Still sized extra-large!

Indeed, another contestant drops by the way, as September 28 and Grammy's guess passed quietly.

Up for current debate: Will Baby Wily arrive before Eric's surgery (currently scheduled for Tuesday, October 7)? I know what I'm hoping for!

For those keeping track...

Out of the running in the birth-date contest include:
Teresa
AKW
Lynda
Brittany

Still in the running:
September 28
Grammy (girl)

September 30
Grandma (boy)

October 1
Priscilla (boy)
Mystery Politico (girl)

October 3
Grandpa (boy)
Grampy (boy)

In which life conspires against us

Do you remember when Toddler Jeneric was born? How Jenni was sick with a coughing cold? Yeah. That was nothing.

So this time around, Toddler Jeneric is sick with a hacking cold, trying desperately to pass it on to Jenni (and failing, so far). Eric injured his back two weeks ago - thought it might be a slipped disk, but no, it wasn't and it healed nicely.

Cue ominous music. Our hero enters the local racquetball court to play for the first time in years. He takes a few swipes at the ball, runs back and forth. And then. Then? Pop goes the ankle. After a visit to the doctor and radiology, the diagnosis is a sprained or torn Achilles tendon. The treatment? Keep all weight off the leg, take Advil, and check back in week.

Toddler Jeneric has offered many band-aids to help Daddy's boo-boo. She's also having sympathy pain, and requested ice for her ankle as well:


And we leave you with a more positive image, taken at our local Renaissance festival - a garland for m'ladies (Toddler Jeneric and her good friend).

We've been remiss

No, Baby Wily has not arrived to turn our world upside down. We've just been busy (apparently). So without further delay, some images of Toddler Jeneric:


(Honk if you had one of these Fisher-Price farms as a kid! The set pictured here was well-loved in Eric's family).


Note the fence. Used to wrangle all manner of beasts and people.



Toddler Jeneric is a bit obsessed with jewelry - necklaces and bracelets, to be specific. She took a keen interest in one of Jenni's bracelets, so we took a trip to a local beadery, The Bead Boutique, and let her pick out some beads. The fantastic shop owner then took 15 minutes to help us (Mom, Dad and Toddler Jeneric) create the bracelet. Here she is, modeling her favorite thing:

And please disregard the ratty wrist band on her other hand. That's from our last trip to the 'schwim pool' before they closed for the summer. We finally got it off her by promising to visit another 'schwim pool' - our local Y for swim lessons.

An Era Begins

Toddler Jeneric is not at all like that Christmas song where the kid gets nothing for Christmas because s/he's such a terror (Oh, I'm gettin' nuthin' for Christmas, 'cause I ain't been nuthin' but bad). When she's quiet, she's usually reading a book, playing with Mr. Potato Head, or lining up her 'people.'

Imagine Eric's surprise to discover that while he'd been cleaning up lunch, quiet little Toddler Jeneric was being, shall we say, creative with her Play-Doh.

If you can't tell, she's pressed blue Play-Doh into the holes on her bowling ball and all the screws and bolts on our weaving loom. As an added bonus, she removed a wing nut and bolt and filled the resulting hole, too.

Saturday morning musings with Toddler Jeneric* and a contest!

*Alternative title 1: Kids say the oddest things.
*Alternative title 2: Toddler Jeneric is obsessed with Baby Wily.

Although Toddler Jeneric has no concept of time at a scale of minutes or hours (1 more minute means until I am done), she is keenly attuned to the cycle of a week. Five days a week and two weekend days translates to sleeping until 8 or 8:30 Monday through Friday and waking at 6 or 7 am on Saturday and Sunday.

And she doesn't even watch cartoons.

Thus, it was at 7 am Saturday morning that Toddler Jeneric padded into our room and began her running commentary for the day. A few highlights:

Toddler Jeneric: Here's Mama's blanket.
Mama: Yes. Where's TJ's blanket?
TJ: .... Mama knit Baby Wy Blanket (translation: Mama knit Baby Wily a blanket).
Mama: Yes, I did. Would you like Mama to make you a blanket?
TJ: ...
Dad: Would you like Mama to make you some socks?
TJ: Yes. Mama knit TJ socks (points to foot).

Moments later, Toddler Jeneric points to the bassinet.
TJ: Baby Wy sleep!
Mama: Yes, Baby Wily will sleep there.
TJ: Shh!

Later in the day, as Toddler Jeneric climbed into her carseat:
TJ: Baby Wy seatbelt! (points to the empty carseat next to her).
Daddy: Yes, Baby Wily will sit there.
TJ: But not yet!

Still later in the day:
Daddy: So TJ, when will Baby Wily arrive?
TJ: Two weeks!
Mama: Two weeks! Not three or four?
TJ: Two weeks!

Thus, we proudly re-open the guessing game, as we did for Toddler Jeneric nearly 2 years ago. By Friday, September 12, leave a comment to this post with the following:
1. Baby Wily's birth date
2. Baby Wily's gender
3. For tie breaking purposes: Baby Wily's weight.

Ideally, the winner will receive an original piece of Toddler Jeneric art, depicting her new brother/sister. In reality, winner will receive whatever Toddler Jeneric draws.

Information that may prove helpful:
1. Jenni is carrying exactly the same as for Toddler Jeneric but with the added bonus of occasional headaches.
2. Jenni is convinced it is a boy.
3. The doctor has not warned of a particularly large baby.
4. The doctor feels Baby Wily will be late, though not as late as his/her sister.
5. Toddler Jeneric generally feels Baby Wily will arrive in 2 weeks. She has no clear preference for gender.

Gratuitous kid photos:

The Great 2008 Harvest

Well, our harvest of tomatoes hasn't been that great due to spotty weather and aggressive squirrels (the basil, on the other hand...). Below, we present a few photos of Toddler Jeneric harvesting some very excellent cherry tomatoes (with a little help from Dad).


First, you pick the ripe fruits - only the red ones. No, just the red ones. It's okay if the stem comes with!


Show Mom!



And put it in the bowl.