Still Here

"Mom, look!  The blueberries are taking a tub!"

"Mom, look!  I made a bird!"

We're still here and gearing up for Christmas.  Jack's imagination has been exploding lately and he comes up with some clever stories and play ideas.  It's fun to experience.  Jack has been enjoying puzzles lately and is getting pretty good at them.  

Christmas-related photos to follow soon.  Hoping for a healthy holiday this year!

- S.  

Halloween

Strict supervision of pumpkin carving.  

Jack's request was a happy pumpkin with no teeth.

He and dad drew it together.

Finally agreed to put his costume on.

Ready for trick or treating.

 Going through the haul.

- S.

Panda Breakfast

"It's bamboo-flavored oatmeal."

Of course it is…

- S.

Big Bed Troubles

Remember when I posted about Jack getting a big bed and how well he was doing with the transition?  Well, subsequent to that, here are some of the situations I've found upon entering the room in the morning.

At least he's having fun?

- S.

Salem Willows

After threatening to do so all summer, on Labor Day we finally took Jack to Salem Willows.

He rode the few rides they still have, ate pizza and ice cream, and tried to play skee ball, but still doesn't quite get the concept.

- S.

Birthday

Jack turned three a while ago.  We had a small gathering with cake and ice cream to celebrate.  It was a nice time, despite being super hot, just like last year.

He is settling in to his new age nicely with some stubbornness, a bit of picky eating, and a dash of sarcasm.

Jack opened a few gifts from Mom and Dad before the party.  Mr. Pickle for Sir Pickles.

We had a construction theme going (of course).

Construction cupcakes

 Construction carrot cake with graham cracker "dirt."

 Construction playtime

- S.

Twinkle Spin

I have a big backlog of posts to get to, hopefully very soon, 

but here is a little tidbit of just another day around here.

- S.

Maine

We went up to Maine a few weeks ago for the annual family gathering.  Thus concludes The Great Overbooked Summer of 2015.  Whew!  Lesson learned for next summer (hopefully).

We made the traditional stop at the Maine Diner for lunch.  After an epic meltdown two bites into his lunch, Jack was able to return and eat most of his lunch as well as some blueberry pie.

"This here is MY dirt pile for the weekend."

Jack found and claimed the dirt pile pretty quickly, 

but was nice enough to share with Dad and Adam and Laura.

 Bubbles were popular with pretty much everyone.

Yes, Jack has it rough.

 Saying hi to a frog on our morning walk.

- S.

NJ - Round Two

 About a month ago we traveled back to NJ for another visit with Grandma and Pop Pop.  Jack enjoyed lots of food, time at the playground, and a day at the beach.  Here are some pics from the boardwalk.

(Topped off with grumpy ice cream, banana flavor.)

- S.

Destruction Tea Party

Peeling up floor tiles on the back porch, then taking a break for tea.

- S.

Big Bed

On the milestones front, Jack now has a room with a proper bed.  I had intended to wait for his birthday to get him a bed, but when we went away to Williamstown a few weeks ago he got to sleep in a twin bed and did great.  Ever since then he's been asking for his own big bed, and since we had a few weekends in a row at home, we thought we'd take advantage of that time to get a bed and set it up.

Two nights of good sleep so far!

- S.

Williamstown

Over the July 4th weekend we took Nana out to Western Mass for a mini vacation.  We stayed in Williamstown.  Our biggest adventure was going to Mt. Greylock, but we also enjoyed the July 4th parade in Williamstown, a very brief visit to KidSpace at Mass MoCA, and Shelburne Falls.

Jack was not into getting his picture taken too much on this day, but here he is at the Mt. Greylock summit.  He has since referred to this monument as "the castle."

Dad helping Jack check out the scenery.

Panda also enjoyed the scenery.

Jack in a hollowed out tree in the Mt. Greylock visitors center.

Waiting in the rain in Williamstown for the parade to start.

We checked out the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, which is an old trolley bridge that is now the home to all sorts of different plants and flowers.

 Jack enjoyed poking some of the flowers. ("Gentle!")

We also looked at the "glacial potholes" in Shelburne Falls.

And Jack played his first game of Pac Man (with a little help from Dad) while we waited for our pizza one night.  That's my boy!

- S.

Muddy Puddles

I got Jack some rain boots for the express purpose of going out and jumping in puddles.

We took them out for a trial run last week.

- S.

Preschool

Today was Jack's first official day of preschool.

I guess what this means is that he's in a new room with kids his age and slightly older 

and there's a little more structure to the day.

Jack is just excited that his new classroom has fire engines to play with 

and that he now gets to go to the "big kids" playground which has a slide.  

I also drop him off a bit earlier so he gets to have TWO snacks at school now.

As Jack always reminds us, "I'm growing bigger and bigger."

You certainly are my little big dude.

- S.

Sweet Potato

My sous chef.

- S.

Falmouth

We are in the midst of The Great Overbooked Summer of 2015.  

Last week we went to Falmouth for a few days with some friends and their son.  

Snack time at the beach.

First popsicle, which Jack calls an ice lolly due to watching Peppa Pig (a British cartoon) too often.

Sunset walkies with Dad.

Play Doh with Nate.

Trying the new mini water cannons.  Everyone was soon drenched.  Success.

- S.