Family Pictures

I've been wanting some new, official family pictures forever.

I finally made an appointment with a photographer.  Then I cancelled it and had my sister

take some pictures of us.  She isn't a photographer but has a really nice camera, and I think

she did a good job.  Here are some of my favorites:

A good bad picture

A bit random, but kind of fun

We struggled a bit with the pictures all 4 of us were in... :) 

 

My cuppy-cake

Lately Anika and I like to say to each other, "You're my cuppy-cake."

We love the song that Sam sings.

Notice Anika's new purse...?

Oh, wait.  That's not really a purse!  It is a paper with 3 headbands on it.

Now the green one is all stretched out.  

I found her wearing her new "purse" at Kid-to-Kid.  

What a cute and creative $10 purse :P

Anika got traced at preschool.  I figured this might be the best way to save it :)

She is sure a character!

 This is Anika's Anika cookie.  

She also got to make this at preschool.  So fun :)

We moved Anika back into her toddler bed.  It has been soooo much

better this time around.  She will even wake up in the morning,

and stay in her room reading books.

For the last month or two she has usually been calling me, "Lina."

Seth is 9 months old!

Seth at 9 months:

Weight - 22lbs 3.5oz (86%)

Length - 28.75ish squirmy inches (63%)

Head circumference - 17.9" (62%)

Seth has been a very busy boy these last few months.

He spent all kinds of time being sweet, 

perfecting his crawl,

pulling to stand everywhere,

and mastering the stairs.

Now we have to keep the stairs blocked off.  He is a champ when it comes to climbing up, but he doesn't know how to go down and doesn't quite understand that he can't just stop and sit anytime.

One of his very most favorite things is the vacuum!  I often just leave it out (usually lying down) for him to play with.  He has been known to bring vacuum attachments along to cuddle while I nurse him, and would surely take them to bed if I would let him.  Unlike some other kids, he cries when I turn the vacuum off.

Seth loves to clap, bounce, jump, and talk.  His favorite word is, "aasch."

Raspberries

Seth loves raspberries.  This time I let him try to feed himself...

(He did have a bib on, but Anika took it off.  It was COVERED in raspberry!)

So happy in raspberry up to his elbows.

You should have heard the sound he made while pulling this face.

Ha ha

Anika dancing...

....in the outfit she chose.

Anika's First Day of School!

Anika started preschool!  I know she might be a little young, but we are both ready :)

Finishing her banana.

My camera is still broken so we had a little photo shoot with my sister's much nicer camera

(although I still don't take good pictures).  I didn't really pose her for the pictures.

Most of them are her interpretation of my instructions :)

She goes Tuesday and Thursday for 1 1/2 hours and she LOVES it!

I already forgot the first show-and-tell, but thankfully she had been scrambling around putting

dried leaves and some grass in her bag while I was trying to corral her into the car.  I dropped

her off and the teacher asked me if I had remembered.  First I was bummed, but then I suggested

that maybe she could show her leaves.  When I went to pick her up the teacher told me that

Anika had been very excited to show her leaves and grass.

After we got home we called and talked to Dad/Nathaniel.  She very excitedly and

articulately told him all about it:  ABC's, songs, books, popcorn.

Smile?

She is 5-6 months younger than the other 3 children participating but she fits in well
and will be in the same year of school as them anyway.  It is a neighborhood co-op
so each mom teaches for two weeks at a time, four times.

El Cabin

We went to the good ol' cabin in Star Valley.

My camera is currently broken so these are the only pics I have (so far?) from my sister.

Our first annual water fight.

There are four coolers full of water balloons surrounding a sprinkler.

You had to run into/under the sprinkler to get your ammo.

Emma and I chasing Dave

A couple of grandkids going after Granda

Notice Anika throwing a balloon at Emily (on the left) in the next two pictures.

Good form, Anika

Anika is throwing a balloon at Emily again.  You can see me getting my dad on the right.
The balloons mostly bounced off of people, so I started squeezing the balloon as I threw
it so it would break.  You can see the water in action.

Anika getting Emily yet again...

... less effective.

I'm pretty sure Emily wanted me to put these pictures in too.