12/15/2012

"Mom, my nose is leaking again."

I'm hesitant to correct him here, because what he says makes more sense than 'my nose is running again'

***

Andy: "I love you buddy"
Van: "You called me buddy, that's silly. you need to call me Van Karns Angel"
Andy: "Ok, I love you Van Karns Angel"
Van: "I love you too daddy.    ...hey, what's your name?"


***

Grandma: (pointing at the sewing machine) "Van this is a tool, we don't play with this."
Van: "That's not a tool, it's mama's snowing machine"


***

"Good Job Mama!"
I love being congratulated by my little man when I get the answers right on Diego.

***

Toenails

I would be the first person to say that there are distinct and undeniable differences between boys and girls. They're just born that way, it's not how you treat them, or what you expose them to. Van loves trucks, trains, and tigers. He doesn't like wearing tutus and necklaces, or playing with dolls like his cousins Elin and Solvej.
BUT yesterday I found one exception to the stereotypical gender classification rules.
Painted toenails.

I was in a hurry trying to get ready to go out to Andy's Christmas party and I needed to paint my toenails. 

"I want my toes purple too" Van said. 

"Sure" I said and I painted one toe (as any parent knows, compliance is the easiest thing in a time crunch).

"No, I want all of them, just like you"

After I was done, he smiled and said, "we should show daddy"

I laughed because I knew Daddy's reaction might not be quite what he expected. To his credit, Andy said they looked very nice, and reserved his head shaking for me.

"This is cool."

He said looking at the finished product. 

Andy and I were ready to go on time. Which was very cool. :)

Gingerbread House

Chris and Laura had us over for a fantastic gingerbread house building party.

Their daughter Anna was a pro at gingerbread house decorating, but Van was mostly interested in how much candy he could eat. 

Even today, a few days later I caught Van eating candy off the house, he was hiding his mouth because he knew he wasn't supposed to be doing that. 

"I don't like this" he said, pointing at the house.

"You don't our gingerbread house? Why not?"

"Because I just want to eat it!"

Van's new room - part 1

We are in the process of moving everyone around to make room for baby Esther. The whole house in a work in progress; here are Van and Andy putting together Van's bed in his new room. He is very excited to help daddy.

This one shows his excitement best :)

Noel

Mom sewed Svea and I advent calendar dolls. There are 25 pockets for every day in December leading up to Christmas. We named ours Noel. Every day in December she has a new present for Van in one of her pockets.

So far he's gotten some animals, a Thomas the Tank Engine toothbrush, Spiderman bubblebath, and some M&Ms.

Here is Noel, hanging on the closet door.

Here are some pictures of Van searching for today's pocket.

Van's Plan

I've been a little stressed about getting a room ready for the baby. Our house has 2 bedrooms upstairs and 2 bedrooms downstairs and we'd like a plan that keeps everyone on the same level.

Luckily today Van came up with a plan.

First he says, 'Mom, I put my shopping cart on my bed.'

Then he says, 'Mom, I can sleep here.' pointing inside the cart.

'And my baby sister can sleep here.' pointing to bottom of the upsidedown shopping cart.

I annotated a picture (he offered to pose again showing his plan).

I told him we should tell this plan to daddy.

We did.

Daddy says, 'Can we put your baby sister in the crib?'

'No' Van says, 'She can just be right here.' pointing again to the upsidedown shopping cart'

'Oh do you want her right next to you'

'yeah'

'So you can hug her and smooch her?'

'Daddy I can't hug her through these little holes.'

A valid point.

28 weeks

Ta-Da! 28 weeks, getting bigger and I'm feeling a lot of braxton hicks contractions.
My face looks cranky this week because it was very cold outside. probably why the camera looks frosty as well.

Vanessa carrying Esther, 2012

 

Vanessa carrying Van 2009

Here is the whole comparison. I have an ultrasound in a couple days and I'm looking forward to getting another look at her.