party

Our Wild Kratt loving, wild guy was wrapped up in birthday excitement for weeks.  He helped put the dots on the power paw suits for the creature power discs a few weeks ago.  The day of the party, we were so lucky to have Gran here to help us create some fun creatures.  Her handy work went into that fabulous pineapple owl - whoos birthday is it?  Daddy helped frost the cake while Aiden did his own sprinkles.  Pinterest gave us tons of fun ideas for the hedgehog watermelon, bug pretzels and cheese, cucumber snake in a pepper carrot forest, and party snacks with creature pod labels (like J's original -Bugles as rhino horns, fish and rabbit crackers, gummy worms, you get the idea...). Thanks to my dad for helping carry tons of stuff and taking photos.  Thanks to our naturalist Val for introducing us to some fun creatures and their powers (feeding the snapping turtle and bearded lizard were favorites), taking us on a dusk nature walk, and a little bunny craft. Thanks to Aiden's classroom friends for coming and all the fun gifts (fun crafts and five Lego sets to keep him busy on the days off from school!)

mission

The mission right along 19 on the way to Nana and Grampa's has gone through a transformation since the last time we were in town.  It is so fresh just like the majority of Tucson.

six

This was the birthday of Wild Kratt's creature powers and Imaginext.  You asked for a bat cave but then said, "I have a better idea, can I just have a credit card for my birthday?!"  When I laughed, you said, "You know, I can't pay for it, but you could right?"  Right buddy...riiiight.

Your party at the nature center was led by a naturalist.  It was what one mom called "pure comedy" hearing you guys respond to her questions about animals.  An example, the naturalist asked the kids if there was any kind of animal that liked to eat everything, you replied with "My dad!"

Would you rather never play or play but always lose?
Play but always lose because I still want to play!

Would you rather have to sit all day or stand all day?
Sit because standing all day is kinda uncomfortable for me.

Would you rather be a parent or a child?
Child because I already am one and I want to stay like this forever.

Would you rather super strong or super fast?
Super strong because I already am super fast!

Would you rather be chased by five zombies or one werewolf?
Five zombies because zombies can't run that fast.

Would you rather get 20 of your favorite treats on Halloween or 50 treats that aren't your favorite?
20 favorite treats because I wouldn't really want to eat all 50 of the others.

Would you rather sleep in a coffin or live in a giant pumpkin?
Live in a giant pumpkin because then I could make hundreds of jack o lanterns every halloween because I could just take chunks of my pumpkin and carve it.

Would you rather wear your Halloween costume to school every day until Thanksgiving or have to wear a jack o lantern over your head to school for the first three days of November?
I would wear my costume because the jack o lantern would be disgusting with my head where all the seeds and stringy bits are...ug.

Would you rather get to go on a one week vacation anywhere you want or go on a month long vacation but within 200 miles of your house?
Month long vacation close to home because then I could take my legos.

Would you rather be able to give your teacher a report card or be able to write your own report card?
Neither because I don't really know what a report card is...

Would you rather go on a long hike in the woods without any shoes or have to spend a day at the beach in your winter coat?
Spend a day at the beach in my winter coat because there might be thorns in the woods!

Would you rather receive just socks or just dictionaries for your birthday?
Just socks because dictionaries are boring because all you do is learn words.

Six years old - I can't even get started on the 'how is that possible' [!], because I always end up with a lump in my throat. Whereas you are already telling me what you'd like the theme of your next party to be ;)  The years are flying by and regardless of how old you are I hope you hold onto one thing. One thing that is so essential - Your enthusiasm.  You have a certain zest that I hope shines and never dulls with age.  I'm betting that it's just an essential part of who you are - I will do the best I can to polish it when it needs it, but mostly just let it shine.

biosphere

When we told Aiden about the Biosphere2 he immediately wanted to go and also didn't believe us that people tried to live in there.  Turns out he just wasn't interested in us trying to live there.  No one is trying to live there now, but they are doing some pretty cool water research.  Both boys seemed particularly excited to peek into the rainforest which was dripping with vines.  We had a very dramatic tour guide that kept their attention as we visited the simulated ocean through the savanna. Then we had a chance to venture into the control areas. They were both mesmerized by the demonstration of the lung room that provided the air pocket to the sealed dome.  It's essentially a room with a giant balloon roof and very cool acoustics.  Aiden followed the tour guide like he was her shadow and Keaton enjoyed each change of scenery as we moved from place to place.

