bat boys

The bat boys found the bat blanket and Lizzie reminded them how to make a bat face. Na na na na na na bat man!

packets

Lizzie is here! We picked up our packets for the Color Run!! The bag included a sunny packet of yellow powder Aiden said he can't wait to throw at me at the finish line on Sunday.

grateful

Grateful for funny thank you cards that make Aiden wink ;)

Grateful that KC barely squirmed for his flu shot last week, and that Aiden came out of his turtle shirt (arms and head tucked in with fear) and said the shot wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

Grateful that KC had a great 18 month checkup (34 inches, 26 pounds measured on the big boy scale) when KC saw his round of vaccines at his appt yesterday, he clearly said "ouch" to the nurse. Then he managed to not cry with two shots.

Grateful that brave KC could show me how it is done, so I wouldn't need to cry with three needles in my neck to biopsy my thyroid nodule.

Grateful that the numbing shot did work, and it mostly felt like someone was plucking hair out of my throat.

Grateful that the barium solution I had to drink for 30 minutes while they took xrays of my esophagus wasn't quite as bad as the two other gross fizzy chalky drinks I had to drink at the start.

Grateful that my esophagus is healthy even though my one and a half inch nodule is pushing into the track about a half inch.

Grateful that such an sweet thoughtful friend could keep me company and enjoy a big homemade ice cream cone after the unpleasantries were over.

Grateful for all the well wishes and even pumpkin muffins delivered to my door to cheer me on during this gook.

Grateful that there is so much fun stuff to fill the days between now and when they hopefully deliver the benign results.

Grateful for a hand me down weaving loom, the ultimate distraction = learning a new craft.

cupcake

Sometimes a day is topped off with a special treat that is conveniently right next to our parking spot ;). This cupcake was a sweet treat delivered from a sweet friend shortly after we arrived here last year, so we knew it was a yummy spot! Smiles all around as we left a crumb trail along the canal...

healthy

The search for kids' events around here is easy, so I try to pick a variety of things so that the boys get excited about something new. When I saw this 'challenge' advertised through Whole Foods Market they presented it as a kiddie food festival. Perfect way to find some new healthy snacks!? Aiden created his own cereal mixture and declared most of it inedible... And he said something really inappropriate about the coconut water and his pee that sounded about right to me. So maybe that part wasn't so great ;) J and I did get a few good laughs about the 'mindful eating' presentation all about appreciating a banana. I think it was a you had to be there kinda deal... We missed most of the kid yoga but we did get awesome new mats to take home. Aiden enthusiastically participated in a coloring contest to draw 'what healthy means to you' - he drew "a banana getting old" which made everyone laugh. Some events are a little off... but still amusing...

firehouse

The local firehouses hosted these fun open houses this weekend. They let the kids use the firehose, taught them CPR, showed them a house maze to "practice escaping," had a grease fire demonstration on a stove (!), and extended the giant ladder on the truck. The fire hose was the definite highlight and even KC got in on the action!

boooat

KC talks by throwing extra long consonants into his words... which is possibly the cutest talking stage. Booooat is one of his favorites. I had a coupon for a boat ride that I'd been meaning to use all summer, and it warmed up just perfectly today for a trip tooling around the Potomac. A few more trees have turned lately, so it was a pretty ride. Aiden was beyond excited to go under about six bridges and see planes and train pass by us. You can see KC saying Choo Choo with his pursed little lips as one of the trains zoomed over a bridge. The planes were following the river headed straight into DCA.

yum

Take note this is what you do when you find apple cider donuts:

a view

Aiden loves to say, "hey Mom, Check out that nice view!?"... which is usually his excuse to go running off in whatever direction he chooses. It's hard to squelch his excitement but I can usually keep us all out of poison ivy. When J goes out of town my strategy is to wear out the boys so that they ask for bedtime (and try to not wear myself out too much in the process). After chess club earlier this week, we zoomed straight to the park. Aiden and his buddy loved the decks over the green water and tried to throw rocks and balance them on the leaves. There were other random fun things this past week : dancing at the Greek Fest and KC's favorite things, eating with forks and rides in the neighbor's spiffy cruise mobile.

monster books

TGIF!  Read some monster books!

