I hope you haven't all been holding your breath

Who am I kidding? You would have passed out months ago.

I've been sitting on this post and "untitled folder 3" full of photos on my desktop for more than a month, so here goes.

For the past couple of years, we've given the grandparents photobooks of the kids. It's fun to go through the year and pick out our favorite pictures. It's also really challenging to narrow it down. In the age of digital cameras, there are so many options. And so many pics just don't make the cut to get print like they would have in the days of film. I typically end up going with the ones that are the best photographically, but there are some memorable events and also some nice documentation of our normal day-to-day life that just didn't end up in the book. Perhaps, in some cases, the decision came out of respect for good taste, but mostly it was just because there was only but so much room. So, in no particular order, we will preserve the memories forever in cyberspace.

Coloring at Bob Evans. This is a favorite family pasttime. Ruby and Jon draw robots on the back of their placemats and Alex has recently gotten in on the action, obviously taking it very seriously. Most of the robots do cool things like clean rooms and bake cookies and play music. Alex's drawings are mostly pictures of our family (with much detail given to himself and daddy and Ruby and I getting a cursory smile and two eyes), trucks, and the number 1 and the letters 0 and A. 

Celebrating Camille's third birthday. Ruby entrusting her safety to two three-year-olds. Shortly after the camera clicked, they ran over a bush.

  
Alex insisted on wearing his red plaid bowtie on Christmas Eve because it "matched" his red plaid shirt. Can you spot it?  

February, 2009: Ruby was delighted with her first batch of rocks from the tumbler. 

Alex ran for safety when Jon lit some minor firecrackers on the 4th of July.

Spring, 2009: Ruby with soccer ball hat at her last practice of her first soccer league. Sometimes it surprises me how much she relishes the class clown role. How can she be shy one minute and so out there the next?

First adventures with chopsticks. 

The birthday girl's excitement at opening her first present was quickly snatched away by little brother. And as a good parent, I photographed before intervening. 

Riding Papa Jerry's bike Third World-style. Apparently Alex hit the bump before everyone else. 

Spring, 2009: Family hike at Duke Gardens with Tim Platt and Emily Heitman. Alex gave up on the hiking and was not going to walk another foot. He sat himself down and told me to go on: "I'm going to sit here and have my own business." By which I think he meant "mind his own business", since at 2 1/2 he didn't seem to be particularly entrepreneurial.

Ruby NOT touching the alligator. Apparently these two men are not to be trusted. 

This is the day Ruby declared that Alex was her pet. I did intervene in the sense that I strongly encouraged her to tie the leash to his wrist rather than his neck. He seems to have recovered psychologically from the experience. Actually, I think he relished the role. He's a big fan of dogs and generally likes to follow Ruby around like a puppy, so I guess it made sense to him. 

Comments

[Aunt Jill]

How cute! My favorites are the picture of Ruby looking at the rocks and the picture of Alex pushing the girls in the car. I think they should both find a place in the book next year!