halloween night

The actual night of Halloween felt like the perfect fall night, up until it started to drizzle.  Although that didn't seem to bother these hooded fur covered brothers.  Keaton was literally trying to take a power nap moments before we popped out the door. And everyone was still running on a mix of travel exhaustion and jet lag.  But oh boy, do these boys rally!  We headed back to our house about half way through and they both still wanted to head back out (after they passed some candy to visitors - such a novelty!)  I was a bit disappointed that a bunch of houses were still dark (maybe we were too early or who knows), but it was a nice reasonable haul of 82 pieces of candy.  And we had a ton of our candy leftover because the crowds I expected never arrived...

pumpkin

Aiden is a complicated art director.  He changes direction mid sentence, but his first two requests were a curly mustache and glasses for his pumpkin.  We didn't quite attain his vision for glasses, but he said the mustache makes up for it.

skeletons in the morning

Check out that spooky bed head from Halloween morning!

31 months

Dear Keaton,

What a big month full of new adventures! You’re still used to calling yourself the baby big boy. But that baby is harder to find even when you are overtired wandering through an airport, and especially when you march right into your new classroom, wash your hands, and get to work… err, I mean play ;)

School’s serious bizness for you and you love it. Even though when I tell you after dropping off Aiden that is where we are headed you usually say, “nah, not today, I tired!” But by the time you spot that school when we make it down the pretty wooded driveway, you are bouncing in your seat, “Dat’s Keaton’s school, my school is over there!”
You love the baba or rhythm sticks both at music class and at school. You love getting me a matching set to play along with you. And you especially love putting them back for both of us. The cymbals continue to delight you everytime. You alternate between the minis and even minier sizes ;)
At school, they were having you find matching pairs one week, so the next time you were there you went around the room finding matching sets of everything. Your favorite were the little toy vultures you found – “I love vultures – look best friends match!”
You let out the biggest old man yawn and say “What was that?! I yawn!” You love to itch your nose after you dose a chip in pepper. You seem to like it on your morning eggies just like a little old man.
You and your brother have taken to silent stealthy wrestling. We had to go appliance shopping earlier this month and while I was distracted reading tags you guys went at it. I turn around and you have a full leg hold on your brother’s neck. You both know that you are less likely to get in trouble right away if you remain silent.
You aren’t quite with the program when it comes to shopping when there isn’t a clear toy aisle destination in your future. You announced to your Gran, “I gonna escape now!” as you attempt to run off through the china section to your hiding spot (where you wanted to do your business instead of the potty – ug!).
When we were staying in Tucson, we passed a dirty room service tray – you yelped, “Who left that out in Keaton's house?! Yuck!” You thought the whole resort was your stomping ground and that tray was too messy for you. I wish you’d put away your own lunch tray without asking ;)
You love to pretend to do things to imitate other people – You put on a cowboy hat and declare, “I gonna be a baby grandpa!” When I brought out your winter clothes you were putting on new winter shirts and saying, “what is this, my orange shirt, it's just my style!”
“Hey, Aiden is that your biosphere?” You describe it perfectly, because I do think you and your brother live on your own planet. The little giggly drunk dudes that were giddy getting off the loooong airplane rides to and from Arizona found a funny pill somewhere. They were giggling nonstop as the cop shined the light into our car and sauntered up to give their dad a warning for not having his lights on…
Sorry Grandpa, became Sorry PopPop when you left AZ and your OH grandparents arrived a week later. It started from the Oreganos menu that said the ice cream scoop for kids was just for kids, sorry grandpa. It became your funny joke when you denied them something.
You went on what you dubbed a “Big Venture with granpa's fashlight!” When it got dark in the desert you went along the path and around the house with them because you are a brave guy. You weren’t too such about their motion activated spooky lights, but you tolerated them.
“Hey mom, thaaat is a good looking car!” You pick up on everything you hear. You loved announcing that you were getting ready to ride in the monster truck (a rented XTerra in Tucson). Trying to climb into that stadium seating on your own was a feat.
