Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Just a few quick notes.
Talked to Aunt KK as she was on her way to watch the Cubs play this afternoon (that's what you get for being too busy to email -- you get sold out on the blog!) Came home to find that Flora had the boys in their finest Cubbies outfits.

Took a few unflattering (but funny) photos of Allan. In his defense, the camera has a red-eye feature that shines before the flash. The result of that is that Allan knows to squint because the flash bothers his "bad" eye. Which is why we have so many photos of him looking like a pirate.

We finally have a lovely rainstorm going on. The boys are both upstairs, sleeping the sleep of the innocent (or close-to-innocent in Griffith's case.) Enormous clap of thunder. Better go check to make sure everyone is still asleep. (Dad says all is well.)

Griff has been in "time out" a couple of times. Dad put him in last night for knocking the crap out of Allan. Two minutes (one day it will be totally worth it for 2 minutes). After he got out, he crawled over, picked up a block and started to whack his brother on the head with it. As soon as he made the first contact, Allan squawled. Griffith flung the block behind him, squealed like a pig and crawled away from Allan as fast as he could. Guess he knows about time out now.

Big Al


looking like he's been hitting the sauce.

Poor Allan


It isn't fair to post such pictures, but they make me laugh. At least you can see that he isn't always Mr. Serious.

Griff - ready for the game to start, too.


I got home today. I don't think Flora knew that Aunt Kelly had cut out of work today to go to see the Cubbies, but she had the boys properly outfitted.
That's Flora stretched out like a swimsuit model in the background.

Allan kicked back

ready for the game to start.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Attack of the eggplant


Allan flinching


Not sure if Griff is going to give him the rattle or club him with it. It could go either way.

Caught on tape


Griffith sharing the toys with his brother.

Where'd it go?


Putting it all together


These really cool blocks have grids on the top so that they hook together, kind of like Legos. Very cool.

Allan giving the blocks a mighty whack.


Allan smiting the blocks like the Old Testament God. There is no mercy.

We put this one here....


...and we look at it for a second....


...and then we knock them over!


This can go on forever.

Our (unfortunately) very clever boy


So, last night, Griffith figured out that he could take the empty toy box, shove it over to the couch and use it as a step.

Griffith standing in the armchair


He made it up all by himself.

Excuse me, I'm trying to make a call here.


Griff needing a little privacy.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Big weekend.

