Fall Love

Too cute for words

Fall Fun in the Backyard

Pumpkins on a Farm

While Zack and I were driving out to Fort Langley we passed a farm with cows. Zack pointed out the cows and then noticed something else. "Look mom white pumpkins" he said with excitement... but what he was looking at were bails of hay wrapped in a white shrink wrap. They were in the distance so they kinda looked like stacked pumpkins to him.

Fall in the Valley

"Look at that over there Jonas"

"I'm going to go see"

Drippy Kisses

Jonas and I were tucking Zachary into bed one night. Jonas has been drooling quite a bit and we had been laughing at the drool drops that would fall. Once we finished stories and prayers it was time for kisses. I gave Zack a big smootch and then told him to kiss his brother. I tilted Jonas toward Zack's face when he replied " No mommy, he is too drippy... yuck".

Sitting Solo

Today Jonas is 5 months old. He has started to sit up on his own, every day getting better and better. He still needs some protection around him, but it won't be long before I can just plunk him down and let him play with Zachary. They grow up so fast.

Crusing

This is an example why the wheeled 'walkers' are banned (besides the whole stairs issue)
(sorry it is so dark)

5th month picture ~ Brothers

Baby Jonas October 2008

Baby Zachary June 2005

Now those are some beautiful smiles!!

Big Brother Love

Cheering for the wrong team

The other night while watching hockey I made comment that Oma would be sad. Zachary, always concerned for others, wondered why poor Oma. I explained to him that Oma's hockey team was loosing. I started telling him that Oma's team was the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team in the white. Shortly after there was a goal. Zack started cheering, now Zack thought Oma would be happy. But it was the wrong team. We had to recover the different coloured jerseys again.

The missed page

I was reading with Zack one afternoon and we finished a book that was about colours. Each page was one item.. Red bike, green boat...
After I had finished the book I passed the book to Zack. He opened it and just started to reread it (it sounded like he was actually reading it), "Red bike... Green boat" he said as he turned the pages. Then he got to a page he did not recognize. "Errrplane... hey Mommy you missed this one" he said and passed me the book. He wanted me to start the book again because I missed a page. The kid doesn't miss a thing. Turns out I missed a couple.

Bath Laugh

The boys had a bath together and Jonas wasn't sure how much he loved it. Zack would splash a bit to much for Jonas. But this was the only time he was a little fussy.



And yes Zack poured water over the side of the tub... but just that one time!!

Corrections

I have been working with Zachary on his sentences. I have been trying to help him speak better. I find myself correcting him from time to time. Yesterday he was having troubles with his pullover sweater. He started to get frustrated and whiny. So I asked if he needed any help. "Yes" he said to me with frustration. So I asked him how he should ask. His reply was "Please" (which is right but not what I was looking for). So I said to him "Try, Can you help me please", to which he said "help me please". So I thought I would brake it down for him...
"Can you"
"can you"
"Help me"
"help me"
"Please"
"please"
Then I asked him to put it all together. What I got again was "help me please". We did this for a little bit, because I really wanted for him to get it right. "I'm not a good talker" Zachary said after a few tries. I told him that's why we are working on this together. Eventually he got it (Hurray).
Since children always pick up on things you do, he has corrected me on things lately too. This morning I was talking to Jonas, saying "My baby" over and over to get giggles. Zachary says to me "He's not yours... he is OURS... he's everybodys".
Yup he sure is.

Learning to Crawl ~ by Zachary

Zachary can hardly wait for Jonas to be able to crawl around. He has been trying to teach baby JB how to. They sure do love each other.

Chicken Zack

When we went to the pumpkin patch there were many other things to do. There were hay rides and baby animals to see and touch. We found chickens who were running free. Zachary loved the fact that the chickens were everywhere. He saw the chickens when we first arrived and was making rooster sounds. Here Zachary is chasing a chicken... (unedited)

New Baby

Zachary and Jonas are happy that they have a new baby cousin. On October 9 2008 in the afternoon, Scott's sister Rebecca gave birth to a beautiful healthy boy ~ Kai Hautala 6lbs 7oz ~
Keith, Rebecca and baby Kai are all doing very well. We look forward to meeting the newest member of our family one day. We are so happy for the safe arrival and wish the new family all the best.

