Eetchaluz

We went to Elitches or Eetchaluz as Griffin would say on Saturday night. He missed Max while riding the rides. Got him to go on the Ferris Wheel kicking and screaming. He kept saying he didn't like it. We waited in line for about 20 minutes and really wanted him to at least try to get on with all of us. I figured worse case scenario we'd go around once and I ask to get off when we came around. He ended up being just fine. We talked about seeing our house and the football stadium.
We got a bite to eat and came back to wait in line. He proceeded to give me 50 hugs while waiting in line carrying him. Mom said that 23 and 48 were the best hugs of the bunch. It was definately out of the ordinary for him.

Griffin also got to drive a bumper car for the first time. Quite an night. When we got home he started connecting the Ferris Wheel that he saw from our bedroom with the one that he rode. He says "Look at our picture" when 9news shows the same camera angle as the view from our bedroom.

We went swimming on Saturday and while getting dressed I asked Griffin to go blow dry his hair. He proceeded to walk out of my line of sight and go to the sink area. A dad in our swim session kinda looked at me like I was nuts for thinking that he would do it. Next thing you know we heard the blow dryer being turned on and he was drying his hair. We had only gone there the previous week and yet he remembered exactly what to do.

He told me we drive on streets and that we go on 25 alot. - I-25 the main highway.

He told Suzie that he has two kitties. When I asked him why he said that he said he has a kittie here and on the farm.

From Mom

Griffin knows that streets have names and that Federal is our closest street.
Griffin told Mom that it makes him happy to sleep on her and asked to sleep on her - put his head on her shoulder - when she got him out of the car.

Bob the builder built our house so the bad wolf can't blow it down.
Dump trucks are noisy but not as noisy as fireworks at the Lacrosse game.

Rox win spot in playoffs

Griffin joined TJ and I for the last couple of innings to see Dinger and the ballplayers celebrate. We got a bag from Ubaldo and Helton and a handshake from Jim Tracy. A very good day.

J&D @ the Nuggets game

Griffin ended up doing this everytime the horn sounded the entire stinken game. Such a sweet and tender moment with Mom. Horn sounds. Then utter hell breaks loose. Then back to sweet lovable Griffin. I swear he was louder than someone blowing a whistle. We don't know what posessed him. The video shows the scoreboard with time running out and then a lot of shaking bacause I was laughing so hard.


Delsey with a new barrette.

Oktoberfest 09!!!

Nuff said



This weekend we spent as much time outdoors as possible, considering the next cold spell is on its way. We did a bike ride and play date sat. morning and checked out Octoberfest for a little bit Saturday afternoon – had to skedaddle before it became not so kid-friendly. I played single parent on Sunday since Michael had a vball tournament all day. Griffin and I went shopping – typically a hit, but less so when toys not purchased. He spied a Broncos shirt instead that he insisted on wearing immediately – as soon as he could get if off of the hanger – so I had to pick him up and have him scanned at the checkout counter. J Then after nap we were ready to go “play football” on the grass at the stadium on “the football field”. Which consisted of throwing the football, chasing the football, and falling down on the football. A lot like the real thing, actually. He only consented to playing on the grass outside the stadium after we tried the doors and found them to be indeed locked. He couldn’t just take my word for it……..

September 25 2009

Griffin living up to his shirt at Eli's Bday party at D'Note.

Griffinisms

On his own, Griffin made up a set of school rules to follow. If he succeeds, his reward is Bob the Builder and Calliou.
I listen to teacher
I eat lunch
I take nap
So far he has gone 2 for 3 this week.

We went over the rules on the way to school today. I told him he would get a special surprise tonight if he followed his rules. I told him he would go to the gym and he would get to meet a friend of his. I asked him to guess the name of the friend he would meet.
He said Daddy. I said no it’s not Daddy. Griffin said but you are my friend. I said I was his best friend as well as Mommy.

His next guess was Max. He was very proud to guess correctly.

As I was kneeling saying goodbye to Griffin at the far end of the room this morning, Delsey came in the door. She immediately ran across the room to gave me a big hug. It helped make my morning. Jack came over and gave me a manly high five.

Scoop

Griffin got a chance to watch Scoop in action today. He was parked in front of our house. He got a little scared when Scoop started his engine and watched him move a couple of piles of dirt before heading off to school.

Griffin and Zosia had breakfast together and cleaned their plates. The boy was constantly flirting with her and she seemed to tolerate it.

Dad took care of Delsey, Jack and Griffin while the parents went to a daycare meeting. A little overwhelming at first but things calmed down, thanks to the music playing. We sang wheels on the bus and acted like the animals in a song. We also built a rocket ship out of tunnels. Thankfully we were in the backyard all night. Summer better never go away.

Griffinisms
Griffin grabbed a maraca and started singing “What’s new pussycat?” the song at the end of Flushed Away. Mom said he couldn’t quite pronounce the words but got close.

We’re doing a lot of humming now. Mostly Bob the Builder and Rockies chants.

Griff and Dad took a shwoer this morning and Griffin loved to get rain on his head.

Stadium Fun Run

Griffin and Mom got to do a5k run today in and through all of the stadiums - Invesco - Pepsi - and Coors. He didn't like the cat - ROcky at the Pepsi Center and refused to go too far on the court. He ended up playing catch with Dinger and even gave him a high 5.

JBF day

Went to a giant garage sale this morning on an early lunch hour. Took a backpack with caribeeners and used them to hang clothes. It worked out pretty well though by the end it was really heavy. Griffin is offically loaded up on clothes for this winter. He even got a Broncos shirt and jacket along with ski pants, boots and a Bob the Builder and Winnie the Pooh Halloween outfits.