Big weekend for the whole team.
Friday night Mom and Dad got all glamorous and went to a dinner/dance to benefit the children's hospital. Miss Miranda came and took care of the boys. Everyone had lots of fun, but not so much that Dad wasn't able to get up at the crack of dawn and head out to play golf. Mom and the boys weren't up quite that early, but made it out by 9 to head for the Farmer's Market. It was a little too hot (and Mom wasn't quite as bright-eyed as she might have been) so we walked instead of running. There was plenty to see. What is it about the Farmer's Market that attracts people with unusually large dogs? I don't even know what breeds these beasts are, but that have to be mutants even for their own varieties. And the other thing that I have noticed is that these people don't ever seem to be carrying any produce. How could they when they are trying to rein in dogs as big as calves? It seems willful, really. There really aren't accomplishing any thing other than slowing us down. If they want to be looked at, they should sign up for a parade.
Big Al did better this week than last. He still doesn't care for the street performers, but we just keep moving and so that really doesn't become an issue. Bad Bob Dylan, bad Jerry Lee Lewis -- it really doesn't matter as long as you keep moving.
Saturday afternoon Miss Samantha came to meet us. She is a new babysitter who is going to help out with the boys on occasion. Griff, of course, hogged the attention to begin with, but Big Al had won her heart by the time she left. Saturday night was pretty quiet at the home place. We had bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches and corn on the cob and then sat on the front porch in the swings and watched the traffic while we enjoyed the breeze. A real Southern evening. If only someone were catching fireflies in a Mason jar, it would have been complete.
Sunday morning, Griff woke up at 6:30, but Dad got him back to sleep without too much of a struggle. By the time Mom got back from a run, the boys were ready for a big run/walk (Daddy keeps running in to people he knows and has to show the boys off). We weren't quite able to pull it together the rest of the day. Neither of the boys would sleep. In fact, Griffith was quite resistant to the idea. He takes that from his father. Frankly, if you told me that you would feed me and let me take a nap, I'd be all over it. You wouldn't have to rub my back and sing You Are My Sunshine over and over. Or at all. He wouldn't give it up, though, despite being tired, miserable and mean. Dad went to the grocery and I abandoned Griffith in favor of Allan (who also needed a nap and is generally more amenable). This caused a great hue and cry. Griffith absolutely, positively Could. Not. Live. if he weren't in my lap. Fine. So now I have both of them and feel like the little boy and the dyke. Even if I get one or both of them asleep, it isn't as if I can DO anything. I'm stuck. Of course,Griff can't manage to just hang. He has to "love" on his brother (in truth, he does now want to love on Allan and puts his head on his belly and pats him. Allan is so scarred from past attacks, though, that he just wails. Besides Allan wants to sleep when Allan wants to sleep. He doesn't really appreciate being messed with.) Finally Griff climbed down to play with some toys and I got Allan asleep. Then, because Griffith was such a monster (and how long can it possibly take his father to buy diapers and dill pickles ???????), I decided there was nothing to be done about it but wrestle him in to submission. It was him or me. Think of calf-roping at the rodeo. After about a half hour, Griffith finally gave up and I got him down. Called Jay and said, Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are you to call the house or make any noise if you return. Hung up the phone, headed for the couch for a much-desired nap -- only to find Allan wide awake and ready to go. If you weren't so cute, I swear, I would send you back. Both of you.
Allan, the silent one, got so wound up that he woke his brother up after only an hour's nap. Which was not enough to make Griff a desirable person to be around, but, at that point, we were in it to win it. Fortunately for everyone, Miss Diane was having a similar day across town with William and Glenna. They all came over and brought a brand new fire truck and, generally, raised a ruckus and entertained us for a few hours.
By then it was time for dinner, which Griff refused to eat (he did suck on the bread with butter and salt and pepper). Allan resisted all efforts, too, The day had been too long and too hot for all that foolishness.
Dad was particularly amused with Griffith who HATES to have his teeth brushed (we alternate the task). After Jay finished, Griff picked up the toothbrush and started playing with it. He stuck it in his mouth and was doing his own brushing. All I could say was, your mom and dad are laughing at you, you know it, don't you? (I don't know what I did to deserve it because I was very nearly a perfect child. Never caused anyone a moment of worry or irritation.)
Both guys rallied for their baths, though. It really is about the best time of the day. They both love the bath. Griff is worn out by the end of it, though, and ready for a bottle (we'll worry about breaking him of that later). Allan is rejuvenated, though, and kicks and laughs and is ready to play (sans brother) for another hour or so. Jay and I switch babies every night so that we each get the fun of snuggling with Griff and playing with Big Al.
Dad and Griff have retired. I am typing one-handed with the world's heaviest 20 pound baby laying on my chest. If there is any thing cuter than these two, cleaned scrubbed and smelling of baby lotion and all wracked out for the night, I haven't seen it. People should be buying tickets to see this. How we have ended up with two so different and yet both so perfect I really don't know.
More later in the week.

Allan's fire truck


Big Al, squinting in anticipation of the flash.

And the dalmatian goes here.


Working it all out


Allan figuring out how to make the new truck's ladder go up and down.

Allan and the new firetruck


And you


expect me to do what with this?

Thinking it over.


I'll do it myself.


You must be kidding me.


I'm sure Jay's mom and dad are laughing.

Dad's shoes


are more fun than any toy we own.

the right


Check out how Griff's legs are twisted. This is apparently more comfortable than it looks. It would almost have to be.

the left


Big boy.



Allan standing all on his own. He would rather stand than learn to crawl.

Folding eludes him


but his father hasn"t caught on to it yet either.

Monday is laundry day



Griff getting a head start on next week's chores.

Griff loving on his brother


Mom and Dad


all glammed up.

Snuggling


griff loving on the puppy


And one


And the other


and down!


Mulish


Griffith looking distinctively mulish. Can't imagine where he gets that.

Griff's favorite toy


The $2.49 plastic box from Big Lots.