Furman Girls: The Next Generation

Last week my Furman friend Kelley was coming through town with one of her daughters, so I dropped Nathan at school and took my girls to go meet up with her in Chapel Hill.  We met at emu's house, and of course her two daughters were also there, so...

Yeah that's a lot of Furman girls in one place.

Kelley, me, Liz... and our girls*

And somehow we were all wearing purple.  (Wasn't planned.  Swear.)

Anneliese- 2, Charlotte- 3m, Sienna- 3, Sally- 2m, Annie- 2

Which means I'm pretty sure some of these babies are destined to be sweet Furman friends eventually too.  (I just cringed as I wrote that. Being a mommy means thinking about college in terms of tuition dollars.  Ugggggggh.  But, um... yeah. I mean, go Paladins! #fuallthetime)

It was a great morning of catching up with great friends and a handful of great laughs. 

(And Kelley has hinted at coming out of blogging retirement for a post with outtakes and attempts at this group picture.  You heard it here first.) (Update: she did it!)

*We're actually missing one from these families of Furman girls, because Kelley's oldest daughter Kiran, the original Furman Girl: Next Generation, was back at home. Next time!

Pehistoric Lego Creations

Legos never get old around here.  True story.
Nathan is dawning on a new age of dinosaur love (an era I was told to expect, an apparent requisite phase for all little boys).  So of course he has been very busy building the perfect prehistoric creature. 

Your daily Nathanosaurus

Look I made a lego dinosaur!  It's a brontosaurus and it has six legs.

Um, yeah. Of course it does. Points for effort?

Glimpses of Wateree

The big kids have spent a few weekends recently with their Opa and Oma down in South Carolina.  First when Mark dropped them off for a visit while he went to a football game in Clemson (leaving me at home for another easy fall weekend with just Charlotte), and then they rode down with Uncle Nick and Aunt Barbara for Thanksgiving last week (Mark was working, Charlotte and I found ourselves in Huntersville with my dad's family).

It's kind of bizarre to be all split up on weekends like that, but it's fun afterwards to look through picture updates and see what my babies are up to when I'm not around.

(If I had to base those assumptions on what Anneliese told me, it'd be limited to something like big puppy! big boat! Opa's house! Nay-nay biiiiig booooat!  Yeah.)

Who doesn't love a fabulous new hat?  I mean really.

Why do they both do this with their fingers?

So I'm gathering the canoe is not his favorite, then?

But they both seem pretty happy on the big boat.

And I'm pretty sure this is my new favorite picture of Nathan.

Today I'm feeling thankful for sweet grandparents and relatives who enjoy and know my children.  It's no small thing, really.

Chef Nathan

I've mentioned before that Nathan has become legitimately helpful in the kitchen.  But now that he gets up before us, gets himself dressed, gets his own yogurt and (pre-poured) cup of milk for breakfast, and can make his own lunch?  I'm pretty sure he should just take over all the cooking duties.

Your daily Nathan: maybe a budding chef, but no awards for speed

I mean, it's just one small step from pb&j to chicken casserole and potatoes au gratin, right?

Babies Holding Babies

Nathan and Anneliese both spend a lot of time begging to hold Charlotte. They love it.  Every time we take a few minutes and sit down and let them (and then bust out the camera, of course), I think it's going to turn into another in a series of Awkward Sibling Photos.

But seeing two kids who are so joyful at being big siblings, and a baby who just takes it all in stride, like being adored is the most natural thing in the world...

...well I just don't have much to poke fun of about that.  It just seems sweet and happy to me instead.  Awkward sibling hilarity and snark will have to wait for another week when they aren't being so beautiful and sincere.

The World Through Nathan's Lens

I went through the pics on the cameras last week and there were a ton taken by Nathan. I found lots of shots of his sisters, his toys, his clothes, and our house, all taken from his height.  It's actually kind of fascinating, the things he finds photo-worthy. 

(He might say the same about me.)

So here are a  few pics of the world according to Nathan... these made me smile:

the beloved orange shoelaces

classic Mommy

baby sister Charlotte

I promise my driving is better than this picture indicates

Bowden, from behind

smiley self-portrait

happy sister Anneliese

Mommy and Nathan

I love seeing the world through his eyes, a little bit. :)

Mommy's Girls

My friend emu took this picture of me with Anneliese and Charlotte last week when we had a Furman-friends playdate at her house.

Whoa.  I have two daughters. 

I love this picture. And the babies in it, and everything it represents about being their mommy. 

(Including the plethora of purple.)

Tis the Season? Already?

Charlotte doesn't seem too thrilled at the way-to-soon arrival of her first Christmas season in early November.

Your daily Charlotte: Christmas already? Yikes!

Little does she know, this is likely going to be her hat for the whole winter.  Maybe she should join the #OccupyAdvent movement.

Another Day, Another Dress-Up

Mommy's new favorite hoodie is also Anneliese's new favorite hoodie.

Your daily Anneliese

It just might look cuter on her.  Maybe. ;-)

Youth Choir Paparazzo

Nathan and I went to a youth choir rehearsal to take some pictures for our church's new website.  He was a little bit excited about seeing his teenage fans, and a lot excited that I was going to let him "help" with the picture-taking.

And perhaps I was a little bit paying attention to the youth choir, and a lot paying attention to Nathan being their paparazzo.

And because it makes me smile, here's the rehearsal from his perspective:

I think he does a good job of capturing the excitement and splendor of teenage girls singing worship music around a piano, yes? ;)  He's pretty much an artiste.