September.... it is why people stick around another whole year just to live through

E's little chalk hand and foot prints on the driveway

W's truck pic.  Beginning of August

T's 17 wheeler.  Just for you Uncle R.  Drawn in August

E went through a short phase of loving to put on necklaces and these binoculars on himself.  Of course portable fuzzy has magical powers to help him do this

Dog days of August.  They put their chairs in the water.  Later they put E's push car in and played motor boat because it would float on top and made bubbles out the back while it filled with water

W drawing her lake waves next to her bins

Our almost christmas card pics.  Will probably do a re do because J was asking if it was working

E helping me unload clean dishes.  For real.  He truely was helping me

W pretending to be a tomato plant growing for mommy

The boys hiking

The kids on top of a fun stump

climbing down the fun stump on our hike

T likes hiking as long as he can make dust behind him with a stick

This is a scene I often get to look at.  Watching the kids outside from this window

E playing inside with Mommy while waking up a bit from a nap

W on the waterfall hike.  Of course this is the perfect hiking outfit

T rubbing E's head gently

T really wanted E to go for a ride on his "limo" but E really wanted to pull the wagon while T was distracted

T and W were putting in "batteries" so the "limo" would go.  E was playing along with them looking in and commenting about whether or not the batteries were in there

E watching the big kids play in the rhody bush.  Stuck inside while Mommy folds laundry

E action shot of throwing rocks.  He can do this fairly well for his age

E reloading.  T and W finding some too.  Mommy loving the fall weather and lake

W running along the beach

W loved these flowers and wanted her picture by them, but T had a cuter smile

A pre school lesson.  T did all of this on his own.  Own tracing, own gluing letters in their spots, own making a face on a stick puppet, wrote own name and own cutting out of apple from square paper and leaf from rectangle paper.

W did all this herself too except for the apple cutting.  She got frustrated and wanted it to look  more like an apple so she asked me to cut that out for her.  They both remembered the letters in their name themselves

E loves sitting on things his size.  These chairs, the front porch step and my lap

He was rocking back and relaxing in this pic

On this hike I had left the back pack at home.  It was a two mile hike.  So getting back, J took E quickly to the car because he was poopy.  But he was so sad about not being with Mommy, J stopped at the top of the hill.  When we got there he was so so dejected looking, W went straight to him with her arms open

J having fun getting a pic of the waterfall from the bridge.  Looking down on the water flowing under the bridge

E chalk drawings

This captures the look of wonderment that E often has looking up at the sky or trees.

T picking an apple

W intent on her princess workbook page

T pushing limo.  Definitely the best way to use a basketball hoop

E playing with the wagon

W and T hiked a bit farther to another bridge with Papa

T with stick at look out bench to waterfall

Another cute shot of t with stick

E honking his car horn

"This is what I will look like when I'm 12." pic

Another common past time of T.  Playing engine.  He has a wagon behind him that he is coupled up to

Reading books on a rainy afternoon

A family home evening night.  T picked to make pick up trucks with mega blocks as the activity.  We had a good laugh with these ones

They were all enthralled with the waterfall.  E was especially mad to leave this scene

Fall is especially fabulous here, mainly September.  It is usually really nice.  Meaning pure blue skies starting around noon for sure, but lots of mornings that dawn clear, too.  We had som feabulous days.  T even used the word fabulous a couple times in a row one day.

He noted that the apples from our neighbors' tree are "fabulous mom!".  We do have permission to eat them and they are very sweet this year.  Probably those baby deer pruning all bottom edge ones.  Whatever the reason, they are really good.  I've seen deer eat them and bunnies munch on the windfalls, but I have NEVER seen a squirrel eat apples.  I saw the first squirrel snitch on the other day.

One day we went to Les Schwabb to get my flat fixed.  The day before that it was beautiful, so we cleaned the car.  While we were cleaning the car, T pointed out that my tire was low.  Yep, you are right T, but no worries, it is just a little low so I'll bring it down to the gas station to refill after dinner.  Well, after dinner it was really low.  Like, I'm going to wreck the rim getting it out of the driveway.  So much for that.  Better ask the hubby to change that thing.  So he did.  And then I brought it to Les Schwabb and they fixed it for free.  Took the spare off, fixed the nail in the original, put the original back on, put the spare back with more air, checked all the other tires.  For free.  They worked on it for at least 35 minutes, maybe longer.  And they weren't even Les Schwabb tires.  No wonder they are still in business.

