i spy bag

We're getting geared up for our big trek to Arizona. We are really, really looking forward to being there (and especially seeing everyone!), but not looking forward to the getting there part. It ends up being over 12 hours of travel each way with the layovers and plane changes. Crrrazy idea with a two year old. I'm just hoping that flying on a plane sounds like his idea of a good time that day - which lucky for us he loves most of the time. He is quite the experienced traveler and knows that plane rides lead to some fun.

So, to get geared up I'm trying to come up with a bag of tricks that I can use on the plane and while we're away to keep Aiden happy and occupied. One crafty project that I'd been wanting to try was the I Spy bag. I came up with my own DIY version with the leg of a pair of overalls that had the strap chewed up in the washer.

Pant legs are double triple reinforced so at least the pellets won't make their way out of those side seams. My squirreling-away-everything-for-future-crafts also paid off when it came to the flexible vinyl. I used a vinyl piece from the packaging of Aiden's big boy undies.
Ignore my messy double stitching. Above you see it stitched and then reversed below:
I filled it with a big assortment of little teeny tiny toys (mostly plastic animals and little food erasers). J liked pointing out that it is a great way to collect all those tiny toys that scatter all over the house into one fun toy. Here are all the pellets hiding the toys that are ready to be "spied":
These little plastic pellets are sold at the craft store by the stuffing, but you could also use rice or little beans. I was looking for light and easy to carry in the airport and I think the plastic pellets will be lighter than the rice or beans.

I couldn't help but show it to him now - I had to double check he liked it, right?! But hopefully it will be a new and different fun toy to play with on the plane... Maybe the pushing, shaking, squeezing, and spying will buy us an hour?

pi day

How did you celebrate Pi Day? With an early dinner of pineapple pizza pie at 3:14pm? No? At our house we had a visit from a little known, but very giggly super hero named Super Pi!

Super Pi to the rescue! He rescues baby hippos by feeding them pie. Sometimes mommy and daddy turn into Super Pi Mommy/Daddy and they need pie to make them strong. Super Pi Daddy appears to have a pi symbol mustache. Super Pi has a super double stick taped pi symbol cape.

Super Pi plotting his next rescue:
Super Pi can fly!

Every rainy Sunday needs a math related superhero.

We also have a history of celebrating with Auntie Lizzie - from 2008:

Yep, that's a middle school puffy paint shirt that has an apple pie and says "now that's MY kind of MATH!"

bunny

What a fun trip to visit the bunny we had today. We expected about the same as the visit to Santa, skeptical at best. When we got to the mall he had the same excitement as he ran down the hall "so xcited" looking for the bunny "house". When he saw the big bunny ears walking down the path to his flower throne, he giggled and squealed with excitement. I became skeptical that he was truly that excited. He was the first to visit the bunny and he was giggling as the bunny waved to him. He ran up and shook the bunny's hand, then honked his nose, then hopped right up on his lap. You can tell from the photo that he was pretty giddy. He was very excited when the bunny gave him his very own ears and a cloth pennant he can color. He was a good listener with his big ears on as we found some new sandals for our Arizona trip. We then hopped over to the Garden Fresh Bar for some bunny food.

scooting

Someone loves his scooter! Helmet not as much.

ella's first

We celebrated Ella's first birthday today! Aiden was excited to help blow out the candles, putt a bit, wear the party hat, and ride Daniel's awesome Thomas choo choo. All the photos here: http://flickr.com/gp/brennans/FVsG21

playground

Just so I don't forget when it starts snowing again this week, but Saturday we were at the park in our little spring jackets (with a sweater underneath and fleece lined pants, but we'll take it)! It was over 50 degrees! Aiden was giddy... so was I. The first weeee of the season:

audobon

So Aiden and I did get away from the addictive Ok Go videos on Youtube this morning. Since J is out of town I wanted to go some place low key, but different. We headed to the Family Fun Day at the RI Audobon Society which Aiden dubbed "the park" and we broke our cabin fever in the nice warm sun. The absolute highlight was the 1/2 mile walk on their Boardwalk Bay all the way through the tall grass to the water. I honestly think Aiden walked twice as far as he normally would because he was so excited to be outside ;) All in all I think he walked just over a mile all on his own. He was really curious about this group of crows that were "talking" to each other (and I think getting ready to nab a small animal, so we headed on our way before the live Discovery Channel unfolded in front of us). There was hardly anyone around, but Aiden did manage to make friends with this little boy who was trotting along the path and caught up to us.

