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.