Well tonight Evan had some silly socks of his own!
Struttin' in his silly socks
Evan just needs some shin guards and cleats and he'll be ready for soccer
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Silly Socks!
I have a pair of Adidas socks that I cut the toes off of so that I can paint my toenails in the winter without freezing my feet. Evan calls them my silly socks. I also have other pairs of socks with the same Adidas logo that I wear to work out. Every time Evan sees that logo, he says "Silly socks!"
Well tonight Evan had some silly socks of his own!
Well tonight Evan had some silly socks of his own!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Uses for a Step Stool
Evan has found many uses for a step stool lately.
To inspect the ceiling
To sit on
To inspect the walls
To try to climb the walls like Spiderman
And the best use of all...to reach the brownies on the counter while mom and dad are in the other room
Turkey!
Memorial Day Weekend with the WPI Girls
We had a busy weekend with some of mommy's good friends from college. The Green's had planned a trip to MA from England and so we convinced (it wasn't really that hard to do) the Kempler's to come for a visit from DC. Evan and I spent last Monday at the Green's beach house on Plum Island with Nicole. It wasn't your typical beautiful beach day but it was still nice enough to be outside and for the kids to play in the sand and the water. Evan had a great time playing with Henry and Charlie, who is just a bit too little to really play with the bigger boys.
On Friday, we hosted a BBQ for 7 little boys and their parents, as well as Adria, Avi and Nicole. All of the boys played well together even if it was tough at times for Evan to understand that not everyone plays with his toys the same way as he does. Once the sun came out and it was warm enough, we filled up the water table, which all the boys enjoyed. Adria, Avi, Nicole, Mommy, Daddy and Evan enjoyed a nice relaxing evening by the fire that included s'mores! It was the first time we had a fire when Evan was still awake and while it made me a little nervous, he had a great time!
Saturday, we and our house guests had a lazy start to the day before heading back to Plum Island for another gathering at the beach house. It was a hot and humid day, perfect for spending the evening on the beach. Again, Evan enjoyed playing with Henry who has the cutest little English accent. (Charlie was already in bed this time.) After dinner, the boys had fun playing on the deck, running around with toys and wearing silly hats! We really wish that the Green's and Kempler's lived closer to us because it is always so much fun when we can see them! Such a wonderful weekend with great friends!
On Friday, we hosted a BBQ for 7 little boys and their parents, as well as Adria, Avi and Nicole. All of the boys played well together even if it was tough at times for Evan to understand that not everyone plays with his toys the same way as he does. Once the sun came out and it was warm enough, we filled up the water table, which all the boys enjoyed. Adria, Avi, Nicole, Mommy, Daddy and Evan enjoyed a nice relaxing evening by the fire that included s'mores! It was the first time we had a fire when Evan was still awake and while it made me a little nervous, he had a great time!
Saturday, we and our house guests had a lazy start to the day before heading back to Plum Island for another gathering at the beach house. It was a hot and humid day, perfect for spending the evening on the beach. Again, Evan enjoyed playing with Henry who has the cutest little English accent. (Charlie was already in bed this time.) After dinner, the boys had fun playing on the deck, running around with toys and wearing silly hats! We really wish that the Green's and Kempler's lived closer to us because it is always so much fun when we can see them! Such a wonderful weekend with great friends!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Fun with Birthday Toys
Evan has been having lots of fun over the last couple of weeks playing with his new birthday toys. He received lots of great gifts for both inside and outside and it has been fun watching him explore and play.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Uncle Bob's Cabin
We have been talking about visiting Uncle Bob's cabin again for years but never actually picked a time to do it and make it work. We had decided that we would take a couple of days to go up while Omi and Grandpa were visiting but we weren't sure if the weather was going to cooperate or not. Well it did so we did and we had a great time!
We arrived mid-day on Thursday and were greeted by Uncle Bob and Bumpa. They had gone up on Wednesday to take care of a few things and then met us to give us the run down and usage instructions. After getting a little bit settled and a quick lunch, we went out for a quick hike up Rollins Ridge Road. Due to the amount of rainfall from the previous days, this ended up being a rather short hike. We took the afternoon to enjoy the peace and quiet of the cabin.
On Friday, after a pancake and bacon breakfast (during which the fire alarm went off and said "Fire! Fire! Fire!" a couple of times - this was quite exciting for Evan), we hiked the Baldface Circle Trail to Emerald Pool. It was a rather easy hike but it was just perfect for mommy being six and a half months pregnant. We spent some time relaxing by the water, admiring the waterfalls and letting Evan play in the chilly water. It was a perfect place to take Evan for a couple of reasons. Besides the fact that he loved hiking with daddy and playing in the water, it is located in the Evans Notch area of the White Mountain National Forest. Also, the pool truly is the color of emeralds, which are Evan's birthstone.
