zoo wednesday!

Checking out zebra butts with Grandpa on his birthday! OK, on closer inspection, I think this isn't really them looking at zebra butts- but they did at one point today- so it remains the title.





The grand's got the bug in the butterfly tent.







What the cost of water when beauty is like the sun.







A's a gonner. Lashes anyone?

the lounge swinger

I couldn't decide if I should include lounging swinger or smiley swinger. You get both. Or, vote and I'll delete the loser.







Sammy, A and Henry and I went to the swings after dinner. We had a good time. We made a tiny movie. Maybe we'll try putting a movie on the site next!

great grandpa's 97th birthday party

Aidan and Grandpa got reacquainted and then Henry meets the oldest guy on the block for the first time. Everything went pretty smoothly. Nobody got hurt and that is the most important thing!
A & H also met up with cousins, Great Aunts and Uncles their Uncles and Grandparents and other extended family. We fought the yellow jackets for turkey and stuffing, followed by fruity goodness and passionate pasta courses then we all had cake. It was a great event. Thanks Ima and crew!

our night at the fair

So one thing became very clear- early on in our visit to the State Fair. We will never live in the country and raise farm animals. When approaching a sheep at a prepping area for the upcoming 4H competion, we were greeted with a blunt and poignant bleating. This country tune was followed by the screams of our eldest boy- and rapidly thereafter- the fearful cries of our second oldest boy. As that is all the boys we have- it leaves none to not be afraid of timid farm animals. So we will be having none of them. After calming their cries, I came to remember a similar incident last week at the Clackamas County Fair- where two frolicking piggies and their wild squealing grunts caused Aidan nearly to bust a gasket. Henry, eager to accompany Aidan on his 'fear quest' was all in at a moments prodding. Boo for us. Well, I suppose ducks are pleasant- and tiny horses don't make too much noise- but who knows. I guess it's the 'burbs for us for now.

why does babyfood look like poi?

Well, Aidan still seems into it. Of course its cereal mixed with fruit. But more times than not, lunch and dinner looks like this too. Hmmm.

carissa in the park on friday

Carissa and Hen. (check out the kid in the background!)








A's first time to the swings! He loved it!








Carissa doing kissy face at Hen to get his attention.








Carissa, Hen and Justin (Carissa's new boyfriend).








Snuggling up for a meal.

finally, a family of four

So, yesterday we got a call from Susan (our adoption attorney). Henry's papers were signed by the judge on the 17th of August. We're done. We're official. Now we just have to wait for a birth certificate- which will probably take months. But the end is in sight. Two babies in one year. Yowza.
Dear Henry- aka. Mr.Curlytop, Mr. Hershey Kisses, The Drooler, Little Fish, Ocho, The Real Mexican, Starsky, Mr. Yang, Mr. He's so Tan. Our little man of many names; we love you and we are so proud to be your parents. Thank you for coming into our lives.

aidan, king of the veggies....

Our petite cabbage has a hankerin' for some green peas at sunset. With a face like that - who could say no?

a first for hank

Henry had his very first taste of food yesterday. Yummmm rice cereal. He looks a little dissapointed don't you think? Maybe A told him all about birthday cake? Seriously, he really was into it. He chewed for a good ten minutes past the time we fed him.

aidan has a birthday

So A is a big boy now. He had his first cake, first frosting and actually got to eat those sprinkles he absconded with from Fred Meyer. Our big man got so many great presents and well wishes! Everyone spoiled him like the royal highness that he is. He didn't even melt down. He had a lot of babies to pal around with. Henry of course, and Willa and Silas and Callan and Jadyn (though she is definately not a baby) and Sammy came for the kid crew- and all their folks and friends that come attached to them! We had a few good laughs and a lot of help chopping and presenting the food stuffs I still couldn't get out on the table prior to our guests arrival. Boo for me but YEAH! for our sweet Aidan.
As you can see A loved his cake for a bit- and then I think he got a little tired of all the frosting. He looks a little goopy- but happy and he didn't choke or barf-so there you go. He can eat cake.

now i took the animal test

You're a Giant Squid!

