rockin' out...

after bath, she had on jammies, big brother's winter hat and the toy guitar and was really gettin' down - I couldn't resist a quick snap...

"the other blonde photographer"

We really have way too much fun working together.  I think I'm going to cut my hair shorter and start dressing like her so we can really confuse people at weddings - they already get us mixed up more often than not.  She's my twin - but younger. ;)

this week

the chunky monkey is actually starting to thin out a little (relatively speaking), is clapping and can crawl in a circle but not forward

I've finally made it back to Hip Stitch and made a couple of projects including a fun zippered bag and a very belated surprise for a friend (which needs to be rehemmed)

We're rearranging rooms yet again.  The older two sharing a room was fun, but didn't include a lot of sleep, and as a result we had a very grumpy toddler on our hands.  So now the two younger are sharing a room, and it seems to be going better.

The oldest is attempting to adjust to three days of preschool a week.  I think it's a bit too much.

So there we have it - our week in review. ;)

aunty rae-rae

the cool aunt - I'm relying on her to keep my kids hip

not sure about this pokey stuff...

uncles...

...are like Santa in August
buy puppies so parents don't have to
give no limit at Target
gotta love 'em

the view from up here

august family portrait

Thank you to my friend Michele for taking a great family photo of us in the Jemez - sorry the one I took of your family wasn't as good. ;)

sharing a room

making herself right at home...

...now that she's the big girl at home three mornings a week.

first day of preschool

I know, I'm so behind on blogging it's ridiculous.  I'm mostly behind on editing and posting, not actually taking photos.  I think.  So I'll start today and work my way backwards. 

Today...the oldest went back to preschool.  Such a bag of mixed emotions.  I still want to cry as I drop him off, this big boy who is going to have lunch without me.  And then I go home and enjoy that the baby can actually nap, and the two-year-old has some individual mommy-time, and I'm grateful.  And then I miss him, and the two-year-old tells me she misses him, so we pile in the car and we pick him up, and I'm ready for him to be home. 

And I look at him and think, "how has a year passed so quickly, and how did he get so grown-up?!?"

fishin'

in the woods

our week...

* catching up on some reading
* yarn is piling up - so many projects on my list of things to knit
* school supply shopping
* a little "homeschool" to get us ready for preschool
* middle baby moved into big brother's room - the little pink toddler bed seems a little out of place in the blue and red racecar room, but we weren't sure how sharing a room was going to work out

cheeks

someone's got a case of the mondays...

sandbox

create

I read a great book last week, The Creative Family, by Amanda Blake Soule (of Soule Mama blog fame). I have to admit that some of it was a bit too hippy for me (I probably won't be sewing my own sanitary pads in the near future), but I loved most of it.  I admit that I get too focused on the mess, or on other things in life and forget to just let my kids create.  Ridiculous since I love being creative myself, and since they do.  Lately they've been wanting to do watercolors.  A lot.  So we've been taking them outside on large pieces of butcher paper and just going for it...it's so simple, right?

love the western skies...

eight months old

smiley boy
chewing and drooling like crazy, but still no sign of teeth
sits up by himself (for the most part)
not a big fan of baby food
has a cold (again!)
thoroughly entertained by his big brother and sister
starting to slim out a little (relatively speaking...)
likes to talk first thing in the morning in bed with mama (after eating, of course)
could take or leave the swimming pool
loves dogs
hates being put down for naps
sucking his thumb
almost lost all of his little newborn hair mullet :(