Goats to Go!

The boys were happy to return to Lamb's Farm.  They could remember the bouncy house, the train, the carousel and the goats.  They were especially looking forward to brushing the goats.

They wanted to golf first.  We did the first hole and they seemed to understand that the ball was supposed to go into the hole.  Using the club to do it, seemed to make less sense to them.  It didn't really help my game, either.

The next hole had a water feature and we never made it past that hole.  No clubs or balls were used at this hole.  The engineers tried to figure out why the pipe would not move.  Andrew searched for a lever, while Nathan decided to take things into his own hands.

Soon water was spraying everywhere.  

Andrew moved in for a closer look.  Not the best idea with Nathan at the spout.

Andrew made a run for it, but not before being soaked by Nathan.  Even Auntie Becca ended up getting wet.  Fortunately, it was so hot, the water felt good.

Nathan learned quickly the safest place to stand.  Andrew is still running.

Andrew shocked Dr. Auntie Becca by reading the word "Caution" on the train.  "Did you hear him?" she asked.  His father's first word to read was, "Exit."  But then he didn't have a twin brother or the word "Caution" might have been more vital.

Bouncy House time.  They really wanted to go brush the goats, but Daddy was meeting us for lunch.  I thought lunch would be more sanitary before the goats.

The boys gave it their best (jump)shot.  Shoes had to be replaced before lunch.  The boys have half a sticker in each shoe.  If the left shoe is on the left and the right is on the right, they can see a whole sticker.  I used to mark my children's shoes with arrows pointing toward the mate.  I like the sticker idea and might try that with my shoes.

Dr. Auntie Becca, who already had a trampoline by the time she was three, suggested the boys might be needing one of their own.

A Bouncy House is twice the fun, as twins.  The boys missed Grampa at the farm.  After lunch, Daddy went back to work and Nathan said he would miss him, too.  Then he asked to go brush the goats.

A boy can work up quite a thirst in the Bouncy House.  Good thing Gramma thought ahead.

We enjoyed Grampa size burgers, french fries, onion rings and chocolate chip cookies for lunch. Nathan insisted upon eating at the only green picnic table available.  It didn't phase them that it was in the sun.  It was GREEN!  When Daddy asked him if he preferred french fries or onion rings, he replied, "I prefer both."  That's his answer if there's a choice in dessert, too.  There can't be too much life for Nathan to experience.

After lunch, we went to meet a Banta Chicken.  She's a small chicken and lays 200 eggs each year.  Andrew wanted to see her up really close.  Nathan was really anxious to go brush the goats.  

So we're off.  Andrew grabbed a brush and started to work.  There are a lot of goats and he was determined to brush all of them.  

You can hear Nathan asking Gramma to carry him at the end of the video, which I did.

Nathan seems to have changed his mind about the goats.  He could not get high enough and drew his feet up as far as possible.  Rebecca said she thought he would have climbed onto my head, if he could have gotten there.  Good thing Gramma is strong and tall.

Andrew is showing an inclination to becoming a veterinarian.  I wonder where he gets that from?  He climbed the wooden goat mountain, so he wouldn't miss any of the goats.

Nathan was relieved to have left the goat corral and be able to play at the playground.

Andrew fiound a comfy spot in the little playhouse.  Grampa needs to get to work on construction of the twins' playhouse.

The boys did the carousel a total of four times.  Nathan appreciated that the goats weren't allowed to ride the carousel.

All aboard the train for a second time.  Remember - CAUTION!

Back at home, Nathan has Grampa style work to do.  Grampa likes a clean garage floor and sweeps it frequently.  Grampa sweeps the dirt into a pile and Nathan tries to get rid of the piles.  It's a great place for a spider hunt.  

Nathan identifies any bug that flies as a hornet.  He doesn't like hornets any more than goats.

