Living the life

Look closely, and you can see the biggest kid of them all, with our two oldest sons, riding his tractor mower, doing his "public service" for the weekend. 

Our fish

The Artist has Emerged

Arjen made a smooth transition to his new school, our neighborhood elementary school Delta View.  He doesn't say much about it, but seems to be happy every day when we pick him up.  He enjoys getting to ride his bike or his scooter to school every day.  After about a week or two there, he came home with a picture he drew of a windsurfer.  The next day, he came home with one for Dad and one for Mom.  I think we may have found our new living room art! 

Rockin' the school uniform

First day of school, Part 2

The Creation Lab

Have I mentioned yet how much fun these two are having rediscovering all of their old toys?  They decided one day that they needed to build a factory for building creations.  Much to their dismay, we were fresh out of large cardboard boxes and we didn't have enough of any blocks to build something big enough they could crawl into.  They fortunately settled for the suggestion of building a fort out of the dining room table.  This became the "Creation Lab."  They hunkered down with a box full of random legos we'd inherited, and set to work...day after day, night after night...

Feeding the animals on Valentine's Day

Our Valentine's Day this year involved an impromptu trip to Tilden Park to feed the farm animals with Sloane! (And Brian and Shannon of course)

Before we left, we paused to enjoy the view from home.  Despite being overcast, you could really see the Sierras clearly! (Just not as well with an iPhone camera picture)

Then looking west from Tilden Park you could see all the way across the Bay!

(Pardon the car parked in my shot!)

Four years later, and Arjen has no fear walking up to feed the cows.

Nope.  We don't know the kid in the gray.

Sloane is almost exactly the same age Arjen was last time we were here!

Okay, so I knew Aotis was dressed in the requisite Oshkosh overalls for visiting the farm, but I honestly had no clue that I had dressed him in the exact same outfit as Arjen almost exactly four years ago!

Aotis-12 months, Arjen-15 months

The only downside to taking pics at the farm, is that you get everyone's backs all the time!

The littles were looking for someone to come play with them!

Cousins!

Once Aotis was let out of the stroller, it was impossible to get him back in.  This kid has definitely decided that walking is best!

After we left the farm, we had some lunch, had some playground time, then said bye to Sloane and fam.  Since we were so close to the old 'hood, Andrew and I decided we'd go for a Sunday drive - hoping we'd knock three kids out in the process.  We succeeded.  And being Valentine's day and all, I had to stop and "shoot" the roses.  These are what's left of the dozen roses Andrew gave me for Valentines day four or five (?) years ago.  It was sad to leave them behind when we moved, but at least they're still there! 

Hikin' the hills

Now that we've settled back into life at home a little better, it was time to go explore the hills!  Let me just officially apologize to my parents for all of the whining and complaining I did as a kid when it came to hiking - at least up Mt. Lassen.  Arjen was all fired up for the hike.  Actually, initially both kids were.  They packed backpacks with snacks and water, but I had to advise Arjen that the 4 books he wanted to bring could probably stay home.  Aotis had no complaints being stuffed into the hiking pack.  So off we went.  Less than 5 minutes in (which was all downhill mind you), Gus had already decided he wouldn't be able to make it up the hill we were going to explore.  Thank God for easily molded and persuaded and distractible young minds, because we somehow were able to keep Gus going for what ended up being just under a 2 mile hike.  

Pointing out the Sierras (which unfortunately didn't show up in this pick)

Having fun with the Panoramic setting

Aotis's first adventure in the pack.  He was pretty okay with it. 

Arjen and Andrew were leading the way pretty much the whole time.  Gus was most definitely pulling up the rear...until we started to head back downhill towards home.  Then he magically got a second...third...fourth? wind and took off! 

Gus way ahead, then Pole-dog, then Andrew, and now we see Arjen

I guess after a hike that rough, you get so tired you forget to put your pants back on before crashing hard on the floor.

Happy first year of life Aotis!

So, with the actual birthday and Super Bowl party just a week after moving back home behind us, I can focus on just this guy!  

