plane pull

It was a perfect day for the Dulles Plane Pull, which is a charity fundraiser where teams compete to see how fast they can pull an airplane tug-o-war style.  The event is essentially the coolest Touch a Truck you can imagine with wings and propellers!  It runs the entire length of the runway that they close off at the far end of the airport.  There is also a huge kids zone - more pics coming soon from that!

big build

In my role as room parent at Aiden's school I'm in charge of getting parents together and helping out new families in the class.  I planned an event at the library meeting room I named the Big Build.  We had a massive number of cool recyclables - boxes, bottles, toilet paper rolls that were transformed into robots, rocket ships, and instruments. The boys bounced around excited for two hours and it was nice to meet some new parents.

stories

This was the first storytime with just Keaton since Aiden was at school.  He took over his brother's eagerness to volunteer to participate.  Since all of the big kids were off at school, there were a bunch of little kids that were much more timid.  So that lucky duck got to volunteer a bunch of times to come up and be the wheels on the bus, a monkey that hides from the crocodile, a giraffe that bumps books off the library shelf.  He was equally excited to see his buddy and his new little brother.  I think Keaton may love baby toes as much as I do.

sharky

This sharky guy is a super fun playground buddy!  Love the cooler mornings - hope they come back again soon!

closing

We took our self proclaimed dogs over to the doggie dip to close out the pool season.  Most of the dogs were more interested in chasing each other around the deck rather than swimming, but some were learning.  The wet dog smell eventually chased us away.  We went out for Ethiopian food which left all our bellies full of injera...for days.  Aiden wasn't thrilled with the yeasty bread so he just kept chewing and chewing - ick!

oxon

This is a spot that we'd been meaning to check out since hearing about it a while ago.  We arrived to Oxon Hill Farm tucked away off a busy road and the parking lot was empty.  Aiden then declared that it must be boring, but oh boy was he wrong.  This was a pretty cool national park spot which had airplanes and helicopters frequently overhead. We arrived as they were getting ready to milk the cows in the dairy barn.  The park ranger said that Aiden was going to try to take his job once he got the hang of milking Minnie the cow.  Keaton took his turn milking the calm cow with a huge smile on his face.  Outside the dairy barn Aiden found giant leaves with fuzzy backs that he wanted to bring for show and tell.  Then we trotted back up to the kid's corner in the visitor's center for some coloring and playing with farm toys while we waited to feed the farm animals.  We started out inside the chicken coop where the chickens were excited to see us sprinkle some corn around for them.  The ranger was trying to teach the kids the difference between roosters and hens.  When she asked which one was a boy KC jumped up and said "Me!" Then the kids collected eggs from the coop to take over to feed the pigs.  A bunch of kids and park ranger yelping swoooweee and throwing eggs into a pig pen is amusing.  Then the kids tried their best underhand toss to get corn to the yelpy goose and ducks.   Farmers Aiden and Keaton were feeling pretty tuckered out. 

a summery saturday

Every other Saturday Daddy is teaching part of the day, so it's just the boys and I out finding fun... very reminiscent of summer days.  At the Home Depot Kid's Workshop, we managed to nail together and paint (which is a big optional step that Keaton was very happy he is big enough to handle on his own and he kept oohing with excitement) our football ring tosses without Daddy's help - and I only have a small blood blister on my finger from Keaton's hammering job - ha, I wish I was kidding! The boys were very sweet with each other even holding hands as they strutted proudly in their aprons filled with project buttons - they must have missed each other this week because they are acting all sweet like they did at the beginning of the summer.  Then we were off to P B & Jack for their Roll with It Saturday which happened to include face painting.  Then Batman and Flash (whose face melted away after over handling) were excited to head over to the Mantuapalooza at the pool club for the all day line up of bands and swim team candy sales - did you know they make nerds rope?  I thought those were funny ;)

new schedule

We are still trying to figure out our perfect school morning schedule.  We did some chalking at home one morning when we were ahead of schedule.  It was the first morning of a normal start time, so I wasn't quite sure when to leave.  It turns out that our trip took about half the time I expected, so we had about 15 minutes before carpool started to visit the park.  I'm feeling grateful that our "commute" is about ten minutes even in the height of traffic.  A relief!

creating

Aiden created a page for his class family album with things he enjoys doing with his family.  I like that hug is on there and wearing costumes makes me laugh.  KC did some of his own crafting with some dot painting. He's also very interested in the potty so we've been sticking around here using the potty a lot!  There are schnazzy big boy underpants involved.

laborious

Our Labor Day was spent eating breakfast out at First Watch (where I was hoping the pumpkin pancakes would be out for the season, but no dice).  Then we headed to Jammin Java for the Rocknoceros show (their set included a new song called Ohio!)