Fathers and Sons

The boys arrived on Thursday for a sleepover.  There was too much chatter coming from the room to believe they were asleep.  Gramma would check on them and suggest it would be easier to sleep if they closed their eyes.  "I'm not sleepy," explained Nathan.  "Well, Gramma and Mousey are; so be really quiet, so we can get to sleep," I requested.  When Grampa came to check, he caught sight of two boys out of bed.  "Get back in bed," boomed a gruff voice.  There was a scramble and a couple of flying monkeys.  By the time he got to the doorway, there were two boys face down in bed, stone still.  Grampa must have been mistaken.  Those two boys were sound asleep.

Nathan doesn't look sleepy.

"Spike," Andrew's bedtime fellow, doesn't even look sleepy.

Nolan wants to help with laundry, just like his cousins.

Andrew wants to experience life like a baby again.

It's intriguing that you can never watch the washing machine work,  I've explained it doesn't work if you lift the lid.  Nathan and Andrew can't figure out how it knows if you lift the lid.  One of these engineers will figure out how to outsmart it pretty soon, if the motor holds out long enough.

Andrew's imagination is always working.  He's wearing yesterday's socks on his hands.  He repeats words over and over rhythmically and even puts melodies to them.  He made six songs up before lunch.  They are catchy enough that the rest of us can sing along; and do.

Another warm day to enjoy the pool.  The boys are beginning swim lessons.  Every time they get their faces wet, Gramma gives a thumbs up cheer.  At first they were a little upset by water in their face and eyes.  Eventually, they began to do it on purpose, letting me know it was time for another cheer.  

When my own children went to the pool, I positioned myself directly beneath the lifeguard.  Terry found it interesting that I stood on guard, when I hate being in the water and was not likely to be able to save anyone, including myself.  I explained that I kept a very close eye on my children.  If there was a problem, I would have the lifeguard in the pool, before he/she knew who actually had thrown them into the pool.

Nathan is drying his suit.

Nolan likes the properties of water.  He reaches for toys floating and likes to fly around the pool.

Nolan enjoys the "minnow" class.

Grampa lost ONE slipper while the boys were here.  He likes his slippers and wanted it returned immediately.  When he asked the boys, he got no clue as to the slipper's location.  Nathan, always helpful and kind, told him he would help him peek for it.  Grampa looked confused and asked if he meant he would help him search for it.  Nathan replied, "No, I'll help you peek for it."  Peeking must not be the best way to search, because the slipper remained lost.  Later, while putting toys away, Grampa found his slipper on one of the toy shelves.  There were styrofoam peanuts inside.  When he showed it to Nathan, he said he needed a place to put his peanuts.  I think he was trying to hide them from Andrew.

Father and Son.

Father and Son.

Lifeguard on Duty

The boys are beginning to use deductive thinking.  On our way to the park, they observed that the windmills were moving slowly.  Andrew explained he knew it wasn't windy, because the treetops weren't moving.  

They are also trying to teach me new lessons.  "Daddy says, 'It's time to clean up your mess.'  We say, 'Can you please help me clean up the mess?'  and he says, 'If you made the mess, you need to clean it up.'"  I don't think he learned that from his mother.  She likes and needs help to clean up her messes.

A year ago, they played independently at the park and didn't pay much attention to each other.  Now, Nathan   keeps a close eye on his brother, asking, "Where's Andrew?" whenever he was out of sight.  They enjoyed doing the double sliding board together.  But their favorite activity at the park is sitting on a park bench having snack.  It reminds me of the Paul Simon song, "Old friends, sat on the park bench like bookends."

It was a hot day, which is perfect for Auntie Doctor's pool.

Nathan has learned to ask very quietly if he can use my Motorola tablet.  I'm pretty sure he doesn't want his brother to know he has it.  Then he will surely want a turn.  I see a politician in the making, or a psychiatrist.

The boys like to play Aunt Smashers on the Xoom.  The sound effects are pretty squishy.  But the bee makes them step back, as if they were real.  Perhaps this is where Nathan's aversion to bugs comes from.

