check-ups, puzzles, and feet

Every Tuesday we pick up Jenna from school and go straight to her piano lesson at Miss Eliza's home. She recommends parents stay for the lesson, so we know what they are working on and can help them practice. This means I have to try to entertain Liam for 30 minutes in a house without a playroom. I have found it works best to get him worn out in the early afternoon, and then this is his little set-up:

It works well until the last couple minutes when he wants to explore, and I try to keep him from interrupting. I don't even want to think about how we're going to do it next year...

The boys had their 2 year and 4 month check-ups this week. They're both right on track, healthy, got two shots each, cried for about ten seconds, and were super brave.

I think the worst part for Liam was getting weighed. I don't know why but he hates that scale, and didn't like us putting Gavin on it either.
After the appointment Liam entertained the staff by making me chase him through the entire office. Oh what fun.

Jenna has been saying all year long that she wants to be a vampire for Halloween (ever since last Halloween when someone gave her those plastic vampire teeth). Then last week she announced that she was going to be a witch. The next day she was writing a letter to one of her friends from Maryland and I suggested she tell him what she is going to be for Halloween. I thought she'd say either vampire or witch, but she asked to see her costume idea list (that she made sometime last summer). She was studying it, happened to glance up and saw her backpack with Princess Peach on it, and the decision was made. Princess Peach!
I was 100% more excited about this than a vampire :)
We made her crown, bought some tulle, and the rest we already had in the dress-up clothes. She looked so great for her school's trunk-or-treat:

Liam discovered the wooden puzzles and has been obsessed with them all week! He doesn't distinguish edge pieces yet, but he's doing really well matching the pictures up, and can finish them on his own as long as we give him a starting point.

Notice the big scab on his nose? It looks a lot worse in person. He took a nose dive while running on the sidewalk :(
We joked about making him some antlers and sending his as Rudolf for Halloween, but it's mostly healed now.

Gavin has had several long conversations with his feet lately. I don't know what they're talking about, but it sure is funny to watch!

He has also been super patient as Liam uses him as a human pillow.

He just adores his big brother!