Pine Box

The kids are still playing with the box, but lately it's an ambulance.

We've been joking that it looks like a pine box getting ready to go six feet under when the baby's in it wrapped in a blanket... maybe the little guy is working out some aggression?

They love that box!

Future Doctor?

The little guy has tried a few careers, and now the baby is shaping up to be a veterinarian. (She said her first sentence yesterday: "Get down, Beau!")

She loves helping Beau take his medicine. The job involves holding a spoonful of peanut butter with pills stuck in it.

She's so good at this! Look at those two!

New Favorite

I think I have a new favorite picture of the kids and me.

So cuddly!

Running Around

The little dude has been decorating the box every chance he gets. His favorite place to do it is right at the bottom of the stairs. I guess the threat of injury adds excitement to our lives?

Meanwhile, the baby rearranged the pantry while I was cooking dinner.

She's so busy.

Books, Books, Books

The little dude is enjoying books on his own now. He'll just grab a book or magazine, curl up somewhere, and leaf through it. It makes him seem so big and grown up!

The chocolate on his face keeps him young, though, right?

Box

We're using disposable diapers at the kid's new daycare so I finally joined Amazon Mom. (Just an aside-- I love our inexpensive Bummis that we've used for both kids, but I hate the super-expensive bumgenius diapers with a passion. They're the WORST!! Ugh.)

Our first gigantic box of dipes and wipes came in the mail yesterday, and today the box became a race car. It has a windshield, numbers, stripes, and a comically undersized steering wheel. Even better than that, it has room for two!

It also has a train track inside it. I bet none of the NASCAR drivers can say that about their rides.

More of the same...

We went to a (wait for it) softball game tonight. Who, us? What?!!

Anyway, the little dude got to fetch a foul ball. It made his night.

He and the baby had a blast running around the bleachers and hanging with the guys on the team (who are all seriously amazing and lovely).

Even More Baseball!

We went to a baseball game tonight-- it started at 5pm so we got to stay until the 8th inning (wow!). This picture basically sums it up.

Yay baseball! (Too bad our team was shut out.)

Swimming Lessons

The little guy's swimming lessons were a family expedition today: Nana, Pops, Daddy, Mommy, and the baby all went. The baby played happily through almost the entire lesson.

The little guy did AMAZING today. His teacher was REALLY impressed with how much more willing he was to be in the water this week. Wahoo!

Our little artist

I had a softball game after work today. I'm playing for my office team now that my regular league is on break before the playoffs next week. I've gotta stay sharp, right?

Emily picked the kids up from daycare and then came over to our game. As soon as they came around the corner I heard (from my position on the hot corner) my boy's little booming voice, "Hey Dad!!! Mom, the game is over here!!!" Then he smiled really big and waved. The baby girl ran over to the fence and just shouted "Daddy! Daddy!" over and over. They melt my heart without even trying.

As soon as our half inning was over I ran over and said hey and was promptly handed this:

The boy drew it at school today. In case you can't tell this is the field at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. See the "C" behind home plate? There's Joey Votto at first and Brandon Phillips at second.

I'm not sure what all is going on as he was very excited to explain it and, I'm sad to say, I was a little preoccupied with trying to win a softball game. But I love his attention to detail. Sometimes I am amazed at what he notices. The "C" and then the little walk-up paths from the dugouts are perfect examples of how he doesn't miss anything.

Here's the back:

I guess I spoke to soon. These, apparently, are baseball players from the Cincinnati REDS.

The Garden!

Eric and I are practically turning into cucumbers there are so many new ones every day from our garden. There are two tomatoes now, and a TON of tomato flowers. The cucumbers and pole beans keep climbing the tomatoes, so I have to redirect them every day. Next year we might allow for a bit more space... but look at how tall those plants are!

To the Park!

We went to the park tonight. The baby LOVES riding in the stroller (the little guy hated the stroller). As long as there are cheerios in the tray, she's happy. Even when she's not in the stroller, she always heads to it for a snack or drink.

Anyway, the little dude is getting to be pretty fast on his bike. After spending one too many evenings running behind him in work clothes and flip flops, I'm wearing tennis shoes on our 'walks' now so that I can keep up with him!

Oh Mr. Sun!

