Stay Classy

4!

Last month, this guy turned 4. He made his big-boy birthday wishes...

I should explain the cake. It's... pretty, right? You're dying to know how I made a thing of such beauty?

Here's my secret-- bake a chocolate bundt cake, and (now here's the secret part!) make sure the entire top sticks in the pan. Make a glaze, drizzle it over the whole thing, and then tell your kid it's a "mountain cake". He will seriously freaking love it, and tell everyone about his awesome birthday cake.

Even more awesome than his mountain cake was his awesome pirate party at the Lincoln Children's Museum. Brady does love his pirates. (That blue stuff is the 'beard' he painted on.) 

All his best buddies were there.

And yes, he does count his brother among his best buddies. Brady and Zack are honestly BFFs these days, and it is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen.

And no, I did no make another mountain cake for the party. We had cupcakes made by an actual professional at an actual bakery (not that the kids noticed or cared!).

There were, of course, plenty of presents. Brady enjoyed this part just a little.

We got half of the kids there in costume and into a photo, which may be the closest to a successful group picture I've ever gotten at a kid's party.

They're pretty cute, right? I love that Brady already has such great friends that make him so happy.

Mostly, though, I love my sweet, smart, adorable, creative, happy 4-year-old! 

Crazy Uncle Andy

I already mentioned that it took my brother coming to visit from California to finally get me to suck it up and really play in the snow. I immediately felt bad that we haven't done more of it, because Brady seriously may have had one of the best days of his life. 

Can you tell? Could his smile BE any bigger (insert Chandler Bing inflection)?

It wasn't just the snow, though. My boys love them some Crazy Uncle Andy.

Plus, he's content to let the boys jump on him. Wrestling, as it turns out, is a sure way to their little boy hearts. And not having to be the one getting jumped on goes a really long way with me.

Come back soon, Andy! Please!

California Dreaming...

I don't think I ever appreciated LA in January until I spent January somewhere else. Wait... you mean everyone doesn't get to go to the park in t-shirts in the middle of winter?

I am now a huge fan of the January trip to LA. We spent a fabulous week visiting family, surprising people with the news of another Durban baby, going to a fabulously un-crowded Disneyland (!!), and wearing t-shirts to the park in the middle of winter.

Well, some of us did. Others hunkered down in sweatshirts and napped in the park in the middle of winter. Which, as far as I'm concerned, is just as good.

Even better than playing in the park in January? Swimming in January. Poppi Ken's pool just might be Brady's favorite place in the world.

Zack has a growing affinity for it as well.

My mom spent a day with us at Kidspace... which, being LA in January, somehow also involved a waterfight.

The boys also spent a few days beating up on Uncle Andy, which is also among their favorite activities.

And then... Disneyland with Paul's whole family. But that deserves its very own post!

I miss you, LA!

Better late than never!

Yeah, so... Christmas. It wasn't THAT long ago, right? And it's definitely not embarrassing that it's taken me over two months to actually upload the photos I took.

Actually, I waffled on whether to even post these at all, given how old they are now. But I figure it's a 'better late than never' situation, and the grandparents will love them even in March!

With that, I give you... Christmas 2011.

I still can't believe Zack let Santa hold him. He didn't smile, but he didn't cry either, which I consider a victory. Santa told me it was because he's the real Santa, and kids can tell. I'm pretty sure it had way more to do with Zack's fascination with the candy cane Santa gave him.

Whatever... Zack didn't scream.

Out of focus, but too much happy not to share. Apparently, Christmas Eve is exciting.

Brady's request for Santa was very specific: a pirate hat, pirate sword, and pirate telescope. Santa threw in a pirate shirt for good measure (because if you bought the whole set, it qualified for free shipping).

My dad's fiance got the boys a fort-building kit, which has become a near-daily activity.

So there you have it... Christmas did come for the Durbans this year (even if it took me until March 4th to share it)! (Belated) Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Better late than never!

Dear Grandma Carol and Grandpa Bill,

It's taken me well over a month, but a promise is a promise. I'm sometimes slow, but I always deliver eventually! After much ado... here are the rest of the pictures from your wonderful, wonderful visit to Lincoln. And now we get to come see YOU in just a few weeks! Are we lucky or what?!?

Love,

Us

 

Hey, remember that time when Brady made you sniff the mystery jars at the Dinosaur Museum?

And then you built a really tall tower?

Well, he loved that.

OH! But the boys also loved Boo at the Zoo...

...especially because they got to ride the train.

