Camping packing list

Sleeping supplies:
Tent
Air mattress
Sleeping bags
pillows
Tarp thing
pack-n-play
Teddy bears
AJ's crib music thing
flashlight
Blower thing
mallet
sheet

Swimming supplies
Swimsuits
Flotation devices
sunscreen
beach towels
sandbox toys
life jackets

Meal supplies
Plates
Paper towels
silverware
cups
knife
cutting board
dish towels & cloth
Dish soap
dishpan
Cooking utensils (wooden spoon, spatula)
Aluminum foil
hot pad
Spray stuff
Pan(s)
Propane grill
Can opener
Koozies
Charcoal
lighter fluid
lighter
Food
Drinks
Coolers (one for drinks, one for food)
garbage bags
salt & pepper
baggies
condiments
tablecloth
serving spoons

Personal
pain reliever
toiletries (shampoo, soap, razor, prescriptions, hair & makeup supplies, face soap, tooth care)
bath towels
toilet paper
First aid kit
hand sanitizer
clothes (shorts, tshirts, underwear, pants, sweatshirts, shoes)

Misc
Bug spray
Rain gear
bikes
chairs
camera
music
games
reading materials
fishing suppliees
movies/dvd player
diapers & wipes
chargers (phone & camera)
stroller
duct tape

Happy 18th month birthday, AJ!

My little guy is 18 months today. I still think of him as my baby, and I suppose I always will. He is a blast. I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but he's still the sweetest, most laid back kid in the world. Sweet, as in... he picks dandelions and kisses them before he gives them to me. When asked to give high 5, he kisses your hand afterward (assuming his way of apologizing if he hurt you). He's the kid making friends with strangers wherever we go. He just walks around flashing his big blue eyes, smiling and waving at people. He's completely lovable, period.

A friend who hasn't seen him for awhile called him a 'tank' the other day. It's true. His belly is quite the sight. He still has dimples on his bottom, roles on his legs, and cankles above his squatty little feet. At bath time, it's an effort to wash between his chin and neck. It's ironic because he's become a little picky at mealtime, but he can spot junk food a mile away. Does anyone know what age is no longer cute to be fat? Hopefully no time soon, because I still find it rather endearing. We're trying to get his eating habits in better shape, but I wouldn't say we're to the point of being worried yet. I just want him to be healthy. Life will be a lot easier if he isn't battling weight issues.

He's talking a little. Momma, Daddy, No (na na na na), Down, (dow?) kitty (didda), all gone (dah duh), duck (duh), dog (dawh). See the trend? Most everything starts with d. My favorite word is "yah," or in his case "AHHH!" He says it with total confidence and certainty and raises the decibles a few notches. AJ, want some milk? AHHH! Cracks me up every time. Despite his limited vocabulary, he understand EVERYTHING. Go get your shoes, AJ. Want to go on a stroller ride? Time to go bye bye. Where's Cohen? All these things and more elicit the correct response. I actually kind of like that he's not more verbal. It's like an extended babyhood.


He continues to battle ear infections on a regular basis. It's been 7 or 8 since January, and we have the green light to see an ENT about getting tubes. I'm ready. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if his frequent ear infections are affecting his hearing and speech.

He loves jumping on the bed, especially if someone else is there too. He'll fall down dramatically and laugh and carry on. His favorite summer activity is the new sand/water table. Hours have already been spent hanging out on our deck playing in the sand. He's really into removing lids and putting them back on. Bonus if it's a squirty lid like the top of dishwashing liquid. It snaps open and closed AND unscrews. Party on!

Big brother Cohen is just that. Big. He's taller than most of his daycare friends. He just acts older too and, responsible and mature. If I could summarize him in one word it would be imaginative. He comes up with the most clever stuff. He'll give things new names. We were almost home from a long trip and I started the "10 more minutes" countdown. At 3 minutes, he said, "Next is 2 minutes, then 1 minute, then Dramble." I asked what dramble was and he said it's when we're driving into the garage. These types of words are invented many times a day. He's quick. And amazingly, he remembers many of them and uses them in the same meaning later. He's also imaginative during play. He'll make up games and contests and obstacle courses and characters and rules and scenarios, you name it. I think a real board game with real rules would be terribly boring. He'd much rather make stuff up.