Welcome Kai Hautala

Pumpkin Patch

Scott and I brought the boys to a pumpkin patch in Fort Langley. Zachary had a blast chasing chickens, feeding donkeys, and meeting other baby animals. We found a nice big ol' pumpkin to bring home. We all had a great time.

Fall Time

Today the kids and I went for a drive not far from our home. We walked along trails and tossed a few rocks in the river. The colours are not as beautiful as Deer Lake Park, but it still has a nice fall look.

Happy Thanksgiving

After searching, what felt like everywhere... high and low, we found a few pine cones. Leaves were easy to find, most from our backyard. It was actually quite funny. Since I grew up where pine cones were everywhere, I found it silly that I could buy pine cones, but was having a really hard time finding my own (the free ones). As Zachary and I were heading back home with baby pine cones, I happened to look up at a Pine tree and saw normal sized pine cones. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to go into the back yard of someones home to get them, then we noticed some on the ground... hurray!!! With our findings we make turkeys. It was a blast!!

This year we are thankful for all we have... Love, our health, a new home, a new baby, and an amazing family. We are thankful that we live in a safe, beautiful, war free country.

When I asked Zack what he was thankful for, his first response was (typical Zack) "Uh I dough-no" then "snacks". I think that Zachary is thankful that we have food. Its a good start but I think we will work on that.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Baby Talk

Since Zack seems to be taking the spotlight I thought I would throw in a Jonas video. Jonas likes to jump and bounce around in the exerciser. Quite often he babbles away.

Floor Hockey Fun

Zachary has a Sports Mix class on Fridays. Every week is a different sport. Last week was basketball and this week was floor hockey. The coach has them stretch and warm up, then they learn skills, and play games. Zack really enjoys it. Here is the 3 on 3 game.

Two 4 One

Yup, that's what you are seeing. Both of them are in the exerciser together. Zack wanted to sit with Jonas. Poor Jonas.

Pellet Party

Recently at our home in Langley, Zachary wanted to feed his fish Nemo. His fish is a Beta and eats the little pellets. Trying to open the fish food he popped off the lid and little pellets flew all over the place. Of course we were up stairs where it is all carpeted. Before I could finish saying his name with shock and anger, Zack says...
"Sorry Mommy, sorry about that... Sorry bout that Mom."
It was so cute, it was hard not to laugh. I told him he had to clean it up and to get the vacuum from down stairs. We have central vac, so it is a long hose. I could hear banging around so I went to investigate. Downstairs I found Zachary with the hose wrapped around him like Kaa from Jungle Book. It was good for a giggle.

Photographer

Zachary enjoys taking pictures, and has his own 'kid proof' camera. This afternoon he took a picture with my camera. When he took this picture he said "Aww... good one... I wanna put it on my fridge." It is definitely one I want to share.

Prayers

After spending so much time with family, Zachary picked up on so many things. One afternoon when I was putting him down for an afternoon nap, he looked at me and said "Wait Mom... say prayers like Papa." So I asked what it was that Papa said in prayers. Zachary closed and covered his eyes. He started to list everyone... "Mommy, Daddy, Oma, Papa...." and every once and awhile would look at me looking for someone he forgot. After we named everyone, I said Amen. Zachary said "No Mom, Omama...Omama... um.." I said "and Opapa?" then he replied " Ya and Opapa's boo boos." And with a big smile I completed "And help Opapa get better." Zack smiled back at me and said "Amen!"

Zachary's World

Zachary loves to take pictures.  One afternoon I set the camera to video and hit record.  This is Zachary's world...

Intro

Well, to give you a taste of what is to come, here are a two examples.

For those who know my Grandpa Bud and his brother Uncle Bill, you know that they very much look like brothers. At a family party where these two great men were, Zachary ran over to them, recognizing Grandpa. Grandpa was sitting next to Uncle Bill, and Zachary stopped and looked at them, confused for a moment and then replied "Two Grandpas!!".

One afternoon while visiting friends and family in Thunder Bay, I brought the kids to see my Grandparents (Bud and Gen). When we walked in the door Zack noticed a tall old Grandfather clock. He ran over to it... looked it up and down, in and out... then said "Where is the mouse?"