Thanksgiving and Tree Trimming

We had a warmish rainy day a week ago and a couple of the frogs made an appearance.





We went to my parents at Thanksgiving. Evan LOOVED being outside. He was pretty much in a bad mood when he had to be inside. We had a lot of fun and it was relaxing and the food was delicious. My Mom always prepares such a wonderful meal.



Evan and Uncle Mike. Evan loved sitting on the back of Mike's truck.



Drew fell off the ridge of the driveway. He doesn't seem to phased!









The table.



Drew loved everything!



We put our tree up when we got back. Drew loved all the dangerous glass ball ornaments.



Evan really enjoyed decorating the tree. He pointed out where he wanted some ornaments to go, and of course they all ended up in a little clump on the front of the tree.





We took the dangerous ornament away and Drew was not pleased.





Maybe this little apple bell ornament will appease you.





Finally, a friendly wrestling match between the boys. Drew was having a lot of fun with our plastic grocery bags that I had compiled near the front door so I could throw them in the van to recycle them the next time I went grocery shopping. Evan joined in a little later and both boys had a lot of fun. I am sure this is the first of many friendly and unfriendly wrestling matches.

Brotherly Love

First let me talk about Drew. Drew is having tantrums already. He LOVES riding in the dump truck. And when you take Drew away from something he loves, watch out. He flails, he cries. In the following video I let the camera drop for a second for whatever reason, but during that silence, that is actually Drew doing his "silent scream." That scream is when he is so upset, he just keeps inhaling and doesn't make a sound until several seconds later when he belts out a scream. Usually he only cries like that after some serious pain, like fingers getting stepped on or a major head bump, but this night, it was over the dump truck. I was talking to my Mom on the phone and giving her a blow by blow during the video.





We are in for it.

A still photo of Drew's joy in the truck.



Drew is suddenly old enough to go for a walk in the wagon with Evan.



Evan has been showing a lot more affection for his brother lately. He loves to make him smile and laugh. He hugs and kisses him, tickles him and snuggles him. That isn't to say that there aren't still shoves, head bumps and tears, but the love is starting to show.













You will notice that Evan is wearing sunglasses in the photos. He is an accessory man lately. Sunglasses, jackets and baseball caps are his thing.

This is Drew at a friend's house at a play date. He was trying to bounce on the trampoline like the big kids.



I am starting to potty train Evan and we are in the very early stages. He is pretty open to it though, so hopefully we will keep this momentum going. He went half the day today without an accident and then I let him go too long in between potty visits. He loves wearing underwear, so that is a bonus.

I hope you all have a good Thanksgiving! I will update shortly after we get back.

First Week of November

We kicked off last weekend for two of Evan's play group friends, Ryan and Tera. Ryan's birthday party was on Friday and Tera's on Saturday. Evan is really catching on to this birthday thing! He mentions the cake if you even whisper the word "birthday" around him now. He also understands his birthday is coming up, and soon he will be 3 years old.

Tera's party had Ms. Cotton (a local children's musician) play for the kids. Evan sat for a few songs but Drew really had the most fun with it. He sat and played with the instruments and had a great time listening to the music.



Shaking an egg-shaped maraca.



Evan's favorite part: the cake.



On Sunday Evan and I went to lunch and to see the Bee Movie. We had an Evan and Mommy Day. Evan had a great time and so did I. We arrived a little to late for the first Bee movie, and a little early for the second showing, so Evan only made it about half way through the movie before he was getting a little loud exclaiming "It's dark in here!" He sat in the movie theater seat for about 1 minute before he decided my lap was a little more stable.



Evan wanting me to take a picture of him.



A play date here. Evan likes to accessorize now and it varies between sunglasses, jackets and baseball caps, some times all at once. The other night when James came home we were already sitting down to dinner and Evan was wearing his sunglasses and a jacket at the table.



Evan is a lot nicer to his brother lately. He loves to make Drew smile and laugh, and frequently plays with him, shares with him and hugs and kisses him. They still have their moments, but things are getting better.

Evan giving Drew a hug and the result was a head clunk on the floor for Drew. Oh well.



Drew is more and more interested in what the big people are eating. Here he is swiping some of Evan's "rainbow" Cheerios.





Drew dug into my backpack and dug out the snack trap filled with some of Evan's leavings; Goldfish crumbs. Drew went to town right away getting those crumbs out and eventually resorted to banging the snack trap on the floor to knock the crumbs out.





Evan wanted me to take a picture of him jumping.



Drew loves to hang out in the dog crate.





At the park. You can see Drew's 4 top teeth coming in at the same time!





Evan is very fast.



We were going to go to the zoo this Sunday but Evan just started antibiotics for a little bronchitis he has going on. Both boys have had chest colds for a few weeks now and I have it now as well. Tis the season!

Halloween and Drew is 10 Months Old!

Last week, while James stayed home and finished up a project at work, we traveled up to my parents' house to visit. My dad had not seen Evan since the beginning of July! We had a lot of fun!

Grandma and Evan splitting a sundae. Evan doesn't really like how cold ice cream is, but he did like the whipped cream.



Laughing with Granddad.



Granddad pushing Evan on the swing.



When we first turned into my parents' neighborhood, Evan said we were going "into the forest" because there are so many trees.





Drew loved this tunnel. Evan wouldn't go through tunnels until he was about 2 and a half. Drew is full speed ahead.



Drew in his new Air Force Academy hat. Too bad he doesn't keep hats on longer than 30 seconds.



While we were there my Mom and I took Evan and Drew to a ghost train and a fall festival. They were both a lot of fun! Evan had a blast at both and Drew seemed pretty happy to be there too.













This was Evan's favorite part of the festival by far, the carpet slide. I think I went down with him 4 or 5 times. He would have done it all day if we let him.



Drew is 10 months old! He is getting so big and enjoys eating the most I think. He loves his brother (when he isn't smooshing him or kicking him) and gets angry when he can't eat what we are eating. He certainly does have his baby ideas of how the world should be, and that is everything has to be HIS idea. He is starting to say "mama" in reference to me and tonight James was holding him and Drew was saying "da da"





Orange day at preschool on Halloween!



Arrr matey, your candy or your life! Evan was displeased to say it mildly when he first had the outfit on. But when we went to James' office trick or treat party he realized what this costume could get him, and that was a lot of candy. We went out to eat after the party and joined Evan's friends for trick or treating!



The cookie is a bribe to keep the outfit on.



Drew was a parrot. Of course!



Evan was checking out a howling ghost that rolled around the room. He didn't want to go near it.



Drew crawled up and started batting at the base of it.



Lets go to this Desk or Treat.



Later we met Tera and Vince. Evan was dashing up to houses and saying "trick or treat" in his soft Evan way. He even told one lady, "I'm an Evan pirate!"









Checking out a glow stick at the end of the night.