Haunted Gingerbread House

Paul and Will brought this kit home the other day and we worked on it together. Here is the haunted house BEFORE we put on the black frosting highlights. Once we added the black frosting, it became a real nightmare for all involved.

Biking on a Gorgeous Eve

Hands

Jasper loves to examine his hands and feet, wiggling them and moving them while under close scrutiny.

Eureka!

Over the past few months this little fellow has been making more and more progress towards becoming a thumbsucker. I really can't believe it. He prefers his left thumb which to my hopeful mind is assuming this means he will be a lefty like his mama.

Sucking the Marrow out of Summer

On the last day of summer vacation Will and I went hiking and picked a bucket of blackberries for a homemade gluten free pie. Honestly, it was the best pie we've made yet and did not last to the next day!

First Day of First Grade

Here he is hanging up his raincoat.

Will had his first day of First Grade on Friday. He actually didn't seem all that nervous even though earlier in the summer he informed me that he would be shy at first. It felt almost anticlimactic compared to the drama of school starting during the toddler and preschool years. I guess it would have been silly to assume he would cling to my leg as in earlier days but you never can be so sure. This time he just walked off carrying his knitting and sketchbook leaving Jasper and I staring into the doorway wondering what he was going to do next, if he would like it, if he was "prepared" enough, etc.

We missed him horribly too! Jasper was actually very fussy all day and I was feeling pretty fussy myself without Will to inspire outings and activities. Jasper and I are going to need to find a new rhythm at home together that will hopefully include some quiet uninterrupted naps and nursing sessions.

When Will returned home we drilled him thoroughly on his every single moment of first grade. He told us about his first lessons from his mentor (although he insists this is a "mental") Oscar and the first Great Story that he has been waiting since last year to hear about the Formation of the Earth including the explosion of a volcano. Will was so excited about the volcano he drew several pictures of it for us and later told us some of the details of the story like how many earths can fit into one flame of the sun!

He said that even with 72 children around his age, he didn't have anyone to play with on the playground yet. Instead he said that he "followed around a boy and a girl" until they asked him politely to leave them alone and they would play with him on another day. He shrugged when he said this and then said that he opted to go down the slide over and over which was near to where the two kids were playing. Paul and I laugh at this. We have watched Will very carefully as he acquires friends. He tends to do things like this... just hang around another child and then he might copy something that they do or make a sound or something until next thing you know he has acquired a gaggle of friends to play with and never wants to go home. I asked him if he was worried that he didn't have anyone to play with on the playground and he said confidently, "No, I always make friends."

A few interesting new things that Will mentioned:

1. He has a pencil now that is blue and engraved with his name on it. This is huge. Oh, the pencil is now taking a prominent position in his classroom experiences as he will use it to record his activities and do all the writing that comes along with an elementary education. He also needs to be responsible for it which I began talking with him about but it will be VERY interesting to hear about the day he missplaces his pencil.

2. They have a snake in his class and his friend Greyson fed the snake a mouse on Friday which Will watched very carefully. He told us that after the snake swallowed the mouse the little tail was hanging out the side of the snakes mouth.

3. He has chorus class once a week which should be fun. I already am amazed at how much singing we do at home. Jasper loves it when we sing to him.

4. Soon the class will hatch salmon fry and release them in Pipers Creek. This is so delightful to both of us because Will and I have planted trees for salmon along Pipers Creek and we also watch the salmon make their way up the creek each fall. It would be so fun to imagine Will's little fry making their way back to the creek for spawning next season.

Jasper wasn't entirely sure about all the things Will was telling us but he listened intently, competed occasionally for airtime, and then laughed hysterically at the end with true delight that his brother was now home to play with him.

Four Months

Jasper is at 95th percentile for weight and height coming in at 17 lbs, 7 oz and 26 1/2 inches long. This was before a feeding so he might have been more had he had his second breakfast! The pediatrician tells me that most babies his age only eat around 4 ounces of milk in one feeding (one ounce per month of age) so I felt pretty prepared to leave him last night for my first "Mom's Night Out" with 8 ounces of milk in the fridge. Ha! He drank the entire bottle before bed and was pleading for more milk! Paul was able to get him to bed using a pacifier and some bouncing apparently but it is clear that this guy eats twice his fill compared to his other baby counterparts.

