famiLy time...

little blondie

is it the mohawk that makes him look like trouble... or that look in his eyes?

Such a bittersweet weekend.

 It felt like an end of summer celebration to me -- my last trip home to see everyone before i have to suck it up and go back to work with the rest of the real world.

Actually, the weekend had a vacation/beach house feel to it. With Michelle and Michael both off work, as well as Mike and I...all hanging out at my moms, all with nothing much to do. Matthew and Markie were around too, because, you know, they are always around, not working and just hanging out. (OK, to their defense, matthew just started a new job and markie starts college next week.)

We cooked out two nights in a row, drank wine and beer, talked about the strange things that are important to us now... like umbilical cords and innie/outie belly buttons, diaper rash, what store has the best kids pj's, how the bigger kids are adapting to the new babies. (needless to say, Gracie is doing better than Eli!) We watched Gracie and Eli play together -- they don't really talk to each other, as much as they just look at each other and crack up laughing.

Michael on the new and improved, safe but not fun, teeter totter

It makes me sad that we don't live closer, and that we can't do this all the time.
But I also know that even if we DID live close, everyone is so busy most of the time that we wouldn't be able to do those kinds of things any more often than we already do.

We got to see the Windons too...

Jacki, Jeff and Candi stopped over to our "mini" party, and ooh-ed and aah-ed over perfect little baby Anna.

She makes Sam look like a moose.

7 weeks apart, but Sam is up to atleast 12 lbs by now.

Mike has been off since last sunday, so we've had a good week together as a family (minus the terrible awful zoo trip.).

it makes me laugh to see mike sleeping in markie's bed. it is not easy to go from a king bed to a full for a weekend.

and Eli got his mimi fix...

and the grandmas got their baby fixes...

and I got my gracie and anna fix...

Gracie has a slight lip gloss obsession.

all is well in my world tonight.

Your little hands wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

To you, everything's funny
You got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have, honey
If you could stay like that

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heart
No, no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up