Saturday, November 29, 2014
Pre-Thanksgiving Bounce House Fun
Wednesday we hit up the Drivers' Village bounce house for some good fun before the snow started falling. They have the best stuff there--tons of toys, a bubble dance every hour, a 4-and-under area, ride-ons, a ball pit IN a bounce structure, and lots of other inflatable bouncers. Very fun. I try to dress them alike for these types of excursions so I can describe what the other looks like if I lose track of one. Not kidding. But the best part is that now they can pretty independently explore the different areas, so even if I don't see one for five minutes, I'm not worried. They had a blast. We missed Auntie Alexis' visit in the afternoon, though. Darn snow!
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Watching Daddy play soccer
Sunday night we went to the indoor soccer arena to watch Daddy play soccer with his co-ed rec team. The boys loved it!
Reading with friend Leah, who lives right behind the arena and hosted us for pizza and wings (and George Christmas) after the game!
Monday, November 24, 2014
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Friday at the MOST
Beckett flying a helicopter.
Theo flying a fighter jet.
Discovering fossils buried in sand. Theo was especially interested in identifying the fossils with the pictures.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Airport fun
Tuesday we took a field trip on a wickedly cold day to the Syracuse airport, for one reason: there's a really cool old jet cockpit and mock air traffic control center that the boys loved when we went to Florida in the spring, and I've been waiting for the right time to bring them back. A 20 degree, windy day seemed like the right time. It was funny to be in the airport without any bags or tickets, but the boys had a great time flying the airplane and talking to each other from the flight deck.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
One of the boys' newest joys is listening to music on the iTunes radio through the Apple TV. The only visuals are an album cover and then the album covers of the other songs heard so far. The boys love to bring the ottoman and the coffee table up to the TV and sway to the music. They often ask Jeff to turn on the music when he is home. (They do not know that I am capable of operating the TV in this way, in the same way they do not know that my phone is capable of playing or having games. I'm grateful.) Since Jeff often likes to listen to Sinatra and the like while making or getting ready for dinner, this is the most common genre the boys have heard.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Last Tuesday we took another rainy drive to Rochester to go to the Museum of Play. We were lollygagging around reading books and cuddling in the morning, so we didn't get out the door until 10. We played, then ate our packed lunches at the Museum, then played again until about 3. The boys missed their nap so they both slept in the car for part of the way. I had two very sleepy boys when we finally got home at 4:30.
It seems like every day the boys come home with another great craft project from school. I'm not sure what these are supposed to be but they look great as festive Thanksgiving hats.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Updates
Jeff was away this weekend coaching an SU trial team in a competition in Buffalo. As the boys and I were getting in the car yesterday:
Beckett: "Is Daddy going to drive?"
Mama: "No, Daddy isn't here."
Theo: "He is in Buffalo."
Beckett: "Is Buffalo an animal?"
Mama: "Buffalo is an animal AND it is a place, a city. Daddy is in the city called Buffalo. Daddy did not get eaten by a buffalo. That would be funny, wouldn't it, if Daddy were eaten by a buffalo? I mean, no, it would NOT be funny. That wouldn't be good."
Beckett: "It would be a LITTLE funny."
Theo is at his funniest when talking about not much. He lives to contradict Beckett, to turn his head in a scolding or I-told-you-so kind of way, and say, "No, Beckett, it's not ACTUALLY ...." Or, "No, Beckett, it does seem like that, though, but it's not really like that, of course."
With regard to eating, both boys are getting pickier. Theo continues to be the better tryer of new things, and more eagerly samples new foods and flavors. Beckett is the one who will say, upon merely hearing the word "new food", "I don't like it! I'm not going to try it! If you put it on my plate I will NOT eat it!" There have been a couple days in the last month or so when they have sat down in their chairs, looked down at their plates, and said, "I don't want that. I'm getting down." Sometimes even later in the evening Beckett (never Theo) has complained that he is hungry (or "hun-ga-rey", as he says it). We tell him he should have eaten more dinner, and that he can have breakfast in the morning. A few times they've eaten apples or bananas instead of dinner altogether, or after having a bite or two of the disfavored food. Theo enjoys variety in his diet, and likes different kinds of fruits and vegetables, but not predictably, so sometimes he asks for foods we don't have or rejects foods he usually likes. Beckett would have bagels for every meal if we let him, sometimes with yogurt as well.
