Saturday, February 19, 2011

Foreshadowing.... Hopefully...

Caught the boys testing out their musical talents at Nana and Booka's house over Thanksgiving (we're having a hard time getting videos off our camera, so I know, it's a little belated). One thing that I think my parents did a pretty good job with, but Mike's parents did amazing with was instilling a love for music, both listening and creating. I hope that we can gently do the same. I struggle with how best to do this, but as this shows, maybe it's not really up to me anyways... Nana and Booka, thanks for all your support of Mike and his various musical interests!


Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Grandma Sue Squared...

Milo got some pretty special lovin' all in one week at the end
of January. Yeah, I'm a little behind in this little online journal, don't you judge me ;) We started out with a quick trip to Columbus to visit Em (Furler) Cotter and sweet Drew. Hee hee, he really is sweet, but I laugh because he just loves to grab Milo's hair in his little mitts. I don't think it actually hurts Milo that much, but I think he's generally surprised when this happens; maybe because hair is such a new development for him ;)

Em's mom, and my 2nd mom growing up, Sue, was also there for a visit for Drew's dedication. Though we've pretty much continually been in touch, I haven't seen Sue in years, for sure since before Milo was born. One of the things I cherish most about our unique relationship with the Furler clan is that it never matters the last time we saw them, it's always the same: comfortable, fun, relaxing, and joyous. Sue is my mom's best friend, Al is my dad's best friend, Em, Sarah, and Laura are some of the best friends we McGrail girls will ever know, and though
we have added to our numbers with husbands and kids, these relationships are still the same, maybe a little different as we fill different roles in our lives, but still as powerful and
meaningful. And Em will be Aunt Em to Milo, and Sue will be Grandma Sue. It's just how it's supposed to be, it's right.

A couple days later, we gathered Grammie Kris and hit the road to Iowa to attend Cousin Sarah's baby shower, got to spend some QT with Nana Steph and Auntie Karen while we were in Ames, and then spent a good couple of days with my
Grandma Sue, Milo's great-grandma. Grandma Sue is another tremendous woman. Her house, though new to our family in the past couple of years, is always like coming home. She has a way of welcoming people into her space
that makes you feel like you've always been there and should always continue to be there. I make myself at home, help myself to coffee and cake for breakfast, and then we giggle that I did so. Though she's my mom's mom, there isn't enough years between all of us to really make that feel relevant; she's funny and kind and sweet and sassy, and she loves my kid. Even when he's a brat at her house, she loves my kid.

To my Grandma Sues: thanks for continuing to be instrumental in my life and my kid's life. Love you so much!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Cute Milo-isms...

Some funny things that Milo has been saying recently:

"Opeley" (open it)

"Da-un-too" (that one too)

"Read it daddy... pleez! More prayer pleez! More prayer! Pleez! Prayers!" (asking Mike to read "The Lord's Prayer Book" over and over and over and over and over...)

"maggets" (magnets)

"Bump head!" (whenever anything falls or bumps anything, aka Milo stubs toe, trucks fall off the table, etc)

"legs legs legs!" (when he wants to walk up mommy's legs and body and stand on her shoulders)

"hiding" (his answer to whenever anything is not readily noticeable, aka the moon is behind the clouds, kitties are in the other room, etc.)

"loud" (any noise that is not talking or music)

"tunes!" (when he wants us to turn on his mp3 player; no we did not buy him that, but Auntie Mandy knows how to give the best gifts!)

"winnow!" (he wants to look out the window)

"crabby happy" (if he's still cranky in the morning, we asked if he's crabby or happy; if he's still crabby, he stays in bed; this is generally his answer, both equally, but sometimes he just walks around saying this to himself)

"applesauce" (for both the actual substance applesauce, and for a book of opposites)

"Llama drama" (either when he's picking out books to read and wants to read "Llama llama" or when he's having a little bit of a fit. Because he'd never be a drama queen. Oh wait, that's another one, "drama queen")

He's also counting to 10, sometimes 12, sometimes counting nothing in particular. And we've been working on spelling his name. Right after I told Mike that he could follow my prompting of "how do you spell your name? M..." he'd follow with "I...L...O!!" he decided to spell his whole name, just to prove mommy wrong. I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch, but I'm sure we'll add more later...

*Post-Note*
I just figured out another one that's been plaguing Mike for days. Had no idea what he meant when he was running around saying "baygofaygo"? Yeah, didn't you catch it? That means motorcycle. Duh.