Lex was very excited to go trick or treating. Although we practiced all day he would forget how to say "trick or treat" and would just say
"chikin-chikin". When it was finally time to head out he just couldn't stay with the group, he did not just run, he sprinted from house to house saying
"chickin-chickin" and then always a
"Sank You". James had to come home and grab his bike just to stay up with him running from house to house. At one point he caught his foot on a landscaping brick and fell down flat. James was sure this would slow him down but he jumped right up and ran on to the next house. Later he showed up back at the house with sweaty damp hair and dumped out all his candy to show me his treasures! He was so proud.
Pumpkins
Carving pumpkins was another story. We're very complex pumpkin carvers at our house. (I say we, but truly, it's James-a talent he is passing on to his children.) However, this year James was out hanging siding and the kids were on their own.
Lex wanted to make a pumpkin just like one he saw in our scrapbook. Luckily it was a very simple pattern and not one of James intricate time consuming creations. However, it didn't turn out just how he envisioned it and once again, tears of frustration. It would have helped if he could have understood my helpful hints and suggestions but he just forged ahead without any guidance and parts of the pumpkin that should have stayed in tack didn't. Once the tears started I got James in and he patiently helped him salvage his pumpkin. (It's the one on the top, you can't even see the toothpicks holding the broken parts together!) But pumpkin carving wasn't the happy fun time I had imagined.
McDonald's
After going to Bouncing Off The Walls we stopped for lunch.
Lex was trying to tell us he wanted to go to McDonald's. We understood it from the get go but we wanted to go through the
Arby's drive in for something for me and James and then to McDonald's by our house for
Rylee and
Lex. Of course we passed a couple of McDonald's on the way and
Lex would get very angry thinking we didn't understand. At one point he even drew a picture of a happy meal.Which made us laugh but he didn't find it funny in the least. When we drove in to the
Arby's drive through I thought he might actually burst into tears. No matter how much we explained he just couldn't understand. We eventually made it to
McDonad's. Much to
every one's relief!
James & Lex
During
Lex's stay James was hanging siding on our addition.
Lex went out with him and helped him measure and hold the siding, he climbed up on the scaffolding and just worked side by side with James. James let him measure and his measurement was off by 1/4 inch and then he came in. James tried to explain it was okay but he just came in. I'm sure he felt badly that he had messed up. He's quite a perfectionist. (Remember the pumpkin?)
While James was trying to sort out his feelings about
Lex and his adoption I remember telling him that if ever he wanted a boy under the hood-working side by side with him, this was the boy. James agreed. He was so impressed with
Lex's thirst for knowledge. He loved everything electronic and how thing worked. He and James are like peas in a pod in this regard.
I know that once
Alex speaks/understands English I will once again become the boring parent. I know for right now I'm the favorite but give him a few months and he'll realize that I'm the routine, get your homework done, take a bath parent and James is the fun, goof off, do slightly dangerous things parent!
Phones
Lex LOVES to talk on the phone. He would call Masha at Jen's house ever chance he could. He then
figured out on my cell phone how to call my mom (her picture is by her phone number) and he'd call her and say "Hello"........
Alexie....." and then just grin. It got to where he was picking up the home phone and listening in on conversations. Luckily nothing was a work related call but he's
defiantly going to learn a little more English before he starts answering the phones.
Grandma
Lex learned quickly that my mom lives just down the street and he would stop daily, ring the bell, she'd open the door, he'd give her a hug and then he'd jump back on his bike. Needles to say, he has my mom wrapped around his finger. Which is a big thing, my mom was terribly concerned about this whole thing. (You know-just over protective like Mom's are!) She loves that she is a "babooska" and I think he loves having one!
Ooh La La
I taughted Lex to use mouse in his hair and he (on his own accord) spray himself quite zelously with James cologne. Then he'd come and show me how good he smelled and I'd say "Ooh La La". He then started saying it himself. He loved to smell "Ooh, La La!"
