Playtime

The boys play so well. Smile! Thanks, Paul.

Paul loves his trains.

And Joss loves puzzles!

Old toys

Gotta find more of Paul's old toys - poor Joss was using a diaper carton as a walker!

This is one of Joss' favorite toys. (Note his little tongue sticking out.)

He has figured out how to place the pegs in the holes. . .

. . .but prefers to eat the pegs!

This one tastes green, and the other tastes like a cylinder. . .

Friday Fun at the Playplace

Although the weather was gorgeous on Friday, the playgrounds were all still covered by snow and slush. What's a boy and his brother to do? Hit the playplace, of course!

Despite appearances, Paul made a few friends. . .

Joss wanted in on the car fun.

OK, who gets to drive first? (Note how they picked up a chick? These guys are smoooooth.)

Paul conquered Mt. Inchworm.

Joss enjoyed having freedom to explore.

Paul spent quite a while with this marble puzzle, figuring out how to manipulate the circle ball-diverting thingies to make the marbles go along the right path. It was really cool to watch.

And Joss only wants to do whatever Paul does.

Paul loved this mirror when he was about Joss' age. . .

But Joss has more teeth!


It was an eventful outing. Joss had his first creeper - this little girl (with a very loaded diaper, ugh) kept hugging him, and playing near/on top of him, and tyring to get/keep his attention. Joss seemed unfazed by the experience.

Paul had his first attempted mugging. This little boy - 4, maybe 5 years old, who already had a tussle with another kid - liked Paul's skull sneakers. At first he just tried to touch the skulls, which did not thrill Paul, but then the kid tried to grab the sneakers away! Paul is patient, but no push-over. He hung on to his shoes and wailed, "NOOOOOOOOO, MIIIIIIINNNNEEEE!!!" Mommy intervened at this point, and shooed the would-be mugger away.

Cookin' and Climbin'

Joss found the stairs.

In the time between taking these pictures and setting the camera down, Joss managed to climb up and sit on the first step, and would have made it to the second step if Mommy hadn't swooped in and taken him away.


Joss also discovered the play kitchen - and sat playing for a good 10 minutes, long enough for Mommy to actually finish a cup of coffee. Pretty cool, kiddo.

Fetchez le Vache!*

During the latest snow storm, we brought out the big guns for the stir-crazy kids: an unnecessarily complicated to assemble cardboard castle that Uncle Eric and Aunt Andi got Paul for his birthday, and which Mommy and Daddy squirreled away for just such desperate need.

They both LOVE it.

"They're looking for a grail. I told them we've already got one."

"Yer mother was an 'ampster, and yer father smelled of elderberries!"

February 1, 2011

*Monty Python and the Holy Grail references. If you did not know that without this foot note, well, there's nothing I can do for you except fart in your general direction. Thbbbbttttttt.

Joss Playing

They're big blocks, Mommy. I'm allowed to play with these. Duh.

One block is good. . .

. . .but all the blocks are better!

Yay for blocks!


from December 2, 2010

Day 1: Tuesday, 8/17/10, Anchorage

We started at the Anchorage Visitor's Centre, where Paul received his very own "Seymore Anchorage" moose.


We took a trolley tour all over the city.


We saw the railroad station. . .


. . .and a "moose gooser."


We even saw where people park their personal airplanes - often the only way to travel to and from parts of Alaska.


Paul was very impressed.



We had lunch - and some great beer - at a local joint.


Then, we hit the Imaginarium Discovery Center at the Anchorage Museum. Paul was enthralled by the kinetic sculpture.


He also played with boats. . .


. . .put a polar bear in it's den. . .


. . .learned about pulleys with a hoist chair. . .


. . .and experimented with giant bubbles. . .


Even Joss sat up to play with a toy. . .


We had dinner at a lovely Thai restaurant. Paul loved his chicken satay. . .


. . .and Mommy loves Paul's lovely face.

Mommy's biggest nightmare. . .

. . .is Paul's bestest time ever! Before this Tuesday's concert, we went to a McD's with a "Playland" for dinner. Paul scoped out the structure, then climbed up and in and through! Mommy still sometimes wakes up in a cold sweat from nightmares of getting lost in a similar structure at Sesame Place, but Paul was gleeful and adventurous.

Mommy! Hi, Mommy!

Joss confuses "play gym" with "buffet"