It's our responsibility to put sunscreen on the kids before school. The teachers will help them reapply at lunch. Sunscreen-time is, um, quite an adventure with these two because they can do it by themselves!

Nature on our porch

Last night I was letting Beau out after a fun couple days of this:

Swim Lessons!

and this:

K-Prep end of year celebration at the Kids' Museum!

and this:

Fun with daddy! She so fast she's blurry.

and something startled me. Up in the corner of our "porch," well, stoop might be a better word, was something big and dark. Big if at first you thought it was an insect. After catching my breath and a closer inspection it appeared to be a little fledgling. Here is what I saw:

I made Emily get out of bed and come down and check it out. We decided (correctly after reading angry posts from birders about LEAVING IT ALONE!) to leave it alone. After much googling for images of fledglings, we concluded it was a Carolina Wren. Emily was worried it was dead so I stared at it for a while trying to see if it was breathing, to no avail.

When we got up this morning we were both relieved to see that the little fella was gone.

But, guess who's back tonight! It looks like our household just added one more creature. (Emily just asked if I thought we should get some worms for it. To which I replied with an eye roll.)

Hockey Season?

Now that hockey season is over, it's time to get in shape for the coming hockey season! The little dude gave his sister a hockey stick today and they BOTH hit balls and pucks around the living room before Eric woke up this morning.

The little guy met one of the Storm Squad yesterday, and we saw her today at lunch. He said hi and she gave both kids a hug and talked with them a bit. It was very sweet.

One last thing-- we spent some quality time picking up the playroom this afternoon (we did! I promise!). It looks much better.

Miss Independent

The baby isn't a fan of her highchair right now... but eating like this is a terrible idea! Please note, by the way, that beautiful and healthy array of food on her plate. I cooked!

After I took a picture of her ridiculousness (daughter I deserve, I know), the little guy posed for a photo, too. Goober.

Nutritious?

We had odds and ends for dinner tonight, which is always one of my favorite meals. The little dude had pizza toast and popcorn.

The baby, on the other hand, had pop tarts and and pepperoni for dinner. Healthy!

It's an improvement over the cold breakfast sausage she had for a snack the other day, right?

More Videos!

The little guy took four videos today, and this is my favorite. I'm impressed with the baby's patience. (Speaking of, we should probably stop calling her the baby.)
With our new morning routine, the kids have a bit of time to play before leaving for school. I just let them wander around and have free play. It's actually been really nice to have a little calm time before leaving the house every day.

Washable Markers

The baby has been coloring with markers lately... which is kind of stressful. I keep taking them away, and the little guy keeps giving them back. Anyway, she has colored on a book cover (luckily one that I own), a desk drawer, and part of the floor. She did NOT get marker on her white church dress, though. Hooray!

Beach Day!

We drove down to the beach for the afternoon and evening today. It was GORGEOUS!

The kids had a blast playing-- the baby LOVED the ocean, which is a little terrifying.

The little guy said his favorite part was jumping over the water as it came to him (translation: leaping over the waves).

The beach is my happy place, and I'm excited that the kiddos love it, too! (Sorry Eric.)

Pizza, Pizza!

Eric had a softball game this evening, so the kids and I went out for pizza. One of the fun things about being close to a college campus is that we can get a pizza dinner for three people for less than five dollars. Hooray cheap-college-kid food!

The little guy ate his whole piece and half of the baby's. Color me impressed!

Documentarian

The little guy started taking videos of everything a couple of weeks ago. I mean everything, by the way. Diaper changes, cooking, laundry, getting ready for school, reading the paper... it's all in these random, shaky, under-a-minute video clips. See?
The nice part is that we'll always know exactly what our lives looked like in May and June of 2014.

Ice?

Guess who had a blue-raspberry ice at the ballpark tonight?

Put him to work!

The little guy helped me scrub our living room rug the other day (due to Beau's regimen of diuretics for his heart, all our indoor rugs are put away).

 He's earning his keep!

Ice Cream!

After dropping by the summer reading kick-off at our local library, we took the kids out for ice cream. The baby kept saying "ICE CREAM ICE CREAM ICE CREAM." The little dude was just as excited, although a bit quieter about it all. He got spiderman ice cream (yuck).

Meanwhile, the baby ate an entire kid's cup of vanilla soft-serve!

 She didn't eat a lot of dinner afterwards, but ice cream is full of protein, right?