Cutes, Scoots, the Colbmeister and Parkster

Classic Fall

2009-11-08T19:56:00.001-05:00

The sky looked like this today.

So we spent most of the morning doing this....

...and this...

I love classic fall days when you get a glimmer of 60 degrees again with the crisp air and crinkling leaves.

Guess

2009-11-08T19:46:00.000-05:00

We did something really fun this weekend.
Can you guess what it was?!

The Tickle Spot!

2009-11-08T14:14:00.000-05:00

We know exactly where Colby's tickle spot is...
see...

Doug the Dino

2009-11-07T14:16:00.000-05:00

This is Doug!

This is Doug the Dinosaur!

Any questions?!

Leaves, Leaves and MORE Leaves

2009-11-05T21:40:00.000-05:00

When you have a backyard that looks like this...

...it is time to bite the bullet, spend the money and invest in a new toy.
So as of last weekend we now have one of these fancy leaf blowing contraptions.

Funny though, after 1 day and more wind and rain, our yard once again looks like this....

I have a feeling we will get our money's worth after just 1 Fall!

Lightbulb moments

2009-11-05T19:54:00.005-05:00

You know you are sleep deprived when:

- You get in the shower in the morning with your glasses on!
- You go to nurse your 4 month old baby boy and forget to take down the flaps of your nursing bra!
- You give your 2 year old son a banana with breakfast and forget to peel it down!
- You run the same load of laundry twice because you thought you switched it to the dryer and actually hadn't.

Shall I go on? :0)

Devlish Fireman!

2009-11-05T14:31:00.000-05:00

Trick or Treating Time!!!

Our little Devil.
Yes, this costume is making it's 2nd appearance as will probably all costumes until probably age 5 when Parker realizes he is getting repeats from 2 years before. :)

Check out that tail!

And in case you need rescuing our fireman, Colby, will come to help.

Radio and all, he loved that ingenious last minute addition to the costume thanks to dad!

Halloween is here again!

Our little street was just perfect for pint size legs to get their fill of doorbell ringing and candy receiving. And since he won't eat any of the candy anyways, mom and dad were happy our neighbors had some great selections this year! :)

Parker, however, decided that trick or treating at 10 houses was far too exhausting and it was time for a nap.

Pumpkin Carving Time

2009-11-05T13:22:00.001-05:00

Since Halloween was on a Saturday this year we got to carve our pumpkins on Halloween, how fun! Usually we carve it the night before or some other time that is convenient for the schedule but this year worked out great. We had a pumpkin carving fest just after breakfast with the pumpkin that we picked out a few weeks ago - everyone was well rested, fed, happy and very excited about making our pumpkins into 'jacks'!

Cut open a lid

Hide from the camera because mom is picture happy!

Look, with 2 year old amazement, at what happens when you lift off the lid.

Don't forget to scoop out the goo...

Mom's turn to carve.

Our 2 punkins!
How cute is that photo?! I love it. Definitely worth a frame!

Parker was proud of his little "Jack" too!

Colby decided the holes were a great opportunity to practice his shape sorting.
(I do have video of this, but for some reason it won't upload. I'll try again later and see what happens.)

PJ thought this was silly!

And if you have been reading this blog for any amount of time then you will realize that the creativity level has clearly not changed much in 1 year... why? Because if you look back at last year's Halloween pumpkin carving festivities you will see that our Jack had the exact same face then as it does now. Oh boy... perhaps next year will be different! :)

Happy Halloween!

Forget the rice cereal...

2009-11-05T13:18:00.000-05:00

Parker who is still exclusively breastfed has decided there is no need to move on to rice cereal. Which, by the way, in case you were wondering, we weren't planning to start feeding him anytime soon as there is a link between allergies and beginning solids early. And, from experience with Colby, remember this day?, rice cereal and solids didn't really excite him in the least nor make him a better eater later in life. Actually, Colby wasn't reeeeally interested in baby food for quite some time, here he was at 8 months old still only haven't rice cereal for breakfast, and if I recall correctly he didn't even think about eating a 'real' food until he was a full year old at least. Then suddenly, at 14 months he switched completely and we haven't seen a jar of baby food since. Despite drinking his way (40-50 ounces a day at times) through most of his first year he is the most well rounded eating toddler I know. Sooo we aren't rushing into things in the food department since what we did in the past seems to have worked out just fine thus far.

