Gettin' Out

Get ready. Lots o' pics to catch up on.

We spent a few hours at the high school Amy attended:



Elsie was speedy, despite her poor choice of race footwear:



Declan liked Lane Four, for obvious reasons:

At the playground across from one of Amy's old houses and around the corner from one of my old apartments, the playground Kaleigh and Carlin called, "The Playground We Always Take Sherpa To":

Downtown P-town:




Hiking at the Chesapeake Arboretum. Before we got swarmed by hawk-sized mosquitos. I love this pic:

On the trampoline at Chez Carini:

Metalworkers from Amy's work donated this to the VA Living Museum:

Snack break during a hike at First Landing State Park:

He is the Lorax, he speaks for the trees:

See what I mean?

In the Neighborhood & at Home

Just a few photos I haven't uploaded yet.

Declan and Elise running:

And at rest:

Declan had to get a backpack for pre-K:

And guess which one he picked out all by himself? Go Hokies:

Hustling to school:

Declan very proud of both his work gloves and his work cleaning up the neighborhood:


Elsie with her new baby, named Doodlebug Baby, from the Whits:

Declan with his Papelbon jersey, also from the Whits:

Happy Birthday Fatboy!

Now... why do you hate pianos so much?

The kids got a birthday treat last weekend when one of Amy's coworkers invited us to spend the day at his daughter's house on the Chickahominy River - and on their pontoon boat. Coworker Roger, his wife Nellie and their granddaughter Mallory just love the kids and are so good to them. Pics of the day:











Can you believe how cute?




Aaaaaaand, they're out:

Well, Declan's chicken pox, which, it turns out, may or may not have actually been chicken pox, has receded enough for him to go back to school. Whew. Those kids were just going batshit crazy with cabin fever -- they're excited to be back at school. And Amy and I both have some catching up to do at work.

Elsie never got them. And I hope I didn't just curse us by writing that. Here she is coloring and playing blocks when she was home sick from school a couple weeks ago with a two-day fever:


Story Time in the Orange Chair. A favorite tradition:

Declan building castles in the bath:

Our new photography series, soon to be a traveling exhibit at major museums internationally -- Kids On Steps:


And finally, for you naturalists, a caterpillar apparently preparing to go chrysalis on our parsley:

SENIORS RULE

Today is Kaleigh's first day of classes for her senior year of college.

Did you hear that? A senior. In college.

How is that possible?

She was just telling me about Quiet Boxes in Kindergarten. She was just making her first All-Star team in softball. She was just becoming a teenager. She was just getting awards in high school.

And now, just like that, a senior in college.

I can't begin to say how proud I am, and how much I look forward to what's next for wee little Shush and her Angelbear.


I wish I could attach a photo, but she hasn't sent any to me recently and, curiously, she's blocked me from seeing photos on her Facebook page so I can't grab any. Hmmm. I wonder whatever for. I'm guessing all those photos of her studying in the library are just adorable.

Happy Birthday Dear Elsie

Yesterday was our sweet Elsie’s second birthday. It’s just amazing to think she’s two already – and yet also amazing to think she’s only two. Somehow I’m surprised by both.

It seems so recent that Amy so bravely went through another amazing birth and our little girl came into the world. The first thing the doctor said was, “You want me to braid her hair?” That day Declan came to meet her and, only two himself at the time, somehow knew something important and beautiful had happened. He was quiet, reverent and so very happy when he sat in the chair and held his sister, just a few hours old. I’ll never forget his smile. We were so bummed that Kaleigh had to miss it because of school, but we texted updates and she got the first photo. Her text reply, “Oh Dad, she’s so beautiful!”

And it also seems like we’ve packed so much in since then, so it’s hard to believe Elsie wasn’t around two years and two days ago. Amazing.

Yesterday Amy had planned a mommy/daughter day with Elsie. She had the day off from work and was going to bring Declan to school so she and ZZ could have some girl time together to celebrate. And of course, because this is how we roll, in the morning we noticed bumps on Declan’s back, tummy and booty. Kinda looked like chicken pox and, though he has been inoculated, we figured the doctor should take a look, just in case.

Amy called me an hour after I got to work: chicken pox.

And so the mommy/daughter day turned to mommy/daughter/sick boy day. (It’s a mild case, by the way, and the doc thinks it might be cleared up in a few days – Declan’s not very uncomfortable.) We cancelled the dinner we were gonna have with friends and instead had a quiet party at home – with Kaleigh joining by phone so we were all together!

Sorry, we didn’t have batteries for the good camera, so I only got these from my phone: