The Aeneid

King of the wiggle worms

2012-02-03T07:13:00.001-05:00

All blankies to their battle stations! I am king of the wiggle worms. We are the wiggliest society in the world. Where is my queen Wigglina?!

#KidsSayTheDarndestThings

Marcel gave Aeneas an iPad...

2012-01-29T14:49:00.001-05:00

when he was born. Of course, we questioned Marcel's choice of a big brother gift and worried that Aeneas would become an iPad zombie. Just now, while I was cleaning the house I caught him... watching BrainPops about Jane Goodall, space travel, and Shakespeare. I'm a proud mama.

Happy Jumper!

2012-01-20T08:18:00.001-05:00

Marcel plays with rice cereal

2012-01-08T11:08:00.001-05:00

Who knew that 2 grains of rice could completely change the smell of poop?

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T09:41:00.001-05:00

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Aeneas meets Santa...

2011-12-22T10:03:00.002-05:00

... at Chinese School!

Aeneas performed at Chinese School

2011-12-09T11:26:00.001-05:00

Thank you, Isabela!

2011-12-09T10:43:00.001-05:00

Marcel likes his squishy German toy.

2011-11-25T20:51:00.003-05:00

Since it's black friday, we went to the mall

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-25T14:56:00.000-05:00

Uncle Carl, Aunt Priscilla and Grandpa Bill came to visit for the holiday weekend!

We had a delicious Thanksgiving meal which we shared with real, live Native Americans - thank you for coming Kelsey and Kristie! Everyone contributed to the feast.

Aeneas, Marcel and Cayenne got extra attention and trips to the playground courtesy of Uncle Carl and Aunt Priscilla.

Marcel has a trick

2011-11-17T17:42:00.001-05:00

Aeneas plays doctor

2011-11-10T10:22:00.002-05:00

Emily: [Lying on bedroom floor propped up by Kung-Fu Panda pillow] Tell me Doc, am I ok?

Aeneas: [Examining Emily through 3D ViewMaster] You have asthma.

Emily: Oh no, am I going to die?

Aeneas: No, it is not a fatal disease. It is an uncommon and painful disease, but you will live.

Emily: How will you fix me?

Aeneas: I will put oxide and chromide in this armour hat and you must wear it to clean your blood.

Emily: Ok, anything else?

Aeneas: Yes, I will put sugar in your umbilicus [with emphasis on second i] to make sure the medicine works.

Emily: Thanks Doc, you're the best.

Aeneas: I know.

Costume Day at Chinese School

2011-10-30T10:47:00.002-05:00

2011-10-22T17:19:00.000-05:00

Marcel likes Libertarians.

Big brother weighs in

2011-10-04T19:55:00.000-05:00

"Its a dance that's more like karate or kung-fu."

Marcel is the new skinny jeans

2011-10-04T19:34:00.001-05:00

Since Marcel would prefer to be held at all times, it is best to wear him as if he were the latest fashion.*

* To avoid also wearing massive amounts of slightly digested milk, we recommend pointing him forward.

Aren't babies cute when they aren't screaming?

2011-10-04T19:29:00.000-05:00

1/2 inch PVC pipe

2011-09-30T15:18:00.001-05:00

Marcel makes friends easily

2011-09-30T15:01:00.000-05:00

Alex & Aerang

Ali & Joe

Lorie & Jackie

Julia

2011-09-05T20:37:00.003-05:00

Marcel doesn't smile, yet. We interpret this expression as "contentment."

2011-09-05T20:35:00.001-05:00

The second baby has been much easier. For starters, Cayenne doesn't want to eat him.

Aeneas and Marcel!!!

2011-09-05T20:30:00.004-05:00

Marcel Apollo Wood

2011-09-05T20:14:00.005-05:00

was born on August 26, 2011 at 1:26am in Silver Spring, Maryland. He snuck out between an earthquake* and a hurricane.

*If you can call 5.8 an earthquake.

Our last days at the Beach House

2011-07-11T16:02:00.000-05:00

Aeneas and Emily were fortunate enough to get to spend a few sunny days on the Puget Sound this summer. Its hard to beat Pacific Northwest forests and making sand dragons.

Especially when you get special visitors.

2011-07-04T20:48:00.002-05:00

Happy 4th of July!

2011-06-21T11:26:00.001-05:00

Aeneas bakes a "Purple Velvet Cake".

2011-06-15T07:44:00.005-05:00

Over the last several months, our family has been very fortunate to have Isabela in our lives. Last weekend, she headed home to Rio de Janeiro. But, first she had a party to celebrate. Aeneas made a pinata of a solar eclipse as a gift for Isabela - so she went home swinging.

