The first 6 weeks

Something sweet to start your weekend off with.

Lee, about 1 week old

Around 6 weeks old



Happy Saturday

A surprise day trip

My favorite weekends are when we decide to pack a picnic and drive somewhere. Sam surprised us with a day-long getaway to York River State Park, a coastal estuary, where freshwater and saltwater join together to create a very unique environment. 

It was beautiful and satisfying.

We saw an eagle, vulture, small crabs, fish, we were warned about a big black snake on the trail (which we fortunately did not run across), and encountered lots and lots of bees. Normally one is not impressed with a bee sighting, but this was a special circumstance. You could not touch anything on the path above -- there were hundreds upon hundreds of bees everywhere, very busy at work.

American Beautyberry were everywhere

Look closely and you can see the small crabs

The artist and her palette 

Lee, 2 1/2 weeks old

I'm getting the itch to get out and go adventuring again -- maybe it's my turn to come up with a surprise destination.

Nablopomo

So, it's National Blog Posting Month, also known as Nablopomo, where you post at least once a day for the month of November. 

It's day 8 and this is my first post. Better late than never, as they say.

September and October have blown by in a flash. I experienced that eerie feeling this morning, the one you get when you drive somewhere and you have no recollection how you got there, but you made it all the same. Well, we made it to November...I have a preschooler, a 2 month old, and a now 2 year old at home, and I'm just not quite sure how that happened.

Fortunately the pictures remind me of everything that's happened since Lee was born, and I'm grateful for the ability to capture these moments, and even more grateful that I can share them with you. 

She dressed herself, by the way.

Sam took us to Ashland Berry Farm for my 36th Birthday in September. 

36? What?! 

Hmmm. I wonder what Quentin is doing?

It was "carry out all of the pumpkins you can for $20 day," and while I was worried that it would feel a little like the Hometown Buffet, we actually had a great time, and laughed at all of the men trying to make it out of there with pumpkins practically stacked on their head. 

We made it out with 7 pumpkins.

Sam was very disappointed that he didn't make it out with 9 when he realized he could have held the stalks of 2 more pumpkins in his hands.

Now that would have felt a little more like the Hometown Buffet.

A sneak peak at tomorrow's post

Oh Baby!

Since Lee was born, Ada and Quentin have taken to bickering, fighting, whining, and doing everything possible to make our heads want to explode. 

They, however, show the utmost tenderness, care, and endless love for their baby brother -- for now at least!

When Quentin was a baby, Ada used to talk with him in the sweetest, high-pitched voice, by saying something nice and following it up with a, "Yes, yer are!"

Now it is Quentin's turn to say such sweet things to his baby brother, which is an affectionate, "Oh baby!", usually while patting Lee's head.

Here he is giving "Oh baby!" a tad of a silly twist. We love it.

The Schwartz Kids

Snug as a bug

Never imagined I'd be hanging out at home with "my boys"

Date night with Dad -- Finding Nemo in 3D

Richmond Folk Festival/Craft Fair

First field trip at school -- Mom got to tag along

Beautiful boy

The Line Leader

When my friend, Michelle, from Tucson was here after Lee was born, she did mini photo sessions with each of the kids (most of the pictures she took of Lee are in the previous post). 

Michelle had a hard time making it through Ada's session (she was laughing a tad hard at the posing). 

The pictures were taken after Ada's first day of preschool -- she decided what she'd planned to wear the next day, and wanted to model it for all of us. Her hair had been up in a pony tail, hence the wild style below. When I picked her up from her first day at school, half of the pony tail was in, the other was out. The teacher commented, in a reassuring tone, "Don't worry about her hair. She had a great day!"

One of the parents said to me the other day, "Oh, your daughter is the one with the hair." 

Yes. She is all mine!

Getting Ada to talk about school is like pulling teeth. As far as we know, they eat lunch, play on the playground, and take a nap. We randomly found out today that she was designated as the "line leader" this week, leading her classmates to lunch, to the potty, to the sink to wash hands, to the playground, and any other activities that require an orderly line of students. 

We got to hear all about it tonight at dinner. 

She is pretty proud of herself. 

I mean, doesn't she look like a line leader?