Bullseye for fun

Yesterday we ran to our favorite local store for some essentials: chocolate chips, brown sugar, nuts...oh, and some Lightening McQueen undies (for Bode, not for me).

As usual, my cart was fully loaded, even though I just ran in for some "essentials." I was unloading the cart as fast as I could, but the cashier was faster, ringing up everything I put on the belt immediately.   Then I looked up to see this:

Bode had opened the underwear package while I wasn't looking and stuck a pair of underwear on his head.  I busted out laughing.  The cashier noticed and started laughing, too.  Of course, I had to snap some pics.  There was no stopping him after I started laughing. He knows when he's being a funny guy. He insisted on wearing the underwear out of the store and all the way home.

He makes me so happy.
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

Bode models for Fall

Yesterday we had a nice little play date in the park with Bode's play group.  The most noticeable thing is the boys actually are playing together now (instead of "parallel play" or "side-by-side" play).  They all got on the slide and laughed while climbing over and around each other. They also played together in the sand box, moving their trucks around each other and pouring sand into each other's trucks.  After surveying the group, it seems that all the babies* are in preschool.  I am still on the fence. I like having Bode at home with me and Gianna.  And, I really feel that once I put him in, I won't be able to take him back out (of school).  I am gathering information and interviewing preschools now. But I am leaning (right now) (this second) toward keeping him home.

Derek

Gianna will not be contained, and crawls everywhere.

Billy and Bode

Bode's face has now scabbed up since his fall on Monday.  And I swear, I have had to stop myself so many times today from not wiping his face and demanding, "How did you get chocolate all over your face?"  It really looks like he's got food, or something, on his face.

I know that I just blogged about beachwear for the babies. But I am SO READY for Fall!!! I love Fall. It is my favorite season.  I love it for many reasons. The colors of green, brown, orange,  plum, grey and black.  The cooler air, and hopefully, a cold winter to follow. I love "falling back" and how it gets dark around 4:30 in the afternoon. The "back to school" supplies and clothes shopping. I don't mind firing up the oven when it is 50 degrees or cooler outside, and love how comforting soups and casseroles are in the evenings. I find the new Fall fashions featured in all the mags so exciting. I love wearing sweaters, fleece, and boots. My two favorite holidays are in the Fall: Halloween and Thanksgiving. Fall is so many great things!

Today we did a little shopping for Fall.  The whole family got some fleece jackets and vests.  Of course, after I had him try it on for size, Bode insisted on wearing his fleece vest while shopping.  Then the store clerk had to scan him in order to ring it up because he wouldn't take it off.  And he wore it outside, on our long walk back to the car, in our sunny 76 degree weather. 

Here he is being a "live model" outside the store. 








Check out the filthy hands!  He crawled around on the floor while I was shopping. Lovely 2 year old behavior.

Bode and Gianna both got the same green vest, thanks to the stock-on-hand. And, spoiler alert!  They both have the same fleece jackets, too. So they will be dressed alike, even though I did not purposely buy them the same colors.  I want to go on record:  it is not intentional!



Gianna is not buying what Bode is selling. She is, after all, a summer baby.

 Are you ready for Fall?  Do you buy new clothes and school supplies?  I can't resist a little "back-to-school shopping," even though it's been years since I've been an official student.

xo
* I read this post, and noticed that I refer to them as babies while talking about preschool.

If there is a water shortage in California

Mia Gianna is back! I want to keep her away from little ones, so we are not going to playdates or to the park for a few days. We all needed a break from the  house, so we headed to the grocery store for some fruit.

Hello, lovely G.

Bode loves getting Gianna's attention.





I usually put them in a two-seater shopping cart, but I couldn't find one today. It was a quick grocery store run, so I put Bode into the shopping cart's basket. He loved it. And he loved taunting Gianna into turning around to look at him.  Shopping for fruit is the perfect activity with a toddler!  Bode and I picked out a watermelon, some peaches, oranges, and apples. We counted them and talked about their colors. Plus, he loved sitting in the basket with the fruit we acquired.

As usual, while Gianna napped, we went outside and watered the plants.  Bode has figured out how to put his little thumb over the hose, so that the water sprays into a big arc. He thinks that this is the greatest thing ever!

"Working at the car wash...."



I finally realized that I should probably just take the soaked clothes off of him!

I told Bob that we could turn the water hose on, give it to Bode, then leave for hours. And when we returned, several hours later, Bode would still be in the backyard with the hose, happy as a clam, playing "car wash" and hosing down everything in sight. Of course, we would never really do that.  (And before I get any frantic emails, I don't leave Bode alone outside.)

I realized today that I really should pull out the wading pool for him to splash around and play. He goes to swim lessons once a week, and I'm sure he'd love more pool time.

Then again, if I do that, I may never get him out of it.

Happy Wednesday!

xo