Calling the Tooth Fairy. Literally.

*Tooth Fairy Update below*

Parenting can be challenging. It requires patience...and restraint. In ALL kinds of circumstances.

Garrett is unique in a lot of ways, but you might not know that at first glance (if you can look past the desperately needed haircut). Until now. His smile says it all...

take a closer look...

It's been WEEKS that his tooth has been dangling by a thread...wiggling easily but holding steadfast. And soliciting offers from everyone- parents, peers, teachers, strangers- to pull it out (or advice on the best way to do it). I can't blame them...I've had to exercise tremendous restraint myself. So I was really relieved when Garrett announced he finally lost his first front tooth!

Just not the one you would have thought.
(notice his right tooth is now missing)

Oddly enough, my self-conscious child is quite proud of his new snaggle-tooth status...fortunately he sees the humor in it. Especially since it's hard not to stare. Looks like the Tooth Fairy will be busy in the coming days.

Speaking of the Tooth Fairy...since she failed to show the first night Blake lost his last tooth (another story for another time...), Garrett was a little concerned she might not make it this time. Just in case, he wrote her a note asking for her phone number...smart kid. And thoughtful...he included a Valentine for her. And creative...he drew a "tooth saver" (a Star Wars lightsaber with teeth) and signed the note "may your teeth be clean" (a reference to Star Wars quote "may the force be with you").

Like I said, he's one of a kind. But now you can tell by his one-toothed smile.
(note: I intend to post the letter after I have a chance to scan it, so be sure to check back)

*Update: While I haven't had a chance to scan the letter, here is our new and improved Garrett having finally lost his snaggle-tooth (2 days laters) and got his much-needed haircut. Funny enough, he can't stop staring at himself in the mirror. Lookin' good, Garrett, lookin' good...

Legos: Love 'em & Hate 'em

**STREET SCENE UPDATE AT BOTTOM**

They get stepped on and tripped over. They stick together and get shatter apart. They get spilled on, washed with the laundry, consumed by the vacuum cleaner, and go airborne when kicked across the wood floor. They get buried in the carpet and in the smallest conceivable places. They reside in the couch, under the couch, behind the couch and most other pieces of furniture. The same goes for the car. They give puncture wounds on your feet and bruises on your knees when met with your full body weight. They get chewed on, spit out, swept in to small, irretrievable spaces. They get fought over, forgotten about, obsessed over and left teetering on the brink of their demise. They can be found in every nook and cranny in our house without much effort, despite my best attempts to contain them.

But they offer hours of endless (and maybe more importantly *quiet*) entertainment and every so often one of the kids builds something that just blows me away.

Here is Garrett's latest Lego "scene".

The details just astound me. Not only does this "painter" have his paintbrush in hand (and spare behind him) and is obviously painting the wall, but he stands elevated on scaffolding with guard rails, with spray paint nearby, assisted by a streetlight, and is under the watchful eye of a security camera. All this from a bunch of random pieces and the vivid imagination of a six year old!

I guess THIS is why I put up with Legos. It's a love-hate relationship, really...but today it's pure love and joy!

**STREET SCENE UPDATE**
What would a true city street scene be without music? Garrett added to his creation a couple musicians putting on a show to a crowd of people. There's the guy holding the microphone with his hat turned sideways (so Garrett)...

the guy standing on the box playing the horn...

check out the guy in the crowd holding the stereo. He even nailed the clothes.

If you look closely you'll notice that the painter is now tagging with his can of spray paint. Interesting imagination...what can I say, Garrett thinks of everything. And HE won't be going anywhere near spray paint any time soon! We'll stick with creative expression through Legos, thank you very much. And just one more reason to LOVE 'EM!

Mom: 0, Twins: 1?

But it's only half time. I'm not worried...or at least not yet.

This is one of those times when previous parenting experience has been put to good use. It's hard to believe that the twins are old enough, but we decided to take the leap from cribs to toddler beds since it was evident that the cribs' days were numbered. Being the conscientious parents that we are, we wanted to make the transition before there was an injury. It was still a tough decision, though, not because I don't want to let go of their "babyness", but because my prior knowledge of this milestone tells me that the bed time routine becomes a major challenge, at least in the beginning. And twice as hard (at least) with twins.

After taking them shopping for their new pillows, I had the brilliant plan to introduce the "big kid" beds for their morning nap first.

Come see your new and improved "big kid" room!

Ella had been begging me so sleep in her "big girl" bed for weeks...

...do you think she likes it?

Chase was a little less sure...

...but eventually warmed up to the idea.

I knew there would be a period of novelty that would have to run its course. And I knew it was a bit of a gamble, since things are much more enticing when you can see them in daylight. But I also knew that had we waited until night time, we would run the risk of being up half the night playing the new "back to bed" game. So, how'd it go? Here's the play-by-play.

