Dinner on the Deck with Dad

We have enjoyed many evenings on the deck this summer. It’s a great place to feed Evan and to catch each other up on the happenings of the day.

Chillin' with Dad after dinner

Back to School

I can’t believe that today was the first day of school and that this weekend is Labor Day weekend. Why is it that the summer always goes by so quickly? Today was my first day of school. Well, it should have been anyway. However, a few weeks ago, Bruce and I decided that I would take this first semester off to spend the time with Evan so that he would be a little older before going to daycare full time. So lucky me, I still have another four and a half months off. As I think about going back to school, I can’t quite wrap my head around it but I suppose I would have mentally prepared myself if I needed to return today. Instead, Evan and I had a quiet day, getting some things done around the house and running a few errands. I am really looking forward to the time we will have together this fall and during the holidays!!

Papa and Danny by the pool	Having fun with Uncle Dan	Computer programmer in training
Sean is tuckered out from a long day by the pool	I'm so glad you are home today, Mommy!	We are going to have so much fun this fall!

What’s New?

Has it really been almost four weeks since I last posted already? How can that be?? I guess we have been too busy having lots of fun to spend time in front of the computer putting together blog posts. I will go back and post older updates but wanted to at least get something up so that I don’t feel so far behind.
So let’s see…what’s new? Lots! Evan is now 16 weeks old and has met lots of new people…friends and family. We took a trip to Chicago so Evan had his first plane ride. We have spent lots of time with Gramma and Papa and had a fun weekend with Uncle Dan, Aunt Karin, Danny and Sean. He is an eating machine having 8 ounces, 4-5 times per day. He is starting to outgrow some of his clothes, especially those items that are short in the torso. Evan’s movements and facial expressions are becoming much more deliberate and he is getting very close to rolling over. He is beginning to outgrow his bouncy seat as he wants to be able to sit up and gets frustrated that he can’t. Evan’s laughter, smiles and generally happy disposition are the highlight of our days!

So nice to see you again after so long! Look at me standing up!

Play Date with the Cenotti’s

Today we had another play date with the Cenotti’s and are already looking forward to this fall when we will be sure to have quite a few more. All the kids had a great time and Amelia and I had lots of time to catch up while they napped. How wonderful!

Meal, Abby (aka Amelia's mini me) and Evan

Evan likes the older girls!

A staring contest with Connor

A Very Special Lady

Today Evan and I paid a visit to a very special lady, Kay Carlone. Kay is the mother of one of my good friends from high school. She is a wonderful, loving person and it was great to be able to introduce her to Evan. We had a lovely visit and will be sure to do it again soon!

Nice to meet you, Kay!

Thank you for a special visit!

In Life, Position Is Everything!

Happy Birthday Papa and Uncle Ty!

Happy Birthday, Papa!! Hope you had a great day with your two oldest grandsons!! Here is a special birthday video from your littlest one!! We love you! Happy birthday, Uncle Ty, too! It was nice to see you last week…wish we could do it more often!!

Raspberries for Papa!

Smiles for Uncle Ty!

A Little Boy and a Big Laugh

You may want to bookmark this video so that you can cheer yourself up if you are ever having a bad day! It's a little dark in the beginning before we turned more lights on, but that's when some of the best belly laughs were captured. It also goes on for a while, but it was just too hard to cut any of those laughs!

Evan’s First Summer Bash

This weekend we hosted our annual summer party in Evan’s honor. While we still had the beer pong table going, this year was a little different than years past as there were quite a few children under five years old and it was a mix of friends and family. We started a cornhole tournament (that we never finished) and introduced Evan to quite a few new people…some friends and some Kavanagh cousins. Thank you to all who came and made it a success. We will surely have more parties in years to come! It was nice to have Uncle Dan, Auntie Karin, Danny and Sean sleep over and spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with us. A preview to our trip to Myrtle Beach next month! Can’t wait!

Sleeping peacefully while Mommy and Daddy get ready for the party	Sean is a messy eater!	Look at all that hair I can grab!
The rescue heroes helping out beer pong	Nice shot!	Uh, I think it's yours Tim
Quack!	Dan setting up the cornhole tournament	Keep your eyes on the ball, Keaney
Evan and Christi	Chillin' with cousin Mark	Jen and Evan, twins in red
Keaney tickling Evan's toes	Tournament play	Dan and Nicole with 2 bags on the board
Nice backpack, Brian!	Uncle Dan and the two littlest boys	Danny sharing Fitzy with Evan

Much Improved Tummy Time

Evan gets stronger and stronger everyday. He isn’t quite rolling over yet but does go pretty easily with just a little bit of help. Here are a couple pictures of the before and after tummy time progress.

Before - June 4th	After - August 20th
Head held high!	Look at me, Mommy!

“Floating” in Papa’s Pool

This was Evan’s first time “floating” in Papa’s pool. He wasn’t too sure of it but he didn’t hate it either! I am sure he will be a little fish next summer just like Danny!

Evan's first "float"

This isn't so bad as long as I can suck on your thumb, Mom

No More Mesh Net!

A few pictures from Evan’s first bath without the newborn mesh netting that goes in his little tub. We are going to have to start giving him a bath in the bath tub pretty…he splashes water all over the kitchen!

Such a big boy!

This is pretty neat!

Look at all the room I have

Dessert at the Skarin Family Homestead

After a low key morning, complete with an eight and six-mile run for Bruce and I, respectively, we went to the Skarin family homestead for a family gathering where Grandpa Bob’s cousin, Kim and her husband Doug put on quite the spread of desserts. They live in a lovely house that has been in the Skarin family for over 80 years! It was great to hear some stories of when Grandpa Bob and Great Uncle Jim were young and the time that they spent in that house with family. When we returned to the hotel that evening, we spent some time visiting with Omi, Grandpa Bob, Aunt Kristina and Uncle Ty while Evan and Hannah slept.

"Walking" with Uncle Ty

Four generations of Skarin men

Evan and Great-Grandpa Skarin

Entertaining Aunt Muriel and Roseanne	Mischievous little Hannah!
Anna, Walter and Evan	See you in October, Grandpa!