Saturday Play at Home

After playing in Elma Saturday morning and running a few errands, we came home for lunch and nap.  I kept my camera handy to capture a few of the hilarious moments that are so common in the day of a toddler.  Quite a few of these are blurry because I would rather not use a flash.  The blurriness also captures the never-ending movement.

Elliott closed himself in the hall closet for the first time.  He wasn't scared but thought it was a fun game.



Pushing the Cozy Coupe around

Funny expression

Here is your phone, Mama. 

Boy in a box

Starting to get out

Halfway out 

And out!

Big smile

Sitting like a big boy in his chair

This equals trouble.  He pushed his chair over to the counter and used it as a stool.  Fortunately, he only did this once and didn't seem too interested in the drying rack, knives, or other off-limits items.  I notice looking at this now that he is dangerously close to the edge of that chair!

Once we'd exhausted all the conventional toys, it was time for pots and pans.

We Facetimed with Holly and Penny.  Here is Elliott pointing to Penny and saying, "baby."  It makes my heart melt.

Going in for more pots (with Holly on Facetime on the chair).

Deep in thought

Poppy and Humphrey joined us for dinner.  Elliott started this fun game of crawling back and forth under Humphrey.  As an 11 year old lab, he's a good sport about it all.

Out the other side

Poppy read to Elliott from one of his two favorite books.  This one is I Love You, Daddy.  We read it most nights when Jesse is away.

Then Elliott decided to ride Humphrey.  

And climb over him.

Phew!  That was exhausting!  Humphrey, meanwhile, is wondering what has come of his formerly peaceful life turned chaotic with children.

Cousin Love

Elliott and I visited with Holly and Penny on Friday.  Well, we had great plans for visiting but it felt like we napped most of the time we were there.  Yes, I napped too.  By the time we got up, Ned was home from school.  The boys were cute and snuggly, with me and each other, just like they were last weekend.

Snuggles with the noodle


Smooch!

My cuddly boys

Wonderful news . . . Jesse comes home late tomorrow night!  We're so excited to have him back home!

Mike's Birthday Party (aka "The Fire Department is here!!")

Another weekend, another great birthday party.  Two weekends ago it was Charlotte's 2nd birthday party and this past weekend was Mike's 38th birthday party.  Almost the same, right?  Elliott and I stayed only for the first hour or so, before the real party got underway.  The real party apparently resulted in some clever person hiding cherry tomatoes all over Holly and Mike's dining room, including on top of a door frame so it certainly wasn't a short person.  It was a harmless prank that give Holly quite a laugh when she discovered them.  The early end of the party was a great group with quite a few kids.  I was in the living room at one point and saw flashlights pointing in the front window.  I exclaimed, "the fire department is here!!"  Our friend Connor is in the Buffalo FD and makes a point of coming to Mike's annual party with his truck, if he happens to be working.  He and his buddy, Dave, stopped in briefly to say hi.

Dave, Connor, and Mike



I tried to get a picture of Elliott with the guys in their turnout gear but he didn't like being handed off so close to bedtime.

Ted and Ned, who loves firefighters but got shy when they were there

Ned then decided he could go see Connor if he was wearing his own firefighter helmet.

Elliott observed from the man chair.

Sophia, Ned's friend/sister/wife depending on the day

Ted wrangling the kids.  It looks so calm.

But this captures the dynamic more accurately.

During a quiet moment, I noticed this agile rescue helicopter walking up the stairs.  This is Ruby.

But the helicopter (Ned's Halloween costume) proved to be a bit top heavy.

And so, the rescue helicopter had to be rescue by her parents.

 

A Whole Lot of Love

We captured a lot of love and snuggles on camera last week.

Elliott is very interested in hair brushes these days.  He often carries around three at Poppy and Coco's house.  He likes to brush his own hair and other people's hair.  Here he is brushing Poppy's hair.



And Poppy returning the favor.  Note Elliott has one brush in each hand and Poppy has the third.

Snuggling with my boys

Yum!  Soft ears!

With Noodle

And this is a whole lot of love!  Elliott, Ned, and Penny :)

It's easy to see and feel the love but not so easy to get three little ones to look at the camera!

 

Post-Party at Coco and Poppy's House

After Charlotte's party, we went back to Coco and Poppy's house for a nap.  Well, that nap didn't happen.  Elliott woke up as I took him out of the car seat and would not go back down.  Unlike most kids, I can usually transfer him from car to crib at nap.  So, we got a full afternoon of play.

Cousin love



Ned was really excited - about Elliott and the camera

The look of concentration as Elliott tries to sit up

And he's off, with Ned left wondering why Elliott is leaving

Off to go climb another chair!

Ned was very helpful and insisted on holding Elliott's water bottle for him.

"Here you go, Elliott."

Then there was a big popcorn-fest with Poppy

Lazy Sundays are nice!