New Addition...No We're Not Expecting (yet!)

WE ARE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE ENGAGEMENT OF JEFF'S SISTER, DAWN, TO HER BOYFRIEND OF TWO YEARS, BOB! WE ARE VERY EXCITED FOR THEIR UPCOMING MARRIAGE AND FEEL BLESSED TO ADD ANOTHER MEMBER TO OUR LARSON CLAN. CHARLOTTE AND JOEY ADORE BOB. CHAR'S AFFECTION FOR HIM RUNS DEEP; SHE EVEN REFERS TO HIM AS "BOBBY." WE CANNOT WAIT FOR THE BIG DAY!

Rain Dance

A FEW NIGHTS AGO WE HAD OUR FIRST EVENING RAIN SHOWER THAT ARRIVED BEFORE THE KIDS WENT TO BED AND WAS GENTLE ENOUGH TO DANCE AROUND IN. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY TO LET MY LITTLE LADY LOOSE IN THE RAIN. SO, INSTEAD OF AN EVENING WALK WITH HER OL' MAN AROUND THE BLOCK, WE CUT LOOSE ON OUR SIDEWALK. SHE WAS THRILLED! THE LITTLE MAN EVEN GOT IN ON THE ACTION. TOPS MY FAVORITE MEMORIES OF THE SUMMER SO FAR!

SWEET JOE TAKES A BREAK WITH POPS.

OUR LITTLE LADY IN ACTION.

FEELING THE BEAT.

FINDING HER GROOVE.

LOVING EVERY MINUTE.

TAKING A MOMENT TO CATCH OUR BREATH. (WHAT A VIEW, HEY?!)

Joe

AT SEVEN MONTHS JOEY...

-EATS THREE MEALS A DAY (THERE IS NOT A VEGGIE OR FRUIT I PUT IN HIS MOUTH THAT HE DOES NOT ENJOY. HE GOBBLED UP HIS FIRST MEAT BLEND OF CHICKEN AND APPLES THE OTHER DAY! HE IS A JOY TO FEED.)

-ADORES GERBER PUFFS (HE HONESTLY CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THEM)

-MAKES THE FUNNIEST SOUND WHEN EXCITED (IT IS LIKE A LOUD, EXTENDED GASP)

-TAKES TWO NAPS A DAY (A TWO HOUR AM NAP AND A THREE HOUR + AFTERNOON NAP, WHICH OVERLAPS HIS BIG SISTER'S...LOVE IT!)

-SLEEPS FROM 7:15 PM - 6:15(ISH) AM.

- SHARES A ROOM WITH HIS SISTER

(HE AND CHARLOTTE HAVE BEEN SLEEPING IN THE SAME ROOM FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS NOW. I LOVE CHECKING IN ON BOTH MY LITTLE ONES SOUND ASLEEP IN THE SAME ROOM. ON OCCASION, CHAR DOES ENJOY WAKING HIM UP.)

-SITS UP, ROLLS AROUND, GETS UP ON ALL FOURS, AND CAN INDEPENDENTLY PLAY

-MAKES A VARIETY OF CONSONANT SOUNDS

- CONTINUES TO COO, GIGGLE AND SMILE AT ANYONE WHO WILL LAY EYES ON HIM

Little Patriots

I HAVE VERY FOND MEMORIES OF 4TH OF JULY BBQs SPENT IN THE BACKYARDS OF AUNT'S AND UNCLE'S HOMES IN MILWAUKEE. I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER MY UNCLE TAKING US UP ONE AT A TIME TO VIEW FIREWORKS ATOP THEIR FLAT-ROOFED HOME. SINCE LIVING IN MADISON, I BELIEVE JEFF HAS TAKEN CALL MOST 4TH OF JULY WEEKENDS. I HAVE SEEN ONLY A FEW FIREWORK DISPLAYS FROM AFAR. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR JEFF WAS ABLE TO SPLIT HIS WEEKEND OF CALL AND WE WERE ABLE TO JOIN FAMILY IN MILWAUKEE FOR A 4TH OF JULY BBQ. I WAS SO HAPPY TO INTRODUCE JOEY TO EXTENDED FAMILY, AND FOR CHARLOTTE TO SPEND TIME WITH ALL THE AUNTIES! MANY PRECIOUS MEMORIES WERE MADE INCLUDING, CHARLOTTE'S FIRST WATER GUN FIGHT, LEARNING ALL OF THE AUNTIE'S NAMES, LISTENING TO THE AUNTS SING PATRIOTIC TUNES, TAKING WALKS WITH AUNT BARB, PLAYING IN AUNT KATHY'S ARMS, AND DODGING WATER WITH AUNT BILLIE. JOEY RECEIVED LOTS OF ATTENTION, KISSES AND AFFECTION FROM HIS GREAT AUNTS. JEFF AND I ENJOYED GOOD FOOD, FELLOWSHIP, AND THE PLEASURE OF WATCHING OUR SWEET KIDS INTERACT WITH FAMILY. NANY AND HER SISTERS TREATED US TO A FEW HOURS ALONE, SO WE COULD PLAY GOLF, WHICH WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE AND ENJOY.

NO WEEKEND WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A TRIP TO THE FARMER'S MARKET AS WELL. JEFF WAS ABLE TO JOIN US FOR A DANISH, COFFEE AND QUICK WALK AROUND THE BLOCK BEFORE BEGIN PAGED BACK TO THE HOSPITAL. EVEN CHARLOTTE HAS GROWN TO BE CAUTIOUS OF HIS PAGER AND WHEN IT GOES OFF SHE COMMENTS, "OH NO...DADDY'S PAGER!!!" :) WE MADE THE MOST OF THE DAY AND EVEN SPENT A FEW HOURS AT THE POOL TOGETHER. I'M GETTING QUITE GOOD AT BALANCING TWO BABES AT THE POOL. THE THREE OF US ENJOY THE WATER, SUN AND FRESH AIR VERY MUCH!

