April part 2

This first picture is supposed to be at the very end of the post, but for some bizarre reason I can't move it. So, when you get to the end, scroll back up to see the picture again!

Now on to the real post:

David is our drummer boy. Both Josh and David love music, drumming, and most instruments, but David for nearly his whole life has been drumming. He drums constantly, on whatever surface lies close at hand. When he brushes his teeth, on the counter. At the table, on his cup lids (which we are trying to train him not to do). On his lap. On anything and everything!

So here he is in action. These are improvised "upstairs" drums for accompanying Dad on piano. The drum set of course is downstairs and gets quite a bit of use as well. He has since broken the green drum pictured, as well as at least two or three sets of drum sticks, and a maraca or two. You should hear him wail when such a tragedy occurs! You would think his heart was broken.

In the pictures above, we were in the midst of spring blossom season and you can see from his puffy eyes that David had terrible allergies. I sure hope he grows out of it because he suffered a lot for a couple of months, even with medicine. I took these shots mainly to get some "before" pictures because I was going to cut his hair soon. I kind of like his hair on the shaggy side, it suits his personality, so I waited a while to give him a trim.

In mid to late April we had successive visits from Chris's parents and my parents, before going to Williamsburg with Chris's parents, who were still in town staying at Renee and Del's. Below are pictures from a family fun night activity with Grandma and Grandpa Kinsinger.

Squeezing the lemons for lemonade. (Note the hair cut! I like him with short hair too. ;-) )

Working hard to get those melon balls on the straw.

Assembly.

I loved the colors.

The chefs displaying their traffic light fruit skewers.

The finished product! And a refreshing draught of lemonade to boot.

(We needed it after all that work!)

***

Cygnus the Sugar Ship

We met my parents in Baltimore for the Wee Workers program on "Boats & Ships," a favorite topic for my dad whose father was in the Navy and also worked tugboats in New York Harbor. After the program, we were able to watch this freighter being unloaded at the Domino sugar factory dock nearby! We couldn't see the stern to learn where she came from, but she was filled with raw brown sugar. We could smell it across the water from a 1/4 mile away.

I posted lots of these mostly for my dad's sake, but also for those of you who have never seen such a thing and might be interested. It was fascinating to watch, I have to say. If you look closely, you can see the big clamshell bucket dumping sugar into a hopper near the center of the photo.

Now it's empty and going down for more.

Opening the jaws wide to get a big scoop!

Coming up again, full.

Dumping again. They had two of these going back and forth to and from the hold constantly. How many tons of sugar???

Then my parents took us to visit Fort McHenry. I'd never been there before.

Looking at things across the water.

The fort. The flag is still there.

I appreciated that it was the same design as the flag actually flying at the time of the famous battle after which Francis Scott Key penned The Star-Spangled Banner. 15 stars, 15 stripes. Then I think they realized they couldn't keep adding a stripe for every new state, so they reverted to 13 stripes and just kept adding stars.

At the very site (see the base of the flag pole behind David).
***

Joshua's preschool class to a field trip to Homestead Farm to plant strawberries, see baby animals, and take a hayride.

Joshua is seated second from the left. It was freezing that day with terrific winds.

Fortunately it warmed up enough to mow the grass within a day or two. Grandpa loves to mow so he is a good teacher.

And on the last day of April, Grandpa and Grandma furnished the absolute highlight of the spring (maybe the year) for Joshua:

A two-wheeler!!

How he LOVES this bicycle! And he's getting to be a pretty good rider, too.

Not to be left out, David received a helmet, a new horn for Joshua's former tricycle, and a promise that when he gets bigger he will get a bike too. (Remember the pic up top?)

Thanks for hanging in there for a long post! We'll see if I get May and June posted before I go into labor. I'm trying to catch up so that I can get a fresh start on baby photos! The due date is 8 days away...

April

This year Chris was able to join us for the annual Gas & Steam Show, antique tractor extravaganza complete with a saw mill and incredibly loud steam whistles.

We'll be measuring the boys by this tractor wheel they've stood by for two years running now.

Chris and I so enjoyed strolling around the park in the gorgeous spring weather while the boys ran ahead totally entertained by all the machinery surrounding them.

We also enjoyed the weather at the playground!

It is so nice to have a buddy!

And then for some reason I loved David in his orange tee and was his personal papparazzi:

We baked sugar cookies for Easter dinner at Aunt Renee and Uncle Del's:

Like my elephant?

March

Hopscotch:

Our new favorite outdoor activity this spring.

Ever see a pregnant woman play hopscotch?

