dorking out at bath time.

I can't decide if he looks more like this or like this.

little explorers.

The beach was perfect for exploring today. There was no wind, the temperature was cool, the bugs were somewhere else and the tide was low. Rowan and Henry were so excited! We collected a bunch of shells and left the crabs and horseshoe crabs alone, but it really felt like a special place and a special day. Our own little piece of shore to discover. The iphone pictures really can't do it justice.

Hope you enjoyed the beautiful day, too!

back for more.

Rowan's back at school this morning. I'm just standing here waiting for the phone to ring with the news that he pooped his pants! Let's hope he does a little bit better today. Fingers crossed.

Have a happy weekend!

cheese.

The boys are at that stage where they refuse to take a picture without yelling "cheese!" So pretty much every picture we have has their lips in some variation of chuh, eeee, or zzzzza. Yesterday when I was snapping pictures of Rowan and Andy before school, I felt bad leaving Henry out. So I said, "Henry, let me take your picture." He stopped, posed and yelled, "EEEEEEEEEE." He cracked me up. He doesn't say a word, but what he does say is always funny.

first day of preschool. . .

and he already pooped his pants! I'll chalk it up to first day jitters (annnnnnnnnnnnd not being potty trained when he's supposed to be. oops).

When I dropped him off he went into the classroom and just sat staring at me with this stunned expression as Henry and I walked away. He was like a deer in headlights. His tiny little face and those big eyes. I knew it would be okay, but he sort of broke my heart to leave him. So, even though it was a pain to go back only an hour later to change his dirty diaper, it was good to see that he was already having lots of fun. The teacher told me that she called them to circle time, and apparently when she told him to sit down he told her, "I can't! There's poop in my pants!" I can just see his arms straight out in front of him as he emphatically said that.

Such a little peanut! I don't know how he fits all that personality into that tiny little body!

(Update: apparently after I changed him, everything fell apart. He stopped listening, threw a book at the teacher, and refused to line up or come off the playground. The teacher had to come out and "talk to me" at pickup time. All of my worst fears -- the pooping and the misbehaving -- on the first day. No honeymoon period for Rowan. He shows it all. Take me as I am. When we got home, Rowan was being aggressive with Henry so he skipped lunch and went up to his room. He was asleep within five minutes and is still out cold an hour later. I'm not sure what to make of all this. Is it too much for him?)

our newest little preschooler.

Monday was Rowan's first official day of preschool. It was only a 1/2 day, which, is funny, because for him a full day is really only a quarter of a day to start with. So, this was actually more like an 1/8 day. But, I digress.

You're not going to believe this, but Rowan was not super-cooperative when it came to taking his picture for the first day of school! (I do remember Andy going through a similar phase at the same age, so while it's a pain, I know this too shall pass. . .)

Anyway, this is the best I could do. Here he is before school "posing" with his brothers. Yaaaay school!

 . . . and at school:

 Awesome, right?

Good luck this year, Rowan! Though I'm not sure who will need it more -- you, or the teacher! xoxo

apples of my eye.

This weekend we went back to the Milk Pail apple orchard to pick apples and pumpkins. The weather could not have been more perfect and the boys had a great time!

while the cat's away. . .

Rowan and Henry play. It's funny to watch Rowan switch from little to big brother mode. He's very loving to Henry and Henry really loves getting the attention from Rowan.

Rowan also enjoys the fact that Henry will do whatever he asks him, such as feeding him snacks and bringing him anything he asks for. . . it feels good to be the big guy for a change, doesn't it Ro?

Have a good weekend! See you back here next week for Off to School, the Rowan edition.