Painting Pumpkins

I am not good at crafts and projects. In Kindergarten I was in the special, pull out class for bad cutters and pasters. I don't think it helped me much. But my little Caterpillar loves a good project, so I decided to give it a try. I saw an example of how to paint pumpkins using painters' tape on one of my favorite blogs and decided that even I could probably handle this.

I wasn't excited about the prospect of carving pumpkins with a 2&3 year old. What is there for them to really do? Plus, again, I am bad at things like that and Tim is not here, so I gave that idea up awhile ago.

So, while Timmy napped, Cate and I got to work. We put the tape all over two pumpkins and then carved out a jack o lantern face for her with an exacto knife.

That process took me 45 minutes, so Timmy got a much easier giant T on his pumpkin.

When Timmy woke up, I gave each of them a lovely palette on a paper plate.

Timmy's face cracks me up. I imagine that he is thinking, "I can't believe that she is giving me all of this messy paint!"

I told them that they could paint with whatever colors they wanted and do whatever "designs" they wanted to on their pumpkins.

Cate painted her hand, as she's done in school, and gave her pumpkins a few handprints. Timmy needed to be hosed down a few times during the process.

When all of the paint finally dried, we pulled up the tape and voila! Two cute pumpkins.

Two confessions. One: I did go back and doctor their pumpkins a little bit. They used so much paint and mixed it so much that it really just looked like they painted their pumpkins brown. So I tried to go back and add some color. Two: I clearly did a bad job on the mouth of the jack o lantern. It's way too big and his top tooth is hanging somewhere in the middle of his mouth. Oh well. This is pretty good for me.

Enjoying the Fall

I love Fall. Cool, but not cold weather, pumpkins, falling leaves, apple cider. I do not particularly love Halloween. My mom called me a Halloween scrooge. I'm not opposed to kids dressing up in cute costumes and having fun running around, but it's just not my favorite holiday.

There are also a lot of images that are difficult to explain to a two and three year old. For example the neighbor who has hands (as if coming up from the grave) sticking up out of his grass. Timmy notices them every time. Then there are the friendly ghost and witch stickers on another window. Cate and Timmy wanted to know what the witch was. I said, "Do you know who usually is known for flying around on her broomstick?" Timmy replied instantly, "Mommy!" Ok, well, also witches.

A bicycle not built for two.

Haircuts and Cupcakes

Usually Tim takes Cate and Timmy to get their hair cut. I reluctantly did the job last week because they were looking pretty shaggy and Cate's preschool picture day was the next day. I told the woman that I wanted a long bob, just past chin length, for Cate.

She is as adorable as they come, but come on. This is cheekbone. What would a short bob look like? Just grazing the eyelashes?

Don't you just love the sass in this picture? Gotta love the three-year-old attitude.

I have been wanting to work on some pumpkin recipes with Cate, so we decided to make this cake, although we made the cupcake version. Timmy ended up "helping" too. He had a great time and actually did a decent job of not making a mess. By that I mean that he didn't spill the whole bowl of batter or put his whole hand in the frosting. The kitchen was a definite mess. Unfortunately between making a new cake and frosting recipe and managing Cate and Timmy at the counter, I didn't get many great pictures of these cute cupcakes.

I did get a picture of Timmy making what we call the "piggy" face. He was thoroughly enjoying his cupcake. In this eating picture of TT, I not only used my standard black and white feature, but also blurred the edges to soften the effect of disgustingness.

I think that it was at about this point that Timmy started trying to get me to re-frost his cupcake.

The Aquarium and The Pumpkin Farm

And it's only Tuesday. This has been a busy week for us. I don't like to pack our weeks too full of activities because we all just end up worn out and cranky. Especially me.

Tim was home for a long, three day weekend though, so we decided to go to the Aquarium. We tried explaining it to Cate and Timmy the night before. We explained that they would see everything that lives under the water. Timmy kept saying, "There's horses there?" No. "There's piggies?" No. "There's cows?" No. You'll see.

First we visited the big tanks.

Then after a quick lunch, it was time for the dolphin show. When the music signaled that the show was about to begin, Cate put her arm around Timmy. I imagine she was thinking, "Ok Timmy, time to find out what they brought us here to see. I'll decide if we like it."

I think that their favorite part was the "Polar Play Zone." We visited it twice before we left.

Then this morning, before Tim had to go to the airport, he let C&T help him make eggs. Timmy loved it because I usually try to avoid having him in the kitchen.

