids in the car both were half asleep. As soon as we got home and transferred them to their respective beds I took a nap too.
These four-day weekends are exhausting.
-Eric (Dad)
The day before (Wednesday) we were on the receiving end of record-breaking snow for this time of year, about 7". Thanksgiving morning we all went out and played; making snow angels, snowmen, and lots of sledding. I built a little sledding track with a few twists and turns and Pierce and a couple of the neighborhood kids spent hours on it (ok, ok... I spent a lot of time on it too).
One of the more interesting discoveries from this weekend is that Anna is nuts for gumbo. Saturday night Nora was out with friends and I made dinner for the kids. I tried to make all their favorites to ensure they were good eaters (Mac 'n cheese, broccoli, stovetop stuffing) and Anna wasn't interested in any of it. She wanted a "bite" of my bowl of gumbo. Four servings later she was still ploughing through it. I don't think she's ever had soup before, and her use of a spoon didn't quite match her enthusiasm for getting the soup into her mouth. She also tried to upend the bowl into her mouth, but mostly just poured the soup down her chest. At the end of the meal I had to peel her soaked shirt off and stand her on the table to shake off all the rice and spices that found their way to her lap. Ultimately I had to give her a bath to get the rest of the gumbo out of her hair.
On Sunday we went to Science City at Union Station. Union Station is the historic train depot in the Kansas City area. A couple of years ago it was refurbished as a commercial dining area with its major areas taken up by a museum targeted to children. Science City is showing a temporary exhibit featuring Sesame Street (both our kids our huge fans). They also have another temporary exhibit called "Grossology" which features interactive displays on all the gross things our bodies do and produce (a sample exhibit: squeeze the bulb and identify the smell that comes out: mouth, armpit, anus, or foot). Both exhibits were hits with Pierce and Anna.
inadvertently we showed up at the museum 45 minutes before it opened, but we stumbled across a pleasant surprise. Union Station had just opened a model train display that must have covered 1500 square feet. It featured towns, factories, bridges, covered tunnels, and trains from local train companies. A couple of other trains running on the tracks were Thomas the Tank Engine (from the TV show) and the Polar Express -complete with sound effects. Both kids were captivated and Pierce got upset when it was time to leave the exhibit to go to Science City.
We finished the day by going to a nearby restaurant called Fritz's for lunch. Fritz's is a train-themed restaurant with model trains running past the tables in fake "windows" and a food delivery system based on trains that run across the ceiling and drop your order at the table. It was hilarious -both kids were yelling "All Aboard" at the top of their lungs each time a train ran past our table. By the time we got the kids in the car both were half asleep. As soon as we got home and transferred them to their respective beds I took a nap too.
These four-day weekends are exhausting.
-Eric (Dad)
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Weekend Recap
Saturday was Nora's folk's 40th wedding anniversary party. Nora and her sister-in-law, Nicole, made all the arrangements. The event was held at the local Marriott with lots of family coming in from St. Louis to attend. Locally we had lots of friends and relatives dropping by for an afternoon of stories, light hors devours, and a video slideshow of Bill and Joann growing up and spending a life together. Afterwards most of the out-of-town guests came to our house for dinner and more visiting.
Both events went of seamlessly. Nora and Billy gave a wonderful Champaign toast to their folks which pretty much had the room in tears. Pierce had a great time playing with his cousins and Anna, after an initial shy spell, tried to go toe-to-toe with all her boy cousins (and did a mighty fine job of it).
Sunday was pretty restful. After a quick trip to Costco we stopped by a fire station and the kids had a great time visiting with the firefighters. When we got to the recreation room Pierce pulled up a chair and regaled the room with stories (I still smile when I think about it). We had a minor calamity when Anna fell out of her bed during her afternoon nap. She knocked her head against the nightstand which resulted in a bit more bleeding from her head than any Dad ever wants to see. Fortunately it did not merit an emergency room visit and Anna was back to her old self in no time.
We finished up the weekend by having Movie-Night. Pierce's pick was Disney's "The Fox and the Hound". The whole family enjoyed it, but Pierce insists it wasn't a real movie night because we didn't pop popcorn.
-Eric (Dad)
Both events went of seamlessly. Nora and Billy gave a wonderful Champaign toast to their folks which pretty much had the room in tears. Pierce had a great time playing with his cousins and Anna, after an initial shy spell, tried to go toe-to-toe with all her boy cousins (and did a mighty fine job of it).
