Ten on Tuesday.

1. We have a strict let-them-go-the-day-you-catch-them-policy in our house now, after a different frog and a big grasshopper lost their lives in our [daughter's] care. She means well, Little Lover of all Creatures.2. We do allow a few minutes to say goodbye before it's time to let them hop.

3. And, of course, we take them to a fine new home, just up the road, at the stream.4. Luckily we were able to persuade her that this newly out of the nest baby bird would not like it too terribly much if we put him in her bug house. Look at that new fuzz! He must have sat there on that branch all day.

5. My request system at the library is either completely jacked up, or several books have come in faster than I expected and, therefore, all at once. I have two on my nightstand and two waiting at the library! One I've waited months for, so I'll have to pick that one up, but knowing that I cannot read 4 books in 3 weeks, I had to cancel one of them. But of course I want to read them all!

6. I am so excited! I purchased Nutcracker tickets today for me and Alla! I've been waiting for the right year, and I hope this is it. December 20th, here we come.

7. We'll call this the stairs series, since the little man likes to just lay there and gaze up at me.

8. His official first day of school photo.

9. Today is the first day of dance class for Alla!

10. Colorado here we come - friends, we can't wait to see you all! Alla has already informed me that she will wake up a little early on Airplane Day just so she can have some getting ready time and art time. Whatever. Fisher just wants to see Jay-bup.

Photos by Susie.

I had to wait til after Grandparents' Day last weekend to share the rest of these lovely pictures taken by Susie back when we visited Ohio in June. I'm just in love with all of them, and have had a book made that now sits on my mantel. Thank you again, Susie!

What the boy and I did.

Yesterday we dropped Alla at preschool and got the jogger out of the van, then headed out onto unknown running paths. Of course we had to bring him a munin, otherwise known as the best zucchini oat muffins ever. I think I made another four dozen today. We finally made it through tunnels, around corners, under trees, to the park. He got all excited as we drew nearer, but once we were there, he spied the geese. And then he was off.

Completely gone, determined to get those geese one way or another.

Down one hill, up another. By this time they were honking at him.

With his wet butt (he dried off the slide, thankyouverymuch), just a-chasin' after them.And then they took flight. As you can see, he was so not happy about this.

I did manage to guide him back to the playground, where he continued to watch the geese, but also delighted in seeing airplanes above.

And then we had time for only one more slide, because of course Mama still had to run back to the car, and it had taken 30 minutes just to get to the park. He has only recently discovered the joy of sliding down on his bottom.

Suppose we'll be doing this for as many Tuesdays as we can before the weather stops cooperating. But tomorrow is the beginning of your school journey, little man, and I can only say this after seeing your sister through it. When I started with her, I was going as much for the parent component as for her. But two years of the program truly prepared her for preschool, so now I see, now I see.

I am so excited for tomorrow, for you to start playing with your own friends (Alla still has friends from that first year!), to see you in a classroom, with new toys and games and songs and routines. I am so excited that I will get to share this with you, Fish, right there with you every Thursday.

First day of school.

She said it was awesome.

Happy Grandparent's Day!

Our children are blessed with the most wonderful grandparents, so we honor them today and thank them for everything they do for us! We only wish they lived closer:)

Photo courtesy Catchlight Photography

Playing under the table and dreaming.

Ah, these two. It's highs and lows with them, not a lot of just hanging out. She loves him fiercely, he doesn't want to be smothered. He wants to snuggle her, it ends in her hair being pulled. But sometimes, just sometimes, they are sweet together, each of their needs met at the same time, by one another. He wants to play, she wants to nurture. He needs a song, she knows how to sing it.

It's hard to remember when I'm pulling him out of her hair, or pushing her back off of his squishy, oh-so-kissable cheeks for the fifteenth time that hour, that they are gift to each other as much as they are gifts to me.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. We took the kids to the zoo Sunday morning. We've officially gotten our money's worth, but should go one more time to be one-up on the zoo.2. Labor Day festivities included getting the pink car out. This was Fisher's inaugural ride.

3. I'm sitting here wearing a bead bracelet and numerous clips and ponies, plus a headband, all courtesy of Alla's fancy hair doing.

4. Old burp cloths make the perfect kid-sized hand towel for the bathroom sink.

5. As soon as he comes out the door he's looking for someone to say hello to. Yesterday it was Jacob, aka J-bape.

6. I think our garden is on its last leg, which is very sad because we've only been enjoying its fruits since the beginning of August, due to our cool summer. Fisher keeps looking for more kee-bee and there are two [zucchini] growing but not exactly ready yet. I think this is driving him insane.

7. Finally got this picture taken over the three-day weekend, so now I can frame it and stop feeling guilty that in the kids' room there's an Alla Rd street name framed, but nothing Fisher-related.

8. Sometimes I wonder how many times a day I say no to Fisher and hold on to Alla.

9. With the gazillion catalogs we get around here, I've been making paper beads, which are quite lovely and an oddly satisfying little craft project (for me, that is - the actual bead making is a little too tedious for a four year old). All the day long these little gems are drying on the ends of paint brushes, and then being added to the jelly jar. I've told Alla that when it's full she will have enough to string a necklace. This will be a joyous day.

10. From the garden, and making us happy. It's the little things.

Art Friday.

This was a relaxing thing to do on the deck in the sun this morning after breakfast dishes. It took him awhile to get used to the whole do-it-with-your-fingers, Buddy-concept. He just kept looking at me funny and saying "ucky." But happily he got into it.Of course as soon as he saw how Big Sister does it, with actual brushes, Mama, he was all over that. There was no other way.

They made beautiful red-orange-yellow suns and then we hung them up to dry. She helped him for awhile, holding the paint cup, until he just wanted to hold it himself. At the end she said he'd made the most beautiful sun. I think certain things really get her, make her realize, in as much as a preschooler can, that a year is big in a baby's life, and now he can do things. Wow.

For some reason, when I saw this one on my computer tonight, I stopped and stared with my heart all a-flutter. The yeh-woh paint on his face, that baby hand poised, that concentrated stare, all just him, all just who we all love day after day after tiring, tiring day.