Interview with Brother

What do you think of your little brother? He is a very talkative baby and I like to play with him.
His favorite thing to do is to drink milk. I like to read books with him. I like playing with him unless he whines. He likes it when I sing to him.

What is your favorite thing about him? Being able to play with him. His baby talk is the funniest. His tiny hands are the cutest.

Do you think he'll ever get hair? Yes!

What do you think he'll learn how to do next? I think he'll learn how to sit up.

What do you think his favorite food is going to be? I think he'll like tiny baby sandwiches.

What color do you think his eyes will be? Green

What do you think he'll be when he grows up? We are both going to be vulcanologists.

What do you think his first word is going to be? Mama

Who do you think his favorite person is? Me (Will)

Are you going to have kids someday? Maybe.

First Sail

Paul and Will rode this earlier in the day. Touted as the Ice Cream Cruise...


Then later we took Jasper on his first sail at CWB.

Camel Ride!

I took Will and Jasper to the zoo on Friday and we had a wonderful time. We could not believe the things we were able to see and experience. We happened upon the walrus feeding which was just an amazing sight to see these giant animals with their fuzzy whiskered mouths just a foot from our view as they gorged on fish. Then we also happened upon the feeding of the cloud leopards. Their keeper came in with a big bowl of meat and we saw them meowing at the door like pet cats! Then when he came in they rushed over to greet him with cuddles and rubs then one of them jumped up on his back and began grooming his hair with his big wide pink tongue. The zookeeper had to stand there for a good twenty minutes while he was groomed and his hair was quite wet when it was all over. Will and I were enthralled by the entire thing and both of us agreed that being a zookeeper for the cloud leopards seemed like a lot of fun. They were so cute and loving.

Will also was also fortunate enough to ride a camel for the first time. While he was on his ride, Jasper decided to take his pacifier and settle down for a short nap. I don't think he has ever successfully accepted one before this point as he generally prefers his thumb or mama. This might be the first and last time we ever see this thing in use as he hasn't been interested in it since!





Grinning about this ice cream cone that is far bigger than pictured on the menu!

Sunny September

These are all different expressions and smiles aimed at his brother.

Cheek Report

Today I tried to fasten the chin strap of his sunhat and we encountered some difficulties...here is the latest cheek report:

Camano Island Fun

We embarked on a decidedly more relaxing "camping" experience early this week at Camano Island.

This time we stayed in a rustic cabin on the waterfront complete with real mattresses, running water, and all kinds of other amenities surrounding us like a little camp store, shuttle service from our car, and even boat rentals!


Once we moved in and had lunch, we spent the afternoon exploring our little beach community, row boating in an old wooden boat named "Will Dear", digging along the rocky shore, discovering crabs and other interesting sealife, and enjoying a delicious pesto and salad dinner with s'mores over the fire for dessert.

Jasper was such a surprise camper. I just love this guy's sunny disposition and predictability! He takes his naps from 11-1 and 3-5pm with bedtime on the stroke of 9pm. I shake my head at how easy going he is so long as I follow his schedule, feed him on demand, and keep the smiles coming.

He's really going to town with his thumb and has now discovered a "lovey" which is a soft brown owl toy that Will and I bought for him while pregnant. He snuggles up with his owl, pops his thumb in his mouth and takes in whatever adventure our family is up to next.

The day we arrived was lovely and the livery staff boasted that it was one of the first days all summer that the boats were out in the water and people were sunning themselves on the waterfront. Though Camano is in the rain shadow, they have had a grey summer too just like the rest of western Washington. To that end, I had packed a lot of long sleeves and fleece but pulled out my shorts as soon as we arrived. Yeah for sun!

Nothing Quite as Delightful as a Baby's Laugh

These days the baby's laugh is just about the most welcome sound in our home and I've finally caught a funny moment on camera. As a baby Will was not ticklish in the least and to this day I'm not entirely sure he finds a tickle unbearably funny, but Jasper laughs hysterically at just the mention of a tickle let alone a little poke in his buttery belly or kootchie under the chin or armpit.

Finally caught a laugh on camera! And why is he laughing? Well, he is sharing his basket with his friend the cat of course! Do you see that little orange fluff beside his hand?