Let's face it, he just doesn't care

So, We're trying to potty train the 2nd born. Fafa is quite the stubborn little boy and will not be moved by anything. I find myself throwing rewards at him like he's just won the lottery... 'how about a ring pop, or a new Transformer....oh, and I'll even buy one for Nubbin. Monkey Joe's? remote control car?'

Alas, he told me today that he would try 'later'... when pressed for a time frame for later, he remarked that he didn't know what later meant but maybe tomorrow. I give up. Let him wear diapers.

No, I didn't fall into a big black hole

Sorry for the lack of posts, but my camera died (i.e. I dropped it) and so I borrowed my old camera from my brother only to find out that it doesn't work in anything but the computer that got attacked by a virus. Flimsy excuses, I know. But, soon I will be back on track.

So many pictures and so little time to post... such is the life with a 3 and 4 year old and a husband and a hamster...

Pulling wheelies

Husband broke his foot over the weekend by falling down the stairs. He thought it was just sprained, but when he couldn't walk on it the next day, he had it checked out by our family doctor. The doctor just happens to also be a sports medicine practice and Husband came home in a cast up to his knee and crutches.

Crutches are a lot harder to use than he thought and yesterday, I rented a wheelchair. The kids have had fun pushing him around in it. Nubbin is quite good at navigating the kitchen obstacles while Fafa just kept running him into the refrigerator. Hope this isn't a foretelling of how they will drive a car.

Morning facial

There is a reason why I don't give Fafa a lot of yogurt for breakfast. It usually ends up all over his face instead in his stomach.

His answer when I asked him why he did it was something along the lines of 'I painting, momma.' At least I didn't squelch his creativity :)

How long do I have to hold this?

The boys got to pick out their own pumpkins this year and I told them they could pick out any pumpkin just as long as they could carry it. Needless to say, Fafa almost dropped his, but was determined to make sure it was as big as Nubbin's.

Sweet dreams

Fafa got his new big kid bed. Thank you Grandma for the bed frame! He was pretty eager the first day, but has since reverted to his crib. He explained yesterday that he still wants his paci... no paci's in the big boy bed. 'I still a baby, momma!'

He decided he wanted a Transformer blanket and notice he's wide awake. Still getting used to it. bye, bye crib!... eventually.

more A-Maze-ing pictures

our fearless leaders... the flag is for waving at the guy in the tower if we get lost... needless to say, we waved it a lot

Fafa wanted to pick the corn instead of walk through it

Daddy and Nubbin, just hanging out in some corn

Farm machinery is always a hit with our kids

A-maze-ing

pretending to be a scarecrow

climbing to the top of Mt. Hay

fafa didn't want to go on the hayride at first, but was easily convinced by the fact that he got to 'drive' a tractor

fall family portrait

We went to the Green Acres corn maze this past Saturday. The kids had a great time playing in the hay and seeing all the farm equipment and cows. Amazing enough, they were able to name some of the equipment from watching Mighty Machines.

The highlight was getting lost in the corn maze. We thought we'd be in there for 15 minutes and ended up being lost for about 45. Nubbin wore shorts even though it was in the fifties. Fafa and Nubbin could never agree on a direction to take, so we did a lot of 'rock, paper, scissors'... perhaps, that's why we got so lost. All in all, a great way to spend the afternoon!

Juvenile Delinquent

I'm giving the boys a bath the other night and Fafa pops up with a new question. 'What jail mean, momma'. I replied in my "must teach them good moral values" voice, 'Jail is a where they send people who have done bad things. You only go to jail if you're a bad monkey..'

Later, during the bath, I'm washing Fafa and he starts screaming, 'You go to jail, momma!' When I questioned why I had to go to jail, he said, 'because you BAD.' Why am I bad? 'You bad because, because, you do bad thing.' What bad thing? 'You wash me! You wash my hair!!'

If that's the case, I'd end up with a life sentence... little boys can be so cute when they get it wrong :)

Are you hearing voices?

Nubbin's newest attempt to gain control in this house involves random comments that he blames on his brain. Here's one of our conversations:

Nubbin: 'My brain is telling me that you will let me play video games today, but I told my brain that I didn't think you were going to say yes.'

Mommy: 'Yes, you're right. Tell your brain that it's wrong and that today is not a video game day.'

Nubbin: 'Okay, I'll leave a message for my brain, but can I play video games today?'

Mommy: 'no, nubbin. Tell your brain to stop nagging you about video games.'

Nubbin: 'I'll try, but my brain really wants to play games today.'

At least he's creative when he nags :)

Brave new world

It took all summer, but Nubbin started holding his breath and swimming under water.

He got new goggles and spent a lot of time watching CharlieGraham in the pool.

Yay Nubbin, you're a big kid now!!

Labor day beach weekend - Part 2

Happy Nubbin!

even at the beach, Fafa likes to lie down to play cars

Fafa and Daddy just hanging out

Fafa playing in the surf...

