September

September has been a happy month.  It began with the birth of our adorable niece, Cora Mae Dyer, the 5th little one for the amazing Amber and Wes. We loved being here to help welcome this sweet little lady. Esther is especially taken with her new cousin and is very sweet and mostly gentle with baby Cora.  She gives her sweet kisses and pats her head while repeatedly saying, "it's a baby!"  I think this bodes well for baby brother's future.

The other fun part about a new baby is that it meant we got a visit from Grandma Crittenden for 2 whole weeks and a week long visit from aunt Julie (Chris's little sister), cousin Bristol, and baby Nate.  Sadly I don't have pictures to document our fun chats, games, yummy-food-eating, crochet/knitting fest, and loving with 8 little kids (5 of which were under 4).   Can't wait to see you all again at Christmas!

Our other updates are not nearly so exciting, but here they are:

• Coming up on pregnancy week 23 and doing well. Love feeling baby brother move and kick!
• Esther thinks she is big.  She talks up a storm (I lost count at 50 words), says things like "no! and "mine!" open the fridge and get some cheese, and go down the slide backwards or head first.
• Esther's measurements are in the 97% for her weight (no surprises here) and a shockingly low 78% for height.  This explains why my 1 1/2 year old has to wear size 5 diapers,  2T or 3T tops and why her 2T pants have to be cuffed several times so they don't drag on the ground. 
• Esther wakes up hungry, but rather than ask for food like she used to, she now asks specifically for cheese...hence the size 5 diapers, etc.  

• Esther LOVES stuffed animals (aka. "babies") and requests them every night before she goes to bed.  

Daddy's daily send-off to work.

1. Give kisses through the glass door.

  2. Watch dad get on his bike.

3. Blow kisses and say "bye daddy" while watching him ride away.

• I am starting to knit.  Really, I should say re-starting because I did knit a scarf for my brother when I was in 7th grade but it wasn't much to look at.  Anyway, I began with a grey wool hat for Esther.  It was both fun and frustrating to make, but I'm learning lots and I especially love that knitting is very mobile and repetitive enough that I can knit while watching Esther, talking, etc.