Jesus! Would you be quiet already?

So it was "Rally Sunday" at church...first day back after school has started and the day that Kindergarteners receive their bibles. Now I really felt like I needed some "churchin' up." Hadn't been there for months and missed the community and meaningful sermons. I saw this Bible thing as an opportunity: ship Rowan off to the nursery, Aidan gets his Bible which he'll look at at be amused by so I can listen to the sermon. So Aidan gets his bible, which incidentally is full of illustrations, proceeds to page through and I feel that I have conquered the situation. I was wrong. As soon as the sermon started, so did the quest for Jesus. Aidan would turn a page, see a bearded man and ask "Mom! Is this Jesus?" "No." Two pages later, "Mom! Is this Jesus?" "No." Two pages later, "Mom! Is this Jesus?" "NO." I learned that 1) There are a lot of pictures of bearded men in the illustrated bible and 2) The old testament is very long. It takes a while to get to Jesus. I kept getting more and more irritated as I missed more and more of the sermon, compounded by the fact that Fitty noticed this going on and was trying very hard not to laugh. I'm sure it was a good sermon. Sigh. Next time.

The Wet Camping Trip

Family on the ferry to Madeline Island. Weather is still cooperating.



The tent, aka "The Rumpus Room" Starting to drizzle...



Rain is not letting up. We decide to swim, as we are wet anyway. I am not a pervert. I am wearing my swimsuit under that raincoat, as is Aidan.




Day 2, at this point it had been raining for over 24 hours, with about a 3 hour break. Still went hiking.

Reading, under the tarp.

Our attempt at a campfire. More like a smokehouse.

On our way home, weather cooperating, we stopped in Cornucopia for a swim.

Aidan jumping waves.

Aidan drawing Texas.



So yes, it was wet, it was muddy, but in true Fitzpatrick style we had fun and made the best of it. The best news is that we did not have a screaming toddler in the middle of the night. Both boys had fun and did great!

Things I Learned on Our Camping Trip on Madeline Island

1. Madeline Island is not having a drought this month.

2. Site #19 at Big Bay State Park is very muddy when it rains for 24 hours straight.

3. Your van wheel makes a really neat clunking noise when you drive after your toddler drops a rock into one of the hubcap openings.

4. A berry identification book is a good thing to buy if you are camping with a toddler. The bright orange berries that Rowan ate are called bunch berries, by the way, and they are harmless - I found out after speeding away in a panic to the Ranger Station with a berry sample in my hand.

5. The Park Rangers at Big Bay State Park think I am a maniac.

6. The old me would have laughed if you ever told me I'd sleep in a tent called "The Kahuna" and that it would be large enough to fit a Pack n Play. The new me thinks Damn...that worked out well.

7. Cowboy caviar is a great thing to bring camping: it's healthy, travels well and even mixes well with leftover pasta.

8. Cowboy caviar makes people gassy (gassy + tent mates = well, you know....) and makes toddlers poop twice as much.

9. Maybe cowboy caviar is not a great thing to bring camping.

10. Diapers are hard to change in the rain.

11. Driving around the entire island to warm up from the rain might have been a good idea of that 10 miles of gravel road weren't so mucky from said rain. Our van is a new color.

12. It's fun to run around a muddy van while leaning on it around the entire circumference.

13. Four extra sets of clothes is not enough when camping in the rain with two small boys.

14. You should bring lots of extra clothes for yourself when camping in the rain with two small boys. You never know when you'll be stepped on or kicked with muddy shoes worn by the toddler having the tantrum.

15. Swimming is a great activity in the rain. I mean, you're wet anyway.

16. The scissors on a Swiss Army Knife will entertain a five-year old for hours. Especially if you show him how to cut grass, one blade at a time.

17. If your car batteries die on the ferry boat to Bayfield, they will push you off.

18. I'd do it again, rain and all.

Unrequited Love

Photo by Tom, Duluth friend and babysitter on the night the pic was taken.

High Flyin' Aidan

Photo by Halle, Aidan's cousin

More Rowie Words

puckuck = ketchup

iwagout = I want to get out (of the backpack, car seat, high chair, etc.)

