Well, I figured I'd better post before it's been a month from the last post... I've been quite delinquent in my job as official picture-taker of the family, so I don't have a whole lot of inspirational pictures to load up for you. I'll do my best! One thing I know is sorely lacking on this blog at the moment is a post about the wonderful celebrations that occurred on October 13 - Timothy and Danielle's wedding of course! I was going to remedy that this evening, but it appears that the only pictures I have on my computer are either blurry shots of the reception hall from my seat at the head table or one last picture of me at the end of the day in my pajamas taking out all 75 bobby pins from my hair. Since those aren't exactly exemplary shots of the fantasticness of the day, I'll have to save a wedding post for when I get some better pictures from someone else's computer. Let me just say that the day went very well, a good time was had by all, and the bride and groom looked absolutely radiant! Heartiest of congratulations, my dear sister and brother-in-law - we pray that God will continue to shower you with blessings in the years ahead as you begin your married life together!
And on to the random non-wedding pictures that have accumulated on my camera since the last time I posted. To begin with, here is a shot of little Nato on the day he fell off the couch and put his teeth through his lower lip. Poor guy!
Playing outside in the backyard before we got our new lawnmower from Dad M. I was almost starting to lose the children in the long grass.
Off to the park on a warm October morning, no coats required.
My middle sweetie
I realize these self-portraits of me and the children don't ever yield any award-winning shots, but there's something very truthful about how they portray life with little ones at home
Practising his writing skills
My oldest sweetie
My youngest sweetie - this is one month to the day from when he first cut his lip. There will be a scar there for quite a while
Nathaniel has changed SO MUCH in the last number of weeks. Basically, I think he realized he was finally getting his follow-up appointment with the speech pathologist (he was first assessed in April) and he decided to kick it into gear. A month and a half ago, he had just a handful of words and wasn't really trying to repeat what we said to him. I think a switch flipped in his head, and he started repeating things after us, singing along to songs (other than just saying "amen" over and over) and using words much more regularly. I received a checklist from the speech pathologist with a whole variety of words from different categories, and I was to check off which ones he understood, and which ones he understood and said. The comprehension wasn't a problem for him, it was the verbalization that seemed to be the trouble. I think over the last few weeks I could go over that checklist and change it every single day, as he's been adding new words to the vocabulary like it's going out of style. It is SO exciting to hear! He's been starting to put two words together, and he's happy to be able to communicate more effectively with us. He loves to sing along to songs with us and be able to request his favourites. There are still some sounds that he seems unable to make, but I'm sure that will all come with time. This picture below is of him singing one of his favourite songs, "Holy, Holy, Holy"
November is a birthday month for our home, and with birthdays come cake and icing. I had prepared a batch of icing for Peter's cake and had some leftover in a bowl on the counter. I went downstairs to fold some laundry, and Peter came down to let me know that Aaron had "eaten some of the chocolate". When I came upstairs, the entire bowl of icing was licked out, and Aaron was nowhere to be found. I discovered him hiding in the shoe closet in shame, and hopefully nursing a stomachache.
Working on "thank-you" goodie bags for his birthday party visitors
Completed goodie bags for Peter's four classmates that came to help celebrate
Opening his presents on birthday morning! Happy birthday to my first five-year-old!
A rousing game of Junior Monopoly with Dad while Mom makes Dutch pannekoeken for breakfast. After breakfast, we headed out to Jeremy and Sarah's place to meet little Timothy, their newest addition to the clan (congratulations by the way!!). Afterwards we went to Dad and Mom VD for dinner before heading home again.
The experimental icing-design cake. I think it turned out reasonably well (maybe not up to Pinterest standards, but who is?) The jet was perhaps a bit big for the cake but I was told that it gave it a "dimensional" look
This little stinker has fallen in love with the camera. Every time I try to take a picture of something, he gets very loud and starts pointing at himself, saying "ME! ME!", and then he gives me a big grin.
Mom and Dad M came for a visit and dinner to congratulate Peter on his birthday
Opa reading with the older two
