No mirror needed.

Van [He's the one with the car on his shirt. I know. I get confused sometimes too.] went for his 2 month well baby appointment. He's on target to outgrow his sister sometime next Tuesday. Probably around lunchtime.

White rice and cupcakes are not food groups.

Edemame. Fresh cherries. Milk. A sourdough roll.

I would be so proud of this if she'd eaten anything besides the roll. Some days I think it's a miracle she poops at all.

Van's youtube debut.

I was feeling all guilty about how Scarlett was the most photographed baby in the history of all babies, and how Van barely gets snapped [although in my defense, as the primary family photographer I've had to explain on numerous occasions that you will not have your picture taken much when you refuse to be put down] but I did finally get a little video of my son.

Out of curiousity, I went and looked to see when Scarlett made her youtube debut, and as it turns out, Van beat her by a cool 3 months.

So suck it, birth order. I rule.

Then the circus came to town.

This is a good lookin' couple.
This couple, also good lookin', compared notes on wardrobe.

My dad's baby sister, and her great-nephew, that looks NOTHING like anyone in our family.

Left to right: Jake, Zoe [holding Van], Scarlett, and Charles Rex.

Amy's clan came to town at the end of June when school got out. They were very pleased to be here because the east coast has been hit with another ice age this summer, and the third week of June was upon us and there wasn't a single person in Connecticut who had donned a bathing suit. So they came to the Midwest where we start sweating around Memorial Day, and don't stop until Halloween. When it snows.

Scarlett is officially enchanted with her older cousins, and Jake declared Van to be the baby to beat all babies. Although ever the diplomat, he couched it slightly by saying things like "well, he's the best under 2 month old baby" and that Scarlett was the best two year old in the girl category, because he has the feelings of other cousins to consider.

Van tried to prove me wrong by being a very good and quiet baby around his aunt and uncle, which lasted until everyone got back on the plane, at which time he opened his mouth and let me have it.

Woefully behind.

This is just one of those pictures that is fun to share. I have nothing to say about it, except perhaps, how cute is this gang?

The cute might kill me.

Seriously. It might.

Van's hips are fine. He has also gained almost 3 and a half pounds, and has grown over 2 inches. I don't know how to dress a child that has no visible bones.

At his one month appointment, our pediatrician made the comment that he was very glad that we were finally talking about normal baby problems like colic. Now, I adore our pediatrician. At our very first appointment, when Scarlett was 5 days old, he quoted Frank Deford to me. FRANK DEFORD. And it wasn't even Wednesday!

But when he said he was glad to be talking about colic, it was all I could do to keep from offering to continue the conversation at 1am. Because I'd be up. Swaddling and shushing, and wondering if crate training would work as well as it did with Alice.


Oh, I jest. We wouldn't put Van in a crate. It's not soundproof.

"Can I ask a question? When did I get to be 39?"

"The better question is when did I get to be old enough to be married to someone who is 39?"

Happy Birthday, hubby mine. Do you want me to make you some chocolate cupcakes? I owe you after you sat through 2 hours of Garrison Keillor.

Of course, the Stanley Cup finals were on this week, so we could probably call it even.

Although I might still make you cupcakes. I'm pretty sure we'd find a few takers in this house.