Just some pics from November

Folding flags on Veterans Day

Cuddling with Aidan in Cincinnati

Robert & Aidan in bumbo chairs - Robert was reliving his babyhood

Harry really enjoyed the Lego's at Kimberly's house 

Third grade is tiring and sometimes we find Harry asleep surrounded by books at the end of the day :-)

Being three is tiring too - here Robert and Willa are chilling out on the playground :-)

All Hallow's Eve

Well it is now November and I we had a very busy October.  The end of the month was of course Halloween.  Harry was "a mutation" a neat home made costume and Robert was Elmo, a costume I managed to find second hand for which I was grateful for since he wore it one night and probably won't wear again.  Harry tends to use his costumes in imaginary play.  Robert does too - he still likes to wear his cowboy outfit for dress up but the Elmo costume is so specific and not over comfortable.  Still he was a happy soul, that is what he wanted and fortunately we found one that met his approval.

Here are some pictures of the boys on our  Halloween activities.

Getting a ride at the pumpkin patch

R felt that he should load up the wheelbarrow, but he is actually carrying the pumpkin he ended up choosing for his own.

H lays claim to his Spooktacular pumpkin - it ended up looking like a cyclops

Father and son

We got frost so there are 80 green tomatoes on the windowsills around our house -
 hoping at least some will turn red eventually

It's Elmo!

A Mutation roamed our house :-0

First house - already ditched the teeth

Wait for me!

Trick or Treat!

Robert's First Field Trip - a Scavenger Hunt

Found the treasure box - now taking the picture to prove he was there :-)

There it is!

Heading down the path to the find the next treasure box

Mom's turn to help out!

Really another picture?  

Climbing a tree at the picnic

If there is one puddle in a one mile radius a three year old will find it :-)

Maine - our Fall Vacation

The view from our breakfast spot - it was warm enough to eat outside each morning - in Maine - in October - amazing!

Steamers at Barnacle Billy's - a tradition

On the beach

somewhat happy to smile

You're still taking pictures?

Only Dad is holding on to a smile

reflection or 2 Roberts

Waiting for the lobster boat

enjoying the cruise

Apparently the lobster is a Red Sox fan too

Who let the 3 year old drive - maybe you should watch out for those rocks

that's better  - now what does this lever do?

baseball on the Beachmere's wonderful lawn

requisite family picture

family picture - take two

The boys :-)

Could these two possibly be related?

This was our fifth annual trip to Ogunquit over a long October weekend.  We had fabulous weather and two afternoons we could actually spend playing on the beach and wading in the water.  Each year has had different aspects to it.  This year, I had a cast on my leg - a walking cast and I figured out how to take it apart so I could wander barefoot on the beach.  The first year we came, I was expecting Robert, so you could say that he has been going to Maine all along.  That was the first trip that Dad made back to Maine since Mom had died and I remember being worried about how things would go.  It turns out it is just brings back lovely memories of times spent in Maine growing up.  We actually all went to Maine once with Mom and so Kevin always has a rum punch in her honor at Barnacle Billy's.  We have our own family traditions now too.  We go on a lobster trip and eat dinner at Barnacle Billy's.  The boys usually get to choose one toy at the toy shop in town and we spend lots of time playing on the grass in front of the inn and on the beach.  It is a long weekend, but always feels a bit short.  It is one of those places for me that have always brought a feeling of home and of wellness.  I am so happy that I have gotten to share it with Kevin and the boys.

Fall is here

For the past few weeks I have been struggling.  I have a bad cold and I am wearing an aircast on my injured ankle.  I feel like my house isn't quite as clean or tidy as I would like and that my cooking has been quite simple. I am not a perfect housekeeper or stupendous cook at the best of times, but I usually am able to make a better effort.  Despite all that, it has been a good few weeks.  The boys are happy in school and we've had time to do fun things.  Robert's wound is mostly healed and it looks like that although he will have a scar, it shouldn't be too bad.

Robert and I went to a MOPS play date this morning (which I organized) and it was fun and he got some good run around time.  He also fell and scraped his face (landed on his face in the sand - poor soul).  So just as he was healing he has added some new battle scars.  I came home more tired than I wished and with a sore ankle.  So we sat and watched some television while I iced my ankle a bit.  That is what frustrates me - there's so much to do and I have to stop it all to put my foot up.  I know it is silly, but I am struggling and not overly happy that the physical trainer told me this is something that can take up to 3 months to be pain free and longer to be fully healed.  Thank goodness for health insurance.

Well, enough griping.  Somehow despite it all Robert and I are keeping busy and enjoying some things we'd not been doing over the summer.  We have been drawing monsters on the driveway and reading.  He has just about memorized the Pokemon handbook.  Perhaps not the best use of brain space but that is okay.  Robert is a sweet little guy, but he is also asserting his person-hood as a boy and a three year old.  He has definite ideas and things that he wants to do.  He has also learned how to bug his big brother, much to big brother's chagrin.

Harry seems to be enjoying school and he also like cub scouts.  So far this year we have also been to a Lego Club at the library, which he liked and this week he will go to the first meeting of the book club for the 3-4th graders at the library.  He read the book they plan on discussing in about 2 evenings.  He is a big reader these days.  He is still constantly coming up with comics and in the past week or so he has been working on mastering the use of a yo-yo.  I love to see what he is going to come up with next.  He has an eclectic group of interests.

So here are some photos from the past couple of weeks.

My Uncle John & Aunt Shirley were on the QMary II and stopped in Newport, so Dad came down and we met them for lunch.  Unfortunately it was a school day so no Harry.

This was the first time they met Robert and he was an angel at lunch - which made it all quite enjoyable :-)

Here are the boys on a tractor a the local Hey Day Celebrations

R in the maze at the Norman Bird Sanctuary

Our little daredevil as he rides the tractor at the Bird Sanctuary Festival.

Catching up

It has been an eventful couple of weeks since school began.  I haven't been very good about documenting things though.  Harry seems to like 3rd grade and his new teacher.  I actually went in and volunteered yesterday and it was fun to see some familiar and new faces of the kids in his class.  It is really the only time that I am like a rock star for Harry.  That is nice.

Harry won a giant cake at a cake walk at a local event - he was very proud

So far there is less homework this year (or Harry has been pretty good at getting it done)
 so there's been plenty of time for afterschool play

We are back to normal routines and that means life is busy.  Mornings are spent getting folks launched for the day.  Then on some mornings Robert and I have time to play and relax after everybody else is gone, but 2 mornings a week it is just me.  We spend time at the library, we read, do puzzles and play imaginary games.  This week Robert has been catching Pokemon a fair amount.  Last week he was playing with Star Wars characters.  He also likes to get out a wand and play Harry Potter.  As you may note, these are all highly influenced from the interests of his older brother.  He does have some "typical" 3 year old fascinations - trains, monsters, blocks.  But if Harry is around, he wants to do and be like his big brother.

The American Flag is a wonderful toy right now - it is just fun to swing and wave and walk around with.

Daddy is also a favored companion and if the only way to be with him is to follow along as he mows the lawn, well that is what will happen.

As for our various injuries from last Saturday, they are healing.  I haven't been a spry as usual and haven't been to the gym this week, but the PT said I could ride a stationary bike now and so I think I will try that next week.  My ankle is still swollen and sore, so I am a bit constrained in what I can and what I want to do - when I am on my feet too much it gets progressively uncomfortable as the day goes on.  Hopefully it will be over soon.  Robert's wound is healing nicely and he has a bit of a black and blue eye, but it isn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be.

healing nicely

my latest fashion accouterments