Mega-post

I've been lax. A lot of fun things have happened since my last post. Instead of splitting it all up, I'm just going to do a Mega Post.

Two weekends ago, Grandma and Grandpa Mettler came to visit. The weekend was full of dining out, laughter, and, for Abby, constant play time.

Grandma of course thinks James is perfect.
 
And he's easy enough that even Grandpa held him for a while!

Grandpa taught Abby how to blow bubbles and veg-out watching Sports Center.

Grandma just spoiled them both.
 

While they were here Abby ran her first running race--a half mile course around Burns Park. She was so excited about it. She had been talking about the race for a week prior. She and I had "practiced" by running around the block several times. Then when we got there and pinned her number on she clammed up. She was fidgeting and watching all the other short runners at the starting line. One boy was "warming up" with his mom, sprinting up and down from the starting line. Abby watched for a few minutes and then whispered to me "Maybe I should warm up." And she kept saying "Let's just start now." Thankfully we found Rowan running around the adjacent baseball diamond so that she could burn off some of her nervous energy!

Grandma had to do some serious antics to get her to smile here!

She and Rowan both ran the whole way! They were rewarded at the end with apples.
 

The next weekend was Mother's Day weekend. Beth and Dan drove out from Chicago for a short one night visit. Abby was in heaven again, reveling in lavish attention.

This is how Dan spent much of his time here.

On Mother's Day proper we had a delicious waffle brunch with Brian and Heather.

Then we attempted to take some family portraits. It was hard enough with just three of us. I think four is nearly impossible.

Some outtakes.


The best we got.

Meanwhile, James has been adorable, as usual.

I think that covers up until yesterday....more on that later.