Trevor & Elton

We had received a xmas card from Connors best friend, Trevor, at the Bartlett Chesterbrook school he left in July...it turns out Trevors parents had asked him what he wanted for xmas, and he said "Connor". Apparently, the 2 year old mind is capable of forming strong friendship bonds. So we finally were all able to get together on a Saturday, as we met up at the Childrens Museum. While both were shy at first, it was a only a matter of time before they warmed. And I guess I can start to see that as your kids make friends at school, your firends become the parents of your kids friends...

Connor and Carter both had a nice Valentines day...we picked up a 6-pack of ColdStone Creamey Cupcakes for Bridget...which were good, but not a home run. I was walking over to the new Sugar Monkey Cupcakes store downtown to get something when I saw the sign at Cold Stone...so we gave it a try...

Both boys had parties at school and started the ritual of exchanging valentines...one of Connors teaches gave them all heart shaped, glitter filled, sunglasses. Well, somehow, it was the thing to wear on Saturday...as he seldom wanted to part ways with them...we even hadto go to bed with them on. The little stinker made sure he laid on his back in order to be able to wear them to bed....I was not about to put up a 45 minute fight about the glasses. When we stuck our head in at 11pm...he must have gave up and rolled over as he was "glasses-less" and sound asleep.

He looked very much like a flambouyant Elton John...


Dancing at the museum.

Painting w/ Trevor.

Yes, that is our kid drinking from the water bin like it a college frat party...

Driving the boat w/ Trevor...

Actually got Connor to walk 8 blocks (1 mile), with no asking for "Up", when it was 65 last weekend.

Being naughty at Lowes...
Making valentines for the school party...

Opening valentines cards for grandma and aunt Carolyn...the "monster" card is still quite popular...monsters apparently arent scary yet.


And of course, the "dinero" is the highlight...

Earlier in the day...


Later in the day...
Going to bed (not exactly making dad proud)...

Taco Fresco

Lately, we have discovered that the ONLY place we can really go out to eat with the boys is Taco Fresco (or something else in the quick serve genre, such as PotBellys, Buona, etc) We had occasionally stopped in at the Downers Grove location on our visits to the Great Indoors to check out house stuff. They recently opened up in North Naperville at the new Freedom Commons interchange (and how nice is that new I-88 interchange? very sweet...I guess Blago did one good thing for Illinois - as I am now to and fro Itasca in 30-35 minutes)

Back to Taco Fresco - I must say, it has turned into a favorite of ours regardless. Where else can you go and get a burrito (Chicken Burrito Fuerte) the size of your head that is actually good for you, under 575 calories, but tastes like 1,500 calories, and the kids can get a healthier chicken quesadilla that they both devour in about 4 minutes? Plus they eat free on Monday.

I had alwasy wondered why Chipotle or BajaFresh never offered a healthy wheat/fiber tortilla - as it would be a winner - well, I guess someone beat me to my idea...






Quesadilla time...




Maturing quickly...



Connor is getting very big feet...

Donkey Kick

The house is beginning to consume whatever other time we have - decisions to get in front of. All the while, the speed at which Connor and Carter are developing in there own way is pretty amazing.

Funny story of the week is that at school, GymStars came for a visit - its a gymnastics, active group that does activities with kids. Its a class you need to pay additional money for to have your kid participate in - as if $540 a week for two kids isn't already enough. Anyways, Connor's teachers sent him, along with a couple others to try it out - as apparently, they thought he was disciplined enough to pay attention and participate (which I guess is a positive!). Well, he apparently loved it - but for whatever crazy reason - they decided to teach the toddlers the "donkey kick" - basically just kicking your leg straight out. Well, in a 2.5 year olds mind - that meant donkey kicking everything and everyone when he got home. Carter got a few donkey kicks to the knee caps, as did mom and dad. "Dan-key keck" was the word of the rest of that day.

However, the more funny part - it wasnt but two days later and Carter was getting ready for bed...wanders over to Bridget...and mumbles out "dan-key kick" and proceeds to go for the ankles. Carter probably has a vocab of 10 good words and the rest are all mish mash - yet, he has the ability to mimick his older brother within 36 hours.


The "two stooges" watching TV. Connor can't be anywhere without Carter - soon as he wakes up its "get carter". If were eating, its "sit by Carter." If Carter wanders out of the room, its "where Carter go."