Parker on the other hand has some different ideas. Instead of slurping down some rice cereal at some point in the coming months, he has decided to move straight ....

Ok let me back up a minute...

It's pretty common in our house 1. for me to have lunch up in the office or on the run during our "Nanny Days" (yes, post on this still to come at some point) and 2. for me to use Parker's bouncy seat as a carry all (with him in it most times) because I can stuff things around him and take it all with me in 1 trip rather than taking him, putting him down, going back for the stuff and yadda yadda. So if I just put my phone next to his left leg, the mail under his right leg, and a few pieces of newly folded laundry on top of his thighs I can get it all, including the little guy, all in 1 trip.

So the other day when I - tucked a spoon under his right leg, stuffed a yogurt next to his left side and put a plate full of celery and cream cheese on his belly - and grabbed him and his seat with my lunch to head upstairs was certainly nothing out of the ordinary!

That is until

Looked

Down

See

This

...

Ummm YEAH!!!

Perhaps someone should let Parker know that celery and cream cheese are not considered "First Foods"!

It appears that enjoying celery and cream cheese is a growing trend in the house. Colby certainly took a liking to it - remember?!

So, as I said in the very first line of this post. "Parker who is still exclusively breastfed has decided there is no need to move on to rice cereal." Nope, he has instead decided to skip right past that icky bland stuff for the goods! I think it's safe to say that he may too be a good eater.

Please don't call and tattle on us to his pediatrician! :)

Tool Time

2009-11-04T21:39:00.000-05:00

1 mom... 4 boys...
I'm outnumbered!

Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar????

2009-11-04T13:51:00.001-05:00

Who me???

Yes, you, PJ!

Mega Block Box

2009-11-03T15:00:00.005-05:00

Much like a few weeks ago when we had 2 Lego kings sporting their love for Legos, the other day, Colby decided to put his name in for a spot on a Mega Blocks ad! j/k But yes, this child does like to climb in and out and be a silly, silly boy!

Check out a new use for our Mega Blocks box.

In and out, in and out!

3 for 3 for 3

2009-11-03T14:52:00.002-05:00

Ok so where did the title for this post come from?

Let's just say that it will speak for itself when I tell you that...

For 3 days straight, Parker has managed to have 3 blowouts (for those of you without young children that would be AKA huge clothes changing nearly needing a bath poopie diapers) 3 consecutive times. Thus the child has played, pooped, been changed into a new outfit, slept, pooped, been changed into a new outfit and so on - 3 times in a row for the last 3 days!

Help! :)

Our Punkins!

2009-11-02T20:20:00.001-05:00

More on our Halloween adventures coming soon, but for now, enjoy a picture of our little punkins!

Halloween Parade 2009

2009-11-02T19:51:00.004-05:00

A town near us has a Halloween parade each year. It's a pretty big event (as you can see from the schlew of people in the streets with us and we weren't even the front of the parade gang), kids dress up, parade around the town and back from the firehouse where there is refreshments, goodies for the kids, a magician and more. The last few years we haven't been able to come. Well, last year we had planned to go, but our son the sleeper decided to nap through it so we missed the fun completely. I was not waking him for a parade he wouldn't remember anyways. After all, we do NOT wake a sleeping child in our house for anything. Well, except maybe a smoke alarm going off or an emergency like that of course.

It was a fun time. Colby absolutely loves parades so he was thrilled to actually be in one this time. And his costume was a hit! Why? Because the party was at the firehouse of course! :)

The other funny part is checking out some of the other costumes. Ok so I'll clue you in on this one thing. The parade is in what we would call a little fruoo fruoo town. Ya know lots of Burberry, expensive homes with no land just because there is water around, wine sipping restaurants, you get it. No, we DO NOT live in this town, we went there for the festivities and because we had lots of friends going too. Scott nor I could ever live in that part of that town because it is a bit too stuffy for our tree and yard loving selves. We like grass. We like neighbors, but not that much! We like the water but are willing to drive the 7 minutes to get there.

Anyways, I digress.

