On the road to family life?

So we have made one more step in family-dom and away from being DINKs. Behold...our first minivan. Noooooooooooo!!!!

(Actually, I total dig the van - a Mazda5 - even though it means we are transitioning into yuppie soccer mom status. And....we now have three vehicles...how un-green is that???)

I can do it myself

There really isn't much explanation needed for these pictures. It is amazing to me, that in just over a year, a little critter, I mean kid, can go from a squirmy, helpless, mushy, "being" to a VERY independent, temperamental, giggly, person. I wonder what can of worms we have opened...

Can't Retire Yet

So my friend Jessica and I went to the Antiques Roadshow last Saturday. Wow - it was soo cool. We saw lots of people and lots of stuff and some of the Roadshow "regulars." Even "the twins" were there!!! Sadly though, neither Jess nor I could retire on the wealth from our old stuff.

PS. I looked at Jessica's blog and I was kind enough to crop my fat arms out of my picture...for the full flab view, you'll have to read her entry.

Splish-Splash

I can't help but think of the line from "Flight of the Conchords'" song, Foux du Fafa when I wrote "splish-splash." It is a good description though....

These snapshots were taken on the 4th of July and were too good not to post. The little guy is taking a few steps now and transitioning into total toddler-dom. Giggles, tantrums, molars, trucks, 100% boy.

I'm surprised, with his mouth open like that, that he doesn't down a few gallons of water each time he goes swimming.

Funny kid.

Seven-Seven

My little bro, John, just had a baby girl! She is three months premature but very healthy and strong!

Here is what my dad sent:

Name: Elinor Ora Love

Born: 07/07/08 at 1:00 a.m.

Weight: 1035 grams (a little over 1 kg, or about 2 lbs)

Where: Dunedin Hospital

Size: about the length of my forearm from wrist to elbow. Her head is about the size of a small orange.

Both Eli and Sara appear to be doing fine, although Eli is in the Natal ICU in an incubator and is wired for sound.

Sara was flown by helicopter from Kew hospital in Invercargill last Friday about 2:00 a.m. John drove up, fighting with an overheating car on the way.

He called us at our conference in Auckland and we were back in Dunedin by 6:00 p.m. Friday. Sara would stabilize during the day, then be back in the birthing room every night. Finally, last night she went all the way.

John had come back to our house about 9 p.m. Sunday and got a call from Sara about midnight. I drove him to the hospital and dropped him off. Eli popped out (literally) at 1:00 this morning. Karen and I were back at the hospital by 1:30 and got to see Eli about 4:00 this morning.

She is fully formed, but thin. She looks more like a little teenager than a baby, with her thin legs and arms. She is breathing on her own. Sara and John got to reach in and touch her. What a thrill! She appears to be in very good hands.

We're all very glad.

Dad