After our hike back to the car, we drove a bit further up 113 to the Basin Brook Reservoir. We had a picnic lunch overlooking the reservoir and then spent some time on the water canoeing and kayaking. It was a picture perfect day with gorgeous blue sky and plenty of sun! Evan had fun in the canoe (almost went for a swim once!) and LOVED kayaking with daddy! He is certainly a big fan of outdoor adventures, just like his dad! I am sure there are lots of camping trips in their future.
Saturday was another beautiful day and after packing up and closing up the cabin, we attempted to find Diana's Bath. We relied on our GPS to get us there, which in hindsight was not the smartest thing to do. Instead of finding the baths, we arrived at a location where lots of people go to rock climb. We stayed for a little while to check out the view and explore a little bit but we were all getting hungry and wanted to stop for lunch. We ate at the Muddy Moose in North Conway before getting on the road and heading home. It was a quick trip to NH but we were able to pack in quite a few things in a short amount of time. Evan certainly enjoyed his first trip to Uncle Bob's cabin and I am certain that we will be going back quite a few times over the next few years!
We arrived mid-day on Thursday and were greeted by Uncle Bob and Bumpa. They had gone up on Wednesday to take care of a few things and then met us to give us the run down and usage instructions. After getting a little bit settled and a quick lunch, we went out for a quick hike up Rollins Ridge Road. Due to the amount of rainfall from the previous days, this ended up being a rather short hike. We took the afternoon to enjoy the peace and quiet of the cabin.
On Friday, after a pancake and bacon breakfast (during which the fire alarm went off and said "Fire! Fire! Fire!" a couple of times - this was quite exciting for Evan), we hiked the Baldface Circle Trail to Emerald Pool. It was a rather easy hike but it was just perfect for mommy being six and a half months pregnant. We spent some time relaxing by the water, admiring the waterfalls and letting Evan play in the chilly water. It was a perfect place to take Evan for a couple of reasons. Besides the fact that he loved hiking with daddy and playing in the water, it is located in the Evans Notch area of the White Mountain National Forest. Also, the pool truly is the color of emeralds, which are Evan's birthstone.
After our hike back to the car, we drove a bit further up 113 to the Basin Brook Reservoir. We had a picnic lunch overlooking the reservoir and then spent some time on the water canoeing and kayaking. It was a picture perfect day with gorgeous blue sky and plenty of sun! Evan had fun in the canoe (almost went for a swim once!) and LOVED kayaking with daddy! He is certainly a big fan of outdoor adventures, just like his dad! I am sure there are lots of camping trips in their future.
Saturday was another beautiful day and after packing up and closing up the cabin, we attempted to find Diana's Bath. We relied on our GPS to get us there, which in hindsight was not the smartest thing to do. Instead of finding the baths, we arrived at a location where lots of people go to rock climb. We stayed for a little while to check out the view and explore a little bit but we were all getting hungry and wanted to stop for lunch. We ate at the Muddy Moose in North Conway before getting on the road and heading home. It was a quick trip to NH but we were able to pack in quite a few things in a short amount of time. Evan certainly enjoyed his first trip to Uncle Bob's cabin and I am certain that we will be going back quite a few times over the next few years!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Two Year Photo Shoot
Hard to believe that we are already taking two-year old pictures but time flies when you are having fun! Sometimes I think we might be having too much fun because it is flying too fast! I haven't yet chosen photos to print or picked favorites. Feel free to choose yours and leave a comment to let me know which you like best.
Happy Mother's Day!
What a beautiful day to celebrate lots of special moms! Today started with what is becoming tradition in our house...omelets and mimosas made by Daddy and Grandpa. After a delicious brunch, we headed out to the New England Wild Flower Society's Garden in the Woods in Framingham. It is a place we had never been to but had been talking about going for quite some time. We walked through the gardens, exploring the main trail, making a couple of stops along the way to let Evan run around, have a couple of photo shoots and have a snack. When we were done exploring the gardens and seeing all of the plants, we went to the garden shop to purchase a few native plants for our own garden. They will be a great addition to some of the plants already established.
For the second part of the day, we went to Uncle Dan and Auntie Karin's house for a family Mother's Day gathering. As always, the boys had fun playing together and running around. Uncle Dan and Daddy went to Iggy's to pick up some chowder and clamcakes, which was great because no one (especially the mom's) had to cook, plus I was craving some yesterday! A perfect RI weekend...chowder, clamcakes and Del's (yesterday at the zoo)!
