A Very Special Special

As a reward for being Really Useful (apparently that's the biggest compliment on the Island of Sodor), Oliver was treated to a day out with his best buddy Thomas!

We didn't exactly tell him what we were doing, but all morning he was asking for Choo Choo, so we thought the baby genius had figured it out.  But then again he saw me grabbing some Thomas DVDs for the 1hour-ish car ride up there.  Or maybe he knew we were up to something.  Who knows.  The kid's too smart.  I did tell him we had a Special Surprise for him... and then because I watch way too much Thomas and I could resist, I called it his "Special Special."

He was pretty psyched when we got there and he saw what was up.

When he saw Thomas he stared waving and gave chase as he made his way down the track.  Adorable! Too cute for words!  I just loved how excited and in awe he was.

There were lots of other things to check out there, too.  Oliver is very impressed by these Early American Steam Engines.  They sure are pretty neat.

We HAD to get a Thomas tattoo.  On his hand.  Just like his Gymbo the Clown stamp he gets at Gymboree.  He kept looking down and rediscovering it all day.  Unfortunately it was gone by bedtime.

And then there was the moment I nearly cried....

...his first carnival ride!  

Oliver loves the quarter rides in the mall, but usually bolts if you actually put a quarter in them to make them move.  Well, the night before going to ride with "the Cheeky One" we happened to be at the mall, and I happened to have quarters.  For the first time he was excited to really ride the little trucks.  It was kind of a relief for us since we weren't 100% sure how Oliver would take to riding a train.  There's a train that runs inside the mall and he loves watching and chasing after it, but was terrified when we attempted to get him on it.  And back in December he loved seeing all the vehicles at the Touch-a-Truck, but didn't want to climb up in them.  Well, he is officially a big boy now.  

Oliver barely cracked a smile the entire day.  You would think he was miserable, but we know our kid... furrowed eyebrows aside, we could tell he was having a great time.  He is always very serious and focuses all his energy in absorbing new experiences. 

So remember that time he was afraid to sit in a firetruck...?

Fear's gone now!

He loved the rides.  So cute...and he actually cracked a little smile.  Briefly.

Owen actually had a great time too.  He was all smiles and giggles all day.  I forget how big he is getting sometimes.  If you noticed in the picture of me and the two boys on the train, Owen is thrown in the Moby Wrap pretty sloppily.  Well as we were heading over to board and our ride time was being announced, I nearly panicked trying to quickly get the Moby on and park the snap-n-go and strap Owen into the wrap, all without slowing Nate down too much.  So he kind of just got thrown in there so I could carry him on the train, and then I realized... he's no floppy baby that needs to be tucked in to me anymore.  He's a big baby who enjoys being out and able to experience things too.  Talk about sweet and sour!  I loved watching him giggle and reach and enjoy the ride, but I also felt a little pang of jealousy seeing all the other moms wearing their babies.

Unlike some other people there...we were not about to drop major dollars in the gift shop (as much as we wanted to), but we did score Oliver this Lego Thomas that he had a blast putting together and taking apart  over and over and over and over.  And speaking of souvenirs, I would like to take a minute to laugh at all the parents who bought $10 balloons for toddlers to carry on a windy day.  Suckers.  So glad Oliver is still oblivious to all the things he just has to have!  Oh man, someday soon we will be suckers too.  And we will be in the group of suckers with TWO kids... buying TWO overpriced balloons that will be deflated and trashed by the end of the week (if the kids manages to hold on it to that is).

At the end of the day we had two dirty little engines who needed a wash down.  

Owen now sits up in the tub making bath time much easier.  This was his first bubble bath, (we don't do bubble baths very often, they kind of seem like a waste of soap to me), and he LOVED it.  

Yeah it was an awesome day!

Weekend Update

On Saturday we...

• Drove up to NH- made great time and the kids behaved until about 20 minutes to our destination.
• Hung out with Baby Bella- got in some great bonding with our little niece!  She was in such a good mood!

• Celebrated Nate's Aunt's 50th birthday with his very loud, large and happy family.

On Sunday we...

• Took the kids to church- they behaved so well I now have the confidence to bring them with us as we look for a church near home.

• Drove by the trains station to show Oliver the tracks, and to take some pictures for possible wall art for the boys room (I'm slowly making it a train theme)

• Left the boys with their Mema and Pepere so that husband and myself could walk around downtown and get started on Easter baskets.
• Sat in traffic for half an hour on the way home.  fun.

You Light Up My Life

Every year the Easter Seals sets up a huge light display at Lighthouse Point.  It's called "The Fantasy of Lights" (I kept calling it "Festival of Lights" until I remembered that's Chanukah).

Nate and I went two years ago with our friends and their two little ones... Oliver was technically there, but from my belly I doubt he had a good view.  So this year we were excited to bring our little big boy to see the lights.

This was a really neat thing to do.  Totally appropriate for his age and cooperation level this holiday season.  Remember, I keep having these big plans for him to get into the Christmas spirit, but the truth is he's too young to really get it.

We got dinner at Panera, Oliver's favorite, then made the ride over.  He loved seeing the lights and decorations on the houses and kept "Oooohing" at them all, so Nate and I just knew he would get a kick out of what he was about to see!

Look at his face!  Look at those eyes!  Christmas magic or what?  I'd say he was pretty impressed with all the lights.  And I had a blast watching him take it all in.

Halloween Part 1: Music Together & Mall Trick or Treat

Oliver got his first dose of Halloween on Friday when we crashed a mother's group party at our bestie's house.  Saturday morning he was very happy to once again don his "arrrrr" (Oliver speak for pirate costume...not to be confuse with "garrrrr" for bear...any bear- teddy, panda, koala, grizzly, polar) to wear to music class.  Owen was happy (as far as I'm concerned) to wear his Mickey Mouse costume.

Music class was wonderful as always!  Luckily, the freak October snow held off long enough for my mom to make the drive up from NJ since BDNP had to work that morning.  I don't know what I would have done without her help.  Well I know I would have been stubborn and brought both boys to music class solo, but I'm glad I didn't have to... I'm not ready for that just yet! 

I'll just post a pic or two now... I have a feeling I may put more in another post because once I get going about Music Together I can't stop!

From class we drove over to the mall where Nate met up with us for the safe trick or treating.  It seems like fewer and fewer stores participate in this every year, which is a bummer because there are a crazy lot of kids who attend and the candy runs out way too quick.

It took Oliver a few times, but he warmed up to the idea of trick or treating.  It was so beautiful.  My heart broke just a little bit watching him go up to get candy and hold up his bucket... big brown eyes wide and shining with wonder at this new experience.  Nate says he even said trick or treat a few times... well his version of trick or treat, which is "Cheek-chee"...kinda.

He's just getting so big.  So independent.  It's happening way too fast for me.  The ride home from the mall took longer than normal (nasty slushy snow!  With the precious babies in my car you can be sure I took my time!).  As expected Oliver fell asleep in his carseat, and my heart broke even more gazing on that sweet little face- safe, secure, content and chubby.  I love how cute he is sleeping in the car (hate that it screws up his nap schedule, but love the cute!).  But it makes me so sad looking at the smoothness of his cheeks, listening to the adorable sound of his breath in it's sleepy rhythm... because I can't keep it.  That face won't be there forever.  That cheek will be rough and stubbly someday.  That sleepy inhale will be a man's deep snore.  And I will love that man because he is my baby... but you can bet your life I will miss that baby with all my heart.  I already do, and he's still right here.

Owen was there too... but he had no idea.  Sleepy kid.