Their eating at school is almost comically ridiculous. When they started I spent time and energy creating diverse and healthy lunches every school day. The lunchboxes came back practically untouched. We tried buying lunch at school, where they can pick between a couple of options. Their teacher reported it was a battle trying to get them to eat anything. I think the problem comes partly from the fact that they get a snack at about 10am, which we are required to send, and then eat lunch at 11:45 or 12:15, and they're not very hungry for lunch then. Plus that they are interested in what everyone else is doing and eating and saying during the lunchtime, so they do not have a lot of interest in the food in front of them. It's gotten to the point now where I try to pack the healthiest snack possible, since it's the main thing they'll eat at school, and then packing minimalist lunches because that's all they'll eat. So for snacks they get a cheese stick and either a box of raisins or some dried apples. Lunch they get (and I am not kidding) milk and a couple of either veggie straws or pretzel sticks. Sometimes Theo will allow us to give him a yogurt too, but I suspect he doesn't eat much of that either. Maybe it will get better over time and as they get used to eating lunch with a lot of other kids in what I can only imagine is a chaotic and loud and energetic environment. But for now I have to apologize to their teacher every day and say, "no, I did not forget to put in an entree, that's all they'll eat."
We have sorted out the afterschool anxiety for now, in that we have hired a babysitter the boys like who can come to our house, get our car, pick them up from school, bring them back, and then entertain them for the afternoon until we get home. We've only done it for one day so far but the boys really like her and they were markedly more relaxed and happy than they have been when picked up from afterschool. I don't know how long she'll be available but we'll take it for as long as we can get it.
Beckett: "Is Daddy going to drive?"
Mama: "No, Daddy isn't here."
Theo: "He is in Buffalo."
Beckett: "Is Buffalo an animal?"
Mama: "Buffalo is an animal AND it is a place, a city. Daddy is in the city called Buffalo. Daddy did not get eaten by a buffalo. That would be funny, wouldn't it, if Daddy were eaten by a buffalo? I mean, no, it would NOT be funny. That wouldn't be good."
Beckett: "It would be a LITTLE funny."
Theo is at his funniest when talking about not much. He lives to contradict Beckett, to turn his head in a scolding or I-told-you-so kind of way, and say, "No, Beckett, it's not ACTUALLY ...." Or, "No, Beckett, it does seem like that, though, but it's not really like that, of course."
With regard to eating, both boys are getting pickier. Theo continues to be the better tryer of new things, and more eagerly samples new foods and flavors. Beckett is the one who will say, upon merely hearing the word "new food", "I don't like it! I'm not going to try it! If you put it on my plate I will NOT eat it!" There have been a couple days in the last month or so when they have sat down in their chairs, looked down at their plates, and said, "I don't want that. I'm getting down." Sometimes even later in the evening Beckett (never Theo) has complained that he is hungry (or "hun-ga-rey", as he says it). We tell him he should have eaten more dinner, and that he can have breakfast in the morning. A few times they've eaten apples or bananas instead of dinner altogether, or after having a bite or two of the disfavored food. Theo enjoys variety in his diet, and likes different kinds of fruits and vegetables, but not predictably, so sometimes he asks for foods we don't have or rejects foods he usually likes. Beckett would have bagels for every meal if we let him, sometimes with yogurt as well.
Their eating at school is almost comically ridiculous. When they started I spent time and energy creating diverse and healthy lunches every school day. The lunchboxes came back practically untouched. We tried buying lunch at school, where they can pick between a couple of options. Their teacher reported it was a battle trying to get them to eat anything. I think the problem comes partly from the fact that they get a snack at about 10am, which we are required to send, and then eat lunch at 11:45 or 12:15, and they're not very hungry for lunch then. Plus that they are interested in what everyone else is doing and eating and saying during the lunchtime, so they do not have a lot of interest in the food in front of them. It's gotten to the point now where I try to pack the healthiest snack possible, since it's the main thing they'll eat at school, and then packing minimalist lunches because that's all they'll eat. So for snacks they get a cheese stick and either a box of raisins or some dried apples. Lunch they get (and I am not kidding) milk and a couple of either veggie straws or pretzel sticks. Sometimes Theo will allow us to give him a yogurt too, but I suspect he doesn't eat much of that either. Maybe it will get better over time and as they get used to eating lunch with a lot of other kids in what I can only imagine is a chaotic and loud and energetic environment. But for now I have to apologize to their teacher every day and say, "no, I did not forget to put in an entree, that's all they'll eat."