Waiting in line to get on the bus. Who is standing quietly with her hands folded, looking at the teacher? My little rule follower.

Timmy and I met the class after he ran around like a maniac trying to pick up all of the pumpkins.

The haystack maze.

Cate's first class picture.

We stayed a little bit late so that Timmy could see all of the animals and so that they could go through the corn maze. We got apple cider donuts and juice for the ride home and called it lunch. After this much excitement, we might be calling it a week too.

A Cars and Trains Second Birthday for T

Our little baby Timmy is 2! Will there ever be a birthday when I feel like I can believe that they are as old as they are turning? I feel like it was just Cate's second birthday (well, it kind of was...) and now Timmy is already two. The seasons and years are whipping around so fast!

On Saturday we went to the choo choo restaurant in Glen Ellyn. Timmy and Cate loved it. Just like at Cate's second birthday, the food is delivered by train right next to your table.

After dinner, the birthday boy (and his big sister, of course) got special birthday cupcakes with sprinkles. They both devoured them. The frosting, anyway.

They also got in on some milkshake action. This was the beginning of the sugar overload for the weekend.

On Sunday after church (first day in the big 2 year old room!) and lunch and naps, we let Timmy rip into his presents. He was unsure at first of all the excitement and attention...although Cate was adeptly coaching him through it. Once he got the idea that under the brightly colored paper would lie cars, cars, legos, cars, footballs, cars, new clothes, cars, bikes and more cars, he was jumping around like a little maniac.

I was trying to get his cake ready in secret, but he came in as I was getting the candles lit and saw it. He started screaming, "That's Mater, That's McQueen!" The two race cars were off the cake before the candles were blown out.

He thoroughly enjoyed his cake (hence the black and white photo) with his friends, Mater and McQueen by his side. Happy Birthday TT! We love you!

Hey Daddy!

Since I won't talk on the phone, I thought I would send you a special blog post. This is me on my way to my second day of school. I can't wait to see you this weekend!

Love,

Cate

A Big Week

Cate's first day of preschool is behind us and she did great! We got her bag packed the night before and I made her favorite breakfast (french toast) to encourage a good mood. She was skipping along and holding my hand until we got close to her classroom and there were a lot of people, a little bit of chaos and a little bit of crying. Then she wanted to be picked up.

So we checked things out together and then Mimi swooped in so that I could make an exit. I got periodic updates throughout the morning when my mom had a chance to peek in at her. She was smiling, playing and having a good time. On the way home, I asked Cate how she liked school and her teachers and the other kids in her class. She liked school and the teachers, but not the other kids. She thought that they were too young to be in school. Of course she is one of the youngest ones, so I don't know what that means.

The weather turned cool, almost cold, last week, but we still made it over to our old playground. Timmy always wants to look for ducks on the bridge.

It's so much easier to be at the playground with both of them now that Timmy is more independent. I still look at other mothers who are sitting on a bench, talking to other mothers, drinking their coffee and wonder when that will be me, but at least I'm not holding one child and trying to help the other one anymore.

On Friday night we went out for dinner for Mimi's birthday. Cate and Timmy love their guacamole, so Mimi chose a Mexican restaurant.

Finally, on Saturday night with Daddy in Phoenix and Mimi and Pop at a wedding, I told C&T that we could make popcorn and watch a movie after bath time. They LOVE to eat popcorn out of a little plastic cup and watch "Toy Story." It was a good end to a busy week!

Ready for School

Actually, I think that the title of this post should be, "Ready for school??????"

Cate is going to preschool two days a week this Fall (or for however long we are still in Chicago). We started talking about it a few weeks ago. She told me, and everyone else who asked, that she was not going to school. She was staying home with me all morning. She said that she is not old enough to go to school.

So, I ordered her a new backpack which she loved to try to get her excited about school.

That worked for a day or so. She played school, pretended to go to school and packed some crayons in her bag. The next day she was back to saying that she was not going.

Today was "Meet the Teacher." Cate knows one of her teachers really well. My mom is the preschool director and we play in the empty playrooms and classrooms all the time. You might think that this would help her to be more comfortable.

You would be wrong. She wouldn't look at anyone, detach herself from the backs of my legs or speak the entire time. Thursday is the first day of school and I don't think it's going to be pretty. I think she'll have a great time once she settles down, but it's going to be a scene.

Also, if you're wondering why Cate is dressed for summer and Timmy for winter...I don't really have a good answer. We don't have a lot of clothes here. The temperature dropped dramatically this past weekend and Cate refused to cover up her new dress with leggings or a sweater.