Artist at Work

James said, "I make another alligator!" (But we're pretty sure it was only coincidence that his painting resembled a gator.)

Skills

We figured it was about time that James started learning a trade. So his hearing therapist has gotten him started on airplane repair, and Grandma is teaching him the fundamentals of dinosaur egg husbandry.

Grandpa Time

Jamesie and Grandpa had some quality time together today!

It was also school picture day, but we did not get a report from the teacher on whether the boys cooperated or not. I guess it will be a surprise.

Grandma made Mike's favorite cake. It turns out that Mattie is also fond of it!

Baby Dash

One of the high points of this weekend was getting to see old friends. The conference was a chance to catch up with grad school friends, and Sunday was the day for college friends! I am so happy that we were all able to get together.

Of course, the person who has changed most since I saw him last was baby Dashiell, or perhaps I should now say toddler Dashiell. He's walking and talking now, and as you can see from the pictures, so cute! He's a very good-natured little guy. (Even thought he didn't exactly nap that afternoon, he was happy to stay in his crib and entertain himself for quite a while, which is almost as good!) It will be fun to have a chance to get him and the twins together one of these days. 

Weekend with the Grandparents

My beloved hubby was supposed to post some pictures while I was gone, but I suppose I can't complain because he was too busy holding down the home front. :)

The boys and grandparents had a great weekend. They went out to the science museum and made it to some of the exhibits we hadn't seen before. (Bears!) I hear the weekend also involved playgrounds and BBQ.

Mike also took advantage of my absence to move the boys into the same room. That is, he put Mattie's crib in the nursery (previously known as James's room), and Mattie slept there all the nights I was gone (not without some crying, but all in all, the transition seemed to go well). Hopefully we can keep it up, as there are many benefits to the new system, not least of which is a much shorter time getting Mattie to sleep.

Grandparent Bonanza

What lucky boys -- more grandparents arrived today! Mike's parents are in town for a while, visiting and helping out since I'll be traveling for work.

James is quite pleased to have his relatives around.  I came home to find him sitting on Grandpa's back (horsie-style), happily watching his television show.  Then, after dinner, the boys went outside.  (You can see that Mattie was enjoying his new broom, a gift from Grandma and Grandpa.)  James headed toward the driveway, and I told him to stop, because I didn't want them wandering all around without their shoes on.  But Grandpa was nicer than Mommy, and let James go ahead.  Jamesie took Grandpa's hand, and turned around to give me a very satisfied smile! 

Mattie and Jamesie both had fun playing hide and seek with Grandma tonight, too.  They needed Daddy's help to find her!

Climbing

On Sunday evening, some of the families from preschool had a get-together at (yet another) new playground. James mastered a new climbing wall, pictured here.  He didn't have to scale over the top -- there was an opening onto the landing near where he was in the fourth picture. (The top photo is Mattie at the top, but he got there using the stairs instead.)

Mattie had a good day at preschool today -- only a tiny bit of crying when he first arrived.  It was raining today, so they got to play in the fellowship hall instead of on the playground.  They were both having a great time when I arrived.  James was driving around in a toy car (they have a whole fleet of them at the preschool): "I turn the wheel!"

James said one of his longest sentences yet on the way home from the grocery store this evening: "I found the moon, over that way!" (Actually, though, it was a streetlight.)  He is talking so much these days.

Mattie is also saying new things every time we turn around.  Today, among others, it was, "You like to see that?"  (offering to show me something), and he asked for a napkin at dinner because "I need to wipe Jamesie's finger."  (He also said, "Jamesie want to eat my pizza" -- but alas, Jamesie did not.)  He said that his bear wanted to wear his cowboy hat, and then put the hat on the bear, laughed, and said, "It's too big for you!"  He found "a little tiny airplane" on the couch, and then said, "Daniel have an orange one!  A different color.  At Daniel's house.  He might let me hold it."  (I might not have that last part exactly right.  Also, I don't think Daniel has an orange airplane. Matthew also said that Daniel had a purple teddy bear that he might hold -- which I think is also not accurate.  So, you can't always believe everything Mattie says.)  Also, he called up Grandma and actually had an imaginary conversation with her on his Elmo phone (in case you were wondering, I think he was asking if she liked peaches).

Pumpkin Patch

We had a great time at the pumpkin patch today. The boys got to go in a corn maze and on a "spooky" hayride. They also like playing on the toy tractors. Ironically, one of the things they were most fascinated with, in the midst of all this nature, was the the little dancing Halloween toys and flowerpots near the ticket booth. Go figure!

(In the bottom picture, James was saying, "Tower, tower" as he was stacking up his pumpkins!)

Cousinly Fun

We enjoyed the beautiful weather at the playground this morning, and we also made a stop at the farmer's market. Lots of the vendors had free samples, a concept which met with great approval from Matthew -- he ate his way through the market!

And we arrived back home just as Auntie Nora, Uncle Adrian, and Cousin Daniel pulled in. Uncle Adrian brought a copy of his brand new book, which has just been published -- congratulations, Uncle Adrian!

P.S.  James greeted me this morning by saying, "I clean up the toys!"  That's a great sentence for lots of reasons!  :)  (Other recent ones: "Brother hold the white bear", "Go ride-rides to the playground.")