Golden Pig Tales

We went to the zoo today for the first time in a while. We renewed our membership, because it was almost exactly a year ago that we went with Ezra for the first time to the zoo. And this trip was sort of similar to that first trip - a nice sunny February day, a big crowd of people, and Ezra one again more excited by the non-animal aspects of the zoo. He was a little bit more attentive to the elephants and monkeys than he was last time, but by the time we had seen a few animals Ezra was ready to go see the big black engine that sits across the parking lot from the zoo. That thing is magical to Ezra. I think one time last summer we went to the zoo but didn’t even end up going in the zoo because we spent all our time on the big black engine. Anyway, even though I have mixed feelings about zoos, they seem to capture Ezra’s attention, so I’m sure it will be zoo time again soon.

A couple of weeks ago, the Subaru started to get sick - so I told Ezra we might need to start looking for a new car. Ezra said he wanted a red car. Once the mechanic gave me the verdict of failing head gaskets, I knew it was probably time for a new car, so I told Ezra that the subaru was too sick to drive a lot, and that we would have to get a new car. “A red one?” he asked. “maybe,” I said.  But first we got to drive around in Grandpa and Grandma T’s camry. “I like this car,” Ezra said, “but it’s not red.” I told him that sometimes it’s hard to find the right car in the right color, but I think he was pretty convinced that the right color would be red.

And so we got a new car this weekend (it’s a black 2006 Nissan Murano). At first, Ezra was displeased when he saw the car I pointed to, because it wasn’t the red car he had requested, and it wasn’t  grandma T’s that we had been driving or a car like it. However, once he got  inside the new car, he started to like it, and I think he started to like it even more after his first ride in the car to the car store where they also had a whole box full of toys for him to play with while mom and dad filled out paperwork and waited for the car to be bought. It’s a bigger car than the subaru so he gets to sit up higher and see more, which I think he likes. It also has a arm rest cupholder tray that pulls down next to his carseat, and he’s started requesting 2 drinks to take with him for his car tray. I’m glad he decided to like the new car, because I really really like the new car : )

When Ezra is in a good mood, the whole house is in a good mood. When Ezra is cranky, we get cranky. I’m not sure that’s a good thing? Anyway, tonight was fun. Ezra even sat through all of Wall-E!

Me and Ezra had a New Years’ resolution to go to the gym. Well, actually, I have a resolution to go to the gym, and Ezra ended up getting a special gift enrollment at this new “playground gym” for christmas (thanks uncle dylan for the $!). So far we have been twice, and Ezra LOVEs it. His friends jojo and tony also go to the gym, so they get to run and jump and scream their little hearts out for an hour twice a week, more if we take advantage of the open gym times. THe place is fully padded, and it is awesome. Meanwhile, I am going to the gym which is not padded, and is not nearly as much fun as Ezra’s new gym.

Ezra is having a fun new year so far, I think. We’ve had some fun family time playing with all the new toys, and we’ve had fun times with friends, playing with their new toys. Ezra really seems like he enjoyed the holidays. I get to stay home with him again tomorrow because preschool is closed, so we’re going to spend part of the day taking down the tree tomorrow, and I’m sort of worried that he will be upset about putting away christmas. I’m hoping to get over this by taking him to the zoo tomorrow, or trying to find something fun that will make it OK that christmas is over and a new year of fun is beginning.

Christmas is over, except in Deerfield Valley, where the snow day surprise brings back Christmas every time you read it. I just read this book to Ezra, and he asked me if it was still Christmas. I said “nope” but then I wondered when the 12 days of Christmas officially start and therefore end? Maybe Christmas lasts until the tree is gone? Maybe it will still be Christmas every time we read the book? Anyway, I think Ezra liked Christmas, and he liked all his gifts. He has played with each one for at least a little while. The excitement around the garbage truck seems to have subsided a little bit, but not enough so that we have been able to put away all the little bits of “garbage” paper we crumpled all Christmas morning, and the bottle caps we gave him to fill up the truck. I think those little bits of garbage will be with us for a long long time.

Yesterday I cut myself on my new bread knife while I was cutting bread. It wasn’t a big cut, and it didn’t hurt very much. I kept it covered up and Ezra asked if he could see it, and I said no. He said “kiss it” and so I kissed my own finger to help make it better. Today I took off my bandage and was letting my finger dry out a bit, and Ezra asked what happened to the bandage. I told him I was going to get a new one, and asked if he wanted to see the owie. He said “yes”, so I showed it to him. He looked at it for a few seconds, and then I got up to go upstairs to get my new bandage. Before I got too far, I heard Ezra say “I’m gonna hug you” and he gave me a nice big hug. I think that was one of the best parts of the whole week!

Ezra went on a field trip to a Christmas Tree farm on Friday with his preschool. This school featured a hayride, so it was a good trip according to Ezra’s field trip criteria. Each of the kids got to pick out their own tree while they were there. I’m guessing these are the tops cut off of other trees given their size - about 18 inches or so. Ezra showed his to me when I arrived to pick him up Friday afternoon. He was so proud of his tree! We took it home and I put it in a vase of water and set it on our new cabinet. I was thinking that we would go out and pick up a big tree for the house, but maybe this year Ezra’s Christmas Tree will be Our Christmas Tree.