~5 minutes: until the twins realized they could stand at the window and look outside
~15 minutes: the time it took the monkeys to start jumping on their beds
~25 minutes: the point at which they opened the bedroom door....the first time (of many)
~30 minutes: the party was really getting started
~45 minutes: they played "light on", "light off" Ella just couldn't help herself
~1 hour: when they decided it would be fun to climb INTO the crib we left in the room (just in case)

~1 hour 5 min: when they decided to trade beds


~1 hr 20 min: ahhhh, quiet play and some silence....maybe a nap?
~1 hr 30 min: no such luck- Ella had things to do when she remembered she could go through the drawers to her heart's content
~1 hr 35 min: don't forget going through the closet
~1 hr 40 min: delirium starts to set in...intermittent laughing, crying as they roll around on the floor (and over each other)
~1 hr 50 min: settling down again...THIS time maybe some sleep?
~2 hrs 5 min: wishful thinking...delirium keeps them awake and busy making animal noises, playing and Chase stands watch opening and closing the door while Ella continues to explore the drawers
~2 hrs 40 min: game over (it's all part of my strategy)

Okay, so they never slept. And, yes, they will be cranky and difficult at times because of it, but I'm looking at the bright side...I didn't lose any sleep! At least not yet. And even better? They will be plenty exhausted for an early bed time tonight.

At least that's what I thought. That was until I discovered that Chase finally gave in shortly after I surrendered and fell fast asleep on the floor.

Twins:1, Mom:0? Maybe we should just call this round a tie... Game on!

Got TV?

We do! At least right now.

We had all but made the call to cancel our dish. Not because we had to but because we came to the realization that the tv was really for the kids, given how much of it Brian and I get to watch. The problem is that when they aren't fighting over what to watch, I am telling them to turn it off because so much of it these days is inappropriate. And don't even get me started about the commercials.

I'll admit that I depend on the tv as my pseudo-babysitter to get things done (like laundry, vacuuming, dishes, etc) and at least the preschool-aged shows are educational, right? I can attest to that point personally. Here are some examples:

*"Look, mama, Chuck E. Cheese!" (Ella pointed out as we passed one adjacent to the freeway. And, no, she's never been there. But a great first step for name recognition!)
*"Let's count! Uno...dos...tres..." (Ella can count proficiently in English AND Spanish, thanks to our friend Dora the Explorer.)
*"Pat...pat..pat..pat,pat,pat,pat! Faster!" (Chase, my backseat driver, thinks my car is Rocket from The Little Einsteins.)
*When I tell Ella, "you're so special" she replies, "Oso, special?" (As in Special Agent Oso. Followed by an immediate search for her over sized "special agent" watch.)
*"Mama, Cha wan milh" (and I repeat, "Does Chase want milk?") to which he replies with excitement, "Milk, RIGHT!" (as if I picked the "right" answer.)
*When I ask, "Do you want a hot dog?" the reply is always the same..."hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog!" (Mickey and friends sure know how to sing!)
*"Mama...trash truck...go...dump?" (Toy Story 3 has taught Chase about community services and the cycle of trash.)
And my personal favorite...
*"A clue! A clue!" Ella shouted excitedly as she jumped out of her chair.

(No, the new container for dog treats with the paw on the side wasn't really a clue, but Blue would have been proud of Ella!)

So while we are still contemplating canceling the tv, I can honestly say that my conscience has been eased a bit by the twins' positive influence from it. I can't say as much for the "older kid" shows where the teens are sassy and the characters are dark, but as long as everyone is willing to watch Curious George be, well, curious, we just might keep the tv. At least until the twins figure out how to work the remote control.

Dos Ninos at Dos Picos

Actually, there were about 10 boys all together. And a few girls. It was an "unofficial" Cub Scouts camping trip to Dos Picos campground in Ramona and the kids had a blast. I think the grown-ups did too. Campfires, fishing, hiking and playing...what more could a boy ask for?

After spending hours packing up the Explorer, Brian made the 20 minute drive to the campgrounds. Let's just say that Brian would have made a pretty good Cub Scout (..."always be prepared"). Camping is one of his absolute favorite things to do, so he was happy to arrange for the trip and is always looking for a good excuse to put his flashlight collection to use (you think I'm kidding...). Besides, Renee is a professional when it comes to camping- literally!

After settling in to camp, the boys set out with the telescope to do some star gazing. The park ranger even crashed their party and helped point out some of the constellations. Gotta love and activity where the kids lay still and concentrate!

Day two started with a pancake breakfast which Brian started cooking at the crack of dawn. Making pancakes for 16+ people is a big job! But he loves it...and it's part of the camping experience. And, by the way, it's a little known fact that camping and bacon go hand-in-hand. The bacon was such a hit that it was subsequently added to EVERY single meal thereafter.

Renee (Brian's sister), is a wildlife biologist and was kind enough to make the trip from Arizona to teach the boys about birds and help them to earn their birding patch.

After a short lesson on birds, bird habitats and bird identification, they ventured out hiking and birding. Here is some of what they found:

A hawk's next, probably a Red Shoulder Hawk.

An owl house.

Kudos to Renee for getting 12 kids to walk quietly, look and listen for bird sights and sounds and use the binoculars for their intended use! Well done! And I bet they actually learned a thing or two.

