Wonderful weekend

Great weekend. My 29th birthday was Saturday - we had family pictures taken (no sharing yet, we are using them for our Christmas cards!) and William was such a good boy.

We went to Carlisle's Fall/Arts Festival afterwards - it was warm and sunny, such a nice change in a very dreary past month.

William got a balloon, so he was, of course, joyfully occupied for hours.

We had a relaxing weekend - I had a photo shoot but it was postponed - and Esch didn't have to study AT ALL on Saturday, so we watched football, had yummy food... it was great. Much needed family time.

Today is Nanna's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Nanna/Mom! :)

We love you!

Love that rascally look!

We have a fun week this week - going to a pumpkin patch with our playgroup for a hayride and to choose our pumpkin, and this weekend Esch & I are going to Philly for a wedding. Can't wait for a fun date night!

It's fall!

Today is September 21 - bye, bye, Summer!

We're still playing outside most days, and it's still pretty warm besides a few chilly mornings and nights that felt like a preview of things to come.

Batting practice in the backyard

Boy's best friend

Looks like he's about to call his shot!

We still hold the barrel end of the bat most of the time.

He does pretty well for hitting with the handle!

...and now, just words

Daddy is out of town tonight I had you all to myself for bathtime and bedtime.

No reason to rush, so I laid in your bed with you reading for longer than usual, and we talked. I love that we can really talk now. I love finally knowing what you're thinking about.

After we read books about bunnies and tractors, you gave me a "nose kiss" (eskimo kiss) and thought it was funny to look at my eyes very closely. All of a sudden you said, "Green eyes," and I wasn't quite sure I'd heard you correctly. "What, honey?" "Green eyes," you said again. Why yes, William I do have green eyes. Aren't you a little flirt!

As if that wasn't enough to make this Mommy melt, a minute later you told me you loved me. This is the second time you've done it - earlier this week was the first. We were in the kitchen in the middle of the day, and I asked if you wanted a snack. You smiled, looked at me, and said "Youuu, Mama" and made a shy little smiley face. It might sound silly, but your Daddy and I know. That's how you say "I love you." We've been trying to get you to pronounce "love" for months now, but it's a hard word. But there's a certain inflection and a certain way you say "Youuu" when it's part of your "I love you," and you've said it to me twice now, out of the blue and totally unsolicited.

I handled the kitchen "I love you" pretty well, but tonight while we were talking about our day and you suddenly told me, I'll admit that I teared up immediately. My little sweetie.

Of course, in true boy fashion, the moment quickly passed and your little brain jumped on to thinking about the alpaca farm we went to today. "Funny pacas," you said and made yourself giggle. "Funny pacas eating. William... Mommy... feeding. Paca farm. Farmer feeding."

You are so grown up.

Youuu, William.

Just pictures

Fun day touring an alpaca farm with our playgroup, followed by some William-Mommy time watching the ducks at the park.

Rainy Day

More to come later - some cute tales to tell, but while you're napping, a few snapshots of our morning today.

We were supposed to have a playdate at the park, but - SURPRISE! - it's raining. Again.

So we made Rice Krispie Treats, much to your delight. You spent about half an hour putting the marshmallows in the measuring cup almost one by one (eating a few along the way). You absolutely loved dumping the cereal, stirring, watching the butter melt. Perhaps the biggest hit was "gently patting" (a.k.a. whacking repeatedly) the treats with a spatula. We made a huge mess and you were so proud. You kept saying "Show Daddy."

I think Daddy and Mommy might be the only people on earth who would dare to eat these. I think your little fingers personally handled each and every morsel.

:)