He's doing well in school. He switched to Room 16 a month ago and they're doing full fledge preschool work. Like patterns, matches, etc. We've had a slew of birthday parties for his little classmates, and we're becoming friends with some of the parents. A great group of people.

We've noticed a bit of cross-eye in his right eye. We have an appt with an ophlalmologist in a few weeks. Hopefully nothing serious.
He's incredibly stubborn about pooping on the toilet. Meaning, he refuses. We've tried every trick, incentive, bribe, and rationalizing we could muster, but it always turns into to meltdown drama. In recent weeks, I'm backing down. It was too frustrating and worthless to go through the same unsuccessful routine every day. Everyone says one day he'll be ready, and I'm keeping the faith. Knowing him, it will happen when he's like 9.

The boys' ages are perfect. They're fun and they get along well. It's awesome that they can play side by side for a long time. I'd even go so far as to say things are easy this summer. Can I freeze time? Honestly, I'm not sure it can get much better. One sweet, silly gentle giant who makes me laugh a hundred times a day. One energetic, passionate, strong-willed thinker who I can interact with as an almost adult. Life is good.

Finally, a couple videos. This one is entitled "I laugh in the face of authority!"

And here's AJ getting into the groove with Selena Gomez. It's pretty much one minute, 39 seconds of AJ doing the same moves... just in case you're waiting for some grand plot twist at the end! :)

Spring Update

Has it really been 4 months since I last posted an update? Lots has happened since then, including a certain someone turning a whopping one year of age. AJ's birthday passed without a lot of fuss, but we were fortunate enough to spend the prior weekend with Dominic's family at the farm for their traditional New Year's gathering. Suffice it to say AJ made a few fans that weekend. His cousins and aunts were so nice to him, spending quality time and getting to know his funny little personality. Grandma Moll made a scrumptious chocolate cake and no surprise, AJ ate every last crumb of his piece, surrounded by a dozen family members cheering him on.


AJ started walking about a month ago. It went pretty fast. One day he decided he was ready to take a few steps, and within a week he was walking almost entirely. He was SO proud of himself... laughing and throwing his arms in the air before collapsing in a hug. It's amazing how this new found independence has changed AJ. He toddles around keeping himself entertained for long periods of time. He's pretty good at knowing right from wrong (ie staying away from steps). And to our knowledge, he's never eaten one single marble, despite having many opportunities.

His sunny personality hasn't changed. His smiles and giggles come easy, and unsolicited kisses are frequent. Getting him up in the morning is one of my favorite things ever. How someone can go from soundly sleeping to grinning ear to ear in a matter of seconds is a mystery to me, but I hope it never changes.

He's also discovered his temper. Take something away from him, like a cell phone, and he'll flail and scream and fuss, with a devastated pouty lip, scrunchy face and streaming tears. It's hard getting him out of those little funks. The trick is finding something more interesting to distract him. Often these little displays are related to food. Like if he's finished eating and others still have food on their plate, look out.

Yes, the kid loves to eat. His appetite knows no limit. If we allowed him, I think he could eat the same amount of food that Dominic and I eat. I'm not super worried about his size (he's been plump his whole life), but his absence of the "full switch" is definitely something I hope he outgrows. I'm sure his newfound mobility can only help. His pediatrician says he's in the honeymoon phase of eating, and most babies become picky eaters around now. Obviously she hasn't spent much time with our little AJ! We shall see.

Developmentally, he's changing daily. I've always been amazed by his fine motor skills and hand/eye coordination. Give him a new toy with buttons or moving parts, and he'll have it figured out pronto. Lately he's been impressing me having success with simple puzzles and shape sorters. I think he's a smart little guy.

He follows commands like "give the duck a kiss and put it in the water," but he's not saying many words of his own yet. Just tonight he imitated me making dog noises, that's the first intentional "talking" he's done. Well, I guess he's be saying didda (kitty) for awhile too. Mamma and dadda are sporadic. He's also starting the point and "uh" thing that all babies do before the verbal explosion.

