fall fest

We had quite the afternoon at the biggest fall festival I've ever attended. There were five huuuuge slides and tons of crazy fun stuff everywhere.  The corn maze had a fun house and a vertigo spinning bus.  The  themed slides were Aiden's favorite. I think he liked the volcano the most with the underground slide as a close second.  There was hay ride I'd heard people talk about and now I know why.  It was a completely random ride where you are in a haunted disco barn one minute, petting horses that come up to the cart the next, and then driving through a river with lochness monster. In between all the sliding there was a visit to goat land where J's well intentioned attempt to feed the goats led them to jump up on KC chillin in his new ergo. Aiden was sorta giddy petting all the goats that swarmed around. We ended up spending nearly four hours welcoming fall with a festival. Happy fall! ;

Lizzie

Lizzie is here! She is spoiling us already - KC is enjoying some tableside guac (aka expertly mushed raw avocado) She brought this adorable bat boy fleecy blanket. Here is Aiden's post lunch thumpkin ;). Thanks schmiz!

tennis

Many weeks ago we signed up for ten weeks of tennis class for AB. In the interim, Aunt Lulu, who was always a big promoter of lifetime sports like tennis, sent Aiden his first racket. Huge thanks! It's a red short kiddie racket that Aiden immediately started swishing around. He was jazzed for his first class and strutted in with his tennis case wrapped around his neck and a big chinny grin ;) The "court" is a gym room with a mini net set up. Most of the class Aiden tried to avoid popping the ball up into his face, which if that was the goal of the game we'd have a champ in the making. When he did get popped he'd chase down the ball and give it a squish into the ground telling it to "be nice!" So, not only did I have the flailing funny guy that talked to his ball, but he also became ambidextrous and couldn't decide which hand he wanted to use to swing. He actually seemed to prefer the left?! Coach David was a cool calm cat that didn't let that ruffle his feathers, he just went with it. Aiden was good at keeping track of his left versus right and wanted to be sure everyone else did too. Mr. Bossypants had a decent volley but rarely let the ball bounce before he hit it. Aiden seemed to like the warm down run around the net most. It will be interesting to see how they improve over the next ten weeks.

tennis from LB on Vimeo.

diner

We may have found our new creamery craft night - this diner close by hosts an even bigger production with a band and a theme. This week's theme was storybooks and they had a bookstore gift card for the best costume. Aiden busted out the big bad wolf from Halloween last year and insisted his brother be the woodsman. KC donned his big kid overalls and woodsy button down and helped shake a tambourine. There wasn't much competition so the little groover Aiden came home with the BN $25 and a fairytale unicorn on his cheek ;)

new song

A new song from school

beach buddies

Two months apart our little CTY bubble boys chilling at the beach

mt vernon

What a fun, although quick visit, we had with my folks!  Thanks for being such road warriors and cruising into town to spend some QT with us!!  We spent a big chunk of their visit at the Mount Vernon Fall Festival.  Aiden loved singing Willoughby Wallaby Wernon, let's go to Mount Vernon!  They really go all out with artisans and reenactors on their main lawn and even free boat rides along the Potomac.  Aiden seemed particularly excited by the basket weaving, and carried the little piece of wood reed he was given around a big chunk of the day.  I carried KC in his moby a big chunk of the day too.  The stairs up and down to the wharf were a trek and my folks remembered my first bee sting around Aiden's age on that same path almost 30 years ago.  Aiden loved the Punch and Judy puppet show, but wasn't too sure of the sword swallower or the medicine man. It was a full day of Ov-i-att fun ;)

lunch

Poppop said something about being hungry enough to eat his arm - then Aiden was eating this ;)

story fest

Once upon a time there was a Story Festival, which wasn't much of a festival at all.  There were crackers and water which we dubbed prison food available, and a few other cold looking people milling around.  The day slowly warmed up, as the first author joined the stage to talk about making her book.  Aiden was glad to cuddle his Gran and listen carefully, as KC slept in his moby.  Then the crazy popular Llama Llama book author came on stage to read both the red pajama and her new home with mama book... She is a New York Times best seller and it was hard to believe that her tour included this tiny little festival with prison food to share.  Aiden picked out the first author's book for his collection and she signed it for him.  

TGIF

Loving this first full week of our school routine... We were busy with back to school nights and even substitute teacher training for me!  We also hit up Mr. Skip's jams and a Butterfly Bounce playdate where we helped feed the butterflies...  And to top off the week we have some special guests arriving soon - the photo has a hint!

pencil video

Playing around with video stuff...

pumpkin

As KC starts moving beyond just a once a day oatmeal, and is munching on some mushy banana and even some fresh sweet potato... which after three attempts I'm not sure he's a fan, but we'll keep trying.

