Happy Halloween

Because of a storm Saturday, our town decided to postpone trick-or-treating until Thursday night because some people are still out of power and there are fallen trees all over the place - lame, IMHO. This Thursday BC plays Florida State, so Jason won't be home, so we ventured out to Dedham, a neighboring town, to let JP do some candy collecting with Daddy present.

He was NOT thrilled to put on his Frankenstein costume, despite my efforts to find a minimally invasive costume. I knew he wouldn't wear a mask or anything like that, so when I found this Frankenstein costume was nothing more than a lightweight felt top and bottoms, I thought he wouldn't notice. WRONG! I think we have the most particular 2-year-old there is! But, with some Kit Kat bribery and distractions, we got him suited up and headed out.

The first couple houses, he tried to push pass the people and walk IN! hahaha! The next couple houses, he wanted to stand on their porch and eat the candy they gave him right then and there. By about the sixth or seventh house, he was getting the hang of it and even shouting "THANK YOU!" to the candy givers. He enjoyed trying some new sugary treats but his favorites remain Kit Kats and Hershey Bars. He was on a serious sugar high last night, but after some intense hockey playing, he crashed into his crib without incident.

Come Thursday, the boys and I will hang here and pass out the glowsticks I bought. I hope the neighborhood kids don't think we're lame for not buying candy this year and enjoy the glowsticks! I guess we'll see if our house or cars get egged or not...

Our scary family - Mommy, Daddy, Frankenstein and Frankie Baby:
Take Two:
Not Thrilled:

First House:
Costume Shot:
Leading the Way:
And for fun, JP on the left/Luke on the right:

Luke Has A Secret...

Can you guess what it is?!

The Boys' First Pumpkin

As I had mentioned in an earlier post, neither Jason nor I have ever (personally) carved a pumpkin. I'm sure our parents did, but not being the artistic sort, we've always left our pumpkins uncarved - if we've even purchased one. BUT, being parents makes you do new things, so Jason broke out a sharpie and one of my new Forever Sharp paring knives and headed outside for a time of father-son bonding and adventure.

Jason displaying his outline, with some uncertainty:

Precision and focus are key:

"Hey, I think I can do this!"

Where is JP during this father/son bonding time, you ask? Well, cutting into a pumpkin wasn't near as exciting as sitting by the road to watch the cars pass:

He still kept an eye on Daddy, albeit from across the yard:

Like a moth to a flame...literally:

Fascinated by the fire:

INTRODUCING (insert drumroll here)...The First Loscalzo Family Pumpkin!

There were no cuts, burns, curse words, tantrums, blood or tears. I'd call that a success!

Mr. Pivot and the Bouncing Boys

Luke is about to take off crawling...as soon as he figures out how to lift himself onto his knees. Until then, he is getting around the room quite efficiently with a combination of rolling and belly pivots. I caught him spinning on his belly a few days ago, but since I shot this video, he has gotten a lot quicker! I think we have another "gross motor" kid on our hands!

Not one to miss out on some fun, JP pulled up his Rody pony next to Luke's jumperoo to enjoy some brotherly bouncing.

Boo at the Zoo

While Jason is away playing Virginia Tech today, JP, Luke and I made our way to Stoneham, MA, to visit the Stone Zoo with our friends, Alison, William and Evelyn. Sadly, because of a frazzled mommy traveling with two kids and poor GPS directions, we ended up being over an hour late - but we were finally able to catch up with our friends to take in some wild animal viewing.

JP and Will had a blast holding hands, yelling, laughing, running and throwing leaves. I think they noticed a monkey and maybe a bear, but other than that, they were just content to be outside. (Let's hope they are always this easy to please!) The Zoo was hosting "Boo at the Zoo" with a scavenger hunt, treats and other special activities, none of which we participated in, LOL! Although, JP and Will did enjoy a couple snacks from the trick-or-treat tables.

Sidenote: Why is it that my picky-eating child will open a tootsie roll and pop it in his mouth without hesitation after never seeing one before, yet when I present him with some chicken or God-forbid a vegetable, he won't even taste it? Is it the wrapper? Should I wrap up a carrot with a pack of M&M's? Will he try it then? Can a two-year-old suffer from only ingesting peanut butter and jelly for a year? I digress...

Here are a couple pictures from the day :)

Checking out a "big kitty cat":

Will loves the camera:
The tiger was getting some sun:
Holding hands while exploring:

Yelling is HYSTERICAL:

Rainy Day Fun

Wednesday was rainy, so I needed to think of something new to occupy JP indoors after nap time. After some thinking, I grabbed a sheet and showed him how to make a tent! He loved it, and even invited Luke to play inside his secret quarters..

Who's in there???
Peek-A-Boo!!!
Looks like Mickey Mouse was also granted admission into the fortress!

Ward's Berry Farm

Last weekend, the four of us went to Ward's Berry Farm in Sharon, MA, to pick out a pumpkin. Jason and I have never-in-our-lives carved our own pumpkin...stay tuned for those pictures, lol. At this particular farm, they have some 4-H animals you can feed. JP is an animal lover, so he was thrilled.

He didn't even mind the goat slobber on his hand!