One of the most shadowy and dark figures in your community, you
sometimes are only known by what you leave behind, and what others say of you.
With this murky and mysterious rap, you've become one of the most pursued and
pondered people of your populous. You're exceptionally large and even more lanky.
You're really into those suction cup baby-on-board signs made for cars.


Take the Animal Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

This is AWESOME! I love the Giant squid- and have done work using thier image. I'm not sure about what it says about me- but I guess I gotta take it.

a new kind of friday...

i took the book quiz...

You're Babar the King!

by Jean de Brunhoff

Though your life has been filled with struggle and sadness of late,
you're personally doing quite well for yourself. All this success brings responsibility,
though, and should not be taken lightly. Life has turned from war to peace, from damage
to reconstruction, and this brings a bright new hope for everyone you know. These hopeful
people look to you for guidance, and your best advice to them is to watch out for snakes.
You're quite fond of the name "Celeste".


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

dirty, dirty, dirty...

Aidan's been a little touchy this past week. Tired and cranky and no naps- definitely no naps. We hope that means he's growing and maybe getting some teeth- and not that he will never sleep again without having a kitten first. Tonight we tried preparing him for bed with a teething biscuit. He enjoyed the extra work and went down without much trama. This might become a nightly snickety-snack for our nearly one year old!

amazing lady....

So, Nicole and Todd are moving to Ohio. Nicole is going to get her Masters and become a famous artist. The thing is, we are really going to miss Nicole. If we didn't know Nicole, we wouldn't have our little men. Nicole introduced us to Cathy (our initial adoption attorney). So, through Nicole and then Cathy and then Susan (Cathy's business partner) we were chosen to be Aidan's and a bit later, Henry's family. That's why Nicole is our amazing lady. Have fun in O-HI-O! (Please notice that Mr. Innocent is copping a feel while looking in a completely different direction)

sweet saturday!

This morning Victoria and her mommy escaped the thunderous wrath of the Blue Angles and we all went to the farmer's market together. Toaster bread and peaches, carrots and kraut. Lovely.

Neighbor Carolyn's nifty! Oh, and she's 50- and 20 years sober. A nice day to celebrate!

Aidan reading his 'kuh'.








Now its play time! Michael and Hen looking up.

mud bugs are sure tasty at the tualatin crawfish festival.....

Yummmm, dinner!








Michael and Uncle Sean suck back some mud bugs.

Henry seemed OK with the whole sucking thing, but A's reaction is to shred all paper products in sight.

it's the zoo for us, plus two.

We are looking at the trouts! Yeah, um- this is not a fountain- please leave your change in your pocket!
Sarah and Silas came to the zoo with us today. I am terrible at documenting our guests. Boo.


Turtle love. Hop on board everybody!









It's the Meerkat shuffle.

all hands on deck for a's first voyage!

Eye- Matey- it's the pursing of the lips! (Do pursed lips sink ships?)


Uncle Arthur gets first dibbs on the bait boy. This life vest is very safe!






I guess all the guys got to hold Aidan while he was happy. Here is William putting up with our little Gilligan. I think he has an eye on our snacks. Today was also first crunchy Cheeto day!





Michael explains the intricacies of the boat's remote control. Aidan promised to tell Hank all about it when we go pick him up at the grand's.

blogapalooza!

Here is A's before. Hairstyles and photos, compliments of Sammy.








Here is Henry's before shot. AKA "Slick". Please look into these eyes and hear Barry White.







The baby wrangeler and her charges. (this is their after)







Hank stands in the disk of pleasure on the same setting Aidan uses. This boy is LONG!











Aidan is happy wearing a stripey shirt and no pants and playing on the kitchen floor with a half a plastic easter egg!