Buds Reunited

Dear Kidlets, 
We are so happy to learn that Cousin Jonny will be attending school in Indiana this year!  This makes the possibility for weekend sleepovers and nobody is happier than you, Henry.  We picked him up from Uncle Gary's new house...in my "new" 2004 mini van! (WEEEEEEE! SO EXCITED to have a reliable car again.)  We ate lunch with Uncle Gary and then headed over to Conner Prairie for a couple of hours.  My back was in pretty crappy shape today so I was when we found a house that didn't have any time period actors in it and Jonny sat down to teach you how to play checkers while I laid back on the bed.  

Hazel, you stood in the doorway and waved at people going by.  With your braids and calico dress, compliments of Great Aunt Linda's talents, passersby thought you were an actor at the park.  
I heard a group of school kids go by and lots of awes ensued.  Then, as we were visiting the house across the street and you played with the little girl reenactor a visitor came in and they were taking pictures of you playing with the little dolls, haha.  

 

Honestly, it would be awesome to do that with you two one day.  Judging by the way you can easily spend an hour in each house this could happen one day.  

We made our way home with Jonny along and look forward to the fair tomorrow and Grandma P's and Bahboo's on Friday.  I love you guys so much, my lil buddies.
Love, Mama  

Cousins

Dear Henny, 
In my life some of the most important people have been my cousins.  We played and had so much fun as kids.  I could never wait until the next time we would get to hang out.  Now as adults we support each other through births, adoptions, marriages and hardships.  You have two first cousins and, if my count is correct, you have 10 second cousins that you see with regularity...there are lots of birth cousins you occasionally get to play with, and other second cousins whom you also get to occasionally play with.  It is your first cousin Jonny that you can't stop talking about.  What had the good fortune of having him near us about an hour and a half away.  It has been a hard transition for you to have him move back to Florida for school this year and to live with his mama.  You miss him and talk about him constantly.  You've tried to convince Bahboo to dig a tunnel directly to Jonny's.  It does make you very excited that in February you'll get to go to Grandpa Tim and Trish's in Florida and we hope to work out a visit to Jonny Cakes'.  I should get in contact with his mom Michelle when we know more of the plan while there.  It would be great to have you able to run on a Florida beach together.  You did have a fabulous summer together.  You played together as much as possible, traveled to Chicago and tried to out jump each other on the diving board at Grandma P's and Bahboo's.  So here are some photos of the two cousins who can't get enough of each other.  Love, Mama

Sharing Henry's Birthday together

BB Gun

Pool Time with Bahboo

Aliens in a strange land

Lake Michigan

Cuddling on a cool beach

Castles with 2nd cousin Jospeh

Shedd Aquarium

Robot dancing in the Chicago Skyline

Riding the 4 person bike at Navy Pier

Playing in a Chicago Fountain

Buddies warming up on the hot concrete in Chicago

'Buddies!

4 ! Shazam!

Dear Peep, 
You turned four this month!  Four!  One day in the car I asked you how a four year old differs from a mere boy of 3... You gave me a long explanation with your little hand cocked out like you do of how a four year old has to do things he is told and they get to play with friends more and you have to get your close in the hamper and so on.  Your last day of three I squeezed you lots thinking of how our time at home day in and day out would be giving way in a year in a half to rides to school and activities that will take you closer to the independent person we've watched you take steps toward this year.  

You can be very helpful all on your own.  

You put the silverware away each dishwasher load, you put your clothes in the hamper and your shoes on the shoe rack, you potty all by yourself and make it dry through the night, you keep a regular bed time and initiate your tooth brushing routine ending with Daddy clonking your back saying, "Hey, how ya doing?!" so you can spit.  You're a funny dude with a STRONG will.  You can reason us up and down with out flinching.  Just a couple of days after your birthday while riding in the car you said, "Hey, Mommy, now that I'm four I think I should have four books at bedtime instead of three."  That evening you negotiated with Daddy and we all agreed that it made sense.  This also means time outs are 4 minutes too now, oops that one may have backfired a little.  To celebrate your big day we met with Grandma P, Bahboo, Uncle Gary, Grandma LaJean, Krispie, Currie and your best buddy Jonny Cakes.  Daddy made you a special birthday t-shirt with Black Flagesque candles on the front.  We met up at Zaharako's in Columbus ate and enjoyed an AWESOME R2D2 cake that your aunties made.  

