Category: Family news/Updates

Last night I was cleaning the kitchen after dinner and Dave was in the bathroom getting the nino ready for his bath when Ajax told Dave he wanted to “pee pee in the potty.”  Dave asked, you want to sit on the potty?  Ajax said, yea.  So Dave plopped him down on the potty.   At that time I came into the bathroom and Dave and I both praised Ajax for sitting on the potty like a big boy when all of sudden he actually peed in the potty!  I’m not sure who was more surprised, Ajax or us.

Dave and I started yelling and clapping, and congratulating Ajax on a job well done.  We were so proud.  Ajax looked happy and astonished by his achievement and then promptly stuck his finger in the pee while pointing at it.  I then washed his hands.  Throughout the night Ajax kept going back into the bathroom to sit on the potty and look inside the toilet.  He then poked his finger into the pee once more before I called it a night and emptied the potty.

Now, I’m not crazy, I know this was more luck than anything else and that Ajax is no where near being potty trained, lol, but I just thought it was so darn cute I had to share.

Lately we have been trying to teach Ajax that stairs are not a toy and you shouldn’t play on them.  We are trying to retire the baby gate and don’t feel comfortable doing that until Ajax has this lesson mastered.  My child is smart and this is not a difficult concept; however, stairs do hold an appeal.

One of his favorite games involving the stairs is to put his Zu Zu on them and then watch as it topples down.  Ajax has also learned that he can lay on his stomach across the stairs and thinks this is pretty neat too, so long as he doesn’t lose his balance and fall over.   Anyways, it’s still a work in progress and the gate hasn’t been moved to the basement yet.

Another new concept we’re introducing to Ajax is potty training.   Ajax will tell you when he has gone to the bathroom and I thought, well, it he can tell us that, we should bring up the potty and at least put it in the bathroom so that he can begin getting used to it.   This has had mixed results and we’re certainly not pushing the thing.  Generally before bath time we’ll ask Ajax is he has to go potty or if he wants to sit on his potty.  Sometimes he says yes, other times he says no.   It can go either way depending on his mood.  Most times he likes to just shove things in it, for example his silkie, which took us forever to find this morning, but the dream of not having to buy diapers is a powerful inspiration so the mini-potty remains in our bathroom next to the hamper.

Ajax is one dancing baby.  If Ajax could talk and you asked him, “Ajax what is your signature dance move?”  He would definitely tell you that dancing is all about elbow movement.   He would say, “You must jut your elbows out to the side while sidling left and right to the music.   Elbows.  All about the elbows.”  I wonder if he picked up this little dance move from me?  I am the worst dancer ever and kind just shift from one foot to the other.  I have only seen Dave dance one time circa February 2003, so I’m sure Ajax hasn’t picked up any of his dance moves.  Anyways, regardless of where the nino picked it up, he is now dancing and entertains us with his cool moves at night.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6KLaH4MYSU&hl=en&fs=1]

Ajax loves dogs and is generally pretty good with them.  While he was out at my parent’s house this past weekend he had a blast playing with Kaisa.  Kaisa is so gentle with him and even allowed for a few games of chase around the table.  She’s a good sport.  She was even patient enough to allow him to squish into her favorite sleeping spot with her.  Now I’m not sure if you can tell from the below picture- but the sleeping spot is between the couch and step into the kitchen.  It’s not very large, probably less than 17 inches across.   And as you can see Ajax made himself quite comfy there with her.

Poor little Zu Zu.  He gave the world his all and we were grateful for the joy he gave to Ajax, but last night the poor lil guy just tuckered out and his little wheels would turn no more.  Ajax was crushed.  Dave performed emergency surgery, with Ajax zipping back and forth between the kitchen and living room bringing Dave the necessary tools – screw driver- check!- triple A batteries – check!  But it did no good.  Ajax just couldn’t understand why his Zu Zu wouldn’t go anymore and we had to keep explaining to him that Zu Zu was all done for now.  We texted Dara right away to find out where she got it and how much they cost.  Do not fear Ajax will have a new Zu Zu within the week!

Ajax is also going through a phase where he loves photographs of friends and family and has certain photos that he likes to carry around, pointing out the people.   Because of this new interest, I made him a photo book through Kodax going through the different colors.   Ajax loves it and has fun pointing out all his family members.  The book was only $1.99 online and I will keep an eye out for this deal again as it was strongly pointed out to me that these would make excellent grandma books.

