The Boys Head Off to School

Gabriel headed back to preschool this past Monday.  He is going 3 days a week for 3 hours.  He was so excited to go back, although he had a few reservations about moving across the hall to what he called last year "the big kid class".  They have fewer toys in that room, and not all of his friends would still be in his class since he switched his days up.  After the first day he was happy to report that they DO have plenty of toys (including a couple of Buzz Lightyears) and that two of his friends from last year are at his table.  He loves going to preschool.

Here are last years pictures for reference.  He's grown so much this year:

I've had mixed feeling about Gabriel and his age as it relates to school.  Since his birthday is in November, he tends to be on the "older" end of kids in things like preschool.  When I briefly did MOPS a couple years ago I was so frustrated because he was in the "1's" class when he turned 2 right after it started.  I understand the need for a cut off point, but at the time he was walking and talking up a storm and none of the other kids were.  I know that this will even itself out over the coming years but sometimes I don't like him being the oldest.  I do think it's better to be on the older end of the class than the younger end though, especially in Gabriel's case.  It has just brought with it some occasional frustration.

Building what he called "a computer" while dressed
like a Power Ranger at the Children's Museum.

Things that Gabriel likes: Legos, Batman, Lego Batman, peanut butter and jelly, banana bread, playing with Corban, "fighting crime", making loud obnoxious noises that hurt his parents ears, coloring (all of the sudden - where did this new activity come from?), reading, listening to Magic Tree House audio books, throwing tantrums over seemingly simple things, hugging his teddy bear, home fellowship group, having pretend slumber parties, taking Mom on dates to Barnes and Noble, Ninja class, the violin, refusing to take a nap when he's clearly exhausted, storytime at the Children's Museum, hanging out with any member of the youth group, walking in the woods behind Nellie's Cave park, the library

Gabriel made both of these, unprompted, at the Children's Museum today.  Anyone who knows Gabriel knows his aversion for coloring or writing or drawing of any kind.  He has colored a lot over the last month and it's really surprising to me every time he gets out a coloring book or a "water wow" and starts working.  The top picture is a card for me.  He said that it is very colorful flowers and he wrote "mom" above them.  The bottom picture is our family.  Looking at the picture starting at the left side it is Mommy, Gabriel, Corban as a baby, and Daddy.  He told me that he wasn't happy about the way that Daddy's face turned out because he looks a little scary.  I know that this is a milestone that should have long come already, but this may be the first picture that he's drawn of all of us where we have arms, legs, and facial features.

Lollipops after a haircut!

Gabriel's most long time friend moved to California this summer.
They met in Romp N Roll class when they were babies.
Gabriel still asks when we can go to visit.  For several weeks
afterwards he was pretending that his toys flew to California too.

It may have rained on the 4th of July, but we still had fun watching fireworks!

First overnight camping away from home with Daddy

Roughing it ;)

Storytime at the Children's Museum

Gabriel told me today "Mom, thanks for giving me a little brother"

Dress like a cow day!

Gabriel was asked to be in two weddings this year.  The first was a couple weeks ago.  He was so excited to dress up and look like the groom!  He wanted to try his clothes on multiple times.  When the actual wedding time came he was nervous, as it was a long walk along to get to the front of the ceremony, but he did such a good job, carrying the actual rings and all!  He also powered through the other wedding events (which, lets face it, aren't always super fun for kids) and had a great time!

That is all that I can really think of about Gabriel at the moment.  He is one funny, creative, loud, talkative, reading boy.  And he can whine and throw a tantrum with the best of them ;)

Loves to dress up!

And he said today that this was his camouflage.  Ok? 

Reading to Corban

Snow cone!

Painting.  Something that they love but I barely pull out.  The mess overwhelms me.  This time Gabriel got paint on Corban's sleep sack, so it had to be put in the washer.  This brings many tears from Corban and has him running back and forth to the laundry room trying to pull the sack out of the dryer.

A couple little things about Corban.   He had his 2 year wellness visit this past week.  He was 29.5 pounds (67th percentile) and 38 inches.  His pediatrician said that his height doesn't have a place on the growth chart anymore, so it's just going to be the 100th percentile.  Big boy.  She also told me that she was reading an article about "Albert Einstein" hair the other day and thought of Corban (put that into Google and check out the images.  It's his hair).  She said no amount of product will help it.  It will probably just change one day.  It fits with the over all picture of Corban though.  Decreased oil production leading to super frizzy hair and super dry skin.

Sensory bin at the Children's Museum

Corban is the opposite as Gabriel as far as age.  Due to his birthday being in August he will tend to be the younger in his class.  The fact the he can start actually preschool next August if we want seems crazy to me.  He will be almost a year younger than Gabriel when he started.

Corban started "school" this week too though (sporting the Toy Story backpack that Gabriel has loved for so long and willingly handed down to his little brother).  I called it "school" to him so that it would make sense and he said many times "I go school like Gabriel."  When I said at lunch today something about Gabriel having preschool tomorrow Corban said "I go school too?!?"  In actuality, Corban is going to a Mother's Morning Out program one morning a week.  It's the same place that Gabriel went for a year and we had a really good experience.  His first day was this week and he did great.  He was a little nervous when we got there, but after about 10 minutes he looked at me and said "bye bye mommy!"  When I picked him up he was all smiles.  He painted a pig and made pudding and played outside.  He didn't want to leave until I told him that it was time to go and pick up Gabriel.  Then he bolted for the car yelling "go find Gabriel!"  Brother love.

