Browns are unique

The Browns are a wonderful family!  Even as the matriarch of the family passed last week, they managed to share old stories, smile and eat good food.  You will be missed Grandmom Brown.

A wonderful part of such an event was getting to see all of the new babies in the family in one place!  Uncooperative as babies are for groups shots, we were unable to get them all together, but here are each of the newest munchkins!

Brady, cousin Jason and Megan's son

Logan, cousin Steve and Nicole's son

Owen, cousin Mike and Jodi's son

Owen and Logan could be twins! 
And of course Jackson and Amber

A short but wonderful visit

I got to see my dear friend, Foluso, at her brother's wedding reception.  Always a fun time when her family gets together to party!  We got some cute pictures of the kids together (her first son is 6 months younger than Andrew and her second son is a month older than Amber).  Congratulations to the happy couple, too :)

Little boy in the pool

Got Ken in the pool with Andrew for swim class today :-)  Seemed like Andrew had fun again and did some swimming by himself.  Our current challenge is getting him to keep his mouth closed so he doesn't swallow water and to put his legs up behind him to swim forward.  The latter stems from him grasping the treading water-concept like pedaling, but he looks like he's riding a uni-cycle in the pool.  haha

The trip that never was

Ken's cousin invited us for a family picnic at her home in Delaware this weekend.  Friday night I made a yummy dessert to bring along.  Saturday we got stuff packed up so we could leisurly get out the door this morning.  All seemed right on target until we got to Chester.  The car made a loud beep and very large red letters appeared on the dash  S T O P , and then oil pressure- see manual.
So we got to a Pep Boys in Brookhaven, PA ('round Chester/Widener University).  They said they couldn't help us because the oil pump etc in a VW is complicated and has to be handled at a dealership... not open on Sundays.  So Chase is at the VW dealership in Newtown Square tonight.  Our brother-in-law, Chris, made the trip from Trevose to rescue us and bring us home.
We're very bummed that we missed the picnic and seeing all the little ones and families together.  Hopefully we'll get to try again soon.

The Art of Bubble Mowing

It is a very precise art, bubble mowing.  Please note the care taken to get under the tree (and keep up with Dad)!  I love watching the boys cut the lawn!  Andrew listens very well to Ken about where to stand when weed whacking and follows at his heels while mowing.  Ken even gives him a turn with the leaf blower!

Amber is crawling!

We saw Amber take a couple little "knee steps" this morning so I grabbed my fancy new camera with HD video and got her doing it!  She wanted to keep practicing, but it was nap time.  I'm sure we'll have some more footage of her tearing up the place!  Sorry for all of the oohing from me- I was pretty excited!

Cute Peek-a-boo Kids

Swimming

Andrew had his third swim class at the Y this morning and he finally let me let go of him!  So proud of him for making it over that hurdle!  He usually clings to me for dear life, resisting my attempts at turning him or holding him differently.  Today he actually let go and did his little bicycling kicks.  We haven't even learned that in class or anything, but he saw the older kids doing that in the class before ours and he wanted to try it.  The teacher taught him something to avoid swallowing water today, too.  Just the opposite of what parents want their kids doing- spitting.  But it certainly has its applications!  I think it was even one of the things that helped him feel more confident because once he realized he could spit the water away from him mouth he was less afraid to get his mouth near the water and more encouraged to swim on his own.  YAY Andrew!!  (wish I had pictures, video of this for you, too, but alas our technology is lacking water resistance.  perhaps Ken will come along one time and we'll capture some footage then.)

Almost...

Amber is getting closer and closer to crawling each day.  Today she was actually on all fours for like a minute!  Usually she bops until she's headed to all fours and then falls all the way to her belly.  Either that or she just doen't make it all the way over and stays sitting.  Yesterday, I "helped" her a little to get to her belly because she just wasn't taking the bopping to the next step.  I don't know if she's afraid or annoyed to get to her hands and knees, or if she's just anchored too well to easily get in to that position ;)  Needless to say she didn't like me pushing her bottom and dumping her over.  She was fine, people!  I put her on her hands and knees and she actually seemed to like it.  She promptly pushed up to sitting!  Then today she got on h&kn all by herself and smiled at me!  The video I got yesterday was kind of long to post and I don't have anything to edit it with, so you'll just have to imagine it for now.  Soon to be crawling Amber...

Crib time

so tiny in the crib

Amber is slowly getting too big for her bassinet and as soon as she can pull herself up, it will be a safety issue.  I've started having her nap in her crib for her morning nap, but I am afraid of leaving her in there when they are both supposed to be napping in the afternoon.  I don't trust Andrew not to bother her or to end up in the crib with her.  I also don't like the idea of her screaming and waking him up or preventing him from sleeping.  And of course neither of them is predictable with nap duration and it's never succinct.  I'll be in and out of there for both of them so much I may as well just stay and sleep on the floor (not really going to happen although I'm sure Andrew would actually like that).  It's risky, it's annoying, it's gotta happen soon.  Who's idea was it for them to share a room?  I think I'm going to have to make Ken put the crib into our room.... 

has to have her head toucing the side