Beeza = zebra (my favorite)

boozies = strawberries or blueberries

rawboozies = raspberries

beeguk = big truck

rainin = raining and/or raisins (very handy if you are eating raisins in the rain)



And now we are starting to have sentences. My favorite is the high pitched, "Ohhhh Noooo! Happen?" (Oh no, what happened)

New YouTube Posts

Aidan playing last May at a local coffee shop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hrq30f79p8

Aidan and his dream come true: up on stage with Rubber Soul: The Tribute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCTv6qxY404

Rowan is Two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Handsome Birthday Boy!!!!!!!!!!
We had a party at Brighton Beach


I was instructed by my mom to put this picture in here to make Oma jealous. (Nonnie with baby Harri, Fiddle Brandy next to them)



A good sampling of guests: Chrissy, Erik & Taelem, Joey, Ryan, Katie & Harri at the gift opening.

"Whoah! Beeg Cuk!"

Rowan's favorite gift, a ride on Podpoo from Nonnie and Boppa. He loves it, but is very possessive of it.

Getting help blowing out candles with Big Brother and Mom.

Cabin Fun

Here are some pics from 4th of July weekend, which I spent in Fairbanks. Looks like Fitty and the boys had fun without me though. And I am going to go on record to say that I detest the 4th of July, mostly because I detest fireworks. Fairbanks is a good place to be on the 4th of July. Midnight Sun = no darkness= no fireworks. Maybe I should go there every year. Apparently, Rowan hates fireworks too. I guess he should come with me.

The only pic from the Marr cabin...Halle, Aidan and Uncle Tim

Rowan in the sand at the Fitz cabin.

Aidan and his cousin Benny.

Rowan watching Aidan in the paddleboat, which apparently Aidan and Benny took out on their own at one point. I filed that story under the "Things I didn't want to know about and will now forget about because I can't believe they did that while I was gone" category.

Paddle guitar....because everything, if you use your imagination enough, can have something to do with music.

Light Bulb Chatter

Aidan seriously wrote this song tonight. Fitty wrote down the lyrics. Some are "borrowed" from other songs, but I believe we have a songwriting career started here.

The Light Bulb Chatter

You say, you know, you say, Everybody
Ahhhh Baby, say it's so

The Light Bulb Chatter is coming away
The Light Bulb Chatter
Oh Baby

All the money's gone, I can't go on
In the morning time is right
Oh yeah Baby
You know they can't go on

The Light Bulb Chatter is going on

It's Sunday morning, Life's there
It's a steady job
But he wants to be there
Sunday morning, I can't go on
Sunday morning, I can't go on

Well, outside the darkened door
The Blues can't hurt you anymore
Oh yeah
The brave brave numbered soul
Came to the distant shore

Double Take

"Where the +$%*!! are my glasses???!!!" I think as I scramble to get ready to go to Aidan's concert. I literally have five minutes to throw off my stinky server clothes, wash my face and get dressed to get out the door.



"Have you seen my glasses????!!!" I yell downstairs to Fitty. No, he hasn't.



They HAVE to be right here...look in the obvious places. Dresser? No. Computer? No. Bathroom? Walk in, look around, look past Rowie playing at the sink and absent mindedly pat his head. No. On top of my head? No. COME ON!! Where ARE they??? Walk into Aidan's and Rowan's bedrooms and look. Walk into the bathroom again, look past Rowan and in the medicine cabinet. Walk out. Wait. Double take. Did I really just see that?

Barn Concert

Aidan was the opening act for a Barn Concert at Commonplace Farm last Friday. It was a gorgeous evening in an idyllic setting. He did a great job, drumming AND singing most of the songs. Plus the kids got to see horses, chickens, a padpoo (tractor in Rowan language) and I "walked" the labyrinth there twice. I put that in quotes, because the first time I carried a toddler through it, because he saw a bee at the beginning and was scared. And once you start walking a labyrinth, you keep going, so I carried him all the way in and all the way out. The Second time, I ran the labyrinth with my five year old. Not the way it was intended I guess, but fun anyway.

His name isn't up in lights yet, but chalk is a good start.




The performance.



Rowan clapping and cheering his brother on.

Feeding popcorn to the chickens.

Rowan thinks chickens are VERY funny!

Use Your Words

Rowan is at that lovely age where he can't always communicate his wants and needs. For the longest time, if he needed something such as more milk it would result in either a "UUUNNNNGHHHHHH!!!!" and/or a whipping of the cup/food/toy,etc. We've been working on "Rowan, use your words!" which usually ends up in him signing the word "more" which could mean anything, which we usually translate incorrectly, which usually results in either a "UUUNNNNGHHHHHH!!!!" and/or a whipping of the cup/food/toy, etc.