For the second part of the day, we went to Uncle Dan and Auntie Karin's house for a family Mother's Day gathering. As always, the boys had fun playing together and running around. Uncle Dan and Daddy went to Iggy's to pick up some chowder and clamcakes, which was great because no one (especially the mom's) had to cook, plus I was craving some yesterday! A perfect RI weekend...chowder, clamcakes and Del's (yesterday at the zoo)!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
RWP Zoo with Omi & Grandpa
After a weeks worth of projects around the house, I decided that this weekend was going to be a fun one. To kick it off, today we went to Roger Williams Park Zoo. Evan and I had been last summer with Amy, Keaney and Kingston but Daddy, Omi and Grandpa had never been. It was a beautiful day and it wasn't too crowded, despite the fact that mom's were admitted for free. There were a few extra events in honor of Mother's Day, including a DJ near the food court and some games for the kids. Evan loved dancing, trying to hula hoop and also played the bean bag toss game. Mommy found some money, which was exciting and will make date night tonight even more fun!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
QT with Grandpa
Grandpa Bob has spent much of his time here working in the basement which has been a HUGE help but we did make sure we didn't work him too hard so that he could enjoy a little one-on-one time with his grandson.
Reading Froggy Goes to the Doctor with Grandpa before dinner
What a silly froggy, Grandpa!
Having Grandpa here visiting is fun!
Monkey Pops!
There have been lots of extra special sweet treats this week as we work to finish up leftovers from the party. Plus, it's not everyday that a super special little boy turns two!
Look at my monkey pop, Mom
Taking a big bite...
Or at least trying too...they're a little hard to bite!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Silly Chicken!
For a while now, Bruce has been wanting to make a beer can chicken. While we were in Florida, I picked up a stand that you put the can into and then place the chicken on top for grilling. Tonight, we made the beer can chicken, which Evan dubbed as "Silly Chicken". Pretty appropriate, I think!
Silly chicken, prepped and ready for grillin'
Monday, May 7, 2012
Happy 2nd Birthday!
Dear Evan,
Happy second birthday! I can't believe how quickly the last two years have flown by and how much you have changed in the last year. You started walking just after you turned one and never looked back. Now you scamper, run, gallop, and jump everywhere you go. You are so full of life and energy that it often amazes me, especially on those days where you eat next to nothing. Where do you get your energy from?
You love to play outside. You explore the yard, looking for rocks, branches and leaves. You dig in the dirt, veggie garden and rock gardens with your shovels and rakes. You look under the deck for hidden treasures. You help mom weed and help dad dig up roots. You love to blow bubbles and draw with chalk on the patio. You are daddy's little helper when he does work on the cars, in the yard and especially when he mows the lawn!
You love to play with tools, both ones designed for you and Daddy's. Everyday you fix something with your drills, hammers, wrenches, and screwdrivers. You share your tools with mom, dad and George so that we can help fix too. Sometimes you use the nails and screws from your tool bench and toolbox. Other times you use pretend ones.
You love to play with balls of every kind...plastic balls, ping pong balls, soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, baseballs, bouncy balls. You throw well enough that we are starting to limit the balls that we can play with in the house. You kick and run after the balls sometimes but you prefer to hit the balls with paddles (just like daddy!) or with a bat. You can catch a ball when one is thrown to you and you hit quite well. You love to play golf at Papa & Gramma's house.
You also love to sing, dance and entertain! You have two guitars, a keyboard piano and two microphones that you play with every day. You often turn other objects into microphones as well. You like to drum on the floor, buckets and your legs while you sing and dance around. Your favorite songs are Wheels on the Bus; ABCs; Twinkle, Twinkle; Itsy Spider; and Happy Birthday but you know quite a few others as well. When we drive in the car, if the radio is off, you ask us to turn it on. Or if there is a commercial, you request music. You often sing along (with your own song) to whatever we have on at home or in the car. You love, love, love to dance and jump around when music is playing, always entertaining everyone around.
You like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Winnie the Pooh, Lightening McQueen and some other Disney movies but you LOVE Curious George! He is your best pal! You snuggle him when you sleep and at various other times during the day. You feed him, play ball with him and take care of him like we take care of you. You give him good night kisses and read to him before you put him to bed.
