Black Diamond Trail

A week ago the boys and I traveled to Ithaca to visit with friends Michael and Catherine and to take a walk on the Black Diamond Trail. Afterward we explored the Ithaca Children's Garden. The gravel pile was the most interesting element to the boys.

Weekend at Grandma Kathy's and Grandpa Greg's

After refusing his nap Sunday afternoon, Theo promptly fell asleep on the couch next to Beckett.

Beckett was a little out of sorts for a while, trying to wake Theo up to play with him. Then he decided to just work around him.

Birthday playground

Wednesday morning we went to Wegmans for birthday high-fives from our buddy Mike the Helping Hand, then went to the Santaro Park playground near our house. The boys hadn't been there in about nine months and it's amazing how much more they could do!

Happy Birthday Theo and Beckett!

Sunday we celebrated the boys' third birthday with friends and family. The boys enjoyed helping to make the cakes beforehand.

In the afternoon they had fun playing with their friends and eating hot dogs, chips, lemonade and cake.

Some notes as we approach THREE

Theo used to be the trailblazer of the pair, always the first to try a new physical activity. He is still the one more eager for novelty, interested in trying the new food or meeting the new person, and he's more outgoing than Beckett. But Beckett has taken over as physical risk-taker, the one in the video asserting that Mama lets us do this and taking the first jump off the top of the picnic table at the park. Theo has taken to watching Beckett to see how his risk turns out, then very gently and very carefully trying it out for himself. Beckett is still more clumsy by far than Theo, resulting in an abundance of bruises, scrapes and cuts on Beckett's body, concentrated primarily on his knees and shins. Theo is still more likely than Beckett to say hello to a stranger or a friend, to follow up with eye contact and a smile, and to show an interest in watching people. Beckett's also become bossier and often controls what they do and when. Theo usually follows up with a cheery, "oh, okay!" to whatever Beckett has shouted that they are going to do now. Theo also gives in a lot more to Beckett's bossy and capricious wishes. Case in point: the green, new lawn mower has been the favorite lawnmower since it was gifted to us by Aunt Teddy and Uncle Tom two years ago. We acquired a red hand-me-down lawn mower subsequently, but it was always the less-favored. So Theo settled on the green one being Beckett's, and the red one being Theo's. Until the starter chain on the green one broke. Now the red one, the more-favored one, is Beckett's, and the green one is Theo's. I think the thing is, Beckett is really particular about a lot of things. Theo is particular about many fewer things, and in many ways is more adaptable. So I think Theo has decided not to fight about most things with Beckett, because it's just not worth it. I kind of admire it, but I also worry that Theo is compromising too much and we're allowing Beckett to boss Theo around. But the dynamic has also changed as between them in the last year or so, so maybe it's fluid and we just should let it be. Still thinking on that one....

Asheville trip

Saturday dear cousin TJ graduated from UNC Asheville. We are so proud of you, TJ! Mama left Syracuse with Grandma Joanie and Grandpa Stu, leaving Daddy and the Leibowitzes to care for Theo and Beckett through the weekend. Thanks everybody for making it happen!

Puzzles with Daddy

For me, there is nothing more frustrating to do with the boys than puzzles. These aren't 1000-piece puzzles of repeating images of bacon; no, these are 10-20 piece puzzles with large cardboard pieces and large designs. The boys don't yet get the flat side/bumpy side distinction, and they don't get that the picture on the box is the design of the puzzle. Mostly it's a huge exercise in frustration as I try to convince the boys not to just jam all the pieces together, including bumpy sides onto flat sides. Here's Jeff having a go at a puzzle with the boys last Thursday.