I was very impressed with his communication skills the other day, however, when I took him into the grocery store. The moment we walked in we saw boxes of crackers, which resulted in "Cacko. Cacko! Cackooo! CACKOOOOO!"(think loud enough to hear it on the other side of the store.) Then we walked around the corner to the produce section, strawberries spotted, "Boozies. Boozies! BOOZIEEES!!!" (The crescendo effect is amazing, you really oughtta hear it.) Continue on with the discovery of cheese, cereal, and DIP!!! (which is ketchup AND yogurt...as well as sunscreen and lotion as I discovered this morning....) interrupt this with the scary loud coffee grinder and you'll bet I'll decide to go grocery shopping AFTER the kids have gone to bed next time.

BUT...he WAS using his words, right? Baby steps....

House of Guitars

Being the parent of a child who gives great attention to details has its challenges. These cardboard replicas of the Beatles guitars were made by Dan and myself (there's George's Gretsch too..not pictured.) Aidan directed the entire project, telling us the shape, correcting us if we got colors, frets or pick guards drawn wrong. He is happy with the final result though, and spends much of his time lip synching and air guitaring to all the Beatles songs. He'll actually do separate concerts for each Beatle ("Tonight is a Paul concert!") All I gotta say is that it's good that I'm crafty!



Paul's Hofner Bass

John's Rickenbacker

And of course Rowan had to have his own guitar. (God forbid he touch one of Aidan's) This is the Goady (Grover) guitar.

Patrick the Pirate

Our friends Deb and Pat stopped by last weekend on their way to the Twig Renaissance Festival (which is touted to be quite good, by the way). Pat makes quite a good pirate, plus he's an actor to boot so it was quite an entrance. I missed Aidan's reaction when they appeared in the backyard, but apparently he dropped his jaw, then dropped whatever he was playing with and hightailed it into the house. I thought maybe he was scared, but no, he came out about a minute later in full pirate gear. Then Cedar went into his house and got dressed up, followed by Ahna. ARRRGGGGHH!

I am so darn mucky

This afternoon I was getting Rowan ready for his nap, and he was being extra cute and giggly. It seems just today he's really started repeating things you say. I was talking to him and I said "Rowan, I am such a lucky mama!" Then as I rocked him he looked up at me with these sleepy blue eyes and in a sweet quiet voice repeated over and over again, "Mucky Mama, Mucky Mama, Mucky Mama." Sigh.

More Rowan Words

Sickie = Fishy

Coptoo = Helicopter

Puc = Cup

Meeeok = Milk

Side = Outside

Baka = Grandpa (which is weird, because that's what we used to call my grandpa)

Seewo = Cereal

Deuce = Juice

Toot = Rowan says this whenever he sees anyone sit on the toilet

Poop Incident: 2009

I am sure that every child has some memorable incident involving poop. I seem to remember some story about my cousin Jena eating a "raisin" that came out of her brother's diaper. There was the strawberry poop incident with Aidan, when he was about Rowan's age. Think monkey in a zoo. Rowan had his poop in the tub incident earlier this winter. But what I think made this one an incident that will stand out in my memory is the way I was told. I went to get Rowan up from his nap and saw he was standing and pointing at something. "Oh no" he says, "Mess." Then points again, "Uh oh, Kiki (blankie). Mess." Then I picked up the odor. Then noticed there was no diaper on my child. Then noticed the diaper, VERY full, sitting in the corner of the crib. In the other corner, another neat pile left, partially on Kiki. And some on Rowan's hands, feet, down his legs and in his hair. When the similar strawberry poop incident happened with Aidan, I believe I yelled. But the reaction on the part of my son was SO cute, I almost laughed. He just kept saying in this sad, sad voice, "Oh no, Kiki. Mess." One bath later, crib wiped down, a couple of books in the garbage, Kiki and sheets in the dryer, we are no worse off for it (except for enduring the smell). But now Rowan has his poop story.

More Rowan Words

Add these to the list of cute:

Badtoo: Water

PodPoo: Tractor

Wah: Dinosaur (as in "raaarrr")

OhSwee: Horsie

add to these the addition of saying "Uh oh" "bye bye" or "all done" in front of any given word to add extra cuteness. Probably my favorite was when he was wearing the giraffe bib (OhSwees). We knew he took it off when we heard him say "Uh oh OhSwees." He also called the deer in my parents backyard OhSwees. My other favorite is "yuck." The way he says it: "Yeeeuck!" Yuck is a poopy diaper, a dirty highchair tray, a swept up pile of dirt on the floor. Stay tuned for more.

Rowan, Kennel Up!!!!