The Environmental Center was hosting a craft table, so Aiden decorated a shamrock with a orangutan photo and put tissue paper grass and clouds around him. He was rocking the glue stick. He was also excited to complete their little picture scavenger hunt in the exhibition hall. Although the dark room where the skunk was hiding was almost a deal breaker. He did come in after I walked in to push the spotlight on for him...then he kept telling me how "brave" he was to find the "hiding" skunk. There was a huuuge whale that he was trying to hide from. Aiden made "hiding" the theme of the day, but I'm just happy the sun wasn't hiding! We are headed out again to enjoy it some more after nap time...

awesome

Aiden and I can't stop watching this:

Then this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJKythlXAIY

And this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHJ88HmwPkM

The evils of youtube!

favorite puzzle

more singing

I'm posting this for me to listen to whenever I need a cheery distraction:

28 months

Dear Aiden,

This was the month of "I need" - I need more muffin, I need to climb up here, I need to play more....more and more needs. We are figuring out how to make sure you understand that your needs are important but so are mommy and daddy's sleep needs, etc, etc. This month was a doozy, hmmf, I'm just going to concentrate on the good things this month, instead of the uh ohs (like the big uh oh you said as you pointed up to our bathroom ceiling with the big saggy drippy spot). You help us remember and appreciate the simple needs - a big hug or a giggle or a new story or a new puzzle or a warm shower.

You had a habit of enthusiastically saying "I have an idea!" I'd ask, "What's is your idea?" You'd reply with a combination of responses "Hmm, it's a good idea!" or "Actually a question" or "Let's do it!" or any other jibber jabber to get our attention. You were excited to complete your own big puzzles and ask us whether the pieces belong in certain spots. You typically want us to repeat the question for you instead of actually answer it. After we'd finish a whole puzzle you'd smile and say "we do it to-gether." Your other favorite game is counting how long it takes to complete the new vehicle puzzle. You will even count while your dad and I try to race to put it together. You can do it just a little bit slower than we can, which means we must be slow big kids.

Your little baby voice still trips you up occasionally, but I do love it (and I'm sure I will miss it). You have certain phrases you say all the time really fast that your dad and I understand better than most. Sometimes words sound pretty similar, like cuddling sounds like coloring. One funny little consequence of your baby voice is that "pigwits" are baby pigs.

You are pretty patient about repeating whatever you are saying until we get it, but many times you start saying puhlease over and over instead. It's as if you are saying pleease understand me. Sometimes once we understand you, you've already changed your mind. I think sometimes it's a little game to you to immediately contradict yourself - "I want to go downstairs. Ok, let's go. Oh, I want to stay upstairs." The opposites game can be a bit challenging especially if accompanied by a whiney voice.

I've had a new work schedule that started this month where I get to leave for work when you are still sleeping and bang out all sortsa extra morning work. That means I get 7.5 hours awake hours more with you each week - that's almost a whole day! It's like we get to spend a long weekend together every week. Can you tell that I'm excited about this!? We get to go to Gymboree play gym together (which is sometimes too crowded but eh, it's the winter) and I'm learning the routine. You, your dad and Rebecca have whole games there that I never knew about! Your favorite is the "I want to hang" game for as long as possible to test mom's catch reaction time.

You like this funny little book that talks about what animals like to say. Now when we ask you what daddy says, you answer "daddy say i proud of you." My heart melts because I do know that your dad is so proud of you, although I think he taught you to say that ;) We were proud of your dad this month too when his first book arrived. It was fun to actually hold it in our hands and you liked to joke that mom was the flying woman on the cover.

You like to point out any scratch or scrape lately. You'll point at them and say "you have a booboo." You will examine your nails and ask for specific nails trimmed. Then you will insist that I need a nail trim and you want to help. You are Mr. Personal Hygiene although your hair always seems to be pretty messy, especially in the back. It doesn't matter how much water I use to comb it through but it will pop back into its contorted shape. The little whispy hairs that stick up and glimmer in the sunlight never want to stay down, but they are more fun that way. You were bouncing on your old zebra bouncer the other day and I did notice that your hair must be thicker now because it didn't bounce up quite a much as it used to.

