The Mouse House

There are two mice living in our house. They made their nest under our piano, a nest they filled with various toys to keep themselves occupied. One look at their faces and we were smitten. Looks like they're here to stay.

Santa Monica Gobble Wobble

Hundreds of people showed up bright and early this morning to burn off some Thanksgiving calories by participating in the Santa Monica Gobble Wobble. The last time I ran a 5k was seven years ago when I was training for the LA Marathon. My time was not as fast as before but then the only running I've been doing lately has been chasing after two little boys. I'm happy that I completed the race and that I jogged the entire way.



Spencer, inspired by my running, decided to participate in the Widdle Waddle 1k sprint, even though he was one of the youngest there. See whether you can pick him out of the runners waiting at the starting line.



The children were told to chase after the turkey who would show them the way along the race route.



And he's off! Go, Spencer, go!



Here comes Spencer, triumphantly sprinting for the finish line! Hooray!

Spencer says he's up for another run early next year. Stay tuned.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2010 at Nana's house was bright, filled with sunshine, good neighbors and friends and, once again, missing Nico. Just like last Thanksgiving, Nico napped late, slept long and only woke up for the very end of the dinner. Or did he plan it that way? Nico still can't say "turkey" but he DEFINITELY knows how to say "pie." Pumpkin AND pecan pie were the highlight not just for Nico but everyone at this year's Thanksgiving.

Before dessert was served, we toasted to our health, our happiness, and the many blessings our family was thankful to experience in this past year, and hopefully, for many years to come.

"Pie!" (added Nico, later)

If You Build It

This morning Spencer played the architect while Nico acted out the role of the demolition artist. For a brief moments, the brothers worked in harmony.



For round two, Spencer built a barricade and armed himself with a jackhammer in the event he needed to repair the wall.

Cat Nap

Sometimes you just need to take a cat nap after breakfast, just ask Spencer and Nico. Why under the breakfast table? Why one pillow, one blanket, one stuffed friend?

Hey, sometimes you just NEED to take a cat nap.

One Man Band

Why be satisfied at playing one instrument when you can play a multitude? In this video, Spencer shows us how it's done.

Playing Catch

While Spencer and Lydia were enjoying their morning movie and lunch, Nico and I held down the fort at home. Wonderful baby that he is, Nico took a long morning nap while I caught up on work and watched the Packer game.

In the afternoon, we had lunch together and went for a long walk back to an old, favorite playground. When we returned home, Nico was still keen on spending as much time outside as he could. It was a gorgeous, cool, windy day and when a gust lifted up Nico's hair he always turned to me and exclaimed, "Wind!" He loves all different kinds of balls and I was surprised when he started saying, "Catch!" over and over to me. We picked up one of our old balls and started kicking it back and forth to each other until Nico picked it up. "Catch!" he said again and walked it over to my open hands. "You can catch it Nico," I said. "Hold your arms out like THIS..." And put my palms up, elbows at my chest. Nico formed a perfect cradle with his arms and after only two attempts...Woo Hoo! The kid caught his first ball.

After I told him to throw the ball back to me, he walked right up and kind of rolled it back into my hands, just as he had when we started. And that's OK: first 'catch' and we can work on 'throw' another day.

Tangled

This morning Spencer and I had the privilege of seeing a sneak preview of Tangled, Disney's retelling of Rapunzel. Spencer was enraptured by the animation, in particular a beautiful sequence towards the end featuring floating lanterns that, through the magic of 3D, seemed to linger in the air just out of our reach. As far as the story was concerned, Spencer wondered why Rapunzel wanted to leave the tower and why her mother didn't want her to go. By the time he realized that Mother Gothel did not have Rapunzel's best interest at heart, the tension was almost too much for him to bear. A few tears were shed when it appeared the villains would get away with their evil deeds but Disney saved the day with a happy ending.

After the movie, Spencer and I went for lunch at the Beverly Hills Diner, a restaurant we had visited once before as a family. Spencer had loved selecting music on the miniature jukebox located at our table. Unfortunately, the jukeboxes were not working today but the food hit the spot. It was nice to spend time together, just the two of us. I foresee more mother-son outings in our future.

No Way

Nico's new favorite expression is "no way." I'm not sure where he learned this particular phrase but he says it with authority.

Artists at Work

Spencer is beginning to branch out from writing to coloring pictures. He tends to use a rainbow of colors. Markers are his preferred instrument although lately, he's been switching to crayons, pressing hard to create the most vibrant shade and not limiting himself to the illustration borders.



Following in his brother's footsteps, Nico also likes to scribble away. As long as he sticks to paper, we're all for it.

Fire Station No. 2

School field trips to the fire station are always a blast! We learned all about the tools they carry on their trucks and what life is like at the fire station. We even watched a firefighter slide down a pole. Spencer wanted to know whether they had a mascot. Unfortunately, they no longer keep a dog due to liability reasons.



I couldn't resist a shot of boys with the shiny fire engine. Thanks for the tour guys!



Our little junior firefighter!

Business Attire

Ready for a day at the office. Now where's that briefcase?

Paging Dr. Nico

Dr. Nico loves checking blood pressure, wearing a stethoscope and giving shots. Just don't ask him to write you a prescription.

