Transformers rule.

Watching Dad and Nolan playing Transformers, Zadie looked at Starscream and with one finger poised in the air said:

"I think he arguing with Megatron who's trying to defeat the Autobots."

Um, yeah.

Nolan is five years old!

Today you are five years old. Five! The joy and pizazz and energy you bring to this world is astounding. When you like something, you *really* get into it. These days it's Transformers. Whether you are studying them on wikipedia or learning how to change them from robot to vehicle mode (and back again) or waging destruction on the battlefield with Dad: it's all about Transformers. Even Zadie knows Optimus Prime from Bumblebee so she can share in the world of autobots and decepticons. You keep the packaging from the toys so you can pour over their attributes and discuss them with me and Dad. You actually chewed a large hunk of yellow bell pepper into a shape that could be transformed into a robot. You wanted an even number of good guys and bad guys so that it would be a fair battle. Remember the movie "Cars?" That was so last year. It is so fun to see you fall into a new love and soak it all in.

You're back to swimming classes and have added gymnastics. You are very good at both and mostly follow directions. Like anything else you enjoy, though, sometimes you get a little rascally with sheer excitement. Your dad and I both think this is a good thing. You have got so much energy firing through your body. You can jump 37" from standing; your goal is to leap from your bed across the room to your sister's. You are *very* close. If there is dirt or bark or sand around, it will inevitable end up in your pockets, your socks, and your hair. Barefoot at the playground last week, you complained for the first time ever that you were cold. Of course, it's winter and it was late in the day and I was already cold in my down coat. Your internal combustion engine keeps you hot and on the move.

Unless you feel like reading. Then you will lie down on your bed or the couch or the floor and devour book after book after book. Everything from storybooks to Spiderman comics: you absorb the details in the pictures and sound out new words. Once in a while you will read out loud to Zadie, but mostly you like to read the words to yourself. "In my head" as you say. And there is a lot going on inside that head! We come up with stories about our friends the dinosaurs, Heddy and Freddy, on the way to school. You imagine yourself as different animals, using magic to shape-shift. You change costumes and scenarios in the blink of an eye, keeping the separate worlds straight.

You have your first real friend. After you had a rough morning the other day, all you wanted to do was to "play with Everett." You wanted me to stick around, but it was being with him that really cheered you up. You two cut each other slack when the other one is feeling grabby or pushy. And when there's a boiling point, you both manage to make up within moments. Usually this involves some potty talk, but what's wrong a little crude humor between pals?

At home, you and Zadie retreat to the bathroom to say all the words that are only welcome in there. You two giggle and tell stories that only a child could enjoy. Then you run off saying "Zadie, let's go downstairs!" And she will follow. And the two of you will be down there for a long time building with blocks or putting on costumes. Just having some brother/sister time. The other day, for no reason I could see, you said "Zadie, I love you." And she said "I love you, too." You tell a "knock-knock" joke and she follows up with a "ding-dong" joke. She wants a Power Ranger costume just like you (and she's willing to settle for yellow because there isn't a pink one.)

You mastered a two-wheeler *and* a scooter, plus you lost your first tooth - thank goodness those events were not related! You want to learn how to ice skate and you just started drawing robots. You were nonchalant during your dental visit that entailed getting a cap on your tooth. You are proud of your "metal tooth." Every stick you find is in the shape of a gun. So is every piece of beef jerky you eat. Fruit is still your favorite food item, possibly tied with pasta. For your birthday you wanted pasta, broccoli, cooked carrots and garlic bread. And chocolate cake. You got it, kiddo. If you wanted the moon, we would have tried to give you that, too. We love you so much, Nolan. Every night, we peek in at you and Zadie, asleep in your beds. Dad and I still enjoy your antics and often talk about how special you are. How lucky Zadie is. How lucky we are. How lucky you are. We make a great match; we are a great family. Happy birthday, Nolan. Here's to many, many, many, many more!

Happy New Year!

Transformers!! The toys, the old television cartoons and the live-action with Dad make this the theme of the new year. Optimus Prime, Sideways, Bumblebee, Megatron - these are the characters that infuse the days around here. Everyone gets in on the act, with Nolan leading the way!

Christmas was fun and hectic and the kids were excited about Santa and toys and filled stockings. We are *still* singing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" around here, with a healthy dose of "Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg..."

Zadie's chit-chat has hit new highs. The other day, Grammie asked her if she wanted to wear a scarf. Zadie said no, then paused and said:
"Actually...yes."

Nolan is a *great* big brother and Zadie doesn't take advantage of his generous spirit too often.

Zadie pronounces all words that begin with "sp-" with just the "P" sound so new toys are "'pecial" she threatens "trick or treat, 'pell my feet" and just for fun, drinks a "poothie" every morning (somehow that skewing of "smoothie" is still cute even though it has the potty talk aspect.)

Ahhhhh...potty talk. Have you spent time with a four year old child lately? Potty humor is just the tops. Go ahead - try something else. Knock-knock joke. Pratfall. Funky chicken. Nothing. But replace the word burp, barf, or butt into any song or word in a sentence and the fall-down laughing ensues. Butt that's okay (ha ha!!) because that's just how burp goes (hee hee!)

This just in: after dinner, we all had a few tangerines for dessert. Nolan totaled ten for the day. (Yeah. TEN. He loves fruit!) I said "Ten tangerines! Tuh-tuh-ten. Tuh-tuh-tangerines. What else starts with T?" Nolan looked around the dining room, then turned to me and said "tuh-tuh-technology." Um, okay. I think I expected "train" or "table" or "taxi" but certainly not "technology."

Nolan has a loose tooth! Bottom, middle, left. My baby is going to lose his first baby tooth. The symbolism is not lost on us, exciting as it is. He's not quite sure what to make of a part of his body falling off (it *is* kind of weird) and the tooth fairy story did not sweeten the deal. It's only a little wiggly so we have time to get used to the fact. I must say, watching him eat beef jerky is just a little unnerving.

Zadie finally has enough hair to form pigtails which we call "piggies." I cna't believe she is almost two and a half and Nolan will be five next month. (I also can't believe forty is breathing down my neck, but what can you do?)

Both kids enjoy the scooters that Santa brought and we do a pretty good job of bundling up and getting outside to run off the wildness. If you could bottle that energy...

Happy New Year, everyone!!