A handful of randoms

My week this week has been interesting to say the very least. Fortunately, the boys are still happy, funny, busy munchkins who don't take much notice of the semi-stressful things in life.

I've been really lazy about dragging my camera around lately. Usually it's all but attached to my hip, but it seems that more times than not recently, it has been left on the table at home as I'm whisking us out the door. I'd leave it in my car so as always to have it, but thanks to the lovely person that broke into my car this week at the gym, I have learned to leave absolutely nothing of value in there. If only it were that easy.

So let's see, things that are new around our house this week....

Collin has taken to climbing into the sink while Nathan and I get ready in the morning. He takes his stash of whatever he can find off of the counter and collects it all in the sink with him. He'll sit content like this until Nathan or I kick him out. I figure as long as he's at least in the sink, not attempting to get out, and I'm standing a foot or so away, he's pretty safe. (I've given up on trying to not have him climb at all...).

He's also taken a liking to sneaking snackies. He now opens the pantry (or if he's lucky, manages to get Drew to open the fridge for him), and will steal anything he can get his hands on. He then takes his goodies and "hides" under his high chair. Look at those little chubby cheeks, it's not like he's not being fed around here...

Drew's now graduated from the little lawn mower he used to push around behind Nathan, to wanting to push the big lawn mower with him. Nathan will usually appease him for a few minutes before taking over and finishing the rest of the lawn on his own. I'm pretty sure this is Nathan's way of making sure he's not out mowing the lawn for the remainder of the afternoon (it's a pretty slow process with Drew attached). However short-lived it may be, Drew loves it.

One of the more fun changes around our house is the fact that Collin and Drew now readily play together. I think I've mentioned this in a few past posts, but I really am enjoying watching them actually start to play together and the way they interact. I love overhearing Drew explain something to Collin and Collin "replying" in the gibberish he's so good at right now. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that an added perk to this is that they can now entertain each other, giving me a free moment to oh, you know....pee alone. ;)

Three Things

I missed the three things about each of the boys last month. I think it was one of the posts that should have happened during the two weeks we were all sick.  So here they are. Better late than never, right?

DREW:

1. Loves to mimic us, Collin, or people/things he has overheard somewhere. This is sometimes funny, but has taught me to be careful of what I say and do.
2.  Loves to build things. I've mentioned this before, but I'm amazed at what Drew can make out of a few blocks or pieces of Legos. The surprising part is that it doesn't take much imagination to see whatever it is he's built. He's pretty good at it!
3. Reverse Psychology works wonders with him lately. In fact, it's about the only way I can get a normal smile out of him while taking pictures. If I say "say cheese!", I inevitably get a frown or a major cheese ball smile, but if I tell him to "absolutely not smile", he will smile normally just about every time. We now make a game out of it and it will be a sad day when this no longer works. :)

COLLIN:

1. Is still climbing anything and everything and is scary fast at it. He also like to push the limit on standing on things. For example, he loves to stand on the back of his rocking horse. It will rock wildly and just before he gets so off balance he's going to fall, he sits down. He thinks this is hilarious.
2. Says "Owie" now. He'll trip over his feet, fall and then lay on the floor for a second or two before saying "Owieeeeee". I love the way he says it, so long as no tears are involved and he's ok, of course!
3. Loves to dance. If there is any music on or if you sing to him (or hum for that matter), he'll start to boogie.

Snakes and Mummies and Spiders, oh my!

I'm not really a big Halloween person. I looooove all things fall, but just haven't ever been one to decorate or dress all out for Halloween. I have to admit though that having kids does make it hard not to want to join in on at least some of the Halloween fun. Soooo, in the spirit of all things fun the boys have enjoyed a plethora of new delicacies this week.

We've tasted some spiders....

...Roasted up a snake or two....

...Captured and consumed the mummies that have been hiding out in our kitchen and even managed to taste a finger or two.

(Unfortunately, I have no pictures of Drew happily munching away on these because as I came to find out, he was terrified of the "fingers". Absolutely terrified.)

You know, even a few pumpkins eventually made their way into our mouths this week

And they say toddlers are picky eaters... ;)

Thanks to these two sites for all the fun ideas: justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com and bekicookscakesblog.blogspot.com

As for Halloween itself, Drew went as a fireman this year (shocking, I know). He has worn his fireman rain boots everywhere we have gone for the better part of the past six months. His go-to boots have been proudly worn on his feet to church, swimming lessons, play dates, and through months of 95 plus degree weather. We barely made it down the aisle for Auntie Christi's wedding this summer without the boots on and believe me, it took some major convincing for this to happen. So when Drew saw a picture of a fireman costume in a catalog over the summer and announced that he wanted to be a fireman, it really came as no surprise to anyone around here. What did come as somewhat of a surprise was the fact that Drew had also made up his mind as to what Collin would be this year; his firedog of course. I sort of laughed when he announced this and then the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. I only have so many years of getting to coordinate their costumes before they don't think it's fun anymore, so I may as well take advantage of it! I ended up lucking out and finding Drew's costume at Costco of all places. Collin's I thought would be a piece of cake to find, but apparently a Dalmatian costume rather than just a dog is no easy thing to find! We did eventually get everything all pulled together and I have to say, they made the cutest firefighting team I've seen in a while!