An effort to catch up on things...

I'm still busily posting pictures and updates from July...sigh. So a quick verbal update and then it's back to reminiscing.

Zach is crawling! This is our biggest news if only for the fact that it drastically changes our lives (especially Mama's although a case can be made for Zach and Caleigh and Dan too ;-). For the longest time he was 'almost' crawling -- scooting & rolling around, moving across the room by getting up on all fours and falling over/sitting someplace new. One Saturday we could sit him by his lonesome in a room full of toys and kids (birthday party) and within the next couple days we were chasing him across the room and wondering where he got off to if we looked away for a couple seconds! Indeed he is enjoying his new-found freedoms. Caleigh, who appeared to be willing to share all her toys at a moment's notice, now runs away from Zach with said toys in hand yelling out "my turn to play with this!" I guess when she was able to bring him toys she was more in control of the situation. We are teaching her not to take toys out of Zach's hands and trying to not allow him to steal from her grasp. It is "cuter" however to watch him struggle up to where she is trying desperately to hide her loot. But a cute double standard shall not a happy household make. Caleigh is very aware of fairness and willingly verbalizes when it is not so.

Diapers everywhere! Yes, both kids still wear them. Mama needs to motivate herself to cracking down on Caleigh just not wanting to use the potty. She has, can...and will again I say.

August was unseasonably cool most days and we were thankful. With the porches open, Caleigh has been free to roam and play and get away by herself when she likes. She adores her brother, but a space for herself is nice too. Mama has finally allowed Caleigh to paint! Big paper on an easel in the big porch with watercolors...we now have lots of beautiful creations and, truly, not much mess. Caleigh is a very neat and careful girl. And if she does make a little mess she immediately tells me, which I appreciate and helps clean up too!

Dan and I went out on a bona fide date a couple weeks ago -- to a nice restaurant and I in a dress! It was good to get away and talk over a whole meal w/o interruptions. I guess if we waited to eat until 8 or 8:30 every night we could experience this at home. ;-)

Zachary still seems like a happy, contented child. He laughs easily and maintains focus for extended periods. He hasn't given any nursery workers or babysitters trouble, which we are acutely pleased with (given Caleigh's penchant for dramatic screaming when we dropped her off).

Caleigh is our beautiful, intelligent nearly 2 1/2 year old! She is getting taller or we have somehow shrunk all her dresses up above her knees! We love her smiles/giggles/belly laughs. She is so compassionate with Zach. Zach woke up recently from a nap while Caleigh and I were playing in her room. She politely asked Mama if she could go "check on him" and upon approval ran into Zach's room, and softly said, "You don't have to worry...here let me hold your hand." SO sweet it almost makes me teary. Oh to bottle this warmth they feel for each other.

Zachary is experimenting with gravity. Picking up a ball, dropping it & then chasing it across the floor (repeat) is high on his fun-o-meter these days. He has little "high" voice, which is so cute. When Dan comes home, Zach usually greets him with a "da da" in that adorable little voice and waves an arm or two in Dan's direction...and smiles. He kicks and flaps and smiles and laughs while watching Caleigh run around. Caleigh has taken to jumping up in the air and turning round at the same time. Daring! Zach almost falls over laughing at this feat.

Dan and I are well. Enjoying the fact that Zachary is usually asleep by 7:00 and Caleigh by 8:00 with minimal "issues" of delay tactics (Caleigh) or crying (Zach). They both wake up between 6 and 7, which we can live with. Zach is taking at least an hour nap roughly two hours after waking up, and they both usually take a two hour nap in the early afternoon (by 1:30). It's good for Mama to get an hour to herself with both of them asleep!

Okay -- back to trying to catch up with the pictures! Thanks for reading.