Violet's 5th Birthday

Oh my, can I be cliche - where does the time go? My first baby is turning into a little girl. Along with that comes little girl desires, and an American Girl was at the top of her list (damn you catalogs). So I took her to have dinner with the dolls and Tu-Tu generously bought one for her to take home. Just to digress a minute, this is one beautiful doll! As a once doll loving girl myself, I would have loved to have one of these. Everyone enjoyed themselves and Violet was delighted to have dinner with family, and the dolls of course.

We came home after to a birthday cake made by dad, who missed the fun to stay home with the babies.

Violet still seems like the child she was at 2; independent, strong willed and happy. What is so delightful now, the back and forth conversations we can enjoy with her. You know "real conversation". She is just a little charmer. She also likes having very involved discussions with all of her dolls. She often stays up late after Jack has fallen asleep, we are downstairs, I love hearing her up there chattering away to them.

She loves being a big sister and is increasing playing more meaningfully with Georgia, Ben and Dashiell. Of course, she and Jack get along like gangbusters - until they are not! It is my fondest wish that these guys grow up with an unbreakable bond - more than blood - but a shared childhood of wonderful memories (and I am sure some hard ones too, but hopefully not too many).

Who needs apples?!

Off we went, on the coldest day of the fall, in quest for an apple picking experience extraordinaire. Well we got the extraordinaire part but alas no apples. Too late in the season, over picked, whatever the reason, we missed out; not on the carnival like atmosphere though. There was a petting zoo, bouncy things, cow tractor pull and even a corn maze. The kids had a blast, the rest of us were chilly. Ben, Dash, and Georgia mostly stayed in the stroller, but during lunch got to experience a sand pit made with corn kernels instead of sand. Dad and Uncle Jim were on operation "keep corn out of babies mouths" while Aunt Sharon and myself were on put apple donuts in ours duty -oh the sacrifices!

After Labor Day, Violet and Jack started school. This is Jack's first time, while to Violet it is old hat. They both are really loving it and are together in the same class. I think it is working out well - no complaints from the teachers anyway!

Aunt Sarah takes a Furnari (not a Ferrari!)

On 8.28.10 Aunt Sarah married Uncle Mike in California. All seven of us made the trek out there and we where participants in the ceremony. Waiting on the pro pics, but these are a few we snapped. The bride was beautiful and the ceremony moving. It was officiated by Sarah's ex-roomate and he did a great job - the most personal and touching ceremony I have ever witnessed. It was at their new home, so it was very comfortable for us to be able to stay and party the night away with the kids off in bed. And party we did - to a live band! I can't believe the kids slept through it all.

Congratulations Sarah and Mike. It was a whirlwind week for us and we appreciated you guys opening your home to us (and all our craziness) during the final week of your respective bachelorhoods'.

and the first one was....Georgia!

Shortly after her 1st birthday Georgia took her first unassisted steps. This video was shot on October 12, so she was about 13 months. Now at 15 months, she is running circles around her brothers! Ben and Dash are just now (at 15 months) making real progress at becoming independent walkers. I tried to get them fitted for shoes, but both of them scrunched up their toes so much neither myself or the shoe expert could get them to relax their feet enough to get a shoe on. They say barefoot is best, but not in Chicago winter! I guess we will have to revisit the idea of shoes for them later. Meanwhile Violet had picked out about 6 that she just had to have - not. She will have to curb her inner fashionista until she gets a j-o-b!

fully loaded

Blueberry Picking

When you have five kids sucking down blueberries like they are going out of style (or season) what is one to do. Head straight to the source! Nothing like a road trip to fill up a weekend day. We pilled everyone in, and drove to the Michigan/Indiana border and picked away. The babies, and soon, Jack tired of picking hung out in the camp grounds with Dad where they were mobbed with people asking to take their picture. I think we should have started a little side business and charged a dollar a pop to fund our excursion. Ron was good natured about it. For some reason, there was all kinds of foreign tourists there that day, so I guess our kids are popping up in people's vacation photos - does anybody print those anymore?

Violet and I enjoyed the picking aspect - and thus we were spared the ogling. We ended up with about 5# of blueberries. Since blueberries are normally sold by the pint, I was a little worried what we were going to do with our bounty. Unfounded it turns out. Our little voracious chowhounds made quick work of those five pounds. I think Georgia ate 2 pounds herself!


After the hot, hot work a treat for all - except the babies - man those guys never have any fun!

Next on to apple picking.