400th Post

Wow! 400 posts to my blog. I started this thing back in 2005 when my family was completely displaced by Hurricane Katrina. I had no idea I would be using it this many years later to show pictures of my growing family, but this is what it has become - a billboard for those in our lives who can't always be close enough to see the kids grow up. The blog has changed because life has changed. I hope you are enjoying the pictures and anecdotes. I'm sorry I never have the energy or time required to tell you more about all the little things that happen in our days to make life fun, rewarding, challenging, interesting... One day, maybe. For now, I hope you enjoy the snapshots.

One of Buddy's teeth has finally really come in. He has outgrown his carseat in length and has moved up to a regular seat (rear-facing of course). He loves to laugh, is definitely ticklish, and stares at his daddy any time he can. He rolls both directions and can sit up for a short period of time if you prop him up with his hands between his knees, but he's not quite ready to sit yet - it won't be long! He loves baby food and is eating 3 square meals a day and nursing 5 times a day. Buddy is also drinking from a juice cup which he can hold himself! He is a great, delightful, easy, easy-going little guy (not to mention exceptionally handsome!).

Claire is loving ballet and loves school time with Mommy when we can have it. She has memorized a load of Bible verses and made it through something like 50 of the Caldecott Honor and Medal books from the library. She can write her letters A-E clearly and her drawing is getting more complex. Her people have faces, eyes with pupils and eyebrows, men have facial hair, girls have long hair, people have arms, legs, hands, feet, and fingers and toes. She likes to draw hearts now. We are working on basic phonics and she can "read" charts of her vowels. She is really looking forward to Christmas and has asked for a Daniel Boone hat - an idea she got from a library book. Claire's favorite word is "Why."

Evelynn is potty training and that takes a LOT of time and energy from all of us. She has been learning her colors and delights in pointing these out ("IT'S PURPLE! IT'S GREEN!"). She is like a little parrot and is repeating and saying longer and more complex phrases every day. She loves to read and LOVES Dora. It's hard to believe "2" is only a few weeks away with her. What a full life we lead!

Happy Halloween

We carved & painted pumpkins, attended a fall festival with Aunt Gini and the cousins, visited Aubie at Daddy's office party, enjoyed the beautiful end-of-summer weather, worked in the front yard with Daddy, potty trained (Evie), & started table food (Buddy). It's been a full and somewhat exhausting month. I am glad to have one less in diapers and grateful that this time Evelynn is truly ready for pottying (we tried unsuccessfully a few months ago). Buddy is DELIGHTED with table food - showing a particular affinity for sweet potatoes. I am enjoying reading and preparing for a future of homeschooling, and we are enjoying these early months of the 10th year of our marriage.

We welcome the new change in weather and are excited about being right on the cusp of the mobile phase with Buddy. He is almost sitting up and is definitely changing rapidly - playing with toys, interacting more with his family, chuckling and cooing and singing, and even playing peekaboo. Evelynn's language is taking off - she especially likes to sing songs and repeat phrases. Claire is beginning to have an interest in stories without pictures and hardly 5 minutes can go by in the day without her asking why or why not about something - both a delight and a source of frustration. Some days I am too exhausted to truly enjoy these days, but I know I will look back on them fondly, with no recollection of just how very tiring it is to have a 3 year old, almost 2 year old, and 5 month old to care for.

Pumpkin Patch & Photo Shoot

My sister and I took the 6 kiddos to the pumpkin patch. It was a fun and exhausting day. Her husband, a talented photographer, also did us a big favor and took some good shots of Buddy in the backyard wearing an outfit from cousin Nancy. I think you'll enjoy them - such a handsome little boy! :)

 I was wearing Buddy in a front carrier so he is not in many of the pictures. Claire (3), Wyatt (4), Mercy (7), Evie (22mos), Tessa (19mos).

 My beautiful big sister :)

 In the corn crib

 Hayride!

 When I was a little bitty baby... Got to love some cotton fields

 Picked her pumpkin!

 Don't you just want to snuggle him?

Claire's people are getting more and more advanced - This one above has ears, eyebrows, and a beard. She has just started working on arms and legs as well - I think the one below was an experiment with adding legs and trying two different colors to blend the way daddy draws. She loves art!