I haven’t seen Ezra since I dropped him off at daycare. He got a ride home with auntie kate and daddy because I had a holiday party to attend for work. This morning we drove by the train yard on our way to preschool and saw the big black engine! The big black engine that will be pulling the train tomorrow morning that Ezra will be riding on. “The big black engine?” he asked. “Puffing and chuffing?” “With the smoke up in the sky?” Yes! Tomorrow morning we are going to go ride the holiday express around the river front, and the big black engine will be pulling the train. So, maybe tonight he will be dreaming of trains!

We are on another level of antibiotics for Ezra’s ear. He woke up on Wednesday complaining about an owie in his ear, so I got him in to see the doctor. She decided to switch to a different type of antibiotic, because she said that it was either a new infection or the old one didn’t get knocked out by the dose we started two weeks ago…so, it’s now looking very likely that Ezra will get a recommendation for another set of tubes. Those poor ears! He takes his medicine like a trooper….even the additional “medicine” that we’re giving him to help his tummy get the good bacteria back - straight acidophilus bacteria that tastes like weirdly pungent blueberry yogurt. Hopefully he will keep up the good attitude and this ear infection will go away!

Halloween was fun indeed. It all started with the party at the pre-school on Friday afternoon that Ezra invited me and GrammaO to attend with him. Ezra had his monkey suit partially on, but only for about 30 seconds. Then he noticed that C-dog didn’t have on his costume, so of course Ezra could not wear a costume. We played some games, did some crafts, and GrammaO and I watched as all the kids took turns taking bites out of cookies and then putting them back on the table. The big “hit” of the party was the ghost pinata. Everyone got to take a whack at it, and got some of the toys that spilled out once the older kids got to it. Ezra’s little princess friend happily shared her playdough stash with her friends, while C-dog hoarded all the kazoos to himself. On Saturday, we went to Corvallis for halloween evening. Ezra had a long long day, but managed to get the monkey suit fully on, and go out and trick or treat at a few houses near Grampa and Gramma T’s place. He looked adorable and I’ll have to try and get the pictures from GrammaO. Now we just have to figure out how to convince him that we don’t always get to eat so much candy.

lately, Ezra has indicated that some of his toys are crying. he doesn’t offer any reason for why they cry, just that they are indeed crying.  he then proceeds to bash the toys about like he usually does, so he doesn’t seem to be giving the crying toys any special treatment. I wish I knew why the toys were crying?

The days are getting shorter, which means less time to go to the park. During the summer, when Ezra would announce his desires to go to the park, we would go. Or we would wait and go after dinner. These days, whenever Ezra expresses those park wishes, I look out the window and see that it’s getting dark, and so I have to tell him that it’s too late to go to the park. Lately, he will also look out the window at night, or first thing in the morning, and see that it is dark and so he will tell me that it’s too late to go to the park. Fortunately, preschool has a huge playground in the backyard where, weather permitting, the kids all get to play at the end of the day. Equally fortunate is that the weather has been permitting. So now when we come home, we generally play with the trains and other inside toys before and after dinner, even though I am pretty sure he’d rather be out at the park.

I was a chaperone for Ezra’s preschool trip to the Pumpkin Patch on Friday. A lot of work! But super fun too. We got to see puppies, pigs, baby cows, chickens, goats and llamas. Each kid got to pick their own pumpkin. We all went on a hay ride with a real tractor pulling us along. We rode down a slide and the kids bounced and bounced in the bouncy house. And last but not least, the kids rode ponies! I didn’t think Ezra would ride one at first. He surprised me by not only wanting to ride the horse, but being very specific about which one he wanted to ride. He wanted to ride the WHITE pony. No other pony would do. Fortunately for us, the little girls in the group were willing to ride the other brown ponies, even though I’m pretty sure all the girls wanted the white pony as well. And fortunately for me, the white pony was very well mannered, and Ezra had a safe and fun ride, ending his (safe) and fun trip to the pumpkin patch!

Today was Ezra’s first day at playschool! Apparently the highlight of his day was the 2 times he and C-dog sat on the potties that flush. Or it could have been the 5 spiders sighted outside in the backyard, or playing in the backyard, or music class. Or maybe it was all of the above. When I came to pick him up, he was in the midst of playing and not ready to leave. After many minutes of playing with Ezra and C-dog, I was ready to go home, but Ezra was still having fun, so we played some more. When it was finally really time to go, Ezra was sad. To make him happy again, we went to Trader Joes and got a balloon (and some groceries!).

I was just informed today that Ezra will be transferring over to the preschool on Monday!!! When I found out, I sort of felt nervous, the way I did when it was the first day of school. But I don’t think Ezra will really be too nervous. He has to go to a new place, but all his friends are coming with him! I’ll have to remember to stop saying “playcare” and start saying “playschool”