fun in mt airy and a trip to the er

Our Friday playgroup met at Nate's house in Mt Airy today and went "hiking" in Wissahickon Park. We only ventured in a 100 yards or so, but it was beautiful and the boys and Ellie had fun climbing on tree limbs and playing with sticks.


Gus, Zach and Nate.


Theo and Amy. When Gus saw me in this shirt this morning he said, "That's Bob the Builder's shirt. Take it off. You no wear it. I do not like it. Take it off"

For lunch we headed to a little cafe around the corner from the trail and Nate and Meredith introduced Gus to the Kitty Cat Steamer (steamed milk with whip cream). He said it was delicious.


After playing with the pumpkin carts at the Mt Airy Co-op we headed home.

So amazingly enough, our trip to the ER did not involve eyes and sticks. Poor Theo, took a spill into the coffee table and got a deep gash above his right eyebrow. This is the last picture of him without a scar.

again, apple picking and no apples

This is just ridiculous. Because I just cannot stand the thought of fall going by without actually picking apples, I bravely took the boys, by myself, to Johnson's Corner Farm, which should be called Johnson's Rip-off Racket (I sound like my Dad), for what was suppose to be their final day of picking. But when we got there at 9:30, the trees were bare. So again, no apples. We did pick pumpkins, which the boys enjoyed. But they really enjoyed the racket. I am not showing these pictures to Gus, in hopes that next year, when I find a farm that is really just a farm, he will have forgotten about the go-carts and animals and moon bounces, and not say something like, "This is not a farm! Where is the playground? Where is the band? Where is the junk food stand?"


Gus pointed out all the green pumpkins.


He loves to play in the dirt at the park, but farm dirt did not sit well with him.


Nor Theo.


Riding back on the hay ride with our pumpkin.


The bins of little gourds were as fascinating as the pumpkin patch.


Gus on the go-carts. This is the only thing he really wanted to do.


Look! No sides. Gus was about to topple down this when I realized there were no sides. I couldn't tell from the stairs.


Aahhh. Feeding the farm animals via big, safe Jonathan-approved tubes.


Corn. Not just for sheep.

apple picking but no apples picked

We finally went to Linvilla Farm to pick apples, but sadly, picked no apples. The boys had other activities in mind. Or I should say Gus had other activities in mind, and we, and Tobin, Jannie and Todd and Nathan, Beth and Tom, followed his agenda which included looking at animals and playing at the farm playground. We all shared some apple fritters and a pumpkin funnel cake, and then had to call it quits because the farm was packed and the boys were worn out.


Nathan, Theo and Tobin


Pig, Duck and Cow


and the Sheep, Pig, Duck and Cow

delia in philly

This evening Delia (and Deb and Mike) stopped in for too short a visit on the their way home from a wedding in Maryland. Gus had been looking forward to their visit for the past few days. When I told him that Delia likes to watch the video of him singing 'Take me Out to the Ballgame' on the blog, he was very happy and excited to sing her his new version, "Take me Out to the Spaghetti O's.' All day today and yesterday he kept saying, "I'm going to sing, 'Take me out to Spaghetti O's,' and Delia going to laugh. I make her funny!" She did not think it was funny. Actually, I do not think she really heard him. He belted it out for her before she could even get in the door. And she had just endured a pretty long car trip. They had a lot of fun, nonetheless. They are very similar in personality and get along well. I wish we lived closer so they could play more often.



Theo also is quite taken with Delia (and remote controls).


But Gus is not having it.

play ball

Like Gus's soccer attire? We were getting ready to head to the park when he said, "Wait. I need my number shirt!" The only number shirt he has is his Tom Brady shirt, so off we went to UK Elite Soccer, to see Coach Mark, the British soccer coach, dressed in baseball and (American) football gear. He must have been shaking his head at us.


The kids sit on the balls quite a lot.


Passing the ball from foot to foot.


"I can do that."


I kept Theo off the field with Goldfish and water.


And my empty coffee cup.


Picking grass and putting it in the cones is also fun.


So is chatting with the guys. Gus often picks up the ball and runs with it.


Playing 'stuck in the mud.'


Theo eventually made it to the field.


And tried to join Gus on the orange team.

what bed to get

Gus has abandoned his bed due to nightmares about spiders. He started out sleeping with us. After a couple of weeks of that we tried to move him back to his bed but he resisted and ended up sleeping on the floor in the hall for another week. We have come to a compromise and he now sleeps on the floor in his room. He seems comfortable but we really cannot let this continue and his bed, even if we could convince him that it is spider-free, is really too small, as he tends to sprawl out when he sleeps. So we are in the market for a twin bed.

Today we browsed IKEA and tried out all the beds. I just cannot make a decision. Ikea bed? Non-Ikea bed? Bunk beds? Mattress and box spring? Platform base. Let Theo pick?


Doll bed.

Theo was so cute trying to pretend sleep in this that I was tempted to bring it home and watch him play in it all day.

the new please touch museum

It is not officially open, but today we had our first taste of the new Please Touch at the members' preview event. From the moment we pulled into a parking spot at the soccer field in front of the museum, we were completely wowed. Look at it! It is like a temple of play. I, still way too emotional about the move, got weepy as we entered the rotunda. It is absolutely breathtaking. Gus's mouth dropped open. He has never been anywhere so grand. We are going to have so much fun here.


Gus's favorite of the day.


Jonathan loved Flight Fantasy. It was wild You build an airplane. Gus has the one he made it his hand.


Then you attach it to a hook and crank it up two stories, and


whoosh! Watch it as it glides or crashes down.

I was most impressed with how they built on the old grocery store, SEPTA bus, and playhouse and turned it into City Capers--a miniature city with a hospital, bakery, fix-it garage, television station, shoe shop, construction sites, and city park.


Theo administering shots in the ER.

Theo seemed happiest in the under-three section of the new Alice in Wonderland exhibit.


He made himself at home in a tree trunk.


And had fun standing on the lily pads. Gus, and dozens of other jumping toddlers, liked these too.

We ended our visit with a ride on highly-anticipated Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel.


Was it worth the wait?





I would say 'yes.'

more carousels

After a short rest from all the excitement at the museum, we headed to Franklin Square for Charlie's birthday party. This was Jonathan's first trip there, and it lived up to all our hype. How could it not when he got to ride on yet another carousel.


Sophie, Dennis, Jonathan and Gus


Gus with Tom, Philip, Melanie and Charlie. It looks like he has his hand in the cupcake box, but he does not. Though shortly after this he did go for the cupcakes.


Gus and his cupcake.


Theo did not have a cupcake. He was content doing his own thing.

hello, red sox nation

and Orioles fans. Don't worry, we do not own this. It is Jake's. Gus just took it for a spin around the playground. Though this year I am guessing he would catch less grief with this on his back than his B hat on his head. Everyone is really excited for the playoffs.

And in honor of the home team, here is a picture from July 2007 of Gus at his first (and only) Phillies game. We only lasted a few innings (it was so hot), and Gus spent all of them flirting with this girl in front of us. By the time we left he had even tried kissing her a few times.