I'm walking!

I'm still not used to seeing Tess walk around. It's been a few weeks now and still seems so - I don't know - small? to be walking. She often will yell from the other room, "I'm walking!!" And then we'll hear either a little pitter patter or a boom, thankfully only seldom a crash followed by a cry.

We were walking around the dining room today and she put her sticky fingers ALL the way across the china cabinets. Then again, for good measure. I said (quietly, or so I thought), "Tess, you're killing me." And she said, "I'm killing you." Another lesson in Watch What You Say 101.

apples apples and more apples

It's apple picking season here! Well, of course we had to go. We went to this super-beautiful place overlooking Seneca Lake called Reisingers Apple Country. Tess fell asleep in the car so she and Nana missed out on the actual picking, but Finn and I had a great time. I think he ate 4-5 apples yesterday and another half dozen today, so he's feeling very healthy indeed, even after the apple cider donut-stravaganza.

Kid, check. Huge chair, check.

Relaxing on the way to the Honey Crisps. 

I love how focused he looks here

(and also his blue eyes)

(and also his little face)

(and also the scenic apple trees)

Tomorrow he's going to help me make apple crisp, and if that goes well we'll be making it every day until our 13 lbs of apples are gone!

first day of school

Finn's first day back to preschool was yesterday. He has a new classroom with a few other 3 year olds as well as 4 and 5 year olds, so it's a big change from last year but so far he seems to really like it. We all love Montessori and have no doubts that this year will be a success.

Leaving the house.

Most half-hearted wave ever. Is he 3 or 13?

(me laughing)

In lieu of a notebook where I write down the funny stuff my kids, I'm using this blog. So before I forget...

The other day he was saying that he needed some new school shoes and "maybe Mimi could order him some from babyzon.com." (Mimi - he doesn't really need new shoes quite yet.) (NOTE TO SELF: babyzon.com URL is available.)

Then yesterday I mentioned that we need a new broom and he said, "We should go to Home Depot. They have BEAUTIFUL red brooms and WONDERFUL red dustpans." I went to Bed, Bath instead but am still wondering if he was right about the Home Depot brooms?

Birthday Dreams

Finn asked me whose birthday was next and I said we have quite a few in our family (aunts, uncles, cousins) but the next one in our house is mine. This matters because it means we'll have cake.

Finn: What would you like for your birthday, Mommy?
Me: I'd like to go to a spa for the day. Can you arrange that?
Finn: You have to pick something from the Bruder truck catalog. How about a track loader?

matching dogs

Tess loves dogs. She seems to take a particular shine to dogs with similar hair color as her own. Our neighbors Robert and Michael have these two adorable spaniels (I think that's what they are?) and when they walk by she has a total cow of excitement. Not shown: Tess toddling toward the dogs. We might have this on video, in which case I'll post it!

Happy Birthday Granddad

Sometimes you just have to do the best you have with your talent, which can also be dependent on the mood(s) of your talent. I hope that despite F&T's willingness to perform this morning you'll know that the sentiment is there, and we hope you have a very happy birthday!