CONNOR JAMES

Six years ago this week we found out that the baby boy we were expecting had passed away. He was born on August 19th. We named him Connor James and buried his little body on Grandma and Grandpa McAllister's farm and planted a tree. We always try to do something together as a family on Connor's birthday. This year we went for a family hike.

Cameron kept blurting out to passersby on the trail, "We're celebrating my dead brother's birthday!"

We read a sign that there was poison oak in the forest, so not to leave the trail. Cameron was so concerned that he told Ewan to hold his hand so that he could protect him from it. So sweet.

Six years...three more babies...and now the tree we planted is about thirty feet tall. What I learned from being Connor's mom for that short, short time is that being a mom is the best, most holy thing I can do with my life. I learned that God has a plan for our family and I can trust in that plan...even when it's hard. I was never the same after the summer of 2003. We miss you Connor.

MY BABY BIG GIRL

Anne has been a very slow developer in her gross motor skills. At 9 1/2 months she is finally bearing weight on her legs and starting to get the idea that she wants to be a big girl.

She got up on her knees for the first time (and it made her REALLY mad!).

She is SO over baby food and eats best if I just give her the bowl to have at it!

SPACE PARTY

For Ewan's first over "friend" birthday party, we did a space theme. We played "pin the space ship on earth" (the picture is upside down, I see).

We also made Alien Masks and played Alien, Alien Astronaut

Ewan's friends Ezra and Clayton and Heather watch him open presents

EWAN IS 5!

Our Ewan turned 5 this past Sunday! How time flies! We celebrated with a family BBQ and party. Grandma and Grandpa McAllister, Uncle Mark, and lots of cousins joined us.

This year everything Ewan asked for had something to do with Star Wars, or Aliens, or robots...he's such a boy!

Grandma McAllister made him a wonderful book with pictures of him through the years, including some of past birthdays. The funniest thing to me was when he told me yesterday that he was upset that I didn't give him a bigger slice of cake on his second birthday!

With his siblings and cousins and riding on his new tractor that Grandpa picked out to match the real one on the farm!

Making his "wish." He was SO funny. We told him to make a wish, so he closed his eyes and blurted out "I wish for the DEATH STAR!" (a $300 lego set we've told the kids we will NEVER buy for them!...I guess he thought wishing couldn't hurt!)

Eating his satisfactorily large piece of cake!

The cousins are such great helps with Anne when they are around and these were some cute pictures I just had to put in...

I love, Love, LOVE this little boy. He always indulges his mom with hugs and kisses...here we were sharing an after-the-party snuggle. I sure hope this growing up thing slows down!

MINI ME #2

This is Anne at 9 months and me at 8 months. I think, what's most amazing to me is how we have the EXACT same expression.