a treat for trips

a quick note about my new favorite snack for our adventures.  I buy them ahead of time, and at $3 it is usually cheaper than buying treats at our destinations.

the Disney Foodles Crunch Paks (Foodles) come in mickey mouse shaped trays.  we can usually find one with grapes, apples and cheese, or apples, cheese and pretzels at our local store.  

Disney Foodles Crunch Pak

I've taken foodles to museums all over chicago.  I also find they are great for airplane rides.  The mouse tray is a fun treat for jude and the cheese is pre-cut into bite sized pieces.   now if only they'd make one with chocolate and wine for me.

harry napping at MSI in the stroller

The other big news about oak park baby adventures is that harry will nap in the stroller.  we never had much luck with jude.  but i admit we tried to be home for most of his naps anyway.  

a few times a month jude and i enjoy an adventure or park while harry snoozes in the bugaboo.

sleepy baby!

I still use my nursing cover as a 'shade'.  I figure harry is very used to spending time looking at the reverse side of that pattern.

happy adventuring!

mission to mars

jude at nasa goddard, md

the millers are on a mission to mars.

we are all experts on the mars rover after watching way too many Youtube videos with jude.  my four-year-old future astronaut is obsessed with curiosity's trip to the red planet. the more i learn the more proud i am of american engineering and the amazing ability to land a car sized robot on a planet at least 50 million kilometers away.

but it was an earthly adventure to the museum of science and industry which sparked jude's obsession.  msi has an earlier mars rover visitors can drive with a joystick.  but key for jude is the 10 minute video showing it landing on mars. greg took him solo one day and let jude spend 45 minutes watching the show over and over.  the rover obsession expanded to all things space.

satellite with robot arm

every block of wood or tinker toy becomes a space shuttle with booster rockets that blast away or a rover.

imagine his excitement when i told him an actual rover was landing on mars this month. that led to a trip to msi to see the life size model of curiosity. http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/life-in-space/

the boys with curiosity's twin at Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

Its just gotten crazy.  we now follow the rover on twitter @marscuriosity.  For awhile jude asked every morning to watch mars rover videos on youtube.

grandma nancy knew about jude's space obsession.  she took us to nasa goddard during our recent maryland mom and boys trip.

NASA Goddard

they have several delta rockets. and where else can you picnic by rockets that have made trips to space?

harry enjoying space toys at nasa goddard

nasa just announced a dinosaur track from a nodosaur hidden near the sidewalk at goddard.  really-- they couldn't let us sneak a peek when we were there?

harry meets the rockets

like many obsessions this one ends badly...with a tattoo.

ok its a temporary tattoo. so i guess we'll celebrate jude's temporary obsession with space for a bit longer.  thanks for journeying with us.

14 months

our little harry is growing up.  the second oak park baby turns 14 months old today!

we are dealing with more fussiness and more opinions from our little guy.  i kept blaming teeth, but now i think its just him becoming a toddler.  please give mama some advil and some babysitters!

harry in NYC

harry is taking a few steps but still prefers to cruise and crawl.  We will be grateful for an easier job in the laundry department when he stops crawling in his pants outside.  at 14 months harry is very curious, always pointing to new things.  he loves george, putting everything in his mouth and laughing with his big brother.

Snip snip

Little Harry did great at his first haircut. We love Todd at Kid Snips in Oak Brook. Harry got to "drive" his little race car while getting his first trim. He did really well after a skeptical start.
I included the before and after photos.

In recovery

Jude is in full day preschool two days a week. Our house is in full day recovery. I wish I knew the last time it was cleaned top to bottom. And don't let me fool you I will do that today. But at least I can tackle one pile, start laundry and sit and actually play with Harry. It's going to be a good day.

I just had time to actually crack open my bible. Today I read where Jesus talks about how a wheat seed has to "die" in the ground or else it's just a lonely seed. But if it "dies" it bears a lot of fruit. I am pondering what areas of my life may need a little "death" this fall. Is it my reluctance to do the work to build new friendships with moms, my strong desire to stay home with my boys even as I look for work, the things I look to for comfort?

On a lighter note Jude has made the transition to tiny Legos. If you are a mom of boys you know how huge this is. Despite them being a death trap for Harry, I am thrilled to find an activity he will do quietly for several hours. And it's something his dad enjoys playing with also. Looking forward to fall, block by block.