our week with zeeke

Zeeke's appetite isn't what it used to be. We're chalking it up to new teeth coming in. Speaking of teeth, Zeeke said one day, "Kiki bite." We asked him if he had bitten Kiki and he said "Yes." We were relieved the next day when we investigated further at school and found out there had been a biting incident but Zeeke had not been involved.

Zeeke's been entering an intense Mommy phase. Steve's attempts to care for him are starting to be met with frequent cries of "No, daddy!" Sometimes, he'll still settle for daddy though. He & Steve have been having fun, putting stickers or masking tape down on the pages of Zeeke's sketch pad, coloring over them, and then removing them to reveal patches of white in the midst of scribbles.

We had a great visit from our friends Lee, Kat & Caleb, Stephen, Amy, Vivi & Stephen Jr., and Scott. Zeeke got to draw with Vivi's colored pencils which he liked a lot.

Zeeke has started chatting with us about his friends at school, telling us things they do and what they eat, little snapshots of what his life at school is like. Music class was fun. Zeeke really enjoyed strumming the strings on Mary's ukelele. We finally had a weekend warm enough to go to the playground, but Zeeke has lost his interest in swings and jungle gyms. Instead he and Steve spent the whole time drawing with chalk. On Sunday, we went to the Please Touch Museum with Jenny & Oscar.

Zeeke had a fun-filled weekend. Jen & Kim brought William & Jack by for a play date. He went to Greta's fun-filled, gymnastics-themed birthday party. And we capped things off with a trip to Pop Pop & Gigi's house, where they invented a new game: letting Zeeke type letters into the word processor on their computer. Zeeke has been particularly obsessed with a mug full of of pens in the bedroom lately and often insists that Karen use all of them to write out the alphabet or draw shapes for him.

One night we were talking to Zeeke about the kids at his school and he surprised us by naming more kids than usual.  When we asked again if they were his friends, he smiled wide and said "Mama and Dada friends!" and "Pop Pop and Gigi friends!"  That melted a few hearts.  

For the past couple weeks Zeeke has been talking about someone or something called "Amoona."  We thought maybe it was an alternate name for the Moon, which he is always excited to see in pictures.  Finally, we got the answer.  Steve snapped a picture of Zeeke sitting next to his friend Amelie at school one morning and when he showed it to Zeeke later that night, he smiled and crooned "Amoooooona!"  

Usually we carry Zeeke the two-and-a-half blocks to school, but on Thursday he decided he was ready to start walking it.  At his urging, we put him down and he walked the entire way while holding our hands.  And he can get some serious speed out of those little legs.

After music class on Saturday, we had a great visit from Omi, Sarah, Riley & Bella.  Omi treated us to a great lunch at Birra, where the chef gave the kids pizza making lessons.  Back at home later, there was much playing, dancing, and singing.  Zeeke had a great time with his cousins and was thoroughly worn out.

Sunday, Leah, Jason & Zack came by for a visit.  They gave Zeeke a set of alphabet stickers that literally provided hours of fun for him.  Later in the afternoon, we trimmed Zeeke's hair for the first time, just a little in the back to reduce the scraggiest part of his mullet.

Conversations with Zeeke:
"What colors are in the rainbow, Zeeke?"
"Blue... orange... brown... and black!"

If massaging food into your hair ever becomes an Olympic sport, Zeeke is going to be a contender.    We're considering getting him some styling gel just so that he can continue in a less disgusting fashion.  It could work since Karen has successfully taught him how to moisturize his hands and cheeks this week.  Zeeke's been counting from one to ten for a while now, but this week we've started taking it up to twenty.  At first, he seemed a bit suspicious that there were really that many numbers, but he's cool with it now.  Zeeke has started nodding his head yes, which is definitely nicer than all of the shaking his head no at us.

On Wednesday, his teacher let us know he'd had a bad cough and runny nose all day.  That night he was woken up badly by a croupy cough and none of us got a lot of sleep.  While we had him in the bathroom for a little steam, Karen invented Zeeke's new favorite game: writing letters on the steamed up mirror.  Now no one can take a shower in the house without Zeeke wanting the mirror and window covered in letters.  He even tries it when there's no steam.  It was also during this long night that he spelled his name for the first time "ZEEEEKE."

