Happy Fall!

A perfect Fall weekend.  I wish I could have recorded these two playing in the leaves.  Joe's hard work was appreciated, but maybe not as effective as he planned.  They had so much fun and were their best version of brother-sister pals.  We also went to Homestead farm to pick apples, select pumpkins, and see the animals with Mimi. Such a fun day.

Oliver is SEVEN Years Old

Oliver turned 7 today.  He has grown (in stature) and maturity so much this past year.  He is still the curious, clever, methodical, and loving boy he has always been.  But, there is a layer of maturity and empathy that is starting to develop.  He enjoys playing with his friends, Beyblade battles, matchbox cars, Pokémon, and his beloved turtles.  His favorite subjects in school are art, reading, science, and math; and his least favorite is writing.  While he does not enjoy the physical process of writing, he loves sharing his ideas and has a vast vocabulary.  He is conquering his fear of water and expanding his physical activities to climbing and bike riding.  His spirit animal is an “alien turtle.”  He is fearless with his imagination and confident in his world view, but can become shy when there is too much attention focused on him or his physical traits.  He is most comfortable when wearing his hoodie and sunglasses.  He has a relaxed (“cool”) way about him and loves one-on-one interactions.  He has an analytical mind and can sometimes get lost in his thoughts.  He will stay up all night reading books if left to his own schedule.  Oliver is a protective big brother, a loyal friend, a loving son, and an expert at turning “enemies into friends.”  I am thankful for the unbelievable collection of life events and randomness of nature that allowed for this amazing human to come into the world and moreover to be one of the best things to ever come into my life.  Happy Birthday Oliver!

Adeline Turned Two (in December)

Oh, did I forget to mention that Adeline turned two (and Meghan turned 27) back in December....

Little Climbers

Oliver has started to take an interest in climbing.  Since Adeline will try anything that Oliver does, she is showing a willingness to try it too.  Oliver was recently invited to a birthday party at a local "Go Ape".  To my surprise, despite the pouring rain, he braved the 20 foot high ropes course and had the best time, including his first zip line!

Our Girl

Sometimes if Joe is wrestling or tickling the kids and Oliver is feeling especially protective, he will say, "Dad, don't mess with our girl!"  She certainly is our girl.  A bubbly, sassy, full of joy girl that is an essential part of our little family.  She loves to sing, write, and go to the coffee shop.  She is independent and tries her best to keep up with her big brother.  She is so generous with her smiles, hugs and love.  She is our Adeline, our girl.

Summer Fun

It has been a great summer so far.  Hard to believe that there are only a few more weeks left.  Oliver has participated in his first summer of day camps.  Fortunately, he has loved most of the camps (Lego, Multi-sport, Coding, Spy, and more), and it has been a lot of fun for him.  Adeline's school offers a full summer program, so it was not much of a change up for her.

Last weekend we took the kids for a long weekend to the Bethany Beach.  They loved the family time, ocean, boardwalk, and hotel pool.

Sharing a few summer pictures below.  And yes, Oliver's favorite clothing item, sun or rain, is the ever present hoodie.

Last Day of First Grade

Ready for Camp

Summer Strolls

Big Brother

Swim Class Buddies

Beach Babies