Brady's Laugh

OK, so I haven't done any video in FAR TOO LONG, but i thought this one really captures Brady.  He has developed this mischievous Dr. Evil laugh that makes me laugh out loud every time . . .  Enjoy. :)

Maldives trip and more!

Well, things have really been picking up around our place!  Curt and I took a LONG AWAITED trip to the Maldives together SANS KIDS!  And while, yes, of course, we missed them, we had a FANTASTIC time, the boys were just fine staying with Tess and Ariana and it helps us feel like we can do this again! :)  Yippee!  We called the boys each night while we were gone and got to "talk" with them on the phone.  They sounded so happy and didn't even freak out when we were like "OK, we need to go, we love you, etc".  After our lovely 3 days in paradise, we had a tricky day getting home, that nearly removed all traces of relaxation (Qatar Airways wins "Company with no logic or heart" competition), we got home around 11PM (should have been home around noon) and sweet Gavin was laying in his crib with his eyes open.  I truly think he was waiting up for us.  He got up and we all had some snuggles, then Aidan woke up and we had some snuggles, then Brady woke up, some snuggles and then they all went back to bed.  just delightful.  They DID wake up and were sweetly calling for us at 530 AM that next morning - not quite ocean waves, but we will take it . . . :)

Islands on the way from Male to our resort - love how the circles  dotted the water!

RAINBOW!

More rainbow! :)

As for our trip, curt and I got to take naps, snorkel, read, eat when WE wanted to, TALK . . . goof around, it was great.  after the last few months (ok, like 7 months) curt has had with work, he REALLY needed the time away.  Kuramathi resort was just BEAUTIFUL - with bats and snails and sharks and fish and birds and crabs, etc.  even though it rained 2 of the afternoons we were there, it was perfect for napping, and ensuring we didn't get sunburned. :)

The happy couple

snorkeling off of our deck . . .

i was hunting this shark like it was my JOB!  SUCCESS!

This past weekend, we spent it with the boys just hanging out.  Friday morning we brought out the pools and chilled in the backyard while the boys played and ran around.  Brady came up with a new game - i was sitting on a chair and he walks over to me with his yogurt bucket full of water and proceeds to POUR IT ON ME!  Then the fun began!  We basically had a water fight with the boys using their buckets and curt or I using the hose.  It was so much fun!  As you can see from the pictures Brady was on a TEAR with these buckets of water.  The boys looked through our pictures from our trip and loved seeing dad and I doing different things and talking about the animals and different things we saw.  Then this morning we took them to play in what will be the nursery school at the student center - they have all of these slides and indoor climbing things - it's clean and has AC!  AMAZING!  they were bonkers over all of the stuff to run and play on.  There must have been like 15 different slides and i think they went on everyone of them in the first 10 minutes we were there. :)

Brady's black eye - a few days in (corner of coffee table hit JUST on brow bone - LUCKY).  He looks like he has eye shadow from 1984 on . . .

Aidan put these three pairs of sunglasses on himself and went around growling at us b/c he was a "monster" (said in scary monster voice)

Gavin was just chilling out and reading one morning . . .

The boys are loving alternating between Curt being a giant and the big bad wolf.  I think he was "blowing their house down" on this one. :) ( B and A)

Then we took them to buy big boy beds.  We have been avoiding this for several reasons.  1) we aren't sure we want them to be "free" to get up/out of bed whenever they want.  they are good sleepers in general, however they are beginning to outgrow their cribs and we think the reason they might be good sleepers is because they are trapped there and have to be. :) 2) it's one more step to them growing up. (gulp back tears).  of COURSE we want them to grow up and are delighted at all of the things that come along with that, but it seems like it is just zooming by us . ..  3) we weren't super jazzed about buying furniture when we are only going to be here for another year, but at least they were on sale. :)  the boys haven't yet been asking to get new beds, though when we come to get them in the morning brady and gavin will sometimes throw a leg over the rail like they want to climb out.  i think both of their falls have made them cautious enough we don't quite have to worry about them trying to get out though. :)

Sheriff Aidan

Gavin's first popcorn - YUMMY!

