Country Burro, City Burro

Usually, the most interesting thing I see when I drive down the street in our neighborhood, is some high school kid on his way to school in the latest crazy getup, which can only be the result of some adolescent rebellion ( I know-that comment makes me sound so old, I might as well be wearing false teeth and muttering "young whippersnappers!"). This is what I saw this morning as I left to run errands: two burros making breakfast out of a nearby lawn. Lucky thing I always keep my camera in my purse:) I knew that wild burros were up in the hills near our home because we often hear them at night, but I've never seen them around here before. Later that evening, I ran out again because I forgot milk at the store, and when I returned I noticed them settling in for the night on the front lawn of another house-there goes the neighborhood!

Appy Boothday Mommy!

I celebrated my 32ND birthday with the people I love most in the world. Funny, I didn't expect it to be much more than the usual hoopla that comes with the day, but in spite of myself I ended up doing a lot of thinking and reflecting. Prior to becoming a mother, I would have wanted to celebrate the day big and fun. Now, I am so happy and blessed that I have a high chair on either side of me as I sit at the restaurant (P.F Chang's this year-oh so delicious) and enjoy my birthday dinner. Earlier, when I shared with Jonah that it was my birthday, he processed the information with a somewhat perplexed look on his face. He looked behind, and then directly at me. I think he was probably wondering where the Elmo balloons were ( a much enjoyed treat at Brady's recent party). After a few pensive moments, he looked up at me with his sweet little face and said "appy boothday, mommy," and there it was-the ultimate birthday gift of the year. That was the moment that made the day special-and what I deduced from my moment of reflection is that children bring an indescribable happiness to life on a completely different level.

Tom's Farms Pumpkin Patch

We've had many events and celebrations this month, especially this last week of October, so it's a great time for Jeff to be off on vacation. This year, our annual pumpkin patch trip locale was Tom's Farms-chosen mainly because we love having lunch there. The burgers are out of this world, and during the week it's so nice and quiet. It was a perfect opportunity to enjoy the beautiful day. We found a table in the shade, but close to the pond and enjoyed our boys. Weekdays, the train and carousel are closed, but that didn't matter. After lunch, we walked over to the pumpkins where the boys each chose a little one, and Jeff chose the lucky pumpkin that he will turn into a Jack o' Lantern on Friday. Shhh-I think this year's theme is something special for the boys-stay tuned for pictures (Jeff carves AWESOME pumpkins-he should enter them into contests).

Two toddlers and a wedding

Yesterday, we headed to Pasadena City Hall (such a gorgeous venue) for my Cousin Desiree's wedding-with the boys (who were of course invited)! Prior to the event, I spent many moments in prayer about my two little ones, but my worries were unwarranted. They behaved beautifully. Any fussing or crying out during the ceremony didn't come from our section. Happily, my cousin's wedding really wasn't interrupted by too many other children, either. It was a lovely event, and we really had a great time. Congratulations Desiree, and Mike-welcome to the family! Thanks for including us in your special day.

A day of firsts for Brady

Although he was a little uneasy through much of it, Brady made it through his first haircut without a hitch. The end result was shocking. We had no idea just how long his hair had been. When Carmen took his curly locks, she also took his baby looks. He is just as adorable, if not more so, but where has our baby gone? Why is it that a shorter cut makes them look so old? After the trip to Monkey Dooz, we headed to Stride Rite for Brady's very own pair of shoes (up until now, he's been wearing gently used hand-me-downs from Jonah).

Reflections

Things I love about Brady:

1. has a smile for everyone

2. tries the impossible

3. shows special appreciation for solid foods (cheesy, grateful grin) as opposed to purees

4. Jonah is his favorite person

5. enjoys good company - will move his play area to the more populated room of the house

6. loves to laugh

7. highly inquisitive - loves to examine the contents of the trash can :)

8. can entertain himself - as long as it's off limits, he'll enjoy it for countless hours

9. is happy if Jonah is happy

10. knows what he wants

11. dances like Elvis (jerking leg motion in time to music)

12. loves to point

13. likes to be tickled

14. keeps me company in his high chair while I prepare meals

15. talks up a storm-car, uh-oh, fish, thank god, hi, dada, and lots of incoherent babbling

16. uses his mouth as a third hand

17. puts a hat on face first and then slowly slides it up

18. says uh-oh after he's done something on purpose, like drop a toy

Things I love about Jonah: 1. puts his toys away and in their place without being asked

2. misses his brother during Brady's morning nap, and asks about him

3. loves to make others laugh

4. he's sensitive and caring

5. big on gentle touches

6. has a sense of pride and accomplishment for the small tasks that he achieves

7. loves to applaud himself - besides mommy, daddy, grandma(ama), and uncle Mike he's his biggest fan

8. has the best manners for a two-year old - says: please, thank you, you're welcome, bless you, excuse me

9. always has a toy car with him-especially when watching the movie "Cars"

10. always says "good morning, good night, hello and goodbye"

11. often gets a "love burst" for his baby brother - a term Jeff and I coined while still dating

12. loves a good song to dance to - he even dances while sitting in his booster seat (he makes it work)

13. often caught with a book in his hand (born and bred to be a bookworm)

14. makes a big deal out of company - if you come to visit, he'll give you a welcome you won't forget

15. so friendly to his peers - he loves to smile and say hello (not a mean little bone in his body)

16. such a charmer and a ladies man - he especially goes for the older gals: watch out you preteens

17.sometimes affects a fake snore as he drifts off to sleep at naptime

18. has begun to sing on his own-twinkle, twinkle never sounded so sweet

19.will applaud a performance with great enthusiasm - if you have a speech to give or some other performance, he's the one you'd want to practice in front of

20. his imaginative play is really blossoming - puppy and turtle are having some great late night conversations

21. has an amazing memory

22. at only 2, his grammatical use of articles is phenomenal - although sometimes he thinks he's French (the other day, he didn't appreciate being left exposed in his pull-ups for too long and cried out "le pants, le pants!"

