The family was playing this morning, and something happened that reminded Dad of how he used to make up silly songs to sing to Nigel. The first, of course, being "Rub-a-Baby-Tummy", which goes like this (sung to a variation on the overture from The Barber of Seville):
(Dad is rubbing Nigel's tummy in various ways while singing)
Rub a baby tummy,
Rub a baby tummy,
Rub a baby tummy, today
Rub a baby tummy,
Rub a baby tummy,
Rub a baby tummy, this way
It's very, very funny
To rub a baby tummy, so
Rub a baby tummy,
Rub a baby tummy,
Rub a baby tummy, today
(End by grandiosely blowing on his tummy)
Nigel used to get very excited anticipating the end of the song, and Dad would make sure some of the rubbing along the way was light, and some heavy, and some very tickly, adding to the excitement.
Another classic was "Jingling Pig", which goes like this and requires the jingling accompaniment of a tubular rattle with a pig's head:
Jingling pig
Dancing a jingling jig
He's not very big
Jingling pig
Ring-a-ting swine
Ring-a-tings all the time
Isn't she fine?
Ring-a-ting swine
(Jingling interlude)
Jingling hog
Dancing a jingling jog
His body's shaped like a log
Jingling hog
Ring-a-ting sow
Ring-a-tinging right now
No one really knows how
Ring-a-ting sow
(Ending flourish)
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
2012-03-10: Remembering Cookie Grandma's Funeral
Grammy came with the family to a home and garden show at the Southtowne Expo Center today. Nigel remembered Cookie Grandma (Mom's grandma) lying in the coffin at her funeral viewing. He didn't realize much more about that experience, and Mom and Dad didn't emphasize that she was dead. That experience has certainly stuck with him, though.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
2012-02-26: Oscars Party at Aunt Caryn's House
Dad and Nigel went out to Aunt Caryn's house this evening for her annual Oscars party. Uncle Spencer had been back in New York for a month already, having been transferred back there in an acquisition, and Matthew and McKenzye's bikes both had gotten flat tires (all of them!) without anyone on-hand to fix them. Dad brought a patch kit and some Slime, and set to work fixing them, with Nigel and Marshal helping at first. The kids got bored pretty quickly, and set about running up and down the driveway for a while, then just went inside.
Nigel played guns for a while with the other kids, Aunt Stacey and Uncle Cut (Wren) while Dad finished up. They all had a great time, and Nigel was very excited to play. He picked up a few new key phrases during the game, like: "They could start shooting any minute!" Aunt Stacey helped him get a gun and load it, and showed him how to shoot it. He struggled to produce enough force for the cocking and shooting mechanisms, but managed to pull each off a few times. Later on, he switched to a gun that made a laser sound, but didn't shoot darts, and both he and Aunt Stacey seemed much happier with that arrangement.
While Dad was eating, Aunt Stacey offered Nigel another cookie (his second for the evening). Nigel told her, "Cookies are a sometimes food." Stacey replied, "Yeah, that's good. For me they are an all-the-time food."
Nigel played guns for a while with the other kids, Aunt Stacey and Uncle Cut (Wren) while Dad finished up. They all had a great time, and Nigel was very excited to play. He picked up a few new key phrases during the game, like: "They could start shooting any minute!" Aunt Stacey helped him get a gun and load it, and showed him how to shoot it. He struggled to produce enough force for the cocking and shooting mechanisms, but managed to pull each off a few times. Later on, he switched to a gun that made a laser sound, but didn't shoot darts, and both he and Aunt Stacey seemed much happier with that arrangement.
While Dad was eating, Aunt Stacey offered Nigel another cookie (his second for the evening). Nigel told her, "Cookies are a sometimes food." Stacey replied, "Yeah, that's good. For me they are an all-the-time food."
Sunday, February 26, 2012
2012-02-26: Pipes
Nigel: Big water goes through the big pipes, and little water goes through little pipes, and then poof, it's gone!
Friday, February 24, 2012
2012-02-19: Sledding at Sugarhouse Park
There had been very few good snowfalls this year, so when about four inches came down early this morning, Dad decided it was too good to miss. Dad and Nigel shoveled the driveway clear, then Nigel shoveled the sidewalks two houses to the south and almost to Corbin's house around the corner to the north, with Dad following along behind (but it really was Nigel's idea, and he really did push his shovel along that whole way). Then it was on to Sugarhouse Park for some sledding!
