zoo

Spent the late afternoon wandering around the zoo with all the kiddos - We are just being spoiled by perfect weather! The cousins get along so well.

halloween part one

It's only the middle of October, but Halloween part one of many, many, many kicked off this weekend!  Captain Hook and his parrot (named Sully) were celebrating with the Lake mom's club at the beach on a beautiful sunny day.  The pirate came home with plenty of loot!

old town

We found some scallops (especially for Nana and Grampa) in Old Town, Alexandria

family

We are loving some family time with Nana and Grampa all the way from Arizona! These photos are from  lunch at Fairfax Corner Kidtoberfest and the Air and Space Museum... more fun to come!

school

We had a chance to visit Aiden's classroom for an observation this week.  I was very curious what it would be like in a much bigger space with more kids than he had last year.  I have to say I was still struck by how calming and productive it seemed. Aiden is big on the movable alphabet right now where he picks little boxes of items, spells them out with the big letters, and then writes them into a little book.  He excitedly brings home a new book for us to "illustrate" together every day now.  

I'm working on the marketing committee where we are creating some new collateral materials.  I took some photos outside his school this past week where the leaves are just starting to change.

More photos (some cropped for space for text) here:

http://flickr.com/gp/brennans/3p89P0

arboretum

This long weekend's sunshine kept us out of the slump that our colds were attempting to put us into!  We took advantage of the long weekend and visited the National Arboretum during their orchid competition display.  Some of the little bonsai trees had leaves that were changing color and I'm tempted to go back when all the trees are piquing in a few weeks.  I think a picnic in the grove of trees from all fifty states might be nice.  We wandered around in the fresh air and had lunch off the food truck under a big tree.  KC wanted to make a grass salad for his lunch and he gave us that begging puppy dog look when we shooed him away.  Aiden sang the song from the Wizard of Oz and would just spontaneously start skipping around, so I think he was just as relaxed as we are.  I took a ton of photos on my phone and even Aiden wanted to help take photos.  Next time I must bring the big gun camera along!

koi

The first stop on our visit to the National Arboretum was the koi pond. Still impressed that Aiden's excitement didn't land him in the pond with the jumpy fish.

farm father

Daddy and Aiden finally made it to the farm this weekend (after a botched run the first time and then KC and I both were sicky).  They made it out of the corn maze to enjoy a ride on a camel!  There was bouncing and rocketing off some corn cobs... It all sounded much more exciting than cuddling at home, but I'm grateful we were back on track after a quick bug.  

wizard

1:13pm - We were off to see the wizard at the wonderfully relaxing and beautiful National Arboretum...

ships

 In 1492, did they get a long weekend too? Enjoy!

new car

Daddy got a new car!  We let the boys take it for a spin ;)

silly gooses

 Getting photos of both of my silly gooses is a challenge and I think it will only get more challenging... Somehow that old chair from J's grandma becomes a frequent backdrop of convenience ;)

mygym

Headed to our first MyGym play date this week - both the boys were pretty tired which makes KC wide eyed and AB giddy. Aiden asked to go back already so it must have been a hit.

six month digits

One six month doctor declared perfect baby boy
18 pounds 7 ounces
28 inches
75th percentile head circumference which I don't remember
120 minutes of appt plus waiting
Two shots and one yelp
Three spins with the doctor in her chair
Two nursing sessions
One diaper blowout
One konkout at the end
Sent from my iPhone

interview

One word to describe you would be: 
I'm a person!
Why do you like being a kid? 
Because kids play with toys like bumblebee!
If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why? 
T-rex! because they are my favorite because they go roarrr but in silly world they live when people are around and are nice.
Tell about a funny time in your life.
When I pretend to be Mario and Luigi with daddy and I act like what Mario does
What is your favorite thing to do? Why? 
Play with my big block legos and make doggies
What do you love most about your sibling? 
Because he comes with slobbers and tries to eat me!
What was the nicest thing you did for someone? 
When I helped Keaton get his bunny back out when we tossed it into the computer on skype
What do you think you will be doing 10 years from now? 
Trying to eat breakfast
What is the grossest thing you can think of?
600 Boogers!
What is your happiest memory? 
When we just went with Lizzie to sit with the president's chair and then I pretended to eat her

hats to celebrate

Where's the birthday hat? Well, we were fresh out... So these will have to do. We celebrated KC's rainy half birthday by cranking up the oven for some monkey cinnamon bread and a huge six dozen batch of pumpkin muffins. KC gave a pouty lip - bummed he's not ready to share some yet. Despite the bleh weather, we did venture out to the Greek festival down the way for some gyros.  At the art market, Aiden also found a new hat for the winter (top right) which is some sort of cat muppet he picked out himself and loves. Then I signed up last minute for family yoga at a new studio owned by one of our neighbors.  Aiden loved showing off poses to daddy who doesn't normally get to come to yoga ;) - KC loved watching the teacher although wasn't too sure about the steamy hot yoga room.  It was a mama spoil day for sure!

