Clicked

So, between yesterday and today, the act of cycling has really clicked with Sophia and clicked quite a bit with Dylan. Took the kids to a parking lot/ basketball court near our house with their bikes in between the rain today and they were AMAZING! Sophia no longer appears to have fear of her big girl bike. She would actually speed up coming towards me so that she could brake quickly. She was riding in circles around the courts and doing tight bobby pin turns going from one fenced in court to the next. Dylan too, actually! He was on his two wheel green bike (with training wheels, duh) and though he wasn't able to brake without the use of the fence in front of him and found it more difficult to start peddling sometimes, he exhibited great control, doing that bobby pin turn and following Sophia around. He would get distracted in his fascination of his feet and act of peddling and have to be reminded to look where he was going, but I still think this is all leaps and bounds for both kids. Wahoo! Family bike ride could be in the near future!

Tour de France

I think I will sign the kids up for the Tour de France next summer. Ok, maybe a Tour de Quincy. BOTH kids were on their two (ok, four with the training wheels) bikes yesterday doing laps around the boat. They did SO well! Peddling on their own, Sophia cruising on her giant 14" wheel bike, braking and even managing to stay balanced over the monstrous dips and lumps that make up our driveway. The only problems the kids ran into was when the back wheel went over a dip too slowly while the training wheels were on higher ground thus rendering the bike to be a stationary bike with the back wheel spinning in the air. Oh, Dylan had some steering issues too as he would stare at his legs and feet rather than the direction he was headed and collided with the boat a few times.

Project house paint underway

A color has been selected and the de-painting has begun. I must say I much preferred the mornings activities - frolic at the beach with the kids. It has to be done, though... We tackled the biggest wall first - south west. We each had a turn with the power washer - Bob, me and then Ethan took over while Bob and I handled kid needs and hand scraping. PHEW. Ethan just informed me that the lady at the end of the street approached him as he power washed our granite wall and asked him "how much to do her house". HA! And she wasn't kidding. I guess Ethan must have looked really professional. We are in relax mode now and I suspect that will change to pain mode in the morning. Yippy. No turning back now...

Colic

Is Dylan too old to have colic? Cuz he sure has been crying ALOT lately, inconsolable, throughout the day. Ok, Ok, he DID just turn two. Sure does have an awful case of the twos. Yesterday he cried for about two minutes (seemed like an hour) because his cracker broke in half. He cries because he has TEARS in his eyes! Outrageous. He has about one good hour first thing (way early) in the morning and then it is melt down central for the rest of the day.

Short and Sweet

SO, Dylan had his 2 year check up yesterday and it has been determined that he is short and sweet. He ranks around 25th percentile height and weight. Weight has come up a bit making him even steven for proportions. So, although he isn't the tallest kid in class, at least he still fits into his 12month size swim suit and saved me $30 this summer not having to get a new one :).

Taking the train into Beantown this morning. Fun fun!

Put your toes into it.

Dylan turns 2!

So, we had a hectic time this past week. Spent the 4th of July weekend up in Maine for a nice weekend with family. Uncle Mike and Aunt Jenny threw a cute pirate party for Dylan. Got home Sunday with a million things to do for the party. I didn't even finish unpacking the car and pulled out the lawn mower to cut the lawn. (pretty pointless considering the monsoon rains we had for the party). ANNNNNNNYWAY... Monday was a beautiful day and I wanted to let the kids enjoy at least an hour of it. Sophia ended up getting hurt and we were in the ER from 9pm-1.30am waiting for her to be checked out. Got 3 hours sleep and then up with Dylan to set up for an outdoor party that turned indoors almost precisely at the commencement of the party. GRRR. continued to rain and POUR for the whole thing. Dylan was having fun and I think liked his party anymore. Both kids were tuckered and were down for their naps at 1pm and 1.40pm and slept until FIVE. I even went to revive Dylan. His afternoon naps have been super long lately...

Party Boat HatsBoat princess

Awaiting cake...

Le Cake

Water Balloon fun
Speediest toe biker ever.
Cool helmut. Note how legs are a blur.
Today was another rainy start. Went and picked up Dylan's new Balance bike (which Sophia immediately tried to claim as her own). Then to the gym for a long over due workout. I was SO taken when I went to pick the kids up from the daycare. Sophia was snuggled up next to Dylan on the aptly named kiddie "love" seat reading him a story. The girl at the daycare said they were like that most of the time. SWEET.

Name that poop.

Sophia is hilarious going to the bathroom. First while performing her duty, she spreads her arms out in an airplane fashion with her butt in the bowl. Then she keeps trying to maintain balance while lifting her shirt up so as to not be near the action. THEN, after mission accomplished, she peers into the bowl and identifies each specimen. "That is the daddy, this is the mama and that is the baby" or " that is snake, banana, grape... etc".

Good answer!

While nibbling on the chocolate treat I gave him, I asked Dylan if it was good and he replied, ya. Then I asked him what he likes more: treats or mama. And he said MAMA! That's ma boy!

"I DID IT!"

This is Dylan's newest favorite saying. He can be heard exclaiming this as LOUD as he can all day about every little accomplishment - getting a noodle out of his bowl, flipping a page... Very cute and very loud. Everything is pretty loud with Dylan these days. He no longer seems to speak, just yells everything.