The doctor/lifeguard is on duty.  Andrew kept asking if Auntie Becca would go into the pool with them. I told him I thought so, since she had her suit on.  He shook his head and said he didn't think so.  Never underestimate Auntie Becca! 

Two in the pool is much more fun.

Andrew told me he wasn't sleepy.  I told him to try taking a quick nap before swimming.

I don't know what he was dreaming, but it must have been wonderful.

And three in the pool is the most fun.  

While in the pool Andrew alerted us that his back "bubbled."  Oops!

Nathan was in the pool trying to talk to Andrew.  He would repeat over and over, "Andrew..., Andrew...., Andrew..."  Eventually, he tried, "Andrew, say, 'Yes, Nathan?'"  Andrew would silently move to another corner of the pool.  Nathan followed him from corner to corner repeating his request.  Finally Andrew responded, "YES, NATHAN!"  I think Andrew may be the third generation to display his grandfather's communication style.

Nolan arrived and is ready for a swim.

Nolan is amazed at what his cousins can do.

He's just about certain he would like to join them.

This is so much bigger than my bathtub.

Matt and Megan explained that Nolan has a new schedule now and then left him in our care.  All went well, until we came to bedtime.  He had a "scheduled" catnap, followed by his feeding, and then a catnap replaced the deep sleep on the schedule!  When he realized he was still at Gramma's he was all smiles.  I'm not sure if Nolan and his parents discussed this new schedule, but Nolan was set to party.  Gramma and Grampa took turns trying to bore him.  Nolan seems to think we are more exciting than most people would believe.

Gramma Goes to Daycare

Three weeks was too long for Gramma to wait to see her boys.  I knew where the boys were and nothing was going to keep me away. Grampa and I headed to daycare for a visit.  I found Andrew with a new pair of shoes on the wrong feet.  I asked if he had put his own shoes on.  He proudly told me he had.

I wonder if being left-handed makes a difference in putting on shoes.

Nathan was drawing with chalk on a chalkboard.  There were no erasers available, so the children use their hands to do it.  I was surprised that Nathan was okay with that, since he likes to keep his hands clean.

Nathan likes using the pink chalk.

He noticed his finger was getting chalky.

Andrew showed me what happens when you erase the chalkboard.

The boys showed me the toilets at daycare, which were the smallest I have ever seen.  They were also some of the nicest I had seen in the few weeks after being in the French countryside.

Lunchtime at daycare is family style.  The boys got right down to business as the food came around.  I assumed they were pretty hungry, or the quantity was limited.  The class seems to understand possession is 9/10ths of the law.  If it's on your plate, no one else can take it.  Some must have older siblings, because they immediately report to the teachers if someone's taking too much, even if you just took all of the fruit, before anyone stopped you.  I now know the boys can handle large pieces of cheese, chicken and fruits and vegetables without choking.  I won't be serving it that way, because I don't take chances on my watch.

The food looked delicious and healthier than what they serve in nursing homes.There was actually color in it.

Lunch takes very little time.  Perhaps because those bites are so big!  

I had brought the boys t-shirts from Paris.  I showed Nathan his t-shirt and asked if he would like to put it on.  He replied, "No."  I told him that was fine, he could take it home and wear it another day.  When I showed Andrew his shirt, he said, "I want to change into my new shirt."  At hearing this, Nathan decided he would like to wear his, too.  I was tickled at the thought of their father picking them up and discovering his mother had spent the morning at daycare.

Nolan in front of his Daddy's picture at about the same age.  

That monkey would like a banana.

The family got together to celebrate Dr. Rebecca's graduation. 

Nathan helps Grampa make his gourmet quesadillas.  Grampa knows his way around a kitchen.  The boys are behind him every step of the way.  They sample the chicken, the olives and the cheese as they help.

Nolan took a pass on the quesadillas.  He found something far better.