Composting!

We've (finally!) begun  composting - Finn leads the way with the first scraps in the bin. "We're protecting the earth," he says. Quick study, that kid.

Roadtrip to St. Louis

We left for St. Louis on Friday afternoon, at the start of my Spring Break, to visit Michelle, Paul, Grace, and Jack.  Also, to "test drive" Wylie in anticipation of a longer, East Coast, road trip this summer.

3:55     The boys pick me up at school.  The Volvo is packed, so we are ready to hit the road!
4:25     Finn says, "Are we almost there?"
4:30     Wylie is reading and talking to his books.
4:33     Finn pulls out the silver iPod to watch a video and is overjoyed when he sees Papa downloaded "Team Umizoomi."  The car becomes quiet.
5:04     Still quiet.  Jason and I discuss his vacation days, tomorrow night's dinner plans, our extended family, and on and on.  More conversation than we've had in weeks!
5:30     Weird, dark rain clouds.  We see some cows and horses.
5:35     Finn:  "Moooom, are we going to be there soon?"  I don't answer and he continues watching videos.  Wy is playing with Finn's Leap Frog computer.
5:50     Snacks for all, trying to stretch it until we stop for dinner.  Hoping to find a Steak N Shake.  I'm getting a headache from searching on my phone.
6:15     Wylie is getting whiny.  I climb into the back to sit (very tightly) between the two boys.  Wylie is covered in toys and books and soaking wet from forcing water to dribble out of his sippy cup.
6:20     Lots of peek-a-boo and lots of giggling.
6:30     Find a restaurant, quick!
6:45     Ahhh, Steak N Shake!
8:00     Fully bellies, boys in pjs, gas, milkshakes, and back on the road.
8:10     Beautiful sliver of a moon on the horizon.
8:15     Wylie "ba, ba, ba"ing himself to sleep, I hope.
8:22     I hear a sleepy sigh, Wylie is out.
8:30     I doze off for a while.
9:22     "Click," Finn shouts from the backseat, still glued to videos on the iPod.
9:34     There's the arch!
9:49     Entering Michelle and Paul's neighborhood.  It would be nice if I'd had their correct address.
10:00   We arrive!
           

Click here for more pictures.

Sweetest Boy Ever

As I was getting ready for book club tonight, Finn was in an outstanding mood, all jacked up, making pizza with Jason, eating tons of pepperoni and peppers.  He pauses from his munching to tell me, "Have fun with your friends, Mama.  Have a good dinner and a good book club."  Later, sending me out the door, he again tells me to have fun and says, "You'll have to tell me all about it tomorrow."  So darn sweet.

Hole in the Wall, Finally!

Wylie's first taste of ice cream.  He wasn't sure what to do with it at first.  

Thank you, Hole in the Wall, for opening early so we could celebrate this crazy-warm beginning of spring.

A Good Day, 10 Reasons to Prove It

1.  The day started at 8:00 am, instead of 7:00.  Despite losing that hour, I was happy the boys were tricked into sleeping until 8:00.

This will sound backwards, but I was delighted when Finn ended up stuck in his room for the better part of an hour this morning, and it adds two items to my list.

2.  When he refused to get dressed, Finn gained the chance to be reminded that listening to Mama and Papa is a requirement.  He wasn't allowed out of his room until he was dressed and ready to be nice.  Since this wasn't a high-stakes-we-have-to-get-out-of-the-house situation, it was surprisingly not stressful to deal with his miserable behavior. 

3.  I got to lay in bed and read my book while waiting for him to comply.

4.  I started and finished the laundry all in one day.

5.  We embraced the warm weather and walked (Finn rode his bike, Wylie rode in the jogging stroller) to Buzz Cafe for lunch.  A perfect outing.

6.  Wylie has been saying "Papa" over and over and over again and the way he says it just makes me smile.

7.  Finn did not watch any TV today--a small miracle.

8.  Jason and I enjoyed some downtime on the front porch while Wylie did some "walking practice" and Finn finished his nap.  We started a spring/summer house projects to do list.  I love when Jason gets inspired to tackle house projects!

  

9.  For dessert--leftover mini-chocolate and hazelnut cheesecakes made for Dad's birthday.

10.  After books, Finn felt my forehead and told me I felt warm and should stay in bed, for days and days, and that he would take care of me and bring me cookies.  I would absolutely love to take him up on that offer!

Wylie, So Proud!

In just a few days Wylie is gaining confidence and courage when it comes to standing and trying to walk.  This afternoon he practiced this trick--standing up from sitting, without holding onto anything--over and over again.  He probably did it 50 times, and always while reading his books.  The first few times he would stand shakily and look over at me with his huge giggly grin, as if to say, "Are you watching!?  Are you watching?!"  So proud of himself!

Counting his Money

Here we have Papa and Finn counting Finn's money.  Finn broke his window last weekend.  He shed a few tears, and we were surprised it was only a few, when we told him he would have to pay to repair it.  So, today we counted and sorted and Finn had to pay up.  Poor kid.  If only he really had enough money to cover the whole repair.  If only we could begin to believe there won't be future incidents!

Wylie's first, tentative, steps

Yesterday, during some rare quiet time with the full focus of both of his parents (Finn was at the movies, seeing The Lorax and G & G), Wylie took a couple of cautious first steps!  Fresh from a bath, in his pjs, and happy as could be, Jason stood him on his skid-proof footied-feet, facing me.  He sort of threw one foot in front of the other, once, then twice, like the Tin Man, and then folded forward onto the floor.  We cheered and he beamed!

The video below is from today's round of "walking practice."

Finn, talking and planning and talking and planning

"OK, guys, we are going to build a boat.  First we should...we need...Papa, you're in charge of building the boat.  It should be wood, with a sail, and a motor, two motors, no ten hundred motors so we can go really really fast.  Mama, you get a map so we know where to go.  Just like Paddle we should go to the sea, and to Sanibel and then Sweden and Michigan.  Grandma, you bring the food.  We'll have a kitchen on the boat with plates and cups and a microwave.  Papa, don't forget to build the kitchen.  Grampa, what should you be in charge of?  You pack our stuff, ok?  We will need beds and books and clothes and toys and sleeping bags.  And Wylie can come too, but he's not in charge of anything.  He's a baby...."  

Finn's thinking and talking and planning abilities have taken a recent shift into overdrive.  Lately he is full of ideas and plans and, if you'll banter with him, he'll sort of riff endlessly about these plans.  

One evening at dinner with G and G, he had up literally writing out plans for the above boat trip.  The pictures below are from another dinner-planning-session.  I can't quite remember what he was planning.  Some of his recent plans include:

-taking a camping trip, the most important aspect of which is the marshmellows

-becoming a spy when he is as big as Papa so he can get rid of all the bad guys

-holding a party/play date for all of his friends and our friends and the house will be very, very crowded--sometimes such a party has a "Polar Express" theme and of course we will only serve hot chocolate

-an escape with Grandma and Grampa, to a hotel with a pool, no parents, and no rules

"