So we were there for the parade with our $12.95 Fireman costume found the day before at Toys R Us while some of these kids had costumes that were probably made by well-known designers. We were chuckling walking down the street cause this one little boy was dressed up like a shark. Scott laughed and was like that is a great costume! So of course just strolling down the street in a kids parade, we told the mother how great his outfit was and I asked her where she found it. Here I was thinking she was going to respond with something like iParty, it's home made or yadda yadda. No, oh it's from Pottery Barn was her answer.... WHAT?! There is nothing in that store or catalog for less than $60... I know, we have a Dr. Seuss room remember. And Pottery Barn Kids had some Seuss items in it last year. I refused to buy anything having to do with the set except for 1 bedsheet because there was no way I was spending $99 just for a silly crib bumper that the doctors tell you not to put in the crib anyways!

Oh well. Then there was this funny little girl. She and her twin brother had matching Octopus costumes. Her's pink and his blue - of course! :)

So parade we did with loads of other families...

Took our picture with the fireman's firetruck at the fire house...

and went home for breakfast for dinner! I like our low-keyed family style.

But despite the few wacky people who always make for interesting outtings, it was a great way to kick off some Halloween fun!

Happy 4 month Birthday!

2009-11-01T19:42:00.001-05:00

4 months already...

I was finally able to get some video of the little mister rolling over the other day. So in honor of Parker's 4 month birthday I thought I'd put it up so you all didn't think I was a big liar when I posted this last week. Figures it took me nearly 3 weeks to catch him in the act!

Annapolis 2009

2009-10-30T09:37:00.007-04:00

Just like the last few years, our annual trip to Annapolis for the boat show has come and gone. This year we were planning to make a bigger weekend out of this annual expedition inviting Nanny and Pal to come along. They could then go on some mini adventures with Colby and/or PJ maybe to the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, the aquarium or just find some parks in the area. It is, after all, a beautiful place. Everyone was excited for the idea since Nanny and Pal had never been "smash n bashin'!" So another road trip was in the planning stages.

After a few schedule changes and last minute meetings here and there and everywhere else for Scott, we decided logistically it was probably easier to not make this year the big adventure road trip. Getting down there on Thursday night late instead of the originally planning Wednesday afternoon, then leaving Sunday afternoon just seemed like a long trip for not much time relaxing. 2 hotel rooms, 1 hotel room, 1 suite? Which was it going to be? Fly? Drive? Too many decisions and not enough time to make them all. Thus we all determined this year would just be easier to let Colbster stay home with Nanny and Pal, play, enjoy some alone time and do some Christmas shopping with the shopping fanatics. PJ, however, is still "attached" to me and everyone knows that a nursing baby goes where a nursing mom goes. Soooo he still got to take the trip! I certainly wasn't going to miss the opportunity to get some yummy crabs and so he didn't really have a choice :) And there we had it, PJ and I were flying to MD from NH where we dropped off Colby with Nanny and Pal, Scott was meeting PJ and I as he was getting there on a flight from Maine having been there all day for a business meeting. Did I tell you the logistics were getting ridiculous?!

Anyways, it turned out to be the best option since it RAINED the ENTIRE TIME!!!!!!!!! Not like a tropical rain shower every afternoon about 3pm and 70 degrees outside... no, instead it was the 40 degrees and cold damp very wet icky freezing finger rain. It seems that we have a trend developing and the rain is following us on our vacations. Scott spent the entire weekend freezing his butt off in 3 layers and wet shoes in the show booth. I've never received so many texts asking for a hot soup delivery before and don't think I will again. Parker and I didn't exactly get to explore the Naval Academy as I'd done in the past with Colby on these trips. We didn't look for parks to sit on a blanket and relax under a tree... instead, we hibernated. Like bear in the winter, opting to stay out of the cold rain and watch football, catch up on long lost emails, do tummy time and nap. It was definitely the better of the 2 choices.

Here in pictures is basically what we did all weekend:

Mom, let's just eat our fingers this morning.

Today I can work on my rolling technique...

Mission accomplished!

It was the first time Scott and I had a chance to spend more than just an hour or 2 alone with Parker. I think we had a great time remembering all the silly little baby things that happen during this stage and getting a chance to go out to dinner later than our usual 5pm. Gotta love a baby in a bucket! After all, he sleeps there too! No pack n plays, no strollers, just bucket, baby, and boob makes for very easy travel.

