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Wee Three

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Sweet Baby Ellery James

 Devon, Dan and Ellery came out last weekend for a bit of bonding, boy chaos and summer (since Seattle summer doesn't start till August).  We did our best to pack them full of boston treats and cookies.  Ellery also got a quick lesson is self defense as our boys (big and little) accosted her.

Ahoy, Lobsters!

The boys had a new pet for the afternoon.

Blast Off

Grandpa Yosh bought the kids an outdoor rocket launcher which they loved.  Unfortunately it worked a bit too well and now all the rockets are on our roof.

Summertime Treat

Jonas and His First Set of Wheels

Jonas completed a big lego set (designed for 8-12 year olds we kept reminding him).  He really needed very little help.  The  finished product is impressive: headlights, doors that open, racer seats and a hood that lifts up.

Ready for the Course

My mother loved visors so I have a soft spot for them.  The trouble is that Phin's hair isn't dense enough that he still needs sunscreen so he really looks more a greasy-haired mechanic than a chic golfer.

Sittin All By Myself

Mom is still close enough to spot me.

Phineas Gets a Haircut

 Before

 Sides done, mohawk action

Looking instantly grown up

Our Service Module

Bear with me here.  In Apollo 13 when they finally figure out how to get oxygen filtered in the command module and detach from the service module, the astronauts look back appreciatively at this battered thing that had been keeping them alive.  That's how we feel as we say goodbye to our beloved Rainforest Magic Bouncy Seat that Phin has now officially grown out of.  Many a nap was created out of nowhere by your vibrate function.  Many a meal saved by the wondrous bubbles of your rainforest charms and moving gecko.  Yes there are chic and beautiful bouncy seats but our children wanted nothing to do with them.  The cover was shrunken, frayed and giving up it's batting, but it only made her better.  So hardworking friend if we could we would give you the burial at sea you deserve.

Crawling Lessons

Give a Brother a Hand

Sweet Sweet Six

Dirty face, check, contemplating life in a potato, check, sweet sweet disposition and super funny comments about everything, check.  Yup, it's our six year old Jonas in his full glory.  The time has gone both quickly and slowly.  So much has happened, yet it doesn't seem like all that long ago that we brought him home from the hospital and looked each other and asked "what now?"  Jonas loves all things outdoors, though not actually the going outdoors.  As in, "mom, please don't make me play outside, let me lounge on my couch."  But when he gets there he is fully engaged in leaves, rocks, bark, and bugs of all kinds.  I'm reminded regularly of Blake, "to see the world in a grain of sand, and to see heaven in a wild flower..."  Jonas loves to draw and generate a prolific number of pieces of paper and various "treasures" to squirrel away in his locked cabinet.  Also living in the cabinet are his lego creations which he is very good at assembling.  Soon we are going to have to sort through everything to make more room, but until that time it's nightly "dad, take these things, and put them in my locked cabinet, not when you feel like it, but tonight, okay? pinky promise?"  Whether it's telling jokes on the plane to rows full of strangers or his use of the word "allegedly" Jonas keeps us all entertained.  Happy Birthday sweet boy.

Finally a Bottle!

At about 3 months Phin decided he was not going to take a bottle- not even of pumped breast milk.  We gave up for a while then started working on it at about 6 months.   The stubborn man simply wouldn't take anything.  Finally we just decided to go cold turkey and after the longest weekend we can remember he finally took a bottle.  Now it's like he's been doing it all his life.  

Reading Nook

It's a complete mystery to me why Caleb needs to dump all of the books out of their baskets to read in the basket.  There is a HUGE sofa in the playroom.

Early Riser

5:45 am to be exact.  Poppy is the only person who is ready for the world at that hour.

P is for Potty

Our Caleb is such a big boy now!  After about two weeks of a lot of stickers, treats and 50 minute timers he is officially out of diapers and using the potty.

Phin's First Passover

Brotherly Love

In Philadelphia for the seder and all the generations caught up.

One Tooth, Two Teeth!

Dorm Life

Video games, backward hats, it's like we're still in college except the company is slightly younger.

He's Three Now

 

So it's about time he started reading the New York Times at breakfast.

This Table is Tops!

Ah, that was for Nanny who loves a pun.  Grammie and Phineas trying out our fancy new table from Poppy.

35 Years Young?

 Note our lovely new table from Poppy with extra rounded corners and super easy to clean formica top.  (The boys have already tested it's washability by mashing in whip cream, peanut butter and pencil.)  Also featured are my beautiful flowers from my four boys and treats from Bread and Chocolate, one of which was nibbled on throughout the day (it was my birthday after all).

Born to Rock

Snacking Outside

Growing up if it was above about 40 degrees we were eating outside.   Slight drizzle (it was Seattle after all), we were still outside.  There was a picnic table and I clearly remember it being hosed down after meals.  I don't know that I fully appreciated the brilliance of this until I had messy children of my own and a kitchen floor I would do just about anything to clean one less time a day.

Birthday Sugar Rush

Caleb is Three!

Our sweet Caleb is three today!  The weather is celebrating too with a glorious sunny 68 degree day.  We have the doors open and have been eating his favorite foods (all snacks) on the patio and enjoying the new gravel area.  Caleb definitely knows how to assert himself and is our physical and busy child.  He alternates between unbelievably sweet and cuddly and jumping off the highest point in the room.  Every day when he wakes he says that he "loves us with all his hearts."

Big and Little

Jonas has a special connection with Phin and says that he loves him almost as much as his parents and definitely more than pizza.

Food Glorious Food

 Well only rice cereal and a bit of formula, but Phin enjoyed the novelty of a spoon.

Cooking with Daddy

This weekend Caleb helped his dad make a delicious butternut squash soup: no cream, super yummy and healthy.  So much so that when I'm done I need to have a big handful of chocolate chips to compensate.  

Phin Rocks a Mohawk

Love From Philly

We had the most wonderful assortment of visitors last week from Philly.  Judy and Boots early in the week then Nanny and Poppy came up on the train.  The boys are still talking about it!