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.

Friday afternoon at Lake Calhoun

Last Friday we took the kids to the "beach" at a nearby lake at our house.  They love to play in the water and there is a great playground there too.  Afterwards, fish tacos at the Tin Fish, a little take out place on the lake.  What a great night!

Catching up

Its the middle of June already. I can't believe it. Summer always has a way of sneaking up on us out here. There really isn't much of a spring so it always feels like we jump from winter to summer. Life is so good in the summer. Great weather, fresh food, plenty to do. I can't seem to ever get the boys inside, they just love being outdoors. Here are a few pics from the last few months. Sorry it has taken so long to get them posted.

Baby Jake vs. The Hostas

I think the hostas won.  Actually he fell of the back step into the hostas scraping his face on the way down.  Its all better now.  PS.  See my molars back there?

Avery's preschool mother's day program.  They sang songs and made us cards and snacks.  I cried, it was so dang cute!!

New kicks, too small already, these kids are growing like weeds!

Baby Jake before his big boy haircut

Maybe my favorite picture of all time.  Avery riding the race cars at the park at MOA.  A year ago they had to stop the ride to let us off, he was so scared of this ride.  Now he is big enough to ride on his own and clearly he loves it.  

Potty Obsession

A few weeks ago Jake got interested in the potty. I was actually encouraged by this. I thought it could be a sign that he might potty train early (oh how easily we slip back into our old ways). So I enabled it. I started changing his diapers by the potty, letting him pretend to pee in the potty, flush the potty, etc. This mild interest has now turned into an all out obesession.

When I can't find Jake, he is usually doing the one thing I hope he is not doing. These days when I don't know where Jake is, I can't see him or hear him, I usually find him in the bathroom by the potty. He's flushing the toilet over and over again, making his pretend pee sound, tearing off tiny bits of toilet paper until there is nothing left on the roll and throwing it into the potty and flushing some more. Recently I found him brandishing some of his toys over the open potty - a block, a rock, pretty much whatever is nearby. This is when I decided it was time to get the toilet locks.

I couldn't get to Babies R Us to get the locks right away so as a stop gap I put a baby gate on the first floor bathroom. It only works part of the time because Avery never closes it after using the potty and Jake always goes right in there after Avery uses the potty. One day last week I was making lunch and I heard a loud banging in the hallway, I ran out to see what was going on and Jake was trying to crash his car wagon through the gate to get to the potty.

We went to the store on Friday to get the locks. $60 later, screwdriver in hand I set about installing these babies. I had to get a couple of different ones to make sure that Avery could easily open it, so we tested a few and then disassembled the toilet seat. Not too hard. All the while, Jake was standing outside of the bathroom hanging on the gate watching us like his was in his own personal prison. Afterwards we let him in and we has devastated that he could not pry the seat up. He put on an all out temper tantrum on the tiny bathroom floor, it was classic. You would think I took his blankie or binky away for the rest of his life. He just looked at me like, "how could you do this to me?" Since then he has taken to having fits on the floors of public bathrooms, complete with laying his cheek on the floor (or trying to before I scoop him up into my lap while I am trying to pee). Its disgusting really.

I left the gate up on the first floor bathroom. Since becoming a mom my biggest issue is not ever having an privacy during the day, not even being able to go to the bathroom by myself. Somehow this doesn't apply to Kevin, even when it is a daddy day. I finally found a way. By closing the gate and the bathroom door, they can't get in. This doesn't stop them from yelling at me through the door or throwing their toys through the gate at the door, but at least its something.