And I know Colby had a great time too. He really loves being a silly little boy with Nanny and Pal and they sure do love playing with him, taking him out to dinner and just spoiling him rotten when they can since mom and dad aren't around. Not the give 'em candy and watch 'em run type of spoil (he wouldn't eat it anyways haha), not the buy him all the gifts that you can find in a toy store type of spoil, the love on him and make him feel super extra special type spoil. Everyone can use that at some point in their life - I think he's spoiling them as much as they are spoiling him in this way!

So what did the little guy and his 2 chaperones do while we were away? They went where all grandparents would go just 2 months before Christmas - to Toys R Us of course. Let the little guy roam the place to get ideas for gifts just by watching what he plays with. A little of this and a little of that out and about. Dinner at some new Italian restaurant for "noodlies" (aka pasta) and of course bread because our child could certainly not go 1 day without having some form of bread. Apple picking, pumpkin picking and just good ol fashion fall playtime fun. I'd say based on these pictures that he picked out some nice big pumpkins, a bunch of apples and oh yeah you see those apple cider donuts showing up again. Proof that Nanny and Pal are just as weak in that department as we were.

But the most interesting part of the entire weekend was by far flying home and descending in the plane... in OCTOBER seeing snow outside of the plane window!!! Yes, I had to capture this in a picture since I thought for sure no one would believe me. Seeeeee...

Next year we'll have to order some nice weather, and a long weekend of smash n bashin'!!!

Playtime = Happy Boys

2009-10-28T14:16:00.000-04:00

Our boys sure do love to play!

Can ya tell?

We brought out the exersaucer a few weeks ago and PJ absolutely LOVES it.

I am one of those dorky moms that rotates our toys. Yep, about every 5 weeks I haul up a 'new' batch of toys from the basement and put away a bunch that have been in the playroom for a while. I've done it since Colby was very little. 1. We have far too many toys to keep them ALL out in 1 place anyways even with a play room, a bin in each of their room and some stray in the office. 2. It keeps things fresh 3. Colby thinks its like Christmas all over again returning to play with a toy he hasn't seen in a while and remembering how much he used to love it and 4. It gives me the incentive to make sure I bring up new challenging toys that may be just ahead of his level and put away things that he has outgrown. When I brought up the saucer for PJ it happened to be toy rotation week for Colby too. The farm tractor, animals and barns were a hit once again. He's been playing farmer boy every day since! I love how he has come into the stage where each of the 'critters', characters, animals, parts and pieces of his toys takes on a role with his new creative play. It's fun to watch his little imagination (and of course organization) enjoy each moment of play.

Parker, too, is beginning to take on a new playtime role. He loves to spin the balls and chew on EVERYTHING in site!

These boys sure do love to play!

Simple

2009-10-27T21:05:00.000-04:00

So simple.
A boy.
His milk.
A fireplace.

Oh, did you happen to notice that the fireplace is on and there are PUMPKIN BUCKETS on the table?!
No, I am not playing tricks on you. The calendar still says October for me... how bout you?

Mobile is fun...

2009-10-27T10:49:00.000-04:00

I'm a bad mother... ok, well not really, or so I hope! :)

Why, then, am I so horrible?!! It's been about a week or 10 days and I have not told you that Parker is totally mobile. He's a rollin' all over the place. Back and forth and forth and back. Ya know from back to front and then back again.

It was very funny the first time he did it --- I put him on his back to play with a few toys and quickly ran to the bathroom. Ummm yeah when I got back he was on his belly. So I rolled him back over again because I had to do a double take trying to remember whether I put him down that way or not. Sure enough I had him on his back again with those few toys and the phone rang.... up again and grabbed the phone. Back to the blanket and again he was on his tum tum. OK now THAT time I knew I had put you on your back. Thus both times he rolled over I didn't even get to see it. So for the next 30 minutes I sat with camera in hand waiting. Of course nothing came of this waiting game... typical, right?!

I did manage to snap these:

mid roll

the end result

Hopefully I'll get a chance to grab it on video. That is if he sits still long enough for me to get the camera and then "roll" while the video is "rolling"... :) ha!