Following in his oldest brother's footsteps, this guy pretty much decided walking sounded like a good idea after his birthday celebrations had passed.  He had taken as many as 5-6 steps to this point, but in the week following, he has pretty much become an official "toddler".  Such a bittersweetness for this mama! 

Showing off his free-standing skills

 In addition to walking, he has turned into a total climber, getting on top of and into any and all surfaces/boxes he can.  It's impressive and frightening all at the same time.  But somehow, we've managed to already teach him how to safely climb down, so for the most part, he has actually done really well both with climbing up as well as climbing down.

So proud of himself for getting into an empty suitcase (so much unpacking left to do!)

 And the 12 month "photo shoot":

Cause why would you sit on a chair when you can stand?

So Big!

Not so into sitting still

Remember when he barely stretched across the width of the chair 11 months ago? 

"Yeah, I'm standing again."

Happy boy.  :)

 Not sure who's more proud here - the new walker, or the big brother.  :)

Climbing onto everything.  I give up.

He so badly wants to do EVERYTHING like those big brothers!

You used to call me on my cell phone...

 For whatever reason, this guy has figured out how to sit backwards in chairs, and he likes it!

Call me on my cell phone

 A recent development at dinner time...Andrew started making funny faces, and Aotis responded with his own.  Now every night after he's done eating, he puts his hands up to his head as a way to get Andrew to make his funny face!  It's hilarious to watch live.

 Climbed his way up to sit in the chair.

So proud of himself riding Towmater!  This guy loves being outside.  Every time I go in to get him after a nap, the first thing he does is point at the windows, as if he's asking me to raise the blinds.  It took me a few days to realize, but I now know that he's saying he wants to go out!

Well my dear Aotis, you sure have completed this family.  It has been such a joy watching you grow from a sleepy little infant into a vibrant curly haired toddler!  Cheers to your last 12 months, your first year, and you my love! 

A First Birthday (and Super Bowl party)!

Oh sweet Child O' Mine. Good thing kids don't remember their first birthdays.  This poor child had the most uneventful birthday, possibly of any kid ever, but definitely in our family.  Thankfully we at least were planning to have some family and friends over for the Super Bowl which would double as his party.  I fault myself for not being more organized and blame having just returned home 4 days prior!  He did get a special breakfast of scrambled eggs, and we put a candle in some banana slices (one of his faves!) and sang happy birthday before bedtime.  

Photo credit: Arjen Anderson

By Sunday, I was much more ready to celebrate Aotis's birthday.  Hard to believe he's really 1 already!

Twinsies in their blue and white stripes

Gus and Sophie really hit it off building with the duplos all afternoon.  His demeanor with her was hilarious to watch too!  Something he would have screamed at Arjen for, he very softly said he didn't like to Sophie.  Ah-mazing.  

We also got to celebrate this cutie pie on Super Bowl Sunday.  Charlie turned 3 this year!  Happiest kid I've ever seen while having "Happy Birthday" sung to him.  So cute

So I managed to get all Pinterest-y and make a "smash" cake for Aotis.  Healthy version and everything.  He definitely wasn't sure what to make of it all.

Keeping it cool while everyone was singing

"You want me to do what?" (Blow out the candle!)

Had to enlist the help of his barely dressed brothers (actually, pretty sure Gus was naked as a jay bird)

Par for the course for any family photo op for us these days

"I can really just stick my hands in it?"

In the end, he was so hesitant to just get in there, that we cut a slice for him.

Still slow on the uptake, but he eventually gobbled it all up, despite barely having one tooth.

Checking out all his new (and some old) birthday toys.  Thanks everyone!

The annual kids Super Bowl picture

Charlie was too busy building trains to bother with looking at the camera.  Can't blame the birthday boy!

Everyone showing their age on their fingers!

Changes are fun (and easy!) to see with a group this young.

Superbowl 2015

And since this guy ended up only having a slice of bday cake at "his party", I decided he could have some more for breakfast.  (Making up for lackluster actual bday maybe?)

Definitely more into it the second time around!