"Hey, Mom. You can call me Cap."

Did my son just give me a pick-up line?

First days of school

It was a long-awaited day. Annie was in tears at the end of 1st grade because she didn't want to leave school. DJ was terribly disappointed to learn that he didn't start 4-year-old preschool the day after his last day at 3-year-old preschool. And when Nellie learned it was August 1st, her response was, "it's only the first? I want it to be the 30th!" I'm glad these kids like school so much! As an educator/mom, I enjoy the easy pace of summer so much that I'd probably stay there forever.

First day of 2nd grade

Classic

First day of 4th grade...Eddie really wanted to go, too

First day of 4-year-old preschool with Mrs. Tilden

Eddie, age 2

Oh, this is woefully overdue! Eddie turned two on the last day of the school year--cue "summer mode" and I never did an interview or anything. And it appears we have zero pictures from his small, impromptu party at Fitzgerald Park. I'll just describe it--trains. Lots of trains. Here are his responses to his much-belated two-year-old interview:

What is your favorite thing to play?
Choo-choos?

Do you have a favorite choo-choo?
My big choo-choos and big tunnels.

What is your favorite color?
Yellow and pink and blue.

What is your favorite food to eat?
Chicken. Elephants go "phwwwwwt." (I would have said juice and goldfish crackers and applesauce pouches.)

What is your favorite thing to watch on TV?
Choo-choos. Thomas.

Eddie had a delightful two-year-old summer. He asked every day, multiple times, to go to the park. Any park. It's his favorite place to be, other than around the train table. Seriously, I have never met a person with more single-mindedness around a particular activity. Except maybe Kevin and hunting, now that I think about it. This summer, Eddie learned that nothing terrible will happen to him if he puts his bare feet in the grass or sand. He started to like swimming. He started (mostly) sleeping through the night in a big-boy bed. With Thomas sheets and blankets, of course. He loved playing outside, mostly pushing around his Cozy Coupe, and swinging in the "car swing" that he got for his birthday from Grandma Linda.

Beginning-of-summer Eddie

In many ways, he's our same adorable Eddie. He still disappears for long bouts of time (to play with his trains) and we're often asking, "where's Eddie?" But being two has brought a whole new attitude--Eddie knows what he wants, and he'll let you know about it! And the summer brought at least one major change for Eddie--being a big brother!

End-of-summer Eddie

All about Mary Cate (as of 11 days old)

• Two perfectly cute dimples
• Faint "storkbite" birthmark on the tip of her nose
• When she's awake (which still isn't much) she's generally pretty happy and remarkably alert. When she was born, she spent her first two hours of life wide-eyed, looking around, taking it all in. 
• Because of that, we are a little worried she'll be a fire-cracker, but so far she's very easy-going.
• So smiley already! We've caught some genuine smiles starting at just a few days old, usually when we're singing to her. Eddie was the same! 
• Likes being held, and eating.
• Doesn't like getting her diaper changed, being naked, not eating when she wants to be eating. Very reasonable, really.

Welcome, Mary Catherine Wernet!

She's here! One week late, but who's counting? She is Mary Catherine Wernet - Catherine for my grandma, Mary for...lots of wonderful women on the Wernet side of the family. John worked out that she's a 6th-generation Mary! Mary Cate arrived Thursday, September 1st, at 8:12 p.m. She was 8 lbs. exactly, 21 inches long.

She's already had an exciting life. In one week, she's met most of her extended family and visited Gull Lake. She took her first bath tonight! And she's had her picture taken about 1,000,000 times...I'll try to limit this post to a few favorites.

All dressed and warm after the first bath!

Mary Cate is such a lovely, snuggly little bundle. I am treasuring every moment of holding her in these early days. There's a special, weighty sweetness knowing this is our last baby, I guess until we're grandparents! We're so thankful for this gift, particularly that God didn't agree with our decisions about being "done."