You are a pretty good eater, although you don't always like to take the time to sit and eat. You eat better in the morning and at lunch than you do for dinner. You love fruit of all kinds, especially raspberries. You like veggies - frozen peas and carrots, broccoil, green beans, cucumbers and tomatoes are your favorites. You eat a fair amount of dairy including yogurt, cheese and milk. You drink a gallon of milk every 3-4 days by yourself!
You are a very sweet little boy, with a great big brain and heart. You show great concern for others when they are upset or hurt by sharing the things that make you feel better...a tissue, a blanket, and often even George. You give wonderful kisses and squeezes to most anyone who asks, and even often when they do not. Your vocabulary is quite advanced for a two year old which makes communicating with you often quite easy, even if there are still times when you cry and get upset rather than simply asking or telling us what you need. You say some of the cutest things and make amazing connections between things you see and hear. You can count to ten, although you prefer 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 blast off! And can recite your ABC's from A to Z with just a little help. You remember so much of what you see and hear, even if you only see or hear it one time. We try to teach you as much as we can and explain things to you in a way that you can understand. You amaze us every day!
You have changed our lives in so many ways that I can't even begin to explain. (You will understand when you have children of your own.) I told dad just the other day that this is such a fun age for you that I almost wish we could stop time for a little while. I am so proud of all the things you can do and hope that I am taking good enough mental notes so that my memories don't fade over time. I love to watch you learn and figure things out with that big brain of yours. I hope you never lose your desire for knowledge.
While part of me wants to stop time for a little while and keep you this age, part of me is so excited for all that is to come. I know that with every new day, there will also be a new learning experience. I know that this summer will be full of fun and excitement. I know that you will continue to be a wonderful friend and cousin and that you will soon be the best big brother to your little brother. I see in you so many wonderful things for your future and while part of me is a little sad that you are already growing up and gaining independence so quickly, another part of me is so excited for all that is to come! We love you more than you will ever know and will always be here for whatever you need...always!
Happy birthday, sweet boy! Thank you for the most amazing two years! Can't wait to see what the next one brings!
I love you!
Love always,
Mom.
Happy second birthday! I can't believe how quickly the last two years have flown by and how much you have changed in the last year. You started walking just after you turned one and never looked back. Now you scamper, run, gallop, and jump everywhere you go. You are so full of life and energy that it often amazes me, especially on those days where you eat next to nothing. Where do you get your energy from?
You love to play outside. You explore the yard, looking for rocks, branches and leaves. You dig in the dirt, veggie garden and rock gardens with your shovels and rakes. You look under the deck for hidden treasures. You help mom weed and help dad dig up roots. You love to blow bubbles and draw with chalk on the patio. You are daddy's little helper when he does work on the cars, in the yard and especially when he mows the lawn!
You love to play with tools, both ones designed for you and Daddy's. Everyday you fix something with your drills, hammers, wrenches, and screwdrivers. You share your tools with mom, dad and George so that we can help fix too. Sometimes you use the nails and screws from your tool bench and toolbox. Other times you use pretend ones.
You love to play with balls of every kind...plastic balls, ping pong balls, soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, baseballs, bouncy balls. You throw well enough that we are starting to limit the balls that we can play with in the house. You kick and run after the balls sometimes but you prefer to hit the balls with paddles (just like daddy!) or with a bat. You can catch a ball when one is thrown to you and you hit quite well. You love to play golf at Papa & Gramma's house.
You also love to sing, dance and entertain! You have two guitars, a keyboard piano and two microphones that you play with every day. You often turn other objects into microphones as well. You like to drum on the floor, buckets and your legs while you sing and dance around. Your favorite songs are Wheels on the Bus; ABCs; Twinkle, Twinkle; Itsy Spider; and Happy Birthday but you know quite a few others as well. When we drive in the car, if the radio is off, you ask us to turn it on. Or if there is a commercial, you request music. You often sing along (with your own song) to whatever we have on at home or in the car. You love, love, love to dance and jump around when music is playing, always entertaining everyone around.
You like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Winnie the Pooh, Lightening McQueen and some other Disney movies but you LOVE Curious George! He is your best pal! You snuggle him when you sleep and at various other times during the day. You feed him, play ball with him and take care of him like we take care of you. You give him good night kisses and read to him before you put him to bed.
You are a pretty good eater, although you don't always like to take the time to sit and eat. You eat better in the morning and at lunch than you do for dinner. You love fruit of all kinds, especially raspberries. You like veggies - frozen peas and carrots, broccoil, green beans, cucumbers and tomatoes are your favorites. You eat a fair amount of dairy including yogurt, cheese and milk. You drink a gallon of milk every 3-4 days by yourself!
