No More Diapers for Felix

What did we do this weekend?

As promised...

We had a great time with Grandpa Tom a few weeks ago.


Here's Felix at his favorite exhibit at the nature museum.


For Halloween Cosmo was a little animal with black ears. I intended for him to look like a cat but we decided later that day that he looked more like a bat. And Felix was a knight.


This weekend Felix got his first professional haircut.

I Forgot!

Felix loves numbers. Lately, he's been marching around the house chanting a new number:

Felix: 877-366-8924...877-366-8924...

That's the number to call if you want to pledge money to WBEZ, Chicago's NPR affiliate.

* * *

Felix is showing more and more interest in the potty, and we're planning to make the switch to big-boy underwear next weekend. Of course, one of his favorite things about using the toilet is flushing it. This has caused an interesting update on our environmentally friendly "if it's yellow, let it mellow" policy. The other morning, after peeing, I turned around to wash my hands. I heard racing footsteps and looked up in time to see Felix charging down the hallway, a maniacal grin on his face.

Felix: I forgot! I forgot to flush the toilet!

He pushed past me to the other side of the toilet and flushed once, then again for good measure.

* * *

Pictures this weekend, we promise.

Head-Bonking

Felix has a few rituals he likes to observe on the way in to school each morning. He likes to walk on top of the curbs in the parking lot, to note the air-conditioners in the school windows, and to hang out in the newly built shelter at the back door of the French School. The back door is steel, painted blue, and doesn't have a window. I cautioned Felix a few times about standing in front of it, as someone could come out and bonk him on the head with the door.

Mission overly accomplished. Now, as we walk by the shelter without stopping, Felix gives it a wary glance.

Felix: Someone might bonk you on the head.

I think he now thinks that someone is standing on the other side of the door, just waiting to jump out and bonk him on the head. Well, at least we get to school faster.

Has He Been Listening to Sting?

This morning, as Marya was getting ready to go to work, she gave Felix a hug.

Marya: Goodbye, honey. I love you. I have to go to work now.
Felix: We'll be together some day.

* * *

Earlier, while simultaneously hobbling down the hall and tugging the hems of his pajama bottoms downward:

Felix: You don't want your ankles to get chilly.

Learning to spell

Felix can spell a handfull of words:

"F-E-L-I-X spells Felix"

"C-O-S-M-O spells Cosmo"

"M-O-M spells Mom"

and usually, "D-A-D spells Dad."

But on Sunday it was different:
"D-A-D spells no."

Fine Distinctions

On Fridays, we bring Felix's nap blanket home from school so we can wash it. For some reason, he wanted to carry it. He made it down the stairs, out the door, and on to the sidewalk before he dropped it. He stopped and stared at it.

Felix: That's trash.

There are so many fine distinctions to explain. If we make him throw dropped food away, why not a blanket?

* * *

Last night, Felix was being especially silly before bedtime.

Felix: You are flapping your arms like an airplane.

* * *

As we make the transition to complete bottle-feeding, Cosmo (and we) are having some rough nights. But he's growing fast. He can sit up by himself and hardly ever falls over, and tooth number five is coming down. And he eats cereal and pureed fruit like nobody's business.

* * *

We're having a fun time with Grandpa Tom. Pictures soon!

Auntie Iris

We had a super weekend, Auntie Iris.
Thanks for coming!

















































Felix and Cosmo's first bath together.

Finally, He's as Big as Cooper

Cosmo went to the doctor yesterday for his six-month checkup. His new stats: 16 lbs. and 27.5". Now we know why our shoulders are so sore.

Is This How Evel Knievel Started Out?

The other day, I was in the living room and Marya was in our bedroom while Felix and Cosmo were in their room. There was a loud thump, and then we both heard Felix's voice.

Felix: You are jumping over Cosmo.

We rushed into the room and found two grinning boys. Cosmo, lying on his back, was smiling up at Felix, who had just jumped over him.

Later we explained how Cosmo is still squishy and therefore not eligible for games of "Cosmo Slam." Yes, just like Cooper.

Felix: You can't play Cooper Slam.

Mango Shake

Felix: "We are going to Argyle street. Yay! Argyle is your favorite street."

As many of you know, Argyle is our neighborhood's "main street" and is home to lots of restaurants featuring among many other yummy items, fruit shakes and bubble teas. Here's Felix enjoying a mango shake after a meal of fried spring rolls and rice noodles.

What Dragons Like

We've been singing "Puff the Magic Dragon" this week, which seems to have replaced "MacPherson's Lament" as Felix's favorite song. It figures--"Puff" has a real downer ending, too. This morning, while I was getting dressed and Felix was playing in his room, I heard him say, "He wants to hear the song." I peeked around the corner and saw that Felix had both opened our jumbo songbook to the correct page and dragged his stuffed dragon over for a look. First I melted into a gooey puddle, then I ran outside shouting, "My god, he's only two years old!"



