9 months

Evan is just starting to commando crawl, which I wasn't encouraging until we were done with our weekend trips, plus he just gets held a lot! He's a very happy baby unless someone is walking away from him, so I'm sure it won't be long before he is full-on crawling. Time to babyproof the house!

He's not a big eater, except for cereal. He gets really excited when he sees his water cup come out!

I hate to jinx it, but he's been sleeping through for the past few nights, from around 9 until 5-6ish. What an improvement!

He is also really excited by the banisters on the stairs. He loves to catch the knobs on the top and thinks it's hysterical when he latches on to one well enough to stop our forward motion. He gets one in his sights and lunges for it! Kind of dangerous when I'm carrying him on the stairs!

September so far

Brennan's first day of preschool.

He was pretty excited about his new "Cars" backpack.

Who needs shoes?

Marian ran for Student Council.

She didn't get picked, but there's always next year!

Evan, still with no teeth.

I love those toothless grins!

Aidan started Cub Scouts

but had to miss his first meeting due to illness.

We'll try again next week!

First Day

Heading off to first grade and fifth grade

Aidan said he didn't like first grade because recess was too short.

I told him the teachers probably kept it short because it was 100 degrees outside, and would get longer once it cooled down a little.

Marian was excited to be one of the big kids in school, and is looking forward to trying out for all the things only the fifth-graders get to do (announcements, safety patrol, 'band', StuCo...)

8 months

Evan at 8 months

Evan and Brennan

(Aug 2010--8 mos and 3 yrs)

Brennan and Aidan

(July 2007--4 mos and 4 years)

Evan smiling big for sister

Beach Bumming It

Mick got the best picture of the kids (of course!)

We were missing Evan (sleeping) and our daytrippers Addison and Ava

Evan being his photogenic self

Evan and Ava comparing bellies, tanlines, and swapping spit.

Aidan making a sand castle

Marian bringing in the kayak

Aidan trying his hand at the kayak. Probably his favorite thing about the trip.

Brennan thoroughly enjoyed flying his Buzz Lightyear kite, but didn't seem to grasp that you ALWAYS had to hold on to it.

All the kids flying kites. The pictures don't do it justice.

Evan exploring the salty water

Marian playing beach bingo

Brennan making a craft

Dinosaurs!

We spent a very hot Saturday morning at the zoo, seeing the new dinosaur exhibit. Brennan will happily look at the pictures now, but he was not so thrilled to see the dinosaurs in person. They move (slightly) and make noise. And some were quite big. I think they might be the same ones that were at the science museum years ago (when "Jurassic Park" came out?). Aidan wanted to go through it a second time b/c the dino at the end squirts water and he didn't really get wet the first time. But by the time we were done seeing the rest of the zoo 3 hours later, we were all ready to get in the car with the A/C blasting and get home.

Aidan unearthing some fossils

7 and 7

Aidan turned 7 years old this month while Evan turned 7 months. Thinking back, Evan turned 3 months in March, when Brennan turned 3 yrs. And he will be turning 11 months in November when Marian will just have turned 11 yrs old (she was due in November but surprised us by showing up early in October). Kind of funny how the numbers work out!

We started off Aidan's birthday with a rare trip to the movies to see "Toy Story 3". So this was Evan's first movie, which was fitting because Marian's first movie was "Toy Story 2"!

Aidan was done with the lego set above in one morning--all by himself!

He then started on the one below (note the age recommendations!), only stopping to scarf down a pb sandwich at about 2:30 that afternoon.

He finished each of the above and below in a 36 hour period, stopping to go to school, of course! I only helped fix 2 things he had skipped in the top one, and only helped to snap on a few hard things with the bottom one. Otherwise, he did it completely on his own!

These were 2 large sets in one box, that then go together to make a monster-huge Star Wars lego!!