Fire station #60

This week, Franny and Cole's playgroup visited our local fire station.  They had a fun time touring the station, meeting the firemen, and checking out the fire trucks.   Cole was especially fascinated with the big trucks, big tires, and all the other big things in the very big garage.  The first thing he did when he entered the garage was walk up to the enormous fire truck tire and turn around with a big grin on his face;  his interest in cars and trucks is truly undeniable.  I enjoy all the fun destinations we visit regularly, but it was also fun to break out and do something new with the group.    And, these kids are so great--they are so well-behaved and polite that we can do pretty much anything we have the ambition to do. 

Small joys

Who would have thought a trip to get haircuts would end up being such fun?  Definitely not me, but the kids had no less than a great morning.  Franny got her car of choice (pink, of course), watched a short Dora video, picked out new green hair clips, and then, also got to pick out a balloon, sticker, and lollipop.  Wow!  While Cole waited his turn, he bounded between the playhouse, car, slide, and computer games, giggling the entire time.  Once he got in his car, I expected the usual meltdown, but he was quite pleased with his penguin cape and the hairdresser letting him play with the clipper and his newly cut hair.  He wasn't so pleased when she sprayed his hair with water, but recovered quickly watching an Elmo video and then,  picking out his own balloon and lollipop.  Franny picked out his sticker, although he did wear it most proudly.  The ride home was full of laughing and shouting as the two bombarded each other with their balloons.  At home, Cole got a kick out of letting go of his balloon over and over again, but he was having such a good time I couldn't help but indulge him.  The haircuts lasted a whole hour, bringing us home with just enough time for lunch followed by quiet time.  It was great fun for them, and one of the easiest mornings I've had in a long time.  Too bad we can't make it a weekly event!

The art of the Cuisinart

Cole loves the food processor. And, what's not to love--it's shiny, has buttons, makes a loud noise, and dramatically transforms food instantaneously. Whenever I use it, Cole likes to watch, listen to the whirr, and feel the vibration it generates. But until last week, I hadn't realized how closely Cole paid attention to the actual mechanism of this appliance. While making a yummy garbanzo bean and artichoke dip, I turned around to get a lemon out the refrigerator, and in that short time Cole put the insert in the lid (it won't start without it in place) and pressed "on". And, while I would never purposely allow him to play with appliances, I had to see if it was just a lucky coincidence, and gave him the opportunity to do it again. Which, he did. He was very pleased with himself, and I am still completely amazed.

Weekend mornings

At our house, the only thing rushed on the weekend is breakfast.  And that is so these three can snuggle up on the couch and read books.  This is not an occasional occurrence; it's a definite given.  Their morning lounging lasts quite awhile--that is, until one of kid's attention spans finally dissipates or daddy's need for coffee wins out.  All in all, though, they spend a lot of time, here. My only question is where will number three fit?

Taking steps

We knew from the outset that having three kids would bring extraordinary chaos to our lives.   As we draw closer to that point, the reality of how a third child will impact every aspect of our accustomed routine is becoming increasingly clear.  Franny is very excited about her little sister and Cole will always follow Franny's lead, so I have begun to make adjustments now, in order to get us ready for her arrival.  Since we are unquestionably a family on the go, being able to get from place to place safely and as stress-free as possible is a big priority for me (not to mention being on time!)  Most importantly, since I only have two hands, Franny and Cole are learning how to walk together slowly and safely on sidewalks and through parking lots to get to our destinations.  Although we still have a lot of kinks to work out, Franny has been very responsive and nurturing to Cole, and it's obvious that Cole is extremely proud to walk hand in hand with his big sister!

 

First finger paint

Given Franny's love of art projects, I have recently tried to be much more accommodating to nurturing this interest for both her and Cole, while being much less concerned about mess. As a result, Santa brought Franny a pack of finger paints and Cole a pack of markers. Over the course of the last week, the two have made multitudes of creations, using both. Cole is very fortunate--Franny was two years old before we allowed her to use anything besides crayons, and was nearly three before she used finger paint at home. I guess it's a good example of the eldest breaking the parents in for the younger siblings, and Cole is definitely enjoying his benefit. I admit, he did surprise me; although he did ingest a fair amount of finger paint, the majority did remain on the paper and he loved making his own masterpieces, just like his big sister. Not to mention cleaning his brush and making the water turn colors in the rinsing glass. And, it was a lot of fun for me to watch, as well. Especially since, amazingly enought, not one drop of paint made it to the carpet. But, as for the tabletop, chairs, shirts, pants, faces, hands, and hair---thats a much different story.

Finger paint from T on Vimeo.