Thomas Time

At the beginning of April, Zachary got to meet one of his heroes - Thomas the Tank Engine. Chad and I opted not to tell him about it before hand. I wasn't sure if he would freak out on us or get so excited that he was a mess.

So we parked and took a little white shuttle to the hoopla area. As we were driving over in the shuttle, Zachary saw Thomas. The look was wonderful -- surprise, disbelief, and shock. As soon as we got off the shuttle and wandered into the Thomas Wonderland, we made our way to the station so that Z could see Thomas. Bad timing on our part, Thomas was pulling away and Z was soooooo upset. "NOOOOoo I want to ride Thomas!" Oops. We finally convinced him that Thomas would be back and he could ride later.

Going into this festivities, I thought the tickets were very pricing. $18 per person?? For the three of us that was $54 plus tax and Ticket master fees etc. The ride itself was supposed to be 25 mins long. I was so skeptical. Lots of money for little time.

I was pleasantly surprised that most everything was free. The shuttle to and from parking, the live kiddie band, the jump house the tent with toys to play, tattoos, the video and story building, all were included with the price of the train ride. There was of course a souvenir shop that Zachary was not allowed to go into for fear we'd never leave.

The food was the carnival type -- both style and pricing -- but Z had the biggest corn dog his little eyes had ever seen.

He played in a tent with about 100 other little kids trying all to grab an engine and push along the track. It was crazy. He loved it though because he played with engines he doesn't normal play with or have. Smart on the Thomas peoples end cuz now he wants them.

We finally waited in a long zigzag line to board Thomas - Z was impatient because he thought we were going the wrong way and was frustrated. He didn't want to miss him again. Once we were on and settled - he was so excited. He decided we were riding in Clarabel (not sure why not Annie but I don't question these things) and sat back for the ride. We got to go over a bridge - wahoo - much excitement. Z also handed over his tickets to the conductor to be punched like we were on a real train. What a happy boy!!

About ten minutes into it, the train stopped and reversed and went back the way we came. Back to my $18 per person for what argument. However before we got back to the station, Z was done with the train. He was bored and ready to go play again. It seems those Thomas people actually knew what they were doing. 20 mins is plenty of time on a train for a 3 year old.

Then I made Chad and Z stand in line to get his picture with Thomas. Z just wanted to go back to the tent and play. We waited about 20 mins (ironic that was the length of the train ride) but I got my sweet picture!

We let him play a little more in the tent and then took the white shuttle bus back to the car. We had been there about 2 1/2 hrs and it was way past nap.

If you ask Zachary if he had a good time, he will say "Yes! And I got to ride in the white bus!"

Concocto

Zachary apparently likes to cook -- must be from his dad cuz I most certainly don't cook at all!! I microwave! Anyway, anytime either Chad or I are "cooking" dinner, Zachary has to cook. He likes to cook near the toaster so he can slide his concocto into the toaster when it needs to be hot. He can also reach the spices.

He gets his tupperware bowl and his cooking spoon to spin (aka stir) his concocto. We give him food from the pantry to cook like pasta or raisins or oatmeal. He mixes it up and it is ready to serve. If we add food coloring, its a whole other level of fun.

None of the food is truly appetizing but if he does take a bite it won't kill him -- make him gag a little but won't hurt him!

The other night he made me pasta with sprinkles - dinner and dessert in one! YUM!

Z Speak Entry

One of my absolute favorites of Z is one that we will have to try and capture on video. Text does it no good but I will try...

So here is your quick quiz in Z speak:

What does Zachary mean when he says DAH-Doo?

Hint:
Usually green
Usually associated with farms
John is a very popular name

If you get this right, you probably have a 3 year old...the correct answer is TRACTOR.

WHAT?! Exactly!!! -- He started saying it that way over a year ago and it has changed a little. It is more like Trat-too now.

Love it love it!!

Hard Working Munchkin

Some mornings Zachary has to go to work. His words. "I not go to Ms. Carries - I go to work." I understand where he gets that - I mean both Chad and I say that to him every morning. "Good-bye Zachary I have to go to work. Have a good day - I love you." Or something to that effect.

