The OP Presents: Canada Day 2012

– Happy Canada Day, everyone!

– I is also wishing you a Happy Canada Day, everyone!
Please overlook upside-down flag. Is not subversive action; I just
not quite have the hang of 'dis yet.

Before the flags came out, I took a few pics of the boys in their Canada Day T-shirts. Nate looked a little bored:

– Mommy say there be big party, but I don't see big party.

Seth, on the other hand appeared prepared to make his own fun, judging from the mischievous look on his face:

– I brings my own party everyone!

– I sure hope someone remembered to invite some cuties.

– I sit here and strike pose just in case.

I, on the other hand, was hoping to get a shot of the three of us so I handed the camera over to M. Unfortunately this is about as good as it got:

So I called it quits on the group shot and went with individual ones instead. Judging from the look on Nate's face, he's not exactly into it here:

But he did get into it eventually:

Seth, on the other hand, was still keeping an eye out for the cuties:

Sorry buddy, I hate to disappoint but this is about as close as you're going to get to a cutie today:

– No offense Mommy, but I keep eye out just in case.

Finally we brought out the flags:

Which turned out to be a pretty big hit, especially with Nate:

And speaking of mischievous looks, Seth doesn't exactly have the market cornered. Check out this face:

– I's about to be up to things, everyone!

The source of that look had to do with making a run for some bushes at the back of the yard that I'm forever pulling someone (mostly Nate) out of: 

– Hey, looks like you drop your flag!

– Well, well... things really be looking up around here now!

Fortunately we had a few spares so Nate didn't have to go without, and a piggy-back ride from Daddy took his mind off the hijinks:

– I think I run into those bushes more often everyone! Whee!!!

After a wardrobe change, it was time to kick off our pool party. Seth wasn't too wild about the pool: 

– Give me a warm bath any day, but 'dis pool business is stinkeroo.
What kind of stunt Mommy trying to pull anyway?

Nate however was sporting about it:

At least until they decided to check out their new water table and toys. The boys pretty much played with this non-stop for the rest of the afternoon:

At least until it was time for more piggy-back rides:

And a short-break to rehydrate and make some sticker art:

– Stickers is fun, but have you checked out my tattoo everyone?
Is like sticker, but is on me instead of paper. Very cool.

Nate before he got derailed by his tattoo. I love this picture:

The boys had a bit more time to run around and then it was time for dinner. BBQ chicken, caesar salad and garlic bread – the last two are always a hit with Nate and Seth, but they did a pretty good job with the chicken too:

Of course, I'm sure the only reason they ate dinner at all was because they hadn't seen the desserts at that point. Grandpa David baked up some amazing Canada Day cupcakes, which were a big hit and tasted as good as they looked:

I made some Canada Day cookies. I prefer them plain, but you know which ones the boys picked:

– Why choose when you can have both?

– I also try both, but I think you can tell where my heart lie on 'dis one. Yum!

Despite the sugar load at the end, the boys actually went to sleep on time last night (or a reasonable approximation anyway). They were pretty tuckered out after our busy, but very fun day.

Probably not as tired as the grown-ups though. I know I slept well last night!

Once again, Happy Canada Day everyone!

- L.

Maggot Tiles

A few months prior to Christmas there was a lot of buzz among internet Mommies about Magna-Tiles®.

More specifically, the buzz was about the Clear Colors Magna-Tiles® – and out of the line of Magna-Tiles® products, these would be the obvious choice as they are both colorful and see-through – being suddenly hard to come by. Private retailers though Amazon were jacking up the prices at an alarming rate which is mostly what the hullabaloo was about.

To be honest, I had no idea at the time whether this toy was a hot seller otherwise or not (turns out it was) – but I knew without a doubt that this would be a great toy for my boys. Seth loves building things and Nate loves figuring out how things work – and I love finding things that are within their parameters developmentally while providing a little challenge. 

Sadly, the escalating prices were due to the flooding in Thailand where the toy was manufactured. We managed to find a set at the regular price at a local retailer which was awesome, but regular price on the much coveted 100 piece translucent tiles set is still not cheap – although I justified the expense by telling myself that even if the boys didn't care for it, I would gladly play with the Magna-Tiles® myself. 

And I would have too, except the boys love them*.

Oh, and also they call them "Maggot-Tiles" in case you were wondering about the title of this post. I wanted to get that out of the way in case there was any confusion between Magna-Tiles® and their halt on production. Rest assured, in case you come across a set that isn't priced beyond belief at this point, it has nothing to do with maggots.

A few weeks ago, my boys still needed a lot of help with this toy so it was something I'd only bring out if I had an hour or more to sit and play. Now my guys are fairly solid if you help build the initial structure and then just let them play**.

Of course, this post be meaningless without some photos: 

– Oh hi everyone. Is us. I is having a good time figuring out how things work.
– Oh yes, hi everyone. I is figuring out how to make Nate work since I already knows my way around construction site. 

– First I points here and barks out orders.
– 'Dis not go over so great. 

– Since that not work out, I points here and explains personal architectural vision in great detail. Nate do the work alright, but he look a little less than impressed.
– "Personal architectural vision" also not go over so great. 

– Finally I gets hands on. Nothing worse than a grumpy crew if you knows what I mean.
– 'Dis nice toy, but would be better with set of earplugs right about now.

