Random Pictures From My Phone

 Freddy waving seaweed around on a recent family walk. Seb was not sure at all about that seaweed.

 Busy with his trains

 

On rainy Tuesdays, I take the boys to a pizza place close to Freddy's afternoon catechism class. The ball pit and play place keep Seb happy and tired out after a good hour of play time.  

We never leave without a balloon.

 Freddy is the best company in the ball pit.

"Fine, I'll got the grocery strore with you, but not without my bubble mower..."

 "... or Zita's sunglasses."

 More mowing

 

Chestnut Season

We made our traditonal chestnut curry from Pai's grandmother's recipe. I wasn't sure how Sebby would react to chestnuts, but he loved them. He particularly loved throwing the shells all over the place.  

The House

 

Today marks four weeks since this project started. We're getting a new roof, and replacing gutters and other wood work around the outside of the house.

 It's a pretty entertaining for Sebby, but the house is a little on the dark side. It's a touch noisy too.

 All the debris flies down the yellow shute and Sebby can't get enough. He says "crash!" every time something goes out the shute.


It's not all bad, but I'm ready to show after pictures, and I really really hope I can do that before Christmas.

New Old Kitchen

The plastic kitchen that Pai adores so much has been resurrected. Sebby uses it as a kitchen/ storage area for cars and trains. That works for me.

Sebby's Birthday in Photos

Sebby was one happy birthday boy! His happiness from seeing a fully lit birthday cake placed in front of him, and a room full of family singing to him was almost more happiness than he could stand.

In his two short years, I have never seen him happier. His clapping squeals were so infectious, that we were all singing through laughter. If I ever have a white light moment, I'm positive that a snippet of that cake with my four kids singing around it will flash before my eyes.

Now for the pictures.

 We always sing in both English and Portuguese, re-lighting the candles and blowing them out twice.

The day of one's birthday party is certainly not the day to skip a nap, but Sebby did, and thus he fell apart right around 8 just before his grandparents arrived with a bubble mower. That gave him a second wind and he hasn't wanted to part with that mower since. He looooovvvveesss his bubble mower.

So my Sebby is two. I built it up as this big we-won't-have-a-baby-anymore event, but it turns out two year olds still love to cuddle all day long. I think he knew just the right thing to say when he woke me up with "It's your baby. I'm your baby."

Sebby is Two!

Happy birthday to our sweet Sebby! I would love to get out a thoughtful post full of baby pictures, and update your stats and capture some of your funny phrases, but it's raining and we're knee deep in Little People here. 

Even though you're the fourth, you sure do think undivided attention is the only way to roll. We love you for it. 

Halloween Down, Thanksgiving, Christmas To Go

Trick or treat! 

 

Freddy and his friends trick or treated at our front door and I was very surprised that they all sang out "trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!"

I didn't get any proper pictures of Sebby who was a skeleton, but he loved the commotion of extra kids in the house. Roasting marshmallows was a lot of fun and new to everyone, but only one child other than Freddy actually wanted to eat them. The rest went to the trash which felt wrong on so many levels.

I bagged the make your own pizza activity and made them myself. The kids were so hyper that there was no way I was giving access to pizza sauce. Plus, Zita had jumped ship by this point and gone off with friends, Moojie was still at tennis and Pai hadn't come home from the office. I had a Calgon moment, but pulled it together and served dinner and kept things moving.

Zita was extremely helpful in getting the toilet paper mummy game going. This was the biggest success of the night.

It was a major relief to start the movie. I liken those quiet moments after a movie gets turned on to the first minutes after an epidural kicks in. All the pain goes away and there's nothing but peace :)

This was in the morning before school. Freddy made one cute mad scientist. I hope he doesn't think he's too old for Halloween next year!