Just Because

Here are some pictures of Liam.

Liam began smiling recently. One time during the past week or so I was playing with him to make him smile when he had a coughing fit- actually it was him trying to laugh. After I realized he wasn't choking or something, it was pretty cute.

Grandma Comes To Visit

Grandma Faber came to visit for a whole week to help Anna after moving back to school, since she was unable to come for any extended stay right after Liam was born. We loved having her here! Reese wanted to hang out with Grandma all day and preferred her help over Mama and Daddy's.

Though Grandma left on Saturday, Reese was still hoping it was temporary and thought maybe she had returned while we were at church today. She asked on the way home if we were going home to see Grandma.

Grandma helped a ton, but the only pictures I got were of her helping Reese color.

Grandma treated us to some ice cream- and is purposely leaning back so I wouldn't capture her in this photo. Grr.

(Love you, mom! -Anna)

Sick

This past week we've been sick. Poor Reese got the worst of it- lots of vomiting and fire-bum, blister-causing diarrhea. Will and I got the second worst of it- treating and cleaning up after vomiting and fire-bum, blister-causing diarrhea. And we both got queasy stomachs and the aches.

Thank goodness Liam didn't seem to be affected. And this is the best smile I could get for the camera. He smiles on occasion now.

Reese, pictured here in her "ribbit jam-jams", which were washed at least five times within the two worst days of her sickness, listening to Daddy's ipod in a rare feel-good moment.

And dancing, too

Two Years Old

Reese turns two years old today. She knows the word "birthday" but I don't think she understands that it has to do with age- just parties, since we celebrated her birthday a couple weeks ago while we still lived close to family.

Because of her previous party, we had nothing special planned for today. However, when we were at the grocery store, I considered buying one of those miniature cakes with two servings just for fun. Turns out there was a full sheet cake with Reese's peanut butter and chocolate flavors for way cheap because today was the sell-by date.

Reese was way excited and kept asking for the cake. I kept telling her that we had to eat dinner first. She passed the time by snitching watermelon...

... and trying on Mama's shoes again.

We were going to have pancakes for dinner but, because we were now going to have a sugary dessert, just went with eggs and potatoes- which Reese gladly ate with her fingers. She loves eggs.

After dinner came the cake! Reese sang along with "Happy Birthday" and then blew out her pretend candles.

Her first bite was with the fork...

But none of the other ones were. Then she stuck a bit of cake on each thumb and ran around.

When we told her she needed a bath she was so excited she forgot that you have to get undressed first.

Then she volunteered (read: demanded) to help clean up. It's a good thing Mama had the floor pretty well done by the time she noticed the Swiffer. She pulled off the disposable wipe and had trouble putting back on. When Daddy tried to help her she got annoyed, "Uh, uh! Sit!" Will was a little shocked that she would talk to him like that. "No!" he said, "You sit!" It was a very mature conversation (which, by the way, she ended up winning.) She didn't let the wipe go for a good ten minutes-

- When the vacuum came out.

Once again happy birthday, Reese!

Liam- Photo Dump

Reese and Liam with Grandpa Great

I think I took a picture of Reese all burritoed up with a binky- so I thought it would be fun to get a similar picture with Liam.

Liam's excitement at the zoo.

Dad helping Liam practice holding up his head.

Reesey Activities- Photo Dump

Reese brings in the haul from Grandpa Faber's fruit trees.

First weekend back to school we visit the local zoo. Reese's favorites are the monkeys and feeding the ducks.

Reese makes art of her snack.

While packing to move back to campus, Reese found a Liam shirt and tried to put it on. She was just as happy to have a new hat.

Reese poses by her play-dough creation. We had red and yellow clay, but now we also have some orange. This picture was taken while we still were staying with Grandpa and Grandma Great. I had to hide the clay or we would still be playing with it now.

At the Heath family reunion. One of four family reunions this summer.

Making sugar cookies our first Sunday back on campus to take to the new neighbors. Again, If I hadn't baked the cookies we'd still be playing with the dough now.

"Mama, I like corn." Complete sentence.

Some Videos

Here's just some stuff.

Liam holds his head up. Getting less and less wobbly day by day.

Reese coloring. When she isn't trying to duplicate my five-pointed stars or the letter "e", or drawing long lines, she has recently started centralizing her scribbles to resemble something that looks like trying to stay inside the lines on the coloring book page.

Grandpa Great lures Reese to the dance floor by playing some stylish music about bears.