You couldn't contain yourself.  You had to see the greatness under the foil.

It was marble and delicious, good looking too.  

After lunch we walked across the road to the indoor playground so you and Jonny could get all sweaty.  You had a great time.  

You were so excited about the walkie talkies Daddy and I got you, later telling me, "OH! Thank you mommy for getting those walkie talkies. I've always wanted some!"  It was a fun time finished off by you and Jonny playing at Grandma P's and Bahboo's and hittin' the hot tub. 

So happy to have our family join us for your big number 4!  Later that day you enjoyed a video sent by JoJo singing happy birthday.  We are still trying to make plans to get together but with her school schedule it isn't as easy as it onces was.  We love her the same and our gratitude for seeing in us the parents that would be right for you is immeasurable.  Bahboo also made sure he documented your height.  I can't believe it has been 4 years since you became our big bag of lovin' (as you like to say).  

I love ya so much, our little dude full of energy and bursting light.  Maybe this year you will tame down.  I doubt it and I don't think I'd really want to.  To many more years, from what you tell us you're never leaving to go anywhere and you will likely just marry us, so we will get that wish.  
Love, Mama

The Adventures of Cousins

Dear Zell and Hen, 
The weekend prior to Thanksgiving we had an awesome weekend with your cousins.  We picked them up on Friday when the boys got off from school.  That night you played Spider Men creating lots of great poses for Daddy and me.  

You played so hard, immersed for a couple of hours in LEGOS.  

Henry's first Lego ship!

It got late so you went to bed and watched a movie falling quickly off to sleep.  The next morning we had breakfast at Waffle House and enjoyed the company of three goofballs instead of just one.  

Hazel is still working up to being a goofball.  That day we hung out and played at the Wonder Lab and stopped by Chocolate Mouse to get a drink.  

Daddy and Tony met us and we had time to play at the Third Street park before darkness set in.  

We picked up a big pizza and set off for home.  After pizza you boys played LEGOS a bit and went to watch the Muppets.  You took a break and helped me make chocolate chip cookies, far later than I would have liked you to have all that sugar but what is a night with cousins without fresh cookies?

After cookies you returned to your movie and Mama went to pick up Tony from a show he went to.  I went to check on you later that evening and the two of you were wrapped up together like pretzels!  Jonny sprawled his long skinny body across yours with his arm bending around and underneath your leg. 

You ended up in our room.  In the morning neither of you woke up early nor could you recollect how you got so tangled.  It was funny and cute!  We had to get you up to Indy to meet Uncle Gary and so we choose a great park on the southeast side because I had seen on Facebook that IVY Tech was doing a pumpkin chuckin' trebuchet demo there.  It was a beautiful afternoon!  

We all had chicken and played in the park a while while the pumpkins flew.  After the cousins and Uncle Gary left we stuck around a while and watched some more pumpkins.  As were got in the van I thought it could be fun to go downtown to the circle.  We had a great time making a new discovery, Rocketfizz, a store for all ages of sweet toothy kids and adults.  Candy! Candy! Candy! Soda, Soda, Soda!  Even a Judge Wampner soda from The People's Court!  

Which you would have no idea what that is because you are a little boy that didn't grow up in the 80's.  You did however clearly know what gummy sharks are and grabbed a bag for your candy treat while dancin' and shakin' your butt around the store to 50's, 60's, 80's music.  We picked up some wonderful sodas.  We especially loved the Huckleberry from Ameracana Soda and the Hank's Gourmet Rootbeer.  We can't wait to return and buy some other flavors.  The song as we left the store was your all time favorite, The Power of Love and it took you off guard so you froze in the doorway and then decided you needed to run up the monument steps.  We got you back and went through the museum at the base.  You had lots of questions, which we answered.  We came back outside and you ran up the steps gain, I chased after and we rode the elevator to the top.  We didn't like how tight it was and Hazel just stared around so we came back down quickly to meet back up with Daddy.  

At this point tired was beyond us and we got back home feeling very fulfilled with our weekend adventures. You're spending this weekend hanging out with Jonny Cakes again.  You were so enthused to get to see each other, your best buddy.
Love, Mama