Awww...

Snowy Owl

5 times the fun!

Leo is 5!

He's the biggest brother.

5 sounds so much bigger than 4.

You get real Legos, lots of them, when you turn 5.

You also get stuck picking them all up at the end of the day, even if your 3 year old brother helped scatter them.

5 year olds go to school, wipe their own butt, and get in trouble for hitting, even if your 3 year old brother started it.

A few of his most favorite ways to spend the day:

Going to the beach with Dad.

Going to the zoo with Dad.

Going to the toy store with Dad.

Baking and cooking with Mom.

Snuggling.

Talking.

Asking questions.

Negotiating.

Making loud sound effects.

Telling stories.

Listening to stories.

Listening to Mom talk on the phone and interjecting often.

Not listening when whatever is said doesn't suit you.

Going for walks.

Collecting rocks and sticks.

Making weapons out of anything and everything.

Bossing his 3 year old brother.

Playing with neighbors and cousins.

Kissing and cooing at the new baby.

Eating raisins and fruit but never dinner.

Drinking milk and juice but never water.

Watching cartoons.

Going to Grandma's for dinner,but not really eating dinner,

just playing with her toys and watching cartoons.

Getting tucked in by Dad.

Happy Halloween from the Santa Wizard

I live with four boys

"I knew we would be twins" Leo

Abe

Abe had his 2 week visit with larry and he is back up to 10 lbs 3 oz. and 23 inches long. BIG!

Home Sweet Home!

We are home! So happy to be here, we were welcomed with lots of hugs and love> Leo is all about holding his new baby. The boys came to visit a few times while we were at the hospital, well, Leo once and Finn a couple more times. Leo was incredibly suspicious of everything from the bed to the IV to the hospital gown, where as Finn thought everything was pretty impressive, "I love your new bed! I love your new dress! I love your new baby! ooh I love the new baby's soft hair! I love your new phone (the bed remote)!" Finn came back everyday to graze on hospital food and watch cartoons with me. It was a lovely little vacation for Abe and I. And now we are home and have Lydia doting n us all for the next week or so. Lucky!

Baby Abe seems like a mellow little guy, (which I totally deserve!) but then again, why wouldn't he be? He has fallen into a giant lap of love. I forgot how much I actually love newborn babies, they require a lot of energy, but so does a four year old, and it is such a short time that they are soooo small! The yawns and baby stretches are my favorite, along with the grunting and groaning that accompanies them.

Happy Birthday Finn!

Dear Finny

Happy Birthday to you! You are our baby boy today but soon to be big brother. Growing like a tree, talking like a book, you amaze me every day with your good nature and sense of humor. You love your family and your kitty and your 15 most special stuffed animals with a fierce heart. I admire your curiosity: how do you make eyes? how do you make bread? how do you make flowers? how do you make peaches? how do you make crayons? Yesterday you explained to me in detail what pooh-pooh farts are.

You had a great 3rd birthday with all of the usual fun. I meant to change you out of your pj shirt and diaper all day, and maybe comb out your bed head dreads and take your picture, but we were too busy partying and playing and eating pancakes and before we knew it the day was over too soon! I love you Finn!

Day after tomorrow!

Baby Boy arrives the day after tomorrow! I love thinking this, but if I say it out loud it is followed by a welling of tears. But we are ready for this ride to begin. We have accomplished a lot in the past few weeks. Finn is our big 3 year old as of Friday. The house is clean. The bamboo hedge is planted. The garden is sort of ready for fall/winter. I have grocery shopped, pajama shopped, slipper shopped, Halloween costume shopped, and been to the pumpkin farm. And as Cory so rightly put it, all of my shirts are stained and I am ready to fit into my maternity jeans again!

Even a third baby boy gets spoiled by our friends and family. The only thing we dont have for him is a name. Well, I guess we actually have 10 or so that we cant decide fr

om. Also, I waited too long to order the baby hammock that I have had my eye on for 9 months, and now they are out of stock until who knows when. So it is. And I do want to go to the dahlia garden today because I have hardly taken any pics of my boys this summer, unless you count the three rolls that Finn threw away. Otherwise, sigh....the list could probably go on and it hopefully will in a few months or maybe a year or two from now. See you soon!