Nubbin is giving his silly face and is just happy to be at the beach :)

Labor day beach weekend - part 1

Plastic cups + wet sand = the perfect sand castle

Fafa stylin' the latest fashion - sunglasses and alligator towel

Nubbin had zero fear this year and spent most of his time sitting in the surf

taking over someone's abandoned hole makes Fafa happy

Mommy and Daddy relaxing at the beach... a great Labor day weekend

Fafa's beach dance

The first day of school

The boys were ready for their first day of 'big kid school' for Nubbin and 'baby school' for Fafa. I was a little apprehensive, given Nubbin's meltdown at the start of last year, but when we got there, I hung up his bag and the next thing I know, he's gone. He had walked into class without so much as a 'bye, mom'. Ditto for Fafa. I guess they don't need me after all... Wow, they grow up so fast :)

Museum of Life and Science

Building a fort with Daddy - the best part was knocking it down!

Rocket boys - Fafa was too scared of the rocket to get up close, but Nubbin loved it!

Dino trail - hanging out with Mom and a dinosaur

Don't eat me!!

Searching for 'fossils'... Mom found lots of shark teeth... enough to share with the other kids who were digging there too

Bubbles and Toes

The Getz kids came over for a sleepover last month... bath time is so much more fun when you have two extra kids in the tub :) Fafa was first out of the tub and he preceded to tickle everyone else's toes... water, water everywhere!

Little helpers

This is an old picture from last month, but wanted to share anyway. Lil Sis came over from some 'Auntie and me' time and we made chicken pot pie for the Wolfe's and the Getz'... yummy!

Is your name Spock?

Fafa only gets to go to preschool 2 days a week and on the days that he doesn't get to go and Nubbin does, it's temper tantrum central. Yesterday, Fafa was doing his usual wail, 'I want to go to baby school!' and Nubbin very succinctly explained the reason why Fafa didn't get to go.

'Fafa, You're two, so you get to go 2 days a week and I'm four, so I get to go 4 days a week.'

This kind of Vulcan logic is better than anything I could come up with. Although, Fafa's tantrum ended when I told him that I'd let his Sissy hold him while I dropped off Nubbin.

You'll grow into them

Nubbin was pestering me in the car to turn around and look at his toy. Telling him that I was driving and couldn't turn around to look just didn't satisfy him, so I finally told him, 'Nubbin, I see it.' When he questioned how I could see without turning, I quickly replied, 'because I have eyes in the back of my head.'

Nubbin: 'You have back eyes? Do I have back eyes?'
Mommy: 'When you get big like mommy, then you'll have them.'
Nubbin: 'How do I get back eyes?'
Mommy: 'I got them once I had kids.'
Silence from Nubbin...

Later that night, when Husband was putting him to bed, Nubbin asked, 'Do you have back eyes like mommy?' After Husband affirmed that he too had 'back eyes', Nubbin said, 'I want back eyes too, but I'm too young to have kids.'

Now, I know when Nubbin is trying to pull something behind my back because he'll ask if I have my 'back eyes' open.

Life is short. Eat dessert first.

Husband made a surprise for dessert tonight. He made 'mommy and daddy' cookies. Butterscotch chips for 'daddy' mixed with dark chocolate chips for 'mommy'

Fafa would pull out a chip and say, 'I eat daddy.' Chomp on a dark chip and say, 'now, I eat mommy'... yes, life is good, especially when sugar is involved :)

Germ free

Today, Fafa and I had the house to ourselves while Husband took Nubbin to work for a 1/2 hour. We were sitting on the couch talking and all the sudden Fafa sticks his finger up his nose and then eats the white thing on the end of it.

While this is not an uncommon occurance, I chided him and said, 'Look, now you have germs all over your fingers. You need to go wash your hands.'

Without warning, he starts licking his hands furiously and then wipes them on the couch. When I asked him what he was doing he replied, 'I wash my hands now Momma. See? no germs.'

Nice job Fafa. You made your mom speechless. The bonus part was when he unexpectedly shoved his fingers into my gaping mouth. Salty. yum.

Color blind

Our summer project is taking down our kitchen wallpaper and painting. We're really having trouble picking out a color. Can you tell?

Someone, please put me out of my misery... where's a decorator when you need one :)

Boys in a box

CharlieGraham came over for a sleepover last friday. The boys had a good time and we really enjoyed having them... I think it's true that boys get easier as they get older :)

They all decided to get in the 'train' that Nubbin had decorated earlier in the day... Almost a perfect fit. love my boys!

Welcome to the real world

Nubbin asked a very funny question while we were in the car the other day.

Nubbin: 'How do you buy a new car in a video game and a new car on the road?'

Mommy: 'Well, in a video game you have win several races and then get points to buy a car, but in the real world, you have to save enough money and then you can buy a new car.'