Later, Felix brought the dragon into the bathroom.

Felix: He likes to drink milk.
Keir: Your dragon?
Felix: Yeah.
Keir: What does he like to eat? Does he like to eat pizza?
Felix: No. (Like, duh, dad.)
Keir: Does he like to eat horsemeat?
Felix: Yeah!!

Then we went to school.

He's Already Gnawed through the Slats on His Crib

I've been too busy to post this week, but I did just want to share one important fact: Cosmo is now cutting his THIRD tooth. An upper. So those gummy nibbles are starting to get a little dicey....

Weekend Fun

A few weekends ago we took Felix downtown. It's been a while since he made the commute for school, so it was very exciting for him. We went for a ride on the train around the Loop, then went to the Bean...


And last weekend had some fun in the park...

Cosmo x 3

Montana

Finally, some photos from our Montana trip...
Can't wait for next summer!

Teeth, Lights Out, Public Transportation

On Wednesday, I discovered that Cosmo has not one, but two lower teeth coming in. I guess it's good to get it over with, but his mouth is really hurting him. He's chewing on everything in sight--except the baby bottle, which seems to feel worse than everything else.

*****

Also on Wednesday, Miss Carol, Felix's teacher, reported that, at nap time, Felix lay down on his cot--and then pulled a harmonica out of his pocket and started playing it! Everyone was very excited by this development. Both Miss Carol (who once played flute) and Miss Alex (who used to play the harmonica) report that Felix has excellent harmonica technique. (I think they mean he blows with great gusto.) I had known at some point that he had a harmonica in his pocket (it's my old one, engraved with my name, from Grandma and Grandpa McCulloch) but obviously forgot to take it out before school.

Personally, it makes me think of a prison movie, where all the inmates are lying in their bunks and some guy takes out a harmonica and plays a soulful blues number. I wonder what Felix was playing?

*****

Tonight in the bath, Felix put an 8 and a 1 together.

Felix: That's an 81 bus.

(Certain visitors to Chicago will be able to confirm that the 81 Lawrence runs from the Jefferson Park station to within three blocks of our house.)

Cosmo's First Tooth!

First, the news. Cosmo has his first tooth! I discovered it while he was gnawing on my hand (mmm...soft and gummy...ow! bitey!). I can't get a picture of it, so here is a picture of Cosmo.



On Sunday we went to the Indiana Dunes with the Davieses. Felix enjoyed catching up with his good friend Madelyn. After some time on the beach...



...they hiked up a very tall sand dune together.

Tonight, Felix wanted to be photographed brushing his teeth.

And that's the news from Lake Michigan.

Felix's Favorite Song

My repertoire of kids' songs has always been limited, but when Felix was little, I didn't think it really mattered. After all, if I sang songs about shipwrecks, hangings, and drunk Scotsmen, he didn't know what I was on about and he could still appreciate the melody.

Things feel a little different now that he's starting to understand the words. I guess I thought I would have learned new songs by now. Well, I have learned a few new ones, but he's still got his favorites.

(This from a few days ago:)

Keir: (singing) The itsy-bitsy spider, climbed up the water spout....
Felix: Daddy don't sing it!
Keir: How about "I'm a Little Teapot"? Can you sing it with me? (singing) I'm a little teapot, short and stout....
Felix: Daddy don't sing it!
Keir: Well, what song do you want to hear?
Felix: Sing "MacPherson's Lament"!

For those of you unfamiliar with this ballad, here are the lyrics (at least the version we do), which Felix can sing pretty well.

Farewell, ye dungeons dark and drear
Farewell, farewell to ye
MacPherson's life will not be long
On yonder gallows tree

Chorus:
Sing rantonly and sing wantonly
Sing dauntingly gaed he
He played a tune and he danced it round
Below the gallows tree

Take off these bands from on my hands
And give to me my sword
For there's no man in all Scotland
But I'll brave him at his word

Now there's some that's come here to see me hung
And some to buy my fiddle
But before I will part with her
I'll break her through the middle

So he took his fiddle in both his hands
And he broke it over a stone
Saying there's no man that shall play on thee
When I am dead and gone

The reprieve was coming o' the brig o' the Banff
To set MacPherson free
But they put the clock a quarter before
And they hanged him from a tree

Crafty Felix

Passing by the bakery at the grocery store yesterday morning...

Felix: You want cake.

Marya: Cake is usually only for birthdays. It's not anyone's birthday today.

Felix: Today is Felix's birthday.


This morning at the breakfast table, Keir and I, groggy from a very interrupted night...

Felix: You want to listen to music.

Marya: It's too early for music. You may listen to music after breakfast.

Felix, who hadn't taken a single bite of bagel: All done.