Photo credit: Joshua

Look Mom! I can climb up this high! (Last year Joshua couldn't get himself up into our dogwood tree but this year it was no problem.)

We took a field trip with our friends the Johnsons to National Colonial Farm in Accokeek, MD.



They had turkeys, chickens, these enormous rams,

and the hairiest pigs I've ever seen!

Joshua and David have seen spinning wheels before and even carded wool, so they were very attentive during this demonstration.

But back to hopscotch. Sidewalk chalk is wonderful!

Drawing number 13.

Joshua's very own hopscotch game. I helped him with the 6 in 16 but otherwise it was literally all him. (And I discovered it's not easy drawing curves on a bumpy sidewalk!)

And what is warm weather for if not also for riding tricycles? These guys would ride all day if I didn't have lots of other things to do that they have to do with me.

Re-entering the blogosphere

I've actually started taking pictures again! I'm grateful for our camera that we were given when Joshua was born, but I think it's feeling its age. I remember now why I was so frustrated with its slow focusing...and focusing...and focusing while the perfect moment disappears several times over. But some pictures are better than no pictures, even if they're not perfect. In looking back over the past few months I find myself increasingly delighting in our family and the ways we spend time together, giving thanks to the Giver of all good gifts for these special people and sweet moments.

We've been busy making lots of memories this spring! In March, we enjoyed warm enough weather to ride trikes and play hopscotch, while indoors we cooked our way through The Toddler Cookbook. In April, we had visits from Chris's parents and my parents, who all worked hard, nay positively slaved, in our house and yard. We went to Williamsburg with the Kinsingers; then Grandpa Al and Grandma Monika bought Joshua a new bike and David a new bike helmet. In May, Joshua closed his first year of preschool with a rousing "Spring Sing," and we watched Aunt Renee sing her master's degree recital songs as well. We enjoyed several play dates at playgrounds, and even went ice skating at Cabin John Ice Rink and saw the butterfly exhibit at Brookside Gardens! June has begun sweetly with strawberry picking and swimming, along with several doctor appointments that have all thankfully indicated good health. And in the midst of it all, we're turning our house upside down and inside out as we get organized in preparation for the imminent arrival of...No Name Yet Kinsinger Boy #3! A smattering of photos below will give you a more complete picture of our lives this spring. There's even a movie, so enjoy!

First, the movie. I think I'll post the photos month by month. This was June 4:

Cute Quotes

Here are a few of David's recent sayings that I don't want to forget.

Last night at dinner Joshua remarked, "When our baby is born he won't have any clothes on." And David pointed out, "Just like Adam and Eve!"

This morning during the waving-goodbye-to-Daddy ritual, David got more than usually excited. He shouted, "He waved, he waved, he saw me! He saw my friendly blue eyes!"

And at nap time, he narrated his companion's ascent (and descent), "Wham! Pooh headfirst crashes into the bed."

I think all the reading we do with him is having an effect.

Baseball

We're starting spring training early this year at our house. Joshua and David have been wanting me to pitch to them at the open gym we attend once a week, and have shown surprising coordination at the bat. The gym floor has lines painted all over it, of course, and so we pretend one of the intersections is home plate. Then I make them straddle one of the lines, which helps them keep their feet properly aligned for their stance. They've been able to adjust their arms when I've told them "put your elbows up" or "hold the bat up in the air" and I'm impressed that they can follow these directions. Finally I remind them to watch the ball - here is a situation where giving Mom great eye contact is actually not so helpful! - and when they do - wow! They can hit it! It's a dodge ball so it's about 6 inches in diameter, and the bat is also about 6 inches across at the fat part, but hey, they're doing great for hitting without a tee! Joshua is taking after Babe Ruth in that when he connects, he really wollops it. (When he doesn't connect, you can feel the breeze from that swing ripping through the air!) David is more consistent but doesn't quite have his form down yet. Anyway, I ramble on because my dad spent years of his life coaching me in softball, and teaching my boys this wonderful old-fashioned American game is definitely nostalgic. I don't follow the major leagues much anymore - without time or a TV it's too much trouble - and I don't care if the boys ever do either. But the joys of playing baseball in the innocence of youth without any commercialization can still be found, and I hope that learning the game serves them well. Meanwhile, the boys and I are bonding. Batter up!

Baby News

We found out this morning that...

We're having a boy!

And by all indications he appears to be lively, cute, and healthy so far. Will he be another truck rolling-Lego building-couch jumping-ball throwing-cymbal clanging-train loving-tight squeezing-hearty eating-book devouring-worship song singing son and brother? Time will tell! We know he is in God's hands and pray for his safe arrival this June.