Spencer

We have been reading up a storm these days.  Our routine is to hit up the weekly story time at the library, check out tons of new books, and then come home and read, read, read.

The kids aren’t picky about where they read.  The kitchen floor will do:

Inside the pantry is a good place too, apparently:

When I go to the library I put Spencer in a stroller so I can confine him while I choose books and checkout.  Every week I hope he’ll be content in his stroller the entire time, but usually within five minutes he’s begging to get out so he can push the stroller all over, pull books off the shelf, play with the little toys and stuffed animals, and get drink after drink from the drinking fountain.  This last week when I showed him that truck book, he hyperventilated from excitement for a moment then promptly crawled into the stroller and quietly looked at the pictures the rest of the time we were at the library.  He did scream for a second when I had to pry the book from his clenched fingers to let the librarian check it out, but once it was restored to him he was a happy fellow again.  I will never tire of his undying love for trucks.  I will also never tire of hearing him echo me as I say the trucks’ names, especially when we get to the “giant excavator.”

Oma was passing through our part of town and stopped for a short visit.  She was here at the perfect time to read a couple bedtime stories to the kids:

Time for another round of potpourri!

On the 4th of July the scouts put flags up in the yards that had donated money.  Since we had just moved in, we hadn’t made our contribution so we didn’t get a flag.  Brooke was feeling left out so she took matters into her own hands:

Spencer had a run-in with a marker and it left him looking like he was wearing an earring.  All day I did a double take when I saw him.  (Yes, that’s right, I said all day.  I purposely didn’t wash his ear because I was so amused by my gangster baby.)  He’s looking at a fly in this picture which is what is making him so excited:

He’s looking at me in this picture.  I guess I’m as exciting as a fly!

I can’t remember what Brooke was doing here.  Something creative as usual:

Brooke has declared roly polies as her favorite bug.  She was out in the backyard and found tons of them:

Want a close-up?

Spencer loves cars.  He constantly has to have a car in his hand and he has to roll it over every surface he can.  I think it’s adorable:

Brooke had Dress-Like-A-Pirate day at school:

Brooke was invited to her friend’s birthday party.  A unicorn magically appeared and all the kids got to ride it:

Brooke went through a phase where she insisted she wash all the dishes.  Unfortunately, that phase didn’t last very long:

Caroline had fun with markers:

Caroline found my oxcart wheels and used them to conduct her own nursery singing time:

Then Brooke got ahold of the wheels and her oxcart evolved yet again!

Our new house has been fun for the kids.

Brooke helped Dallas dig in the backyard:

We visited the neighborhood splash pad:

Spencer climbed on boxes:

The girls played with packaging materials:

Spencer rejoiced at seeing new books:

Brooke practiced her balancing:

The girls found napkins and Brooke made “boots” for Caroline:

Spencer got stuck in a laundry basket:

Brooke took self-portraits with the camera:

Brooke discovered the morning light shining through our window was perfect for creating shadow images.  I showed her how to do a butterfly:

And she showed me how to do a unicorn: