O Canada

Of course, we're good patriotic citizens of 2 countries. And Spencer and I, at least, are quite fond of blowing things to smithereens. Which made it a bit odd that we managed to spend Canada's national holiday home in Chicago, and the 4th up north of the border, with no fireworks either day.



However, Spencer and his Nana did manage to conjure up a patriotic cake:

And, before dinner, after grace, Spencer added the pledge of allegiance. Plus, after we watched the DC fireworks later that night, he exuberantly announced "Those were the best fireworks I've seen in years!" Always good to have your 4-year-old getting nostalgic about years past.

Lots of baseball. Teddy and Lizzie are getting to the point where they really want to play ball.

Of course, mostly they just sit on Mom's lap and cheer on their big brother.

Plus: the cottage! Every minute not spent fishing is clearly a waste of time.

The morning I made it out on the boat with the guys, Spencer caught 12 fish! Of course, Poppa put the worm on the hook, and cast, and unhooked the fish. But Spencer reeled like a pro, and once he held a fish, until it flopped out of his hand!

And the kiddios pretty much played and charmed their way back and forth across southern Ontario.

Spencer had a quick ride in Uncle R's ATV: (um, not Teddy. This pose was just for photo purposes!)

Out at the campfire, before bed. The bug spray was extremely important.

Woah, who is that?

And the tradition of wearing funny hats in Ontario continues:

June

I have to admit, June in Chicago wasn't the meltingly-hot time it often is. Which was fine. Really, the only disappointing bit is the large number of cute outfits for Lizzie almost never got worn: the twins pretty much both shot past the 9-month size, and I think it rained the whole week the outfits might have fit.

Last week we had the 9-month checkup (2 weeks late, actually.) They're both good-size babies now, switching from the special high-calorie formula to the regular stuff. Lizzie is a solid 20-pounder, and Teddy is catching up, at 19.5. Their height impresses me more, actually - Lizzie is 29 inches long (75-90th percentile!), Teddy is 28.5, but big brother Spencer was only 28 inches at that age! So we're officially ignoring the 5-week-preemie status now - on to worrying about other things.

Finally, photos!

Here's Grandma and Teddy, in the last pic from May's visit:




Lizzie, then Teddy, on the swing:

This chair is no longer a safe resting spot. Also, note the long sleeves - it's freakin' summer!

On the floor rolling all the time now:

Bathtime - I've since stopped using the seats:

At Spencer's graduation - from the first year of pre-school. Yes, it's possible there are a few too many commencements for kids these days. But it was a cute ceremony.

We had our floors refinished, and so spent a week in the Hyatt downtown (used Priceline for the first time - the room rate was great, but the hotel's fees for parking and sundries were not.) Chicago was the kids' oyster - however, it was a rainy, grey version of Chicago, which wasn't nearly as much fun.

Plus, Teddy's first two teeth led to lots of this:

Good thing he's cute. Because seriously, kid. There's no way that growing teeth hurts more than childbirth.

Good sleeper:

And the big kid (plus a change in hotel). Who spent a nontrivial portion of the week wanting to go home, and when we got home started complaining that he missed the hotel.

Bed head:

They don't match too often. At least when they do match, it's in outfits that are 2 months out of date. We can't have too much fashion in our household.

Back home.... ooh! a cat!

A rare sundress-worthy day. When I put this on Lizzie, her big brother said, unprompted, "She looks like a princess!" I guess they're teaching princess clothes to them in preschool? (I was going for a woodland fairy look, actually. But, you know, whatever.)

The guys, hanging out on the sofa:

Now the twins are sitting and rolling and scooting and there's no keeping them still. And no counting on anything left on the floor remaining uninvestigated.

Yep, it's time for the baby gates.