Let the vacations begin...

We started off our summer with a camping trip in the Blue Ridge mountains with some friends. It was fun, but the weather wasn't too cooperative (hailed and rained both nights). Then the kids and I were off on a somewhat spontaneous trip to visit our old stomping grounds in D.C./Alexandria. It was fabulous to be back, but it sure made me homesick. I'm not sure that I miss D.C. itself as much as the wonderful life experiences I had there (read: having Sebastian), our friends and family, and my last paying job.

Hiking in the Blue Ridge Mtns

Macon (cousin) and kiddos

Showing the tiger (in background) who's boss

Old Town -- Alexandria, VA

Our old place on Mt. Vernon Ave.

Our dear friends Jessica and Jamie with their two TWIN boys -- Soren and Asher

My old boss and friend, Dan Baum

Fatherly duties

Vids of Mia

I love Mia's facial expressions here!



Well, Mia couldn't quite sit up at this point, but she gave it a good go. (She has since mastered the skill quite nicely.)




Squeals of delight!

Mia's world

Mia's world used to be the baby swing, but now that she is 5 months old, she's graduated to the exersaucer. She spends quite a bit of time in her new space. Such is the plight of the second child.

Potty training

On his birthday Sebastian decided he wanted to use the potty now that he was three, and he hasn't looked back. Hooray!! To help facilitate this new process, I keep him naked from the waist-down when he's at home, which has provided these Kodak moments. (When we go in public, he wears "big boy underwear.")

Sebastian's 3rd Birthday!

Sebastian turned 3 on April 30th. I can't believe my little man is 3 years old!! He wanted banana muffins and eggs for his birthday dinner, which made my job easy. Then we hosted a construction-themed party this weekend for all of his little friends.

Sebastian is such a wonderful kiddo. He makes parenting look easy, and although we're entering unknown territory as he tests boundaries, on the whole I couldn't ask for a more intelligent and thoughtful person to share my life.

Waiting for Daddy to get home...