23.says uh-oh when something happens by accident

Who moved my (string) cheese?

Friends and family, keep us in your thoughts. The days that lay ahead for Jonah and Brady bring with them great change. Brady is making the leap from formula to milk, and we will soon begin weaning him from the bottle. Jonah is being encouraged to strengthen his skills in the usage of forks and spoons, and we are on the brink of more aggressive (perhaps that isn't the right word-consistent, continued...?) potty training with him as well. Fun times...

It's a toy, it's a snack, no...it's a blanket???

Ever since becoming mobile, Brady has made a wonderful little playmate for Jonah. They get along really well, and are very used to one another's company. Recently however, we have seen the beginnings of a little sibling rivalry over my special blanket. You know the one. We all have it. It stays slung over our couches, and we snuggle underneath it when we are watching TV in the evenings. It keeps us comfy year round (even in the summer, when the house is a little chilly from having run the air conditioner). Mine happens to be beige and made of chenille-it's quite soft and I am very fond of it. Somehow, our boys have gotten it into their heads, that they are the rightful owners of the blanket. Each loves it for different reasons. Brady, like his mommy loves to cuddle with something soft. Jonah enjoys using it as a tent. Many a day, they have played tug-of-war with it in an attempt to claim what they each feel is theirs. They've even taken to snatching it off of me when I am using it! It's a little trying at times, but I figure better a blanket when they're toddlers, than a girl when they are in high school or college!

Turned Around

Now that he's legal-one year old and at least 2o pounds, Brady's perspective of the passing world, as seen from the car, recently changed. I think picture number two nicely reveals how he feels about it.

Brady Turns 1!

Today my baby marked his 365th day. Happy Birthday Brady! Saturday, we celebrated with a "Fingers and Hands" themed art party-our first event to incorporate organized activities, which included finger painting on two textures: shiny white poster paper, and foil paper, and making clay molds of the kids' hands(the hand molds also served as a fun memento for the mommies). Along with the catered food from Pat and Oscar's, we provided finger foods like PB&J sandwiches, goldfish crackers, fruit kabobs, and apple slices. We decided to do things a bit differently than we had in the past in order to make Brady's special day stand apart from Jonah's parties, and I believe that we were every bit successful. It was an experience for us all, and the children really seemed to enjoy the art fun. Another nice change was the weather. Usually we are near melting in the July heat, so benefitting from the soft breeze and cool temperature on a late morning in October was great. The sky was blue, the air was clear, and the sun was shining. It was a perfectly beautiful day for a birthday party. We topped the celebration off with a song and some cake and sent the kids along their way with personalized canvas totes filled with "finger" goodies.

The Ellen Show

I was invited by my friend Kathleen, to accompany her and some family members to a taping of the Ellen Show. Luck was on my side because she had tickets for a day when Jeff was off. We had both lunch and dinner in L.A. and spent a great girls day out. Obviously cameras weren't allowed in the studio so my pictures are few.

Imagination Workshop

Hats off to my dear friend Nadakia for hosting an incredible birthday party for her two girls Zoe (4) and Petra (3). This party was one of a kind, different from any other we've ever been to. It began at the Imagination Workshop, a fabulously charming little children's museum in Old Town Temecula. Science was the theme and the kids were given "labcoats" and "goggles" and sent off to explore the many hands-on rooms. If you've never been there before, it makes a great outing for the family-and the added bonus is that it's educational. The party ended at Pat and Oscars where Nadakia set up numerous science stations around the banquet room amid the pizza, pasta, and chicken.

Cereal Box Club

I just had to grab my camera this morning, when once again I had a flashback to my own childhood, and in this case, weekend breakfasts. Jeff and I were both cereal box readers, and lately Jonah seems inclined to have a book with him while he eats in the morning. Saturdays are special, as I usually serve him whole wheat waffles topped with bananas (minus the syrup, of course), and he in turn gobbles it up. Today however, he took his time, choosing instead to balance his efforts evenly between eating and enjoying his hide and seek book.

Riley's Farm

This time was the real deal, and it was a blast. Last year, when we began our annual apple picking tradition, we arrived at the farm too late in the season and had to pretend to pick them out of the bins in front of the old time mercantile. Our sad little attempt at capturing the experience made for a good laugh, but Jonah still had a good time. We made a mental note about the best time to visit, and have had the end of September/beginning of October in mind all year long. This is when the apples are at their peak; so today we walked through the orchards with our boys (swatting at flies every step of the way) and picked our very own apples right off the trees. While we were there we stopped to admire the goats and the horses, and made a quick trip over to Oak Tree Village for a quick look around and some apple butter.