painting

A group of mom friend's got together and purchased a groupon for this studio that gives you a painting lesson along with wine. We traded our wine for my friend's homemade hot chocolate, which was a good choice to keep up with the painting (although the wine may have helped with my shaky hand)... I had decided I would give the painting to Aiden since I keep accidentally knitting sweaters for him that are too small. I figured I could manage to paint something any five year old would love ;). I was excited to give it to him when he woke up the next morning and his sweet smile made me happy.

ellipse

We intentionally picked a warm, yet a bit wet afternoon to venture down to the trees, trains, and holiday fun on the Ellipse. It was still pretty crowded (although no lines) since it was the Menorah lighting a bit later. The Menorah is huge and very cool, although Aiden really wanted it to be blue. When we went into Santa's Workshop, J joked that he saw Aiden's name on the naughty list which was the reason for that sour puss face in front of the mail room. He also loved imitating the same comic guy on one of the Ohio ornaments who is making a waaaah face. Keaton pointed out all the cool trains with some very enthusiastic choo chooos.

national santa

We went down the the Ellipse for a visit to Santa's Workshop.  Love these free photos they give you a code to access online - and then they have this program where you can add stickers - See Aiden's masterpiece below.

bday construct

Another fun birthday party with one of Aiden's buddies with a construction theme. It was every kids' dream party. These brave parents set out a bunch of boxes and packing peanuts - the staticy bits were eventually ground up and spread everywhere. The 'civilized' piñata where you pull a string was pretty much a ten second frenzy. The 'quiet' activity of constructing your graham cracker house was mostly kids stuffing their mouths with candies dipped in frosting. It was even nice enough to go outside and play with trucks (without coats in Dec!).

choir debut

 Today was the 2012 Da Capo FCS Choral debut at a nursing home where the director's grandmother Mimi lives.  Aiden ready to go to "Mimi's house" and insisted that he wear his tie that came with his shirt.  Here he is practicing with his well loved carol sheet:

 Belting out some practice songs:

 Stretching out those singing muscles:

 The top of a big bow:

 So excited for the big show:

 Playing it cool with hands in the pockets of the brand new black pants:

 Jingle Bells!

 The biggest smiley fan:

Many more photos here since I was volunteering as the official photographer: http://flickr.com/gp/brennans/7S5YE4/

brothers

These little giggle puss guys cuddling and studying vintage Lego minifigures. Pointing out their favorites and giggling up a storm:

70s

Earlier this week there were 70 degree temps! It has since gotten a little wet and cooler but we are happy when 5 of the last 7 days were outside days... December days are meant for scooting!

boat parade

Old Town Alexandria is bustling and festive this time of year. It is especially nice with the beautiful weather we've been having! (high of 70 most of December so far!) This past weekend we visited Aiden's favorite Why Not toy shop, the boat parade setup behind the Torpedo Factory, and a yummy Thai restaurant off the wharf.  The boats were all decorated for the parade.  Aiden liked pointing out all the inflatables that he saw earlier after the Home Depot kid's workshop (which were cool picture frames this time).

xmas fest

This area is always swarming with buzz about activities... Some come with good recs for kids and seem pretty accessible. The National Harbor holiday festival or whatever they were calling this event, seemed like it would fit the bill. Well, turns out the address printed directed you to a spot to wait in a giant shuttle line - boo - but we did eventually learn we could just drive directly there ourselves. Tons and tons of people were headed to these large heated tents... I figured it must be a good event with this much popularity and our tickets promised hot cocoa and a flight of wine. We made sure to go when they had a decent kid's performer and Santa in the house. But the "craft" tables (selling things marketed as Smelly Rocks for instance - that name needs some work), and giant crowds around Santa's Cellar tables for other samples were not so hot. There were vendors everywhere that were pretty blah and I didn't think fest equaled fair. It was a miss overall, but at least we know for the future... And the little photo ops weren't bad to keep me entertained.

interview with ab

You had fun on our trip to Ohio for Thanksgiving.  You never tire of pretending you are a lump under the blanket on Gran Gran and Pop Pop's bed.... There were almost constant cries for "come try to make your bed PopPop!"
J told you that cranberry sauce was turkey brains, so you wanted to try it, so you could "taste what the turkey was thinking..." Turns out according to you the turkey was thinking, "I hope these people won't eat me."  What a turkey!

One word to describe you would be: 

I am very crazy! 

Why do you like being a kid? 

Making up stories and playing with my magnet theater. 

If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why? 

Dinosaur, because I like dinosaurs because they I have toys like that and I like going to museums with dinosaurs. 

Tell about a funny time in your life. 

When I started being crazy because being crazy is so funny!   

What is your favorite thing to do? Why? 

Say cockadoodee because it sounds like a rooster.   

What do you love most about your sibling? 

Because he tries to get your attention when I go aaah, ah, ah boozzzh.   

What was the nicest thing you did for someone? 

When I helped Randall (Santa's reindeer helper) make sure he does not give me coal.

What do you think you will be doing 10 years from now? 