The reason I had time to scrub the grime off the inside of the car was because I had taken the kids to playground, but W was screaming her head off about something every five seconds, so we went home.  Very uncharacteristic for her.  But I might have been at the park or on the freeway with a flat with three kids instead of at home since we went straight home.  Made up for the 25 minutes of continuous screaming we had to listen to to get home.  Even T told W "I really don't like your screaming.  I don't."  I'd rather listen to screaming than be on the side of freeway.  And if I hadn't cleaned the car, I wouldn't have seen the flat in the garage.

Since Les Schwabb is so timely, we had time to go to the  park after.  Boy did we have fun.  All the big kids are back in school, so now T and W are king and queen size-wise at playgrounds in the morning. All the other kids were 2 and under, except for one other girl who must be turning five soon, but didn't make it to kindergarden this year.  She came up to T and W and asked to play.  Of course they told her to go away, they were playing their own game with their own rules, etc.  But she didn't listen and just joined them anyway.  T was the one that bridged the gap nicely.  He told W that he had to stop "his car" to let "his friend" get off safely.  And then it was ok.  They had a ball on a bouncy see saw pretending it was a car, that it got a flat they had to fix, then it ran out of gas so they had to go get some at the gas station.  Most of the time they were yelling "who is driving? I'm not!" and they all took turns yelling it and laughing hysterically at each other as the thing bounced very wildly.  They had so much fun the new friend was SITTING BETWEEN THEM on the bench seat bouncing.  Amazing.

I learned that in kindergarden next year T might struggle more with all that focus on one activity and fine motor skills but he will make friends just fine.  W might struggle more with making friends but will have the follow directions exactly and fine motor time down no problem.

During E's nap we played "kate dog" for mommy W time and follow T around pushing or parking "wildy stroller" around the drive way.  When he got too hot, we snuggled at his "work" under the rhody bush.

We also planted some flowers that I hope last through the winter.  I'm very excited about it.  T and W did really well with helping me scoop and move dirt for about 25 minutes.  That seems like a long time to focus on a work task.

We dropped off flyers for a neighborhood food drive through Hopelink.  I was very surprised at T's response.  He doesn't like walks "but I like walks where I have a paper to give everyone because they always say thank you to me".  He gave out all the flyers.  We also got to watch a bulldozer in action and the construction worker waved at them.  They were pretty excited about that.  They were also offered cookies twice today when we were talking to everyone, so that was fun for them too.

Outside with people, sun and flowers.  How does it get better than that?  All with all three kiddos.  Aaahhh.  September

The spiders love it here in September too.  You should see the size (and amount) of them everywhere.

W is back to drawing tons of pics now that we are home from Grandma's and I am cooking meals again.  Today she drew a "dark dark tunnel through a tree that fell down.  See.  There are the roots poking up".  She would have to describe it for you to tell what it is but it does look like it.  I was also amazed that she chose that to draw because that is from a hike from more than a month ago that we did as a family. 

T drew a pictures of "your Buggy!  And Mommy in the sun!".  It is the most detailed picture he has drawn for me so far and I loved that he used W's nick name to describe the pic.  I was pretty impressed with it and said I loved it, so he suggested I put it up in my room "since you love it so much, Mom".  I showed W his drawing of her.  She looked at it.  And then critiqued it, commenting that it wasn't that good of a picture because "see how I drew the bellies on my people in different ways, Mom?"  Good grief.  How did she get to be so much like me? I guess we need to work on helping her give critiques with slightly different words.  I just told her that she has practiced much more than him.

So W put a pic up of her own on the fridge.  It was very beautiful and for me.  It cracked me up, since, our new fridge doesn't hold magnets on the front, only the side that is above the countertop.  So she had to climb up to put it up perfectly lined up for me.

I still need to figure out a talent of T's that is obvious like W's.  I'm pretty sure that he can drive already, he just isn't tall enough.  He is practicing on E's push cars, reversing and going forward as much as needed to get out of tight spots.  He also can pull shopping carts like nobody's business, even if people get annoyed at the slow speed.

W played "W tomato plant today".  I took out the tomato plants since they are half dead from getting too cold.  Grrrr.  I had them in the hottest place I have, but still too cold.  I need to give up and just plant cold weather crops.  Up high where the deer can't get them.

We also had a fun wheelbarrow ride getting all the awesome compost I have now after four years of leaf piles.  It looks fabulous!!