We REALLY loved the day you spent with us at the pumpkin patch...

And, frankly, we still can't believe they got Bill up on stage with Paul's improv troupe. And not only did he get up there, but he was GOOD! We don't have the greatest pictures... but we've got the video evidence. So watch yourself, Bill... because that's some prime blackmail material. :)

Thanks for helping us carve pumpkins... after we cleaned them (and, apparently, you), of course.

But mostly, thank you for being such wonderful grandparents. We have some seriously lucky little boys who could not love you any more.

We love you! See you soon!

Grandma & Grandpa

A week with my dad... followed closely by a week with Paul's parents... Brady and Zack have been in grandparent heaven!

One of the best parts about grandparents? Unlike Mom & Dad, they never tire of listening to you talk... and talk... and talk... 

I think Brady talked to Grandpa Bill for at least 22 out of each of the 24 hours they were here. And when they weren't talking, they were making paper airplanes.

Grandpa's a good pilot.

Zack, meanwhile, was infatuated with Grandma Carol's jewlery. By the time she left, he could correctly point to and say "ring" and "watch". Maybe he'll be a pick pocket.

All that learning is tiring, and after some initial shyness, usually led to snuggles. Every boy needs a grandma's lap to rest on.

I can't tell you how grateful I am that the boys have grandparents who love them so much. The absolutely light up when they're together, and it's pretty amazing to see. Plus, everything tastes better when Grandma makes it. 

We love you, Grandma Carol & Grandpa Bill!

Halloween...finally

So, I'm perhaps a little behind once again. It's so far past Halloween that all the good candy has already been picked through, and we're at the point where I rumage through the bag over and over, tyring to convince myself that I really do like Smarties and hoping that an overlooked Twix will magically appear. 

But, hey! Look! Halloween adorableness!

It's a bird... it's a plane.... it's... SUPER BRADY! (He's super strong!)

And his sidekick... Zachary, the tiny tiger!

(Click here for a look back at our other favorite tiny tiger.)

Our neighborhood was, as always, awesome for trick or treating. Lots of candy, lots of kids, lots of fun. Zack started out walking, but it didn't last long. The first time somebody had the audacity to answer their door after we knocked on it, he insisted on being picked up... and he didn't let me put him down for most of the evening. My left bicep nearly exploded. 

 

He seemed to generally enjoy himself, save for when anyone spoke to him. Without fail, he'd put his head on my shoulder and tell them "Mama" in a complete dead-pan. You have to cut him a little slack, though-- the whole concept of being spoken to by dozens of strangers dressed in all kinds of strange costumes must be a little confusing when you're 18 months old. 

Brady, on the other hand, was all kinds of excited about the whole trick or treat experience. The costumes were exciting. The jack-o-lanterns were exciting. Every single piece of candy was exciting. See? (That's not actually candy, by the way. One of our neighbors gave out microwave popcorn, which is one of Brady's favorite things in the universe. The kid loves him some popcorn.)

We trick or treated for easily an hour and a half, well past dark. Thankfully, at some point Paul took over Zack-carrying duties and saved my arm from falling off. 

Halloween is one of the many things that I find myself falling in love with all over again now that I get to share it with my kids. I remember how crazy exciting trick or treating was for me, and it makes me so happy to try and make it equally exciting for them. And the best part about Halloween? The next day marks the start of Christmas! (I know, I know-- not really. But count me among the people who secretly has no problem with 2 months of Christmas.) 

Frequent Flyer

One of Brady's very favorite parts...

...about visiting with Grandpa Bill and Grandma Carol...

...is making paper airplanes.

He could do it all day long.

And sometimes does.

Thanks for playing airplanes, Grandpa and Grandma! We miss you already!

(More pictures to come, of course!)

Just a quickie...

Here's the link to my L Magazine article for November.

Speaking of November... how is it November?!?

The rest

We didn't spend all of Poppi Ken & Mishka's visit at a farm, park, or zoo. Sometimes we just stayed home and watched the boys climb my dad.

Happy boys. Plenty of attention. People who are not burned out on their same favorite toys, books, and games over and over and over.

And then there was this. Mishka described it like being in one of those laughter yoga classes. The boys would laugh hysterically at us, and we'd all laugh back, progressively louder and louder. This went on for quite a while.

But all good things must come to an end, and we had to say goodbye.

Brady wouldn't give Poppi Ken a hug, which was obviously very upsetting.

Finally he relented, and all was well.

And that was that. Lovely, lovely that.