Quick Takes - Going Fast

1)My kids are growing up way too fast! Clare has a loose tooth and is beginning to read. 2)Thomas is 5 months old now and grabbing everything in sight. He also took his first swing ride.

3)Thomas can roll over. He is beginning to scoot on the wood floor - backwards. (on his tummy, not on his back like the picture seems to portray, that would be impressive.)

4)Mommy and Thomas figured out how to use the babyhawk on my back.
5)Gregory's use of his vocab is really taking off. The boy composes sentences with many words - when we were used to one word desires.
For example: Mommy, we play football. I the redskins, you the eagles.

6)Gregory knows how to use the DVD and TV, so now whenever we're talking about putting on a movie for the kids, he's has done so before we get done discussing it.


Here he and his sister are pretending to be ballerinas.
7)John turns 30 in less than a month!






Where does time go?

Freak Show

Today's Recess Attraction: The Amazing Dirt Eating 2 Year Old

It all started so innocently with Gregory playing in the dirt at Clare's school.

I'm not sure why but he decided to lick his palm of his hand. This raised several gasps and comments from 3-4 little girls.

The attention caused Gregory to do it again and again, and the clamour brought 4-5 more children to view the sight.

I noticed also and insisted that Gregory not lick his hands anymore and to stop playing in the dirt. I moved him to another spot where I thought we were safe.

The crowd followed. Gregory was loving the attention.

Somehow he dug in a crack and covered his face with dirt and ate quite a bit as well. At least that's what I heard from the now 20 or so students.

Nothing convinces a 2 year that he should do something as all those kids telling him "ewwww!", "gross!" and "how can you do that?!"

As a side note: The more attention Gregory got from the kids, the less Clare paid us.

Baby-zilla!

News Flash: Baby-zilla attacks family!


See that angry look in his eyes? This is one tough baby.

Deciding that toys weren't enough, Baby-zilla first attacked his mother and slobbered all over her cheeks with wet kisses.

Turning, the creature noticed Clare who's hair was just too tempting. Grabbing 2 handfuls, he moved in for the kill.

Clare decided that she had had enough. Baby-zilla turned to Gregory. We thought Gregory was doomed but at the last moment he was saved.

Baby-zilla was distracted by his thumb.

It's back to chewing toys for this little monster. ;)

Wordless Wednesday

It's written on their faces!

Slip of the tongue

Me to Thomas in the van: Don't worry Thomas, it's just a short trip. When we get home, I'll eat you.

Feed...not Eat.

Best Laid Plans

"Columbus day - no school! What should we do?" - That thought went through my head last night. I didn't want to spend tons of money, nor did I want to end up sitting around the house.

Here's what I planned:
Mass, Nature Walk at Walney Pond, Ice Cream (Free Cold Stone from a program the kids did this summer) and then Buy and Make a Halloween Craft.

Here's how it played out:
Mass.

Nature Walk - Clare decides that "walks can become adventures" and decides to take the path less traveled through the creek. It's 50 degrees and our adventurer gets cold and the walk lasts 5 minutes. It was cold and she was soaked. There is a disagreement between mom and Clare over where exactly she should strip off her clothes, she thought the side of the road was appropriate so not to get water in the van...silly sweet girl.

Home - Change clothes and head to craft store.

Found and bought Halloween craft and some great Crayola buy one get one free stuff.

Ice Cream - Closed until 30 minutes after we got there. Made detour to Barnes and Noble - Gregory played with trains, Clare and I read, and then Clare got on the stage in the kid's section to tell a story

Story teller Clare in a loud voice: "Once upon a time there was a girl named Clare and a boy named Gregory. They left their house without permission and went into the woods, where they met a witch who ate them up. The End." (She got this story from John).

The ice cream shop is now open, so I keep Clare from relating any more morality tales. We get our treats, eat, and head home.

It's now naptime but Gregory wants to do the craft we bought. We pull it all out and discover...the pieces need to be glued. I thought they were self adhesive.

We're still working on the craft since glue doesn't seem to hold the foam pieces together. Maybe this will be done by Halloween.

Gregory falls asleep clutching the foam bones from the craft.

After naptime the day follows like normal - play, dinner, bath, bed. It didn't go as planned, but it was priceless.

Poor Excuse

The other day I was looking for a business card. A nice mom at our parish had given it to me so our sons could get together and have a play date.

I knew I had put it on the table but now I couldn't find it. I glanced around.

Gregory wanders past chewing on something. "Gregory what's that?"

He shows me a small slip of paper -(Gregory's a bit like a paper wasp, he loves to get a chunk and just chew until it's mush and then drop it in my hand. The grossest is when he decides to eat tissues). It's the last 1/8 of the business card, where Mary Kay is stamped in black.

Gregory ate it, there was nothing left to salvage. When I got the wad from his mouth, the boy explicitly pointed to his stomach and said "More in there."

What can I tell the other mom when I see her next?

Do you think she'll buy "Well, I would have called, except my son ate the card." It sounds like I don't want to get together. It's about as lame as 'my dog ate my homework.'

Apple & Pumpkin Picking

Fun and apples were had by all! Joe's getting in lots of practice with 2 little ones!
Clare cut and carried the pumpkin herself (at least to the wagon)
Our littlest pumpkin
I found one I can reach
Clare loves apple picking!

No Purple!

Boys are blue and girls are pink, no purple!At least that's what Clare wanted when she set up that pillow barrier. Thomas kept trying to suck on her arm.

It appears that we are feeling better. Clare and Thomas have stopped vomitting and Gregory stil hasn't gotten it. (I guess he still might, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.)

Clare will stay home from school for one more day just to be certain.

Big Little Guy

Can you see what Thomas' outfit says? It says 'Baby's First Valentine.'

This is what happens when you grow more quickly than Mom planned for.

The bodysuit is 6-9 months, the boy is only 4 months. Technically the planning was right, but who knew Thomas would grow so fast.