At the sledding hill--the east hill, just off 17th East--there were only a few other people present, so the snow was still very soft, with not very many tracks down the hill. Nigel really wanted to race the other kids, and he kept trying to talk to a girl who was riding on a purple sled, but she didn't seem to want to talk to him, for some reason. Nigel and Dad raced her and her brother anyway.
Nigel hiked up the hill by himself many times, and was very good-natured about all the hiking, and not being carried or dragged. He usually prefers to sled with Dad, which is getting to be a bit squishy, what with Nigel growing as much as he has (37 lbs. and getting to be so tall!). I suspect Nigel prefers sledding with Dad as they don't tip over much together, but he has a tendency to turn sideways and tip over when by himself.
During the sledding, another child went down the streambank toward the river, and the nearby grown-ups ran very fast to see if he was okay. He had not gone all the way to the river itself, which was quite small at this time of the year, and was fine, but it was a tense moment.
Nigel and Dad got very tired and hungry from all the sledding, and a big, hot lunch was in order afterward.
At the sledding hill--the east hill, just off 17th East--there were only a few other people present, so the snow was still very soft, with not very many tracks down the hill. Nigel really wanted to race the other kids, and he kept trying to talk to a girl who was riding on a purple sled, but she didn't seem to want to talk to him, for some reason. Nigel and Dad raced her and her brother anyway.
Nigel hiked up the hill by himself many times, and was very good-natured about all the hiking, and not being carried or dragged. He usually prefers to sled with Dad, which is getting to be a bit squishy, what with Nigel growing as much as he has (37 lbs. and getting to be so tall!). I suspect Nigel prefers sledding with Dad as they don't tip over much together, but he has a tendency to turn sideways and tip over when by himself.
During the sledding, another child went down the streambank toward the river, and the nearby grown-ups ran very fast to see if he was okay. He had not gone all the way to the river itself, which was quite small at this time of the year, and was fine, but it was a tense moment.
Nigel and Dad got very tired and hungry from all the sledding, and a big, hot lunch was in order afterward.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
2012-02-19: Talking About Shadie Dying
Nigel and Dad were eating dinner tonight, and Shadie came down to eat. She had had a few blood clots over the past year or so, and was in the process of recovering from another. She was unable to hold her head up straight, and was struggling a bit to walk. Dad told Nigel he was afraid Shadie would die soon.
Nigel was quite affected by this. He immediately asked what the family would do without a pet, and what kind of pet they would get: a cat or a dog. Dad asked Nigel what kind of animal he would want as a pet, and Nigel said he would want a giraffe.
Dad contended the fences at the house were not tall enough for a Giraffe. Nigel said that he wouldn't bring the giraffe in using the gate (I think meaning the large gate next to the shorter fencing -ed.), rather he would use the door (I think meaning the small gate in the taller fencing).
Nigel was quite affected by this. He immediately asked what the family would do without a pet, and what kind of pet they would get: a cat or a dog. Dad asked Nigel what kind of animal he would want as a pet, and Nigel said he would want a giraffe.
Dad contended the fences at the house were not tall enough for a Giraffe. Nigel said that he wouldn't bring the giraffe in using the gate (I think meaning the large gate next to the shorter fencing -ed.), rather he would use the door (I think meaning the small gate in the taller fencing).
Thursday, February 9, 2012
2012-02-09: Putting Mom to Bed
Mom worked a graveyard shift and didn't get home until after Dad and Nigel were done eating breakfast (three bowls of cereal for Nigel, including sneaking bites from Dad's bowl when he wasn't looking). Dad and Nigel were playing spaceships in the living room with Buzz Lightyear, Pupagus, a dinosaur and a back massager when she arrived.
Nigel's dresser was out of pants, so he and Dad went downstairs to dig through the laundry pile and find some. They also brought back a pair of Mom's pants, and Nigel wanted to give them right to her. He climbed up on the bed with them, but Mom was already asleep. Nigel said to her, "Goodnight, sweetie," and, "See you in the morning," just like Mom says to him when she puts him to bed at night.
Nigel's dresser was out of pants, so he and Dad went downstairs to dig through the laundry pile and find some. They also brought back a pair of Mom's pants, and Nigel wanted to give them right to her. He climbed up on the bed with them, but Mom was already asleep. Nigel said to her, "Goodnight, sweetie," and, "See you in the morning," just like Mom says to him when she puts him to bed at night.
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