We are catching our breath after the rude awakening of moving from the relaxed pace of summer into the frenzy of fall. Hank started school last week at Washingtonian Episcopal and has been really enjoying it so far. Not a tear shed yet over being dropped off! He has even taken the really big boy step of staying at school two days a week until 3:30pm in stride. I'm always so proud of Hank when he enters a situation that for many kids (and, er, parents) is fraught with anxiety with such ease. Like, "yeah, this is a new school with new teachers and classmates. So what? Stay here all day? Eat my lunch here? Nap here? No problem!" He is truly a big kid now.
First day of Nursery!
For his part, Gus started a playgroup this week. He will go three days a week with either moi or his nanny to enjoy playing with other kids, singing songs and learning how to be a social being. We went mMonday and he had a blast. I wasn't able to get him to stay still for long enough to get a good shot of him!
Work for both Matt and me has picked up considerably now that everyone is back in the city (although you would think it was still summer around here with the weather - it is 95 degrees today). We are both buzzing around like busy bees trying to get on top of it all. It is both invigorating and slightly overwhelming at the same time. We just need to get through September and then I think we'll be able to relax a bit. Bear with me and my intermittent posting during this busy time. Here are some cute shots of the brothers Kelly to get you through the drought.
This post is long overdue - I've been meaning to write this for some time now but we've been quite busy since we got back. And now school has started and it isn't even summer anymore and I have been paralyzed by my procrastination. I guess summer just got the better of me this year, and I think that's a good thing.
Cape Cod this year was our best trip yet. We had the luxury of going for two weeks (our longest vacation since our honeymoon 6 years ago) and an added super bonus: we brought along a babysitter to help out with the kids. These two factors meant that we actually. got. to. relax. Hallelujah!
We drove up the East Coast and stopped to spend the night at our friends' the Heravi's house in Larchmont, NY. An adorable suburb of NYC, they live in a sweet house near a sailing club, a pool for the kids and are surrounded by other families with young ones. We don't get to see them very often since we had kids but we always have fun at their place.
After a fairly uneventful but loooong drive to the Cape, we arrived. We spent the first week in Orleans, which has become a familiar town to us given that we've stayed there for the past 3 years. We had our friends, the Wolff's, join us for the first week, along with their two kids, Patrick and Addie. Hank was doing his best to keep up with these older kids and it was fascinating to watch him try to hang with the "big guys". We hung out by the pool, took a boat out a couple of times to do some seal spotting, checked out a baseball game and went to Nauset Beach. The weather was pretty good, except for a day or two of rain but overall it was a lot of fun.
The second week we decamped to Brewster, a sleepier and smaller town than Orleans. By that time the Wolff's had left us and we were on our own to just laze about as we pleased. And we did. We spent most days sitting by the pool, but had time here and there to check out the Brewster Flats (a very shallow beach on the Cape Cod bay side that's great for kids) and do some fun and unheard of things like shopping! Naps, lobster rolls, beer in the middle of the day....god am I missing those days this week.
It was an awesome vacation with good times had by all. I can't wait to do it again next year.
Hard to believe this little guy is one year old today! Gus is such a delight - Matt and I often say that he is pure joy. Hank and Gus are playing together all the time now and it is so cool to watch them grow closer as brothers. Happy birthday to our Goose!
A longer to post to come later in the week about our great trip to the Cape. Stay tuned!
Every now and then I like to do a post about what the kids are doing at this moment in terms of sayings, habits and activities. I hope that one day I can read back on these and remember the little things that get lost in the mix of our hectic lives.
Gus continues to be a happy go lucky little dude. Now that he is mobile (possibly the world's fastest crawler - you know, there should be a baby crawling race, don't you think? They could have numbers on their bums like jockeys), he wants to keep up with the big boys. Hank and Dylan, our nanny's son, run circles around the house all day and Gus chases them around as best he can. He has become quite determined and let's you know that you are on his list if he doesn't get what he wants.
Often what he wants is to stand up with your assistance and jump up down, also with your assistance. This is great fun for little Gus, but can be taxing on the arms. My biceps are actually looking pretty good these days thanks to my 20lb baby weight.
Another favorite activity involves throwing items on the ground to...see what happens when you throw items on the ground. See exhibit A:
Gus has a few non-stupid human tricks, like waving, blowing kisses and clapping. What astounds me is that he will perform these tricks if you simply ask him. No demonstration needed, just say the words and he understands you. This is amazing to me considering he is not talking, but I guess this is how we learn language.
