Giant Snack...

...for five always-ravenous chickens. That Sophia and Papa grew. Pretty cool!

Handsome Haircut

Look at this handsome boy with his new haircut!


That picture was not easy to come by, by the way, this boy is generally on the move.

One Week Down...

And this Kindergarten thing isn't getting any easier for me or Oliver.


Sophia seems to be handling it just fine.

But we always miss her.

Pebble Needed a Boat for School

And so Sophia got to work...
First she collected sticks from the backyard.
Then she enlisted Papa (and his glue gun).
Then she directed the construction.
And made a sail (pink, of course).
And Pebble fit perfectly. It was, without a doubt, the cutest mouse boat to dock at Arbor on the first day of school.

Honeycrisps!

Oooh, my very favorite season has just arrived!
Fall? You might be thinking.
Yes, and not exactly.

It's honeycrisp season!
The time of year when I have been known to eat not an apple a day, but rather an apple a meal. (That is, if I can count breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks a day of "meals.")
And I'm happy to report that all the kids (yes, even baby-in-utero) are also huge fans.


Is it weird that we were eating apples before breakfast?

Our First Day

Sophia started kindergarten on Thursday.

This was easy for her and hard for me. She may have been really, really ready for school (she was crossing her fingers for homework on the first day, if that gives you any idea), but I was really, really not ready (I spent many sleepless nights dreaming up clever ways to get out of this situation, to somehow keep her home for just one more year, if that gives you any idea).

But when Thursday came, we were—technically at least—ready and I managed to pull it together enough to get her to school (on time even!) without tears.

And then on Friday, even though it's clear that a full day of school is simply too much for any five-year-old (I've never seen her so tired), I very nearly came around to the fact that if she has to be somewhere besides home all day (five days a week!) at least she's at such a great school.

I just wish it were something we could all do together. Like anything else we used to do before kindergarten. But I suppose those days are officially over.

Sigh.

Being a mama is tough sometimes.

Small, mindful moments

Do you ever look at your life and think, Wow, this is really good.

I do. A lot these days. Maybe all the people who tell you, with your newborn snug in your arms, that this time passes so quickly, try to enjoy every moment, really got through to me. Maybe it was my midwife's comment, just after Oliver's birth: I envy you. You know exactly where your healthy, beautiful children are all day and every night, that really hit home. I don't know what triggered the awareness, but I do know, every day (even the bad ones) that this time is so special. Things won't always be like this. I won't always be the sun in my kids' universe. I won't always be able to determine where they go, who they go with, and when they come home. I won't always be able to solicit toddler kisses any time of any day or get twelve love letters in a row from my kindergartener.
I'm not saying that I want to stop time (ok, maybe a little), but I do recognize that this time — always fleeting — is precious.

Yarn CSA

How cool is this?

Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm offers a Yarn CSA:

When you purchase a share in our CSA you are investing in our Fall 2009 “yarn harvest” of Kid Mohair. You’ll receive a shareholders certificate, weekly farm updates on what’s going on around the farm, and an invitation to our Shearing Day Celebration. (And if you get the urge to shovel poopy hay while you’re here, we’ll lend you a shovel.)

After shearing, we’ll let our friends at the mill work their magic and in a few months you’ll receive your share of the harvest. We shear the Angora goats in the fall, and blend their Kid Mohair with the finest fleeces we can find, so this season’s yarn will be a Kid Mohair/Fine Wool blend.

A Princess Beautiful and Bright

All princesses love to read, don't they? Well I know at least one who could spend the day this way.

Line up your engines

Is any window really complete without a line of cars? Headed by an elephant, of course.
Oliver and I think not.

Yard with Chickens

GUESS WHAT!

We're having another baby!
Yep, it's true.
Quite a happy surprise. (Emphasis on surprise. And happy.)
We're all aflutter just thinking about a new baby around here.
Especially super-sister Sophia who has tested out her baby-holding skills with incredible grace with cousin Emily.
And soon-to-be-big-brother Oliver who will be all too happy to relinquish the status of "youngest."
And Papa who looked like a little boy in a toy store when I gave him the news.
And of course me, who secretly (or perhaps not so secretly) wanted just one more.
I'll keep you posted on developments since we have to wait until February to meet the new little one.

Trip to Cincy

It was off to Grandma's house this past week. We had lots of fun with all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. But as always, the trip was far too short.