AJ and Dominic have a special relationship. Sometimes AJ gives D an expression that seems to be an inside joke. Like there's something funny unsaid and only the two of them get it. I've said from day 1 that AJ has Dominic's personality, so it doesn't bother me that I'm sometime the odd one out here. AJ and I have plenty of special bonding moments too!

Cohen is 3 1/2 and almost waist-high to me. Sometimes I forget he's so young, because he can hold quite detailed conversations. Granted, they often default to trucks, water fountains or the time he threw up. Even so, it's fun talking to him.

At daycare they're making their way through writing the alphabet. They've also started Friend of the Week, in which the kids take turn being "special" for the week... choosing which songs to sing, getting to walk in front of the line, etc. They're continuing cool field trips, most recently to the movie theater to see Gnomeo and Juliet (Cohen liked the movie "theodore" experience, but thought the movie was too long) and Science Center of Iowa in a few weeks. Last week one of the moms organized a night out at Playground for Kids. The kids had a blast and I enjoyed getting to know the moms better. Interestingly enough, the nicest moms in the bunch happened to be moms to Cohen's closest friends!

Lately Cohen's world is one giant episode of Minute to Win It. Today's challenges including walking across the kitchen with a frisbee balanced on his head, trying to bounce a ball into the catfood bowl, and tossing an assortment of toys into a laundry basket. Each game is preceded by "You got a minute, to win it. good luck." and "The game begins in 3, 2, 1..." Each time he wins (which is every time), he celebrates like he's the big winner of a million bucks.

It's interesting to see the dynamics of Cohen and AJ. AJ puts up with whatever. If Cohen wants that toy, fine. If Cohen wants to go first, no biggie. I have a feeling it won't always be that way. When AJ feels strongly about something, nothing will get in his way. Softie Cohen will be no match when punches start being thrown! Most of the time though, Cohen is loving and gentle with AJ, trying to teach him new words, skills, etc. When they're playing well together, AJ is amazed by Cohen.

They're so different from eachother. For example, we went to the mall playground last weekend. Cohen stood by our side for several minutes while acclimating himself to the heavy crowd dynamics. AJ was fearless, never once checking to see if Mom and Dad were still around. Another example. Every night after bath, Cohen snuggles with me wrapped up in a towel. AJ is off to the races the moment he gets out of the tub. The heck with snuggling, or even drying off for that matter. And the eating and sleeping... just completely different.

Update - wordy and slightly braggy!

AJ is now 10 months old and is changing daily. He scoots around anywhere he wants to go, and tries to get up on all fours to crawl. He loves, loves, loves standing. He does really well standing next to our coffee table, or in front of Dominic or me when we’re sitting on the floor holding his hands. He gets SO excited and makes funny little screeching noises, laughs and smiles. He has stood on his own for about 10 seconds. He’s also getting the hang of putting one foot in front of the other to walk. Any concern I have about his lack of crawling (which really isn’t a concern at all) is wiped out by his motivation to stand and walk.

He is the most ticklish person I’ve ever met! His giggles are priceless.

He’s getting smarter, too. He waves bye-bye, makes a kissing noise on command, and says Mama really well. He seems to be investigating and absorbing everything that crosses his path. When I talk to him face to face, his eyes are glued to my face and he’s taking it all in, trying so hard to understand. He loves Rudy and always looks for her when I say “Where’s the kitty?” He loves books with flaps that he can lift up.

He went through a few weeks of bad sleeping. He screamed when we put him down, and would only fall asleep being held. We did a few adjustments to his bedtime routine and he’s back to being a great sleeper. Put him in the crib and he’ll fall asleep without any fuss, and usually sleep straight through until 7:30 a.m.

He’s eating table food really well. There hasn’t been one thing he hasn’t eaten… veggies, meat, fruit, everything (in case there was any doubt he’s a Langel). Being full doesn’t seem to be a factor. If there’s food to eat, he’s up to the challenge. Such the opposite from Cohen!

He is a complete joy to be around. I challenge anyone to spend 5 minutes with him and not be in a good mood. I know this sounds like a broken record, but he’s just so happy and jolly! Just recently he sprouted four stubby little teeth which makes him even cuter and sweeter. Our cuddly, chunky, babbling blondie.

