Being a witch

I tried on this witch mask for Oak while we shopped at Meijer. Naturally he had to try it on next...
While we're talking witch costumes, Davey told me the other day that he wants me to be a witch for Halloween. "Why a witch?" I asked. "Because when I think of you,  I think of witches," he said. Mom of the year, apparently.

Oktoberfest

Took the boys to Oktoberfest yesterday... great time! The boys got to watch the pig races and dachshund races.. pretty cute by the way. Big Dave and I scarfed down some SCHMIDTS!!! Giant brats on bread, sauerkraut, german potato salad and huge cream puffs. Oh yea and we had some German beer. So here's a big difference between our boys. One of them, Davey, doesn't want to try any new foods. While we ate, he just played with his souvenir toy from the pig races. On the other hand, Oak screamed until we gave him our food. So Oak chowed down on bratwurst with bread, heaps of sauerkraut, and german potato salad. He couldn't get enough of it.

Fishing Buds

Tonight, we walked to the neighborhood pond and the big boys fished for a bit. Oak has to be in on whatever action is happening, especially if it involves Davey. He wants to have what Davey has and do what Davey does. Always. So Oak wouldn't sit still out there... not until big Dave gave him the fishing rod. Then he was happy. And then big brother helped, sorta.

Adventures in grocery shopping

Have to admit: I really like grocery shopping with these two. Yes, they drive me freakin nuts sometimes... Oakley screams, and I mean blood-curdling soprano style, when he wants something and Davey wants to stop, look at and ask to buy anything with wheels on it. But I'm sure I'm no picnic either since it takes me two hours to choose a box of cereal. But the three of us grocery shop three to five times a week and they always make me laugh through it. On this trip to Meijer, Davey insisted we buy a pumpkin - he's been asking for one for a couple weeks now and I finally gave in to buying one...but of course, that became a debate because when I said okay we can get one. Suddenly Davey decided he needed TWO. So in perfect Mom-tone (all my patience were gone) I said, "We get ONE or we get NONE." When I hear these things come out of my mouth, I even roll my eyes. So now we have a beautiful bright orange pumpkin to decorate our front porch... it's festive and I love it. Meijer sells fish and that's a highlight for these two also. I used to think no one could be more excited about the fish than Davey... I was wrong. Oakley goes bananas when he spots them across the store. He's pointing and screaming and bouncing. People stare. So we spend about ten minutes or more parked at the fish tanks describing and talking to the fish. Sometimes Davey asks if we can take one home and I say "Nope. We have Willow." And he says, "but we could have a fish too." And I say "We can only handle one pet. Two kids, one pet, that's it." and then he asks if we can get the fish when Willow dies. The other big excitement at Meijer is Sandy. Sandy is a mechanical horse that kids ride for a penny. So every time after we checkout, I give Davey a penny and he rides Sandy. Oakley has always watched from the cart kind of amazed, but on this trip, for the first time, Oak tried climbing/jumping out of the shopping cart to ride too. So I dug for a second penny and Oak got to ride Sandy. He was like a kid in a candy store on a mechanical horse for the first time.

WATCH: Oak's first steps

These aren't his official "first steps" but they're pretty close. In this video we caught him taking the most steps he's ever successfully taken, which is more than two. Proud!!

Afternoon walk

There's a reason why folks here love September...the mornings start cool to cold and the afternoons heat up to mild and comfortable. The boys and I are out enjoying it with a walk around the neighborhood pond.

WATCH: Oak uses a fork for the first time

First Steps!

Oakley took his first two steps yesterday! All by himself! Dave and I were sitting about three or four feet away from each other and were trying to get Oak to walk back and forth between us. Oakley was giddy and laughing the whole time and was pretty timid to take a step without holding onto our fingers, but finally he took TWO steps all by himself and he laughed his butt off when he did it because he knew he was doing it alone. It was great. We yelled and clapped. All the hoopla made Davey feel a little left out and so he wanted us to help HIM walk, the four-year old. So Dave tackled Davey and tickled him. It's sometimes tough when siblings get all the praise and attention.

Wanna see my dinner?

I'm a chowing down baby! Filling my Buda belly with sweet potatoes with cinnamon and a side of steamed peas, mushrooms and beets. Who's jealous!

Oak's New Word

Oakley is trying very hard to talk... so much so that he speaks gibberish very well. It almost sounds like a foreign language. Yesterday, for the first time, he said "Night Night" to Brother. He waved to Davey when he said it :)  And these are pics of us hanging out in the front yard. Would you look at those awesome dimply thighs!

It's a Super Hero thing

Our son is morphing into a super hero fanatic. Here is what went down yesterday...a cooling eye pack turned into a super hero mask. His dirty clothes hamper lid turned into a super hero shield (HIS idea). And an old shawl of mine got cut into a super hero cape.

Ladies and gents... no villain is safe, no enemy can hide! This Super Hero will make 'em laugh til they cry! (that would be his catch phrase, every hero has one)

Rub a dub dub

Can't get enough of these two baby boys being silly in their bubble bath.

...with a capital T

I admit, I should have said 'No' and picked him off the dishwasher. Instead, I ran to grab my camera to take a picture. Look at that face... he knows he's up to no good. (Cue his daddy's shocked/not happy reaction in 3, 2, 1...)

Oakman LOVES the slide

Took the boys to a playground and I'm learning that Oak's big time fave is the slide. He's a fan really of everything there, the swings, tunnels, climbing things, etc. But he wants to slide over and over and over and over and over until your arms fall off.

Back to back bath buds

They have the whole tub to play around in, but this is where they stay... It doesn't bother them that they're flat-back up against each other. They like being close to Brother. They are such good buds!

Wild little boys

What good are wicker baskets if not to climb in like wild monkeys? "You don't mind do you, mommy?"

