The Meixner/Krasovic Family

I'm always amazed at the new ways Efram comes up with to frustrate us. Today, it was his insistence that the baby basil plants he's growing in a test-tube needed to be shaken. Yesterday, it was the idea he had - and then executed - to drop a matchbox car into the toilet in which he had just pooped. Pre-flush. Now we're out a pair of kitchen tongs.

AAAH.  The pictures on the blog keep changing places!  What's going on??

Sometime soon I need to take Efram for his 3-year portrait.  When I told him we might go tomorrow, he seemed less than thrilled about the idea.  He is, however, very interested in pretending to take pictures with a very, very rudimentary digital camera (circa late 1990s?) he found in a box in my office.  He especially likes it when we take pictures of each other at the same time.  Here are some results of our most recent photo shoot:

 

  

Perhaps because it's rained here virtually every day for the last month (I think it's been something like 18 out of 25 days), it hasn't been particularly warm.  And although it's been nice not to have to turn on the AC, it's been pretty darn dreary.  Today, though, the sun came out, the temperature soared into the high 80s, and Efram got to spend some quality time playing outside after dinner.  He is one seriously sweaty kid.  Apparently he inherited the Meixner sweat gene. 

 

 

In addition to his party at my parents', Efram also celebrated his birthday with his class at school.  Yesterday was the big day.  When we arrived in the morning, his teachers had hung a "Happy Birthday, Efram!" sign from the ceiling and taped a special birthday certificate and some balloons to his cubbie.  The class was treated to pizza for lunch and then homemade cupcakes during snack. All of the kids sang "Happy Birthday" and cheered as Efram blew out his candles.  It was pretty darn cute. 

 

  

 

We also learned yesterday that Efram's Uncle Stanley flew a flag in honor of his birthday during a combat support mission refueling a C-17 over the Black Sea.  Very Cool.  Thanks, Uncle Stanley!

 

 

 

This year Efram spent his birthday in Madison visiting his Grandma Marge and Grandpa Ed.  He was also lucky enough to get to hang out for a couple of days with his cousins, Hannah and Hailey, and his Aunt Julie.  Hannah and Hailey, as it turns out, are utterly without fear when it comes to water play and zoo animals. ("I want to touch every animal," Hailey informed me after handling a turtle, an albino hedgehog, and a pretty sizeable snake.)  They are also excellent bike riders and enthusiastic puzzle put-er together-ers. Just before they had to leave on Monday, we had a special birthday lunch celebration that featured yummy chocolate cupcakes, three candles (!), and a little vanilla ice cream.  Our visit also included a trip to Grandpa Ed's farm to see the new calves, Browny and Whitey (named by the granddaughter of my dad's farming partner), several meals with good friends, playtime at the park, and two remarkably uneventful plane rides.  (Yeah!!)

 

I'd also like to give a quick shout out to the Milwaukee airport.  Toddler play areas and family bathrooms with toddler sized toilets and sinks.  Thank you!

 

     

See this:

 

 

It's FAKE!  A RUSE!  A photographic representation of what Mark and I hoped would happen the last two days, but never did.  We're thinking that Efram may be transitioning out of his nap.  (Insert very sad face).  He's been giving his teachers at school a hard time during naptime for the past few weeks (translation: he won't lay down, won't be quiet, needs to be sent out of the room so that the rest of his class can fall asleep), and at home it's hit or miss.  As a result, we're trying "quiet time" to mixed success.  Friday: awesome.  Efram was excited about it and fell asleep for two hours.  Saturday and today: still okay with the idea, but no sleep.  He did play "quietly" by himself in his room for about 30 minutes before he started yelling, "I'm AWAKE!" down the stairs.  When we tried to explain to him that quiet time wasn't over and that he needed to continue to play by himself for awhile...well, that's not what he wanted to hear.  We're now wondering if we need to buy him a clock and teach him when, exactly, quiet time will be over.

 

He looks tired, though, doesn't he?  Maybe Mark and I are just projecting.

 

 

This week Efram's class was learning about the circus, so on Wednesday we were supposed to bring Efram to school with his face painted in a circus-y way.  Vague, I know.  After unsuccessfully searching the local grocery and party stores for face paint, Efram went to school with two lipstick basketballs "painted" on his cheeks (the only design he'd consent to).  When he came home, however, he looked like this.  Apparently kitty cats are now circus animals.  Two days later, we still haven't managed to scrub all the pink paint off his nose.

 

Apparently last night's assertion that he would stay on the naughty spot the next time I put him there was a mommy-soothing ruse.  Or he genuinely didn't remember he said that.  I was ready for him today, though.  No sweat at all.  At least none yet.