And Connor likes nothing more than to pile on Carter...of which Carter not always the biggest fan of.

Somewhere, Carter learned to close his eyes and smile when you say "cheese." And yes, he is doing "perfect pushups".

Jan 14th

One word for this weather - crap! I though I left northern Wisconsin for this reason years ago. It figures, year we are going to build a house, and are in a 1920's rental with crappy windows, a detached garage, no mudroom and probably two football fields worth of corner lot sidewalk to shovel, Chicago is tracking for one of the worst 5 winters in its 14o years of history...we have already had more snow that we would normally get in a year (most in the past 10 days)...and now its like we are living in Siberia temp wise. What happened to the winters of 2000-2007 where maybe we would get 2 or 3 storms per year??

Anyways - all the shoveling is making up for my inability to run outside...

Connor is doing well - seems to be open to the idea of using the potty now - they have started to sit on the potty at school (everyone apparently does it together) and will do it at home for "candies". His language is rapidly expanding and he has a laser sharp memory. If he or Carter throws something, say a binky, behind the couch on Tuesday, if you ask him on Friday, he will know exactly where that binky is.

Connor, however, is no longer being the nighttime "champ" though - as he is starting to resist bedtime and typically, will wander into our room at 2 or 3 am and crash with us. Hopefully it is a phase - we got him a new nightlight the other day and he stayed in his room to 5:30 - so hopefully it works. However, when we say its bedtime now, his response is usually "i'm done" - as in done sleeping (before he even starts).

Carter is getting a load of teeth in and seems to be forever cranky about it. He says random words here and there - but seems to be much more advanced than Connor was at his age...


Carter, helping redesign the kitchen blueprint...

Saturday morning "MM Clubhouse"


No, your not seeing in reverse, the 15month old is pushing the 2.5 year old around...


Carter, going all out to pick up the ladies at the Children's Museum (actually, its a wind tunnel that requires goggles).




My new iPhone is apparently a hit with the 2.5 year old age segment...


Thank you grandma and grandpa for the "truck"...I say it is "fun".

Jan 3

Long time since last post – been busy w/ the holidays and house construction stuff. The kids got to see both grandparents - the fitzgeralds came to town on xmas day and then we met grandma cook and uncle david/aunt bernie in Wausau, WI. Worked out well meeting in Wausau – saved several hours of driving on both sides versus making the trek to Minneapolis.

Santa was good, with too many toys for the kids (remote control Hummer, indoor jungle gym, fake too bench, dvd player/screens for car) – not all from mom/dad – most from the grandparents. All Connor would say he wanted for xmas when we asked was “fruit snacks” – so he did, indeed, get some fruit snacks wrapped up from Santa.

A ton of pictures….

Connor got is fruit snacks.




Carter getting some balls...



The jungle gym.
Christmas in Wausau, WI with Bernie and David.


The trip did not start too well when Connor took a header onto the hotel room floor.

Carter "The Tree Dismantler"


Cousin Alexis and the boys.


Way too difficult to get a good pick of everyone together w/ grandma and grandpa - this is as good as it got.

Pushing 'big' Carter in a stroller made for dolls...


The first white christmas in Chicago since 2003 ...

...it lasted about 36 hours before it hit 62 degrees, with 2 inches of rain and wiped the snow away in mere hours and flooding made a visit downtown again.


Thank you Aunt Kathy for the Edible Arrangements Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (note the pineapple in the shape of mickey - pretty creative).

Our first attempt to see Santa at the RiverWalk Santa House...long story short...because Santa spend 5 minutes with each kid/family...45 minutes in line was not going to happen...so this is as close as we got. We went to return on Dec 23rd, and Santa had already left to start his duties :(


Nothing buy one, get one shirts to make them look like the "dork" brothers...


Excited, I guess...

Turkey Day in Ohio

Spent the holiday in Ohio for Turkey Day...kids had a blast seeing all their cousins...it is fun to see Connor begin to want to bond with them...he was a shadow to Ryan, Cameron and Collin whenever they were around. In fact, actually told me "No daddy" when I was going to sit at the kids table with him. Apparently, he is too "cool" now.

Pajamas...




Puzzles w/g'ma...


Kids table...


Connor "finally"leaving the shadow of dad and bonding with others...

Carter stealing Great Grandpas walker...

The top of the family tree and the bottom - great grandma and great grandpa.


This was Connors chair "my chair"...