After lunch and some intense lightsaber duels, the boys once again set out for some fishing and playground fun. And while each boy had a chance to fish, only one fish was actually caught (and thrown back), although there were a few "near" misses.

When they weren't fishing, the kids were enjoying the outdoors and fantastic playgrounds on the premises (the more antiquated "wooden" structure became known as the "splinter" playground...

but then there was the newly constructed, plastic and metal playground which was better suited for climbing, sliding, etc). All in all, there were plenty of ways to expend their energy.

The second night was met with a campfire, hot dogs (with bacon, of course), monkey bread (compliments of Renee), campfire stories and just good old fashion camping fun. The twins especially enjoyed joining in some of the "camping" fun like exploring the campgrounds (or looking for dinosaur bones), greeting the "dinosaur" ducks, wandering in any and every direction, being mesmerized by the campfire...but especially playing in the tent.

Ella-Goldilocks-Wilcox tried out every bed and warm accessory (hats, scarves, jackets) and stayed in there for quite some time playing with flashlights in her new "house".

Chase figured out pretty quickly that the "door" was zipped closed and he was therefore "locked in" so he didn't spend as much time in the tent.

Most of his time was spent at the table eating all the junk food he never gets at home. I think the twins may have even had too much fun, as I was up most of the night with them (at home), trying to comfort them from their nightmares.

Maybe it was the spooky pair of eyes they felt watching them...which happened to be just the hungry raccoon waiting patiently for someone to leave the trash unattended. Either way, next time we will be tenting it!

Everyone packed up the next morning and headed home just in time to miss that evening's rain storm. Friends, family, fun, the great outdoors and a few new skills. What more can you ask for? Hasta la vista...

Gentlemen- I Mean Boys- Start Your Engines!

It's that time of year again. You guessed it- Pinewood Derby time! Although Brian went through the learning curve on how to actually make a PWD car last year, that just meant that the pressure was on this year to take it up a notch. But why just take it up a notch, when you could take the whole thing, right?

If the races were about winning to Brian, for Blake is was about getting to build something out of parts and for Garrett it was getting to "design" something. Garrett even offered several sketches of what he wanted his to look like. In the end everyone was happy. Blake got his simple black car without one single detail. Plain and simple, just the way he likes it.

And Garrett got the coolest Star Wars lightsaber (handle) on wheels.

And Brian? Well, he did okay too...

The event started with a bang for Garrett, who was the official "pit crew starter" for his outstanding popcorn sales last October (he actually came in second, but the first place scout wasn't there). So Garrett pushed "the button" to get the races going. And...they were off!

In the first race, the boys raced each other. Garrett (third from left) just barely beat Blake (first on left) and won the first race. Check out this photo finish:

Then Blake won. Then Garrett won. And so on and so forth.

As is turns out, Brian's hours of toiling in the garage paid off since he built not just the first place overall winner for the entire Cub Scouts Pack, but second place overall as well! Congratulations to all THREE boys!

Blake's den also met their goal of winning "Fastest Den" this year, so we have a third trophy to decorate our mantel.

Next up? County championships. I guess it's good to know as we head into another grueling tax season that if the accounting thing doesn't work out for Brian, there's always building PWD cars...

The (Wilcox) Express

"...If you want to join us come along

You can be our guest
Cause that’s the way things happen
On the roller coaster the (Wilcox) Express..."

Ella meet Barbie, Barbie meet Ella.

And...Barbie meet Ella's other favorite "dolls" fireman, construction guy, Storm Trooper and Jedi guy.

And here is Buzz Lightyear and Woody, but you already met them in Toy Story 3.

Speaking of favorite movies this Christmas...Garrett is well-equipped to re-enact the entire Star Wars series of movies with his plethora of Lego star ships, action figures and the movie soundtrack (...which plays continuously).


Or we could stay in this world and Blake can give you a tour of the Lego White House.

He can also give you the longitude and latitude and show you how to get there on his new wall map.

He can tell you what time it is on his alarm clock and watch...in all the different time zones. He can even explain the weather to you thanks to his handy-dandy weather lab. If you need to know what day it is, he is happy to refer to his new calendar, or if you simply need change, he can make that from his money box. He is a wealth of knowledge and information!

If you need transportation, Chase is your man. But preferably in the form of a miniature semi truck or train. Every train to Chase is a Dinosaur Train to accommodate his favorite dinos- Stegasowa (Stegasaurous), Tatatas (Triceratops), brachiosowa (Brachiosaurous), T-weh (T-Rex), and you'll be hard pressed to find any of them out of his reach.

If you need a good book to pass the time on the train, Chase got plenty of those too (mostly about dinosaurs).

Or, if you prefer something akin to the Polar Express train with entertainment, then Ella will be happy to sing you her version of "Jingle Bells" on her new microphone (because our house wasn't loud enough already...) dressed like a rock star.

And if you're lucky, she'll "cook" you up something special in her "kitchen". Anyway you look at it, we've got you covered.

"All aboard! All aboard! Tickets, please. Tickets. Well, you coming?"