Isaac Turns 4!

For his birthday, I let Isaac choose our morning outing. He wanted to go to the train museum with Landon. Jonah was happy with this choice too because he loves also trains, and one of his favorite buddies is Landon's little brother Adler.


The four boys had a great time together. We spent probably half an hour playing for free, at the train table in the front of the gift shop.




Finally the boys were ready to go into the museum. We saw the steam engine first and then Isaac's favorite, the red Coors car.


The boys came across this little open car while exploring, and they all climbed into it.


It was a rare chance to get them all in one frame.


Here are my boys, trying to figure out how things work.


There was a jug-shaped part with a hole in the top, attached to the back of the little car. Somehow the boys all got the idea that we needed to put money in there to make the car go.


First Landon started asking me for money to put in the hole.


I gave some coins to each kid, and soon they were all begging for money. "More pennies please! More pennies please!"


The last stop was the basement to put quarters in the machine and watch the awesome model trains go through their elaborate track.


The boys napped late, so once everyone was awake and ready to head out, it was time for dinner. Isaac got to pick his dinner, and he picked Patzcuaro's, a great Mexican restaurant 2 blocks away from us.


We ate outside, and Jonah soon discovered the fountains.


As you can see, he got pretty wet.


Across the street is a gelato shop, so we finished Isaac's celebration with his favorite chocolate ice cream.


Jonah has never liked ice cream much, but it's growing on him.


Here's a happy birthday boy.


I can't believe he's four.




Jonah, all day, was repeating: "Happy...bir-bay...Idack."

July 27: Back to the Beach

We met friends at our local beach again for swimming and lunch.


The boys are so happy with water, sand and buckets.


And they both love Alice.


We were all worn out by naptime.

July 25: Preschool Pool Party

Isaac will be starting back at preschool in September, and this year he will be a Frog - the oldest group at Steele and the equivalent of Pre-K. This will be his third year there, and even better, he'll have the same teacher he had for his first year, Teacher Anne.



Teacher Anne has a big backyard with an aboveground pool, and she invited all the new Frogs to her house for a pool party in July. The boys liked the pool, but their favorite was this slip-and-slide set up in the side yard.



Here they are with Isaac's good friend Zack, making run after run into the water. Isaac was sliding all over the place, while Jonah thought the whole thing was hilarious but was a little more reluctant to dive in.

Notes From July

Perhaps the most notable development of July was that Jonah made up his own swear word.

It started when we were in Charlotte. My dad and I both began to notice that, though we couldn't quite understand it, he gave us the same response whenever he was feeling defiant. It continued all month once we came back to Denver, and Adam and I were both on the receiving end. Many times when we told him something he didn't like - time for bed, time to come inside, no more crackers - Jonah stared us dead in the eye and said..."BIP-IT."

Other times he would mutter it under his breath as he scowled and walked away. "Bip-it."

Who ever heard of a toddler making up a swear word???


JULY 12: A Day With Trouble (AKA Jonah)

Today our friend Shawn led Camp Fun at the park. Among the materials she brought for the science and sun-related activities was a tub of alphabet magnets. I kept noticing Jonah hanging around the trash can and once or twice caught him about to drop something in there that was NOT trash. But then I had to help Isaac with something, and I turned around and saw Jonah by the trash can again, dropping Shawn's magnet letter Y inside. I ran over to stop him, looked in, and saw the entire tub in there, plus the lid and most of the letters.

Later that day, I was reading the boys books before naps. Jonah didn't want to read anymore, but i was trying to finish the story for Isaac. So Jonah finally pushed the oversized, hardback book out of my hand - hard, right into Isaac's face. I looked him straight in the eye and yelled "No! That hurt Isaac!"
While Isaac wailed, Jonah's face crumpled and he started sobbing. For all his tough demeanor, he can't stand to be yelled at. I mentioned telling Isaac sorry and he wailed "Sorry Idack! Sorry Mama!...." Then i put him in my arms and he sobbed on my shoulder. Isaac is so forgiving; he usually just needs a genuine sorry, and he won't hold a grudge.

