January 16

Caleb had a family-friendly Boy Scout eagle-watching event today, so Chris and his dad took Caleb and Daisy to see some eagles. That left me home alone with only two children for a large portion of the day, and we hardly knew what to do with ourselves!

Answer: take lots of pictures.

But I've been working on editing photos for much too long tonight, so I won't share many. (Related: I am actually looking forward to Eli's first birthday so that I can slow down the pace of my blogging. This is getting to be too much, and I am ready for a break. But we are so close that I have to see it through!)

Eli is pulling up to standing on nearly everything now!

(Yes, Mom, I swept the floor after this.)

(The paint can is out because I'm hoping somebody will paint Eli's room this weekend.)

This kid is into everything! This is pretty much what it looks like anytime I sit on the floor.

"Hey, Mom. Whatcha doin'? Can I play? Do you want to play? Can we snuggle? How about milk? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Goodness, this child is cute!

While Lily napped, I set up my camera and took a few pictures with my remote. It was fun to play with the light filtering in through my bedroom curtains.

Yes, he's naked. No, he didn't pee on the bed.

Oh, my. This might be one of my new favorite pictures. There is something so pure about it!

Sweet baby. He has a crusty nose. Still no teeth, but judging by how poorly he has slept today, he is working hard on them. Chris has been in holding him for the past hour. 

I love his pudgy little fingers and impish curiosity!

And then our friends Jen and Dan and their brood came over for dinner and s'mores. Chris and I are such homebodies and introverts, and we struggle to initiate activities with friends. We are so thankful to have friends who are patient with our anti-social behavior! 

We are also thankful for seven little bodies around our kitchen table. Sweet Sarah, who is three months old, joined the grown-ups in the dining room, as did Eli after this picture. Dan and Jen have matched us child-for-child, and all of our children have been born within a few months of each other. It's great to have friends like them!