We love him more every day, but the realization he’s not a baby anymore is a little bittersweet. Sometimes when I’m feeding him a bottle, I get reflective and enjoy the moment as long as I can, knowing these days will be over soon. Before I know it, we’ll have a walking, talking toddler.

Cohen is POTTY TRAINED! One day he was showing all the signs of having to go potty. I asked him if he wanted to sit on the toilet (just like I have 500 times) and he said No (just like the 500 other times). Somehow I talked him into it and he reluctantly agreed, and went! He was SO proud and happy! After that there was no turning back, he’s gone potty on the toilet every single time. So basically he went from 0% to 100% potty trained in one moment. We’re still working on poop, and he still wears a diaper to bed. But we’re so pleased with his progress!

He loves all things with wheels. Last night I saw him sneaking a truck under his bed so he could play with it after everyone was asleep. Any uneven surface becomes a ramp for his cars and trucks. He loves construction equipment too. There’s a new restuarant going up not far from his daycare, and it’s been an adventure watching the excavators dig the initial holes in the ground several months ago, to watching the sidewalks being poured recently. He looks forward to seeing the progress every day and asks a million questions about the trucks, equipment, workers and tools. He loves concrete mixers and talks about how they work (inside the tank there’s water and sand and rocks and it spins around and comes out the hole and fixes roads).

He’s learning about letters at school and can write them well. He frequently stops mid sentence, thinks about a word, and tells you what letter it starts with. He can recognize simple words like up and go. He loves being read to and always begs to read more than our standard 3 books at bedtime. His favorites include Dr. Seuss books (esp. Wacky Wednesday), Going on a Bear Hunt, and books about potty training. Sometimes he ‘reads’ books himself, and I get such a kick out what he considers the most important things on the page.

He sometimes gets jealous of AJ. Since AJ still requires being held, etc., I notice Cohen wanting to climb on me or cling to me. But he’s loving AJ more and more all the time, and usually complies quickly when I tell him to back down. I see him doing sweet things to protect AJ from danger, removing small toys from his reach, instructing him how to pet the cats nicely. AJ thinks Cohen is the most amazing, funny, cool person on the planet. And Cohen eats it all up!

Since Cohen’s been 3, we’ve (and his teachers at school) noticed an amazing difference in how he manages his emotions. We see a lot fewer tantrums and irrational crying fits. For example, one day Teddy was accidentally left at school. I calmly told him that Teddy was going to sleep at school that night, and he’d be happy to see Cohen in the morning. Cohen was sad but no tears, and commented he didn’t want Teddy to be scared. I assured him Teddy was warm and comfy and happy, and that was the end of the conversation. 6 months ago it would have gone MUCH differently… lots of crying and inability to sleep without Teddy.

Cohen is funny without trying. He uses nouns as verbs "I'm going to cord up the vacuum cleaner." and makes up his own adjectives "these jammies are too gurbly." He recently declared his middle name is Jote (it's actually Joseph). Teddy's middle name is Jote too. In fact, everyone in our family's middle name is Jote, even Buzz and Rudy.

I could go on and on. I want to capture every detail of what’s going on with the boys. They’re growing too quickly and I don’t want to forget anything. Someday I’ll probably look back at this blog entry and appreciate some of these somewhat mundane details of their lives. It’s keeps getting better and better, which kind of amazes me. I’m not sure it’s possible to love my boys any more… but I said that 6 months ago too! We are so blessed.

Photos

Here are photos I've taken recently of the boys. Pardon the disproportionate number of photos of Cohen. He's obviously the more active of the two and his actions lend themselves to "kodak moments" more frequently than the Aje. I'm trying to be more artistic in my photography and am open to any feedback from my photographer friends. Or non photographer friends too.

Photos

We went to Clix for AJ's 7 month photos. Enjoy!

Finally, here's a picture of Grandpa Moll taken when he was about 6 months old. Resemblence?

June updates

Here it is June and the boys are growing like weeds. Here's what's new.