Somewhere along the way the day went from glorious to laborious, and we decided to take the boys fishing.  It was a glorious spot to just visit the water and toss some rocks.  But our fishing rod became miserably broken and we weren't fully prepared to sit IN the gentle bubbly brook like KC wanted to...add in a fear of poison ivy, sharp rocks, and little fish that kept swiping our bait and it was a bit laborious for a Labor Day.  But all is well that ends well and it did qualify as an adventure...and it was pretty down there by the creek.

fire and ice

After a really successful first day back (new friends! new work! new books! And even a new traffic block set! school is cool. I even kicked off my room parent responsibilities on the welcome wagon with pumpkin muffins.) and a trip to use our summer reading Rita's Ice certificate to celebrate, a fiery fever first set in for KC and then hit Aiden.  So far it is nothing a little Motrin won't fix, and since Aiden's school has a split start he has a built in sick day before his first full day with the whole class on Thursday. So we are cuddled up relaxing away this bug... bring on the Wild Kratts...

bw and back

Black and white back to school photos... It's very black and white that we will miss this guy during the day.  P.S. who stretched out this kid's legs?  

would you rather

As this guy heads back to school today, I know he will be missed during the day by his brother and me!  He is an official third year kindergartener but those labels don't matter much to be honest.  I bet he will love being back with his friends new and old.

Would you rather go back in time to meet your ancestors or go into the future to meet your grandchildren?
I would go back in time to meet my ancestors that I would like to see people that are already dead because I want to tell them what is going on that they could never see.

Would you rather be 3 feet tall or 8 feet tall?
8 feet tall because I'd be almost as tall as my mom and then everybody would think I was an adult which would be funny because I'd just be a super tall kid

Would you rather be a deep sea diver or an astronaut?
An Astronaut because I've never even been in space before but I have been in water before!

Would you rather be a dog named Killer or a cat named Fluffy?
A dog name Killer because I would like to ra, woof, raaaa and chase cats around!

 Would you rather be invisible or be able to read minds?
Be able to read minds because then I would know what Keaton wants to play with.

Would you rather have x-ray vision or bionic hearing?
X-ray vision because then I could see through walls and see if Dad's cooking my favorite food while I'm in the upstairs playroom.

29 months

Dear Keaton,

Wow, this month.  This month was full of ups and downs.  You are truly an indecisive two year old that doesn't quite know what he needs or wants.  The very frustrated to very happy in less than 15 seconds routine became common.  You are like a little bomb - sometimes full of growls, other times full of giggles.  We prefer the giggle bombs, and we will take the risk that we get growls instead.  You are at the age where you are in on every joke - You laugh along and yelp "I get it, hahaha!"

We became new members at your favorite new spot P B & Jack, which lucky for us in right around the corner from our new neighborhood.  It's a fun kid play area with really fun babysitters that play games with you.  You love to tell me, "We are being friends" when you make a new friend.  They host different activities each day, and one day there was a very excited storyteller for the French immersion story time.  She was inviting you to participate by speaking all French, your response was to growl and run away.  You could've been more polite, but your point was clear.  

You now anticipate things that we are planning to do.  You will ask "When is it? Famorrow? Amorrow? Tooomorra?"  When you knew you were going to get new Chima lion and crocodile guys, you woke up talking about it.  This understanding helps us plan for the upcoming activities, but it means that you are more opinionated about what you get to do.  We told you we were going to go see Great Falls.  You asked, "Can we dance at the waterfall because it makes us happy like Minnie?!"  You made me laugh even more when you found drippy gutter and a puddle near the parking lot and thought that was the waterfall.

On our long car rides this month, you insisted "I want to drive!" which may be a symptom of reading the pigeon books by Mo Willems. You liked to sing the Yellow Submarine song as you search out the window for moo cows and horsey friends.  The long arm pincher robot hand still is the best purchase we ever made to keep everyone happy in the car.  Although you figured out the one spot it can't reach when you just want to fuss for the sake of fussing.

You sometimes just wander around randomly throwing things over your shoulder.  You play nonchalant really well.  You have these big round eyes that seem to say, I'm not up to anything much, just quietly pulling apart all my brother's legos.  There is usually some mischievous tricky business going on when you are quiet.  

You love playing marble race as much as your brother.  You keep those marbles going and going.  Both you and your brother can literally break a sweat with all the jumping excitement.  My favorite is when you are playing and you say "this is as fun as a rolla coasta you tink?!"  You compared your first roller coaster ride (this month!) on the water log plume with the way the marbles race down the track.

You loved the Bob Staake seek and find cutout books the minute we spotted them at the library.  Your favorite story in the Sneeches book is what you call "Ghost Pants" (actual title: What was I scared of).  Fox in Socks was another favorite both at bedtime and in the book bin at P B & Jack.  

Around bed time your cuddle mode sets in - "I'm a cuddle bug, come cuddle me!"  "I want to cuddle Dalmy!"  You named your stuffed Dalmation, Dalmy.  He's buddies with your brother's Golden Retriever, Daniel. Those guys, along with the teddy bear that was a prize from the arcade game at Waldameer Park, are mainstays in the big brother bed.  Your shared room setup is working out really well, especially with the two twin beds pushed together into a giant king size bed.