6 months

Hey Tagalong Kid,

A half a year of tagging along on some big adventures for a six month old! This month you took a big trip into the city with me to visit the UA Wildcat Alumni event and see some favorite people from the Tucson days.  Little did I know that the reception address close to the Capitol Building was across the hall from the Committee on Foreign Affairs office.  This was official business and you were such a good boy in the big marble hall, even after you and another little baby that happened to be there figured out your voices would reverberate through the hall. As I hiked back to our van as the sun set, I think you cuddled up in your new ergo carrier looked just as out of place as the carpool mobile (emblazoned with Aiden's nametag) did parked across from the capitol buildings.

This month you were happiest sitting and sometimes testing out your balance with a shifty quick rocking motion.  You still like to be held facing out and you will kick those fast feet as we move around.  You will lunge forward at whatever you want, so you are the opposite of the archy back boy that your brother was at this age.  You liked being able to sit in the bath with your brother and especially sitting in your first big boy high chair.

You are my easy going guy, and I think I've figured out why you aren't a car fan.  If you're well rested, you want to be in the action, you want to get where we are going, and sitting still in a car is not the fun part.  You hardly ever fuss when there is stuff going on, so you seem to be an angel to the doctor or even the teachers at Aiden's school.  You've been to tons of events where we sit sometimes for hours and as long as you can see the person speaking, you are all set to observe quietly.

Your favorite toys are these little rounded spoke toys with the perfect size balls for your teethers.  You will sit playing with those watching your brother.  Sometimes I will look over and you have them hanging out of both sides of your mouth.  Your car seat giraffe friend and puppy crinkle pal are good for munching, staring, and shaking.

Everyone says that you look like your brother, although I think they forget the chunky cheeks your brother was packing at this age.  You have a slimmer smiley face, but no less expressive or fun!  You love it when your brother gets in the car when you are awake in the car pool line.  You joy squeak at your brother and he immediately tells whoever is helping him into the car, "That's my baby!"  Your brother is clearly your favorite person and you can't wait to get into whatever he is into.  We are in big trouble since most of his toys should not go in your mouth!

You are such a screechy talker.  Sometimes you want to get our attention, sometimes you want to get our food, sometimes you have a tummy bubble, sometimes you just want to join in the giggles... but you will speak up with a certain screech in your voice which coming from a fairly chill guy is sometimes a surprise.  You have a certain grunt talk when you first meet a new smiley face.  You were particularly excited by other babies that you met this month and I'm still amazed that you wanted to interact with them.  From across a crowded restaurant you would spot a new tiny friend and you would lunge out of my lap to try to get at them.

You love to read books and try to slowly sneak them into your mouth as we read.  The favorite right now seems to be the Nose Book because it gives you a good excuse to do some nose beeping.  You love to grab any nose that gets close enough for your little pokey fingers to grasp.  Surprisingly your little fingernails can feel like tiny daggers since you manage to get the softest tender skin, especially on our faces and necks.  You will grab my hair to keep your balance and usually get your fingers really tangled up.  You will laugh at me as I try to break free.

You will sometime pound your fist against your chest like a neanderthal man.  You will roar if you miss and your fist pounces off your own nose.  It is your baby fist pump that I think is the most entertaining. You will see a new friend and reach out your fist or shake it around above your head.  I'm not too sure you know how expressive you can be with your fist.

Your Gran, Pop and even your Auntie came to visit this month and gave you lotsa cuddles.  You are getting ready for even more cuddles from the other side of the family too.  You lucky guy you!  Thanks for being such a good tagalong kid... We are lucky that you seem to love wherever you roam with us...or are we roaming with you?... 

Love, Your tagalong buddy Mom

beary happy

Cousins at Build a Bear - KC's reaction picked his new friend Fuzzy Bunny:

half eve

On the eve of my cuddlebug's half a year, here is a quick computer generated blurb video (which doesn't catch all of the cuteness on cue, but at least some) - It may seem that he suddenly chunks up, but there isn't missing video... If you look back on his well documented life, he rounded out like that over a three day period - can you say growth spurt?
 

cousins

Good to get the cousins together today despite the rain out of our original plans!  We had some fun playing in the crowded kidzone, wandering around the mall, having lunch, and especially letting the littles pick out their first build-a-bears.