At bedtime, Jonah was trying to get comfortable for the story, and he flipped right off the bed. He cried hard, and I held him and gave him kisses...until he threw his torso backward across my lap and said AGAIN! And giggled! Isaac and I laughed so hard.

Tonight on our walk, Jonah was stomping in all the puddles and then sitting in them. He also likes to walk up to people's front doors and look in. This time he twice walked up to a house and opened the creaky storm door. He was working on the inner door each time when I ran to grab him.

All day today Jonah kept saying "Bye bye poo-poo...see you...LAME! (later)." Even when I'd put him to bed, and Isaac and I were whispering and snuggling in Jonah's double bed, we heard Jonah say loudly from his crib: "Bye bye poo-poo...See you LAME!" Isaac and I laughed out loud.

JULY 14
The boys have been sharing a room all but one night for past two weeks. It started on the trip to Charlotte, but even when we came home, Isaac wanted to sleep in Jonah's room. The amazing thing was that Isaac had been having nightmares probably two of every three nights before we left for our trip, and he hadn't had a single bad dream since sharing a room with his brother. They are such a comfort to each other, even in sleep.
Tonight Isaac was sunburned and tired, and he said he wanted to sleep in his own bed. But Jonah has loved sharing a room too. He said: "Sleep Idack my room."

JULY 19
On this afternoon, it was storming outside, and the boys stretched out on the daybed to watch the storm and read books together. As soon as they saw me, Jonah sat up, but just imagine them as they were when I walked by: two little bodies lying side by side, one lanky preschooler and one short and sturdy toddler, heads side by side on the pillow, books open in front of their faces. And then the sound: Isaac singing Hark the Herald to Jonah in his clear sweet voice. He still knows all the words.




JULY 24
Jonah's sentences are getting more complex. Today at naptime: "Mama read Goodnight Moon to Jonah."
At the pool: "Jonah want go in deep water."
After Isaac hit Jonah this afternoon, I asked if he were ok. Answer: "Jonah take apart track." Ahh - he knows exactly why Isaac hit him, and he told me!
Yesterday and today: "Isaac hit me!"
Walking into the kitchen while I was fixing dinner, Jonah announced loudly: "Dinner ready!" He was holding a wooden tray full of play food. I ate my dinner and thanked him.
After a bite of my spicy cheese, Jonah started fussing and said: "Cheese hurt me!"

JULY 25
Jonah is very excited about his new water bottle. Today he kept saying: "Jonah get new water bottle...so NICE!" (and imagine the NICE in a sweet pitch that starts high and descends)

JULY 27
When I got jonah up from his nap, he was just in a diaper since it was hot. The first thing he told me: "Jonah see pee-pee."
Sure enough, his diaper was pushed down in the front like he'd been playing.
Then, while changing his diaper a minute later, he said: "Mama wipe pee-pee now."

July 17: Hiking and Lunch with Grandma and Boopa

We had a really fun visit with Adam's parents in July. Isaac was so excited for their visit, and both boys claimed them as their playmates the minute they walked in the door.


After breakfast the first morning, Grandma and the boys happily read books in the family room while we got ready for a hike.








Then we all went on our favorite weekend outing, which has appeared in this blog many times before. It was Grandma and Boopa's first time though, and we were excited to show them our favorite Chautauqua trail and post-hike Boulder lunch.


It was a hot and beautiful day. Isaac walked between his grandparents, and Jonah rode on Adam's back.




Beau Jo's was the perfect hearty lunch, as always. What a fun day.


At bedtime, I asked Isaac what his favorite thing about the day had been. Answer: playing with Grandma and Boopa...and watching the presents!

They had brought birthday presents for Isaac, who was just a week and a half away from age four, and for Jonah. The presents were wrapped and waiting to be opened, and Isaac just loved to "watch" them in anticipation.