 

video of E initiating a peek a boo game

Oh yeah.  While we were at my mom's another deer had twins.  Grrrr.  They are creating a huge herd.  We are up to 7 resident deer.  I am so ready to use my hubby's hunting gun.  2  years ago a mom had twins.  Must have been two girl deer because this year we had two fawns in the spring and what???!!  two more fawns at the end of summer??!! Is that possible?  Or maybe it is the older mom??!  Who knows.  But I'm getting irritated.  When there are too many nursing mothers of two toddlers times 2, they go through food like crazy.  So now they are eating things they never ate before.  Like pine trees and laurel plants and hostas.  And of course all the other normal deer food are down to nubs up to the level of a deer standing on its hind legs.  I would also wish for a mountain lion to pick them off one by one, but then it might pick of my kids one by one, so I will stick to just chasing deer off.

 

T on the backhoe at the backhoe park

My carousel ride!!  T was right by "my sister"  W wanted the purple sparkly pony and T just wanted to be by his sister

Maniac baby on the merry go round

Helping each other

The night Papa was in charge of dessert for FHE

All the bubbles used up

E dipping French fries like a pro at the fair

T in his car ride

I'm not sure why there are no pics of T on his tractor because he liked this part of the fair so much, but only have W on her pink one

W ate half of one of these by herself.  Gross, right?

T the bee and W poking her eye through

W with petunias at my house.  Just kidding.  In the plaza on the way to the train station from the fair

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Everyone's first Papa truck ride and E's first forward facing ride

This must have been AFTER he finished an entire boba drink



W first bike

"I was just holding it for you, T"  T's first scooter

E likes to play push the toy off the bathtub edge with Papa.  E's smile showing he knows what to do next

It fell in.  That is so funny

knocking it down

Papa also got some pumpkins to prep for Halloween.  T picked out the purple one

E thinking he doesn't get to go for a ride.  J put the carseats in a little too soon before actually leaving

Taking a break from riding scooters at the skate park

Reflective W

W's flower bouquet of clover

T making dust clouds "How much exhaust did I make, Mom?"

 

The video is of what it sounds like to listen to T and W play Thomas the train

E continues to be maniac.  He also continues to be very expressive.  He got out of the car today and beelined it to the slide at the playground.  He totally knows how to use the little kid ones no prob, including landing on his feet at the end of the slide and start walking in the same landing step.  What??!!  Totally a 15 month old skill

He is starting to express opinions.  Like growling, screaming and flinging his arms to indicate he doesn't like peas.  Or pushes T off my lap any time T wants to sit there.  He already has it out for his brother.  Doesn't seem to have it out for his sister.  It is true.  What have I been telling T?  T has been pushing him around for the past year and it is coming around

And he loves to be outside.  He understands all sorts of things.  I asked him "E, where is your portable fuzzy?"  and he goes to get it.  I ask him if he wants to go outside and he says "side".  Of course mom.  Dumb question.  Let me go  play with sticks.  I tell him he needs his shoes and he says "sho" and goes to find them to give them to me.  We are all in love with how he says "huh" about lots of things he is checking out. 

He seems to really like butterflies.  My mom said whenever he saw butterflies he would point and comment about them.  Sure enough, we stayed on the butterfly page for a long time while he pointed and commented about them.  His favorite was the orange and black ones.

He likes dogs like most little kids.  He stops walking to watch them go by on the trails and hopes he gets to give one a pet.

We had Milli over.  T and W have forgotten how to play with others.  Or they missed their toys.  Something.   They didn't let Milli play with them or their toys and games.  Good grief. 

I completely forgot to put the baby backpack in the car on our family hike.  Oops.  Made for a great upper and lower body workout for us.  Thank heavens it was only 2 miles round trip.  And that our older kids are big enough to walk the whole thing no prob.

We hiked to a waterfall.  E LOVED it.  He was pointing, looking and commenting about it for a long time.  We didn't stay long at the overlook because when we got there, it was already dinner time and Mommy didn't bring any snacks, either.  E was NOT HAPPY about leaving the waterfall.  He fussed and pushed to get down.  A little way up the trail, he could hear and see it just a bit so he stopped fussing to look and comment again.  But started up the fussing when I kept walking.  Big workout going up a steep grade along a steep mountainside holding a 25 pound child who only wants to get down to take a look.

I'm not sure why he liked it so much.  We were fairly far away from it, so maybe to him it seemed only slightly larger than the bathtub water stream coming out of the faucet up close.  Who knows.  When I put him down, he laid on his stomach and spread out in the dirt.  What do you want, E??!!  Learn the sign for I want to go swimming in the freezing water down the cliff and maybe I'll let you play...  Just kidding.

