this post contains an ewok

So, other than dealing with my knee, this is what we've been up to lately!

I think I was babysitting, and I just put them all in shorts that fit, except Sawyer. He was content to play in his undies, which was fine until he constantly stepped to the edge of the sod to take a leak, and wet stretchy cotton is really hard for an almost-3-year-old to maneuver. We ended up seeing more and more of his plumber's crack.

The only photo I was able to take as evidence that one of my closest and longest-held friends got married in July. Kellie (the pretty blonde, second from left) married Kaine, and as I was in the wedding and wrangling a newborn, I didn't have a chance to snap any other photos. But it was probably one of the most fun weddings I have ever attended, with great little details that made it a wonderful celebration of God's goodness in bringing two lovely people together. And Kellie came down the aisle to AC/DC's Thunderstruck. Pretty fantastic! The pic is Kellie, her sisters, and her momma after we all got pedicures, despite the fact that Kellie and bridesmaids all wore cowboy boots. It was reassuring knowing that my toes were pretty under there, and hey, they're still pretty!

I brought Smith with us to Billings so he and Blake could play together and take some of the burden of entertainment off Grammie. He's modelling Grammie's readers for me.

So. Much. Pattern. But in there, you can make out a big brother adoring his sweet sister. He regularly tells me how cute Vesper is, and hugs her so gently after giving her Eskimo kisses and kissing her hands. She started smiling at us when she was about five weeks old and is either a calm stoic receiving this devotion, or a drooly, gummy, smiley face at the boy whose voice pitches surprisingly high when he's talking to her.

We sent Blake to two camps this summer, with the caveat that he had to help pay for them by performing additional chores. We'd pay increased rates for tasks completed. When we told him this plan, he opted out of any camps, deciding he wasn't THAT bored. We promptly opted him back in and started devising things for him to do that we legitimately needed help with. As one friend said, we really love that lazy little kid.

He moved a wood pile for $40, and netted $5 per wagonload of mulch for the perimeter of our house, among other chores, and absolutely loved the camps, one so much so that he's hoping to take two from that venue next summer. When talking the night before his science camp started, I let him know it was imminent, and he gasped. "Oh NO! Will they let me go? I still have to earn $40 to pay them!" I don't think he understand fully the principle behind what we were doing, so I just assured him that I'd spot him the money and he could work it down later.

My boys. Rob asked if he could put his shirt on first, and I said no. Blake asked if he could take his off and I said no. I'm harsh like that.

Celebrating saucy little Soy-boy's third birthday. Love this kid.

Vesper is still a bit unmoved by birthday parties, but it could be due to the vaccinations she received earlier in the day. She alternated between fussy and mellow and asleep.

"Little" Gunnie and Matt. That boy is all smiles! Matt... not so much. He smiles on the inside, sarcastically.

I'm two months old today!

I completely forgot to do this at one month, but I'll take a picture of her next to the same stuffed critter every month until she's one year to see the progression in size and development. I did so with Blake, and it's a riot to go back and remember each phase. Since Vesper doesn't really have a stuffed animal, I asked Blake if she could use one of his. He only really has two anymore, and he brought out EB (stands for Easter Bunny) for me to use.

Trying a different angle/background. I think I like the first one best, even if she's not smiling.

And, for Rob and Auntie Bip, here's one of her with the only other stuffed animal in the house: an Ewok. Yes, it has teeth. Look at Vesper's kissable cheeks! Girlie is packing on the pounds, and this is the only time of life where it's acceptable to be excited about that or say it out loud.