Home Sweet Home

After 12 hours of driving and many, many stops, we made it home from New Jersey after visiting Rich's family. Luke was easy - opting to take naps, watch DVDs, and play on his Leapster (new Star Wars reading game!). Aaron was better than on the trip out, which isn't saying very much. We resorted to some candy-flavored bribery and bought a couple of new movies, and he only had one accident in the car when we just couldn't get to an exit fast enough. Aaron refused to sleep in the car until we were in Shelbyville, KY, which is within 2o minutes of home. I love this picture because he has a death grip on his lollipop, even while sleeping!

Early morning with Aaron

It's a good thing he's cute, because.....

At 6 a.m. on the nose, he's crying. When I went in, he said, "It's time to get up. Get sum-tin to eat." I brought him back to bed with me, and he tried to stay still for a couple of minutes, then, "Get up now Mommy. I go potty first. It's time to get up. I play the cool train upstairs." Upstairs, sit on the potty, "I make bubbles!" In the living room, "Turn on the lights! I play the cool train. Watch movie Big Dinosaurs." Later, "Those not monkey, they're lemurs. See the big dinosuar allosaurus. There's trodon! There's the brachiasuarus. That's anklylasuarus - it's not a puppy." I remember going to bed last night and thinking that I might be able to sleep in a bit on Saturday morning.

Attention seeking

Aaron's two catch phrases for wanting to be held.....

"Snuggle me"
"I'm cold!"

Best time of the day

Aaron gets a "ticket" every day from daycare with basic information about his day. Yesterday his favorite activity was identified as "potty time." Odd.

Misc, out of date!

I've taken lots of photos in the last couple of weeks that I've been really slow to post! Here are a few new photos and quick captions.....bed is calling.

Aaron kicked out of an interactive Egypt exhibit at the Indianapolis Science Center, but he's happy to drip cars on a pharoh face.
Luke excavating a dino bone at the Indy Science Center.

Luke ready to dive in at the Louisville Finals for swimming. His group of 6 and under boys took 6th in the 100 meter relay.

Aaron making music with eggplants at the Louisville Center's Wild Music exhibit.

Luke as "Industrial Man," his invented character from a Super Hero camp at the Oldham County Arts Center.

Plant vs. Toddler

Pet Food

I realized the other day that I can't remember the last time I had to fish out cat food or dog food from Aaron's mouth.

Bob the Yo-Yo keeps the sandbox in order

(Bob the Yo-Yo, otherwise known as Aaron's alterego Bob the Builder)

Odds and Ends

Meghan pointed out something odd. I started a second blog about a work project (www.westportmathgirls.blogstpot.com), and it the "About Us" section I describe the group and labeled myself as its sponsor. Well, apparently the "About Us" section is the same on both blogs. Hm. Meghan is working on separating them, somehow.

Still no power. The neighbors have had power since yesterday. A line is down that leads directly to our house. Raha has school in Oldham County tomorrow, but Jefferson County is still out.

We had our group trip to get haircuts today. When I stretch out Rich's curls our hair is almost exactly the same length. The boys look very tidy in their little surfer-boy haircuts.

I don't feel like studying for the GRE. Everything else has been more interesting. I take it on Saturday.

Aaron's drawing

Aaron spent part of the morning on my lap while I piddled around on my computer. I gave him a handful of markers to keep his fingers away from the keyboard. It took a lot of convincing to get him to make a drawing -- shouldn't I have known that the most fascinating part of the artistic process is taking off the marker lids and putting them back on?

Aaron the Tosser

This is the view from our upstairs deck, looking down at the patio and backyard. Aaron adores carrying most anything out there and pitching it off the deck. Toys are an obvious favorite, but he's also thrown my cell phone a couple of times and Luke's good sandals (which I blamed Rich for losing).

Aaron pointed at his mouth and said "mmmm," and he's waving goodbye regularly.

July 4

Today's highlights:

• Raha and I ran the Firecracker 5K this morning in the rain. I ran 21:26, a 1:10 PR that earned 3rd place for women. We're lucky we make it -- the start time was moved back 30 minutes!

• Luke, Aaron, and Raha played at the Puzzle Dome this morning. Raha refined his putt putt golf game (even a hole in one). I'm not sure if Luke was playing golf or hockey....and Aaron took the flags apart and shoved the fabric down the holes.

• There were giant dinosaur inflatables for jumping. Aaron and Luke bounced each other senseless.


• Rich took Raha and Luke to see Wall-E. High marks from all. Luke was heart-broken that he couldn't buy a Wall-E toy on the way home.


• Raha and Luke made extra-choco chocolate chip cookies (despite shakes at lunch and ice cream with Rich....4 guys in the house, all with a giant sweet tooth), and the kitchen survived.

• And they actually did celebrate the 4th a bit, with sparklers and one fancy firework.

Aaron's first word

Finally! "Uh-Oh" about 15 times.....very appropriate for a child who has a great pitching arm. The picture is with Austin, his speech therapist.