Our day at the beach with Chris Silva (G, B, A)

A,B,G chilling out and having lunch at Fuwairit beach in Qatar

Playing along to some music - Aidan was intent on his guitar playing, Gavin was being an elephant, and Brady said puppy wanted to dance. :)

After getting the beds we took them for their first experience of eating AT A McDONALD'S!  it was pure laziness for curt and i, but still exciting for them even though it didn't have any of the cool stuff like the ones in the US usually have.  The funniest part was brady asked me a few times where "Mickey was" and where "Donald was" and I was sort of lost as to why he was asking that.  All of a sudden i realize it's the name "McDonald's" he is referring to and his closest reference is mickey mouse and donald duck and they were nowhere to be seen . . .  i wonder if ronald mcdonald will be fun or scary when we are in the US?

Water fight day - Aidan figured out the hose and LOVED the power that came with it!

oh my goodness, i just LOVE this shot.

Brady really getting into the water fight :)

you can see where he first soaked me!  But I got him back!

OK, so i didn't quite mean to aim so well . . . but he took it all in good fun!

Then this afternoon we went to our friend Juliette's 3rd b-day party!  the boys had lots of fun playing with her toys, eating food off of adult plates, eating pizza and playing on their trampoline.  They weren't so good about sharing her little car, or taking turns climbing up the ladder, but they were having so much fun that a few head bonks on the trampoline and a bloody lip (gavin) didn't really even cause a bump in their fun!

why do we buy toys?  who needs a jungle gym when you have chairs you can turn over? (B, G, A)

Gavin: our tree lover/climber :)

now he has TWO buckets!  Look out!

isn't this expression of joy just wonderful?

A few fun stories:
A couple of weeks ago after bath, Gavin noticed that his fingers looked different when he was getting lotioned up.  It sort of made him freak out and cry b/c he didn't like how they looked, but having us explain to him why they looked like that (though i don't understand exactly WHY your skin does that - anyone?) must have been good enough for him.  After the next bath, he got out and as i was putting lotion on him he kept saying "Fingers Angry!".  Apparently that was how he translated 1) "wrinkly fingers" and 2) what we were trying to tell him about why his fingers looked like that.  very funny . ..

Brady and Aidan are both regularly saying things like "Play with me" "walk with me", etc.  I just love how they will grab our fingers and take us wherever they would like for us to go and show us how they want us to play with them.  It's pretty magical taking on a two year old's perspective.  While we were gone, friends Heidi and Dave (Alexandra and Johanna) had invited the boys and tess and ariana over to play.  they came back with a huge pop-up play thing that looks like a bus.  Over the weekend Brady pretty much camped out in there - bringing in books, pillows, blankets, etc.  He would ask us to come play in the bus and most of the time it would be to "sleep" with him.  adorable.  I'm guessing he will be our camper - i can't WAIT!

Dad reads to Aidan and Brady (sigh)

You may have remember from previous posts that Aidan is our hobo - always trying to carry around as much as he can.  well he is now using the giant yogurt buckets to carry around about 20 trucks and cars and whatever else he decides to bring with him.  He likes to bring this bucket upstairs before bed and for awhile curt and i would dutifully bring it downstairs and put stuff away.  Every morning when they would get up, before getting diapers changed Aidan would say "i'm going to get trucks" and would scamper downstairs for about 10 minutes then come up with his bucket full of treasure.  So funny.  The other night I just decided to leave it outside their door since he was just going to go down and get it anyway first thing in the morning.  He was like a kid at christmas when I told him i left him a surprise outside their door and he went to see what was there.

FIRST McDONALD'S RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE

Aidan is now into wearing the engineer's hat everywhere.  He liked eating like a big boy too. :)

Gavin got into his juice. :)  he would eat his hamburger without picking it up and just trying to rip off bun and meat.  drove curt crazy. :)

Brady really got into eating his hamburger like a big boy :)

Because i just can't get enough pics of these funny kids :)

Gavin's first cup.  He does this often and thinks it's hilarious.  so do we :)

a little light reading with Brady and Gavin and a little light strolling for Aidan.