The crazier part of this is that Zachary actually thinks he has an office or "oppice" as he says. We have NO idea where it came from but everytime we drive by a particular mall he sees Dillards and says "Oh there is my oppice." He recognizes the same Dillards each time. What even crazier than that is that he will see other Dillards and say like a question - "That's not my oppice?" He actually recognizes the logo.

We are thinking maybe he will be the CEO of Dillards someday. Or his MiMi taught him the thrills of retail.

Does Z need a Chiropractor??

Nah...it is just a funny story. OK funny to me. It is actually an old story -- from last spring -- Z was just over 2 years old.

As I showed up to pick Zachary up from Ms. Carrie's, another parent was leaving with her daughter. We started to chat and she mentioned that something was wrong with Zachary's back. I asked did he fall or get hit and she said she didn't know he just was standing with his hands on his hips saying "My back hurts."

I waved good-bye and ran into Carrie's house to see what was going on with him. Carrie was just as perplexed. She said Zachary hadn't mentioned a thing about it and he seemed fine. Sure enough he was playing and seemed happy to see his mom. So we just left and I decided to let it go and keep an eye on it.

As I put him on the sidewalk to open the car door and get his seat ready, Zachary smiled at me put his hands on his hips and took a step back - then another step back - and another. He grinned even more and said "Backwards!"

Two Bits of Randomness

Bit 1.
Wish I could type how Z pronounces some words -- they are wonderfulness and I'll forget over time...like jelly balls (aka jelly beans), strewbrrrrries (strawberries -- he says brr like he is cold), gulls (girls), I can't want do (I don't want to), for tomorrow or for later (how he procrastinates), tunder (thunder), and all of this with a hint of a baby lisp that is slowly fading. Chad needs to add some here too...I know he like the "I can't want to" as in "I can't want to brush my teeth."

Bit 2.
We did go to the park earlier this week and there were some eleven-ish year old girls playing on the swing set. They were just laying on the slide or climbing up it backwards as Zachary stood there waiting so patiently for his turn. I finally said very loudly - Zachary just say excuse me please - -which he did and the girls with attitude climbed up the slide - made him move out of the way so they could exit at the top of the slide before he could go down.

WHAT THE HECK? I was so irritated. In those few moments, I question everything I am doing as a parent. Am I not teaching Zachary to stand up for himself? Will he be a push over? But I don't want him acting like these girls and who were not courteous or polite -- he is three for gosh sake and they are 11 -- can they not move for one minute to let him slide down the slide??? REALLY?? What is the balance -- how do you teach assertive but not cross to aggressive? I want him to be confident but not arrogant. I was so angry with these girls and their 'tudes. Yep I became old in that moment - young whippersnappers with no respect. And completely concerned with raising Zachary. Those darn girls!!! I was having a pleasant day in the park with my son (who by the way when he got off his bike (aka push trike) at the park announce "Fergus to the rescue") and thoroughly having a good time when five tween girls' behavior ignited an internal battle.

Watching Z have such fun and talking up a storm to these girls who were completely ignoring him (annoying me even more!) should have calmed me but didn't. Though he did completely light up my heart when one of the girls slipped on the stairs up to the slide but she got up and went along to the top, Zachary stopped at his landing where he was climbing watched her and then clapped when she got up to the top and yelled to her "You did it -- good job!"

I just LOVE that boy...

We forgot March

So an entire month went by with no documentation or even small mention in the blog. Which is amazing since March held much excitement -- a week with my mom (Z's Gramma), a week at home with a SCARY fever, a 3 year appointment at Dr Berger's, an Easter celebration, and a third trip to Dr. Berger's office. Busy month.

At the moment I am at work with not a lot of time to expand on the above so I will give a few blurbs to try and help me remember March happenings and to expand on them at a later time...

1. Gramma does great potty training
2. 103 fever makes Z forget potty training
3. Z is 32 1/2 lbs and 38 1/4" tall -- 75% for both
4. Fergus is introduced to the Jost/Martin clan at Easter
5. Z has bad allergies in the spring - two years running now
6. Z gives me a look of betrayl and is too stunned to cry when he gets his "memmunization"