He pooped halfway back to the car and then had a real reason for a fit.  Finally J took him and just hauled it up to the top of the steep narrow part.  E informed us that was not the thing he wanted.  But since Mommy didn't bring food or a baby backpack on the hike, why on earth would I be hauling a diaper and wipes?  When I got to the top of the steep part with the other kids, E was looking at me with the saddest baby lip and face and his body so dejected.  W saw it first and ran to him to hold and hug him.  It was so sad and funny that he could express so much sadness.

T had fallen and skinned his knee on gravel at the beginning of the hike.  Darn it.  Not used to hiking in warm weather with shorts on, so skinned knees are a bit of a novelty.  He was walking around on tip toe on the side that hurt for a bit until the bleeding stopped.  But then he was fabulous and played "antennae" with a large walking stick or "gate" with the same stick to protect us from the "snakes" on the pathway.  He also was humming or singing Thomas songs on the way.

I think the only reason W changed from flip flops to shoes is because she now has Hello Kitty tennis shoes.  I think that character clothing is super hideous, but she adores them.  J was walking around looking for his sneakers to hike in instead of his boots since he wanted to hike in shorts.  He was worried about looking silly.  But then I told him if he felt silly to hike next to W.  She popped out of the house wearing her yellow skirt with her pink tennis shoes and pink polka dot socks and it made us laugh.  Whatever.  Just get in the car.  It is getting late.

I found the pull toys for outside in the garage clean up.  E laughs hysterically at the turtle that wags.  He followed the turtle around while I pulled it behind me.  Then I showed him how it would follow him while he pulled it.  Even funnier.  Then he pushed it like a car on his hands an knees.  He loves turtle.

T took off with the pull dog we have.  When you pull suddenly on the string it will woof "bingo" or pant or bark.  T forgot he loves that toy.  He took it into his "green ice cream truck that is big" (the rhody bush that doubles for lots of things) and hung it up.  When he drives his truck, the branches shake and it pulls suddenly on the string.  T told me that his "puppy is happy because he is woofing his song"

For Mommy time,  T almost always picks to play outside with Mommy and W almost always picks to do art or reading inside.  T is smart.  I can't hear when the timer goes off for the end of his mommy time.  I guess it is worth it because we've shared a bunch of really cute moments together and the amount of hitting around here has significantly decreased.  He also is better at remembering to be gentle with E at times since I started doing it a month ago.  J was right. T just needed more focused attention of mine without E around.  I had to give up my productive time during E's nap to do it, but less hitting is worth it for sure.  My house is a mess, though.  Whatever.  Just wash your plate if you can't find a new clean one if you want to visit.  Or just do all the cooking and cleaning when you come.  That works too.

One time while we were playing in T's "green ice cream truck that is big", the bush was train instead.  T was driving the train.  Then he stopped and, with manerisms that matched Uncle S almost to a T, he asked if I wanted to try driving the train.  Then he told me how to do it, when to start and when to stop.  And took over when my turn for practicing was over.  And gave me a hug and kiss as well as a "Mommy!" in his I want a snuggle voice after.  Totally melted my heart.

J got a truck.  Something he really wants.  It is very cool.  Except for it being black, but other than that, it is really cool.  J took T with him to go truck shopping.  T was perfectly content for 2 hours of that.  He came home happy and ready to tell W all about it.  He also got 3 cookies while he was there.

The first night J brought it home, we all went in to sit in it in the driveway.  J noticed that T put fingerprints on all the windows from checking it all out and also noted they had their shoes on the seats.  I've never known J to really be all that clean with his stuff.  The best part for T, though, is that "Papa!  I can open my door all by myself!  I love this truck!"  and his face showed pure excitement on discovering that the back door handles really work any old time.  We used to have a truck with suicide doors.  J said just that look alone on his face made it worth buying the truck.  Whatever.  I know you love it, too, hubby.  He doesn't park under the tree anymore.  In street now, where it is more likely to get hit.....

My mom had to read the books by Bill Peet about the caboose that got loose and Smokey.  I heard the kids talking in that same rythymm during their play at the beginning of the week.  Those stories were still going round in their minds.

Speaking of books, T was pretending to be "Mr Carp".  He had made a "snorkel" out of  train tracks and was running around pretending he was jumping in the pool to get "Otto".  They had put "dolphiny" in a bucket and was giving her "fish food" from the lotion bottle.