Sunday was pretty restful. After a quick trip to Costco we stopped by a fire station and the kids had a great time visiting with the firefighters. When we got to the recreation room Pierce pulled up a chair and regaled the room with stories (I still smile when I think about it). We had a minor calamity when Anna fell out of her bed during her afternoon nap. She knocked her head against the nightstand which resulted in a bit more bleeding from her head than any Dad ever wants to see. Fortunately it did not merit an emergency room visit and Anna was back to her old self in no time.
We finished up the weekend by having Movie-Night. Pierce's pick was Disney's "The Fox and the Hound". The whole family enjoyed it, but Pierce insists it wasn't a real movie night because we didn't pop popcorn.
-Eric (Dad)
Monday, November 15, 2004
A weekend of fun
The Lindenberg clan had an exceptionally nice weekend. On Saturday we took the kids to see The Invincibles (he means 'The Incredibles' -Nora). All four of us really enjoyed it (I'd recommend it to anyone, but be warned it can be a little scary for small children). In the lobby, prior to the movie, we bumped into a friend of mine (Chayan) and his family. We ended up sitting together in the theater then going over to their house for pizza and a play date with his daughter. Of course we ran long and the kids went to bed late -but it was worth every extra minute.
On Sunday Pierce asked if we could go outside and play t-ball (he got a stand and bat for his birthday). The whole family played, with Anna taking several turns at bat too. The weather was pretty gloomy, but didn't affect our fun in the least. I also took the kids for a walk/ride in their new Red Ryder wagon and Pierce and I squeezed some soccer and basketball in before dinner.
Anna skipped her nap on Sunday and consequently fell apart in the latter half of the afternoon. She ended up in bed by about 6:30 pm, so Pierce got some private time with Mom and Dad. Nice.
Amazing how fast a weekend goes by when you're having fun.
-Eric (Dad)
On Sunday Pierce asked if we could go outside and play t-ball (he got a stand and bat for his birthday). The whole family played, with Anna taking several turns at bat too. The weather was pretty gloomy, but didn't affect our fun in the least. I also took the kids for a walk/ride in their new Red Ryder wagon and Pierce and I squeezed some soccer and basketball in before dinner.
Anna skipped her nap on Sunday and consequently fell apart in the latter half of the afternoon. She ended up in bed by about 6:30 pm, so Pierce got some private time with Mom and Dad. Nice.
Amazing how fast a weekend goes by when you're having fun.
-Eric (Dad)
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Pictures, pictures, pictures
As you may have noticed from the last month's worth of posts, I keep talking about fun things we've done and promising pictures. Well, as usual with me, better late than never. Enjoy!
Eric (Dad)
Halloween
Deanna Rose Petting Zoo/Pumpkin Patch
Worlds of Fun
Bathtime
Misc
Eric (Dad)
Halloween
Deanna Rose Petting Zoo/Pumpkin Patch
Worlds of Fun
Bathtime
Misc
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Pierce's interesting discussion
Be warned ahead of time, this posting is a little strange. Also, it falls under the category of a little "blue". So if you're offended easily you may want to skip this one. You've been warned.
Ok, now that I've peaked your interest....
Pierce was sitting on the toilet after going potty a few evenings ago. His business was essentially done, but he was taking this opportunity to explore his nether regions. Since the kid has so little access to this area on a day-to-day basis (he wears pull-ups at night and is not quite dressing himself yet) I thought it only fair to let him check himself out. That being said, there was more pulling, twisting, squeezing and rolling than I've ever seen -it looked a little painful.
At the end of this exploration the following dialog took place:
Pierce: Dad, my penis isn't getting longer.
Eric: Hmm, son, your penis stays the same size.
Pierce: No Dad, it needs to get longer.
Eric: (thinking, where is this conversation going?) Pierce, does you leg longer?
Pierce: No
Eric: Does your arm or foot get longer?
Pierce: No
Eric: Well, your penis doesn't get longer either. It stays the same size.
Pierce: No Dad, it needs to get bigger and bigger, and fatter and fatter...
Eric: ??!! (what in God's name has this kid been watching on tv?)
Pierce: (continuing) ... that way it will be big like yours and I can pee standing up.
Eric: Ah, well son, you can pee standing up anytime you want to.
Pierce: No, I think I'll wait.
Eric: Ok
Do I have a point with this story? Not really, but I really thought I was going to have to explain erections to a four-year old. Dodged the bullet this time...