2011-05-29T16:34:00.005-05:00

Aeneas is entering a new and exciting phase of his life. Sometime around September 9, 2011 he will be a big brother!

Aeneas came with us to the ultra-sound. He waltzed right into the room and announced to the sonography technician, "I want to see if the baby has a doodle or a vagina so we will know if its a boy or a girl." The tech was amused - all markings on the images are hers.

2011-05-11T22:16:00.000-05:00

We play a version of "20 questions", but we call it "the food game" (because you can only think of foods).

Me: Ok got one

Aeneas: Is it a fruit?

M: Yes

A: Does it go good with scrambled eggs?

M: No

A: Is it grapes?

M: Yes!

2011-05-11T10:38:00.001-05:00

Aeneas avec Hairnet & Helmet, at the go-Kart Race Track in Montreal, QC

2011-05-08T22:28:00.000-05:00

Aeneas' first written sentence: The Dragon Poops.

2011-04-17T15:58:00.000-05:00

Aeneas explains, Happiness is a $14 bagel.

2011-02-18T11:25:00.003-05:00

One of the advantages of having a super-smart mother is that there are ample opportunities to travel around to medical conferences, often at least partially subsidized by work.

This week we're in New Mexico, which is probably the Wood Family's favorite home-away-from-home state. One day we drive 30 minutes and go for a lovely hike in the warm and sunny "la vista verde", the next day, 30 minutes in the other direction for alpine skiing! (which unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of)

2011-02-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

Taos 2011

2010-11-13T05:42:00.010-05:00

For his birthday party, Aeneas wanted others to experience the joy he feels every day. All attendees were asked to don a cape, some duct tape, face paint and/or outerwear (underwear worn on the outside) so that they could be transformed into a superhero, fairy, royalty, wizard, etc.

Preparing for the event. Mirrors are for losers who don't know where their face is.

The Abrahams came appropriately dressed - Spiderman and Wonder Woman!

The candles were blown out before the song.

And, fabulous toys were received.

2010-11-13T05:37:00.002-05:00

For his 4th birthday, Aeneas was given an assortement of capes. He can be seen here sporting his new Prince cape. Thank you Grandma Susan for elevating us to royalty.

2010-11-13T05:34:00.003-05:00

Aeneas' first rally - for Sanity!

Thanks, Jon Stewart.

2010-10-14T16:42:00.002-05:00

2010-09-27T22:23:00.001-05:00

The beloved beach.

2010-09-27T22:21:00.001-05:00

"How hard to you have to squeeze to kill it?"

2010-09-27T22:20:00.003-05:00

One of Aeneas many awesome outfits.

2010-09-27T22:17:00.003-05:00

Scrillin at the beach is great.

2010-09-27T22:15:00.003-05:00

2010-09-27T22:10:00.004-05:00

In June, we went to Santa Fe to Luke and Natalie's beautiful wedding. Aeneas hiked up and down Monte Sol all by himself.

2010-09-27T21:42:00.003-05:00

When Grandma and Grandpa came out to visit in May we went to visit Glenn.

2010-09-25T15:55:00.003-05:00

Aeneas made a mixed-media macaroni picture

2010-05-08T12:10:00.001-05:00

Aeneas: I need the power of love
Maya: You have the power of love
Aeneas: No! The power of love is in tootsie rolls
Maya: Oh, like candy.
Aeneas: Yeah!
Maya: Ok. Let's Go!

2010-05-01T16:39:00.003-05:00

There were also interesting toys to play on.

2010-05-01T16:37:00.002-05:00

Aeneas even got to go on his first pony ride. He asked to go and hopped right up on "Captain Jack."

2010-05-01T16:20:00.005-05:00

Maya's 4th Birthday!!!

Last weekend was Aeneas' best friend's birthday party. It was an awesome 4-year-old shin-dig at a a 'farm' outside of Baltimore.

There was a petting farm. (note Aeneas' appropriate choice of shirt)
Some animals were better for petting than others.

2010-04-04T08:00:00.002-05:00

Picking flowers for mama.

2010-04-04T07:58:00.000-05:00

Please get me down.

2010-04-04T07:52:00.003-05:00

Aeneas loves to climb.

Spring!!!

2010-04-03T21:23:00.001-05:00

The trees are blooming and I got a fancy new phone that takes pretty pictures.

