4!

Somehow, inexplicably, this guy managed to turn into a 4-year old. (Officially, he is 4 tomorrow but who wants a Monday birthday anyway?). So, we opened gifts, had a special breakfast and dinner and played at the park all in the name of four! Next week is our party with friends but for now, we did a family celebration.

He is pleased as punch with his gifts after receiving everything on his list including the play hot dog...
a wood-sided station wagon (yes, he specifically wanted this because it is the car Fozzy Bear drives in the Muppet Movie and we have Muppet mania!)

speaking of Muppet mania, he nearly fell over with excitement when he pulled Fozzy, Kermit, and Miss Piggy out of the gift bag (Thanks Grandma Pat and Grandpa Bill!).
The other birthday theme was music! He is thrilled with his fancy kazoo, ukulele, guitar and bells.
(look at this guy ROCK!)
(Thanks for the bells Grandad and Grandma Crowley! And, I love the music CD, too.)
He got the delivery truck and cherry picker of his dreams (Thanks Grandpa Steve!) And, as a great surprise, a generous gift of money from Great-Grandma, which he took the the local toy store. Ever seen a 4 year old try to decide what to buy at the toy store? It took FOREVER! But, I think it was a good lesson.

Happy Easter

We woke up on Easter Sunday to an amazingly warm day so after church we traded in our fancy clothes for sweats and sun hats and hit the Rutgers Arboretum for a spring walk among bursting magnolia trees and fields of clover.
After a week of on-again off-again rain we were all happy for the wide open spaces to run around in.

No better way to celebrate the season, if you ask us.

Or, you could just ask this guy!

Music Stole My Baby's Heart

Callum has always loved music but a recent evening at his preschool revealed just how much he loves a particular music teacher. He has been enrolled in an extracurricular program called "Preschool of Rock" this year and when the school hosted a dinner, the music class was a part of the evening's entertainment. Leading up to the dinner Cal could hardly even focus on eating he was so excited. And, when "Mr. Michael" the music teacher passed by the hallway he nearly hyperventilated with excitement. And when the music started, oh boy...our normally reluctant and shy guy sat front and center and ROCKED! (He is hard to see in this photo but he is in the center wearing stripes.)
The boy who had never done anything more than stand staring into space on a stage was singing, shouting, jumping, PLAYING AIR GUITAR, and popping up and down like crazy. He was transfixed by this amazing music teacher who was equally enthusiastic and fun and made these little kids feel like rockstars.

A few weeks later, it is clear that "Mr. Michael" has captured the imagination and admiration of our little man. We learn new things every day like "Mr. Michael always wears an orange cap because his hair is too crazy...he can't take it off!" He is making up songs all the time and still playing lots of air guitar and humming through his kazoo. It's also clear Mr. Michael is the first person our guy has idolized...the first person cooler and funnier and more interesting that his family...the first person to make us look boring...the first but as we have to reluctantly admit not the last. One of the first steps our guy will make away from us and into the big, bad real world. Phew.

Birthday Boy!

We did it! We had a birthday and there were lots of fun gifts...



And a little people party...
with an extra special big boy helper...

and even a cupcake. All the things you need to turn 2! Happy Birthday Jude.

Wahoo! Little J is Nearly 2!

Tomorrow is a big day in our house! The baby is 2! 2! When did that happen? And, his personality is blooming. So, here are a few important things to know about this cheery little guy.

1. He loves trouble. The bigger the better. If he sees a look of sheer terror cross our faces, he is all the more likely to repeat the behavior that elicited that look.

2. He is a talking machine! Loves to discuss his day, his books, his bobo bear, and his brother in particular. Sometimes he just repeats things that mama and papa say. It is adorable to say "Oh dear." and hear a little echo say "Oh dear." and on and on and on.

3. He can't say Callum so he says "Cama".

4. He can say MINE! and very well.

5. He has a great sense of humor and loves to laugh. He laughs at Callum splashing in the bathtub and at jokes on movies or just silly facial expressions. His laugh is fantastic and full-bellied and contagious.

6. Every night as he walks to the dinner table he says "Jude no like it" in anticipation of disliking dinner. It's a bit unsettling to hear that every night after working hard in the kitchen. Luckily he often eats at least a little bit of dinner.

7. Speaking of food, he loves crackers and almost nothing else. We keep an assortment of goldfish crackers and a dozen others on hand at all times. The one exception to this is pesto, of all things. He devours pesto pasta like a fiend.
8. He loves a mess. Painting isn't any fun without a little on your face and hands and clothes. It is a good thing he wears mostly hand-me-downs.

9. His favorite movie is "The Great Muppet Caper" and he is crazy about Miss Piggy and the Swedish Chef.

10. He is our boisterous little guy, full of energy and joy and life. In love with his brother and eager to grow up. But, we are holding on to 2 for now.

Happy nearly Birthday baby!

Dinner Time is for Singing!

Our littlest guy (who is nearly 2!) is really into singing his very own version of ABC, on occasion, this means dinner time becomes song time! Enjoy!

Train overload

Last weekend we popped into a train show at an Expo center. It was great fun for the boys complete with electric train sets and a Thomas the train ride. But, as can happen with these kind of things there was a case of *the overloads* about one hour into things.
The best part is that I'm pretty sure it is the kind of event that will live in their memories as all-around fantastic...the meltdown about the stolen toy and impatience at waiting in yet-another line will be forgotten. I guess things happen like that some times.