We kept him home from school a few days to try to protect his classmates and his own compromised immune system.  Karen's mom came to visit on Friday while Karen went to an appointment.  Zeeke & Omi had a great time and when it was time for a nap, he pointed at the crib after just one book and went right to sleep for her.

Zeeke says "strawbabies" instead of "strawberries" and it's so adorable we just can't correct him.  He's also been obsessed with apple sauce and apple juice this week.  Fresh apples?  Not so much.

Saturday, after music class, Pop Pop & Gigi came over for a visit.  They delivered a gift from Jay, Brenda & Avery, a wooden puzzle of Zeeke's name, which he absolutely adored.

On Sunday Zeeke had his first play date with Will from his music class.  Zeeke had some issues sharing his toys, but everyone had a good time.

Between holidays and snowstorms, Zeeke missed half a week of school.  On Monday it was Martin Luthor King Day, so Karen & Zeeke got to spend the day together visiting friends. In the morning they went over to Zack & Leah’s and had a great time playing with Zack’s toys, coloring and trying new snacks.  In the afternoon, they picked up Dena and then met Jen & the twins at the Please Touch museum.  Zeeke really enjoyed playing in the water area with the boats and ducks. 

Two of his stuffed animals have graduated to constant companion status this week:  a dog given to him by Pop Pop & Gigi and a tiger given to him by his cousin Avery.  One of the new games he came up with while trapped inside by the snow is to lay a blanket on the floor and then put his stuffed animals to bed, saying, "Night night, Dog!" and "Night night, Tiger!"  (Sometimes he puts mommy and daddy down for a nap as well and they don't mind at all!)  Zeeke will then lie down himself and wait a few moments before springing up to say "Wake up!"  

The dance parties have continued this week and Dena joined in on the action when she visited Tuesday.  Zeeke was so excited to have three adults dancing with him.  His favorite song lately is Taylor Swift’s "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," which he calls "Eber Eber Eber" and does his best to sing along with.

Zeeke is not shy about demanding participation, Karen heard a lot of "Mama do" and "Mama help" this week when he needed something done. If one of us is lying down when he wants us sitting or sitting when he wants us standing, he will say "Dada up" and then pull on our arms or try to push us into position.

He's been a big fan of Annie's lentil soup and bunny-shaped cheese crackers ("Bunnies!") this week.  He's started saying "rainbow" and has mastered another of his teacher's names, Fran.

Saturday was music class and on Sunday we had a play date with Katie, Dave & Greta.  It was such a good time we decided to keep it going by having dinner at Birra.  Every time Zeeke saw a pizza or even a pizza box, he would triumphantly yell, "Pizza!"

At school in the mornings Zeeke has decided he likes hanging out with the kids from the older class. Instead of going to his own crew, he'll plop himself down between two girls, Zooey & Evan, who happily greet him with pats on his arms and then read books to him. Friday is pizza day at Zeeke’s school. For a couple dollars, the kids can have pizza instead of their lunch that they bring from home. Out of the blue, on a walk home from school one day, Zeeke started asking for pizza, so we decided to give it a try. According his teachers, he happily ate all of his pizza for lunch.

Every night Zeeke demands that we read this particular ABC book by Alison Jay. Each page has an alphabet letter on it with different pictures of things that start with that letter. Every time we get to the letter D, Zeeke points to the donut and says, "Pop Pop, Gigi, Donut." We're not sure why he associates Steve's parents with donuts and if they know, they're not telling. The same author has a similar book about counting that Zeeke loves as well.

Another regular evening ritual is dance parties. We play some music videos and the three of us dance around the room. Zeeke loves it, especially when we spread out the squares from his shapes mat into a big circle and dance around them. Zeeke’s hair is getting pretty long and we're starting to think about getting it cut. Other kids his age have mostly already had at least two haircuts by now. We feel as long as it stay more punk than hippie, it's okay. While shopping at Target over the weekend we looked at potties and Zeeke found one that he insisted on taking home.

Saturday, Steve & Zeeke had music class in the morning. In the afternoon, Erin & Kate came over for a play date. Zeeke was a bit unethusiastic about sharing his toys, but otherwise it went well. Sunday, we honored Zeeke's wishes for donuts by stopping at Federal Doughnuts, then went to the Please Touch Museum in the afternoon.

