Yes, I am alive
Holy crow! Has it really been three months since I last updated?! To my two loyal readers, I am truly sorry. Needless to say, since school started it has been crazy bizzy around here, mostly with me shuttling around the Hamillspawn all the time. The kids are all doing very well. Ty absolutely loves school and is totally stoked about college football this year. In case you are wondering, he’s rooting for Michigan in the big game this weekend. As for Ethan, he has been developing so much since he started preschool. I’m so proud of him. He’s taking an art class outside of school and I’m so impressed by his color choices. Some of his stuff is just amazing (I may be a bit biased, but I'll have you know I ain’t the only one saying these things). Sara is now crawling and pulling herself to standing. Still knock-out adorable with the chubby cheeks and huge blue eyes. Thanks for reading everyone (and thanks for those of you who voted blue … we’re back, baby!). (Sorry James …). Here are some pics.

Happy Birthday to Me
I have a heavy heart today. Not because this is the last year of my mid-thirties, before I drop helplessly into the "late" category and move ever closer to the ominous 40s. Not because Sara is nearly seven months old and I still have about 6 pounds of baby weight in the trunk. No, it's because today my oldest baby leaves the nest. Today is Ty's first day of kindergarten. I drop him off in just a few hours and I feel like bawling just thinking about it. Don't get me wrong. I'm excited for him. This is the beginning. The beginning of making friends, of learning wonderful new things and getting used to the school he will be in for the next nine years (it's a K-8 Charter School). But it is also the beginning of his life independent of me. He'll have so many experiences during his day that I can only imagine, he'll have crushes and arguments and those "a-ha" moments that always make me smile. He'll do all that without me there and that breaks my heart. Here he is yesterday, when we had a little introductory day at the school (1-1/2 hours), during which I got to stay with him the entire time and barrage the teacher with questions and exclaim that the pick-up/drop-off procedure didn't work and give her my recommendations to fix it.
In other news, after only one month riding his bike, Ty started doing tricks and jumping ramps. He's announced that he either wants to be a professional baseball player or "an X gamer" when he grows up. He's also opted for in-line hockey this fall instead of soccer. (sigh)

Ethan starts preschool in just two weeks, so expect to hear similar whining from me then when I have to cart him off to school.

Sara is advancing beyond control as well. She's sitting up, eating babyfood and is as cute as ever. She has two teeth and more are coming in as I write this. I'm trying to sneak in some dairy here and there to see if her system has matured enough. So far, so good. (I miss my cheese!)

Last, but not least, we have a new family member. Meet Sasha, the most adorable little yellow lab ever put on the earth (she loves hanging out by Sara's feet).

Five Whole Months
My little girl is already five months old! Time is going too quickly. More and more of Sara's personality is emerging each day. She continues to be a mellow little thing as long as I don't eat dairy or nuts. She can roll over both ways and can nearly sit up by herself. She's not as smily as the boys were; sometimes you really have to perform to get a grin out of her. But when she does smile, it's totally adorable and worth the effort.

We decided to take an impromtu vacation to Winter Park last weekend. Here are some shots:

The boys had a blast. There is a ton of stuff to do in Winter Park. Among other things, they rode the longest Alpine Slide in Colorado.


After we returned home, Ty was determined to ride his bike sans training wheels. In no time he has become a pro! I'm so proud of him.

Father's Day

Ethan: I don't want to go hiking!
Brian: Okay, okay, how 'bout we go to a playground!
Ethan: No!!!!!!
Brian: How 'bout we go on a drive?
Ethan: NO!!!!!
Brian: Okay, how 'bout we swim in a vat of molten chocolate!
Ty: But Dad, we don't have our suits on!

Oh, how I love the minds of children! Despite a cranky Ethan, we ended up having a very pleasant morning. The above conversation happened on our way up to Fort Collins. We were going to hike in Lory State Park, but ended up heading to City Park, and after playing on the playground for a while (well, Ethan just sat there and pouted), Ethan spotted the train and we took a ride (a surefire way to cheer him up). Then we paddleboated (is that a word?) for a little bit and went downtown for some lunch. Happy Father's Day to all you daddies out there!

Sara's Four Month Update

Here it is, already four months! Sara is a sweetheart, and everyone comments on what a mellow baby she is. She absolutely loves her big brothers and watching them run around the house. She's very talkative and produces these squeals that I don't remember the boys ever making. She's a big baby -- 16 pounds (95th percentile), just like the boys were. Her hair still stands straight up, although she is losing a bit of it. Best of all, she loves to smile and coo, which I can never get enough of.

You know it's your third child when ...
getting a little bit of poop on your shirt doesn't deter you from going out in public.

Holy cow! Is Sara three months already? Well, I have fallen completely in love with her. She is just the most wonderful baby and so cute I could die. As Ty always says, "Sara is just so cute, I can't stop thinking about her!" (and then she'll burp really loud after he says that, which makes him love her even more cause he's a boy and is totally into the whole gas humor thing right now, but I digress). Some of her nicknames are: S-dog, Pookachoo and SaraBara. She still has the finger-in-a-lightsocket hairdo, which everyone always comments on. Ah, bliss. :) 

Sara's Two Month Update
Historically I have been against hairbands on little girls ... that is until I saw one on Sara. I felt a huge urge to be doing something with all that hair of hers and a hairband was really the only option at this age (although some people use all sorts of concoctions to "glue" bows and things in to little girls' hair). Anyway, here's the two-month-old princess sportin' her new hairband. She just had her appointment yesterday and is doing very well, although I've had to give up dairy and nuts to keep her happy. The boys are big helpers and Ethan is getting better at letting people look at her (he only hit Ty's preschool teacher once for stealing a glance, I swear ...).

I can't believe Sara is one month old! Here she is spreading the love!  

And the princess has arrived! Here are the boys with baby Sara, whom Ty calls his valentine. Spread the love everyone! Happy V-Day :) 

Okay, because I love my James and April, I'm sending a picture in which you can see my enormity. I look like a Little Red Riding Hood whose been very, very bad (heehee). 

And another ... 

Yea! We got a new camera! Of course, we had to because I dropped (i.e. broke) the old one (not on purpose, I swear). We went skating in Boulder last weekend and here is one of the cutest.