Going to college and doing I don't know because I've never been to college.

What is the grossest thing you can think of? 

Poop

 What is your happiest memory?

Listening to our christmas tree that sings Jingle Bell Rock.

fancy pants

This weekend sitting at dinner at a Mexican restaurant a fun song came on the loud juke box, Aiden asked calmly and politely if he can "put his fancy pants on to groove?"  The video below was just a day before, when he was welcome up on stage with this crazy kid's performer named Uncle Pete... (The DC area excels in many areas, but children's performers is not one of those areas.) He was "singing" while the kids just sorta went wild and I think Aiden and Keaton had their fancy pants on:

dance! from LB on Vimeo.

20 months

Dear Big Baby,
This month held a lot to be grateful for, and as it always does right after Halloween, time felt like it sped up.  We've been bouncing all around between out of town trips for your dad, a new job for me, and a new longer school day schedule for your brother.  But you and I have learned ways to keep life simple and relaxed at home.  You have a new room setup with some new painted shelves that you helped fill yourself.  You will pick a book to read in my lap on your big kid bed and sometimes you like to do this all morning until nap.  It's so simple really to be a one year old.  My job is to help keep it simple.

You love peaches and waffles.  You will ask for both by name.  "Wadfles"is a pretty cute word the way you say it.  You will gobble a whole peach by carefully skewering each cut piece with a fork.  You are pretty patient with the slippery peach.  You don't always want to eat what we are having, so the chugging spoon on the way to the train depot seems to work.  Aiden's commentary is so funny too, you laugh as you wait for your bite to arrive.  Aiden will say, "Clear the track... on the way to destination: KC's tummy!"

You have a habit of calling all drinks "bubbles" like you're getting ready to celebrate with some bubbly champagne.  It sometimes gets us some strange looks from a waitress when you are reaching towards our water repeating "bubbles pease!" In the bubble bath asking for a cup of "wawa bubbles" that you like to pour over and over again.  Bath bubbles are so much fun when they give you a Santa beard and we ask you what Santa says.  Your little tummy jiggles as you say "ho, ho, ho!"

You like to ask to help.  "Baby help?" - you will say over and over until someone understands your little voice.  Your favorite thing to help with is the dust buster, and the toy vacuum at your friend's house blows your mind every time.  You're a good boy putting your clothes in the laundry on your own. I'll leave the spoons for you to help empty the dishwasher.  Spoons were one of your favorite toys this month.

When you weren't being a calm guy playing with spoons (how quaint) you were busy doing what your brother called "tumbleweeding" into his farm set up.  This essentially equates to running or rolling towards it with your arms flailing... while giggling usually because tumbleweeds are devilish.  Your singing devil side came along to your brother's choir practice while your dad was out of town.  You essentially had a precise radar directing you to wander towards all the practice rooms which are spread out throughout the huge building.  Your face would light up while you tried to bellow and join in the song.  We ended up having a party in the car for the rest of the practice time.

While your dad was out of town you explained that he was in the choo choo if anyone asked or brought him up.  I put you on the phone with him one night and from your "hi daddy" your dad thought your big boy voice was actually your brother.  You ask to call your PopPop and Gran Gran on the Facetime whenever you get your mitts on my phone.  While it's dialing you say "Day, dare?" which translates to "Are they there?"

You can be somewhat demanding for things, like after a helicopter flies over head or we go through a tunnel, you ask us to make it happen again.  You say "more, pease!" One time your brother asked you, "You say no to everything right Keaton?" and you answered "Yep!" It does seem like you understand what we are asking or sometimes no is just more fun. If you see someone get a kiss you want to make sure that everyone gets one too.  If I give you a kiss, you tell me to give one to daddy too.  It's a sweet way to share.

You also make sure that everyone gets a mint when they are out.  You might be wondering why a one year old knows about mints?  Well, you love them.  I'm not sure how you managed to get a mint in the first place, but you will beg for a little piece of mint (usually a full mint we've bashed into tiny pieces).  You call mints "spicy" and you ask for more "spicies" especially when we get into the car.  I think we went through almost a whole tin of Altoids on the Thanksgiving drive to Ohio.

You have a hankering for your brother's toys.  You will pick up Woody and Buzz (which sounds like Wooky and Uzz when you say it) and carry them everywhere.  Most recently putting them in the Christmas tree or giving them a ride down your slide. One of the toys you chose to put in your room was a rolling ball tunnel, which you like to smoosh the ball into the top repeating "push!"  You think any fabric "bankets" are fun to wrap yourself in, which leads you to try to swipe fabric I'm using for a project for your new baby cousin coming right around when you turn two.

"I do!" is becoming more and more frequent.  You like holding my hand and taking your time walking down the big steps to the car and even pushing the button on the car remote to open your door.  You were a big boy chilling at the soccer field for your brother's tournament.  The freedom we give you allows you to learn to stay close to us and still be independent.  This means that I can't even remember the last time we used the stroller. 