2010-03-31T13:15:00.004-05:00

From our neighbor: "I got a new camera and asked Aeneas if I could take a picture of him in his fancy cape. First, he suggested that I take a picture of the camera instead (with a different camera of course, what a silly question I asked). Then he asked me to take a picture of the stick he was holding. And then I seem to have taken a picture of him casting a spell on me, or the camera.
-Megan"

2010-03-23T17:43:00.000-05:00

Aren't vampires are all the rage these days?

2010-03-23T17:40:00.000-05:00

Aeneas and I sporting the same grin after opening presents from Grandma Susan on Emily's Birthday

2010-03-11T12:01:00.001-05:00

Nana & Aeneas outside the JCC on Amsterdam in NYC

2010-02-21T21:23:00.000-05:00

Aeneas has been really into making things lately. Many of the things are inspired by a couple Superhero shows he has seen (Justice League, Legion of Superheroes, etc...) We've made Superman costumes and Fairy Wings. Green Lantern's Ring & The Magician's gloves, but this here, this is the.... Everything Hat!

2010-02-14T08:54:00.002-05:00

note: comments are turned off for the immediate future. i've had to come in and erase several nonsense comments submitted by spam bots. hopefully blogger will figure out how to get rid of those, but until then comments are turned off. sorry.

2010-01-10T20:31:00.000-05:00

I'm wearing these straws
in my ears
So that You
will listen
to me!

2010-01-02T17:01:00.002-05:00

Mama: Aeneas, will you please put on some underwear and pants? It is cold in here.

Aeneas: Mama, no. Cowboys don't wear underwear.

2010-01-02T16:06:00.002-05:00

Christmas Presents!!!

2009-12-24T14:18:00.002-05:00

Posing for the cover of his soon-to-be-released emo album, Playground Confessionals

2009-12-04T19:56:00.003-05:00

Aeneas: (in his most serious tone) I need to talk to you
Nana: Yes?
Aeneas: I'm worried about something
Nana: What is it?
Aeneas: When will I get the rest of my super-powers? (worried eyes)
Nana: Well most people don't get them until they are 4 or 5
Aeneas: Then I want to be 6!

2009-11-01T20:16:00.002-05:00

'Twas the night after Halloween, and no more creatures were stirring, not even the house mouse, when out came Jack Lantern, the monster from Texarkana, who found on the porch, Aeneas & Nana

2009-11-01T20:13:00.001-05:00

Aeneas with Julia, Joe & Maya on his birthday. Joe just won his party gift and Aeneas is doing his best not to be jealous of the pocket Airplane.

2009-10-27T20:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Aeneas!

2009-09-28T16:29:00.005-05:00

For the last month or so, Aeneas has been talking incessantly about a "light-up sword." He has not seen Star Wars. He came up with the idea of a glowing, phallic, fighting tool all by himself. We saw this as an opportunity to connect something Aeneas cares about with something he doesn't seem to worry about much at all - potty training.

Last week, after several weeks of trying to go 5 days without an accident, Aeneas asked me very seriously, "Mama, are there any swords that don't have to be earned?" I said, "No." Luckily, this last weekend, while Jared and I were away for our 8th Wedding anniversary, he went on a winning streak.

So, I present you with the proud new owner of an Obi-Wan Kenobi "light-up sword." (After we put the batteries in, he said that he wanted a red one.)

2009-09-19T20:47:00.001-05:00

Found some photos from when Grandma Susan came out to visit earlier this Summer.

This first one is at a french joint in DC that we are rather fond of.

2009-09-19T20:38:00.007-05:00

And this is breakfast in Central Park. Because of course Grandma Susan likes to bounce from DC to NYC whenever she gets the chance :-)

2009-09-13T21:16:00.002-05:00

Mama: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Aeneas: I want to pilot an airplane and I want to be a super-hero who can make forcefields and I want fire to come out of my feet. And, no bad guys will be able to hurt me or Maya or Dana. And there will be a button to make a green forcefield, and a button to make a gold forcefield, and a button to make a red forcefield. And, the red forcefield will be able to make bad guys clothes fall off. And...

Mama: Wait a minute, where are the buttons?

Aeneas: While you are flying.

Mama: So, the buttons are on the airplane?

Aeneas: Yes. And, the forcefields will come out of the tanks. And, the golden forcefield will go on to other planes and make the front fall off...

2009-09-13T20:37:00.004-05:00

Ok, so we're a little behind...

Grandpa Bill was out to visit us in May and we had a really lovely time taking a trip down to Virginia Beach. Aeneas was very excited to get kite flying lessons from the master himself.

2009-09-11T06:33:00.001-05:00

And I think it's gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no...
I'm a rocket man!

