our zoo rocks

The thermometer hit 60 degrees today and we spent the morning at the Philadelphia Zoo with Zach, Ellie and Nikki. To say it was glorious may be a bit dramatic, but it was. The animals get so close that you can really appreciate how magnificent they are. I LOVE the zoo.




Paws

In addition to being face-to-face with a gorilla and a bear, we got to hear a lion "roar." That was very intimidating. But the best part was hanging out with the goats.

Theo and this goat had a who-is-the-sweetest contest:








Theo! But it is a close call.




If only I could be in there.


And then they were. And brushing goats.




Future goat farmers?

end of year pictures up

Scroll down to Dec 21, 31 and Jan 1 to see pictures from Chloe's b-day and new year's!

soccer in the living room

the walking piano

The piano from the movie Big has been at the Please Touch Museum for Junior Jazz Festival month. I think I heard that someone in the burbs owns the piano and has either loaned or donated it to the museum. We will see if it stays come March. It is pretty cool. Gus does not weight enough to light up the keys, but it is fun nonetheless.

a potty party

The boys were very silly tonight pre-bath. Grandma has been asking for pictures of the boys together, but this is probably not what she had in mind. They are grungy and, well, trying to potty.





I have cuter photos, but they are probably not appropriate for blog world. You may even find these gone tomorrow. But here are some nice ones of all three boys. Too bad Gus has given himself a wind-type burn around his lips from licking them so much.

first hair cut

Theo waiting for his turn. Yes, he is watching tv.


He did not like the spray bottle, but did not cry.


Just kept on watching Bob the Builder.


This was nothing like Gus's first hair cut.

Gus got his hair cut, too. Amazingly, no tears, either.


Celebrating with fries at the Trolley Car Diner.

elephants

"But really it is just us." (And look how chubby my thighs have gotten!)

valentine's day/jazz fest

We spent Valentine's Day afternoon with Chloe, Kate and Jon at the Please Touch Museum. It is Jazz Festival month, so we fought our way through the crazy-huge crowd (I had no idea how busy the museum gets on a Saturday afternoon) to a performance of the Louie Miranda Band.


The kids got the "wear stripes" memo.


Dancing in the stands.


Dancing on the stage. Can you find Chloe and Gus?

We all enjoyed the concert until the band leader pulled out cardboard guitars and started looking for volunteers to play them on stage. When he asked, "Who wants to come down here and play this?" Gus and Chloe immediately jumped saying "I do, I do." And then Theo started saying "I do, I do, I do," and did not stop for a good three minutes. Eventually there were about eight kids on stage playing the pretend guitars but neither Chloe nor Gus were picked. Chloe got over it, but Gus was crushed and cried the rest of the show and would not go down when everyone was invited down to dance again. It made me so sad to see his reaction to being passed by. I think this was the first time he has been at something that not everyone gets to participate in.


Luckily he had Chloe to camp with in the hollow tree . . .


while Theo perfected his dance moves on the lily pads.

planting corn on the cob

Spring came early today. Gus found his spade in the garage and asked if he could plant corn on the cob. I filled a little bowl with frozen corn kernels and let the boys out in the garden. As quick as Gus would plant a kernel, Theo would pick it up and try to eat it. Now the loooooooong wait for the corn to grow. Gus thought it would just sprout up before his eyes and we would eat it for dinner. May have to investigate growing corn this summer.

the party

Weeks ago when asked what type of birthday party he wanted, Gus replied "a tv party!" which according Gus would mean his friends coming over to watch tv. We went with his second choice, an airplane party. We sent paper airplane invitations out to Chloe, Lara, Jake, Philip & Charlie, Evan & Samantha, and Zach & Ellie. I ordered a bunch of airplane kits and started my quest for party hats.

Grammy and Grandpa arrived the night before the party and helped pull everything together. Grandpa turned our leaky living room ceiling into the sky with flying paper airplanes and balloon clouds.


The birthday Captain waiting to greet his guests.


Samantha, Gus, Lara, Philip Charlie, and Theo playing with various flying things.



Theo was the only one to really embrace the propeller hat.


Grammy, PopPop and Grandma hanging out in the kitchen.


Kate getting the kids, Ellie, Chloe, Evan and Zach, into their hats for the birthday cake.


Gus looking very proud.


He blew all three candles out with one puff!


Uncle Michael and "Uncle" Jon


These are for us.


Gus and Jake

If I do say so myself, the party was a success. The kids all got along, except for one minor incident when Gus tried to hug Jake, and the adults enjoyed brunch. We played Pin the Tail on the Donkey again, and this year this kids understood the objective and the rules. Maybe next year we can play for a prize.