I guess it's not entirely true that he's not talking. He and Hank will have long conversations that consist of babbling back and forth. Hank is an excellent impersonator (takes after his Dad) and will immediately parrot back to you what you have just said. This allows him and Gus to have long discussions about who knows what.
Hank at almost 3 and a half years old has turned into a very articulate and curious young man. He has a thirst for knowledge that seems unquenchable. Luckily, he has a father who loves sharing knowledge just as much as Hank likes gaining it. And I welcome a new audience member for Matt's knowledge dropping sessions. A win win win! We are frequently (I mean really frequently) asked questions about everything. When Hank learns an answer to something he isn't afraid to remind you of it over and over again. It becomes etched in his memory and yours, whether you like it or not.
"Remember Mommy, we don't walk on the road because we don't want to scare a car"
When looking at a sky light in the house, "Mommy, is that called a sun roof?" "Um, yeah, sure" "No Mommy, that's actually a sky light. A sun roof is in a car."
"Mom, batteries have electricity in them"
And that's another thing. I am now Mom. Not Mama. Not Mommy. Mom. He sounds like an 18 year old sometimes. When I say "Hank" he most often responds with a "Yeah Mom." Add that to the occasional "God damned (fill in the blank)" and he could sound like an agitated 35 year old. We really have to watch ourselves these days around our little pitcher with big ears.
Hank has recently developed an interest in coloring which is a dream come true to me. I have been trying to get this child to sit quietly at a table and color since he was 6 months old. I didn't realize that boys aren't generally into that kind of thing. When Hank does humor us with some coloring time, his color of choice is black. Is this a sign of something deeper going on, something dark? Probably but what the hell do I know. Our mantle this Spring consisted of handmade cards for my birthday and Mother's Day all in black. I thought they were actually pretty cool, in a New York kind of way. Move over Pollock.
And finally, the other day I was sporting a maxi dress (that's a full length sun dress for those of you out of the fashion loop) and Hank simply asked me, "Mom, are you wearing your princess dress today?" To which I replied, naturally dahling!
We are escaping the intolerable heat of this godforsaken swamp on Saturday and heading north to Cape Cod. Temps are looking to be in the high 70's which will be a welcome relief after a week of 100 degree days. Walking outside this week has felt like stepping into a sweat lodge in the Amazon. Better start running lobsters - we're coming to getcha!
How did it get to be mid-July?! We've been so busy of late I haven't had a chance to post about our trip to Montreal. We spent a week in La Belle Province as it is known among the Frenchies. Or at least that's the name a fast food chain where they buy their poutine. At any rate, it was a great trip that involved staying at a charming inn in the Eastern Provinces with a Relais and Chateaux restaurant (oink oink) followed by a few days in Old Montreal. The kids had a ton of fun hanging out with their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles and we all enjoyed having a chance to catch up with my cousins, aunts and uncles at a family reunion BBQ.
The view from the Manoir Hovey at sunset
Hank and Hayes at rest...
And at play
Proud Canadian boys!
Hank enjoying his multi course breakfast, including a small bowl of pure honey every morning...
These cousins LOVE to play together
Gus, happy as always
Nana and Hank at the pool
Gus takes in Old Montreal
The week came to an end with a great day spent surprising my mother with a vow renewal ceremony at the church where she and my Dad got married 40 years ago. It was a complicated ruse involving everyone in the family and we actually managed to pull it off! Mom was surprised and we all enjoyed watching my parents renew their vows. Top it off with a crepe lunch at our favorite spot in St Sauveur and it was an awesome day. That evening the extended family and some old friends got together for a lovely anniversary party. It was the perfect way to celebrate a major marital milestone! Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!
The vows getting renewed...
For all of our photos from the trip, please check out our share site on Shutterfly
Yesterday was Master Hank's last day of school. The year has flown by and Hank has grown up so much it's kind of scary. He is now a pretty well regulated (most of the time) little boy who speaks in full sentences, has an amazing imagination and loves hanging out with his Frog friends (his class at school). It was a bittersweet goodbye to the teachers, with Maman tearing up as we left the school. Hank seems clueless that the year is done and he won't be back with the same teacher, class or school next year. Perhaps that is for the best...
First day...
Last day...
We are kicking summer off this Saturday with a week long trip to Monty La Mont (that's Montreal to the rest of you) with the entire Mailloux clan to celebrate my parents' laudable accomplishment of reaching 40 years of marriage.
We'll have lots of pics when we get back. Happy summer everyone!