Look closely - Brady is giving a squeeze at the same time the book is talking about giving a hug.  adorable. :)

Just dad and his middle boy hanging out.

Where the boys like to sit and watch the world go by . . . (B, A, G)

Another shot of the carnival - before Brady decided the boat was the worst thing ever.

Brady would only ride the train if mom would ride with him. (and dad later)  Gavin and Aidan were chillin' in back.

Happy Mother's Day! (#3)

Breakfast of champions, Brady, his pink bowl, cheerios and mom's flowers!

Well, on my 3rd Mother's Day, I've definitely been reflective.  My boys are healthy and happy and HILARIOUS - who could ask for anything more?  My day began yesterday with lovely tulips Curt brought home from my folks and the boys.  They were so bright and cheery it made me feel like it was spring!  Then this morning, i got some nice warm snuggles from the boys as they were getting up.  After everyone had been changed and we were heading down stairs, Aidan says "I want to hold Brady's hand!" (they've started doing this when we are in parking lots and walking down the stairs together just for fun)  As soon as he says this, Gavin says "I want to hold Brady's hand" as well and goes for Brady's other hand.  Brady does as any 2YO would do and says "No!" and proceeds to get everyone crying as they clamor to hold his hand.  Finally Aidan grabs ahold of it and they head down the stairs together.  Poor sweet Gavin didn't have anyone want to hold his hand and mom and dad's hands just weren't good enough.  This broke my heart into 100 pieces.  He is standing at the top of the stairs SOBBING and throws his ducks down the stairs and just WILL NOT come down the stairs.  Curt says to Brady and Aidan when they get down stairs "Boys, you hurt your brother's feelings.  He wanted to hold someone's hand to walk downstairs and you wouldn't hold his hand.  Brady, would you go upstairs and hep him feel better and hold his hand to walk downstairs?"  Sure enough, Brady rounds the corner at the bottom of the stairs and says "Hey Gavin, come here!  Come here, honey!" and begins to walk upstairs to get Gavin.  Gavin immediately picks up his ducks and begins coming down the stairs and he and Brady hold hands giggling the whole way.  Mended my heart up as good as new.

Cool glasses I bought at a yard sale for 1QR.  worth all $0.27.  Isn't Gavin SMASHING?

We had a lovely breakfast of the boys telling me they loved me and wishing me "Happy Mother's Day, Mom!" (is there anything better in a 2YO voice?)  then off to work counting down my last SIX WEEKS OF WORK!  WOOHOO!  Curt took me out for a mother's day lunch - it was fun to get his sweet card and it still get to be just the two of us - is that ironic on mother's day?  Then we got home from work, had friend's over for dinner and the boys went down surprisingly well after having ICE CREAM and friends over! :)  It always makes for a more energetic night.  As curt was getting ready to read a book to the boys, Aidan and Brady decide they want to put EVERY blanket and stuffed animal on his lap in the rocking chair and then climb in to sit with him and all of their stuff.  He finally convinces Brady this is not a good plan and is able to move stuff and get Brady in his lap.  Aidan is still persistent and finally Curt tells him "No. You may not put all of this stuff in my lap and try to sit here, you won't all fit."  Well, this just sets Aidan OFF.  He starts to cry and then decides to be angry when crying gets him nowhere.  He takes his pacifier and violently THROWS it onto the ground and then looks at Curt.  he then picks it up again and THROWS it a little further on the ground again and looks at curt with WILD EYES.  Then he starts picking up the blankets and throwing them up in the air (i'm laughing as I type this b/c we both had to hold it in for this little spectacle) without really making any sound at all.  He then grabs his little rabbit (which he has seen get taken from Brady for a whole night when Brady used it to hit Curt) and walks over to Curt and hold the rabbit up and move like he is going to hit Curt with it.  Then do the same movement again.  All the while - silent.  hilarious.  He then settles down after his show and gets on curt's lap for his books.  As Curt said, "he WANTS to let it all loose like Brady does, but he has clearly learned that when that happens, things happen he doesn't want, whereas Brady is like "i'm a good boy! I'm a good boy!" after he has been really naughty."

