birthday day

And now he is four! He gets bigger and wiser and more thoughtful every day. And when he grows up, he wants to be the tuba player in the Santa Claus parade. He will play football on the other days.

We love you, Henry, and your aspirations. You make us so happy.

birthday bike

For his birthday, Henry got "some other kid's bike." (ie. We bought it used off kijiji. It is in very good condition but, somehow, he could still tell.)

birthday golf

It's birthday weekend here and we took the kids to glow-in-the-dark mini-golfing to celebrate Mr. Henry. We quickly learned that glow-in-the-dark mini-golfing is TERRIBLE and we will never go again. The music was SO LOUD and the colours were SO BRIGHT and I have never been to a rave but glow-in-the-dark mini-golfing is, I'm pretty sure, exactly the same.

Anyway, the kids had fun and (last row of pictures) learned an important lesson about what can happen when you run around when over-stimulated after leaving a rave/glow-in-the-dark mini-golfing.

thievery

We stole these leaves off our neighbours lawn so the kids could jump in them. Probably the neighbours didn't mind?

happy birthday bob and larry

... or Annie and Henry, as we prefer to call them. We celebrated Annie's belated birthday and Henry's upcoming birthday with all the Kantors yesterday. They are fun to celebrate, those cutie-patoots, and had a great time at their party. So we're leaving the decorations up for Sunday - Henry's actual birthday - and it feels a bit like a circus in here (both because of the decor and the behaviour of children).

beauty rest

Today Annie chose to do her hair instead of have a nap. Time well spent.

admirers

Miss Clara has a few.

first day - henry edition

Joe's not the only one going to school around here. Henry started preschool today... he will go two mornings a week. I got to go with him on Tuesday morning, but today was his first day all by himself and, though he said he was a bit nervous and that he might miss his kitty, he did great and he had A LOT to say during our suppertime conversation about everything he did and whose birthday it was and who he played with and songs he sang and backpacks kids carried and the colour of the playdough and rules for going to the bathroom and where the paint table is and and and. So school is good, says Henry. The end.

miss rachel

Thanks for your visit! We are always so glad when you are here. And you are an excellent baby-snuggler.

one bathroom

Many kids. It can get pretty crowded.

one month

daddy's home

She likes when Daddy gets home from work. Don't we all.

grade one

Well, we stayed up for two hours past bedtime last night, trying to calm a crying Joe. What part worries you most about starting school, Joe? Just get the words out and maybe it will go away.

"Every part."

Well, those are a lot of parts.

Eventually, he tangled his fingers up in mine and drifted off to sleep. This morning he was dragging his feet, kept on the saddest face while we waited to meet his teacher, and then shuffled away with drooping shoulders when he joined his classmates on the walk to his classroom. And then when we went to pick him up... the smiliest boy.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

Phewf. Thank goodness.

"And tomorrow is going to be even better."

even more clara

I felt like I wasn't taking enough pictures of Clara, compared to, say, our first child, so I'm on a mission to catch up.

and thank you, too

Thank you, Tante Cheese, Mr. Phil, and Emilie, for coming to visit and to meet Miss Clara. She likes you a lot. And her mommy promises once her life becomes a little less crazy and a little more organized (will it?), she will prepare a meal for you and not just serve you crummy loaf.

I stare at her while she naps

Clara has been particularly blessed in the cheek department. Also, she has cute toes. All lined up like peas in a pod.

my baby sitter

Have I mentioned that Annie likes Clara? A lot.

(Also, that's Annie's bedhead. She just woke up from a nap.)