This is going to be a monster blog post! We've finally got a minute to look back on a busy March and April. Looming on the horizon are some big changes for our family-- a baby girl due in about a month followed by a cross-country move to Seattle in June. While Fran and I work on stomach ulcers, Erin has been blissfully happy and healthy as she nears her 3rd birthday.
Fran and I grabbed an opportunity for a quick getaway to the north shore last week. Erin had a couple spend-the-nights with her grandparents. We stayed in a really nice cabin right on the lake near Two Harbors. Sleeping as much as we wanted, getting in some pleasure reading, and going for walks were nice, but didn't hold a candle to the food (and desserts!). We ate like kings.
Fran took some pictures of a roaring Gooseberry Falls (with rainbow) while I went for a run in the park. It rained on our first day up there, but was sunny and warm thereafter. Below is the view from Split Rock Lighthouse.
Before we forget the real reason our friends and family visit this blog, here are a bunch of photos of what Erin's been up to as she gets closer to becoming a big sister (she just informed us that "I'm going to teach baby to jump off the couch", hmmm...).
The smile in the picture below came soon after we discovered my stash of medals from old races as we began packing up the house. The entire collection was shiny, irresistible, and weighed about 7 pounds! We affectionately call these new accessories her "bling".
Erin's picked up a few quirky mannerisms recently. One happens to be always asking what to expect (in the negative sense) based on the current topic of conversation. This leads to many awkward questions such as "Daddy, where is not downtown?" and the tricky double negative "Mommy, what will not happen if I'm not a good listener?" The other new mannerism must have been picked up at daycare, and goes with the pose shown below. She'll spin to look at you with her fingers out and whisper "Spiderman!" We're pretty sure she has no idea who Spiderman is, which makes it even more funny.
We've enjoyed a few warm spring days before it snowed again last night. Erin has a liking for colorful spring dresses with bright pants, as below. Fran thinks that the older she gets she looks more and more like me, but I've noticed that her goofy smiles (above) remind me of pictures of Fran as a kid.
I reached the big 3-3 earlier this month and we celebrated with dinner at grandma and grandpas. Erin looked forward to this party for awhile and actually led my family in singing Happy Birthday (she also blew out the candles). Fran made a delicious carrot cake (by request) that Erin and I both enjoyed.
This was the morning of "silly hair day" at Erin's school.
Erin amazes us with how quickly she picks up new skills. We've moved way beyond letters, numbers, and song lyrics. Erin loves going to the library so Fran extended the offer that Erin can get her own library card when she can write both her first and last name on it. By the looks of it, she's halfway there!
I've had some weekends off lately. Erin and I get a kick out of our waffle or chocolate chip cookie making adventures while sporting matching aprons.
Last but not least, Fran has been on a roll lately! She got offered the first peds job she applied for in Seattle. She'll start work as a pediatric hospitalist with a couple UW-affiliated hospitals in September. This first job as a board-certified pediatrician (in an unfamiliar community) is both a source of pride and stress for Frances. I know she'll do great, we're very proud of her. Fran has about 5 weeks until the due date and has been feeling ready to be done being pregnant. She looks fantastic and we're both excited at the prospect of a new baby around, but at the same time wary of all we have left to do before the big move.
