Easter Weekend

We had a very busy Easter weekend. Saturday we rode the train into Philly to see the play Miss Nelson is Missing. Waiting at the train station by our house.

We got on the train and this is what we saw of Rudy for about the first 20 minutes. He just stared out the window.

We had to change trains part way and on the next train, we were able to ride in the front car where the conductor sits, so we had a great view. Here we are going over the bridge.

After almost an hour and a half on trains, Rudy had a little energy to get out when we arrived at the station.

He was also very interested in the grates where he could hear the trains and other voices below us.

We arrived in plenty of time for the show and settled into our seats. Rudy didn't move or react to anything for the duration of the show - a sure sign he is just taking the whole thing in and fascinated by it!

After the show, we had lunch, walked around the city a little, and then headed back to the train. We were a little early for the first train, so Rudy climbed around the station while we waited.

The train ride home involved siting in the first car again.

Once we got home, it was time to color eggs. I am a traditionalist in that we use hot water, vinegar and food coloring, along with a small candle to draw designs.

I tried out the timer to get some random shots of all three of us at the table.

And then pictures of us with the finished products.

Easter morning. The pictures are blurry because our boy was at high speed.

One of the eggs in Rudy's basket was a clue, which led to another clue and several more leading him to a present that is a terrarium kit that grows carnivorous plants.

All dressed up for Easter - so handsome!

Easter egg hunt after church.

Rudy and friend checking out their goodies.

After church we went to brunch. We had to wait a few seconds to be seated and Rudy immediately bellied up to the bar.

The three handsome men I had brunch with on Easter.

Me and my cutie.

After brunch, Rudy spent some time digging for dinosaurs in our backyard.

We also prepped a Chia Pet Paul got for Christmas.

For dinner, we walked over to Aunt Pat's house.

It was a fun, peaceful Easter, as usual.

Spring Show

Wednesday night was the annual interrelated arts night at Rudy's school. The theme was Ireland, and all the classes learned about Ireland, did art projects about it, and learned songs or dances from Ireland. The dress code was easy - jeans and green t-shirts for boys, orange t-shirts for girls.

A nice, if shaggy, picture. He is insisting that he wants his hair long, so he can wear a ponytail. Paul is thrilled and loves it (I think there's a little living vicariously through his son going on!) but I find it just difficult because it is a mop and has to be wet and combed down every morning. The buzz cut is so much easier!

Anyway, I told him if he posed for a nice picture, he could do a silly one. So here it is.

The stage is set.

A small parade of preschoolers was led by a bagpiper (who was younger than most bagpipers).

Rudy was just out of sight for his performance, but he leaned over every once in a while to smile at us. Here is his class on the end, with his teacher getting them lined up.

All the kindergartners (5 classes).

After they performed, the parents were invited to come up and take pictures.

When the kindergartners were finished, I went to get Rudy and brought him back to watch the rest of the show. His friend, K, was sitting right in front of us, so Rudy sat on the floor with him. He was so excited to see his classmates during and after the show, even though he saw them all day and while singing. He would frantically wave and point out his friends as if he hadn't seen them in days. I love his enthusiasm, and although he has a group of boys he talks about the most, he was happy to see everyone from his class. (As an aside, on the way to the show, we were talking about some of his friends and he told me, "Matthew broke up with me. We had a fight and he broke up with me." Suffice it to say, Grandpa had a hard time keeping it together!)

Imagination Station

The other night after dinner, Paul was working, so I asked Rudy is he wanted to go out to ride his bike or take a walk. He wanted to take his bike over to school and ride around. So we loaded up his bike (and my roller blades) and headed to the school.
In the car on the way over, Rudy put on his helmet, and he had brought his light saber. These pictures are taken with my phone, so they aren't really clear, but he ran around the playground climbing and chasing and fighting. He is very good at amusing himself and creating big stories and battles that he's a part of!

Oh, and the bike? He took it from the car, rode it to the side of the building, parked it, and it stayed there, until the very end when he rode around a little. (This also meant that I could really only roller blade on the bumpy blacktop by the playground for most of the time.)

And just to show what a great mom I am, see the little plastic tie at the top of his helmet?

And also right in front of his forehead? That is from where the tag was when we bought this helmet - last year. I think on the way home from the store, Rudy must have pulled the tag off, and we never got around to removing the plastic part. I only notice it when we are out somewhere, and I don't have scissors with me.I think it adds character at this point. :)

Rudyisms

Rudy has been emphasizing the first letter or sound of words lately. He will say things like, "That hurt, with a capital huh." The other day he wanted to get something out of Paul's car. He came back in and told us, "the door is Luh word." Paul told him the driver's door was unlocked so he headed back out, returning a minute later to say, "I can't f-word." Paul was in hysterics trying to figure out what he meant. I explained he probably couldn't FIND it.


Conversations with Rudy, especially in the car, can jump from topic to topic in the blink of an eye, so Paul and I are used to trying to figure out what he's talking about. Tonight he started talking about a te-go. We asked several times for clarification. he told us it goes around your mouth. Then he added, like daddy has - oh goatee. As we laughed he clarified by telling us that te-go is what they are called in Guatemala, and that's why he was confused.

Rudy loves writing and reading words. He is always asking us what things spell, and has gotten very good at sounding out words. He can read some simple sentences and will stop part way through to reread the whole sentence and if it doesn't make sense, he knows something is not right. He has great comprehension and problem solving skills that are definitely helping him read.

A few weeks ago, my work folder was sitting on the table. He asked me what it was, then asked if he could write on it. Here is the result: *

I may have to frame it when it's time to change folders.

*If  you need a translation it says wrk fldr kafe murphy: work folder Kathy Murphy. :)

Catching Up

I have been remiss in posting pictures and updates but I blame it on the broken camera. It still takes pictures, but the screen is broken, so you can't see the pictures until you download them. How spoiled I have become by being able to see the picture after taking it and being able to retake it if it's not good!
Our monkey has discovered the only tree in our yard that can be climbed, and it's not a very strong tree, although it's high. He has been told a few times that he is "high enough".

If you look at the opening of the tree in the middle, you can see our climber. And that's not even the highest he's gone!

It's baseball season (and this might have been a lazy at home day, where Rudy might still have his pajama top on.)

The other night we went to take a walk at the park. Rudy had fun chasing the ducks.

Growling and looking like a monster (and obviously not having changed from school where he had a pretty messy lunch!)

Pondering.

We ventured off the path down to the water's edge and got to do some exploring. I think we'll probably be spending all our time at this park down by the water.

My guys.

"Rudy, don't scare the birds. Rudy, don't move any closer." Said as he sat on a stump and moved his legs all around. Yep, the birds eventually got up.

So tempting - rocks over water! He did well getting out, but missed a few steps coming back. Good thing we were heading to the car and then a bath at home!

This is what comes from a camera with no screen. And there were others that were close ups of the guy fishing on the other side! We need a new camera!