Pretty Shoes

Evan loves shoes. He likes to try on everyone else's shoes and stomp or shuffle around the house in them. He's got it made, too, being the smallest-footed member of the family. He can pretty much get into any shoes he comes across in our home. On the Sunday following Thanksgiving, we pulled out the Christmas decorations and Laura hung the four (colorful) family stockings on the mantle (with care). Evan walked into the room a short while later and lit up like a mini-Christmas tree... "LOOK! LOOK THAT SHOES!" Laura encouraged him, "Those are Christmas stockings, baby!" Evan replied, "That Daddy's shoes! Daddy's pretty shoes!"

Let's Celebrate!

Nathan is really into celebrating. Just within the last month, we've had a variety of parties and celebrations: Trick-or-Treating, Nathan's birthday party at school, Nathan's birthday party at home, Thanksgiving, Evan's birthday, and just a few days later, we're starting our Christmas celebration. Nathan sang happy birthday to Evan every time we shared birthday cake until it was gone. He woke us up on Thanksgiving morning, shouting, "Mommy! Daddy! Today is Thanksgiving Day! Let's CELEBRATE!" The Sunday afterward, we returned from church and Laura pulled a few Christmas decorations out. Nathan inquired about the contents of the various boxes. "These are our Christmas decorations," Laura replied. "YAY! CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS! HEY, you guys! Let's put up our Christmas decorations and our CHRISTMAS TREE!! AND LIGHTS!! LET'S CELEBRATE!!" I hope our decorations can survive our boys' enthusiasm!

You're Fired!

During the candle episode (previous post), Nathan was trying to figure out the safety on the grill lighter I was using. "How does this work, daddy?" Figuring that he couldn't do it even if I showed him how, I demonstrated the dual action trigger and let him try. Thankfully, he couldn't do it. I showed him again, and answered his series of questions as to where the fire comes from. Then he held the lighter as if he were lighting it and stated, "Mommy said she's gonna fire a girl at work today!" (I think he overheard her venting about someone)

candles or cake?

I sat Nathan and Evan down with the last two pieces of Evan's birthday cake, and handed each of them a fork. Nathan dug into his, while Evan fussed incoherently about something. I say "incoherently", because I could not understand him. Nathan, however, informed me that he thought Evan wanted a candle on his cake. I wasn't sure, so I put a little one on there and lit it. Evan smiled and laughed real big before blowing it out and excitedly requesting, "do it again!" After a few blow-outs, he was satisfied. Nathan finished up his piece of cake, as Evan begged to play with the candle. "No, buddy, eat your cake," I instructed. Nope. He didn't want the cake - he just wanted the candle.

Cowboy and the Cow

I took the boys "trick-or-treating" on Halloween night with my sister and her daughter. They had a blast! Neither of them really cared about filling up their bags - they just wanted to eat what they got immediately (they're novices). Down one block and back was all they needed, and about all I could handle since Evan would throw himself on the ground and roll around laughing about every other house. Hey, he was dressed as a cow - maybe he was "tipping" himself! Enjoy the pics...

4 YEARS ALREADY!!

Nathan celebrated his fourth birthday on Sunday. He had a party at "school" with his friends on Friday, complete with a Tonka Truck cookie cake...

Construction was the theme of this year's celebration and the cake we had at the house on Sunday had three different construction trucks moving "dirt" icing all over the place. Nathan racked up on assorted dump trucks, loaders, graders, cranes, etc. They came in "Hot Wheels" size all the way up to the Tonka Mightiest Dump Truck from Paw-Paw and Nana Peck, which Evan could almost ride in! (Sorry - no pics yet, as I was busy with the video camera for most of the day.) He got a cool neck pillow for reading in bed and a Backyardigans sticker book from his Great-Aunt Ginny, along with some fun sidewalk chalk tools. Nathan's already planning his shopping spree with his birthday money from Grandma and Grandad Soldner, Granny and Grandpa Hazlewood, and Great-Grandma Peck. Tinkertoys are at the top of his list, followed by some lego-type building blocks and a fire truck. I'm planning on giving him a year's supply of vitamins for Christmas, so he'll have the energy to play with all his stuff!

The one thing he's been wanting since he first laid eyes on a real one is a Mustang. Every time we see one, he let's us know where it is, what color it is, and if it's a convertible. He knows the new models from the old models, and he's been for a ride in both Uncle Brad's and Grandpa Lew's Mustangs. He was so excited when he saw his Mustang, that he almost ran away in disbelief. Once he got in it, he punched the "gas" and wouldn't let up - sending Nana and Aunt Ginny running for their lives before he crashed into the front of our Impala, wheels still spinning. He quickly figured out that you have to stop pushing on the "gas" pedal to stop. We went for a walk later Sunday evening while Nathan and Evan cruised in his new ride, playing with the stereo and having a blast...

Let's put on some music!

Boys! Don't fight over the radio!

Hey Uncle Brad and Grandpa Lew!

My GT is a convertible!

Mouse-Ka-Poopy

Evan has a new favorite buddy. It's a 12-inch Mickey Mouse plush doll. He gives him "nose kisses" and hugs. He runs down the hall with him, yelling, "He's coming! He's coming!" He "shares" his snacks with him, which is why his nose has a peanut buttery scent (hey, there's a marketing idea - "Peanut Butter Mickey"). Evan also believes the philosophical statement, "I eat, therefore I poop," applies to Mickey! Last night, he and Mickey were playing while I was helping Nathan get dressed for bed. I looked over to see Evan peek inside the back of Mickey's shorts (he's such a modest mouse). Caught up in he and Mickey's world, he took a Kleenex and began to wipe Mickey's "booty". "Whatcha doin', Evan?" I asked. "He got poopy!" (I thought for a second, "Mickey's got his "mouse-ka-teers", his "mouse-ka-tools", etc., but I've never heard anything about "mouse-ka-poopy") "Well, son, he's your mouse, you clean him up!" He did - laughing the whole time! Thankfully, the only mouse poopy in our house is imaginary!