a long winter

Winters in Chicago can be very lo-o-o-o-o-ong. Sometimes it's too cold to take even a short walk; other times, everything is covered in a sheet of ice that just won't melt. Also, getting two young kids out the door can be a rather daunting task, so I like to know that the payoff will be worth the hassle. Thankfully, we've been able to borrow cars or beg rides in order to get out of the house every once in a while. And we've had some fun projects going on around the house to try to stay sane (sometimes it's a struggle).

Katie recently told me that Corene used to cook with Jude a fair amount (maybe you still do, Corene?). A day after I thought to myself, "Cooking with a toddler? Is she crazy?", I found myself in the kitchen with Jonah trying to make some chocolate-chip cookies to compete with those that Gangee sent for Valentine's Day. I can't resist a boy who says "coo-KIE" so sweetly (he learned that word fast and well and uses it often). Thanks for the idea, Madrina Corene! Jonah was pretty pleased with himself for helping me so much.

Here's Jonah after enjoying the fruits of his labor. I think he's looking for more. Under the dish, maybe?
Jonah also tried painting again. He was much more into brush-painting than finger-painting. We later used this masterpiece to make a Valentine's Day card for Dada.In order to get rid of that bald spot, Manny continues to be subjected to tummy-time.
Tummy-time is much more enjoyable when he's propped on Boppy. One might even think that he likes it!
We did our patriotic duty and helped the economy with a little needless spending (thanks, tax refund!) on these metal truck, bus and car signs from Land of Nod, a great kids' store. (I recently threw the catalogue away so that I would stop drooling over it.) On second thought, I don't think that Jonah considered it "needless"; can you see how excited he is about the sign with the "tow-tow truck"?

Jonah has also been practicing his handyman skills in a bid to impress Pop-Pop. We won't let him play with hammer or nails, so he's decided to make do with the measuring tape, which is arguably just as fun. Bendy!

Jonah continues to play with, and get lost in, his pile o' trucks. Always a good time!
Jonah and Manny also spend some quality time together every once in a while, though their interest in one another is generally fleeting.
For a few weeks now, Manny has been bringing things to his mouth. Here he cuddles with, and chews on, the puppy that Gangee bought him while he was in utero. Look at those sweet little peepers.
Manny crashes after a hard day at play. Really, he grabs his head like this when he is tired. He's also started sucking on his thumb, which means that we're effectively taking his paci away--special occasions only. This is actually a relief for us. While we survived Jonah's paci weaning (he only barely did), it bordered on brutal. The sound of Jonah at age six months sobbing for three hours on New Year's Eve while we watched "Rocky" is still fresh. In only took two more nights (40 minutes of crying on night two, 15 on night three) for the job to be done, but it was no fun. Thanks, Manny, for sparing us that trauma.
We also visited the doctor two weeks ago for Manny's 4-month visit (a bit early) and Jonah's 18-month (a bit late; it's all about compromise). Manny weighed in at 14 lbs, 6 oz and 25 inches, putting him in the 50th percentile for both. A perfectly proportioned baby! Evidently he's had an upward growth spurt; it's a bit sad that he's no longer quite so roly-poly. Jonah is 27 lbs, and 33 1/2 inches, about the 75th percentile for both. No longer quite so giant as he used to be, but still so big! Both boys are healthy and doing great. Jonah continues to learn more words daily and is getting really good at the two-word phrases. The most frequent is probably "There it is, (name of object here)." Which actually qualifies as a whole sentence, not just a phrase. He's into identification. Manny is a strong little baby who likes lots of attention. He's just started crying when we leave the room. He's very sociable. He also let loose with his first laugh yesterday, on his 4-month birthday. Somehow Auntie Katie got him to laugh just by talking to him and smiling at him; I think Manny's in love. Seriously, he really likes her.

Our friend Miriam (a.k.a. Jonah's favorite Latina) helped us during our doctor's visit, as two kids in a waiting room didn't sound like fun to me, neither did only two hands when both boys needed shots. Now when I ask Jonah to say "doctor", he says "Doctor; Mimi." I guess that it just wouldn't be a doctor's visit without Mimi. Thanks, Miriam!