Finishing up September

Getting further and further behind on these precious photos.  Oh well!  And I will do part 2 of my birth story some day…

Snoozing

Playing with my fancy new phone!  I had finished my two years with my last phone and decided to splurge on a present for myself: the Galaxy s4.  It has been lots of fun.  All my pictures are now taken on this camera.

Handsome

Gymnastics—I have not been inspired to take many pictures, but we have been enjoying another round of weekly gymnastics classes this fall.  When I asked Joseph what he wanted to sign up for this fall, gymnastics was number 1!  It did get a little more complicated when his best bud Tanner decided to join, and Joseph went from being the only boy in the group, who worked diligently and waited calmly, to part of an … exuberant duo.  It is amazing how things change when Joseph and Tanner are together (which they are A LOT).  But we got it under control, and there is no denying they have fun!

By this time I was starting to feel healed and ready to be out and about with two kiddos.  Here we are apply picking!

It was a beautiful fall, and I was sad not to be able to go on big hikes, but we enjoyed little outings.

Some sunny days around our house

Lego night at the library.  A unusually crabby night for Nora—but we were the only ones there and Joseph was super into his creation so we stayed.

More snoozin’

Brad always likes to try out bigger kid things with little ones

Soccer!   One of Joseph’s class mates parents coached a nice little once a week soccer team in our town.  It was a small crew, but the parents were so nice and fun, and it is special doing things in our own town.  At first Joseph didn’t want to play—he had apparently gotten discouraged about soccer at his camp this summer (he was the youngest kid there in a camp that went up to 5th grade and ended up spending most of his time swimming).  Getting discouraged if he doesn’t feel super successful at something is a pattern for Joseph and something we are trying to work on it, but I did convince him to give soccer a try and he ended up loving it!

Awwww—Nora is wearing a onesie that Joseph picked out for her way back in June.  The first item we purchased for her!  When he picked it out we both agreed it would be very cute on a little girl.

At the National Atlatl Championships at Chimney Point, two towns down the road from us.

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This was still early into my experience taking both kiddos out and about (Nora was almost a month old), but it went great and Joseph was very interested in the history and science.  At this point I wore Nora in the Moby wrap very often and she loved it.  She would just cuddle up and go right to sleep.  It almost felt like she was back in my tummy.  Sadly she does not fit this way anymore.

These pictures are from that evening when we had our first outing to our local restaurant: the Halfway House.  It’s an experience.

Typical dad and baby snoozing pictures

Making apple sauce

Visiting with Jill!  Jill is expecting a baby girl in February, to join her big boy Ben, and we have been having a lot of fun spending time together.  This was when we went out to lunch after getting pedicures! 

Enjoying our playmat from “aunty Jenn!”  We use it ALL THE TIME.  Nora loves it!

Sunshine and smiles

Many pictures

Our new house—using the first app I ever downloaded (instagram)

Showing us his school work at an open house night.  This was actually in the second grade room, where he goes for most of the morning for reading.  Proud parents!

Then, a couple of days after Nora turned 1 month old, I packed her and Joseph up and we headed to Maine for the weekend BY OURSELVES.  This was a huge deal for me.  I was really hoping to be able to drive with someone, but that didn’t work out.  I went back and forth a lot about whether it was smart to attempt this on my own, but in the end I decided to go for it.  We actually had a great time and minimal problems.

Here we are in our first hotel room.  It was beautiful!

Putting my feet up while Joseph swam

And Nora dozed.

Then we walked around a bit

And then went out to dinner.

And then watched some TV.  (We don’t have any TV at our new house, so this was pretty exciting for me.)

More Nora lounging.

And Joseph cuddled up.

This pictures cracks me up—even with a huge queen size bed he squirms so much he was almost falling off.  No wonder he falls of his twin sized bed at home!

Getting ready to head out.

Joseph was VERY helpful on this trip!  He always carried Nora’s bed wherever we went.

Getting ready for the wedding.

And the ceremony!  Beautiful!!!  Marcy wore a dress of her grandmother’s (my great-grandmother-correct me if I am wrong Selma) and there rings were made out of silver wear that has been in Joel’s family for 300 years!

Family I very rarely see—my grandmother Selma and cousins Ethan and Ada

There weren’t many kids at the wedding, which was a little hard for Joseph, but he soon figured out who the “big kids” were. 

Marcy looked amazing!

A picture Joseph took the next day as we enjoyed a little time swimming at our second hotel before heading home. 

Siblings

My grandmother Selma came back to VT and we had a wonderful visit.

Bonding with Nora.

My grandmother Nora’s (the “original” Nora) sister Pat was visiting.  Wonderful to spend time with the two of them.

And leaving Lincoln I spotted this guy.