Over the past week or so, Charlie has started to show serious interest in Henry's big boy toys, and in turn, Henry has started to show major interest in Charlie. Almost like he is trying to play with Charlie. One thing is for sure, never ever again can we leave the two of them alone in the same room. Yesterday, I walked in on 1) Henry dropping a plastic egg from 3 feet above Charlie directly on Charlie's head 2) Henry pretending Charlie was in his way and "stepping" over him, but every once in a while stepping "on" him and 3) Henry showing Charlie his 2.5 foot long firetruck (in pics below) and driving straight into Charlie's face. 9 out of 10 times, Charlie laughs when Henry "plays" like this - he LOVES Henry. However, I also saw Henry taking a small toy away from Charlie and sweetly telling him "Sorry Charlie, this is too small for you", giving him "blow fishes" on his forehead (see pics below) and trying to explain different toys to him - it was all very sweet and of course, not all bad. 

Henry giving Charlie blow fish kises - Charlie was LAUGHING!

Henry was crawling along with Charlie - everywhere he went!

Sweet naked baby with Henry's firetruck..he actually looked when I called his name.

Mom - I'm getting rug burn:

Charlie trying to escape Henry's messy kisses:

Little man is naked because I was putting him in PJs, but saw some cute photo ops - he is not always naked, though it may look like it here. 

Henry had his very first playdate yesterday with Ry from daycare. He went over to Ry's house which is just a few blocks away from us. Those boys play HARD and Henry came back Rytized (as I call it) - he was full of P and V for sure, but that could be because he didn't nap yesterday. On that note, Henry is in his room now thumping around (it sounds like he is building a missile of some sorts?) - so I may be in trouble again today. PLEASE don't be too old for naps Henry!!! Just when Charlie has become a relatively good napper for me, Henry is napping less and less frequently. Boo, Hiss. 

Henry's funny new phrases of the week are: 

"Daddy/Mommy, I need to show you something" and "Oh...my...gosh..." (he got a new "incredible machines" book from Costco yesterday and everything is "oh..my...gosh...I need to show you something!" He is such a big boy now! Love, B

Some pictures from this afternoons Fall Festival Party at Peter's house:

Charlie sitting in the grass

Mommy & Charlie

Henry drinking the cider that we made (I can't believe I didn't take any action shots of us making cider....we cut apples in 1/2 and fed them into a grinder machine and then "pressed" the juice into a strainer...we got a 1/2 gallon of juice and it is so good!)

The had the bluegrass band "Jack Straw" playing, but it was too loud for Henry!

Henry & Daddy

Playing in the grass...so cute!

Playing on one of the rope swings

We had a very nice time, considering it was a work event. Nate got to meet all of my kooky co-workers, which was quite a treat. His house was beautiful and the land was awesome with a view of Mt. Hood. Looking foward to Football Sunday tomorrow! Love, B

Henry & Maddie

Nate & I try to share in the "drop off and pick up from school" duties (ok, he does WAY more than me, but is only because I work 1/2 way to the coast). Friday morning was my morning to bring the kids to daycare. We always drop Charlie off first, which is always uneventful (for Charlie, not for me) and then head the 6 blocks south to Henry's daycare. Friday, Henry and I pulled up to the Big House, I turned around to say "we're here!" and saw that he had his lower lip curled (pre-cry) and big croc tears welling in his eyes. This doesn't happen very often anymore, but when it does it just kills me. So, I did the only thing that has worked for he and I in the past, and crawled in the back seat and asked him if he wanted to sing a song. He said he wanted to sing Twinkle, Twinkle (which by the way, he apparently knows in German as well as English!) Before we get to the end of the second verse, Henry throws his arms in the air and screams "Maddie!" Maddie was getting out of the car across the street from us. School Drop-off crisis averted - Thank you Maddie. Henry runs out of the car and meets Maddie on the sidewalk with a huge bear hug. Jason, Maddie's dad, told me they greet each other like this everyday. Right then, I decided Henry found his "Winnie Cooper". They are so sweet with each other. She is an absolute tiny, petite, smart little whip. She is the tiny little thing that used to greet Nate when Henry was at the little house by saying "Hi Henry Barton's dad!" Mind you, she wasn't even 2 years old,  and she is super tiny so it used to throw Nate for a loop - she was a talking infant. After Maddie and Henry hugged and exchanged niceties, they ran off into the house. Maddie told Henry "we need to get our name tags" (I had no idea what they were talking about). They both went to their cubbies and took their name tags off the wall. I asked Henry what he needed to do with his name tag and he told me that "I put it on the fireplace". I was like ???? (This is how the teachers know the kids have checked  in) The both stuck their name tags to the fireplace, except Henry's was upside down. Maddie and I both told Henry to turn it around, but he didn't understand what we were saying, so Maddie went up and flipped Henry's the right way and then ran off to play. After Maddie left, Henry went up to Maddie's and flipped hers so it was upside down....oh Henry. 

Here is a pick from after work on Friday - Henry filling some very big shoes! He loves to wear our shoes....

Sweet baby Charlie having a relatively good eye-goober day! He was on the move right here!
Charlie eating dinner - but could not focus because he had the major GIGGLES! 
Breakfast on Saturday - oatmeal and pears..MMMmmmm! Not such a good eye day today! By the way - Charlie slept through the night! YEA!
Here is Henry pushing his Cars fold up chair around. He put his "Halloween Snow Globe" on the chair and calls it a stroller. He scrapes that thing back and forth through the dining room over and over...I've said it before, we pick our battles. 
The boys are sleeping right now, but we will be heading down to Aurora OR this afternoon for a Fall Festival at my boss' boss house. He has a farm and will be having cider pressing, animals, bluegrass band and lots of food. Hope we'll get some good pics from the party. Love, B

What the??

At 5:00, I decided it was time to open Henry's door, so he would start waking up from his nap. This is what I found: 

 Even Higgins is like, "What the?"...
Never, in Henry's 3 years has he ever fallen asleep on the floor! Sissy must have worn him out today at the zoo!!