I know I just posted all those pictures, but it isn't often that I have an hour of down time to do anything, and so I thought I better make good use of it. (no...cleaning the kitchen or folding the laundry would be squandering free time.) Here are a few picture from the last couple of weeks.

I find it quite amusing that, as a 9 year old, Ethan is reacting to his newest little brother the exact way that he reacted to the arrival of the twins when he was one. A mixture of apprehension, reserved curiosity and small spurts of excitement. I'll never forget when the twins were first home and he walked over to them, stared up at me in confusion. I could almost hear him think, "What in the world are these things for" before he proceeded to try and sit on Austin's head. These days, Ethan is very happy to pass by the baby and exclaim how very cute his little brother is but that is about as close as he wants to get. I've only been able to get him to settle down and hold him a few times. Each one of those times have only lasted about 3 seconds. I finally got the progression of facial expressions recorded on film.

Second one. "Ok. Hurry and take a picture."

Second two. "Ahhh. He's crying! What do I do?"

Second three. "Dad! Help! Take him!"

So. The baby thing might not be Ethan's cup of tea, but he is sure excited to be able to teach him how to play baseball.

Next is what could be my favorite picture of Rob and Jason.

Doesn't it just show the love between these two guys?

The sweet expression of happiness.

Can't you imagine what is going through Rob's head here.

"here is my handsome son."

"I love this child with my entire heart."

"My life is complete with this sweet little miracle."

NO? Could Robert, possibly have other intentions in this picture?

Mischievous intentions?

Like putting his nose up to Jason to tease his poor little son into thinking he's about to be fed

I'm sorry, child. You are going to have to get used to a life-time of teasing. Your daddy just can't help himself.

And finally, although I'm running a little late, we all wanted to wish all of you a very happy Valentine's Day!
Feel the love? (We didn't have time for anything fancy this year. No cakes. No big cards or decorations. No pinkalicious cupcakes. Just plain ol' lovin'.)

Alaina wanted to show some love coming...........and going.

And that (plus the crying from the bedroom) marks the end of free time.

Jason's first photo-shoot.

For Christmas, Lora gave us the present of having her friend come and take photos of Jason when he was about a week and half old. I decided to just throw them on a post to show them off.

I looked up at the calendar today and realized we were in February. Who knew? Ah, I'm just joking around. I knew it was February, like, two days ago. You know, when the letters asking for Valentine treats from the kids' teachers started coming in. Time sure does fly when you never sleep. Or, more accurately, it turns into one very, very, long, stretched-out day. At any rate, I'm sure it is time for a few more cute Jason pictures. And what, I ask, could possibly be cuter than this?

Jason managed a full two-second push-up before he crumpled down in pure exhaustion. So sad. But also very cute.

It is hard being a month and 1/2 old! And tiring. So tiring, in fact, that the rest of my pictures are taken while he is asleep. It isn't that he is always sleeping...it is just the only time my hands are free to grab the camera.

Here he is with his favorite guy - Daddy! (Check out that silly beard-do. Just one of the many, many different ones we see on a weekly basis.) Doesn't Jason look tiny. Isn't it amazing that he is nearly double his lowest weight? He's close to ten pounds now.


Tummy time.

And here is his favorite sleeping position. We've started calling him 'Superman' because awake or asleep, he loves to hold up one arm in front of him like he's about to take off.


And you may remember (I only vaguely do.) that I have three other fantastically wonderful children. Our oldest went to his first Blue and Gold dinner for Cub Scouts. Ethan made this cake for a competition. (I made the frosting and laid out the base of the blue shirt but he made the cake, cut it and rolled out and put on all of the rest of the decorations. (Although the 'I love Scouts' part got on after Robert came home, so I'm wondering if he couldn't help himself from 'helping' out a bit at the end.) But the beads and patches and neck-tie thing were all there before Rob got home. :)

Unfortunately we didn't get a picture of him holding his cake, but here he is getting a bag full of awards. I'm so proud of Ethan for working so hard. And I'm also proud of Robert for helping (making?) him work so hard.


What a good-looking young man he is turning into.

We finally got a little snow a couple of weeks ago. Robert and I watched the kiddies romp around from the warmth of the fire inside the house.

Now I know where all those mysterious crop circles come from...





Rob and Laina were foolin' around.


First time Jason and I went out to pick up the kids from school.

Mama and baby Jason. (I'm still suffering from my latest hair disaster...a Super-Cut mushroom 'do. Only thing to do now is wait for my hair to grow back...)


Austin and Jason.

And here is Austin and Laina. Any similarities? Now that Jason is a couple pounds heavier, he has big chubby cheeks like Austin did in the picture below. I need to find a picture of them both face forward, with their eyes open, because they are even more similar. Maybe next post...

And Laina being a little helper.