Christmas giving

Nick got home a little late tonight, as there was a holiday party at WIS. When he arrived, he immediately took Maceo upstairs to change a diaper. We've been talking with Mace more and more about Christmas and Santa and presents. This is part of the conversation that took place while changing the diaper.

Nick: What happened at school today? Did you play outside? Maceo: No. We saw Santa! Nick: What did he say? Maceo: How are you doing? Nick: Really? Oh, we should get Mamy a present! (That's Nick's mom.) Maceo: OK. We do that tomorrow. Nick: What should we get her? Maceo: A big ole, a big ole, a big ole backhoe!

Actually, not to blow the secret, but most of you are getting construction site-related gifts.

Thanksgiving

Maceo has been quite excited for Thanksgiving. At school, they had been prepping him. He came home with a placemat he'd made with a big turkey on it made by tracing his hand (I think we've all been there) and various food stuffs cut from the coupon pages of the Washington Post. Cassius had two placemats. They were made with an outline of footprints, we presume his feet pressed in paint) and two photos. One of them shows Cassius's superior Gallic side. He looks super snooty and superior as he side eyes another kid who is out of frame on the other swing. There's also an off-kilter, beret-looking hat that amplifies his supercilious look.

Thursday, Thanksgiving, we were expecting Pat, Maurice, Aunt Mary Hanrahan, Leslie and Eric and their twin sons, and us. Pretty small this year. Mace had a hard time taking a nap. As he lay on Nick, calming down for sleep, he would continually pop his head up and say, "When we wake up, it'll be Thanksgiving! That's exciting!" Eventually, he did take a nap, and when he awoke, Leslie, Eric, Sam, and Leo were all here. Mace came down in his new footed pj's and started playing the host. Even though SamnLeo are two years older, they are all the same size, so Maceo didn't seem to feel intimidated at all. He brought Leo upstairs and showed him his bed and his toys. And our toilet, our bedspread, and the water glasses on our nightstand.  He is thorough if nothing else.  And they all went down in the basement and played there, too.

The dinner was lovely. We seem to have hit upon a bulletproof turkey recipe and it comes out well each year. Aunt Mary brought over her renowned cranberry sauce and that turned out to be the first non-breastmilk dish for Cash in his entire life. We were not sure if he liked it, but it certainly quieted him down. The night ended with Maceo trying to get Pat and Aunt Mary to do somersaults on the living room rug, and succeeding in getting Kate and Nick to do somersaults on the living room rug.

 We hoped the boys would sleep in; instead, they both slept very poorly and woke up at the normal time. Kate, however, let Nick sleep in until 9:10, which is the latest she has EVER seen him sleep ever.

Ay Caramba!

Maceo seems to enjoy reggae and Chipotle on a recent excursion across town to the NW part of DC.
Cash is a little more nonplussed.

Squirrlah! (that's how Maceo pronounces it)

This morning a number of transformers in our neighborhood blue. Kate and Macy and Nick were sitting at the dining room table when it happens. Nick happened to be glancing out the back window and saw the ball of fire on the line. Turns out several more further up the street has blown too. Nick didn't know that at the time though and said "There was a squirrel running away from it. That's probably what happened." Well, a few minutes later Maceo really wanted to look out the window. He said, "I want to see the squirrel on fire running!!"

What It's All About

Nick did post this on Facebook, but we can't stop watching it. Especially fun is the part where Mace can't turn it all about so he just bobs his head in time...

Quick Maceo story

The other night at dinner, Maceo took a big handful of mac and cheese. He said, "That's a big bite." He then almost ruefully added, "But I do like it though."

Funny Man

Maceo and I (Momma) have some of our best conversations in the 7 minute drive to St. Ann's where Maceo goes to daycare, or "school" as we like to say.  Recently on one trip to school, after we clarified that it was a steeple on top of the church and not a pizza, we got around to talking about how cute Cassius is and where Maceo saw himself on the cute spectrum.  It sent something like this:

Maceo:  Cassius is so cute!
Kate:  Yes, he is. You're cute, too.
Maceo:  No, I'm not cute. I'm funny.

More recently, we had a similar conversation and I tried to trick him.  You know, for fun.   It's hard to trap a 2.5 year old in conversation I say!

Maceo:  Cassius is so cute! (This is a recurring theme at our house and the topic is almost always brought up by Maceo).
Kate:  Yes, he is. You're cute, too. And funny!
Maceo:  I'm not funny, I'm fun---(big pause).  (Silence).

One point for Momma!