I'm daydreaming of adding some pumpkin to the mix... And then I can swipe some of puree and put it in concoctions just for me (and maybe Aiden) - pumpkin yogurt, pumpkin popsicles, pumpkin bread, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins (favorite!)...  Love fall!  And this to the left pretty much sums up the perfect fall ;)

imag. stage

We took a little trip up to Bethesda, MD to visit this great children's theater that was hosting an open house. There were previews of their classes and shows set up as a safari complete with a passport. It was a day where the randomness was igniting the imagination - which is what they were going for after all ;). We started with an interactive show with mice heading to the moon with baby ice cube starfish. Dr. Doolittle introduced the show safari including Aladdin and P. Nochio (hip hop pinnochio). Aiden was excited when Rapunzel handed his dad some hair (which later became the giant lion's tail) after he made it across the moat. Aiden chalked a lion in between shows and somewhere in there we taste tested some yummy hummus and pop rock vitamins. A great day for the imagination, which would be nearly impossible to fully explain...

brothers

We are in extra cuddle mode with school canceled due to major flooding (they closed I95 last night for a while!)  I don't know what is going on with this crazy weather around here: record heat, earthquake, hurricane, record rain... Um, it calls for a mild winter, right?!

Here's some brother shots for you on this wet day:

Hey, camera's over here guys!?

 Aah, I'm so excited that you are playing peek-a-boo with your camera, I better yelp!

 That's about right - caught you smiling!

Thanks E for the cool kid king of rock shirt ;)

giggle guy part 2

Here are some more snips of the giggle puss:

funny guy from LB on Vimeo.

mr. giggles

first day

A new school year started today, and the weather blew in a cool, rainy fall-like day...  Aiden was up and ready to go with nearly an hour to spare.  It almost seemed too easy getting everything geared up.  Aiden and I finished up his backpack robot yesterday afternoon.  He even helped on the sewing machine for the first time!  The robot guy has eyes that blink and a mouth that opens and shuts. He's required to have a much larger backpack that will fit a large folder so it looks gigantic on him!  His face on the left might make you think he was a little nervous for school, but no not at all - That is his robot surprise face!  

I didn't shed a tear that my grown up guy is so independent that he just hopped into his classroom like he'd been there for months.  Although a Natalie Merchant song tried to get me in the car on the way to pick him up, with the These Are the Days...to remember... Oh, I know that I will remember these sweet early family days...and the big backpacks with three year old robot designs, water smudged shirts, and chinny smiles...

Aiden quotes on the ride home:

"So did we just go through a car pool?  Can our car swim?"

"I met new friends because we were all new together!  Even I was new!"

"They had the same pink tower at my old American school and here in my Florida school in Virginia."

"I ate some cheese during our fire drill which came on over the radio."

"I have my inside shoes on in the car!  Oops!"

"My backpack robot is sleeping and eating at the same time!"

Here are the lyrics from the 10,000 Maniacs song with Natalie Merchant that popped on the radio as I cruised in the minivan to the car pool lane.  Have they been playing this song on the radio since the 90s?!  

these are days you'll remember

never before and never since, I promise

will the whole world be warm as this

and as you feel it, you'll know it's true

that you are blessed and lucky

it's true, that you are touched by something

that will grow and bloom in you

these are days you'll remember

when May is rushing over you with desire

to be part of the miracles you see in every hour

you'll know it's true, that you are blessed and lucky

it's true, that you are touched by something

that will grow and bloom in you

these are the days

that you might fill with laughter

until you break

these days you might feel a shaft of light

make its way across your face

and when you do

you'll know how it was meant to be

see the signs and know their meaning

you'll know how it was meant to be

hear the signs and

know they're speaking to you

to you

dimpled

Just like I remember with his brother, KC has reached the everything-is-dimpled chubster stage.  As Aiden's dimpled knuckles fade away and are replaced with these unrecognizable big kid hands, I am giving KC's dimples extra kisses because I hope they will stick around for a while.... Too much growing up going on too quickly around here ;)  The big kid is off for his first day at the new school today... more later

labor day games

Our neighborhood delivered on fun today.  The annual Labor Day games were held on the last official beach day of the summer.  KC had his first swing ride, which he was a little unsure of at first, and then just lounged like it was going to lull him to sleep.  Aiden registered as kid #11 for the Penny Pile - they even write your number on your arm like you're getting ready for a triathlon ;)  He "competed for his college fund" by digging aimlessly with the other under 4 year olds to collect coins.  Aiden just seemed to be digging and watching other kids collect pennies, but he did manage to get 4 cents the first round!  Then he got excited when he heard the next countdown and accidentally joined the over 5 year olds and got 5 pennies that time.  He spontaneously joined the intergenerational three-legged race with his dad... He was convinced he'd won!    Then he jumped in the sack race all by himself with some bigger kids and managed to get over the finish line.  You can check out some snips in the video.  The highlight for KC was cuddling all the nice grandmas that miss their grandkids.  We're having our friends that recommended the neighborhood over for dinner to round out the day...so gotta run... Happy Labor Day!

labor day games from LB on Vimeo.

snuggles

As we get ready to start the school year, I think I feel so much relief to be settled.  I feel like we have a new home.  A new place to snuggle in the mornings and giggle in our jammies...