This month we signed you up to start Montessori school in the fall. Your grandparents are excited that you will get the same experience I had as a kid. I realize that the HB motto does ring true: we learn not for school, but for life. As your dad and I sat observing the school before turning in your deposit, I thought about how these kids aren't "learning" just in the traditional sense, but they are gaining so much from being the classroom. Just as I was thinking how perfect this particular early learning environment seemed, your dad whispered to me that he thought that "this will make Aiden a better kid." I wholeheartedly agree.

You love to pretend your little figures, whether it be cars or lions, are talking to each other. Somewhat frequently the little guys will say "don't do that" or "ow, don't hurt me" which you then follow up with a jabbered I'm sorry lesson for your little toy. One of your favorites this month was penguin bowling and you were laughing as you pretended that they were grunting and groaning to stand back up after the ball hit them over.

You were a good molar teether most of the month with another two and half peeking through. There were cute funny faces and munches on your fingers and some night time yelping solved by a little bit of tylenol. You have developed some bad behaviors, like wanting to climb up in your high chair on your own, which you can do, but isn't so safe. Maybe unintentionally, you made a good nose blow but you forgot to get the tissue first - Auntie Lizzie dubbed it your first snot rocket- ugh. There was one night where you woke up whining in the middle of the night, mostly about why I didn't let you eat the dirty mashed potatoes that you accidently dropped on the floor at dinner many hours earlier. You think it's a game to rumble and kick your zingo tiles after you win the game. You think it's fun to put one foot on a bag/toy/box and trying to slide across the floor...until you slip and fall. We're getting better at redirecting you when you try to cause some trouble.

You had fun visiting with Gran and Pop this month. They spoiled you with lotsa new books and toys. It was sweet when you read books at the bookstore with PopPop while Gran picked out all these awesome learning books for you (and even some party favors for the future). You are so lucky to have a family that loves you very much.

I feel like our neighborhood is a good fit for us. I wish we knew the families even better, but as it warms up it is fun to reach out to the kids you see outside playing. We headed out on Valentine's Day when we saw "your friends" out to give them some crepe paper flowers. You were playing shy with your chin down looking out over the tops of your eyelids. I ask you what you're doing and you explain that you are "hiding behind your eyes." You eventually stopped "hiding" and took a nice cozy ride in the wagon with your littlest neighborhood friend around the melting snow.

You love picking up on parts of your books. You have the color mixtures and the rainbow colors down. You understand that Mommy's mommy is Gran, my Dad is Pop, and my sister is Aunt Lizzie (pronounced Ant like a good New Englander). You love to explain that "caterpillars turn into butta-flies" and "pollywogs turn into frogs." You ask us to draw monsters and rainbows for you so you can color them in. You had this funny game where you would hold up hot pink playdoh and say "it's coooold pink, brrr..." and laugh.

There are so many things that you are on the verge of really "getting." You're just starting to understand the Simon Says game. You have this sense of independence when you know you are successful that leads you to literally giggle with glee. You are getting better at pulling up your underwear or pullup. If I ask you why not just underpants, you tell me that you "wear both because it's better." You get excited to say "i can pull them up" as you yank them up. The new pull ups where the trophy or flags disappear if it gets wet doesn't seem to matter much to you, but maybe it will help eventually.

One of your favorite new words is super! "That's a super story" after reading a book is my favorite phrase. I promise not to use super when I see holes in the wall, so as to avoid confusing you with sarcasm. I'm ready for a super duper month as we get closer to spring.

Super smiles, Mommy

won't my mommy...

toe jam

It makes my day when I get messages like this from Rebecca:

"We went to toe jam today! I figured it's been a while since we've gone and with all this crappy weather there's not too much to do. I saw the flip lying on the end table so I took it. I got a few snip-its, but the boys are more interesting in watching what's going on now more than actually participating. He had fun though and the toe jam men told a story about a moose that made friends with a monkey and a giant, and believe it or not while we were on the way home I asked Aiden what was his favorite part and he said the moose story was his favorite. I asked if he remembered who the moose made friends with and he remembered it was a monkey and a giant! He's such a smartypants! hehe I love it!

Well hopefully now that it's March 1st the weather will start to clear up and we can actually do more outdoorsy things. However, I saw a display at the zoo today of a whaling museum that they have in New Bedford, I think that would be fun!"