You like to pretend to do magic just like your brother.  "Look I turned it into chocolatey bit!" is your favorite trick.  This started on our Hershey trip which was full of chocolate.  You were convinced that even breakfast should include kisses candies, but you settled for chocolate waffles.  You stared down the giant costumed characters of Hershey bars and Kisses.  You were playing shy in front of such big stars or maybe you were just interested in eating them.

You liked it when your brother called you the "bug hunter guy!"  You can track down well hidden buggies hiding on the path or the door frame.  Your brother was disappointed that you didn't find the slimy caterpillar that cozied up in his shoe, before he put his shoe on!  While riding in the wagon, you found a big bug.  It was probably bigger than your little hand.  You grabbed a stick and you bravely nudged the giant blue winged, blue eyed, cicada like bug when it flew up into our faces.  I think you were the only one that didn't screech, you just giggled.

There is a lot of leaf blowing around here with four hands on the blower.  You guys just love to waddle around the yard together blowing leaves and sticks back and forth.  You guys are funny when you break out your secret spy mode because your whispers are very loud.  Not sure it is much of a secret.  

For all the calm brotherly moments we've had this summer, we also had more and more visits from what Aiden dubbed the "terror town bros!"  Yep, you guys were having such a grand start to the summer and then you learned how to use hammer hands if Aiden was doing something you didn't like.  There was an entire dragon ride at Hershey were you spent it wacking your brother while I yelled for you to stop and the other parents around the ride laughed.  I never thought I'd say keep your [blank] to yourself so many times in one month.  You name it you've tried to use it as an attack instrument.  Even the fun fort building pillows become attack pillows!

You sure are testing out your independence.  "I don't hold hands - it's my hand!"  But you are beginning to stick to the consistent rules.  But you have the influence of your brother.  Parenting a second born child is so different, especially since you are home with me versus a nanny.  You are getting more and more comfortable climbing and jumping off things at the playground.  Things that Aiden would've never tried at your age, but I think it's good for you to learn.  

You love singing "spider-Man spidermaaaan doing what a Spider-Man can!" It's usually when you are set on doing something challenging.  I'm fairly certain Aiden had no idea who spiderman was at your age. You keep up with all of your brother's silly games like the hand puppets meep meep and moop moop.  You love legos about as much as your brother.  You got a new Chima lion and crocodile set.  My favorite is when you say crystal because it sounds like you are saying kisses.  "Cheeeema krises!"

You have an old man voice you pull out when you are mad.  If something is frustrating you when you are playing, like you can't get a piece together, you are sure that we know it.  The other day I heard you telling froggy friend he needed to eat some spicy meatballs so he wouldn't get hungry.  Then when froggy friend didn't listen you gave him a countdown.

You love counting eggs just like your brother although some crazy grocery store employee was not a fan of this little ritual we do.  She can just relax because we've never harmed a single egg in our counting pointing game.  You also love singing a silly version of the alphabet song where you add in verses of the Yellow Submarine song - "TUV in a yellow submarine!"

You were pretty pumped for fresh peach season, and you picked peaches over donuts at the farmer's market.  You finished off almost a whole watermelon in a few days.  You crack me up when you say "Let's eat it like a hambugger!" and then you make a big munching mouth.  You recently discovered tic tacs which you can't get enough of on car rides.

You can sometimes be pretty savvy.  Like when some workmen showed up very early one morning to start some work on an attic fan.  They were stomping around on the roof while you were still asleep, and I heard you sit up and bed and say "It's Santa!"  You are also a pretty saavy shopper and when you see something you like you say "I need dat pease!" You were especially excited by the little kids selling rubber band bracelets at the playground.  As they explained you shook your head and said "oh yes, I need dat!"

You made me smile while spinning a globe at Aiden's school, pointing and saying "Daddy is there" - It was a much more exotic spot than Chicago, but it's all the same to you.  You miss your daddy when he's away, but it's easier for you to understand now.  You get so excited when he comes home even from a regular day at work.  You love to point out versions of his "fast car" on the road.  Here was a recent conversation: "Daddy look at all those pictures of you on the computer. They say hi my name is daddy!"

This was a month where I look back over photos and can't believe that it was all packed into one month.  It's a good way to finish out the summer.  You want to keep going even when you get sick or tired, so this month marked the true end to any sort of consistent nap.  The road is a bit rocky when nap time ends (which I remember with your brother when I was pregnant with you and I'd just left my job - ug), but you've been happy to keep moving and it helps you sleep well at night.  

You love to say, "We must go there!  I must!"  You see something you like, and exclaim "I must get it!"  Your determined little voice saying 'must' will be etched in my memory.  We must have a good start to the school year, ok!  


Love, Mommy

catch up

We've been enjoying catching up with some friends we haven't seen in a while and getting together with new and old school friends for welcome back playground visits.  We even had a fun dinner at the pool rocking out to the Thankful Dads (guess the music they were playing?!). We've also been making the most of our PB & Jack membership.  We hit the popular face painting day again - here is Flash and Caterpillar: