In typical fashion, Finn totally passed out yesterday after school. And, he looked like such a Cottage kid — paint on his face, hands stained red from the food coloring in the squirt bottles, naked but for a Pull-Up — that I had to capture the moment.
I was working on a video yesterday in iMovie and I came across this old video (from February 2008) in my archives. Ezra is almost 3 and Finn is almost 1. I love how intently Finn watches Ezra during parts of it. I also love how Finn just can’t quite get the blocks into the box.
A couple of weeks ago, Ezra and I were at Target and he picked out a new pool for us — the squirting giraffe pool. It was in the mid-80s this weekend so we pumped it up, filled it up, and let the kids loose. Ezra decided the pool had to face the playhouse because the dragon he made (“Dragony”) is there. We also have the added bonus of the zip line this year:
As a note, even though Finn is yelling that it’s his turn next, he refused to go. A little while later, he finally agreed, but only when Bruce was holding him.
Before the swimming could take place, Finn had to have a chat with the giraffe to let him know what was going to happen. I couldn’t hear him very clearly from my vantage point, but I believe he told the giraffe that he and Ezra were going to take a bath in him.
Bruce and the boys planted our summer garden over the weekend. After last year’s failed attempt (for which I take full credit, having caused the late June/early July drought while Bruce was in Korea), I’m eager to see results from the planting. I’m also quite thrilled that Bruce has no plans to travel this summer.
We got three pieces of good news today: 1) escrow closed on Hastings Ranch; 2) Finn officially will be in the Oak Tree class next year; and 3) Ezra got these in the mail …
Flaming Converse!
So, goodbye, old house. It was a difficult transaction, and it’s certainly bittersweet to be done with this house.
We decided to spend a few hours at the Huntington this morning and invited some friends (the Heffernans) to join us. The kids had a great time running around in the gardens, and we actually went into one of the galleries (much to the chagrin of the museum attendants). We also hit the Children’s Garden and the kids had a grand time getting soaked in the fountains.
I worked in Finn’s class this morning and took a few photos. These kids are super cute.
We went to Sukiyaki Night at the Pasadena Buddhist Temple on Sunday with the Nuccio/Dyes and Heffernans, which was fun and delicious. Finn, of course, was not interested in eating anything except crackers (“more round cackers!”) and a fortune cookie. His fortune was fabulous, and anyone who has seen Finn in the last six months will not be surprised that he was screaming the whole time Bruce was breaking it open, “READ IT, PAPA, READ IT!!!”
Yesterday we finally had Ezra’s birthday party (postponed a week due to Finn’s chicken pox), and we had a blast. We invited his whole class from Cottage plus a few other families, so we had a full house. Our main activity was Make Your Own Lava Lamp which many of the kids (and parents) seemed to get a kick out of. Here is a slideshow of my pictures, with the birthday song video last.
We had one little glimmer of hope in Finn’s potty training today. He’s long been able to pee in the potty when we ask him to (of course, only when he’s in the mood), but up until today he had yet to take a break from playing in order to pee in the potty. But, I’m getting pretty tired of diapers and pull-ups, so this afternoon I just put him in underwear. About an hour later he had an accident. So I put him in another pair. Then about an hour later he came running out to the dining room with his boxers around his ankles and a big smile on his face — he’d managed to stop playing, get his underwear down, and pee in the potty all on his own. It was awesome … and hopefully a sign of good things to come. Yay, Finn!
I worked today in Ezra’s class (the Rainforest class) and it turned out to be picture day (because all of the children were there today and at least one was going to be absent Friday when picture day was originally scheduled). It was quite entertaining to watch the teachers herd 20 four- and five-year-olds into position for a photo. Some were dead set against the idea, but in the end, they all got into place. Here’s the unofficial result.
I can’t really believe you’re already five.
Then ...
... and now
We did actually get out of the house today — to take Ezra to his gymnastics class. Finn put up quite a fight when he heard he wouldn’t be able to go to his class, but he finally got used to the idea. Ezra had a great time at class; this week they put a huge rope over the pit area so the kids could swing out and fall into the pit. Sadly, I was outside with Finn and couldn’t take any pictures.
I also shooed them both out to the backyard for a couple of hours this afternoon just so they could get some fresh air. They had a grand time painting the playhouse, again. Purple, pink, white, and yellow this time.
And finally, here’s a sweet picture of Finn just starting to wake up from his nap. He always looks like such an angel when he sleeps.