When we visit other people's houses you become one of the big kids. You do fit right in on play dates chilling on the trampoline and riding in style with music from NPR blaring in the electric kid car.  You even grooved a bit past bedtime to the DJ at the big kid halloween party.  At your brother's fifth birthday bash, we couldn't quite fool you into thinking that the play room was the real action spot while Aiden and his friends were in the gym.  You are getting used to our friend's dogs and kitty cats, but you still have a habit of yelping at them and making both you and the animal friend a little skittish.  You don't quite understand why kitties usually run from you and you really like trying to chase them down.  

You were excited to wear the A superhero tshirt before and after Aiden's party.  You have a habit of chanting milkman, "mik maaan!" with flying arms outstretched every time you heard your brother mention a superhero.  You were excited to wear a new hand me down train shirt.   You went to the grocery with your coat covering it, and you would shout train, "tain!" pulling your coat open to reveal your choo choo shirt to show strangers like you are superman.

You think it's funny to tell us that you are two years old, instead of just one.  You say ooo, then laugh, then hold up one finger.  I think it's because your brothers thinks it's so funny.  You are pretty excited if you can get him to laugh.  You love to pretend to count, "un.. ooo...ooo...ive...ive...more ooo... eight!"  You can almost say the number 8 clear as day but the rest lose a consonant and vowel here and there.

Your love of stickers has begun, with a really fascination with putting them on your nose.  You had to get a followup shot at the doctor the other day, and you again took it like a champ and then actually asked for a "stick!"  The nurse was surprised how friendly you were to her even after she just stuck you.  You are usually a pretty friendly guy, greeting the crowd at the post office with a big "hello!" or parading down our driveway to greet the neighbors while chalking on the driveway in beautiful 60 degree weather. You did a little chalking, but you mostly wanted to direct me and your brother on what to draw.  Pointing at the robots and animals and asking your brother to add the nose - by point a your nose and the ground spot at the same time.

You love little babies.  You give them a hearty hello and try playing peekaboo with them unprompted. At the book fair night for Aiden's school, you ran around finding every baby you could to coo at.  You enjoy giving baby pictures a kiss, especially the sleepy one on the wipes package.  Sometimes you think a sleeping baby looks sad, and you will point and make a crying noise.  You are a decent sleeper all things considered.  If you get fussy on the play ground, if I simply ask you if you want to go sleep, and you will say "yes! bye" and immediately say bye to your friends!  You sorta stop short of a full meltdown and just make a quick exit.  You are now sleeping in your big kid bed and are now completely night weaned.  You like sleeping on your own in your big boy bed, but you have surpassed your brother's 19 months of nursing.  We'll see how this weaning train keeps slowly chugging along...  You do like pattering straight to me in the morning and each morning pointing at your room and telling me, "big baby seep oder dare!"

Your absolute favorite is singing wheels on the bus and wanting to repeat the baby on the bus goes wah wah wah over and over.  You were so excited to be the only kid at sign and sing class with the attention of two teachers.  All that three on one attention and as many Itsy Bitsy Spiders as you want - bonus! Riding the parachute on your own was the highlight of your day.

You get really excited by all the leaf blowers in our neighborhood and especially when they cleared our own roof.  We actually went outside while they were working and you were dancing in our neighbors driveway watching the guy clean off our roof.  It was as if you were watching a fireworks display, you were so excited!  You loooove to yell "Bus!" whenever you see one on the road and especially at the yellow bus that cuts down our street every morning.

You have become more and more bold and you can now climb right up on your brother's big tall bed. You like to sit right in the shoe closet under the coats, and jump out and saying peek a boo!  You were excited that I let you walk across the parking lot holding my hand and you looked right up at me with a big smile and said, "Mama big baby walk!"  Your words replace your signs more and more lately.  You love asking to watch family videos - whoosh means airplane, bum bum bum means the parade drumming, and yum means ice cream eating competition video.

This was a big month.  Montessori would say that you went through a sensitive period... You started really developing more and more ways to communicate, not just through speaking but through expressing your emotions.  You are more and more little boy every day.  I'm sad and excited at the same time.  I had a job photographing a bar mitzvah and I found myself feeling emotional about this family photo montage they put together.  The family has two brothers the same ages as you and your brother.  The 9 and 13 year olds seemed so different from you guys at 1 and 5, but that is only 8 short years from now!  Gosh, time can just slow down, as you would say, pease!  But for now, I am strangely comforted that you can fit your whole forearm in a paper towel tube because it reminds me how little you still are.

Love, Mama

tis the season

We had a fun time putting up our trees on Friday. Two little trees make great night lights in each of the boys rooms. The winter books we have packed up with the ornaments are a treat. Here's a little video of the Ho Ho Ho guy and his chatty big brother helping with the tree:

 

Xmas 2012 from LB on Vimeo.

water beads

KC is gaga for anything bubble like, splashy, bouncy, and squishy. Enter our old favorite water beads for scooping, pouring and learning not to splash too much - two of which are going better than the last.... Aiden came home once they'd gtown to almost full size and KC showed off his little laboratory like a little mad scientist giggling and stirring ;)