Last stand

Yesterday was our last farmer's market for the season.  We walked around the produce stands, admiring the last real, fresh produce we will see in a long time. Gourmet stands were out with delicious breads and cakes.  I sampled some gluten-free Scharffen Berger chocolate cake and a gluten-free lemon coffee cake. Delicious!  I didn't buy anything though, because we need to clean out our freezer and pantry.

This farmer's market has a kids' area.  There is usually one dedicated craft project for the kids to enjoy, complete with tiny picnic tables for them to sit and enjoy food and coloring.  The craft project was a crown, with stick-on letters and jewels.  How perfect for my little king, who turns 3 on Saturday. 

We were walking out of the farmer's market and headed toward our car.  Bode was unsuccessfully attempting to push Gianna in the double stroller.  Suddenly, Bode stopped short.  He had this hard look of concentration on his face and he announced, "I want popcorn."  Bob and I looked at each other.  Drat! We were so close to escaping the farmer's market without buying a giant bag of kettle corn. Without any discussion (because of course we would never say "no" to Bode's request for this, especially on the last farmer's market), Bob and Bode walked back toward the market where the kettle corn stand stood. I followed, pushing Gianna in the double stroller.

After the kettle corn was purchased (and some of it consumed), we headed toward our car again. We walked up a street to admire a fire truck. The band started playing, "Brown-eyed Girl." We stopped on the nearly vacant street and danced.

Watching Bode dance made me smile. I got teary-eyed, witnessing his easy joy and awkward dance.  Enjoying life is so simple with this boy around.
Big weekend:  Bode turns 3!!!  We have a birthday party on Saturday. You might have heard.  (wink)
xo

Friday play date pics

Priscilla has a brand-new, extra-large crate for our upcoming move.  Priscilla has no desire to get anywhere near it.  The babies are enjoying it, though. It seems like every time I turn my back, one or both of them is inside of the crate.  Here are pics from this morning:

Here are today's pics from the park.  Bode was off and running at the park. I stuck close to Gianna and made sure she didn't climb to the top of the play structure.

What are your plans for the weekend?  My plan is to pack, pack, pack (and pack some more). And to get out the calendar and plan out the next couple of weeks (as much as possible).  I also want to take Bode to a pancake breakfast hosted by our local firemen.  Shhh!  He doesn't know about it.  I haven't told him because I'm not sure if the timing is going to work for us. I hope that we make it. I know my little guy would love to see a real fire truck first thing in the morning.  Whatever your plans, I hope that you have a happy weekend!  And, HAPPY FALL!
xo

Farewell, Summer

This afternoon around 4 PM, Bob called me.  The babies had woken up from their naps and had already eaten a snack. "What are you doing?" he asked. I explained that the babies were up and I was trying to decide what to do. It's been such a hot week. I've had a hard time motivating to get everyone outside. "Well," Bob continued, "I'm downtown and you know, the farmer's market is going on."  Within a few minutes, we were headed downtown to meet Bob at our local farmer's market. 

See this dude?  See what he is doing? See the popcorn flying?  Kettle corn.

Bode scored his third bag of popcorn this summer. The bags are HUGE. I asked if it was possible to get a mini bag. The lady who manned the register shook her head No, but took pity on me and gave me another plastic bag, so that I could spoon out a smaller portion for Bode to eat from the humongous bag we purchased.

Bode ate and ate and ate while we walked up and down the street, looking at the produce and other foods.  I was taking this picture of Bode when I spotted the firemen.  I spy with my little eye....

We sat on the street curb and watched the people walk by.  We enjoyed the shade and thought about dinner. 



We dined at an outdoor table covered in a plastic red-checked table cloth and ate falafel, pita and hummus.

It was the perfect end to summer.

xo

Buy buy, baby

I have been shopping up a storm.  It has been fun, in a manic, "Do-we-need-this-now-or-possibly-in-the-next-three-months?" kind of way. I'm trying to gear up for all of our travel, as well as, have warm clothing for the winter months that are going to smack us in the faces once we arrive in Berlin and New York.

Remember when I was all, "No pink, please" when I was pregnant? You can laugh now.

Bode is set on clothes. Thanks to grandmothers and aunts, he is stocked for the next two years.  Gianna, not so much.  This is not a plea for clothing donations.  She is still a baby and is growing by "months"  sizes and not "year" sizes like Bode. So I'm trying to stock up without you know, over-stocking.

Gianna sez, "There's no such thing as too many clothes!"