- L.

* My boys really loved this toy right out of the box, but I would caveat my recommendation by saying that they were easily frustrated by it initially even with an adult present. The magnets hold a structure together for great temporary play and collapse easily when done. Unfortunately, they also collapse easily when you're not quite done if you happen to be 2. The lack of permanence, despite the love of all things Magna-Tiles®, was actually a bit frustrating for us all.

** The structure in the photos was approximately 50% legitimately built by my boys. They have mastered a cube (which is mostly what you see here) and have recent skills at building a pyramid. The fancy stuff on top was adult-built. To be honest, I was more impressed that they managed to play with it long enough for me to think, "Hey, this is awesome – I should probably go grab my camera!", then grabbing said camera and spending awhile taking photos without any devastating cave-ins/mass destruction/fits of general hysteria***.

*** In case the "fits of general hysteria" is throwing you, keep in mind my boys are 2. They get semi-hysterical over lint at this point.

A Very Somber Christmas To You, To You...

Christmas this year wasn't quite what I expected. I had anticipated paper being torn off gifts with wild abandon, giddy squeals and reasonably hyped up toddlers running from present to present trying to play with everything all at once. 

Basically, I expected pandemonium everyone.

You might recall what happened the last time I was counting down the days to pandemonium, so I really should not have been surprised – but still, I was.

Suffice it to say, there was absolutely zero pandemonium, wild abandon OR giddy squeals in our home this Christmas. Well, at least not when I was expecting it.

All of that came later in bits and pieces, long after the camera had been put away (in true Michigan J. Frog style).

Of course.

And so, without further ado, the OP stoically presents our very somber Christmas... 

The "before" photo:

You know, because I thought I would need it for posterity. 

And now, the "after" photo:

Turns out I didn't really need the "before" photo. 

Nate was completely disinterested in the stockings, but we finally convinced a reluctant Seth to play along:

'Dis better be good.

Somewhat. 

Oh. A dinosaur.

In the end, Seth ended up passing most of the stocking stuffers to Nate:

Oh. A car.

 I got a little hopeful when Nate latched onto the maracas, but it turned out to be a fleeting thing:

Because gift tags are way more interesting: 

'Dis best present I see all day right here, everyone!

We were forced to bring out the big guns at this point. 

Like this awesome glockenspiel – also referred to as a xylophone where we bought it – but the box says glockenspiel (and really that sounds way more rad): 

Not "rad" enough as it turned out though. Everyone got the hint after Seth closed the cover for the third (and final) time.

We quietly moved on to the book portion of the program: 

You wouldn't know it, but the books actually were a hit.

So was storytime with Daddy: 

Just look at those excited faces everyone.

And even more excited faces: 

I has no idea what going on here, everyone.

'Dis over yet?

Next year, I'm ordering these for our Christmas photos and I'm only halfway kidding.

Merry (somber) Christmas everyone!

– L.

PS. Looking through the multitude of pics I took that day, I did come across one that appears to potentially have a bit of wild abandon to it, but trust me when I say it was the only one. Here it is for posterity:

– I totally faking it.
– Me too. Wheee!

Nicely Done, Grasshopper.

Legos*. They are popular at the OP, which is awesome because I never really got over my own childhood love affair with them and I will happily play with Legos anytime the boys are up for it.

Like today.

I was doing my usual thing with Legos this afternoon – building a perfectly sensible (albeit dull in retrospect) dwelling for Lego cat to hang out in. It was going pretty well I thought. I was already hard at work on the second story when I was politely interrupted.

And then schooled in a serious way.

Everything (and I mean everything) that is awesome about this structure is courtesy of Seth:  

Behold!

I don't know about you, but if I was moving in I'd definitely be eyeballing those spaces on the upper levels (in-home cash register, anyone?). Admittedly, my favorite part is the roof-top green space. Eco-buildings and sustainability are not merely architectural buzzwords, they are good design everyone!

The architect at work putting on the finishing touches: 

I already composing white paper 'bout my process, everyone!

And enjoying a well-earned snack break: 

Is important to refuel from time to time.
Snacks also very important sustainability item too!

• • • • • • •

*While I recognize the plural of Lego is still Lego, we frequently throw caution to the wind over trivial linguistic conventionalities at the OP. Plus it's more fun to say "Legos".

- L.

PS. Er... about those flashcards lurking not so inconspicuously in the background... 

I wrote a post awhile back where I laid claim to the following:

"I'm not the mom with the flash-cards".

And I'm really not, except that I am. We have flash-cards. The flash-cards were a gift, but I don't mean that as an excuse.

I mean they really were a gift. As in a good one.

And when I made my bold claim what I really meant was: I'm not the mom drilling my kids with flash-cards.

My boys have tons of fun with their flash-cards – often in the form of scattering them about because we also pride ourselves on "messy" around these parts – but mostly looking at the pictures and "reading" their abba-bets (which are officially "abbets" now, but that is another post). I always know when someone has found the "E" card, because it is always and without exception followed with elephant noises. 

PPS. I do wish my guys had been a little less reserved in their big "elephant noises" debut last week. I'm guessing they were camera shy. Trust me when I say they can make elephant noises with the best of them.