It's the Hawkeye Espress Mamma

Waiting... "choo-chooo"

Here it comes!!
It's the Hurkey train!

All Aboard!

"Look Mamma!"


Kurt loves trains - duh. We told him that if he could go potty like a big boy, then Daddy would take him on the train. He called it the Hurkey train (Because its got the Hurkey head on it. But it really is called that because it shuttles people back and forth to the home football games from a nearby city so you don't have to fight with parking at the stadium). He had to go potty 13 times (just happened to be how many squares my train map contained). He was so excited to go and had a blast. And then he cried and cried when it was time to get off the train. I didn't ride with them (it costs $10 for 8 minute ride) and when they got back Brandon told Kurt to tell me what the train was called. And he looked at me and said, "It's the Hawkeye Espress Mamma." It's super cute to hear him say it. He also calls it the red train - he's always looking for it (at the house). "Where's my red train go?"

UIowa Homecoming Parade

Our daddy loves parades and loves to take Kurt to them. Here are a few of our favorites from this year's homecoming parade.

The flack I get for taking pictures...

Kurt's favorite - the "hiretrucks"

Grandma Alumni cheerleaders

We drive tractors for our cars down here... :)

MMOOOOOO

Waving to / flirting with the beauty queen to get candy

The capitol

Oh, and we also got to meet (football) Hurkey which was really exciting for Kurt, even though it doesn't look like it in the picture. Plus, it was dark and I couldn't see that I was on panoramic picture mode so I cut Hurkey off.

Playgroup

Some friends and I in the ward started a small playgroup for our 2 year olds. Each family hosts it once a month and we choose/decide what to do. Kurt's had a lot of fun with it. Here is what we did our first two weeks.

The first week was "orange" week. We made sweet potato fries and painted pumpkins.

The second week was at our house and we went for a walk and gathered fallen leaves. Then we brought them back home and made leaf creatures. Kurt (or I) made a butterfly. Kids love glue and gluesticks!

Helper

Kurt loves to help Luke do anything. He loves being the big brother.

Do you like my disaster of a house in the background?

Mickey Mouse House

Conversation with Kurt, first thing in the morning as he comes running into our room...

K: Mama, we go Mickey Mouse House?
Me: Huh?
K: Get our shoes on and go now?

Brandon had recently introduced him to the wonderful world of Disney and showed him (online) where Mickey's house was. He told him that one day we could go to see him. I guess Kurt thought that one day was sooner rather than later.

"Nukie's Awake! Nukie's Awake!"

Kurt is really sad if he wakes up before Luke does from naps. He always asks, “Where’s Nuke?” But he gets soooo excited when he hears Luke wake up. Today was especially cute. So I thought I’d share another story of our 2 boys and their already close bond.

Kurt and I were in the play room when he heard Luke babbling. Kurt looked up at me with big eyes of excitement – “Nukie’s awake!” As soon as I gave him the okay ( just a nod yes), he took off for our bedroom (which was where Luke had been sleeping this afternoon). Kurt climbed up onto our bed screaming “Nukie, Nukie, Nukie” the entire time. “You’re awake!” Before he made it over to Luke, he found his Lion toy. “Ooh, Nuke, look at this. Watch 'is (if you push a button on his back, his legs move and his mouth opens). It’s okay, I not scarey you. Look.” And Luke was all eyes and smiles for his big brother.

It is so sweet to me how much they love each other already. Kurt loves to get Luke toys and trade him toys when Luke has one of “his” toys. Kurt has also started reading him stories. I am glad he is sharing his love of reading with his brother.

Ole'

Our IC library is pretty fun. They have lots going on for the kids. On Saturday we went to a family fiesta day. They had a little show with lots Hispanic dancing (done by children), crafts, taste-testing random foods from a few countries and a pinata. Kurt was bored by the dancing, liked the taste testing until it he had a nasty one (then he wouldn't try anymore) and loved the pinata. They put some nickle/dime toys in it instead of candy and he was thrilled to come away with 3 lovely trinkets.

Shoplifting

As of late, Kurt has accidently (he couldn't be doing it on purpose right?) left things into our stroller. He plays with things and then puts them down where I don't see them. First it was some ginormous carriage bolts from Ace and then a 6 mo. tshirt from CP. They took him in right away. Iowa City is pretty strict about the law here... :)

"Hire Works"

The boys and I walk downtown nearly everyday. And depending on our route, we sometimes walk past the FireHouse. One day I asked if they ever gave tours and Captain Larry said "Yep, come on in." So Kurt got his very own firetruck tour. He loved it! He got to climb inside to ride, to drive, they turned the lights on for him (our trucks here have a pinwheel light on the front that he loves), they showed him the fire boat, the hoses... Then, they gave him stickers, a coloring book and a junior firefighter hat. He loves to see his "hireworks" (fire trucks).

Homemade

We have an apple tree in our yard and I decided that we should do something with them. So Kurt and I gathered up the ones that weren't scavenged by the squirrels, rabbits, worms or birds and made ourselves an apple pie. It's kinda fun to have a homemade/homegrown pie (Well, for the most part anyway...I cheated on the crust). I'd really love to make some applesauce, but I'm being honest with myself that I'd never get it done. Maybe next summer. We'll have to get a super-duper ladder too to get the perfect apples that are so high up. Sometimes I wish I could fly...

"Spinkalars"

We've been sorta working on potty training, but not seriously. And I thought today that I'd just see how real underwear went. He was very excited for the Thomas "big boy underwears." It lasted, oh, maybe an hour. I was in the dining room and I heard Kurt in the kitchen messing around and then I thought I heard water, so I asked him to come see me. He came running quickly and slipped around the corner. I couldn't figure out what he'd slipped on. It took me a second to figure out that it wasn't water.... I asked him if he was okay and he said, "Yeah, Mom - it's just my spinkalars." How do you teach him that his "sprinkler" needs to sprinkle in the toilet without laughing?

Hi Mamma!

I just thought he looked so cute with his feet poking up as he was hanging out with Dad...

Labor Day

Labor Day was the first day since we've been here that it felt unbearable. It's been hot, but Labor Day was so humid. We went to our ward party. Poor Kurt was drenched (be picked up those glands from the Walk side of life), but had a blast playing with this thing - I don't know what they're called.