Halloween 2013

Happy Halloween!

The best part of this year was the weather.  It was supposed to rain, but the rain held off.  And it was actually quite mild, so the kids didn't even wear jackets this year.  Plus we went north on Speen Street to a little neighborhood right on Lake Cochituate, and had a blast there.  The neighborhood is full of little kids- it's totally idyllic.  

Look!  It's a beautiful ballerina and a scary alien!

See?  Proof that we didn't even need coats outside!  Hanging with some pumpkins...

Three things about this photo.  Natalie insisted that I had to wear butterfly wings.  The things we do for our kids!  Second, after about the third home, Grant took his alien mask on and walked around like this (which was super confusing to the people who were giving out candy - uh, what is he?) and third, please note the red solo cup.  We hit up this one house that had candy for the kids, and beer or wine for the adults.  Sweet!  Now that's my idea of trick or treating!

And of course, here's a picture with Daddy.  Overall, a very successful evening!  We'll definitely be going back to this neighborhood!

Happy 4th Birthday Grant!

Happy 4th birthday little buddy! You got to wear the birthday crown today!

 

I can't believe you're 4 already.  Where has the time gone?  If there ever was a spawn of the little cupcake baked by the devil, it's definitely you. Mostly sweet, sometimes crazy.  Getting into trouble and then putting on your sweetest face so we don't yell at you.  You're cranky when we have to wake you up from your nap though.  And you're cranky if you're hungry, much like your mama!  You're a boy through and through, always talking about things like, "Dump trucks crushing cars" and "Cranes smashing 18 wheelers."  Crash!  Smash!  Raaah!

You are still a lover of trucks.  As you can see from the picture above.  And the picture below.

This crane you got from Nana and Pop Pop is pretty cool.  You're moving the Mystery Machine all around the living room!

 Lately, you've been very into Scooby Doo.  Here you're sporting your new Scooby Doo backpack from Grammi and Bean. You still love the Cars movies, and anything to do with the Might Machines TV show.  You're a good eater and a good sleeper too! 

Loves the icing on cupcakes and chocolate ice cream too.  Hope you had a great birthday little buddy!  We love you SO much!

Fall 2013

 

I just thought the big oak tree in our backyard looked really pretty this season.

Natalie's 6 Year Stats & Height Predictor

Natalie had her 6-year appointment today (ok, we're about 3 months late, but you know how it is getting in to see a doctor for a yearly checkup!)  She is 46.5" tall (3'10 and 1/2") which is in the 58th percentile, and weighs 52#, which is in the 76th percentile.  She's up 3" from last year, and gained 10#!  She had a bit of trouble with the vision in her left eye, but passed her eye test anyway. 

This all got me thinking about how tall she might be as an adult.  I saw online several ways of "predicting" adult height.  Now before you get all crazy saying, "There's no possible way to predict adult height!" - I already know that!  But this is all in good fun.  Hopefully we can come back here in another 20 years and see if it was true!

Some places (ie: Mayo Clinic) say that doubling their height at age 2 is a good indicator.  Grant was 34.75" at 2 years which = about 5'9 and a half! HA!  Natalie was 34" at 2 years which = about 5'8!  So apparently Natalie got Todd's height and Grant got mine?!?!  They also said you could try this: 

- Add the mother's height and the father's height in either inches or centimeters.

- Add 5 inches (13 centimeters) for boys or subtract 5 inches (13 centimeters) for girls.

- Divide by two.

Me = 63" and Todd = 76".  63+76 = 139.  For Grant, +5 = 144/2 = 72" or 6' even.  For Natalie, 139-5"= 134/2 = 67" which is 5'7! 

It says most children will reach their adult height within 4" of this estimation (um... 4" either way is a pretty big differential!) When I was a kid, doctors told my parents I would be 5'6".  I'm actually about 5'3" - and although that falls within their threshold... there's a big difference between 5'6" and 5'3"!

Another "calculator" I played around with said Natalie would be 5'5" and Grant would be a little over 5'10 based on their current height (or Natalie's current height, I used Grant's 3 year statistics and said he was only 3 years old).  My short genes are strong!

So, will Natalie be 5'5", 5'7", or 5'8"?  And will Grant be 5'9 and a half, 5'10" or 6' tall?  Stay tuned!

An Oldie But Goodie

Grant gave me this for Mother's Day.  I haven't laughed this hard in a LONG time!

If you can't read it... it says:

"What is your Mommy's Name?  Momm."

"How old is she?  3."

"What does she do for a job?  Actually, she goes to CrossFit."

"When does your Mommy make you laugh?  She makes roast beef, chicken nuggets and banana."

"What do you like to play with your Mommy?  Trucks."