We had to get out the dog crate last week to create a "Zone of Safety" for poor Murphy, who gets a constant stream of abuse from Rowan these days. After looking at us with those sad "what did I do wrong?" eyes, he caught on, and now loves his alone time, away from poking fingers, dog-licking toddlers and projectile toys. Rowan was not happy about this, until the other day, while the dog was out, he realized that he too could enter the Zone of Safety. He crawled inside and tried to pull the door shut, but it wouldn't stay closed. This resulted in a wind up to a tantrum. So Fitty locked it, which is the only way it stayed closed. In the meantime, the neighbors showed up and Fitty got distracted. A few minutes passed and Erin, our neighbor, heard a small noise from the kennel. After Erins' questioning if we'd gotten a new puppy, Fitty embarrassingly opened the door to reveal Rowan (who was happy as can be). Good thing she doesn't work for Child Protective Services. He actually stayed in there all evening and watched a movie, complete with a bowl of popcorn, from inside the kennel.

p.s. This technique works well with a locker if you are ever alone getting two young children ready for swimming lessons. Not that I've tried it or anything......

Tee Hee

Aidan did this, of course.

Triple Berry Pie

YUM!

Messy, but delicious.

This one taken moments before Rowan swiped Aidan with Pie Hand.

Things I Will Never Understand

Why does my toddler love to eat Kleenex?

Where do the socks go?

Why are giggles contagious?

What does "Mooney" mean? Rowan repeats this word constantly and I just don't get it.

Why does my toddler react the same to me wiping his nose as he would if I were cutting his arm off?

Where do all the shoes go?

How is it possible that these two children came from the same womb?

Why is it that Rowan loves to put everyone else's toothbrushes in his mouth, but won't let me brush his teeth?

How can a toddler unroll almost an entire roll of tp in the 30 seconds it took for me to let the dog out?

How can "DatDoo" possibly translate to "water"?

Why does the diaper only leak on clean sheets?

Why don't they make anger management courses for toddlers?

How can they be so cute?

Why does Rowan and Aidan's "secret brother language" have to be screaming?

Why did we pick the drums and not a quieter instrument?

Where does the time go?

Rowan's Cast of Characters

Rowan has officially reached the "if I have a word for it, I will label it" stage. With it comes the expected toddler misperceptions and mispronounciations. One of my favorite misperceptions was the balloon: "moon!" "bubble!" "moon!" "bubble!" - which one was it? He couldn't decide!

But by far the best, is these three animals/characters:

"Goddy"

"Goady"

And then there's everyone's favorite:

"Poopy"

Tune in for more, cause you know there will be more!

Mini-Ringo and the Tribute Band

Check it out!

www.rubbersoulthetribute.com

Read the "Ringo Report" and look for the adventures of Mini-Ringo.

Rubber Soul

We went to Virginia (the city, not the state) to FINALLY see Rubber Soul: The Tribute. Quite conveniently, they were playing the home, sport and travel show, which was very family friendly. I believe we will soon become groupies. They were awesome - sounded and (almost) looked like the real thing. I had emailed the band beforehand to get times, family friendly status and told them to look for Mini-Ringo, who I assured them they would recognize. Of course, they figured him out right away. First of all we were the only ones standing up and dancing (Iron Rangers=no dancing). Secondly, it is possible that the tiny pink Ringo Sgt. Pepper suit gave him away. We ended up meeting the lads at the end of the show, getting a signed poster and having a little time sitting at "Ringo's" kit. Watch their website, they said they'd post pictures of him there too!

Aidan, jamming with the lads. (Yes, he brought his own guitar and drumsticks)

Aidan and "Ringo"

Sitting at "Ringo's" Kit

Untitled

There was no title for this post that could capture its silliness.

Too Toos

Objective: To capture the toddler at the train (aka too too) museum.

Result: Failure. Toddler fast, camera slow.

This last one has to be my favorite, Fitty barely got him in the frame.

You Old Sap

We took our yearly trip out to the Webster Farm for some maple syruping. Unfortunately, we got a late start and the boil down was done by the time we arrived, fortunately (for Aidan) we were just in time for the kids to lick the syrup out of the boil down vat. Rowan even ran his truck through the syrup. Mmmmmm....syrup truck.



Murphy, on chipmunk patrol as the kids clean out the vat.




Cedar and Aidan are sure not to miss a drop. The sugar high that ensued was...er...fun.



Sooty and sticky kids (Aidan, Ahna, Cedar)