Post Category → william

filoli

On Tuesday, the girls and I (and the boys, of course) took a trip to Filoli, an estate built in 1915. It was a wonderful day: gorgeous architecture, over-the-top rooms, an awesome kitchen (that I totally want!), and amazing gardens and grounds.

(All photos were taken by Camilla. DELEGATION ROCKS!)

Kinda makes you want to see what’s inside, right?

But that wasn’t the only amazing building on the premises. There was also the garden house:

And then, of course, there were the gardens. Oh yes. Hours and hours of gardens.

But what you really want to see are the babes, right?

(More pictures here.)

big happenin’s

:: Liana and Camilla are arriving tomorrow evening. Do you know how excited I am? Of course, there’s the usual yay-my-family-is-coming sort of excitement. But it’s a bit more, too. I love having a huge family, and I love being the oldest — except for the part about being grown up, out of the house, and across the country when the youngest set is still growing up. Way too sad. So getting to spend a whole month with my youngest sisters is an extra-special blessing for me. I can’t wait for all of the special and everyday moments we’ll share this month.

:: William plays peekaboo. It’s so cute. You’ll have to take my word for it, because I don’t have the video, but it is over-the-top adorable. So is the bit of babbling he’s been trying out lately. Oh, that boy is the sweetest!

:: I’m not usually trying to find ways to ditch my kids. I actually love having them around. That’s okay, right? Occasionally, someone will communicate their deep pity for me when William screams his head off in the arms of a total stranger. You know — you poor thing, you never get any break. As my friend at church said, “Well, that’s kind of what we signed up for.” Yup, and I love it. All that said, when Ryan offered to take not just Jameson this evening, but William, too, I jumped on it. I’m beat. I’m now also totally lost. What to do, what to do? (I opted for the just sit option.)

:: I’ve been slowly working my way through Why We’re Not Emergent, and am loving it. I don’t have much to say about it right now — simply that it’s nice to put words to my gut instincts (which these guys do), and I’m realizing anew how much I love ancient boundaries. (There. I managed to not even rant. Not even a bit.)

:: My two sisters are coming! And did I mention that they’ll be filling my house with violin and piano for a whole month? Do you know how much I miss a house full of music? (Because, no, I don’t sit and play the piano all day. And yes, back home there is always someone playing something. Always.)

:: I shall now continue my restorative sitting.

william

This happy, sweet, smooshy baby makes us smile.

And apparently, his daddy makes him smile, too:

He’s just too cute, you know?

See what I mean? I could just sit and watch him forever.

p.s. The sippy cup is one of William’s favorite toys. I think it makes him feel grown up to be sucking on a cup that he occasionally sees his big brother using. Little does he know, Jameson is actually drinking from it, while the Big Bad Mother gives it to him empty.