All in a days work...

who needs a tool belt when you have undies...

We have been a busy household lately...milestones all around. J has really started to play make believe really well ...pirates, dinosaurs, fix-it guy (as seen in the pic), restaurant, knights, and his favorite, superheros---especially Spiderman and Ironman.
Whereas, Aram has been working at sitting up, rolling over,---no he is not a dog but these are big deals in the baby world too--- blowing raspberries, and eating his first solids. Man all in a matter of days too...
I can't help but get a little sad that this will be the last time I get to go through all of these milestones with a baby of my own. I can't wait for some of my friends to start having some...wink wink...you know who you are.

On the other hand Aram and J are so cute together I find myself whistling the happy tune inside my heart everytime I see them interacting.

Big Bro helping with first solid food.

Today was a small glimpse of what will become of a really great friendship for them I think. I had Aram sitting propped up against the base of the couch with pillows on each side for incidental falling to one side (he sat like this for a full 25 minutes never toppling over either) and him and J played restaurant, where J would order food and then pretend to take the food from Aram and eat it...man it was so cute. Aram was so into it he kept reaching for his brother and making happy sounds. Then later on as I was vacumning J kept replenishing Arams Bumbo tray with toys to keep him busy. What a good big brother! At one point I looked over and J had moved his Bumbo chair away from where I was working. I ask J why he had moved him and in his 3-I-know-everything-voice he said, "so the noise wouldn't be too loud. Duh mom.

If Aram could talk I am sure he would say "Thanks big brother for all the cheering on!"

Sooooo in love!!!

I really like this boy of mine! He is so even tempered and loves his big brother, which is what a I wanted when I decided to have two. Aram watches J's every move, hopefully only taking in only the well behaved moments of three-dom.;)  I know he will learn a lot from his big brother!
I love the age he is at right now...where he is so excited to just have a toy or two to chew on and although his poop is gnarly, he is easy to please with a simple nursing session and some snuggles. Plus I just love the way he smells---hmmmmm baby smell.
And although I know growing up is inevitable I kind of secretly wish he would just stay this age and size forever.

thank you letter to my love

To my beloved husband and father of my children,
You amaze me with your patience and level of commitment to be the best father, dad, daddy, dada, you can possibly be. When ever I ask you to make plans for your future you always remind me that you are happy were you are in life by simply being a dad. This always makes me realize that you truly are committed to our sons. I know the sacrafice has been enourmous for us monitarily and you professionally (putting your career path on hold). I realized how much this meant you when I read the final post to J's blog...so I guess all I really want to say is thank you! Here is to many more years parenting together! Love you F and A!
~Q

matchy match!

Handsome little devil, he is...

It has been too long since I have been on here to blog about parenthood and my little one...I don't know if I had writer's block or I have been just so swamped to really have a moment to sit down, focus and reflect on my life...but nonetheless here it goes...the post that should have happened a few weeks back. Enjoy.

_______________________________________________________________
Halloween is my favorite holiday...maybe it is the feeling in the air of closing shop for the year, or the smell of wood burning stoves, or the start of a season of family gatherings, or just the shear fun of dressing up in costumes: Mine this year, named by my 3 year old who couldn't remember Wonder Woman, was Captain Mom! Love it...because many days I do have to wear this costume to keep going to get through the day...

This year it was so much fun to celebrate Halloween! Mostly because J really got what it was about and could recite the jingle "trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat" by heart and still uses it to ask for a treat from time to time. The following flix document the fun times had...

Pumpkin carving a must!

the end result...

Jimmy and Wendy across the street had a great costume ball that the neighborhood kids thoroughly enjoyed them selves at...well, except for Elsa who did not want her picture taken wearing the mouse head.

The line up: Aram, Elsa, and Bell 

Aram gettin' some Halloween lovin' from his aunt T-T. This outfit was one of our favorites that J wore...it is almost completely worn out actually, but it was so cute the first time around we decided to bring it back this time too.





Halloween: the handsome little devil and his aunties...check out the head dress Squirt got her hands on...her costume was amazing! T-T got an "F"---showed up with no costume and no treats either, Olde had to loan her a mask, hence the Darth Vader look--- for this Halloween but I know she will make it up next year...right T-T?

Devils VS. Super Heroes...who do you think won?

The devils, of course... only because they were so cute...well one of them was!

"trick or treat, smell my feet..."

Our neighbors Marci and Heather were total sports...they got special spider rings that J is still cherishing and dressed for the part for when we came a knockin'...check 'em out!

Happy Ghouls Day Everyone!

Over the hill and through the forest we go....

Grandpops house is a sanctuary in the redwoods in Northern Cali, that always is such a nice get away for us. Wish it was a just a tad closer though, because the 6 hour trip  down I-5 turns into 8 hours with kids... and 8 hours is just a bit long for a family of four in a car...and as Grandpops suggested we just about needed Valium to get us all home with our sanity intact, with the last hour consisting of inconsolable crying from both boys.
But while there, fun to be had is in every corner, whether it be at the beach, in the forest just out the back door, or oogling at the fashions of the the small town folkers...

Grandpops shows J a hermit crab

dad shows J how to find Agates

good visiting time

zoom in to see poop dripping out of his pant leg...yum.

Auntie Rie-Rie protecting us from the bad villains at the beach

And J always gets to take a ride on the John Deer Lawnmower. A highlight for all, especially J!

here we goooooooooooo....zroommmm zrooommmm

Thank you for hosting and sharing your space with us, Danpa, Rie-Rie, and Grandpops!

snuggle time with uncle Danpa!

Adventures at Fort Vancouver

We did not do as much outdoors activities this summer as usual...I think I will play the baby card on that one, but we did manage to cross the river over to For Vancouver.

There is nothing better than to watch your 30 something husband turn into a 6 year old again as he explores a Fort with his 3 year old son! They are both still talking about the cannons and look out tower climb. For the me, the highlight was the amazing garden and blacksmith that was actually making stuff in the blacksmith shop. Aram slept through the entire thing of course. J will have a blast showing him this place when he is a little older.

In the blacksmith shop

If you look closely you can see the boys in the window

cannon balls galore!