We finally got to play with Milli.  T was lifting and lowering all the lounge chair backs at their apartment pool.  Then they were pushing them around pretending they were boats.  Then they were just running around laughing and all holding hands together.  T is really good at playing with others.

I usually snuggle T before bed with him in my bed instead of his own, since if I were in the room with E seeing me, all we would have is lots of E screaming to get out and not going to sleep.  So one night T was getting sleepy in my bed.  I asked him if he wanted to stay sleeping in there for the night.  He said  no.  I was surprised because he is known for not liking to be alone and used to like sleeping in mommy and daddy's bed.  But he said "I like sleeping with Huevo".  Oh!

Another night T walked into his room after mommy snuggles.  It is dark now at bed time, so we gave them glow sticks that night.  As soon as T walked in, E was suddenly playful.  Probably because he saw something new and he just had to touch it but couldn't.  E started yelling "Mama!" over and over.  Each time I also heard T say, "No E!  Mama comes in the morning when it is time to wake up"

E laughs at himself when he is proud of his new accomplishments.  One that J caught on video is E going down steps without holding on to anything.  He is very impressed with himself every time he does it.

Suddenly T and W can write their names.  I know that these type of skills seem to suddenly turn on, but I was pretty convinced they were not going to in this instance.  How silly.  It did.  Today.  W did it last week and T did it today. 

T made a book at school.  He liked it so much he decided to read it to me.  It was pretty fun.  He had me "go to the hotel" because it was getting dark and read to me in my "bed".  He had his cute little I did something kind and helpful smile on after reading it.  I was enthralled.

W cut out her own monster outfit from a paper bag today. The eye holes got a little big, so she ended up making a turtle shell instead.  Whatever.  She had fun "working very hard on it Mommy".

I left J in charge of the kids for a half day. Here is what they did.  They went shopping for scooters and bikes during E's nap.  Then, after E slept on and off in J's arms or in his car seat, they got snack, which was a boba smoothie.  In case you are not familiar with boba smoothies, let me tell you.  There is no nutritional value to them. E drank an entire one of them.  T didn't like the boba bubble things.

After a "healthy" snack they went home and washed Papa's pick up truck.  By the way, riding in Papa's pick up truck is really fun.  E went for his first forward facing ride and loved it.  They were soaking wet in the 65 degree weather from washing the truck.  Intermittently they were riding their scooters around the driveway.  Except E.  He can have his old baby toy car back.  Every time he tried to touch a scooter, it was whisked out of his hands immediately.

Then they ordered pizza for dinner.  E ate an entire slice himself.    After that they picked four different movies.  Various Diego or Busytown episodes, after which they took a fast shower and went to bed.

The next day they were super grumpy.  J told me that his theory was that T didn't get enough sleep.  I concur. But no worries.  He only was with them for an hour in the morning and then another two hours at night.  Another note. E doesn't cry too hard when I leave.  He is already learning very quickly how fun Papa time is. Sounds like an early Christmas morning to me, wouldn't you agree?  It is why I don't leave the kids with him too much.  I know that I have to fight with the guilt of them possibly getting overly spoiled.

Another time that I left with W to go on an art walk, E was in distress.  This was much before the Christmas day time.  He was standing at the baby gate at the door crying hard.  T came over to him and gave him a hug.  He said "Don't worry E.  Tonight we get Papa time!"

At the  art walk, a bunch of artist venders were out doing demos and selling their stuff.  It was fun to watch W get all sorts of ideas of what to draw and different patterns.  I took her to frozen yogurt.  I figure we can be addicts together.  At the end of the night I asked her which one was her favorite vender.  She said "the lady at the end"  The lady at the end was a girl that looked to be about 10.  Lots of confidence.  Talked to us like an adult artist, but was much more friendly.  She was drawing with fine tipped markers and using a style that she told me the name of but I have no idea.  It is drawing something then filling in all the spaces with designs like dots, swirls or check.  She was holding a dog.  W noted on the way home that "I can't draw as small as her".  Hmmmmmm..  I guess it is time to get W fine tipped markers.  Mark that on the Christmas list.

When I got home from the art walk with W, it was dark enough to have a moonlit snuggle in the front with each kid.  Except E.  He just wanted to get down and play in his pjs.  Back to bed for him.  But it was a fabulous and happy night to remember.

