Halloween Highlights

Halloween Hangover!!

Visit from Mateo and Uncle Pepper

Mateo and Uncle Pepper came to visit us last month.  We did our best to show them all the great things Minnesota has to offer.  We even sent them home with a parting gift, H1N1 flu.  Well, I think everyone is feeling better by now.

More State Fair Pics

Minnesota State Fair

My favorite, baby lambs, soooo soft

This is right before Jake started sucking on the railing, gross.

Truth be told, the Minnesota State Fair is train wreck.  It's expensive, it's hot, it's crowded.  There is virtually no healthy food and a lot of junky toys that the kids want us to buy.  Also a lot of really really big people not wearing enough clothes.  But we go every year anyway, mostly to see the baby animals.  Also to spend one afternoon eating a lot of really bad, fried food.  

Fishing

Avery and Kevin have been fishing this summer.  They like to go to a small lake by our house.  Avery almost always meets a new friend there.  Its a hot spot for pre-schoolers and their dads.  Last weekend he got up super early and came upstairs to get Kevin up to go fishing.  I don't think there was a "6 on his clock" given the sunrising over lake Harriet.  

More Chicago Pics

American Gothic Sculpture

Life size Moose made of recycled car bumpers.  And Jake having another fit.

Avery with Lego Nanny (and her dog)

Family portraits in the bean sculpture

Millennium Park

Off to the races!

Jake having one of his signature fits, lots of rolling around and kicking, probably some spitting

We called this the bean sculpture, it was super fun!

This interactive fountain features pictures of Chicagoans, sometimes they even spit water.  Right up Jake's alley.  That is the Art Institute in the background, another awesome museum.  We didn't make it there this time.

Museum of Science and Indsutry

This picture is terrible  but that is a full size locomotive and a full size airplane that the kids can play in.  And a rocket powered race car.  This place is awesome!

No joke, this is a full size John Deere Combine and above, a real John Deere farm tractor.  We also got to see a diagram of how much poo a cow produces in a day.  Pretty cool!

Field Museum

Sue!

Crown Play Lab

Music room in the Crown Play Lab (Jake's chewing on his pretend corn)

Dino Dig

Shedd Aquarium

Chicago part 1

Big Pimpin in our swank hotel, thank you Medtronic!

Fine Dining or How to torture yourself and your neighbors for $50

We had an amazing trip to Chicago last weekend.  All in all the boys were great and we got to do A LOT of fun new things.  The only time we had trouble, a lot of trouble, was meal time.  Jake just does not like to sit still for an extended period of time, and being in a new city, not knowing where the "kid friendly" restaurants were, we attempted a lot of "sit down" meals (I use that term loosely). And let me just say this, the concierge's idea of kid friendly and my idea of kid friendly are definitely not one in the same.  Further, Chicago is not a cheap city.  So we spent a lot of money to torture ourselves and our neighbors and not eat very much food.  

Here's how it went down, almost ritualistically, twice a day for four days: 

We go into the restaurant and if we're lucky there's not a wait.  If we're not lucky, I spend the whole time trying to corral Jake, trying to keep him from yelling (he's never been a quiet child) or spitting (his newest form of self expression for anger).

After we get to the table Jake takes his crayons and draws all over whatever is in arm's reach, the placemat, the table, the wall, the chair, etc.  Then he chews on the crayon and spits out the wax. 

After he's done with the crayons, he finds the silverware and begins to bang it on the table and maybe even a plate or glass, as loud as he can.  After I take it away, there is more spitting.   

If I'm thinking ahead, I brought his sippy cup.  If not, he receives a cup with a lid and a straw which he insists on tipping up to drink so the milk dribbles out all over his shirt (usually I have not brought a bib).  Eventually he takes the straw out, chews it up and then throws it down.  Then he tries to drink from the straw hole in the cup, again, milk spilling down his shirt.

Then I usually let him play with the sugar packets.  He wrinkles up and trashes several packets of sugar, equal, splenda, etc.  Then he likes to chew on, bang or throw the container.  I take it away, more spitting.  

Next comes the salt and pepper.  It goes everywhere.  Kevin insists this is better than giving him a sweet snack, like a lollipop or granola bar.  I'm not so sure.  I take it away, more spitting.

After he has exhausted his options,  he likes to stand up in his high chair.  By this time I have to remove him from the table and go for a walk.  Again more spitting, and by now he is yelling the only word he is actually using appropriately - NO NO NO NO NO!!!!  

The food comes.  Jake might take a few bites, but probably throws it on the floor.  One time I actually found a place that served Mac & Cheese but it was scalding hot when it got to the table.  This caused a lot of spitting and crying.  

Finally, we pack up the leftovers for the hotel.  We don't actually ever eat the leftovers, they just stink up the hotel room because we don't have a fridge.

So $50 later, we are out of there, still hungry, aggravated and probably tired.  So there is lots of crying, yelling (NO NO NO!) and spitting on the way out.

Most people are pretty understanding,  But, on the last day some guy actually asked me to make him stop making so much noise.  Right. I should have taken Jake over to his table so he could experience the yelling and spitting up close and personal.  Instead, I just packed up and left.  We went to our room and ordered room service.  That seemed to work a whole lot better for everyone.  

Except maybe for Kevin, I'm not sure if he got the bill yet or not.

I'll miss you

Its been raining the last few days so we have been reverting to our indoor winter activities.  Yesterday while Jake was sleeping we played astronaut in our make shift moving box space shuttle.  Afterwards, when the rain had stopped, we went out to the front porch to have our snack.  Here's the commentary:

Avery: "Astronauts are really smart and really tough."

Me: "Yes, they don't cry when they are scared, they are very brave."

Avery, "I'm going to be brave when I am an astronaut."

Then later - 

Avery, "Mommy, when I go up into outer space, I'm really going to miss you."

Me, "Yes, honey, outer space is really far away."

Avery, "Maybe you and daddy and jake can come along for the ride in my space shuttle?"

Lifetime Tri

Belated Happy 4th of July!!

Here are some pics from the Edina 4th of July parade.  

Awesome hats by Mommy and Nanny!

Visit with Nanny

Nanny came to visit us over the 4th of July weekend.  We had a fun time going to the pool, the MN Zoo and the Walker Sculpture Garden.

Fruits and Veggies

Jake is finally eating fruits and vegetables.  I should clarify, he eats watermelon and corn on the cob now.  But that counts, right?  Especially if he eats 2 corn on the cobs?

Family trip to the MN Zoo

No real animal pics here - unless you count the boys.