Ok, so this is Ellodie in her hat. Don't judge, it is not done yet. It still has to be blocked and lined so that the ear flaps don't flip out like the flying nun!

Here is Ellie demonstrating two things....1) she has learned to sit up on her own but only for a few seconds and 2) her new quilt I made last weekend. I know I am going to quickly gain a reputation by posting my crafts as that strange mom that knits, quilts, and makes her kids eat organic food....but whatever! I also know that this is going to discredit my excuse of " I don't have time for.....fill in the blank".

Ooooops, she fell over.....thank gosh it was on her soft beautiful quilt to shield her head!

Last Sunday we went out to eat for Scott's birthday. We had a party the night before but I keep forgetting to get the pictures from Gena to post. At any rate, we went to eat at a local Hibachi grill because Scott loves it and we thought the boys would enjoy the knife throwing and fire. Well, Ben liked it alright but Chars was not sure. I really have to agree with Chars on this one...the guy came out with a huge scar from his mouth to his ear and he started throwing around these knives but he was dropping them all over the place which is not good at all! Then he started with the fire and I got really nervous thinking everyone I love is sitting right here and we are all 2 feet away from this guy who clearly has had some sort of serious "accident" with knives in the past and now he is going to light up the entire grill!! Well, he pulled it off! I really thought we were goners!

This is a summer of "firsts" for Ben. Of course, He learned to swim, which is wonderful but he hasn't stopped there! I came home on Thursday from work to find him sitting at the table eating grilled salmon and broccoli! Of all of his accomplishments so far, this was the most surprising to me! When Scott asked him what he wanted for dinner he responded with salmon and broccoli and.......he actually ate it, all of it!! I am a proud momma! Finally!! He has also stopped using a pull-up at night! HUGE deal!!! AND.......He has learned how to ride his bike!!! For some reason this blog will only let me put videos at the end, so there is a video of him riding his bike at the bottom.

Here is a picture of Me, Ellie, and Chars in his bed. I always fall asleep first! And in Chars true form, he has fallen asleep in skeleton sunglasses.

Chars was very sweet last night and wrote me a song. He sang it all the way home from the Birdwell's house after our swim party. I missed the first half because I was messing with my phone and was trying to be sneaky so he wouldn't know I was recording it. It is a song all about how everyone was born. By the time I started recording I missed how I was born and how Ellodie was born. He talks about Asher in the song too. He loves babies! It is the second video down at the bottom of the blog post. Or, the second "arrow" to the right of ben riding his bike.