Turkey Fry, Birthdays and Pumpkins!

2009-10-26T10:22:00.003-04:00

A fun-filled weekend had by all 2 weeks ago (yep behind again, but that's ok since I've only got 2 posts to catch up! Yeahhh) when we visited my sister, Dawn, and troops. An NFL rivalry of sorts was our original purpose for getting together. We are, of course, New England Patriots fans and my brother-in-law, Eric, is a big time Denver Broncos fan. So much so that even the dog's name is Elway! :)

So when we found out that the Pats were playing the Broncos on Sunday of Columbus Day weekend we decided it was the perfect opportunity to have a long weekend get together. Well, long being because we could all sleep in on Monday morning because of the holiday and not rush home Sunday night late after the game. Yippie. I love random Monday holidays!

And even better we decided it would be a great chance to try out frying a turkey. Something none of us had ever done before. Soooo armed with our big propane pot and a HUGE tub of peanut oil, we brought a turkey to their house and it was "game on". But first... my niece Julia had a soccer game so that was stop #1. Jule's played a great game, but unfortunately I left the camera in the car and didn't get any shots of the star player! Next time :)

Home to start the oil.

And yes we did ALL determine it was the best turkey we'd ever had. We even left the pot so they could do it again for Thanksgiving!
YUMMMMMMY!!!

Oh yeah...the game.
Pats were up and then booo hooo a last minute score put the Broncos on top. Let's just say the rivalry will return next year!

To top the yummy turkey dinner off we ended the evening with a surprise birthday cake for Dawn!
Happy Birthday!!!

We crashed hard Sunday night after a fun-filled day!
Then it was on to Monday. A slow morning, breakfast and then on to pumpkin picking. It was a lot cooler than I had expected so poor PJ didn't have a hat or warm coat. Instead, I had dressed him in the morning in his usual pants and shirt then when we got to the pumpkin patch I realized he needed more "gear" so I then put his emergency outfit OVER his other clothes so reaaly the child was doubled layered and looked much like an ooompah loompah. Ha it was funny, but worked and he was nice and toasty warm.

The munchkins (Colby and Michael) enjoyed a wagon ride and Julia was kind enough to be the one to pull! Muscles!!! We picked our pumpkins and then HAD to get some apple cider donuts, which we devoured in T minus 2 minutes. Even Mr. Colby who has absolutely no sweet tooth at all loved them!Why are those things sooo sooo good? These were especially tasty since they were fresh and served hot right as they are made in front of you. oooooo my mouth is watering just thinking about them :)

Another great weekend of turkey frying, birthday, visiting, playing, pumpkin picking fun!

Lego Lovers

2009-10-25T14:54:00.000-04:00

Remember when Colby was attempting to get a spot on a Pampers ad by looking too cute in the wipes box?!

Well, unfortunately nothing came of that blog post....

Perhaps Lego will find us this time as we have found the newest use for a tub of Legos.
Baby Brother transportation!

PJ was getting crabby just laying down while we were at Nanny and Pal's house the other day. We didn't have his exersaucer or Bumbo or anything to sit him up to play so while Colby had most of the Legos out of the tub, I dumped out the rest, put a cushy blanket in the bottom and in went Parker. Problem solved. He loved it. Could sit up supports and see everyone and have a toy at arms reach. Plus, Colby thought it was the coolest thing in the world that Parker was in his Lego tub.

Then we got reeeeeeeeally silly and Parker became part of the toy. Why not. Little brother contained, big brother loves to push. Go for it just steer clear of the stairs!!!! :)

Soooo.... here's the newest faces of ~~Pampers~~ Legos!

Home made silly simple brotherly fun at its best!!!!

Happy Birfday, Scoots!

2009-10-24T11:13:00.000-04:00

The time has come.
It is here.
The flip of a first digit is happening.

Yes, my friends, Scott is officially the big 30!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SCOOTS!!!
We love you!

Starring PJ...

2009-10-23T16:00:00.001-04:00

... as the Scarecrow!!!

More Gool Ol Baby Fun

2009-10-23T15:10:00.000-04:00

Remember when Colby was havin some good ol baby fun?!

Parker's Turn!