Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Pink and Ruffles and Glitter and Bows...


Emma Jean, born May 25th


Look at our new niece! Isn't she beautiful? I can't wait to spoil her rotten.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Barn Babies, Barn Babies, Here on the Field...*

Will is an animal lover of the highest order. Dave and I have had to coach him from an early age NOT to go nose-to-nose with every dog and cat he meets, and Will talks to them with Doolittlean ease: "Sully [our neighbor's cat], I'm gonna go inside and put on my Crocs, okay, Sully? I'll be right back."

So clearly we jumped at the chance to get to a Barn Babies event at a park down the street from our house. I told Will that if he loved Barn Babies (where you get to sit in pens with lambs and piglets and hold swaddled kittens in your lap), we could invite them to our house for his third birthday party in September.






I might as well put the deposit in now, right? Here are some other shots, including Finny and Will's "longtime" playgroup friends Abby and Connor.







*Whenever I hear "Barn Babies," I can't get that "Beach Baby" song out of my head. I definitely spent too much time listening to Oldies 103 as a small child.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Housewarming

Our housewarming party was over a week ago, and we haven't had a warm day since--forget about sun, I'm talking damp and chilly, all week--in the middle of May.

We're lucky to have some great memories (and accompanying photos) to cheer us up:

 Will jumped up and down every time a new guest arrived, sometimes running around the room for good measure. It's clear nothing pleases him more than being surrounded by people he loves (who love him back).

 Finny mostly liked the food.

 Riley, "Uncle Paul," and Connor

 Abby

 Ade and Natalie
("Natalie" has become a common noun in our circle, as in:
"I just hope my next baby's a Natalie.")

 Rylan nestling in with Nikki

 A scene from indoors

 Finny, again with food in his mouth

 Finn really got a kick out of Cousin Bella.


And Will got a big kick out of "driving" Uncle Mark's truck!
 (Mark, who is also Will's godfather, just moved up for good to join his family. Welcome home!)


The truck fanaticism didn't stop there. Somehow, BFFs Will and Connor found their way in, and they were pretty excited.




 Will said he wanted to share some cornbread with Auntie Lo;
this was not what she had in mind.

 Auntie Ceci with Brendan

 Auntie Rache (the biological auntie) and Auntie AlRo enjoying my homemade sangria!

 The Power family and Uncle Ryan catch up

 Bucket seat buds: Riley and Rylan

 The playgroup moms in attendance...plus Rick!
(Including Laurie and Susan, both far right)

 Our stone wall is irresistible to toddlers--here's Bill helping Catherine walk on it--

 --and Rick doing the same with Kenley.

Dave, Finny, and Uncle Ry

Finn conked out and elected to get some rest on the kitchen floor as the party wound down.
I noted that this photo was a nice companion piece to an image of me sleeping in the limo at the end of my bachelorette party. Oh, how times have changed!

Will decided to tickle a man when he's down.
Then he decided that if you can't beat 'em (up), join 'em!

Thanks to all our friends and family who made it out; we hope to host you as often as possible in the coming years. There's a standing invite to all those who couldn't make it, too, of course!