Chunky monkey

1 month old. 13 pounds. And counting.

Every time we take off his shirt, I think, "WHOA. LOOK HOW MUCH BIGGER HE GOT!"

He loves a good back rub

Our entrepreneur

Emma is always concocting plans for making money. Today she actually carried out one of her plans. She made a little book, photocopied it, and set up a sidewalk store where she offered the fruits of her labor for sale at $2 apiece. Yes, $2 apiece. She's smooth. People would think, "oh that's cute," come over to the curb, and then find out the books were $2. By then it was too late, they couldn't say no or they'd look like chumps.

Sophie decided to make some books too, and give them away for free. It didn't affect Emma's sales, though.

At one point there weren't very many cars coming by. Emma only had one more book to sell, and asked me if she could go door to door to sell it. (Conversation: "What are you going to do when you knock on people's door?" "Well I'm going to stand there and wait for them to open it.") Right at that moment, some customers walked by and bought her last book.

Total profits: $6 and a skittle. She's going to save the money until her birthday; the skittle was immediately consumed.

Her brothers were dumbfounded by the entire affair.

Henry smiling

Overheard

When I came home from church yesterday, I opened the door from the garage and Sophie yelled, "DADDY!!!!" while running with big, loud footsteps to see me. Upon turning the corner and coming face to face with me she said, "Shhhh. You have to be very quiet. Mommy is putting Henry to sleep."

Ruh-roh.

How is she supposed to eat with a mouth like that?

Four weeks old

She can't say "s" anymore

She stood next to me in the office and waited patiently while I sat in my chair and tried several times to get a good grip on her tooth. After six or seven pulls it came out with a little pop, and I remembered running into the guest bathroom when I was her age, hiding under the toilet to avoid that pop. Emma is brave, plus she just really wanted the money under her pillow. When I finally pulled it out, she didn't even know until I handed her the tooth. And now she talks with a slight lisp. She's going to be eating food through a straw when the tooth next to the gap falls out--it's due any day now too.

Sophie started preschool yesterday

Watch out world, here she comes.

We love Henry

He is so much fun. We can't get enough of him around here.

Almost.

Daddy take a picture of me drinking this water bottle like a dad.

Ok. That is what dads do?

11

We recently celebrated Andrew's 11th birthday. He's old. For his birthday he wanted a facebook account, a gmail account, a cell phone and a laptop. We gave him the free things on that list, and some money to save for a laptop. Be sure to accept his friend request on facebook if he sends you one. He's eager to destroy you in Scrabble.

He wanted to celebrate by eating "something exotic." The local sushi place was out of sea urchin, so he got some raw eel and octopus tentacle. I don't think he'll order those again.

After we celebrated and set him up with his new online accounts, Ethan said "Now all you need is a cell phone." Then he'll have all his needs taken care of, I guess. Wait until 9th grade, we told him.

Overheard

ME (to Ethan and Emma while Ethan was holding Henry): Did you guys ever think before he was born that you would love him this much?
EMMA: No.
ETHAN: Well, before he was born he looked like a mutant pig.