Dressing Up

My trick or treaters this year:

While Mom & Dad attended a fancy dinner at the Biltmore for ASU Homecoming:

And then Sunday night the boys handed out candy at our house. They loved it! Their costumes? Old shirts of mine that I intended to make into a quilt (yeah right!) and now serve as darling nightshirts. My first t-ball team, my first year at girls camp, and my junior high softball shirt that has my nickname on the back (Bookworm). They let me be the manager since my skills weren't quite up to snuff.

Roley Poley Pictures

Somebody is Mama's big laundry helper. Roley can feed himself, which is a necessary skill for a third child - they don't get much attention.

My monkey sleeps on his monkey. So cute.

Roland's first time in the tub with his brothers. It was kind of scary for Mom. He loved splashing in more than two inches of water though; I couldn't even get him to look up at the camera.

All dressed up for church, but headed for Daddy's modem & router. Cords are such fun to chew on.

The Middle Child

There is so much going on with Alden lately, and Roland is always hitting new milestones - poor Emmett is getting left in the gap. So here's a post dedicated entirely to my mischevious middle son, cute monkey-face and all.

Mr. Chocolate face there is a result of Emmy finding my stash of extra yummy and expensive hot chocolate mix. Of course it was the day after I bought it and he spilled the first half of it all over the car. I guess he has good taste. Notice the scissors in the background that he used to cut it open more, and the magna doodle pen he was using as a spoon.

Emmett loves his cousin Jaycee - sometimes a little too much. They are only a year apart and are destined to be good friends.



Emmett wanted to be all buttoned up in a coat I found and was storing away for next winter. Even though it's like 80 degrees in our house and he only had a diaper on underneath.

This blue jumpsuit was made by my sweet grandmother, who passed away last fall. She made it for me, when I was two. It was also worn by all three of my younger sisters and both of Emmett's girl cousins. I think he's masculine enough to pull it off, even though it was pretty tight in the crotch.



Emmett spends a considerable amount some time locked in his room for time-out. Once I went in to get him and found him in this dresser drawer. He was fully reclined, sucking his thumb, and just hanging out with his blanket. He loves that duckie blanket.

I took this glamour shot after Emmett helped himself to my mascara. He often watches me put on makeup, and I am just trying to remember that saying about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. I'm just glad he didn't get it in his eye.



The first day Alden had preschool Emmett was sick. The baby sleeps during that time, so Emmett & I had some snuggle time on the couch. I finally convinced him to take some Tylenol and he drifted off for a 30 minute nap. I hate it when my kids hurt.

Emmett wore underpants for the first time. He is doing quite well on the potty training, but we are pretty passive around here. He's only 2 years old (and 3 months) so we have plenty of time. But he uses the big potty quite regularly and sometimes I put underwear on him for 20 or 30 minutes at a time, when I think he'll be clean & dry. He's very proud of his Elmo underpants.




I love my Emmy!

More Photos

Man, it's a party at our house all the time! These photos (some by Alden) were all taken when some of our favorite people came to visit. We love Candice & Jaycee & Aunt Bev!

I love the last shot of my boys with my Mom & Papa - we don't get to see him enough!

Some Random Photos

One potty trained and one on the way! Emmett is doing quite well,
considering he was only two in May - here's hoping!

Here are my handsome boys after their Sunday morning haircuts.

Emmett loves to push this stroller around, usually without anything in it, and runs it into as many people and walls as he can. Here he actually has the baby, added one shoe on the wrong foot, and his brother's backpack. Then he said, "I go shopping." He's my son.

The boys chilled on my bedroom floor while I changed sheets. They insisted on hunkering down under the covers to watch a movie - despite the seemingly 90 degrees in our house.

My cute Roland as he rolls himself over. He seemed a little bit startled.

Week in the Pines

Our family headed "up the mountain" to Pinetop Lakeside last weekend to spend some time with Aaron's parents and sisters. Aaron flew home on Sunday but the boys and I stayed all week, getting back yesterday evening. Here are some pictures and highlights of the week.

We had a great time.... during the days. The nights were pretty hard on me - I haven't gotten this little sleep since Roland was a newborn. We are glad to back to our own house, with a locked, dark room for the boys to sleep in. We put them to bed at 7pm last night and didn't hear a peep until 7:30 this morning. Ah, bliss! If we could move our house up North, we would - it is so beautiful there and we love being around Aaron's family. A huge thanks to all of them for so much help the last week - the boys love their Nana & Papa, and Auntie Mette, and Candice's family too!

Swimming Lessons

We recently finished two weeks of swimming lessons. I did the mom/tot class with Alden when he was nine months old, and nobody has taken anything since then because I always had two kids under three. Finally Alden can move up to the bigger class. Of course, I still have Roland, but we signed up for evening classes and Aaron stayed home with him. Swimming four days a week with little boys was a bit much for me, but luckily we missed a day each week. Still fun and worth the low price of $20 each. I debated putting swimsuit pictures of me on the internet, but whatever - I swim with my sons, cover your eyes if they start burning.

Catching Up With Some Pictures

I haven't been posting much here because every day tends to just run together when you have a newborn. I just try to get through everything and still manage to enjoy some of the time with my husband and three boys. Thought I'd post some pictures of any happenings over the last few weeks.

We had most of Aaron's family over to watch the Super Bowl. It was lots of fun, even for those not as interested in the game. The Bairns generously provided dinner for everyone before the game, and then brought the entertainment - Baby Jaycee! Emmett is completely taken with his cousin and often asks for her by name. He loves to hold her and this Sunday tried to imitate Mom by carrying her in the Snugli - luckily Uncle Stephen was around to help out.

The boys ask to hold Baby Roley often - they only last about 15 seconds though. Good thing Auntie Mette could hold Roland for hours, which she has often, giving me a break. She even gave him a bath one day.

Last Saturday we had Blasnek & Rhoton visitors. Abby & Brooklynn were excited to meet their new cousin and even held him for a bit longer than my boys have. Ma'am and Grampa are tired out from all the babysitting they've been doing lately.

Does it seem like Nana and Baby Jaycee are here a lot? They are - and Candice too, of course. I'm so glad they will all grow up together.

More Pics And Visitors

Because we love and adore this baby... we (I) can't stop taking pictures. I'll try not to be posting them all the time, get's a little boring for everyone else. But Roland is enjoying life and meeting all his new family and friends.

The Bairns, Emmy & Ma'am, Great-Gram & Aunt Cheryl

The proud Papa!