the girls are so happy to be reunited with their beloved merry-go-round.

my shorts-wearing, reading girl.

(two things she was not doing last summer!)

6 more days of school and we are ready......

for more relaxing days,

a weekend at the pines,

lots of parks,

lots of swimming, and

one new baby sister before school starts again.

kate is practicing.....

having a new baby herself, and walking around all

day with it in a sling.....

and telling me to take it easy on her because

having a new baby is exhausting.

everyone is happy.

first skinned baby knee.

(ouch)

mama said....

there'd be days like this.

the belly, and the baby.

haircut by annie

(she'd do yours, too, if you'd like.....)

happy baby, happy daddy

dan refers to tess as "omnipresent".....unable, or unwilling, to leave

our side.

if we are in the house, she is with us, for all of her 12 little hours a day.

good news.....dan signed a contract with wheaton franciscan and this

july will be their newest cardiac electrophysiologist. he will be

practicing at elmbrook hospital and the heart hospital. the relief,

and happiness, and did I mention the relief?

well, it's almost indescribable.

a new job, a new baby on the way.....and all the rest our same old stuff?

heaven.

sunday afternoon was cold and windy.....

a perfect day to replace the sandbox and burn the old cover.

kate was so happy to maintain the fire with us--

if there is an activity going on, she is one satisfied kid.

our sweet little house in the spring....

planted flowers courtesy of my mom and daughters.

photo courtesy of dan, who last week at this time was taking pictures

for a realtor......

and this week at this time I am 99% certain we won't need.

(i mean the pictures we won't need. the house, yes.)

(but am entirely too superstitious to make an announcement. yet.)

happy monday morning, friends.

cake

i like to send dan pictures of the girls eating cake,

just so there is proof that I didn't eat all the cake.

tess's new favorite slide

i'm not even kidding....

she did this about 20 times.

sweet pea

buddies

tess turned 16 months.....

she is into making all these fish-lips kissy faces, and walks

around with her lips out.

her new favorite thing to say is "here you go!" but if she has

to say it over and over, it turns into a very loud, persistent

"heeeeeeego! HEEEEEEEGO!"

(i've yet to catch that on video!)

she continues to be dan's biggest fan.....always choosing him

over me (not offended. really.) and when she wakes up

she cries "daddy? daddy?" from her crib.

it's pretty sweet.

she says "wheeeeeeee!" every time we cross over a bridge, which

is usually a daily occurrence.

she loves frozen peas, and edamame, and any other kind

of vegetable.....but will not touch a fruit. ANY fruit.

she has to flap her arms wildly to try and get it away.

we don't usually have a 16-month old around here without

a newborn following closely behind. i have to admit i'm enjoying

a little extra time with her.....letting her be the sweet baby she

is. her time to be a big sister will come soon enough!

kate went back to school today (hooray!)

tess thought she was ready, too.