Dynamic Duo

Alan and I enjoyed a relaxing afternoon with Ivan, Melanie and baby Olivia today. The boys covered a lot of ground in one playdate....painting, music and they even decided to rest together (independent of any parental coaxng)....take a look....

PAINTING




TIME FOR MUSIC!
After about an hour of them being engrossed with painting (Ivan more so than Alan - at times I had to keep Alan focused by pretending that the paint brushes were vacuums), I found Alan trying to plug in the keyboard. The boys played for a while together. Alan of course found a drum.





NAP TIME
And then, time to take a rest. Mel and I were at the table eating lunch, and all of a sudden it became a little quiet in the playroom. (This was of course after a brief cleaning with their vacuum cleaners.) They both had retreatd into the cardboard playhouse. The pillows were missing from the couch. We tried to overhear what they were doing, and Alan wanted to play "naptime". I snuck around the back of the cardboard house and peaked through the window and took this picture.



Other events...Ivan and I played two songs together on the guitar....The children's guitar was tuned to an open G, so Ivan could strum along and it sounded nice. We sang "I've been working on the railroad" and "old MacDonald". Later, Nick joined us. Alan has this phrase he uses when he wants to play with you....he says "can I have you?" He kept on saying this to Nick! Also, because Nick and I were born in the same year (and Melanie one year younger), we started talking about the dreadful 80's. I pulled out my 80's trivia game, so next time we'll have to play more (to see how much we have willfully forgotten!!!!

Thanks for a great afternoon!!!

Other news: Tomorrow is Sumner's birthday party (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!). Next Friday is Alan's B-day, so Bootie/Pop-Pop/Aunt Suzie/Emma are scheduled to return sometime next week. I haven't even begun to play the party!!!

Olivia and Company

Rick and Alan playing guitar

It's getting hot in here!

Alan didn't hesitate to put on his firefighter's gear (neither did Roger) yesterday at Hudson's Firefighter's Museum. Lots of new improvements including a play/craft area for children and puppet shows each weekend (though Alan was more interested in climbing the engines.) It is ALWAYS SOOOOO empty when we visit here. I can't imagine why???? Please take your children here - it is a great place to visit. They are open everyday....

SHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Yes he's loud. (but lovable)

At Adam Fairacre Farms yesterday, Alan wouldn't stop screaming. Timeouts haven't been working, so I have been taking away his vacuuming privileges (probably not a good idea to take away "cleaning" privileges, it no doubt will come to haunt me in the future)....however it seems to be the only thing that will work. But yesterday at Adam's...it didn't. He didn't seem to care about vacuuming....It wasn't until the cashier said to him SHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! He almost started to cry right there and totally clammed up. We went silently to the car and then he burst into tears.

It must be so confusing to be a loud kid. Today, I almost had a screaming fit myself with this lady at the library. I took Alan to see "Dogs on Fleas", a GREAT kid band. The library was full of children making lots of noise. For some reason, the library overbooked itself, and an origami workshop was going on in the children's room. Alan was playing (being a regular 3 year old), and the origami instructor started screaming at Alan to be quiet in the most rude way possible!!! Alan stood there, didn't know what to do, almost in tears......I told him it was okay....I was FUMING!!!! A band was playing right next store for god's sake!!! Children were running around all over the place!!! I ALMOST HAD A COW. I went straight to the person behind the desk and demanded to know her name and to complain. Parents applauded me. (5 parents actually came up to me and patted me on the back...one expects me to write a letter to the Freeman!) Another parent pointed me to the person in charge....so I was rightfully given my charge and did my duty!!!!

The children's librarian profusely apologized. She followed me around the rest of my time there, checking in on me, each time giving me pamphlets about some of their other great programs. (And they are pretty wonderful....Alan had a great time here)....Each time the origami instructor yelled at some othre kid, the children's librarian blushed and tried to smooth it over....

So within the last 24 hours, two strangers have SHHHHHHHHHHHHed my son. One appropriately, the other one not. So much for a 3 year old to sort out ( and me too!)


On a more positive note, we did have an AWESOME time today at the library. Dogs of Fleas is a great band and the Kingston Library has lots to offer (just stay away from origami!)
Here is info on Dogs on Fleas...and info on children's programs at Kingston's library.

http://www.kingstonlibrary.org/childrens.php

http://www.dogonfleas.com/about.htm

My Little Dust Buster

At two years old, Alan was obsessed with fans. Now he loves vacuums. At the indoor park this week, he approached a few of our friends and began asking them if they had a vacuum. He loves when Melanie comes over, because he gets to ask her about her red vacuum. "What color is it?" "Can I come over and see it?" "Does it make a loud noise?" When we were listening to Lionel Richie (yes we listen to Lionel), we had a 20 minute discussion about what type of vacuum cleaner Lionel probably has. When we call family, he asks them about their vacuums. We've spent several afternoons searching for vacuums in magazines and newspapers. He wants me to cut them out and then he runs around the house pretending to vacuum "the dust".

Below is a collection of his personal vacuums that he lined up one evening for Louis and Portia. It's pretty clear that he loves vacuums more than trains and cars. I think its having a domino affect. Melanie told me a few weeks ago that Ivan even asked Santa for a vacuum for Christmas!

OLIVIA

Olivia was born Wednesday, January 16th at around 12pm. I finally had an opportunity to meet her last night at the hospital..along with Jules, Roger and Alan.

Olivia weighed 8 pounds 11 ounces and arrived 6 days after her due date. The baby has flawless smooth skin with shiny dark hair. When I greeted her, she was swaddled neatly in a little package of peaceful bliss...I did get a peek of her little feet though!!! Mel reports that she is a cuddler! Mel looked absolutely beautiful! She said that the baby is nocturnal, so I imagine she's a bit on the tired side, but Nick and Mel had a glow that only new parents can have after a few nights of sleep. They come home on Saturday.

Of course, I forgot my camera, but I will try to get a photo posted soon. By the way, Alan enjoyed the experience of being in the hospital. He has seen the video enough times to know his birth story. He wanted to see the sink where he was bathed. Then, he kept wanted to go to the playroom.

CONGRATS IVAN, NICK AND MEL!!!!