-Eric (Dad)
Ok, now that I've peaked your interest....
Pierce was sitting on the toilet after going potty a few evenings ago. His business was essentially done, but he was taking this opportunity to explore his nether regions. Since the kid has so little access to this area on a day-to-day basis (he wears pull-ups at night and is not quite dressing himself yet) I thought it only fair to let him check himself out. That being said, there was more pulling, twisting, squeezing and rolling than I've ever seen -it looked a little painful.
At the end of this exploration the following dialog took place:
Pierce: Dad, my penis isn't getting longer.
Eric: Hmm, son, your penis stays the same size.
Pierce: No Dad, it needs to get longer.
Eric: (thinking, where is this conversation going?) Pierce, does you leg longer?
Pierce: No
Eric: Does your arm or foot get longer?
Pierce: No
Eric: Well, your penis doesn't get longer either. It stays the same size.
Pierce: No Dad, it needs to get bigger and bigger, and fatter and fatter...
Eric: ??!! (what in God's name has this kid been watching on tv?)
Pierce: (continuing) ... that way it will be big like yours and I can pee standing up.
Eric: Ah, well son, you can pee standing up anytime you want to.
Pierce: No, I think I'll wait.
Eric: Ok
Do I have a point with this story? Not really, but I really thought I was going to have to explain erections to a four-year old. Dodged the bullet this time...
-Eric (Dad)
Monday, November 08, 2004
The Kid's Birthdays
As usual, events have taken place faster than our ability to document them. The past two weekends have revolved around the kids' birthdays (both born on Halloween). Last weekend (10/31) we took Anna and Pierce to Worlds of Fun (a local amusement park). The weather was perfect, we didn't even need to wear jackets. They have a whole section called Camp Snoopy that's full of rides for small children. We had a blast. Both kids loved the rollercoaster and couldn't get enough of swinging/flying rides.
We had a chance to meet Snoopy and Anna tried to give the dog a 5-minute hug. I literally had to pull her off. We all came home exhausted. That night the kids trick-or-treated with Nora. Turns out they're naturals (Pierce was dressed as Blue from Blue's Clues, and Anna was dressed as Blue's friend Magenta).
That prior Friday we took the kids to a local mall for trick-or-treating (a first for us). While the mall was packed with costumed kids, objectively I'd have to say ours were the cutest. Saturday we did family and kid portraits. We were very pleased with the proofs and should be sending pics to everyone by the holidays. Interestingly, when we were done and looking at the proofs Anna kept asking to take more pictures. Certainly a change from prior years.
This past weekend was also packed with activity. Nora and I both took Friday off to do some house re-arranging. Nora's office has now been converted to Anna's new bedroom complete with a brand new bed. Anna is very excited (she's been asking for her own bed for several months). She's had two successive nights where she went down without a peep and slept through the night. Hopefully we'll continue to have such good luck. We also converted Anna's nursery to Nora's new office and guest bedroom. It all had to be done at the same time so we'd have the room ready for my Mom's arrival. She's came in to celebrate the kid's birthday this past Sunday.
We held the party at Jeepers, a local indoor amusement park and arcade. The kids and their closest dozen friends played games, flew in big bananas, rode rollercoasters, drove bumper cars, and wore themselves silly all afternoon. Nora even got to steal away and play some video games (that's my girl). Nora outdid herself with the arrangements and we all had a blast. Should have some pictures to post soon.
Pierce's potty training continues to progress with two days of back-to-back successes over the weekend. We've promised to get a family dog as soon has proven he's that he's nailed down the potty training for good. With the progress he's making we will probably be shopping for a dog by the end of the year!
Both kids are full of (good) surprises. Last night Pierce ran and got a Kleenex and proceeded to help Anna blow her nose (Nora practically wept with joy). Anna is delighted to see my Mom again, and after her initial "let's warm up to her" phase, is treating my Mom like her new best friend. Particularly memorable was when she insisted on having a conversation with with my Mom through the bathroom door.
I can't remember the last time a weekend went by so fast.
-Eric (Dad)
We had a chance to meet Snoopy and Anna tried to give the dog a 5-minute hug. I literally had to pull her off. We all came home exhausted. That night the kids trick-or-treated with Nora. Turns out they're naturals (Pierce was dressed as Blue from Blue's Clues, and Anna was dressed as Blue's friend Magenta).