IT WAS A LOVELY WEEKEND. WE ARE ALWAYS THANKFUL WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER AS A FAMILY!

JOEY TAKES IN THE SCENES AND SOUNDS AT THE MARKET.

I CAUGHT CHARLOTTE IN THE MIDDLE OF TELLING A STORY ABOUT SOMETHING "YUCKY." OH THE STORIES SHE TELLS!

SITTING PROUD WITH HER "SPARKLE" DONUT.

LITTLE MAN AWAITS HIS BREAKFAST.

WEARING HIS PATRIOTIC RED, WHITE AND BLUE "WHO" ONESIE.

GEARING UP FOR A FRIEND'S BBQ.

JOEY ENAMORED WITH HIS BIG SIS.

CHAR PUTS ON A SHOW FOR HER LITTLE BRO. SHE KEEPS HIM IN STITCHES.

LOVING THE ATTENTION.

(I ADORE WATCHING THESE TWO INTERACT. THEY HAVE SUCH STRONG AFFECTION FOR EACH OTHER.)

JULY 4, 2010

WATER FIGHT ENSUES...

CHAR, A TAD SKEPTICAL, OBSERVES FROM A SAFE SPOT.

"I MEAN, AM I SUPPOSED TO ENJOY GETTING WATER PELTED IN MY FACE?"

"YOU BET I AM!!!"

IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR CHARLOTTE TO JOIN IN THE WATER FUN.

BEFORE LEAVING CASA DE LARSON.

CHARLOTTE LOVES THIS LITTLE SPOT IN "HER" ROOM. I HEAR THIS PICTURE.

Artist in the Making

CHARLOTTE LOVES TO EXPRESS HERSELF. SHE IS BECOMING A TRUE RENAISSANCE WOMAN - LOVING BOOKS, MUSIC, THEATER, AND NOW PAINTING.

FIRST TIME PAINTING WITH A PAINT BRUSH.


TAKING HER ART QUITE SERIOUSLY. NOTICE HER STRONG PREFERENCE OF BLACK.

DAY TWO OF PAINTING. AGAIN, BLACK IS THE COLOR OF CHOICE.

AFTER I CAPTURED THIS PICTURE, SHE PROMPTLY LIFTED HER HAND AND TOLD ME, "NO MORE PICTURES, MOMMY." QUITE THE SERIOUS DIVA...I MEAN ARTIST.

HER LATEST CREATION.

HER HEAVY BLACK STROKES ONLY CONFIRM MY DAUGHTER'S FLARE FOR THE DRAMATIC.

The Great Outdoors

OFTEN WHEN WAITING FOR DADDY TO ARRIVE HOME FROM WORK, WE PASS THE TIME ON OUR "LAWN" ADMIRING OUR FIELD. JEFF AND I NOTICED THAT THIS YEAR THEY HAVE NOT PLANTED CORN (WHICH IS WHAT GREW THE LAST THREE YEARS), BUT SOY BEANS (WE THINK). I THOUGHT THIS FITTING AS THAT IS WHAT WAS GROWING OUR FIRST YEAR IN MADISON. NOW IN OUR FINAL YEAR, IT IS A SWEET WAY TO BOOK END THIS SEASON OF LIFE.

THIS PAST WEEK CHAR AND JOEY ENJOYED EXPLORING. JOE AMUSED HIMSELF BY PULLING GRASS AND ATTEMPTING TO EAT IT, AND CHARLOTTE FOUND HER WAY INTO THE FIELD...OF COURSE!

THRILLED.

OUR VERY OWN "DORA THE EXPLORER."

HER QUIET PLACE.

WE ALSO ENJOYED ANOTHER TRIP TO OUR QUAINT LITTLE (FREE) ZOO WITH FRIENDS AMY AND CALLUM.

READY FOR THE LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS...OH MY!

On the Move

OUR LITTLE MAN IS ON THE VERGE OF CRAWLING. WHEN CHARLOTTE WAS LEARNING TO MOVE, SHE LOVED TO ROLL ACROSS THE FLOOR AND WAS IN NO HURRY TO GET UP ON ALL FOURS. JOEY ENJOYS ROLLING FROM PLACE TO PLACE; HOWEVER, HE IS QUITE STRONG AND ENJOYS GETTING UP ON ALL FOURS AND ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. IT IS AMAZING TO WATCH HIM REACH FOR TOYS WHILE ON THE MOVE. HIS RIGHT ARM COMES OUT OF NO WHERE WITH A MIGHTY SWEEP AND BEFORE WE KNOW IT HE HAS CAPTURED THE OBJECT OF HIS DESIRE. I OFTEN FIND HIM STUCK UNDER OUR LITTLE END TABLE; HE LOVES THIS LITTLE CORNER OF THE ROOM. WE LOVE TO WATCH HIM EXPLORE AND WHILE IT IS EXCITING TO WATCH HIM GET UP AND GO, I'M THANKFUL HE IS NOT FULLY MOBILE YET! HIS SISTER IS ALREADY TOO QUICK FOR US.

LITTLE MAN BEFORE BED. I FIND HIM QUITE DARLING.

HE IS THE SWEETEST OF BOYS.