You are a very sweet little boy, with a great big brain and heart. You show great concern for others when they are upset or hurt by sharing the things that make you feel better...a tissue, a blanket, and often even George. You give wonderful kisses and squeezes to most anyone who asks, and even often when they do not. Your vocabulary is quite advanced for a two year old which makes communicating with you often quite easy, even if there are still times when you cry and get upset rather than simply asking or telling us what you need. You say some of the cutest things and make amazing connections between things you see and hear. You can count to ten, although you prefer 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 blast off! And can recite your ABC's from A to Z with just a little help. You remember so much of what you see and hear, even if you only see or hear it one time. We try to teach you as much as we can and explain things to you in a way that you can understand. You amaze us every day!
You have changed our lives in so many ways that I can't even begin to explain. (You will understand when you have children of your own.) I told dad just the other day that this is such a fun age for you that I almost wish we could stop time for a little while. I am so proud of all the things you can do and hope that I am taking good enough mental notes so that my memories don't fade over time. I love to watch you learn and figure things out with that big brain of yours. I hope you never lose your desire for knowledge.
While part of me wants to stop time for a little while and keep you this age, part of me is so excited for all that is to come. I know that with every new day, there will also be a new learning experience. I know that this summer will be full of fun and excitement. I know that you will continue to be a wonderful friend and cousin and that you will soon be the best big brother to your little brother. I see in you so many wonderful things for your future and while part of me is a little sad that you are already growing up and gaining independence so quickly, another part of me is so excited for all that is to come! We love you more than you will ever know and will always be here for whatever you need...always!
Happy birthday, sweet boy! Thank you for the most amazing two years! Can't wait to see what the next one brings!
I love you!
Love always,
Mom.
Our big boy, so full of life! Happy birthday, Pal! We love you!
Evan is Two!
It is hard for me to believe that it has already been two years since we first laid eyes on our little guy. It seems like just yesterday that I held him for the first time. Then I think about all that has happened over the last two years and it seems impossible that all of that could have happened in just two years! Today was a rather low-key day at home with mom, dad, Omi and Grandpa. We had hoped to be able to take a few hours to do something special but unfortunately today is the only day this week that it isn't supposed to rain so Daddy and Grandpa needed to take advantage of the nice weather to do some painting for the basement. Even though we didn't do anything "special" to celebrate, Evan still had a fun day playing in the yard and with his new toys!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Curious George Birthday Party
Today we celebrated our little monkey about to turn two with a party themed by another little monkey, Curious George. Curious George and Evan have been best buddies for the last two years and have shared lots of experiences together. Evan would take George everywhere he went if we let him. Even if George isn't there "in person" to share an experience, Evan tells him all about it. When planning his second birthday party, I was originally thinking of a Cars and Lightening McQueen theme but then I thought if we were ever going to have a Curious George party, this was the year. Who knows...next year Evan might be too old for George.
We tried to keep it to a reasonable size so as not to overwhelm our little guy. We had eight little ones, ages 5 and under, as well as 13 adults. Thankfully the weather was nice enough that the kids could spend most of the afternoon outside. Evan was tired from all the playing and needed to nap for a couple of hours in the middle of his party so that he could enjoy his monkey cupcakes and open his presents. Thank you to everyone who attended and shared Evan's special day!
We tried to keep it to a reasonable size so as not to overwhelm our little guy. We had eight little ones, ages 5 and under, as well as 13 adults. Thankfully the weather was nice enough that the kids could spend most of the afternoon outside. Evan was tired from all the playing and needed to nap for a couple of hours in the middle of his party so that he could enjoy his monkey cupcakes and open his presents. Thank you to everyone who attended and shared Evan's special day!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
The Littlest Vacuumer
We have been working this week to get ready for Evan's birthday party on Sunday. There has been quite a bit to do due to the construction in the basement and the remodeling of what will be Evan's new big boy room. Evan has been helping in every way he can...including taking almost a four hour nap yesterday AND today and vacuuming...actually vacuuming! Such a good little helper! He did a great job, don't you think?
Making English Muffin Pizzas
What kid, and adult for that matter, doesn't love English muffin pizzas? Tonight Evan helped make his own dinner. I guess he is all about being helpful today.
Impromptu Photo Shoot
Daddy has been spending lots of time working in the basement for the last few weeks. I'm not sure who it has been harder on...me, Evan or Daddy? We are excited about the progress and will all be happy when it is done and we can enjoy our evenings as a family of three again. Tonight before getting started, Bruce picked up the camera for an impromptu photo shoot. It is amazing that Evan actually sat still long enough to take all of these pictures...that is not something that happens very often these days.
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