Tan Lines and Water Slides

Ahhh, beating the heat is no easy feat unless you have this wet wonderland at your disposal. We know these super nice people that built this incredible backyard and pretty much beg people to come and use it. We can't thank them enough.

The Moment You've All Been Waiting For...

Yes, it just a tooth folks, don't get too excited. I guess I need to work more on my foreshadowing skills. Congrats to Mrs. Fish who has been making secret guesses via email (lame). She wins a family swim pass to the pool we are sitting for.

Guess What

No really, GUESS.

Here's the Story, of a Nine Month Baby.

I have had a little tradition with my babies where I take their picture at newborn, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months with the same stuffed animal. I know I should keep going each year but those stuffed animals can be hard to keep track of! I always have to take a gazillion by the time they are 9 and 12 months because they are getting too active to sit nice for a picture (not that Roxwell is mobile yet, but he is active none the less.) What was amazing is that he never touched the bear once.

These pictures are fun to see how he has grown and changed through his first year. Now I share the castoffs, as I think he was trying to tell a story in this photo shoot.

I want that camera, I want that phone, I want the keys, I want to dump that bowl of cereal, or that glass of water, or that box of blocks...

My brothers think I'm naughty, but I don't get in trouble when I spit, just they do.

Check this out-no teeth! Pretty amazing right?

Don't worry, I'm working on it. These things take time (and drool).

Still spitting... because I can.

I love pat-a-cake, but you already knew that.

Be sure to check out my hair, it is funny.

My brothers are way more interesting than you.

We Ain't Barbie Folk

As a girl, every Christmas I could count on getting at least 1 Barbie. I never tired of them, doing their hair, putting together fashionable outfits and accessories, making them dance, or talk, or fight, or make out...(Oh, I know your Barbies made out).

Well, we are all boy around here and boys aren't so into Barbie. However, they are into these little chunks of metal they call cars. So, without hair, or clothes, or making out, what fun is a car?

Here we have the run-of-the-mill pass by.

Next, road rage.

We might happen upon the occasional pig in the mud.

It may seem leisurely until this guy shrieks “Help! I am falling. Stop. This is scary. Oh, no.” from the roof of a race car.

If a brotherly giant is causing a roadblock, we might have to build another road.

Then, the perfect spot for nap time.

This Just in from The Baker's Man

We interrupted our regular scheduled programing (which was unpacking from Pine) to bring you this latest development.

The Grand Finally

You know the fireworks show is too long when the kids are asking "when is it going to be over?" 40 minutes--seriously. That is too long! They all start looking the same and the oohing and ahhing are long gone after 20. What were they thinking? The evening weather was nice and we got a good parking spot at least.

This was our third year spending the Fourth up in Pine at Jarom's mom's cabin. It is just too stinking hot down here to enjoy anything outdoors. Layne is still on his terrible behavior streak, so it wasn't as fun as years past. I think we will give it one more try before we nix the tradition.

"I Hope You Fall to China."

This is Layne lingo for the typical kids' "I hate you" (which would get him a dash of Tabasco). I think it has a nice ring, definitely more pleasant than the alternative. He has been beyond difficult, but I have kept my cool (except for that once, er or twice.) Okay I have not been all that cool, but today I'm doing better, really.

In other news, this kid has turned over a new leaf and is loving the water, even when he isn't clinging to a noodle. No real swimming yet, but he has all the motions and just needs some time to put them together.
And this little poser just learned pat-a-cake, which means it's time to break out the baby signs!