My two wagoneers

Here are my wagon buddies...I pulled these two cuties to Kroger for a few things this afternoon. Good exercise for me and lots of fun for them. Davey and I talked the whole way there and the whole way home. He wants us to find Mr. Fantastic (comic book super hero with a stretchy neck) so he can help Davey find his missing slinky.

Library storytime

Here's what we're up to this Thursday morning. That's Davey Tre in the striped shirt sitting and listening to library storytime.

"I just love school so much!"

Our big boy David is doing fantastic in school. Each day he asks whether it's a school day and if we reply 'yes' then he yells 'YAY!' He is the first one out of bed on school mornings. Actually, he's the first person out of bed any morning. But on school mornings, in particular, he's very bubbly and eager to get moving. Here are the stories we've heard from him about preschool...not verbatim, but these are the stories as told by Davey:

FIRST DAY: He learned rules of the class: listening ears, quiet mouth. He learned 'criss cross applesauce', which he eagerly demonstrated:

It's sitting quietly, hands in lap, legs crossed. 

(Found it interesting to learn they don't call it Indian style anymore.)

FIRST DAY CONTINUED: Before walking outside the classroom to go to the gym, the teachers had the students line up and the teachers explained they were going to blow colorful pretend bubbles to the students. Each student was to catch a pretend bubble and put it in their mouths and hold them there until they got back to the classroom and then they could remove the pretend bubbles. Davey thought this was really cool.

SECOND DAY: Apparently, the teachers didn't do the pretend bubbles so when they all got back to the classroom, Davey let the teacher know she forgot to do the bubbles. (Probably not the Teacher's Pet?) When we ask him how do you like school? He replies, "I just love school so much!" "I want to go to school for 100 days!"

THIRD DAY: The teacher read a book about God. He learned that God sees everything we do and knows everything we do. They played outside on the playground and that was "definitely the best part of school!"

FOURTH DAY: Davey had outstanding behavior so his clip with his name on it was moved up to the color purple, which means he gets two stamps on his hands and can pick a treat/toy from the basket. He chose a yellow bracelet. He was very proud of it. Also, they read a book about food. He learned that food is special and we are different than food. Their snack was Go-gurt (yogurt in a squeeze tube) but Davey wouldn't eat it so instead he ate "colorful fish crackers".

FIFTH DAY: It's red day, so he wore his red Lightning McQueen shirt and red fireman rain boots to school. The teacher read a book about God. He learned that God made everything. God used his hands to separate things.(??)  Again, they had go-gurt as a snack but he wouldn't eat it because (as he told the teacher) he only eats yogurt "if it's stuck inside cottage cheese". He ate bear crackers (Teddy Grahams) instead.

Also, this morning we heard some interesting feedback from one of Davey's teachers about him. When big Dave dropped Davey off at school, his teacher said that they really enjoy having Davey in class. She said they get a kick out of how demonstrative he is when he talks. They are amused by his vocabulary and the words he uses to explain things. She said he's one of the funniest kids in the class.

WATCH: Night Night Oakley

I took a video of rocking chair time with my little Oakman. Before bed we usually read a book or two and talk together. We're learning where to find our nose and eyes and how to blow kisses. He just started blowing kisses a week ago. Sorry the video quality isn't that great but you can hear him babbling and trying to blow kisses.

Oakley's Halloween Costume

You won't believe what I found at the store today. Oakley is needing some cooler weather clothes (and bigger clothes) so I went to a kids resale shop that I like to shop. Check out what I found...

It's a faux leather jacket size 12 months! How perfect is this. (Also it was just $6 so momma happy) This makes Oak's Halloween easy peezy. All we now is some hair gel, baby jeans, and a white undershirt. Boom we got ourselves Danny Zuko from Grease. Or Elvis! or James Dean!

Train museum

Our sweet boy Davey Tre has been asking us for weeks, maybe even months, if we can go to the train museum. It's a pretty far drive since its just outside Cincinnati, about two hrs away. But today we made our son, both sons actually, very very happy. The boys had an absolutely fantastic time. (can you tell from the pic?) We knew Tre would enjoy it but we were surprised by how happy, excited and playful Oakley was during the whole three hours we were there. We all had fun...great trip!

Big Boy David Off to Preschool!

This morning went really well. Davey Tre was very excited about his first day of school. Last night he kept saying, "I want to go to school Tonight!" After he was tucked into bed, I went back in to check on him later...he was still awake and the first thing he said when I walked in his room was, "I really want to go to school right now." (Think he'll still feel this way in high school?) He woke up this morning and eagerly started the tasks on the morning routine chart I made him....even making his bed. He had an absolutely 100% positive attitude about going to school. Zero nerves, zero worries, zero sadness. It was big Dave and me who had to be nudged out the door to finally leave the school. We just kept lingering outside the classroom door. Honestly, I want to sit in the back of the classroom and watch. I want to see him blossom and lead and interact and learn and I want to witness that happen. I also want to be there to problem solve for him. What if he has to go the bathroom but doesn't know how to raise his hand and just ask? What if he needs help explaining something to somebody? What if nobody listens when he's trying to say something? What if he gets his feelings hurt? I feel like I should be there to police all this. He could really use an expert like me. I've been that for him for four years. I've been his teacher. I've been the loyal ear enjoying all his silly and serious stories. I'm the laugher at his jokes, even when he messes up the punch line. I'm his translator for people he just meets. I'm his personal assistant, carrying drinks and snacks should he ever feel thirsty or hungry. But I can feel a subtle separation happening in my role as his mommy. Admittedly, it feels somewhat great. And simultaneously feels like a pulling, tearing apart of my soul. It hurts deep deep down. But I'm proud, very very proud of him. His adoring Daddy certainly is too.