September...in review, a little late

Have you ever seen a cuter 1st birthday girl? I think not.

On September 2nd, Mira had her FIRST birthday! Happy first birthday sweet heart! We invited some friends over for dinner and had a little celebration. She wore her party dress and had to bear crawl around in it. Then she smeared her cake around and only took a tiny nibble while we all drooled over its chocolate-raspberry-ganache yumminess.

She is the happiest baby ever and I am grateful everyday to have her in our lives.

On Labor Day we canned peaches for the FIRST time! We love working hard on 3-day weekends. It always gives us a sense of accomplishment. I was quite apprehensive about canning because I'd never done it before but it actually was pretty easy and fun, and of course the results are yummy!

Mira started to walk!

And then she started to climb.

And I knew my sleepy newborn days were far behind.

All I could do was wildly stare.

And exclaim, "Mira how did you get on that chair?!"

She turned to me and smiled,

As if to say, "Don't you know that I'm a little bit wild?"

How could I argue with that?

So I gave her head a pat-pat.

And grabbed my camera just in time!

Somewhere in the middle of all this we had our 7th anniversary!

I am so lucky to be married to such an awesome man.

Especially one who can sport a mullet wig and handle-bar mustache so well. This was our last Halloween before we had kids and we had fun scouting out the thrift stores for our costumes. I was supposed to be a gypsy but could have passed for a downtown Eugene hippie. Happy Anniversary sweetie! Feels like we just got married yesterday... Here's to 77 more years!

Sean's softball team also wrapped up their fall season. This has become one of our favorite summer activities, going to the ball field with the other moms and kids to watch our husbands/daddies play ball. And they ended their last game with a win! Yay!

We got our FIRST dog! I haven't mentioned that we've had a dog for the last 4 months. We inherited from Sean's parents. His name is Archie. He is an 11 year old Boston Terrier. The kids love him to death.

Archie was Mira's first word after mama and dada. We have the best video of her perfectly saying "Ahh-chee" and patting him on the head. Sometimes he'll try to sneak into Calvin's room to sleep. One night, this is how they both went to bed...and then we promptly put him back in the laundry room after Calvin was asleep.

Last but not least, on the last day of the month, September 30th, Calvin got his FIRST stitches, after he rode his bike off the front steps...with no helmet.

Yes that is real blood on his face. Let me tell you it was drama.

He was bawling.

I was bawling.

Every time I looked at his cut I would cry again.

His forehead was split wide open.

I was not a calm mommy.

But he was very brave for his 6 stitches (well, with me and two other nurses holding him down and him screaming)

and afterward I realized I was glad that we at least made it to 3 years old before experiencing head trauma like this.

I have to remember that he is his father's son so there may be many more dare-devil incidences like this to come. But it all ended well, complete with the "nee-nah" (fire engine) coming to our house and wrapping up his head. Since fire engines are his favorite thing in the world, it was the icing to a too-exciting day.

(Don't even ask about the leak in our front lawn that was spouting 2,900 gallons of H20 a day into the lawn)

The month was also filled with lots of rides in the laundry baskets, especially as Mira perfected her ability to climb in and out of them.

I'll forever remember the morning I played a kids' version of "Thriller" and they danced their little hearts out. Kids have natural rhythm.

Cal says way too many cute things every day for me to remember them all. Sometimes he'll tell me out of the blue- "Mama you look pretty!" My current favorite is when he calls the air conditioner the air confreshener.

Life is good.

Happy Halloween!