Today, as we do 2-3 times a week, I took the boys to the playroom at the gym so I could get in a little work out. Despite the fact that many of our neighbors also go to the same gym and, despite the fact that they often have playmates there, the boys are not at all happy when I tell them where we're going. They always moan and groan, but eventually pick out a toy each to take with them and head out. Some days they all trot off once we arrive, but some days Brady has a hard time saying good-bye. The girls in the playroom, however, are wonderful and always get him to calm down. They have built a relationship with me and my kids, several have even sat for us at our house. Eventually, they all have fun while they're there. None-the-less, when workout time is over and I re-enter the playroom to pick up my boys, I always get the greatest mommy gift: a big 'ol three-way tackle of love! There is a little door separating a "drop off / pick up" area from the "playroom". I usually open the door and go in to help the boys with coats and shoes. When the girls see me, they shout, "Logan! Aiden! Brady! Mom's here" ...and then they come a runnin! My favorite days, like today, are the ones where they all get to me at the same time. I squat down and open my arms and they all try to topple me over. Ah....the love of a few good (little) men! Nothin better!



Just to finish up some of the last week's fun events, I wanted to post about the surprise the kids all got at preschool last Friday. Our town just built and opened a really big, very nice, new fire station. The weekend before Halloween, there was an open house where kids could go and sit on the trucks, tour the place and enter a contest to get a ride to school on a fire truck. Well...guess who won that ride? No...not Logan, we didn't even make it to the open house. BUT...one of his classmates did! The teachers kept it a surprise, but told the parents to stick around on Friday with any younger siblings. It was a blast! Lucky Dylan and his mom arrived at the school and then the firemen parked the truck in the parking lot. The kids all got a demonstration of the equipment and even got to climb inside. Logan's teacher was kind enough to let Aiden tag along like one of the students and even Brady got to walk through the truck with his brothers. She took some great pictures! Brian likes the one below of the boys so much that he wants a copy for his desk!

Big week at the 554...it's back to a "schedule". Logan's first day of pre-K (4's preschool) was Tuesday. He's going a full 4 days a week this year and so far, it's all good! He was excited to go on the first day and only had a moment of hesitation outside of his classroom. Seriously though, so did I! There were a LOT of parents, kids and siblings in the hallway, armed with cameras to document the first day. I even had a moment of "I DID come on the right day, right?" I looked in the classroom and some of those 4-year-olds are tiny! I thought maybe I was sending him into a 3's class. Anyway...I totally felt his pain, but he sorted it out and marched in to play with some floam. He has made at least 1 new friend and has identified his top 2 favorite classroom toys: a transformer from McDonald's and a marble-run set-up. He loves his teacher too which is icing. First day quote as Logan jumped out of the van, "mom! This is going to be fun! but we're not allowed to run!" Funny.

Another first for the L-man, we did a 2-class trial of Tae Kwon Do. Background: Logan does not like "classes". He has labeled as "boring" the following: music, Mighty Mites, preschool (even though he loved the teacher last year), gymnastics...pretty much everything we've tried except for swimming. THIS is the main reason I have not started him on soccer because it's daddy's favorite and I don't want to ruin it for him before he even has a chance to check it out. Tae Kwon Do...totally different story. He "really, really, really, really, really.........and on and on for about 2 minutes....loved it". Funny because Master Jung doesn't let them get away with even waving through the glass window at mommy....in a sweet way....but it's still "Logan....what you looking at?! Eyes here!" and Logan was all fine with that!! Sadly, there are some factors involved that may preclude us from signing up right now. They require a year-long contract and he would go 2 times a week. That is quite a lot to ask from Logan the class hater. What if he decides he's done with the whole thing in 3 months?? I'm looking into other options and if we have to wait until he's 5 to do the park district's 10-week class, so be it. Oh, but the uniform is so stinkin' cute (see pics)

And then there is the normal stuff we've been doing. Aiden received a wonderfully belated birthday gift from Aunt Sara and Uncle Pete. We went to Target and had a blast spending his gift certificate Thursday morning while Logan was in school. We got some super fun stuff for him including a window-art set which has been endless amounts of entertainment for the past 2 days....even for Logan (he's enjoying art now - I'm shocked and THRILLED!) Look for a future post on the window art! Our whole dining room window is so beautifully colorful right now!

In Brady news: Bear has been UBER (super super) cranky the past few days. Clingy, crying, fussy, not eating, trouble sleeping. Turns out he has hand, foot & mouth (blisters on the hands, feet and in the mouth) We had to skip TGIF this week (sniff sniff for all involved...especially mommy!) He's been sleeping with us and just out of sorts in every way. Hopefully it will pass quickly and we'll return to our regularly scheduled Brady very soon.

Both Aiden and Logan have been making me laugh this week with their funny views on life or pronunciations. I should write them down because right now, all I can remember is Aiden saying hipno-potomus instead of hippopotamus. It made me visualize a big hippo sitting in a chair dangling a watch-chain, just waiting to hypnotize someone.

Here are my pictures from the week. Pre-K day 1 (9/8), Logan in the driveway. Fun link: here is the first day last year


On the lawn by school: Logan wanted Aiden in the pic, Aiden wanted to be in the pic....they both yelled at me until they got situated and then Logan said, "that's good mom, you can take it now"
Remember those moms in the hallway with the cameras I mentioned earlier?? Ya...I was obviously one of them. Here is a trying-not-to-be-seen pic of Logan and his new classmates getting started with class.

This was week 2 of Brady's "Come Play With Me" class which happens at the exact same time and in the same gym as Aiden's "Jumping Beans". Here's Brady goofing around. Another fun link: the same class last year with Aiden and Brady

...and running

Bad pic, but there is Aiden sitting on his carpet square during class. Even though I'm in the gym, he couldn't care less and does exactly what the teacher says. I've always been pleasantly surprised that he pays attention in classes, seems to enjoy them and, for the most part, does what he's told. Can we bring a little of that home Mr.??

Here's a video of Aiden jumping:


This is the lunch bunch. Ever since we had this counter lowered, I've always imagined the boys eating their lunch up there and now Brady is finally old enough! It's actually much easier for me to serve them food at the counter as opposed to walking around it from the kitchen to the dining room 3 or 4 times during each meal. Of course I don't sit down while I eat....but that just means a few less minutes needed on the treadmill at the gym.

One afternoon we had some good playing going on. Logan was busy with the scuba divers in the kitchen sink...

....Aiden was coloring a butterfly for me. Normal stuff...fun stuff....the stuff of life.

I took a video

Here's Logan heading to Tae Kwon Do. Look at that smile! This was day 2

Sitting in class. He's in the front row closest to the mirror.

He wanted me to take pictures of him in his uniform at home (he also wanted to sleep in the uniform which I said was fine, but we forgot after showers so that never happened). He asked me yesterday why we were taking a break from tae kwon do class. I was confused. Turns out he actually thinks he should go every day.

Aiden gets in on the action. Look at Logan's "I mean business" face.

Logan mid flight, Aiden mid...um....roll??