T and W figured out what they wanted to be for Halloween.  W picked to be a tulip.  T picked to be a pickle.  J asked him why he wanted to be a pickle.  He said "because baby brother is going to be the caterpillar and last year I was the lollipop.  I want to be the pickle".  I guess last year is the only year they remember choosing a costume.  For some reason T thinks those are the only choices there are to pick from.  E has the cutest mouse costume, so I was thinking of trying to convince them all to be mice and they can be the three blind mice.  But then, would my mom be the farmer's wife??!!  Back to the drawing board.

We have a lot of fun just watching E play.  Doing all sorts of big kid things with his little tiny body and getting better and better at his skills.  He does all these things with such joy.  Pulling the big kids plastic wagons, laughing at turtle and Kate dog (pull toys that make lots of noise), standing on his push car, sitting on his push car, pushing W on his push car, eating the new fall décor berries I put out recently, laughing at the mop squelching in the bucket, squeezing the mop for me, splashing in the mop bucket water, vacuuming behind me with his own toy vacuum, smashing the vacuum with his foot when it comes close to him while he is chasing it, dancing, dancing in mud or rain puddles, balancing his vacuum straight up an down, helping me rearranged the canned fruits and veggies, running next to T, comforting a crying baby friend, comforting W when she cries, clapping his hands, laughing when his socks are pulled off his shoes, squeezing his toes and laughing when his shoes are put on, and eating French fries after dipping them in ketchup like a pro. 

Oh yeah.  For my mom.  I think I forgot to tell you how I know that E can drink his smoothie with a straw.  One day he pulled out my lotion bottle from under the sink and was drinking lotion.  He apparently loves to drink lotion.  I have to make sure lotion and toothpaste are out of reach from him for sure otherwise he slurp up everything.  He already ate W and T's chapstick.  And I use Cetaphil.  It isn't like it smells like strawberries or something.

E's pronunciation is getting better and better each day.  Important words like side (short for outside), shoe, fuzzy, food, W, T, doggie, and of course Mama and Papa.  He has already met his milestone for following one direction commands. 

T has a great ability to memorize things word for word, especially if it has any poem like qualities.  I often hear him directing play about re enacting books.  One of his favorites is "A fish out of Water".  He can say almost all of those phrases exactly and if I forget my lines, he corrects me.  One time he even made a snorkel out of his train tracks so he looked more like Mr. Carp

T also is able to include others in play and make games for more than he and W to play together.  Or can join in other kids play.  During learning box school (preschool) his classmates decided to play construction worker with the cones, chairs and mop bucket.   T jumped right in and W watched from my side for a long long time.

T likes to initiate playing tire store.  He marks the tires on the bikes with chalk lines so you can tell that they are new tires. He also made a sign and asked me to write 'tire store' on it.  We play ice cream truck and his ice cream truck is green since we play it in the rhody bush.  He also started playing mama and Papa.  He is the papa that goes to work.  Then the papa comes home from work at the designated time that W says so that W can go to Young Womens.  As soon as W has driven away from the rhody bush, T pops in a movie for his daughter (me) and the movie doesn't get turned off until "Mommy" is in sight and about to turn home.  At which we play getting ready for bed at a rapid pace.  No need to ask J how things go when I'm gone.  Everything that goes in must come out in play I think.

I had a clock stop working because the battery acid started leaking out. We fixed it.  Then T played battery acid boots with some zip lock bag boxes to protect himself from the battery acid that exploded.  They had put puzzle pieces inside of an oatmeal round cylinder container and it had exploded all over the floor.

T is the most consistent about saying I love you Mommy.  And it totally works.  He also can comfort little E if little E is really hurt.  He was very tender when E fell on the driveway in an almost face plant.  And he likes to take care of the "dog" (the pull toy) in protecting him from scary adults that the dog doesn't know their names.

We went to the fair.  W remembered the carasaul from last year.  T looked at empty spas as one of his picks.  They all loved the pigs.  T parked his tractor bike perfectly in the lines.  He didn't get it right the first time so, without getting off, he pedaled backward to pull in exactly right the second time.  T and W loved the tons of rides that papa let them have.  We rode the train there and back and that was a huge hit.

W is starting to get the ideas of letters.  She asked why Papa is spelled PAPA and noted that both of us have names that end in Y.

She found a plant in the yard a deer had tasted but didn't like.  We had planted it the day before and the deer had pulled it out of it's new spot.  W planted back in its spot, taking care to pat the dirt down a little more firmly.

For some reason some of the videos look black in my edit screen.  But there should be a video of "what to do if the playground doesn't have a merry go round"  or E at 15 months going up and down the slides no problem.  Another one is him laughing at the pull toys and some other stuff that is only fun for grandparents and parents to watch