thelongwells.com

aka - the internet thinks I know a thing. Follow this link to see a picture of Mr. Jack on parenthacks.com. If you have kids but don't know about this site, you MUST check it out, and I highly recommend you subscribe to their RSS feed. This site is my parenting bible. I get so many good ideas here, and most of them are so perfectly obvious and clever that I smack my forehead and screech "Arrrgh!/Duh!/Holy crap on a cracker!"

Howdy. I have just uploaded eight bazillion photos in reverse chronological order, so start here at Oli's birthday and page through to Jack's birthday.

Here is Jack at the pumpkin patch. He was so excited, he seriously could not move fast enough. Hauling pumpkins here, petting goats there, pulling wagons here, crawling under there to find the cat, chasing the dog over here, and so on. You get the idea. I'm exhausted just remembering it. What a fun day!

We had Oli's birthday party at the local pumpkin patch and it was a big hit with the kids. It was cold but sunny, and I think Halle was pretty happy with her pumpkin choice. She took it very seriously :)

Dear Oliver,

The first year of your life went by in a blur. You came into the world a happy, snuggly ball of joy and I can tell you that has not changed. But pretty much everything else has! When I hold you, even the times when you're crying (though that is pretty rare), I have this peaceful feeling, like we are meant to have this moment, you and me. I can't really describe it but I hope you feel it, too. Oliver, you are special. Total strangers often stop me in public to comment on your special smile and joyful spirit. I just smile at them and say, "I know, I am a very lucky woman."

I think that most parents who are about to have their second child wonder what it will be like to love another person as much as they love their first baby, and we are always relieved to find that the love for the second is instant and infinite, just like it was for the first. Oli, my love for you knows no bounds and I can't wait to know more about you as you grow.

Love,

Mama

Here is Jack meeting his pet fish, Ninja, on this birthday.