Yard Sale

I channeled my inner Grandpa G. and hit a yard sale yesterday morning. Gus & Theo scored big time.


A digger (We call all construction equipment with buckets, diggers)


And a doctor's kit.

Raj came over for supper and showed Gus how to use all the tools.


Gus is super serious when it comes to examining things (People, vegetables)


This morning when Gus woke up he told us, "I am a doctor. And Raj is, too. Being a doctor is fun." Then he took my temperature. It was 40 lbs. He may need a few more lessons before he sits for the boards.

Too cute not to include

Normally I would not post nude photos on line, but this one is too cute (if I had only used the better flash).



Theo enjoys a good bath.

Theo's new hat

When I picked out Theo's new summer hat, Jonathan said, "You do know that people are going to think he is a girl if he is wearing that."



Well, Theo tried it on for Gus, and Gus said, "Theo has a fireman's helmet!" And then had to try it on himself.



Not too girly for Gus. Just too small.

Fun with the mail cart

I pulled the mail cart out of storage for Theo. He loves it but it gets away from him a little . . .



unless we put some weight in it.



Gus works perfectly.

Horsing around

After spending a nice morning with Anna and Lara at the Please Touch Museum, I was sure that there would be napping in 2042 land. Not so much. Gus will not stay in his bed, nor his room at nap time. After forty-five minutes of trying to settle Gus down, I brought Gus and Theo into my bed for a group nap. That was even less realistic.







I think Gus might have fallen asleep if Theo had not been there. Theo likes to horse around with Gus, and Gus says, "Again, Theo. Again," as Theo pulls his hair, pokes him in the eye and uses him as a climbing wall.

Update on the bigger-boy bed

It has been four nights in the bigger-boy bed, and to our amazement, Gus has stayed in it all night long. No popping up when we put him to bed and in the morning he calls for us before getting out. The only "incident" happened the first night. I woke up to Theo and Gus crying. When I entered the room, Gus screamed, "Mumma, get me out!" He was under his bed. I think he must have fallen out of the bed and rolled under it. I put him back in bed and then sat down with Theo to rock him back to sleep. While I was in there, Gus kept saying, "I'm okay, Mumma. I'm okay." Tonight when we were putting him to bed, he kept saying, "I no go under my bed." A scary experience, no doubt.

My extroverts

Today we went to a holiday playgroup at Kelly, Evan and Samantha's house. Meri, Ellie and Max were the only other attendees. This is my kind of playgroup! Small and not wild. Better yet, Kelly's husband, Dave, was home and played with the toddlers in the garden while we relaxed inside with the infants. Occasionally one of us would go outside to make sure everyone was okay. Dave's judgment on the climbing abilities of toddlers is questionable and Gus was wearing Evan's roller skates (he goes right for them every time we are there) so I was especially nervous (but he is surprisingly steady on them). Kelly's neighbor was in her garden doing yard work and Gus apparently had been talking with her, because when I came out he ran over to the fence and said, "I am a big boy," and she said, "Yes, you are Gus." And then Gus said, "And this is my mommy, Amy." I think she said her name was Beth. I was so shocked that Gus was introducing me that I might have misheard her. I know it is polite to make introductions, but unless totally necessary, I just try to lay low. I am happy for Gus that he is so comfortable talking with people and hope this does not change as he gets older, but I am not looking forward to being roped into his extroverted shenanigans.

Jonathan and I were counting on Theo being apart of team introvert, but all indicators point to extrovert, too. He chatters away all day long, just like Gus did at his age, and when we are out and about he tries to catch the eyes of everyone passing by. Today at Kelly's he kept crawling over to six-week old Max and talking to him. He also is a big flirt, and spent a good deal of time batting his incredible long eyelashes and Kelly and Meri. I think my days of public solitude are over.

A visit from Chloe

Chloe spent Saturday with us while Kate and Jon went to Princeton to scout out neighborhoods.


Chloe and Gus eating lunch in the garden.


Jonathan, Theo, Chloe and Gus watching the garbage train pass the park. Chloe, rightly commented, "That train stinks!"

We all had so much fun and cannot wait for Chloe, Kate and "Uncle Jon" to live nearby.

Goodbye, big-boy bed. Hello, bigger-boy bed!

It is here. The day I have been dreading. Gus jumped out of his crib. It happened while he was in a time-out. For what, hardly seemed important once we heard the thud and the announcement "I jumped out of my big boy bed." The landing sounded so controlled and Gus was so chipper that I initially thought he may be able to jump out safely. So I, to Jonathan's horror, encouraged him to show us how he did it. Let's just say he got lucky the first time. Jonathan went straight to the tool box and, with Gus's assistance, turned his "big-boy bed" into a real big-boy bed. I expected to be a little teary when Gus graduated from his crib, but not a drop. Maybe I would have been if we actually had dismantled a crib, rather than just a panel. I hope Gus likes his new bed and that he stays in it all night long.

Maine

Today we went to Maine. First stop, Rick's for breakfast, my childhood favorite. I have never been an egg person and loved going to Rick's because they have apple pie with ice cream on the breakfast menu. Gus, too, does not eat eggs, but he wanted fish and chips. He may have wanted pie if he had known about it. As soon as our waitress came to our table, Gus started saying, "Fish and chips please. Fish and chips, please." Unfortunately they do not serve fish and chips at Sunday breakfast. Gus had already had several meltdowns this morning, so in an attempt to avoid another one, I ordered bacon and home fries for him and asked the waitress to call it fish and chips. When the meal came we all held our breath while Gus ate his fish and chips. He commented on the deliciousness of the chips (bacon). Phew. Crisis avoided.

Next we went to the beach. Grammy, Grandpa and Theo sat on a bench and watched Gus, Jonathan and me fly a kite and play in the sand.


Theo and Grammy


Jonathan, Amy and Gus flying the owl kite


I REALLY liked flying the kite and was shocked that I could do it. I remember it being really difficult to do the last time I tried, oh some twenty-five years ago. My Grandpa (Gartland) made fancy kite reels out of fishing reels for Kevin and me and I could never get the hang of it. Maybe I just need a plain old spool.


Luckily for me, the kite hog, Gus was more interested in the ocean and playing in the sand. This was his first time at the beach and he was not at all scared of the water or bothered by the sand, which was very hot. I cannot wait to go to the beach with him this summer. I am a little nervous about going with Theo, who has entered the stage of putting everything in his mouth.

After the beach we headed to Intervale Road for a visit with Auntie Anne, Uncle John and Cousin Patrick. Cousins Katie, Owen and MaryKate were there, too, and it was so nice to catch up. MaryKate and Owen have grown so tall.


Owen, MaryKate and Theo

At Anne and John's, Gus was asked what he ate for breakfast. "Bacon and potatoes," he said. I guess he was just humoring us at the restaurant. I do not know why I thought he would be fooled. He loves bacon and sometimes will eat potatoes. He must have thought we were all crazy.

Before heading home we stopped for a quick visit with Auntie May. Theo sat with her for a bit and Gus played with her "magic lamp," asked her for a snack, and wished her a "Happy Mother's Day."

It was a lovely day.