New Interests

Owen has discovered the world of Transformers and Rescue Bots. The Rescue Bots are way easier to transform, with the other ones I feel like I am working on a Rubic's Cube :) Heat Wave, Boulder, Blades, and Chase from the Rescue Bots are often invited to dinner with us!

Lined up at the table

Being fed some delicious cheese :)

A swing for Owen

Owen almost spends more time in our neighbor's yard than ours because they have the beloved 'community' swing set. We are so lucky that James and Tiffany are awesome neighbors because he is over there every chance he gets! Todd wanted to build a swing set for Owen in our backyard and researched the best supplies before deciding which direction to go. And yesterday, Nana and Papa came to help build it. Owen was so excited, he couldn't even wait to have all of the bolts in before he tried out his new swing. And, of course, he wanted everyone to swing with him too! He spent the rest of the afternoon out there and even started to fall asleep in the swing :) I think it is going to get plenty of use over the next few weeks before the snow comes!

Summer Days

Our summer is coming to an end and it has been so much fun! Trips to Canada, Oregon, visits to Moses Lake. New adventures, and lots of random weather!

Summer of dirt in our backyard while we switched out the gravel, it was a little boy's dream come true, every night, covered in dirt from head to toe! 

1st annual Maple Street movie night at James and Tiffany's  

Swimming lessons at daycare

Heading outside to play and wanted to wear his backpack that we use for school/daycare - looking too grown up already!

Achieve Center swimming party

Checking out the fire trucks and Medstar with Shiloh at the Fire Station Open House

Chalk time - everywhere, including the slide, clubhouse, our house, the BBQ...

Love and Logic in action!

Date with Mom and Dad

Puddle jumping after a summer rainstorm

Other People's Children

Okay, stepping on a soap box for a minute here, but we try really hard to teach Owen manners, sharing, being kind to others. And it is so irritating to me when I try to reinforce those teachings out in the world and a child who is not being taught that way ends up interacting with Owen (I realize this is going to happen his whole life, but still). Case in point - at Carters on Saturday and there is a lego table, 4 chairs, 4 kids, no parents staying nearby except for me and one other dad. They are all playing great until this little boy starts taking blocks from the other kids' 'pockets' (right in front of each chair to hold the blocks). First a little girl gets upset about it, then he comes over and takes some of Owen's. Owen, of course, says, "hey, that's mine" and tries to grab it back. The kid is kicking and screaming and I intervene, talking to Owen about how he can build with the blocks he has, trying to distract him and redirect. Owen is frustrated because obviously rules we ask him to follow are not being followed - sharing, no kicking/hitting. So he goes back to his side and kicks his chair, right up against the dad and baby/car seat that are standing nearby. I remind him that he can stay in the store as long as he doesn't cause a problem and he kicks the chair again. So, out we go to the car, Owen crying, kicking, screaming; meanwhile the other Mom hasn't come anywhere near her kid, she's still shopping somewhere in the store.  Yes, I know Owen should not have kicked the chair, but he is 2 and was frustrated from what happened before that. And I can't not be consistent and not discipline for things we would normally at home, but it frustrating to me when he was just responding to a stinker kid at the store.