camp Macon

Jed has been going to camp for half-days this week plus he's had swim lessons in the afternoons, so we've had an unusually busy week. But this morning, Macon and I took advantage of the last reasonable temperatures we're supposed to have for a few days and played with Macon's latest favorite toy: the stomp rocket. 

Back inside, Macon tested Jed's scooter while we waited for Grandma and Grandpa. 

And when Grandma and Grandpa arrived, it was present time! They are fresh back from Austria and Switzerland, so the boys have new wool hats. I'm expecting them to sing "so long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, adieu, adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu" on the way up the stairs tonight.

Here, Macon wears his hat and Jed's. 

down to just one hat

back to two

a quick shot of Jed wearing Macon's hat

And, naturally, Macon tried to share with Winston.

weekend at home

Recently, winds blew one of Jed's rockets off our porch roof, so the stomp rocket is back in action. 

Ok, Mama. Now we're going to play a game where we use the shovel to throw a ball into a bucket. 

Or maybe we'll just throw it. 

Meanwhile, back at the fridge . . . 

And finally, some moving pictures for your enjoyment . . . 

love

When Jed loves a toy, he lies down on the floor to play with it. 

When Macon loves a food (bananas in this case) he jams it in his mouth or . . . 

shovels it in (oatmeal in this case). 

check-ups

The boys had 4-year and 18-month check-ups this morning and everyone got a clean bill of health. Jed is almost 42" tall and he weighs 44 pounds. Macon topped out at 32" and 26.5 pounds, putting him back in the 50th percentile after a bit of time on the short/skinny end of things. 

playing at the "well child" play table (our first time at that one since who-knows-when!)

crashing trucks together on the exam room floor

They sanitize that floor after each exam, right?

happy father's day

2008

2010

1974

1972

fire party!

Raleigh's fire department celebrated its centennial today with a parade, birthday cake, firefighter competitions, and displays. I think every single boy in Raleigh attended. 

Jed and a school friend race onto the ladder platform of Raleigh's tiller truck.

Eventually, they made it all the way to the base of the ladder. 

Just as the other mom and I took note of the fact that they could simply start climbing the fully-extended ladder (a straight-up trek of 150-feet or more) . . . 

. . . a fireman took note, too. 

"Party's over, boys."

The other boy's dad removed him, but Jed was "escorted" down by a firefighter.

Once on the ground, the boys immediately regrouped and made a dash toward the back to hop on the back cab, but the official tape-wield-er was on to them.

So it was on to smaller-scale trucks. 

Here, I'm scanning the crowds for the fire department's mascot, Sparky, who terrified Jed (and I cannot overstate the quantity and quality of terror). For the moment, this crowd appeared to be safe. 

After what seemed like another century, the 1905 steam pumper finally put out a stream of water that was slightly better than our hose. 

 Raleigh's finest to the rescue.

After a quick ambulance tour, and stealth move to avoid Sparky, the little firemen headed home.

macon at play

Doah. Doah. Doah. 

(Macon calls any animal with legs (including Santa's reindeer) "doah," which is dog. Or I think it's dog.)

Hooray! I said doah! 

Macon is better than Jed at cleaning up.