Our little lion

In preparation for our family zoo trip tomorrow, I thought it was fitting to post some picture of our little lion, Theo. These were taken a couple months back by some friends. The costume, which is the coolest, is courtesy of my sister's family.

Thoughts to ponder...

After watching communion during church today, Jack told Charles that he thought the reason that kids were not allowed to take communion was because 'moms wouldn't want their kid to have a piece of bread and a biscuit (translation: cookies which are served after church!) because it might ruin their lunch.'

Nap Time

I am not feeling hugely creative today, but still thought the following entry would be amusing for the boys to read some day - although admittedly not that amusing for the Mom today.

Theo and Jack have both been in their respective rooms for one hour. Jack, age four years and 3/4, is fast asleep. Theo, just barely two, is jumping around in his baby bed and has now started yelling 'Jack Come Out'.

So much for nap time today.

Little Mr. Theology

Yesterday in our house...

JACK: Mom - Theo just hit me with the drumsticks.
ERIN: Theo, did you just hit Jack with the drumsticks.
THEO (long pause): Je - us love me?
ERIN: Yes, Theo Jesus loves you, but that has nothing to do with whether you just hit Jack with the drumsticks.
THEO (long pause): Je - us fo - giv me?

I didn't need to ask anymore. I now had my answer. I explained to Theo that Jesus would forgive him, but that he was still in need or correction.

Seriously, he was trying everything to either distract me or escape discipline - that is two years and two weeks for you!

Happy Birthday to a Special Someone

Jack reading to Theo and Addie

Lately Jack has really gotten into reading to Theo and Addie. It is so cute to see how excited Theo and Addie get when Jack reads to them. Here is a video of Jack reading one of the Richard Scarry books on firefighting:

One small step for Addie . . .

One huge step for Mom. Today we started Addie on baby rice. Where have the last six months gone? After coming home from holiday we thought it was a good time to give solids a try. I think the boys were more excited than Addie. Jack kept asking if he could feed her, which I agreed to a couple of times. Theo kept saying 'Well Done Addie'.

While I was mixing up the baby rice, Jack was trying to be an encouraging big brother and said 'Addie, it smells so good'. Encouraging? I guess so. Accurate? I guess not. Here is a video recording her first taste.

My boys this morning...

The following conversation took place this morning after I got ready:

Theo: Look Nice Mom.
Erin: Oh Theo, do you think Mommy looks nice?
Theo: Yes.
Erin (bending down to give Theo a hug): Theo, you sure do know how to win the ladies over.
Jack (seeing me give Theo a hug doesn't want to miss out so comes charging towards us to hug/knock us both over): And I really know how to knock the ladies over.

Hmmm. Ponder that one....

To my sister and others in Missouri...

In response to my sister complaining about how stinkin' hot it is in Missouri, I told her that we were wearing sweatshirts up in the north of England on holiday. She then asked if I could get any crueler. And the answer is yes, I can actually show you what we are wearing and let you see that we are ACTUALLY freezing! Here is a video as evidence:

Happy 6 Months Adelaide!

We are on holiday this week, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to wish Addie a happy six months of being in our family. We were talking at dinner tonight about how in some ways it seems that she just arrived (in that the last six months have flown by) but at the same time it also feels as though she has always been part of our family. She is such a joy to us.

Here is a picture of Adelaide in her pushchair today. Her first trip to the beach I might add:




And here is a video taken a few days back. Basically Theo was jumping up and down which was causing Addie to giggle so we tried to get it on video. One thing we can definitely say is true of the first six months of Addie's life is that she can easily identify her brothers - they are often the two loudest ones in the room and they almost always are two of her biggest admirers in the room.

Out of the mouths of babes

When Charles came home from lunch today I told him how I had heard Addie out in the living room starting to fuss and then she stopped. When I went out to check on her, I then realized that the reason she stopped fussing was because Theo was lying down by her and talking to her. Charles and I both then started to praise Theo for how well he was looking after his sister and comforting her.

It was at this moment that the following conversation occurred between Charles and Jack:

Jack: Dad, do you know why I didn't go to comfort Addie? (obviously a little anxious about why Theo was getting 'big boy' praise).
Charles: No, why Jack?
Jack: Because Theo needs to learn how to comfort a baby. I already know how and when he goes to school some day I don't want the teacher to ask him how to comfort a baby and him to have to say 'I don't know, I have to go ask my big brother'.

HILARIOUS. I have often used the above 'explanation' when explaining to Jack why he should let Theo do certain things. For example: Theo, what does a cow say? And then too often Jack pipes in so quickly with Moo that Theo doesn't get an opportunity so I then explain to Jack that we don't want Theo to go to school some day and not know what a cow says, but instead has to tell the teacher that he will go ask his big brother before giving the answer.

So I suppose I am to blame for this exchange above, but it is too funny to hear it come out of Jack's mouth unprompted and for such a funny reason.

New pics of Adelaide

Addie is at such a fun age right now. Here are some new pictures of her (and some of her favourite people!)

Great Pictures

Our friend Armando has the best camera and takes the best pictures. We are so happy when he comes to visit for 2 reasons: one, because we love him and his family and two, because we get pictures like these.