Squinty gut laughing dudes:

Serious wide eye wonders:

costumed

Costumed at the nature center:

interview with AB

One word to describe you would be:
A Poop Pumpkin Seed - is that one word? Mom: No. Pick one. Aiden: Ok, I pick poop...bwahh haaa ha!

Why do you like being a kid?
One reason and one reason only because it IS SO MUCH fun to play!

If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?
I would be a crocodile because my last favorite color is green.

Tell about a funny time in your life.
The time when the Mischief Man was around, but I was just pretending.

What is your favorite thing to do? Why?
Play with my toy story cars that pull back and vroom forward and keep going, because it is so much fun to do that!

What do you love most about your sibling?
Because he is so tiny!

What was the nicest thing you did for someone?
Making the card for my old school friend Alyssa

What do you think you will be doing 10 years from now?
Trying to not to pee in my pants!

What is the grossest thing you can think of?
Poop

What is your happiest memory?
That memory game where you look for the matches and you find out where they are!

5 months

Hi Babeh KC,

Wowsers five months of the cuddliest days are already behind us! I can feel the start of your squirmy days and archy back boy has appeared here and there. Your coos and babbles are more talky now. There is some serious intention in your tiny voice.

You dad likes to call you the tiny baby, although you're getting so big that you are most comfy when he holds you like a giant sack of taters. Your chubby legs sorta drape off his arms and you lay your chubby cheek against the side of his arm...sweet baby sleepy faces immediately set in when you are in this crook in his arm. We saw an older brother at Aiden's school carrying his toddler brother like a wet noodle, but he loved being toted around. Your days are numbered before you are the noodle guy getting transported around the room by your big bro.

You were dubbed an unofficial class mascot for your brother's new class along with all the other younger siblings. You came with me to the dessert reception and hung out in your wrap twisting your turtle head back and forth to smile at strangers. You've always been a chill guy but now you are a truly friendly chill guy.  You try to instigate the smiles now.  You were asleep in my arms once the meeting started, but you popped awake and sat nicely in my lap for the next hour playing with your owl booties.

You are a foot nabber. You love playing with your toes and reaching over to lift up your whole foot. Then you press your dimple cheek into it and giggle.  It's a classic move for the Brennan brothers.  You can giggle together already.  Just a few minutes ago before you konked out for nap, you were trying to munch on your brother.  He giggled and you tried harder to slobber his ear.

You store most of your chub in your thighs instead of your cheeks. Those chubsters are getting solid and I already recognize the chub and stretch routine (that your brother followed) developing for you.   You needed another car seat adjustment, and I have to say I don't know how long that chair is going to last since your daddy long legs are already sticking out.  You sure do like to keep your legs stretched out and rotate your ankles like you're getting ready to workout.

You aren't much of a screamer, accept when you are in the car and some cruddy bubble trouble in the tummy. Lately you will talk out of the side of your mouth with a very serious voice before the bubble bursts. You also having that terrible teething itch to wrangle.  We've solved most of the car trouble by having me squeeze in between you and your brother, where I get my arm hugged by your brother on one side while I hold your giraffe or spin your wheel for you.

We've started uber slow solid food with a one time a day oatmeal feeding with a tiny bit of fresh pumped milk.  You seem to love it.  Once the reflection in the windows or your loud brother in the bathtub down the hall stops distracting you, you will gobble it right up.  You usually eat in just a diaper otherwise you try to gobble your bib.  You also think that paper towel is mighty tasty.

Your brother dubbed himself "Mr. Not the Mischief Man" and you are itching to be his accomplice.  You will lunge forward to get in on the action when he's showing off some mischief he's caused.  It is usually things like switching up the letters in the fun new name puzzle stool you got as a gift, because the Misichief Man likes to spell your name Koaten.  We are in big trouble when baby proofing is necessary because the legos I find between my toes will not be good in your little paws or worse in your chompers.

This month you really took your time studying your toes, your music keys, and your spoon... You watched so many other big kids at the play dates and intently watched all the action around you, almost always insisting on standing on your strong legs bouncing up and down.  You looked up at me with a reassuring smile as the earthquake shook the ground and your brother tucked between my legs and under you bum.  I am not sure what my expression was but I'm glad you must have sensed some sort of calm.  Your ability to remain calm is just part of your personality.

You can pinch with your little strong hands stronger than you'd expect and I love when you squeeze my finger when you get excited.  You typically have a big handful of my hair in your little sticky paw.  One of my favorite faces of yours is when the hairs tickle your nose and you scrunch your little nose and widen your eyes.  You have this super adorable surge of happy expressions that I've dubbed the "warm fuzzy."  You will ball up your arms and scrunch your neck and your smile will widen and stretch... and the squeals are the type that I will never forget.  I look forward to many more warm fuzzies.

Love ya, Maaaamaaaa