We went shoe shopping for Gianna today.  This baby has tiny feet.  I was so very disappointed when the nice shoe salesman informed me that they do not make Uggs in Gianna's teeny baby feet size.  I was so very disappointed, until he said, "But we do have these..."  and presented me with the most adorable little suede booties in fuchsia!  My heartbeat quickened as I saw that the adorable little suede fuchsia booties had matching fuchsia faux fur lined on the inside. Not quite Uggs, but still, YUM.  The salesman also showed me the same booties in black and tan.  Excuse me?  No.  We want the (fun) fuchsia.

Gianna sez, "Wearing a matching cloth diaper is optional, but it's so fab if you do!"

Another of my more manic interesting purchases has been this guy.  Meet Baby Emperor. 

from here

He was a gift from Grandma.  A long time ago, Grandma went to the zoo and sent Bode and Gianna some stuffed animal  souvenirs: a lion cub and (this) penguin. When I opened the box, Bode grabbed the lion cub.  So the penguin was given to baby Gianna, who knew no difference.  In fact, I'm pretty sure Bode grabbed the penguin out of baby Gianna's hands as soon as I gave it to her.  But now? Now this is really Gianna's penguin. This is Gianna's go-to at nap and bedtime.  She also sometimes likes to bring him table-side when eating breakfast.  The poor guy has been in the washing machine and dryer more times than he'd like, I'm sure. I call him Guin, short for penguin. Ho! So clever, I know.  Bode never had an "attachment" or "transition" object except for a wooden puzzle piece, a school bus, that hardly ever left his hands.  I'm not sure how "attached" Gianna is to Guin.  She doesn't cry for him or can't sleep without him, as far as I can tell.  And, we don't  really  encourage attachments.  I don't bring Guin in the stroller, in the car, or anywhere.  But we aren't taking any chances.  Today I ordered two Baby Emperor stuffed animals just like Guin.  We will have back-ups, just in case Guin flies, or swims, the coop.

Gianna sez, "Guin won't leave me!"

Big hug

In other news, Gianna walked today with the use of her baby doll stroller.  I wasn't very surprised, as she has been standing on her own two feet and "walking" on her knees for awhile now. Or maybe it's just hours and hours of observing her mother walk while pushing a shopping cart.

Happy Friday!

xo

The weekend in pictures*

As usual (lately), I started grumbling about making dinner around 4:30 on Friday.  Bode graciously opened up his kitchen and prepared dinner for us.  Pizza and pasta were on the menu.  And, it should be noted that he is probably the only chef that cooks wearing sunglasses (upside down  pink sunglasses, no less).

Saturday afternoon, Bob and Gianna had a tickle fest while Bode napped.  Bob also read one story to Gianna. This is notable only because she is not "into" reading books like her big brother, and won't sit still for them.

Blurry but too cute not to publish.

Sunday afternoon, we went to the Los Altos Hills Hoedown.  It is an annual event at our local barn.  The local riding club puts on a show.  They also open the barn up and the children (and adults) have fun viewing the horses up close. I didn't take any photos of the show or the barn because I didn't want to startle any horses.  Last year, a horse whinnied at Bode and it really scared him! So I was trying to keep things calm.



Gianna wore a strawberry outfit. Thanks, Nana!



One highlight for Bode was the fire truck on display!

Bob and Bode enjoying the horse show.

Walking down (independent!) to see the miniature ponies.

On the other side of the barn is crafts, kids activities, and food.  Bob and I never carry cash.  Bode spotted a popcorn machine (luckily he didn't see the caramel apples!).  Of course he asked for popcorn.  We found out that the popcorn was $1. Bob turned to me and said, "I don't have any cash. Do you?"  I frowned, like, "What do you think?!" But  I dug out my wallet.  I had  exactly one (1) dollar bill in my change purse!  So glad that I didn't have to disappoint my son! (actually, I would have done anything - begged a passerby, ridden a pony bareback, whatever it took! - to get Bode popcorn)



Bode anticipating the popcorn.



He ate the whole bag!

As we were walking back to our car, Bode walked very slowly because he was eating his popcorn. A mother behind us was (loudly) lecturing to her kids, "No, you can't have popcorn right now. It's dinner time.  Popcorn is a snack.  Popcorn is not dinner. We will have popcorn as a snack tomorrow." Yadda yadda yadda. It was prettty funny.  Of course, Bode ate the whole bag of popcorn and, as you can guess, didn't eat any dinner.  But you know what?  I don't care. He enjoyed himself (and the popcorn).
Bode and Gianna were completely zonked after the festivities. We got home and it was Mission: Bed.  I stripped them of their clothes but didn't bother with a bath. While I went downstairs to grab pjs, they got in one last tickle fest before bed.

Blurry, but look at how HUGE Bode looks!

Priscilla is probably smelling the popcorn on Bode!

Happy Wednesday-almost-Thursday!

xo

*I am sorry that I haven't been posting much this week. I am busy, busy, busy!  There is so much to write about and I will, in time.