That prior Friday we took the kids to a local mall for trick-or-treating (a first for us). While the mall was packed with costumed kids, objectively I'd have to say ours were the cutest. Saturday we did family and kid portraits. We were very pleased with the proofs and should be sending pics to everyone by the holidays. Interestingly, when we were done and looking at the proofs Anna kept asking to take more pictures. Certainly a change from prior years.
This past weekend was also packed with activity. Nora and I both took Friday off to do some house re-arranging. Nora's office has now been converted to Anna's new bedroom complete with a brand new bed. Anna is very excited (she's been asking for her own bed for several months). She's had two successive nights where she went down without a peep and slept through the night. Hopefully we'll continue to have such good luck. We also converted Anna's nursery to Nora's new office and guest bedroom. It all had to be done at the same time so we'd have the room ready for my Mom's arrival. She's came in to celebrate the kid's birthday this past Sunday.
We held the party at Jeepers, a local indoor amusement park and arcade. The kids and their closest dozen friends played games, flew in big bananas, rode rollercoasters, drove bumper cars, and wore themselves silly all afternoon. Nora even got to steal away and play some video games (that's my girl). Nora outdid herself with the arrangements and we all had a blast. Should have some pictures to post soon.
Pierce's potty training continues to progress with two days of back-to-back successes over the weekend. We've promised to get a family dog as soon has proven he's that he's nailed down the potty training for good. With the progress he's making we will probably be shopping for a dog by the end of the year!
Both kids are full of (good) surprises. Last night Pierce ran and got a Kleenex and proceeded to help Anna blow her nose (Nora practically wept with joy). Anna is delighted to see my Mom again, and after her initial "let's warm up to her" phase, is treating my Mom like her new best friend. Particularly memorable was when she insisted on having a conversation with with my Mom through the bathroom door.
I can't remember the last time a weekend went by so fast.
-Eric (Dad)
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
York Peppermint 'Batty'
So Monday I took the kids to their annual check-ups with Dr. B. After their appointments, I stopped off at Hen House for milk, bananas, oranges and a few other grocery items. I hadn't had lunch that day because I left at 1pm for the kids' appointments and worked up til then. The 50% off Halloween candy called out to me so I bought a York Peppermint 'Batty'. On the way home, I opened it and took a bite. Anna saw me and this is what happened after that:
Anna: "Bite?"
Me: "OK, here you go." (handed her a bite-sized piece & she ate it, but didn't ask for more)
Pierce: "I want a bite, too."
Me: "OK, here you go." (handed him a bite-sized piece )
Pierce puts the candy in his mouth and the next moment, I hear something coming from his direction, behind the driver's seat that sounds a little like a cat coughing up a hairball...
Me: (a little concerned) "Pierce? Are you OK? Did you not like it?
Pierce: "No" (still kind of coughing)
Me: "Here, spit it into this kleenex. (handed him a kleenex)
I glance back and he has a look on his face like he has eaten the worst thing in the world and is about to vomit...he says he's OK, though, and I cannot keep myself from laughing at the memory of that look on his face. I told him the next time he asked for a bite of my peppermint candy, I will remind him that he doesn't like it!
Both kids are in great health and 90th percentile for height and weight. Neither child had to have any shots. Pierce was happy about that. He got to do a vision test and hearing test, and he was very cooperative. Dr. B's nurse, Kim, told him it was a game!
-Nora (Mom)
Anna: "Bite?"
Me: "OK, here you go." (handed her a bite-sized piece & she ate it, but didn't ask for more)
Pierce: "I want a bite, too."
Me: "OK, here you go." (handed him a bite-sized piece )
Pierce puts the candy in his mouth and the next moment, I hear something coming from his direction, behind the driver's seat that sounds a little like a cat coughing up a hairball...
Me: (a little concerned) "Pierce? Are you OK? Did you not like it?
Pierce: "No" (still kind of coughing)
Me: "Here, spit it into this kleenex. (handed him a kleenex)
I glance back and he has a look on his face like he has eaten the worst thing in the world and is about to vomit...he says he's OK, though, and I cannot keep myself from laughing at the memory of that look on his face. I told him the next time he asked for a bite of my peppermint candy, I will remind him that he doesn't like it!
Both kids are in great health and 90th percentile for height and weight. Neither child had to have any shots. Pierce was happy about that. He got to do a vision test and hearing test, and he was very cooperative. Dr. B's nurse, Kim, told him it was a game!
-Nora (Mom)
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