Entrapment

As you carefully examine this home-made trap, ask yourself if you can tell how you might fall into the trap. How would this trap hold you? And how could you ever possibly get out? Can't answer a single one of those questions, can you?

That's why Spencer is smiling. The Super Secret Trap Maker strikes again!

Band Practice

Spencer has been obsessed with the song "Crossfire" ever since he saw the video featuring Charlize Theron fighting off ninjas to rescue the extremely handsome Brandon Flowers. Each time he is rescued, Flowers flashes his devastating smile. It is a pretty perfect video. Whoever came up with the concept is brilliant as it has something for everyone.

In any event, Spencer has been singing the song daily, acting out the video and setting traps for us all over the house. He sings his own interpretation of the lyrics. In Spencer's version, the chorus goes, "And we're covered in the crossfire of Beverly Hills," with Beverly Hills substituting for "heaven and hell." Both are true.

A Goodbye Tale

Grandpa made time for one last tale before leaving for the airport. During their visit, Grandpa and Grandma patiently read Nico's favorite stories: The Circus Ship, Flat Stanley and Curious George over and over again. It's hard to say who enjoyed these story times more: the grandson or the grandparents.

The Crashing Waves

No trip to Los Angeles is complete without a drive to the beach. It seemed a fine way to spend the last morning of the grandparents' visit. Spencer skipped preschool so that he could accompany us to the Del Rey Lagoon and playground where he climbed this rock structure.


Nico checked out the view from the tunnel underneath. He walked through with only a slight tilt of his head. Soon he will be too tall to manage such a feat.


The two brothers dug in the sand together for a few moments before rushing off in separate directions.


Grandma showed Nico how to dig with a bulldozer.


The lagoon sits right across the street from the beach. As we approached the ocean, Nico paused, looking at the waves with trepidation. "Crash," he said. That's been his favorite word of late. He would go no farther. I picked him up and walked a little closer but Nico made it clear he wanted to keep his distance. We sat and looked at the waves for a while. "Crash," he repeated. Nico seemed to sense the ocean's power.

Before we left, we snapped a family portrait with the ocean as a backdrop. This visit has flown by but the memories will last us until the next trip and beyond.

Round and Round on the Merry-Go-Round

The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round dates from the 1920s although it wasn't installed in its' current location until 1937. Although the horses and paintings are beginning to show their age, the ride still has an undiminished elegance and beauty.

The merry-go-round whirls surprisingly fast which seemed to take Nico aback. According to Grandma, half way through the ride Nico wanted to dismount but he changed his tune once the spinning stopped.


Spencer, a merry-go-round veteran, picked the fastest and biggest horse with Grandpa's help. He enjoyed the original, vintage pipe organ music just as much as the ride.

Trains and Ponies

The Griffith Park miniature train ride has been chugging along since 1948. Over 60 years later, children still jump up in down in anticipation of climbing aboard. We grabbed a spot in the front of the train right behind the conductor, the better to see the scenery and the ponies.


Speaking of ponies, Spencer and Nico both took a slow trot around in a circle.


Grandpa taught Nico to throw his hand in the air and say, "Yee haw!"


Spencer was hesitant about riding the ponies at first but changed his mind soon after he discovered that Nico would be on a horse too. Once in the saddle, Spencer became comfortable quite quickly, gently patting the mane as they rode along. He was glad in the end that he faced his fear and went for a ride.


Our two little cowboys!

Movie Night

Puff goes the Jiffy Pop. The smell of popcorn fills the house. It's movie night! Grandma and Grandpa were kind enough to buy us Toy Story 3 on blue ray. Woody, Buzz and the rest of the Toy Story 3 gang entertained and delighted adults and children alike. We look forward to watching the film for years to come!

Nico's First Haircut

Nico's hair had finally reached the point of general shagginess. His bangs were beginning to cover his big, brown eyes. Time for a trim!


Although much squirming ensued, Clinton, owner of Oakley's Barber Shop, is a patient man who knows his way around a pair of scissors.


The two boys, newly trimmed, look very dapper.

Autumn in California

There's nothing like being pushed in a swing to put a grin on Nico's face (well, except for maybe ice cream). We were all delighted to be outdoors on such a beautiful day in Southern California. It feels like summer has returned even though according to the calendar, it's November.


One of the great features of this park is the backhoe. Spencer has always liked using this tool to dig in the sand. Having his Grandpa to assist him in his efforts made the whole experience even more fun.

Later Grandpa took Spencer over to greet the construction crew working nearby. One of the workers let Spencer sit in the cab of the concrete mixer and blow the horn. Honk!


Grandpa plays at the park with his two favorite grandsons.

Setting Traps

Spencer's latest obsession is setting traps, the more elaborate the better. Since Grandma arrived for a visit, she has become entangled in more than a few traps. Luckily she had a book and Nico for company.

Brother Helping Brother

When I was growing up, my parents would dress my sister and me in matching outfits once in a blue moon. I wasn't a fan at the time but now that I'm a parent, I understand the appeal. The boys received these shirts and shorts from a family friend. Don't they look adorable?


Spencer shows what a caring big brother he is by feeding Nico breakfast. Moments like these make my heart melt.