50 falls

Aiden's school is celebrating its 50th year, and they had a big fall festival to celebrate.  It was a bit chilly but the rain stayed away most of the time.  I ran a craft table making masks and pumpkin bookmarks.  J joined in the drumming circle which thrilled KC.  Aiden ran around with his old and new friends.  My boys love a big open field full of games.

depot

The Home Depot crafty workshop upped the ante this past weekend.  Not only did they have an awesome fire truck kit to build, but a real fire truck showed up!  Then the most exciting was watching a police helicopter land on the park deck roof.  Top that off with a free donut, and you are in Brennan boy heaven.

farm bday

"Follow the red balloons" was the only direction given on Aiden's little buddy's birthday invitation.   Turns out she was hosting her birthday party at this awesome farm days event.  Pony rides, a petting zoo, and tree climbing were only shortly interrupted by cupcake time.  The party favor was a cob of corn to grind and a red balloon - Huge hits with the preschool set! 

crafternoon

The "baby group" here on the lake doesn't look like it has that many babies anymore!  The only babies are siblings of the big kids that just about a year ago where staring at each other on a playmat, sometimes crawling over each other, or accidentally tipping over from sitting.  It was a pumpkin decorating frenzy for the little ones, while the bigger siblings played in the sand.  KC was all about the bigger kids as usual.

happy half

Aw shucks, going back through a ton of old video from KC six months to now was so bitter sweet...mostly sweet. My baby has shed the true baby chub, but he still has that baby giggle. Happy Year and a Half!

And there was a good excuse to have some cake! Aiden was proud to help make the cake for "his baby" and all the boys liked icing their tongues...I mean icing the cake! Ha! KC got his first nibble of an M&M and went wild for them... must be in the daddy genes ;)

dancing in the rain

Woot, a long weekend!
Instructions for a good 'bigger' weekend according to AB:
1. Go dancing in the rain with your big boots.
2. Try to find leaves bigger than your head.

beats

We visited some friends up in Silver Spring, Maryland and ran into the tail end of a street festival. The band playing was amazing and she even commented on Aiden's grooves. He was into her washboard and drum beats.

beachy

We are still squeezing in fun beach meetups as the weather cools. This visit involved some serious big boy sand bog building and a round of pile up football, both of which the little kids wanted in on...

soccer

We are chugging along with the soccer season as the weather changes...We are about half way through the season. This particular game was right after poor Aiden's sick week, so I would say he just stuck with it only because he wanted the cheezit snacks at the end of the game. Thanks to Poppop for the pics with his new camera lens!

interview with ab

Between all our fun visitors this month, we are just getting settled into a nice school routine, choir on Mondays, soccer on Tuesdays, sometimes storytime on Wednesdays, and chess club on Thursdays.  You are such a great big brother, and one of the main advantages of being home with you boys is how much time you get to spend together.

One word to describe you would be: Soccer!

Why do you like being a kid? Because I can help take care of babies.

If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?  Chicken because I like the word Bwak, bwak, bwak and the joke about why chickens are so funny...because they go bwak, bquaaa!

Tell about a funny time in your life. When you tell me about your funny bad dreams like when you went to the store without clothes and your tummy was on the outside of your clothes and everyone could see what you ate.

What is your favorite thing to do? Why?  Cuddle with Keaton because he's so cute!

What do you love most about your sibling?  He's so chubby and cute

What was the nicest thing you did for someone?  Help you build my playmobile vet - I always say that! - How about help you make the cake for Keaton's half birthday?!

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

What is the grossest thing you can think of? Boogers

What is your happiest memory?  I don't know, I've had so many happiest memory, it changes every day!  Oh I know, doing this, what we are doing right now, answering questions!