New Skills

The big brother at out house is learning how to write.

This is the card he wrote to his pre-school teacher.

Translation: "This is raspberry jam. I love Mrs. Thompson. Logan."

The little brother at our house...

is learning to smile.

December Birthdays

My mom and Greg both have birthdays in December. With all of the hustle and bustle, sometimes they don't get the celebration they deserve. This year, my sister-in-law and I planned a date night to take them out on the town. Since Greg was turning the big 6-0, we thought it appropriate. I'm seriously glad my brother got married so I have someone to plan parties with.

We left the kids home, except for the littlest one, who Grandma promptly removed from his restful car seat to hold.

We had a lovely and entertaining dinner at the Blue Lemon. Try it. Very tasty.

This is my brother John and his lovely wife Liz. After this picture, we made fun of John's apparent inability to smile on command. We then proceeded to try to get a picture of him smiling.

He was uncooperative.

Even though we were very hilarious.

He put up his best effort to keep a straight face.

We eventually broke through....

thanks to Mom pouring cold water down his shirt.

I had to demonstrate how to give a great BIG smile for him. :)

We also enjoyed watching Stockton lick grandma's wool coat. Don't you just love the oral stage?

We took this picture to document the excellent fountains outside the restaurant.

I sure love these two.

Happy Birthday, Mom and Greg!

Moments to Keep

I am learning that happiness is not really about the absence of difficulty and pain in life. It seems that joy can be found in the beauties life has to offer, even when some elements of life are very difficult. I'm thankful for my dear sweet Logan who has taught me to appreciate little moments, and Stockton, who has been such a source of joy since he came to our family.

Here are a few of my happy Logan memories as of late:

While sitting at the table coloring next to me, he looked up and said (like a nervous teenager), "Mom... I was wondering... since Dad is gone at work right now... if maybe you wanted to go on a date with me?"

"Sure, Logan. What are we going to do on our date?" I replied.

"Well, we could go out to a restaurant, go to the candy store, and get a RedBox!"

Our date is scheduled for tomorrow.

Last week he came in the house chilly and red-nosed and brought me, "the last flower of the summer." It was a little purple one that survived the frost.

He required many extra cuddles last night after telling me exasperatedly that he was afraid of the fire breathing dragons. I tried to no avail to explain that komodo dragons are the only real kind of dragon, and that they don't breath fire, and that they live in Indonesia, but he was not to be consoled. His logic was that castles are real, so dragons are real too.

I finally abandoned the argument, and told him I would help him make some dragon spray to keep them away from his room. After that he felt much better.

Often when I am nursing the baby, he brings me a drink of water, unsolicited. Sometimes he brings me two, if the cup is small.

I'm sure one lonely day in my future life, I'll want to remember these happy moments. :)

Brothers

Hi Grandma,

Our other readers may be tiring of baby pictures and commentary, but we know that you aren't. These are for you.

Logan has been generally happy in his new role as big brother. The transition has gone more smoothly than I expected it to.
He makes occasional endearing comments to Stockton. One of the first was, "It is really hard being a baby. I used to be one, and I know."
Nursing is a very interesting phenomenon to Logan. Today he asked, "Mom, is the baby done milking you?"
While watching the "The Three Little Pigs, Silly Symphony" today, he politely asked,"Will you please turn off that baby's crying?"

Logan usually refers to Stockton as "brother" rather than by his given name.

Stockton usually refers to Logan as, "WAAHHH!" as Logan enthusiastically hugs, kisses, cuddles, smothers, or "helps" Stockton.

We're still working on that.

Trailing Clouds of Glory

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The Soul that rises with us; our life's Star,

Hath elsewhere it's setting,

And cometh from afar:

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home.

-William Wordsworth

10 Days Tomorrow

Stockton, today is your last single digit birthday. We thought we would document with a few pics. Please, don't grow up too fast.

Welcome to the Family

Stockton Gregory has finally arrived. He weighed 8 lbs. and was 21 inches long. Gratefully, both mom and baby enjoyed a beautiful and uncomplicated delivery.