I seriously was in tears laughing so hard.  Momm.  Extra M for magnificent???  And I'm 3... plus another large number.  I don't really work for a living... I just go to CrossFit.  (He was going through an "actually" phase earlier this year!).  Apparently my cooking is just really, really funny- but I think we all knew that!

Funny Things Kids Say...

The kids say THE funniest things on a daily basis.  I really want to start trying to write them all down. I usually do, in the form of a Facebook post, but let me try to recapture some of them from the past year or so...

10/13/2013:  Going down a bouncy house slide with Grant at the Seaside Festival in Yarmouth today, and I look down to find Grant's underwear on the floor! I check, and sure enough, they're his! Then he laughs and says, "Why does this keep happening???"  (This had happened the night before at Aunt Betty's house- someone has decided he is a "big boy" and should go to the bathroom all by himself!  Which is great, but apparently he needs a lesson in how to re-dress himself!)

9/29/2013:   Moral for today: Even if you have a huge fenced yard, you always need to keep an eye on 3-year-old little boys! Just found Grant outside with our neighbors trash bin emptied out, sitting in the middle of the pile of trash playing with his front loader.

7/20/2013:  This is a Natalie-ism:   Came into the house super frustrated that my watch stopped two times during my two minute double under drill and Natalie goes, "Quick! To calm you down, we need a banana and some almond butter!" Does she know me, or what!?!?

We also went through this phase in the spring and summer titled, "Questions From the Backseat."  We would get in the car, and the kids would start randomly asking the most absurd questions!

This one was from July 4, 2013:  Questions from the back seat (or... Questions from the Philadelphia airport): "What happens when you eat peanut butter crackers?" (From the allergic kid); "Why is Jabba the Hut so fat?" And "Is this a window?"

6/28/2013:   More questions from the backseat: "Is 5 really a number?" And "Are we there yet?" We are still in Natick, on the way to Wellfleet. It's gonna be a long trip.

6/22/2013:   Incessant questions from the backseat include, "What color is next to green?" "Mommy, do you have short sleeves?" and "Is that a loud noise?"

One more from Natalie - and remember:  When you least expect them to be listening to the radio, they are...  May 18: Natalie from the back seat: "I grabbed two girlies and a beer that's cold."  Oh boy!!!!

And last but not least, one from my husband, who is the ultimate funny guy (from May):

Me: Oh hey, Ray Manzarek died.
Todd: Who?
Me: You know, from The Doors!
Todd: Oh! I guess he broke on through to the other side!

Funny Things Kids Say...

The kids say THE funniest things on a daily basis.  I really want to start trying to write them all down. I usually do, in the form of a Facebook post, but let me try to recapture some of them from the past year or so...

10/13/2013:  Going down a bouncy house slide with Grant at the Seaside Festival in Yarmouth today, and I look down to find Grant's underwear on the floor! I check, and sure enough, they're his! Then he laughs and says, "Why does this keep happening???"  (This had happened the night before at Aunt Betty's house- someone has decided he is a "big boy" and should go to the bathroom all by himself!  Which is great, but apparently he needs a lesson in how to re-dress himself!)

9/29/2013:   Moral for today: Even if you have a huge fenced yard, you always need to keep an eye on 3-year-old little boys! Just found Grant outside with our neighbors trash bin emptied out, sitting in the middle of the pile of trash playing with his front loader.

7/20/2013:  This is a Natalie-ism:   Came into the house super frustrated that my watch stopped two times during my two minute double under drill and Natalie goes, "Quick! To calm you down, we need a banana and some almond butter!" Does she know me, or what!?!?

We also went through this phase in the spring and summer titled, "Questions From the Backseat."  We would get in the car, and the kids would start randomly asking the most absurd questions!

This one was from July 4, 2013:  Questions from the back seat (or... Questions from the Philadelphia airport): "What happens when you eat peanut butter crackers?" (From the allergic kid); "Why is Jabba the Hut so fat?" And "Is this a window?"

6/28/2013:   More questions from the backseat: "Is 5 really a number?" And "Are we there yet?" We are still in Natick, on the way to Wellfleet. It's gonna be a long trip.

6/22/2013:   Incessant questions from the backseat include, "What color is next to green?" "Mommy, do you have short sleeves?" and "Is that a loud noise?"

One more from Natalie - and remember:  When you least expect them to be listening to the radio, they are...  May 18: Natalie from the back seat: "I grabbed two girlies and a beer that's cold."  Oh boy!!!!

And last but not least, one from my husband, who is the ultimate funny guy (from May):

Me: Oh hey, Ray Manzarek died.
Todd: Who?
Me: You know, from The Doors!
Todd: Oh! I guess he broke on through to the other side!