Theo's 2nd Birthday Party

We had an early birthday party on Saturday for Theo! His real birthday is this coming Wednesday. Lots of friends and family were able to come and it was one of the most gorgeous, hot days we've had in at least a week. It was bittersweet to realize that my little baby was turning 2, but it was also so wonderful to see him actually playing with his friends, enjoying the party, and being his own unique, interesting self. Being a parent is incredibly satisfying to me. My favorite thing that happened was when we tried to teach him to say, "I am 2." when asked, "How old are you?". He would say, "I'm 2.", but he didn't put up 2 fingers. When we showed him how, he thought we were saying, "Peace". Now when asked, "How old are you?" He says, "Peace." Very cute. I always enjoy his slightly skewed version of the world. His new two year old world is still filled with balls, bikes, and laughter (as well as a mild amount of screaming and being upset) and seems very enjoyable to him. Here are a few pictures from his birthday party and the weekend.

Our last week

Andy will be going back to work next Monday. It has been a wonderful, wonderful summer and we've spend plenty of time relaxing and enjoying one another's company. We will miss him terribly, but we know that the reason we enjoy summer so much is because we have a regular life during the rest of the year! Here are some highlights of our summer.

Best Buddies

Theo and Penny have actually been playing together lately. Theo will sit on the floor in front of her and show her books, toys and stuffed animals. He even shares his owl with her. He doesn't like it when she tries to grab Bernie (that's what he calls Ernie doll from Sesame Street even though we always call him Ernie and he usually mispronounces so few words). Here they are at a friend's birthday party a couple of weeks ago.

What we're doing right now

It's a peaceful, warm summer evening here in Bellingham. I just got home from dance an hour ago and Andy was out in the yard with the kids. Theo was playing baseball and Andy & Penny were swinging in the hammock. It is always so wonderful to come home from work and know that I wasn't needed or missed too much by anyone. I did a little more painting on the garage door (I will be soooooo glad when we're done. Painting is not my favorite thing in the world), ate my dinner, and fed Penny for a while. Now we're all just sitting around. Penny is playing with her new favorite toy (a stacking spindle with rings from IKEA...thanks Ballouns!) and Theo is taking a bath.

Great end to a great day!

Brother/Sister Story Time

Theo and Penny enjoy sitting in their room and "reading" together. It is pretty cute to see them sharing books, chewing on books (that's Penny), and saying the names of all of the things in the pictures (Theo, of course). I look forward to a time when they will be able to enjoy reading as much as I do. For now, I get the pleasure of reading to them is all mine and Andy's. Some of their books are beautiful, funny, or interesting. Some of them are boring and the stories don't make any sense. We have favorites (Opposite dogs, any Curious George, I know Jesus, and Time for Bed). We also have one that we think is dumb! (The Best Mouse Cookie). I love reading new books or coming across ones we have that I hadn't stumbled onto yet (we have quite a few). Let me know if any of you need a fresh supply of kids' books. I'm always up for lending or trading!