Pics coming later when he does a fashion show.
Mick would have loved something like this. Kim was in agony as well though it was nice to send her pictures of the clothes and get her approval.

Rockies Zoo day

We went to the zoo day at the Rockies game. Started at 10:30 but he was about gone by 11:15. He hasn't slept much back at school since vacation last week and it's catching up with him today.

We got seats up top but after he saw Dinger he got up and ran down. Luckily there was an empty seat in the 2nd row and we saw the rest of the program which had birds, an alligator, a roach and a dog.

He really wanted to see a camel. No such luck. He knew there wouldn't be any elephants as they would get stuck - Sesame Street. He asked if I would protect him and I told him I would. He got very quiet which is a sure sign he was tired. The tantrums were pretty significant but I'd do it again.

We saw our neighbor Matt who does zoo outreach.

Glasses and another Rockies win!

Griffin got his new glasses today. They change from light to dark which will help as his eyes are sensitive to sunlight because of the stigmatism. We called Pennys on Sunday and they said the optical department was open but of course when we got there they were closed. We promoised him a special suprise so he ended up picking out his first suitcase/backpack. Buzz Lightyear. I'm sure it was because of all of the suitcases Mick and Bob had. He was wheeling it around everywhere we went on Sunday. They had a handicap ramp to the bathrooms right next to where we were sitting at the resturuant and he ran up and down the ramp with his suitcase.

We went to the Rockies game with Max and Melissa and Scott on Labor Day. We got the nose bleed seats but the kids were just fine. Max got up before Griffin and they came over to pick up their tickets. Max wailed when they left to go to the game without Griffin. Luckily Griffin woke up right after he left and we found a spot close by and beat them to the seats. It helped that Griffin ran most of the way to the stadium. He ran so fast down the ramps after the game that I almost lost sight of him in the crowd as Max was struggling to keep up. Griffin listened everytime I asked him to slow down or stop.





Outside the stadium


Max and Griffin played with another boy a game of baseball on a mini field with a aluminum foil ball.


Griffin ended up playing on a construction sign near the downtown playground yesterday. We were saying goodbye to Max's family and trying to get Griffin to walk to the car with us. He was doddling and I thought it was a little unsafe to be playing next to this metal sign. Next thing you know he triped over one of the legs and falls onto the metal leg of a roadsign. His mouth is immediately full of blood. I thought he knocked out his front tooth for a second. It looks like he just split the inside of his lip a bit but it was a bit of a scare. I'm sure one of many many more.

When we got in the car this morning he turned to me and said
My lip goes to school.

He went up to everyone and showed them his lip at school today.
I sat with Griffin while he ate his breakfast. He kept reaching over and grabbing my hand and tucking it next to his side.
I told him I was going and that I would kiss his head so that I wouldn't bother his cut lip. He insisted on giving me a kiss and ran a few steps away. He then turned and ran back to give me a big hug. I almost took him with me.

Aunt Mimi and Uncle Bob visit

Rockies Game
Great night as it wasn't too chilly and the CA fires made for a colorful orange red sunset. Once again there was Dinger despair but the second time around in line evoked a more favorable response.







Red Rocks




Warming up





Song Set
Driving back from Aspen we went through his complete song catalog. Ended with Bob the Builder rendition.














Having to carry more than what you packed.


Bon Voyage

First thing Griffin told Jack when he saw him today was that he went to the mountains.

He also walked into a resturant watched 15 seconds of football on TV ran over to me and chanted DE-FENSE..DE-FENSE.
He picked it up from Thursday night when he saw the Broncos. He never uttered the words all weekend.

Of course that pales in comparison to Lets go Broncos or Rockies followed by the appropriate hand claps. Also will have to record the Tulo chant which is my favorite.
We got him to stop crying on the Aspen trip by honking the horn in the tunnel and chanting Rockies. There just happens to be a tunnel as you get off the highway to go to our house. Since we've been back he now yells "Tunnel" and we honk our horn since we told him we can only do that in tunnels and not on the road.

Thoughts

Griffin told me he saw himself in the passenger mirror.
He is getting more and more conversational.
Jack and Griffin sat on the steps they use to wash their hands and drove around the room with red and blue plates. Whenever John got in front of the steps they yelled at him and asked him to get out of the way - they were driving. Griffin kept hitting the middle of the plate saying beep beep.

Back at the Ball Park

Wanted to stop by with Jack and Delsey on the Rockies stretch run. We got beat pretty bad. Had the crowd and the chants been more vocal it would have kept the children attentive. Weather was almost perfect brief shower at 4 then very mild.
5:30 - Karen and I pick up kids parked at 16th and Wazee
6pm - Playground and snacks
6:40 John arrives after plugging meters
3rd inning - Dinger photos
Upper south west deck by 7:30
Fed (large handfuls of kettlekorn) and out of the park by 8:15
All three talked about Dinger at breakfast. Jack talked about the mountains - aka camping trip in our backyard last Saturday.

Family visit

More photos and captions to come

Dinger

On the lookout for Dinger


Daddy day grabbing hand for a cheek hug

Picture late in the game with Miss Colorado contestants

We went to see a Denver North High School baseball game last night. We wanted to get him ready for his first Rockies game this season. I think it went pretty well. We stayed for about 2 innings until he wanted milk. This morning we played baseball in our bedroom. He had his inflatable bat and had me throw an imaginary baseball to hit. After the 3rd pitch he hit he dropped the bat and proceeded to run around the bed just like he was running the bases.

It was all about Dinger tonight. From the moment we got there to the time he was asleep mumbling “no touch dinosaur”.