I say this every single Sunday, but weekends are just too short. Although we did have a great weekend, so I certainly can’t complain. Let me back up a little-

On Thursday night my mom stayed the night as she was in town seeing a patient. I made us one of the worst dinners ever, it was so horrid that no one touched it, Ajax had mac and cheese, and we all ended up having a snack before bed.   Oh well, they can’t all be winning meals recipes :)-

On Friday my mom took Ajax for the day and then out to her house for the night. My mom, dad and nana babysat Ajax and said he did very well. He played well with the dogs and helped throw Frannie hay. He chased his Zu zu all over the place.  My dad pulled him around on the sled, but he wasn’t too sure he enjoyed it (Ajax is a pretty cautious kid). My mom did say that he woke up at about 11 pm and was up for about 2 hours. What can I say, he’s still a little nino and he sometimes has bad dreams.

With our time, Dave and I ended up ordering in and watching Deadwood (an HBO series that ended years ago… Dave and I have been into Westerns lately).  On Saturday morning we dropped my car off at the shop for new tires and then went to see a movie- yes, you guessed it, another Western – True Grit.   Dave and I also swung by the mall as we had a Macy gift card to use and were home just before my dad rolled into town with Ajax.

Ajax was worn out from his adventures in Brooklyn and was in quite the mood.   He went to bed early, not really by his choice, but he needed to get to bed early.

Today Dave, Ajax and I headed over to my grandpa Nader’s house as it was his birthday.  Ajax was a little crabby, but once he started playing with his cousins he warmed up.     On our way home we stopped by Best Buy and Dave bought me a new camera.  Mine completely died on me, but I probably took about ten thousand pictures with it (Dave’s estimate).

Tonight Ajax helped me fix the drain in the bathroom as Dave inadvertently broke it this morning.  Ajax held the flashlight and screwdriver for me and only once tried to climb into the tub to see better.  He was such a help.

Ajax also has a new phrase – “don’t scare me!”  I think he picked it up a week or two ago, and loves to throw it out when he and Dave are goofing around.  Ajax will shout and laugh and then proclaim – Dad!  Don’t scare me!  It’s so funny.

Meet the newest, littlest member of our family: Zu Zu.

Grandma Dara bought Zu Zu for Ajax this Christmas and it is his new favorite toy.  To Ajax, however, it’s more than just a toy, it’s his very own little pet (poor kid needs a dog).   Now at first I must say I thought this thing was a little silly, it’s an electronic mouse that runs along, spins in circles, and makes a variety of cute noises.

Ajax is near obsessed with it.   It just cracks him up.  Zu Zu will zip along the floor and Ajax will crawl after it calling- Zu Zu!  Zu Zu!  He played for almost an hour with Zu Zu this evening before bed.   Because Zu Zu was so busy this evening, Dave had to perform an emergency surgery and replace his triple A batteries.  Ajax was so upset when Zu Zu stopped running and kept hovering around Dave while he changed the batteries.  He was very relieved to see his Zu Zu up and running again, he was very concerned.

This evening we had a combined birthday party for my Grandpa Valentine and his sister, Annie.   There were a good 20-30 loud Italians present and lots of little cousins for Ajax to play with.   Unfortunately my grandpa wasn’t able to attend his own party as he is currently in the hospital, but the doctors think he’ll be released soon and in good health.

Ajax played well and had a ton of fun playing chase with his cousin Jordan.   My parents were there as well as my Grandma Flo, who is up visiting from Florida.   Ajax had a great time playing with grandparents and my mom even found a cart to push all the kids around on.   Although there was pizza and salad and fruit, Ajax was to excited to eat, so we had to re-heat some mac and cheese with hot dogs for him once we got home.   Stubborn kid.

Slowly but surely Ajax is starting to feel better.  This infection really took it’s toll on him… and us (he still has six more days on the antibiotic).   Since Ajax wasn’t sleeping, we weren’t sleeping, and boy was it beginning to show.   Everyone’s patients were wearing thin.   Anywho, he is definitely feeling better and returning to more agreeable spirits and by extension so are we.

Tonight I picked up pizza on my way home from work.  As soon as I walked in the house Ajax came bolting into the back room- Hi mommy! Hi mommy– PIZZA!  He then reached his arms up and tried to carry the pizza into the house for me.  As the boxes were way to big for him to carry I let him “help” me and set them on the counter in the kitchen.  He could not scramble into his high chair fast enough, saying – pizza, pizza!

After dinner we did bath, per usual night time routine, and after bath Ajax had a cup of milk on the couch.  When he was done with his milk, at about 7:15 pm, he scooped up both his silkies and asked to go to bed.  I said- you want to go to bed now?  And he responded- yea.  So he said goodnight to Dave and off to bed he went.   How cute is that?  I’m sure he’ll be up at 5:30 am, but oh well.

[no pictures – for some reason I haven’t taken many this week.  sorry!]