Corban is Two!

How is this spunky, silly, chatty, wild haired, running, sleep sack dragging boy two?  I think, as of yesterday, that his new favorite song is "Happy Birthday!"  He sang it to a stuffed tiger earlier today.

Things that Corban likes: Little Einsteins, talking (and then talking some more), being Superman, shaking his head around, running laps around the house, reading, playing "slumber party" on the extra bed in his room, pretending to go to sleep and snoring, Mickey Mouse, playing with Gabriel's Legos, dinosaurs, "roaring", Romp 'n Roll, eating (ham, cheese, peppers, green beans, muffins), jumping (and trying to jump off of things while stating "I fly!"), singing Old McDonald, having a seat at the table with the family and ditching the high chair, swimming and swim lessons, playing in his water table, swinging at the park (but recently NOT sliding.  No more of that.  And the Chick-fil-a play place is terrifying), looking at pictures of animals and bugs, Pixar stuff, going into the church service and singing songs, The Children's Museum, watching TV on Mommy and Daddy's bed, reminding everyone to pray before meals ("we not pray yet!"), string bean chicken from Panda Express, calling people with Facetime, and doughnuts with sprinkles.

We have only gone twice, but every time we
drive near Carol Lee now he asks for a doughnut

And why would anyone eat this bottom part?
There's no frosting.

Big table (still in need of some decorating and painting)

Things that Corban likes to say:

"Don't go Mommy! Come back!"

"I pray!  Jesus.  Amen"

"Thank you! You welcome!"

"Me too!"

"Come back Gabriel!"
"That funny!" (giggle giggle)

The church nursery is fun

Loves a good hat.  And on a separate note he keeps asking when he can get
another haircut.  He really does need one, but I think he's asking more for the
lollipop that he got afterwards last time.  "I get a haircut!  Eat a lollipop!"

Corban, like Gabriel, thinks that he is a member of the church youth group.  He talks about many of them often and they are usually his picks for who we should pray for before bed.  We sometimes have high school youth group at our house and they are all still there when he goes to bed.  Usually when it's time for him to go to sleep he goes around the room and gives most of them a kiss and a hug to tell them goodnight.  A couple of the guys seem a little bit intimidated by the affection from a toddler.  This past youth group there was a new guy attending.  As he went around the room he stopped and looked confused when he got to him and then said "what's that?"

I, of course, did not take as many pictures as I intended to Corban on his birthday.  Here are a few though:

Cheeseburger, watermelon, peppers, pickles, and chips.
Yum.  He was bargaining the whole time though.
"I eat the peppers.  Then a cupcake." "I eat the pickles.  Then a cupcake." 

"Need another cupcake!"

Little Einstein stickers!

Pat Pat Rocket with his Little Einstein friends

Watching the Little Einstein "Birthday Balloons" episode (his favorite) in his new sleeping bag.
He loves the song in the episode "I love balloons!  I love, I love balloons!" and sings in often.
We blew up a bunch of balloons on his birthday and he enjoyed kicked and throwing them around the room.

Gabriel and Corban sure do like each other, and they get along and like to play for the most part. Corban got up one morning and Gabriel was not home.  He was sadly walking around the house asking "Where Gabriel?  Where Gabriel?"  They do get too excited and "wrestle" in ways that result in one of them getting hurt and they, of course, have times when they really don't want to share something.  I'm actually surprised though at the number of times that Corban wants something and Gabriel just gives it to him.

Reading before bed with the one and only Ms Jessica

Giant inflatables are awesome

Children's Museum fun

Gabriel doesn't really like to swing but pushing Corban is fun for everyone

For a few nights Corban's favorite movie (A Bugs Life) was giving him nightmares.  He was having bad dreams about grasshoppers being in his room.  He was pointing at the extra bed in his room and saying "Grasshopper in bed!  Grasshopper hurt me! Slim bite me!"

Hard at work.  He actually build that all himself and was pretty mad when it fell over

A couple weeks ago Taylor went out to mow the lawn after the boys went to bed.  As Taylor mowed the grass in front of Corban's room I started to hear him talking through the monitor

"Hi Daddy!" as the lawn mower moved closer to Corban's side of the house. 

"Daddy, come back!" as the lawn mower moved away towards the driveway.  

This repeated itself multiple times as Taylor moved back and forth across the lawn.  I finally went into Corban's room and found him on his tip toes peeking out of his curtains.  "Daddy cut the grass! He go under tree.  Out of tree.  Daddy daddy!"  It was so cute.

When I told Corban that he was going to be sleeping in my room one night because we had company.
I should be emphasized that he had his own bed.  Before I knew what he was doing he had gotten
into our bed, under the covers, and was so excited..

That is all that I can think of for Corban at the moment.  And he also just woke up from his nap.  I'm sure there are typing errors and spacing is weird, but at least the pictures and thoughts are out there. I will try to post about Gabriel again soon, as he goes back to preschool next week!