Ready to PAR-TAY

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This is Grrrrrrrreat!

Crap

I had to go home to change my new, crisp, white dress shirt yesterday after dropping Rowan off at school yesterday. Seepage issues.

Friends

Apparently Mojo and Rowan were sitting together playing in the school playground when Kristin went to pick them up yesterday. That makes me happy. I get to pick them up today and I can't wait.
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Ro and Papa Joe

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Now it's Rowan's turn to cry

I took the kids to PDO (parents day out) today. Mo couldn't wait to get into her room and was inside before I knew it. Rowan was cool, calm and collected - at first. We were fourth in line to enter Rowan's room. They have one of those half door rigs where the bottom half was closed and the top portion was open, and parents simply pass their child over the half-door to the teacher. As each parent did so, each child would begin to cry, only when they were in the arms of the teacher. Not a whimper until the hand-off was complete. Rowan followed suit. As I walked off, there were four crying toddlers and two scrambling teachers. They are seasoned pros, and I'm sure they got everything under control before I hit the street. I just think it's funny -

New shooze

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First day of school 09

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Big Girl Bed

Maureen hit a few milestones in the last couple of weeks. First, she has officially stopped using her crutch, I mean pacifier at night. We switched to night-only over a year ago except for critical, high stress times where additional soothing was necessary. Her cigarette, one might say. We've been talking up the Passy Fairy for some time now, telling her that if she stopped using her pacifier, the Fairy would come during the night, take away her passies, and leave a present. One night about a week ago, she decided it was time. The Fairy had to leave an IOU, but returned the next night (after a successful night's sleep sans passy) with a magical princess tea set. That night, however, Maureen woke up early in the a.m., asking Kristin if the Passy Fairy took all her passies. Kristin told her that all the passies were gone because she did such a wonderful job the previous night. After a pause, Maureen asked if Rowan has any clean passies. She still had the urge. She managed to get back to sleep without the plug.
Saturday, we went to Sam's Club and bought Mojo her first big girl bed - actually, a mattress and box springs, and to Target for some special, Princess Sheets. Dad made the mistake of not fully listening to Mom, and we had to exchange the mattress for the one that Mom had originally wanted, but no problems, and Maureen was none the wiser about the exchange. She just spent her third night on her big girl bed, and all is well.
Today is the first day back to the Parents day out program, otherwise known as school, for both Maureen and Rowan. Maureen is in the older 2's class, and Rowan is in the toddlers class. Maureen is ready and can't wait to get back to her friends. Her best friend and partner in crime Poppy will be with her again. Rowan, however, is in for a big shock. He is very much into his separation anxiety stage. Also, he is prone to fits of hitting, and this weekend, he started biting. Yes, we have a good chance of being that family with the biter. We hope he can curb the impulse to sink his teeth into a fellow student. We've been on the other side of the scenario with Maureen being the victim. We'll just have to see how it goes.
The other big adjustment awaiting Rowan is having to wear shoes. He's been barefoot for most of his life, and will now have to wear closed-toe shoes from 9am to 2pm. We've had shoes on him from time to time, and he has problems walking with them on - a tad clunky, you might say. It will definitely be a big adjustment for the boy, but some change will do him good. And I think we are all ready for the added structure school will bring.

Laborday week 09

Laborday weekend is coming quickly and I am very much ready for the long weekend. I guess its time for what's become the monthly update. School (parents day out) starts up a week from today and I believe we are ready for a little more routine. Rowan will be in the toddler class, and Mojo will be with the older 2's - I'm sure she would be fine with the 3-year-olds, but this way she will still be with her Buds from last year. I just hope she doesn't get bored.
Rowan is in for a shocker. He's become attached to his pacey and lovie - or lamb blanket - lately, and he'll have to do without in the classroom. I'm anxious to see how it goes. He seems like a totally different person with his new haircut. Lots of fun!
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Rite of Passage

Today Rowan got his first, ever haircut, at EG and Mark's Barbershop in the Gardiner Lane Shopping Center. EG and Mark have been cutting hair in this city for a very long time - in fact, I got my hair cut by them when I was a boy - some forty years ago. Rowan cried just a little, but did really well, and the barbers handled the situation like true professionals. We were in and out of there in 15 minutes. And of course Mama got teary-eyed at first sight when we came home. We picked up some Krispy Kremes on the way home to celebrate. He looks sharp, not at all like a hippie any more!

Quick walk to Bellarmine

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Chillin

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Whoa, ho, ho; listen to the music

While waiting for dad to come back with Mike Lennig's fish at the State Fair:

Pics from the Fair 2009

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...And this.
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See what I'm missing with this ridiculous work business?
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The end of summer is approaching

I just noticed a billboard yesterday with the State Fair dates, starting August 20. Doesn't that seem late? If you go back in time on this blog you will see some of the same pictures over and over again of our family at the fair. The same photo of the prize winning bale of hay, and tobacco plant, and the obligatory photo of Freddy Farm Bureau. I am definitely one who relishes tradition, and repetition. Once again, I am looking forward to the state fair, and I want to walk by every piece of art, and peruse the cakes and jars of green beans, and dodge cow pies with our stroller. I can't wait until we are able to comment on our favorite in the ugly lamp contest. I take comfort that the fair never changes; knowing that as you hit that hallway to Broadbent Arena you will be greeted by that massive mother sow and her suckling piglets. This year in particular, I want Maureen to be amazed that Freddy Farm Bureau can actually talk, directly with her. And yes, I want to see that prize winning bale of hay and again, try to figure out the difference between a good bale of hay and a mediocre bale of hay. If you go this year, and you are walking through the livestock exhibit in the West Wing, among the massive cows, be on your guard. There will be farm children in one particular spot who will try to scare you by quickly lowering a rubber spider down into the walkway. They are always there, and I love it!

Walk the walk, talk the talk

I came home from work yesterday and Rowan was, all of the sudden, walking around like he's been doing it all along. Now, when I say walking around, I mean still wobbly and eventually falling, but his number of steps and his confidence in his stride was much changed since the time I left for work at 8:10am. The other new development is his ability and desire to say "Hi!" He accompanies this "Hi!" with a cute little wave. He does this mostly for dogs and cats, though he will do it for anyone.

Other news: we finally agreed on a plan of action for replacing our HVAC system - and now WE HAVE AC!! We decided to go with the heat pump, which acts as the AC unit and back-up heater for our brand new furnace, which is supposed to be so much more efficient and economical. And now we are comfortable again. This old house is very hard to regulate, and we got five different quotes to make things right. The old AC went out over a week ago, and since our furnace was 60+ years old, we had to replace that too. We were talking about replacing the whole system anyway, but were forced into the decision earlier than expected. We considered geothermal heating; zoned heating and cooling, where we could regulate between the upstairs and the downstairs by directing air flow; two different units, one for the upstairs and one for the downstairs; the heat pump and regular AC/furnace units. I believe any way we went would be a vast improvement over our old system. We decided not to go full out with the zoning or dual units, and I think we made the right decision. It's not cheap by any means, but we could have paid a heck of a lot more. Though it was not very hot outside, we were so much more comfortable last night, and I am relieved that that project is behind us, or at least will be behind us - they need to come back and finish the project today.

No AC - day four

We are waiting on our second quote to fix our AC system now and we are certainly uncomfortable, but it is not unbearable by any means, yet. The weather has been strangely mild for July so far, and through our AC deficiency, but I hear it's supposed to be in the nineties today and that may be the start of more discomfort. We'll keep you updated. My personal goal is to be up and running by the weekend. Here are more cute pictures of the kids!