It's been a relief to get back on schedule after all the upheaval of the holidays. Zeeke seemed to like it too as he started giving his teachers kisses this week. Such a Cassanova. He also started saying Annie, the name of the teacher for the slightly older kids at day care. Liz came over babysat on Friday so that Karen & Steve could go to Steve’s holiday work party. Zeeke may have called her Dena a few times, but the two got along swimmingly, chatting and playing until bedtime.

Zeeke tried some tater tots this week and has had a lot of fun saying the word. We retired his beloved alphabet mat for a while and brought out a new mat with colored shapes. Zeeke loves it and has been using it like a big jigsaw puzzle. He's been a big fan of the word "circle" for ages, but now he's adding hexagon, triangle and diamond to his vocabulary. His big work this week though is "blankie." He loves pulling his blankies down from the shelf, laying down on them, and demanding that we put them all in the crib with him when he goes to sleep.

Zeeke likes to point to each of the three us and say our names, "Zeeke! Dada! Mama!" This week Karen threw him a curve ball by pointing to Zeeke and calling him "Mama." He shot her this amazing look that we now refer to as "the Face." He scrunches up his face, raised one eyebrow, and tips his head at a crazy angle to let you know you're in trouble.

Over the weekend Zeeke had fun visits from our friend Allison and Pop Pop & Gigi. One of the highlights was Zeeke feeding grapes to his sock puppet and then eating them out of its mouth and laughing.   

We celebrated New Year’s Eve in Chestnut Hill at a sleep over with Jen, Kim & the twins and Dena. Fortunately none of the toddlers stayed up until midnight and miraculously all of the adults did! Dena sat in the back with Zeeke on the drive home and he began chanting her name ceaselessly as soon as we dropped her off. Zeeke was back in school the next day but home on account of snow on Friday. Despite a recent obsession with ice, Zeeke had no interest in its cousin snow. To make their way to music class in the frozen tundra, Steve strapped Zeeke on to his back with our new backpack carrier and Zeeke had a blast riding in it (thank you Jay, Brenda & Avery). To help keep Zeeke from getting frustrated when fitting letters back into his alphabet mat, Karen taught him to "pat pat pat" them in, which has turned into a fun game. Sunday we went to the Please Touch Museum with the twins and then out for dinner at Han Dynasty where Zeeke amazed us by using chop sticks pretty much correctly!

On his first day back to day care, Zeeke seemed all right at drop off, but his teacher let us know later that he did not have a good day. Back at home, we learned what she was talking about. No matter what we did for him it was wrong. He got so frustrated that he just lay on the floor and howled. Where did this cranky teenager come from? Another bad trend is his recent refusal to ever be undressed. He grips his sleeves and juts out his elbows, so that it's extremely difficult to get shirts off without hurting him.

On the bright side, Zeeke's appetite is on the upswing (after diminishing to almost nothing during last week's sickness). Unfortunately, Karen & Steve caught what Zeeke just got over. Steve felt so bad that he had to stay in bed while Zeeke & Karen headed over to her sister’s house on Christmas. Zeeke had a great time playing with his cousins and seeing his grandparents. Present opening was a little overwhelming, so Zeeke took a break and watched his favorite show, Super Why!, with his cousins on their ipad. That gave Karen a little time to enjoy opening a present or two.

Speaking of television, Zeeke has unfortunately become a TV junkie during his sick week. He is now forever requesting either "Y" (Super Why!) or "Elmo" (Sesame Street). He is still obsessed with tracing objects and he's needing our help less and less to do it. He will find an object like a letter magnet or a comb and hold it down on a piece of paper, using a crayon to trace around it. He calls this process something that sounds like "Crayon-a."

Sometimes after singing or dancing or playing a game, Zeeke will hold up a finger and say "one!" meaning one more time. Of course, it's never just one more time!

He's been loving frozen blueberries this week since his sickness started. After putting two frozen peas up his nose on Christmas morning, however, peas haven been temporarily taken off the menu (even when he asks for them by name).

Saturday was a day for shopping and errands, but we managed to fit in a fun trip to the library to return and re-stock books.

Sunday, we went to the Please Touch Museum twice.  The first time we got there an hour before opening, so we came back after his nap.

Zeeke's favorite book of the week: Wow! Said The Owl by Tim Hopgood