We have sorted out the afterschool anxiety for now, in that we have hired a babysitter the boys like who can come to our house, get our car, pick them up from school, bring them back, and then entertain them for the afternoon until we get home. We've only done it for one day so far but the boys really like her and they were markedly more relaxed and happy than they have been when picked up from afterschool. I don't know how long she'll be available but we'll take it for as long as we can get it.
Friday, November 7, 2014
First bubble bath
I don't know why we've never had bubble bath, but then it occurred to me when we accidentally used too much soap a couple weeks ago, ah YES! Such a thing exists as bubble bath. The boys loved it and asked for baths all the time BUT after two baths I realized the stuff irritates Beckett's skin. So now I'm searching for nontoxic ways to make bubble bath (I'm going to try glycerine and castile soap). But I'm hoping I find a good recipe and good ingredients, because these boys love their bubble baths!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Playing with Preston
Tuesday we had a great day with Preston and his mama, Sara. In the morning we went to the Wegmans playground on Onondaga Lake, and in the afternoon we went to the Halloween parade in our neighborhood together.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Halloween with the Lovebos
It's Halloween at the Lovebos' yet again! We were lucky enough to get hand-me-down costumes from "uncle" Pete and Becky. The night we got them, a skunk and a pumpkin, Beck immediately said he wanted to be a pumpkin. Theo said, literally, "oh, okay, Beckett, you can be the pumpkin." Then Theo tried on the skunk costume and Beckett looked troubled. He asked to try on the skunk costume, then once he had it on and grinned at himself in the mirror, he said he wanted to be the skunk. Theo said, "oh, okay Beckett, you can be the skunk and I'll be the pumpkin." Theo, so accommodating! This is a picture from that night of trying on costumes about two weeks ago.
Then this past weekend Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Greg came up for the day and the boys wanted to show them their costumes.
On Tuesday we had a neighborhood Halloween parade so the boys got to wear their costumes for an extra time. In the meantime, Becky had kindly dropped by yet another super-awesome hand-me-down costume, a bumblebee. Theo liked that one, too, and luckily Beckett was stuck on the skunk. So Theo wore the bumblebee costume Tuesday night.
A skunk and a bumblebee in the park after the parade.
On Halloween night Grandma Joanie and Grandpa Stu came up again to help us distribute candy on our very busy street and get the boys dinner and then out trick-or-treating. All hands on deck! So busy, in fact, that we forgot to take a picture of everyone in their glory. Here are couple earlier in the day when the boys tried on Grandma Joanie's witch hat.
And then later, on their way out the door to trick-or-treat. Theo decided to go with the bumblebee last-minute.
This year they really got into the trick-or-treating, running from house to house and actually saying "Trick or Treat!" instead of last year shyly approaching each person and then just staring at them. Encouraging them to say thank you after being handed candy was harder. We probably went to 12 or 15 houses, just up and down our block to houses of people we mostly knew, but then they said they wanted to go home, so we went home and did an inventory of candy while the grownups continued handing out candy to other trick-or-treaters. I think we gave out 200-250 pieces of candy and ran out by 7pm. Our block is like Halloween central--the Fall Creek of Syracuse's west side!
Then this past weekend Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Greg came up for the day and the boys wanted to show them their costumes.
On Tuesday we had a neighborhood Halloween parade so the boys got to wear their costumes for an extra time. In the meantime, Becky had kindly dropped by yet another super-awesome hand-me-down costume, a bumblebee. Theo liked that one, too, and luckily Beckett was stuck on the skunk. So Theo wore the bumblebee costume Tuesday night.
A skunk and a bumblebee in the park after the parade.
On Halloween night Grandma Joanie and Grandpa Stu came up again to help us distribute candy on our very busy street and get the boys dinner and then out trick-or-treating. All hands on deck! So busy, in fact, that we forgot to take a picture of everyone in their glory. Here are couple earlier in the day when the boys tried on Grandma Joanie's witch hat.
And then later, on their way out the door to trick-or-treat. Theo decided to go with the bumblebee last-minute.
This year they really got into the trick-or-treating, running from house to house and actually saying "Trick or Treat!" instead of last year shyly approaching each person and then just staring at them. Encouraging them to say thank you after being handed candy was harder. We probably went to 12 or 15 houses, just up and down our block to houses of people we mostly knew, but then they said they wanted to go home, so we went home and did an inventory of candy while the grownups continued handing out candy to other trick-or-treaters. I think we gave out 200-250 pieces of candy and ran out by 7pm. Our block is like Halloween central--the Fall Creek of Syracuse's west side!
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