Brady wanted Puppy to be able to wear sunglasses too.

Easter cupcakes from Lindsay Coco - Aidan likey.

Brady can't believe his luck - CUPCAKES!

Gavin and his creeper mustache from Lindsay Coco's cupcakes.  adorable as always.

 I must say I can not believe how incredibly lucky we are with these kids.  Sure, they give us a run for our money some days, but for the most part they are pretty well behaved, they are already showing some signs of altruism toward their brothers, they are learning and developing something new and fantastic nearly every day it seems.  Gavin is catching up in the speech department.  He does a lot of mimicking his brothers (which is so cute) and I truly think he will be our first reader.  He is able to pick out quite a few letters and has associated them with his brother's names/his name/animals etc.  He definitely knows A, B, G, E and W by sight. (at least upper case) and is close on S, C and D.  Gavin got up a bit earlier than his brother's from his nap on Saturday (so that's what it would be like with just one . . .) and he and I spent some time reading Baby bear, Baby bear.  He was clearly trying to annunciate better (we practiced Mountain Goat and Striped Skunk A LOT!) and he was pointing to the words as we would turn each page to announce the next animal.  he was on a tear . . .

Aidan thought it was HILARIOUS he could pull his PJ pants up so high.  So did we. :)

 Brady is by far our most sensitive.  It sometimes comes out in bursts of anger, screeches, etc that are not so fun, but he truly wants to make his brothers and mom and dad happy.  He has started saying things like "Play with me mom/dad" and he'll ask a question and then answer it with "Maybe Later" (i guess we say that a lot).  He regularly brings his brother's their stuffed animals when they are getting changed and says "here you go honey".  He also likes to insist that his BROTHER'S bring him his stuffed animals when he is on the changing table.  I think he is truly surprised they haven't already thought of it themselves.  Gavin is probably his go-to-guy in terms of actually doing it, but he gives them both equal opportunities. :)

At the QF sponsored carnival at Gondolania in Villagio.  Gavin was ALL ABOUT getting his tattoo/face paint.  Brady was content to be held most of the time (loud roller coasters)

I can't get over how grown up Aidan looks here.  He loved running around the trampolines.

Aidan is our hobo child.  He ALWAYS needs to have his pockets full of trucks (he doesn't like wearing shorts without pockets), carrying just about as much stuff as he can get in his hands if he is going to "go" somewhere (upstairs, outside, etc).  He has even started filling the large yogurt buckets (see helmet/hats he likes to wear) with trucks, men, you name it, to carry around with him.  He has also really taken to my dish washing gloves and likes to put those on as he pushes his trucks around in the little stroller.  It is a sight to see.  This weekend at the grocery store, I look down to see Aidan folding himself in half to fit UNDER the basket (where you would put flats of soda) with one of his feet dragging along in front of him and his head on his knee.  I lean down and say "Aidan, honey, we have a few aisles to go, do you want to get out from under there?"  he looks up at me with a big grin and whispers "no." and tries to shake his head from side to side.  Giggling to myself, I push him across 5 or so aisles with Gavin riding on the side "like a garbage truck"(that always gives us looks in the store when they say that) and then stop to get whatever it was I needed.  Curt and Brady come from another part of the store  I look to see Gavin trying to get under the basket with Aidan, where of course there is no room.  I then tell Curt to look at Aidan.  It was quite probably the funniest and most shocked face I have ever seen Curt have with our kids.  He literally stood there for like 10 seconds with his mouth open.  After a few minutes, Aidan decides to unfold himself and crawls out to ride on the side of the cart like a garbage truck with his brothers.  Good thing he is made of rubber.

The carousel was pretty sweet too.

Gavin digging everything he did that day. :)

Brady was finally convinced to be put down and do something on his own.  He looks delighted, yes?

