Corey's Birthday Begins!

Finally a green day at school! Yesterday was NOT good (he was literally chasing the girls and making them cry.) So as a reward for today's behavior, we started his birthday celebration a little early.

We let him open two gifts, trying to strategically select them to avoid Finley Farms' movie night. They were showing Kung Fu Panda, and luckily Cool Aunt Kristin had gotten him Kung Fu Panda, so we didn't have to go and instead got to have "movie night" at home. Corey picked our "dinner store," and believe it or not, he picked IHOP. He loves pancakes! He wanted to go to the Good Egg, but they don't do dinner. (We often went to the Good Egg on his MRI days when he couldn't eat until lunch.)

In addition to Kung Fu Panda, Kristin and Silly Goofball Johnny got Corey MarioKart, so I'm pretty sure that makes him the most spoiled kid ever!!!

He also got a gift card from Toys R Us from Nana and Papa, and we talked him into waiting to go pick out a toy until Sunday, since we don't know what he might get on his actual birthday! It seemed okay to do that one early, since my parents never made me wait to open cards. (Rob hides them from me so I can't open anything early.)

During Kung Fu Panda, Corey tried to tell everyone what was going on (I think he may have Aunt Julie syndrome - the urge to give everyone the ending when they don't want to hear it), and Brody said "goose!" and "mean kitty cat" throughout. He loved that goose!

Brody's school did pictures this week, and I found he really had nothing to wear. There was the "whales" shirt, but I figured in 10 years, I'd have no clue which boy was in which picture, since we have a pretty cute pic of Corey at Brody's age wearing the whales. Brody and I went to San Tan and I let him pick out his "picture shirt" and he picked out the "red stripes" immediately. We practiced our "picture smile" and I was sure he was going to cooperate. Not so much. Even as adorable as he was in his new outfit with his practiced smile, we'll be lucky if we get a shot out of it with eyes open. He was NOT happy about being separated from me and he looked at the photographer like she was nuts when she tried to get him to smile about a stuffed animal on her head. Nothing gets by Bobo. He didn't smile until the photographer changed gears and started tickling ME.

Tomorrow is the big day! I heard Corey explaining it to Kristin and I couldn't help but roll my eyes a little. "First I have hockey practice, then I have my hockey birthday party and then I am going to the Coyotes' hockey game with Daddy." Oh dear, what has happened?

Meanwhile, Ikea is giving out free sheets and pillows to anyone with a birthday this weekend, so I'm totally dragging Corey there on Sunday to get our free stuff. Luckily it's close to Toys R Us, so he'll be rewarded!

Wild at Coyotes

These are from last weekend when Grammy was here. We sat in the Honeywell suite and the Wild won so Corey and I were happy (Brody and Carrie were pulling for the home team and I don't think Grammy had an opinion one way or the other! :-)

Brody LOVED the Zamboni and flying taco, and made plenty of howling noises!

Happy Halloween!

I'm exhausted!

My "vacation" day went something like this: work out, run errands, lunch at Joe's (YUM) and go volunteer at the school. I showed up, Grammy in tow, to help the kids get costumed. I might have maybe helped one kid tie something (and I did help Corey get into his costume). So, not much use there. I did get to see the craziness of one entire classroom being sent to the bathroom to get into costume, two kids at a time. Fun times.

Next on the agenda was a parade. The young kids paraded through the playground for the older kids. Lots of Power Rangers, Transformers and Star Wars characters. (It's like we never aged!) Corey, clearly is Raphael, one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. However, for school, he was without mask and without a "webbon" (Corey term for weapons.)






Here is Corey with his classmates on the basketball court. Lots of Disney princesses too!







Meanwhile, this morning Corey and I dropped off Brody at school. For the first time, Goddard School allowed costumes for Halloween. However, it was probably two days ago when we heard that, and we'd already gone high-maintenance on the costume. Brody flat-out refused to wear it to school, and we're not sure they EVER got it on him ... except briefly this morning and only then when Rob was holding him. (But don't worry, he had Woody with him all day.)




Brody was nearly falling asleep when Rob picked him up, but he was excited to watch all the kids in costumes parade by. So much so that Rob had trouble getting him to nap because "I don't want to!!!!"

After the parade, I moved into my booth duty at the First Grade Fall Festival. I was in charge of the ghost target toss. Basically kids got four soft balls to throw at velco ghost targets (that wouldn't stay on the wall and that velcro kept peeling off from). I was definitely suckered though, because I must have done about 1,000 lunges trying to pick up stray balls (even from two to three feet away, these kids were having trouble.) An HOUR later, I was able to take Corey home. Whew!

After another hour to recover (it was not enough), we started carving pumpkins. We made two pumpkins - a happy one and a sad one. Here is Corey with the sad one - hard to see, but there are tears cut in there - which was Brody's choice. Likely because he was in post-nap cranky pants mood.





Brody was briefly happy after his nap when he re-discovered the balloon he'd received at school. He carried it all over the house for a while and let it hit the ceiling more than once. It was far more exciting than carving pumpkins, apparently.









Corey in all-out Ninja mode. We made a trip over to Corey's friend Avery's house too, on the other side of the neighborhood. (Their street was a little more lively!) Corey had fun with her neighbor while playing with a fog machine.








The kids got a LOT of loot tonight trolling the neighborhood for front-porch lights. Brody was extremely polite, from "Trick or Treat!" to "thank you" to "Happy Halloween!" at every house. (Though he never really put the monkey ears back on.) At one house, I asked Brody what he was going to say, and he said "Candy!" But we cleared that up and he was more polite for the rest of the stops.

Though I'm exhausted, I have to say that it's really nice here. It's 9 p.m. now and 77 degrees, nice and cool outside.

Tomorrow morning we're taking Grammy to Corey's hockey practice and tomorrow night we're all going to watch the Wild and Coyotes from the Honeywell suite!

Bobo in Rare Form

Among today's highlights ...

Brody told Woody: "Sit here. Sit here. Don't move. OK? OK?"

When I was singing "Let's build a Daddy" from Word World, Brody corrected me: "Not build a Daddy ... build a word!"

And, of course, an oldie but goodie ... Brody singing "you baby" and dancing to the Jonas Brothers! ;-)

Best. $5. Ever

Brody "sweet talked" me in to getting him Curious George at Kohl's today (what can I say ... I'm a sucker). He hasn't stopped giving George hugs and kisses since he got his hands on him!