AJ:
He continues to be a dream baby, and is getting more fun as he ages. He turned 5 months old a few days ago. Simple eye contact will make him smile ear to ear, and he giggles with the smallest amount of interaction. He makes us laugh constantly. Developmentally, he's able to hold toys and can sit (tripod style) for quite awhile. I have to say though, the kid is a bit chubby. It's the cutest thing! Today he wore a shirt in size 18 months. He's got roly poly arms and legs, and cellulite on his bottom. His neck is non existent, and at last count he had 3 or 4 chins. It takes extra effort at bathtime to clean in those cracks and crevices. We have no idea what might be hiding in there. One time when the remote was missing I started getting suspicious. We wouldn't change a thing though - it's completely adorable and endearing. He's such a jolly little guy. Sometimes we feel like we should pinch ourselves for having such a sweet, happy, easy baby. He's been sleeping through the night since about 10 weeks and only cries if he's hungry or tired. I take that back. In recent days he has decided he hates the carseat. He definitely knows how to notify us of his displeasure in the car. Usually, belting out the lyrics to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star can settle him down, which can get interesting. I'm the first to admit I'd never win American Idol. Even Cohen sometimes says, "Stop singing, Mommy." AJ's eyes are an amazing shade of blue, which I hope he keeps forever. So far, early indicators say he's getting Dominic's personality - laid back and cheerful. I can't imagine what life was like without this funny little dude.

AJ's continuing to go to Jessica's for daycare. We're happy with her and the routine of making two stops every morning and afternoon is not terrible. Eventually he'll move to Little Endeavors, but not yet. He's been 100% healthy since birth - unreal!

Cohen:
He's creeping up on three and definitely adds to the humor in the house. When he's not chattering away, he's singing. He makes up is own lyrics to common melodies, like "Mac and cheese, mac and cheese..." to the tune of ABC's. He also has interesting interpretations to common nursery rhymes like Eppy Bitty Spider, Hicky Dicky Dock, and Dumpy Dumpy Sat on a Wall. His language skills continue to increase by the day. He comes up with the funniest stuff. "Mommy, who puts the eggs in chickens' bottoms?" No matter how I would have responded, it undoubtedly would have been followed with a series of "WHY?" questions. He also asks "Member when...?" all the time. Like, "member when Kraeton threw the ball at my tummy?" Why yes, I do remember - considering it was only 4 mintues ago! His activity of choice this summer is anything that involves a ball, bat, hoop, racquet, etc. He's showing the most promise (and interest) in basketball. He just started the preschool room at Little Endeavors and I'm amazed at some of the stuff he comes home with. Today they drew family photos, and his included five proportionally-sized scribbles with legs (Dad, Mom, Kraeton, Cohen and AJ) and two extra smaller scribbles for Buzz and Rudy. Definitely a keeper. He can write his name and a few other letters, and can count to twenty ten (you know, the number that comes after after 29). His best friend is Nathan. It's so cute when Cohen gets to school and Nathan runs up to him and gives him a hug and kiss and says I love you Cohen. Cohen is not at all interested in potty training, despite the pressure he (and us) are getting from school. I wish I could wave a magic wand - I find it hard to be consistent in our training efforts. Cohen affection for his beloved Teddy has reached epic levels. One day we left Teddy at McDonalds and you'd have thought the Titanic sunk. Needless to say, we didn't waste a second before jumping in the car to fetch him. I worry what will happen when Teddy expires. He's been patched and stitched and restuffed so many times already. If he were a cat, his 9 lives would have been up long ago.

Cohen likes AJ more all the time. At first there was some forced affection and I think Cohen's only use for his brother was a new hill to drive his cars on. But there's more sincere care and protectiveness. It's nice to see.


Kraeton is just finishing up 6th grade in Algonquin. He's keeping busy with baseball and his new dog, Bumper. We've been lucky enough to see him several times in recent weeks. He's turning into such a mature, pleasant young man and we're so proud of him!



Love those eyes!

See what I mean? Jolly baby!



Exhibit A of my comments about AJ's girth.

He loves his Jumperoo!

Standing...


Nice job sitting, AJ, but face the camera...

Yes, like that!




Investigating ants.
Sometimes you just don't ask.
Helping Daddy fertilize the lawn.
Ava's sun (left), Cohen's sun (right)
BFFs Cohen and our neighbor Ava


Windexing the driveway.


Fun at the zoo. Kevin, Kraeton and Mitch.
Kraeton's First Communion
Isn't he getting handsome?!