The things we do to stay busy

2 kids is indeed a big jump. And this week it's me with them full time. Which also feels like a jump. But it's a good one and it's time. And so on these hot summer days we have been trying to find things to stay busy (am: get outside while it's 70, afternoon: indoor things). Like painting. And playing engineer (trying to find ways Eli can "tinker" and take things apart, create, deconstruct more often). And driving trains into igloos (and wishing we could go inside too). these days are sweet. I love where my boys are at. Moon took Eli swimming tonight. He ran at the park earlier. And Henri charms us all (I get the smiles! Eli gets lots and lots of affectionate looks. I think baby H is mesmorized with him). Grateful for the many sweet moments.

We're in CO!

Enjoying sunshine, cousins, passing the new baby around, and a week long stay at our family cabin in the mountains (pics forthcoming)...

these boys

moon just put all the pictures from his phone on the computer so i'm discovering some new ones (including some from henri's birth i hadn't seen). plus a few of these i snapped during my days with these two. 

i like how serious they both look, how eli is "gently" touching his brother, and, well just how honest this snapshot is

henri don't grow too fast! these sweet, sweet moments are indeed savored. my favorite sleeping pose! 

ever the climber

helpful to have tall friends to lift you high! (friends visiting after henri's birth)

well good morning.

caught off dads camera with about 30281 others that are similar. wonder who was clicking away...

morning smoothie (or possibly bedtime, hard to say). 

swinging at the park

catching a little live music around the corner from us

showing henri some cars/trucks

play-doh! 

Lately

Waffle window!

And he gets to meet her soon

New truck at the playground!

My view 

My other view (squishy arms!)

Surviving the heat (100 degree day sans air conditioning! Only truck videos could make it bearable)

Both asleep! In the double stroller (Eli clutched a DVD cover on his way out the door and Henri looks huge due to angle of my phone, though he is still a big boy :)

Catching a moment to read! So hot in our room I set Henri on the couch to sleep (wearing him also proves hard when so hot!)

Eli and play doh and a truck while mama feeds baby (he needs an activity or I'm finding this is the time he most often is mischievous)

Eli showing his brother (he offered Henri some play doh to eat)

we went to the beach!

newborn photo shoot

with a readership that is mostly grandparents we need to include lots of baby pictures! especially as 3 of the 4 grandparents haven't met the little man yet. 

The rice box

The past couple days have seen this rice box getting much playtime. The dump truck has also enjoyed it. Some black beans were thrown in a while back making me joke about how it's really our "reserve food" box. But we did have a bean up the nose incident the other night which was a little tricky to fix (we got it out!), so now I sit at my nursing perch (aka my favorite rocker) and watch more closely :).

(While posting pictures of course).

oh eli...

(images from mother's day… just a couple weeks before henri's arrival)

…you'll always be my firstborn child. and you'll always be the oldest kid. the one we figure it all out with. and that's probably quite hard. for you and for us. your daddy and i never had that spot in our families. but we can imagine this is tough for you--one day you wake up and there's another person who needs our attention. the first couple weeks seemed ok, like you didn't mind this baby so much. but now, now you seem to need your mama more than ever. when i'm nursing henri you really need me right then. and when it's time for bed you need me to stay and lay next to you until you fall asleep. it's been a bit rough on us, but don't worry, we'll all be ok. you too were once little like henri and needed lots of attention and caused some panic among your father and i during those first weeks. but i do have to tell you that henri is here to stay. so last night when you came into our bed at a quarter to 11, tired and sleepy and making your daddy wonder if you were sick… and you looked over at henri curled up there in the middle of our bed and said very happily, "baby!". yes, that one. your brother. he's here and he's very exciting but please, please don't let that keep you up so late! you'll always be the child who stole my heart first… but there's room for two, i promise. xo, your mama