2009-09-07T22:01:00.002-05:00

This weekend marks the end of a special era in Aeneas' life. Dana, his first best friend, has left Baltimore to travel and live in South America. Dana hung out with and looked after Aeneas and their friend Maya for over two years. When Dana first started playing with Aeneas, he was a grub that could barely sit up. Now, he can "put magic on you!" with wide open hands.

We are very proud of Dana and so thankful for the time she has spent with our family. We miss her dearly and will be thinking of her often and fondly.

On that note, it should be pointed out that Dana is a much a better historian than Jared or I. She has taken many pictures of the Aeneas and Maya over the years. Some can be viewed at Superpals.

2009-07-17T20:01:00.000-05:00

2009-04-22T09:31:00.002-05:00

Between April 7-16, we went on a vacation to the Southwest. Nana Sally flew into Los Angeles, bought Uncle Carl a bike and took his car. She met us in Las Vegas were we did some early morning bowling at our hotel casino. We then headed up to Utah to go through Escalante and Moab. As we headed east into the mountains of southern Colorado we hit a Spring storm outside of Durango. This provided some new snow for a bit of skiing and soaking in the pools at Pagosa Springs. From there we headed down to Santa fe to eat and eat and eat.

*Note: we are dummies and didn't bring our camera. So, the pictures from our phones will have to suffice.

2009-04-22T09:27:00.003-05:00

The kissing elepants arch in Devil's Garden outside of Escalante.

2009-04-22T09:26:00.002-05:00

Capitol Reef.

2009-04-22T09:21:00.004-05:00

Jared and I went for a hike in Arches National Park outside of Moab.

We were somewhat disgruntled to find that the annual Jeep Safari week was happening in Moab when we arrived. Luckily, the jeep enthusiasts stay in their jeeps and don't hit the trails.

2009-04-22T09:19:00.001-05:00

We visited Gretchen, Matt and Flash in Durango but were having too much fun to take pictures.

2009-04-22T09:16:00.002-05:00

Jared and I were able to get some Spring skiing in at Wolf Creek in southern Colorado while Aeneas and Nana relaxed at Pagosa Springs.

2009-04-22T09:15:00.003-05:00

We love Horseman's green chile.

2009-04-22T08:57:00.004-05:00

On a blustery day in Santa Fe, we climbed Monte Sol, one of the mountains behind St. Johns College.

2009-03-30T09:29:00.002-05:00

This weekend, Aeneas made a leap toward becoming a full-fledged "big boy." He slept without a tuffo (pacifier) for 4 nights in a row. (APPLAUSE) Jared and I were forced into the daunting situation by our brilliant nanny, Dana, who had him taking naps without the tuffo for a week. I told Aeneas that she had taken the tuffos because he's such big boy that he doesn't need one. That began several night of withdrawal symptoms including crying, tossing and turning, and clinginess. He and we seem to have survived the endeavor. Plus, he got to pick out a playdough toy that makes spaghetti - only big boys get to play with toys that awesome.

Next up: potty training.

2009-03-29T20:50:00.002-05:00

Notices camera.

2009-03-29T20:49:00.001-05:00

Likes attention.

2009-03-29T20:44:00.002-05:00

Says, "cheese!"

2009-03-17T19:25:00.002-05:00

We love being able to visit the National Aquarium regularly. Sure, there are dolphins, frogs, and sharks. But, we spend a large portion of our time with the giant plexiglass tubes full of water and bubbles - fish smish.

2009-01-20T17:23:00.001-05:00

2009-01-03T10:09:00.000-05:00

2008-12-25T13:35:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Everybody!

2008-12-19T06:09:00.000-05:00

Deep in conversation.

2008-12-02T21:32:00.000-05:00

Grandpa Bill got Aeneas an excavator. Luckily, Nana knows that an excavator isn't any good without a pile of sand.

2008-12-02T21:27:00.000-05:00

Uncle Carl and Aeneas bonded over tea during Thanksgiving break.

Uncle Carl now knows better than to tell little boys that tea parties are for sissies.

2008-12-02T21:24:00.001-05:00

A little whiskey helps the princess tea party go down.

2008-11-22T21:35:00.001-05:00

Aeneas drew this happy face art on MS Paint

2008-11-22T21:01:00.000-05:00

In a recession you make your own play-do.

2008-11-13T21:59:00.000-05:00

2008-11-08T15:42:00.000-05:00

Today was a big day. Aeneas, just a few days past his 2nd birthday, completed his first ever whole loop! We've been playing trains since he was six months old, he's been helping for quite awhile now, but today he went and played by himself. Much to our amazement he made this whole loop w/o any help! What a proud Papa I am!