Happy birthday, Daddy!

This weekend was David's birthday, which was made even more special by the fact that it was his star birthday (27 on the 27th). His birthday almost corresponds to when Will will be three months old. At two days shy of three months, Will is so much bigger than he was at birth. We're not sure how much he weighs right now, but we would estimate at around ten pounds. (Avonlea Jane had a lot of well baby visits when she was tiny, but our family practitioner doesn't see the babies of "veteran" parents as often.)

Wide awake, naked boy

Before Will was born, we got the kids corresponding owl shirts that read "Big Sister Avonlea Jane" and "Little Brother Will." Will finally fits into his onesie, so we tried to get a photo of both of them in their matching shirts. Trying to get two little ones to sit still, look at you, and appear pleasant was no easy feat. We might have had better luck photographing both cats together. It turned into what was nearly an entire series of out-takes.

To celebrate David's birthday, we had a game night on Saturday, our second big one since Will was born. It's definitely getting more difficult to play while Avonlea Jane is awake, especially because of how much she loves games. (She has a few matching games, and we occasionally struggle through Go Fish or Guess Who with her.)

On David's actual birthday, we started the day by going to a birthday party for Avonlea Jane's friend Abby. Toddler birthday parties are quite the occasion. Again, it reminds us of the phrase "herding cats" but with cake involved.

Sharing snacks with Alma and Henry

David and Will cooling off by the window

Coloring an owl

Chilling out

Saying goodbye to Abby

After the party, we went downtown to Boston to eat lunch at McCormick and Schmick's.

On the walk to the restaurant, Avonlea Jane enjoyed the Quincy Market vendors and a street musician who allowed her to press the keys of his tenor sax for one of his songs.

When we got to McCormick and Schmick's, they were having kitchen issues and were no longer seating. We were really disappointed to have to change our plans, but we walked to The Bell in Hand, America's oldest continually run tavern (est. 1795), where we ran into Ben Franklin outside.

When we came home, Avonlea Jane decided to make Daddy's birthday more festive by getting out all of the tulle we use in place of tissue paper in gift bags. She wanted Will to play in it.

The tail end of a smile

Avonlea Jane is dedicated to her art. Instead of simply drawing in a birthday card for Daddy, she decided to use her legs as a canvas.



Avonlea Jane has been very interested in nursery rhymes lately, and her favorite is "Wee Willie Winkie," which we occasionally call Will. She also enjoys singing "Mary Had a Little Lamb," though she sang it so many times in the car today, she clearly only had the energy to sing the first line over and over and over again in this video.