Good Deal

Zach, after a long day with no nap, asked to play his video game (Little Leaps). I told him we weren't turning on the TV for a movie or a video game. He then raced over to his blocks and said, "Blocks away. Video game. Good deal", and feverishly began shoveling his blocks into their bucket. A minute later, with five blocks left, he looked at me and said, "Almost done!"

Although I'd like to be consistent at all times by following through with my decision, I couldn't possibly argue with his logic. He is now contentedly playing his video game. Notice the blocks bucket next to him.

No. Yes.

Zach is becoming very contrary as works his way into his third year. When Aaron or I ask him a question, he will typically respond by saying, "no", and will then become upset when he realizes that "no" means "no" and not "yes". Some examples (many of these conversations are more rhetorical in nature than practical):

Parent: Zach, do you want to watch Rocket movie?
Zach: No.
Parent: Okay, we won't watch Rocket.
Zach: Yes, want Rocket movie!
Parent: Oh, so you would like to watch Rocket?
Zach: No watch Rocket!
Parent: Are you two?
Zach: No!
Parent: How old are you?
Zach? Tee.
Parent: Are you being contrary?
Zach: Yes.

Or:

Zach: Want Bee downstairs.
Parent: Would you like me to go bring Bee downstairs?
Zach: No Bee downstairs! No Bee downstairs. Bee upstairs!
Parent: Would you like Bee to stay upstairs?
Zach: No Bee upstairs! No Bee upstairs! Be downstairs!

This Bee discussion happens several times a day and is almost always accompanied by stomping of the feet and a hysterical tone of voice.

Night-Night Bee, Night-Night Zach, See You 'Morrow

I was hoping to keep up with this more regularly, but that obviously hasn't happened. Anyway, this morning something happened that was not to go undocumented.

Zach requested that Bee be put down for a nap in Mommy's bed. Blankets over him. We kissed him night-night and started to go upstairs, only to result in Zach screaming to go night-night too. So, Zach climbs into bed next to Bee, on Daddy's side of the bed, and pulls up the blanket to his chin. He then says "night-night" to me and says "door shut". I stand outside the door for a couple minutes listening for what I expect will be a protest to open the door to retrieve the child. Nope. I hear, "night-night Bee, night-night Zach, see you 'morrow". I wait another minute. Silence. I creep the door open to check on the two "children", only to be told,"door shut".

I'm finally starting a blog. Really.

I've been reading other people's blogs for awhile now and didn't feel the need to have my own. Now that I am trying to remember the gems that I hear from Zach every day, I think this will be a good place to start recording our family memories. There are so many things he says and does that I want to remember, and my head just can't keep track of the mental list or the scraps of paper that are somewhere. My physical scrapbooking has not kept up with the quantify of photos we've taken. Maybe this will work. I do wish I'd started this when (or before) Zach was born, but better to start now than later.

So, the gems that inspired this today? First, this one:

Z: Mommy, peeze Tae Bo movie now. (Yes, that is the child doing a
stretch as instructed by the great Billy Blanks)

Then, a little later, this one:

J: (singing to Zach): Now I know my ABC's,
next time won't you sing with me.

Z: BDFG.

As I was walking upstairs after putting Z down for his nap, I heard this one:

Z: Hall neeno out. (If anyone other than grandparents read this, "neeno" means "light".)