(I was trying to impart some of my own parents' wisdom. Dad always said 'never buy a car unless you can pay for it outright')

Nubbin: 'How about if I win a race in a video game and get points. Is that like real money? because then I could buy a real car.'

Mommy: 'Not even close baby'

Nubbin: 'well, when I'm all big, I'm going to save my money in my piggy bank and buy a race car for me and a monster truck for Ethan.'

Mommy: 'that's why I love you...'

Glen Eyrie Camp - Craft time

Every day in WI involved some sort of craft. It was one of many ways to keep the kids occupied when we're out in the middle of a bunch of corn fields and here's the rundown of the crafts we ended up sending home with Pop Pop.

-2 stenciled art aprons
- 3 wooden models - 1 race car, 1 space ship (Fafa) and 1 bi-plane
- 3 pet rocks - all with googly eyes and painted
-1 set of painted garden rocks - Live, Laugh, Love
-1 painted bird house
-2 star signs - 1 for Fafa's bedroom and 1 'the Wolfe Family'
-1 painted tote bag for Grandma Ranicki
-1 bouquet of button flowers
-assorted drawings

Rebel yell

I gave the kids temporary tattoos today and after gazing at the star on his arm, Nubbin asked me if I wanted one too. I told him that I already had a tattoo and after much pleading from both kids, I showed them my lizard.

I asked Nubbin if he wanted a real tattoo someday and he looked at me and said, 'No thanks, I already have one.' Let's hope that sticks and I never have to experience the shock my parents had when they realized I had one :)

Xmas spoiler alert

I think this should be next year's Xmas card picture... love this pic of my boys :)

Glen Eyrie Camp - First sailing lesson

The boys had their first sailing experience with Pop Pop the day before we left to come home. Nubbin, who is usually our more cautious child, was the one who really wanted to go. Fafa, not so much, since water is the only thing he's a little apprehensive about.

Nubbin had a minor accident on the dock as he was waiting for the boat and got knocked in the head with the boom... luckily Pop Pop bore the brunt of the impact, but it was enough to make him wary of the sail... hence, for most of the time, he kept his head down and popped up every once in a while like a prairie dog to point at something in the water.

Once Nubbin got off the boat, he told me that he didn't like this boat and preferred one without a boom. I mentioned that if the boat didn't have a boom which is attached to the sail, then it wouldn't be a sailboat. He thought about it for a while and then said, 'Then I'd like to go in a taller sailboat so my head doesn't hit the sail.'

After an initial, 'NO!' Fafa decided he wanted to go. Although, it looks like he's relaxed, I think it was just that he didn't move from where Pop pop placed him.

I will say that he followed instruction pretty well for a 2 1/2 year old. After seeing Nubbin get hit, Fafa was very careful to duck every time Pop pop tacked. Hopefully, this introduction will get them used to the idea and I haven't scarred them for life.

Glen Eyrie Camp - cookout time

Starting the first of many cookouts in WI - Pop pop teaches the boys how to start a fire. Maybe this isn't the best thing to show 2 boys, but we all had a great time watching the fire burn... from a distance.

No matter how old you are, you can still shuck corn... the boys really enjoyed throwing the husks over the side of the deck

These are the actual hot dog forks used for the original camp. Notice how excited the boys are to try cooking their first campfire 'tube steak'

Fafa loves his corn. he even tried to eat the center.

Nothing says cook out like a smore. Although, mommy needed instruction on how to properly assemble the thing. I still like my marshmallows burnt :)

Shake what your momma gave you

Nana and the Getz Gang came over for dinner and afterwards, we broke out the Dance Revolution game for Xbox... Nana is SO going to get us back for putting this on the BLOG :)

Color blind

I always wondered when the boys would notice that Husband and I are different colors. The boys were taking a bath together and we had this conversation.

Fafa: 'You dark, Momma.'

Me: 'Yes, I'm darker than you. Am I darker than Nubbin?'

Fafa: 'Yes. You darker.'

Husband comes to listen to the conversation...

Fafa (pointing at husband): 'Daddy, you red.'

Husband: 'What color are you, Fafa?'

Fafa (pointing to himself): 'I red like you!'

2005 model

Husband was trying to explain to Nubbin why Nana has to have surgery on her hand. He was explaining that as we get older, we tend to break down a little and might require surgery to help us feel better and move with greater ease.

Nubbin looked at Husband, waved his hand around to demonstrate his flexibility and said, 'Not Me! I'm not older, I'm newer!'

As I see it

Nubbin took the camera and started taking random pictures. He got into the camera menu and changed a bunch of settings which took me a while to fix. Hence, this odd picture of a paci.

Imprisoned. help me escape! but first, wake me up with your flash.

Blair Witch Nubbin

When can I get my first tattoo, dad?

Sometimes, my Daddy looks just like me :)