While we were in Tucson, you decided to just randomly gobble up some ceasar salad like you eat that all the time. You love candy with the exception of twizzlers which you think are plastic. You see a cookie in a store that looks good to you, and you yell out, “Super Cookie Wookie!” You’ve been known to wake up in the middle of the night asking for a tootsie roll.
You love to pretend to read and in between pages you smack and clack your lips with the funniest expressions. You must think that story tellers are funny quirky people. You continue to love to participate and be part of their show. “I found a message!” is a very common expressions. You usually find a random piece of junk mail that you carry around to study and help you locate treasure! You love to add the tiniest little “letter” scribbles.
Your teacher thought you had a really good pencil grip. You insist on trying to add your name to projects at school. You make me laugh when you ask, “How do you spell xyz?” just like you hear from Aiden. Your favorite travel toy was a map and a pen. You would get busy “making lists” that usually always have silly things and start with $50. “Fifdee dallars, a sousaphone, ice ceam!” Got it!
You saw a stone scorpion in Tucson and declared, “I found a turtle rattlesnake!” Pretty observant guy. You also like to pretend that clouds are different things or your scribbles are things like Rs that look like a yellow submarine.
You and your brother nearly lost your minds over the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse special where they all turn into superheroes. “Zap you, you turn little! I'm mega boy!” When we were in Tubac, you loved rocking peacocks and roadrunners. You would pick one back up that fell over and declare, “I saved the day!”
You knew that Halloween was coming. You’d tiptoe into the bathroom and say “Dar was a zumbie in there!” You took to finding actual real spider webs everywhere. Turns out the playground was covered in them in hidden spots the other day.
Sometimes times when you are most smiley and excited you enjoy running from the camera. I guess I can only capture so much of your cuteness. You were especially squirmy when I was trying to get shots of you on your first day of school. You just kept running saying, “I have portant papers in my pack pack! Gotta go!”
Who knows why you sometimes get peeved at the idea that grapes become raisins and caterpillars become butterflies. You can be a precise guy sometimes correcting me, “It's not warm, it's hoooot!” You made me laugh one time, when you growled at the radio disc jockey announcing the song dedications, “Dis song is for Emma, for Keaton too!” You insist that you don’t want any side dishes at a restaurant because you think that means you can't also get the main dish you already picked out. When we drove past Baltimore the other day, I waved and said: "Hi, Baltimore!" KC: "That is Not Baltimore!” Mom: "That city over there is Baltimore” KC: “No it's not Baltimore.” Mom: “Well than what is it?” KC: “Not Baltimore.”
You loved visiting Sesame Place and seeing "My Counting" which eventually became “Da Count!” You explained to anyone that would listen, “Oscar is grouchy because he lives in a yicky trash can!” After seeing the grouch, you trumped his grouchy complaining by declaring, “My tongue is grouchy and cranky and itchy!”
You loved bringing a monkey to music class and when the teacher asked him his name, you didn’t skip a beat and said, “He’s Coco the nut!” Your favorite song at music involves pretending to crack an egg on your head that goes running down and turns into scrambled eggs while you get a tickle. A close second is the monkeys jumping on the bed song with a huge blanket full of monkeys to cuddle.
“Daddy, look we're giving the bubbles their own bath!” You love finding your reflection in the tub faucet, toilet handles, sinks, etc. I think it is even more fun that the computer morphing you love too. When we were in Tucson there was something about the change of scenery and the fun family time, that had you just spontaneously blurting out to anyone that would listen: “I'm a happy guy!” That is true, so very true. And it makes me so very happy. Love you happy guy, Mommy

monster truck

Keaton took to calling our rented XTerra the monster truck, so he was really impressed by this truck ride.  It was a tour of the working ostrich farm where we saw five day old donkeys, ostrich eggs in a dirt nest, a frozen dead rattlesnake (where if you touch the head it can actually still bite you), and the highlight was feeding ostriches oranges from a fishing pole.  The boys were also pumped by the snake wristbands from their grandparents - thx you know just what they like!

lorikeets

I think J's quote was "It made the whole trip!"- referring to my scream when the lorikeet surprised me and landed on my head.  Turns out that they open the lid on your nectar cup for you and there is no warning when they come land on you.  Keaton was loving every minute of it.  Aiden was cowering in the chain screen, but eventually overcame his hesitation and let the bird drink nectar perched on his head. They loved it so much we went back for a second round.