Be More in B'more!

Wow.  Where has the time gone?  I honestly don't really know what we were doing between March 8th and March 24th - just trying to get by I guess . . .

A,B, G checking out the plane on the way to US

Well, we had a great professional/family trip to Baltimore the end of march.  We arrived in Dulles the evening of March 24 after a nice 13 hour flight from Doha to Dulles with the boys.  How did they do?  I guess it depends on who you ask.  I think they did pretty good, considering they are two and a half, they move around non-stop about 10 hours a day, they were in a cramped space between economy seats, etc.  Curt says the flight was ROUGH.  Now, they NEVER had a meltdown and cried or screamed and they didn't really touch any strangers or wake anyone up.  And they really only napped for about an hour and a half out of the flight (when ordinarily by the time we landed they should have slept closer to 6 and a half hours - ouch).  But all three were pretty interested in the people sitting behind us and the guy in front of us who reclined his seat ALL THE WAY BACK THE ENTIRE TIME.  i nearly let them "touch" him . . .  I don't think I have ever crawled around in such a nasty place myself - looking for little toys, little men, etc.  We had one rule we used on the flight and one we learned from the flight.  Rule #1: No parenting.  Unless someone is going to hurt someone else or annoy another passenger.  you want your paci?  fine.  You want to snack on something? fine.  You want to watch Dora back to back without (or with) headphones for the 47th time?  fine.  whatever will make you happy.  Rule #2: DON'T bring tiny toys on airplanes.  Only giant monster trucks, big stuffed animals, board books, etc.  Did i mention i had to crawl around about a million times looking for lost little men???  Boo.

Why didn't we think to put the boys in suitcases for the trip to the US?! (Brady)

Aidan chilling out

I love how Gavin somehow got the smallest of the suitcases!

After our 13 hour flight, we had an hour and a half ride to Baltimore and arrived at our lovely hotel.  We had a 2 BR and they provided us with three cribs, already in the room - no waiting!  Curt went to get us all Micky Ds' (welcome back to America after being out of the country for 9 months) which the boys barely touched (i guess they have good taste). :)  By the time they got into bed, it was 7PM B'more time.  and they slept until 5 AM the next morning when Gavin was up and crying.  The other two slept the full night.  How crazy is that?  Anyway, we still experienced some jetlag for them, but not nearly what it was a week later at home.  Either way, it was a gentle re-entry for us.  hallelujah.  Our first day there it was COLD!  thank goodness for friends with hand-me-downs!  we bundled them up and strapped them in the stroller to get some groceries and fresh air.  we also wandered to the inner harbor and then had some friends come visit who were in town for the conference.  Grandparents (with the truck) arrived on saturday around lunch time after a trip to the convention center for mom and dad to check in and a visit with Finn, Dave's little girl.  Everyone was very excited to see them (mom and dad included - break!). :)

Aidan and Grandma with the Yellow Truck

Wonder what Brady was feeding Grandpa K?

Grandma with Greta gives Gavin a breathing treatment and reads his favorite book.  Brady and Gavin had memorized the Curious George books by the time we left!

Grandpa V reads Brady Chicken Licken.  Which is what Gavin called his Chicken Noodle soup while we were there.

Grandparents (with Greta) arrived Monday evening around dinner and it was equally rowdy for their welcome!  The boys had a trip the the aquarium while mom and dad were at work, spent some time walking around the Inner Harbor area and rode some free buses.  all in all a fabulous week with interesting things to see and do.  THey showed off their Hawkeye fight song at the Iowa Social and in general experienced a major word explosion for all three.  it was delightful to see. :)  Here are some pictures from the fun . . .

G, A, B at the National Aquarium with mom and dad.  How fun to eat goldfish while looking at fish! :)

B, A, G check out the birds in the Inner Harbor, Baltimore

Entertaining the boys before our flight home,  just before Aidan's big fall. (G, A)

Gavin has a stalker shot in the mall

Aidan checks out Doha as we land on our trip home.