Push Ups

My dad does 100 push-ups every day to stay in shape.   Now I think he has some competition--Alaina is beginning to push up on all fours.  She hasn't figured out how to crawl forward yet--but I am sure it wont be long.  For now, by pushing up and then plopping down, she has leaned how to inch backwards.  We are going to have to baby proof soon....In other developments this week she has also learned how to clap.  

(bad resolution photo, sorry!)

First day of School and 8 months old!

Two weeks ago, when we returned from Chicago, Ethan had his first day of school.   It will be the last year in his preschool and this year he is in a special pre-K class, the "Llama" room.
He is pretty excited about being the oldest in the school and we are hoping that this year will prepare him well for kindergarten...

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Meanwhile earlier this week, Alaina celebrated 8 months.   Now that she is 8 months we have finally "finished" her nursery--we had gotten a carpet while we were in Chicago at the Land of Nod outlet--and her name sticker came in the mail this week.

I think she likes it!

Chicago--Hot, hot hot!

We had a lovely visit to Chicago during the last week of August.  Except it was 90+ degrees each day with high humidity.  Wow...hard to even breathe outside.   Ethan loved it as he went swimming everyday--grandpa had a big backyard pool, and we took him to two community pools during the week.

Other highlights included a visit to "big James'" house, great-grandma's house, a visit from the Milwaykee cousins, and a trip to the Legoland Discovery Center in Schamburg.

  

I thought that Legoland was highly overrated and not really worth the admission rate, but it did provide some cool entertainment for the afternoon.

When we returned from Chicago, Jason and I celebrated our 6th anniversary!  We didn't get to go out as our babysitter was out of town, but we have a date next week.

Pissed-off Pear

To celebrate the end of the preschool year in the Cow class, Ethan and his classmates performed a dramatic  interpretation of the book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".   Students were selected randomly for their parts, and Ethan was selected to be a pear.   He was not happy about this as he wanted to be the caterpillar, and announced that he was not going to participate.   I found this entirely unacceptable, and told him so.  After many tears, bribery etc, he finally agreed to be a pear.   But he wasn't happy about it.  Grandma and Grandpa Greenberg, Aunt Marcy and I headed to the play, and though his "did his part" he didn't do anything extra.  We nicknamed him the pissed-off pear, which was quite fitting.   Of course we never told him this, and instead lauded his participation.   Ah, parenting!

Summer of Visitors

We have had a busy summer filled with visitors!

First, our medical school friend Kristin came to visit.   She is finishing a fellowship in Palliative Care, and was doing a rotation at a pediatric palliative care center in the east bay called George Mark House.  she was with us for 3 weeks, and has her 2 year old son, Ridley with her for 2 weeks.  Ethan loved hanging out with "Rid-Rid", and still asks about him!  Kristin was here during my birthday and got to join in the celebration.

A few weeks later, Jason's friend Alberto came out from Bilbao, Spain.  Jason met Alberto in college when they both studied abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland.   they have kept in touch over the years (we visited Alberto back in 2009 in Spain), and Alberto finally had the opportunity to come to the west coast.

He took a 2-week English class in San Franscico, and during the last week took a tour to Yosemite.  Jason was able to take him to Lake Tahoe and Sonoma on his other weekends here, so they had a great time!

Most recently, Jason's oldest brother Brandon came for a visit.  He met Alaina for the first time!   It was great to catch up with him as well.

Next week it is our chance to be the visitors:  we are headed to Chicago!

7 months yesterday!

Current favorites: Hanging out with big brother, pureed green beans, chewing on her toes, squawking.  She is almost sitting fully independently, and rolls to get places.   Sleeping pretty consistently till 5-6am, then she will eat and go back to sleep for another hour or two--pretty nice!

4.5

Well we couldn't celebrate Alaina's half birthday without remembering her big brother's three weeks later. Thursday was Ethan's day and he wanted a cake just like Alaina's.   I decided the best thing to do was agree, so (for this year ONLY) they both got half-birthday cakes.   Ethan was tickled and has been telling everyone that he is now 4 and a HALF.  He also has grown an inch and a half in the last six months!