When we last updated pictures in early August, we were lamenting the end of summer and the start of the school year. Well, we were right to mourn the passing of our relaxed summer! Life has been hectic and busy since Ella started 1st grade and Sarah’s students returned to NC State.

On August 14, our nephew, Edward (Eddie) James Radloff was born. Sarah and Joe took a quick trip up to meet the new little man in our family. All four of the siblings were together on day two of Eddie’s life! Many already know Sarah’s obsession with nibbling on newborn babies’ foreheads. Let’s just say that Eddie’s head was perfect for a little bite! We will be taking Jonah and Ella up to meet their new cousin in two weeks.

Ella has had a great start to 1st grade. A few friends from her kindergarten class and some from her bus stop are in her class. She is doing great with reading and her math skills are really improving. She has started back to dance—she takes jazz and tap on Wednesdays and does ballet on Saturday mornings. She is still loving dance—we keep offering other activities, but she says: “I only want to dance, mom!” So unless she changes her mind, we will keep offering opportunities for growth in dance.

We have enjoyed our last evening at the pool this year. Ella became much more confident in the pool this summer. She will float on her back and will swim underwater (while holding her nose). Jonah still prefers to hang out on the steps or venture out just a bit in the shallow end. Occasionally he will allow us to take him out farther and he will kick and kick and kick.

More sections of the greenway behind our house were finished this summer. We can ride bikes to the nearby park and now that the weather is cooling down, it is a really great way to spend the afternoon.

Ella and Jonah spend a lot of time setting up pretend picnics (outside and inside). Jonah loves to play chef and will carry around empty spice jars and pretend food. Even at school, he gravitates to the kitchen when I drop him off in the morning.

Our best fall activity has been apple picking at a farm just a ˝ hour west of us. We spent a lovely day picking LOTS of apples and enjoying the farm’s ice cream and their tire swings. We have made apple pies, apple tarts, baked apples, and the BEST apple cider. Hopefully we will find some time to return this year to get another bushel of apples!

Last weekend, Jonah announced he was done with his pacifier and wanted hermit crabs (his exact words were: “I’m done with paci. I want hermit crabs in my room. Many hermit crabs. Lots of hermit crabs.” So we are now proud owners of two hermit crabs (Jonah named them Monster and Basketball). We are also the parents of a very SAD and EXHAUSTED little boy. He has had a hard time without the pacifier. Before giving up the pacifier, Jonah was taking 3 hour long naps and going to bed by 8:15. Since paci has been gone, he no longer naps and has cried each night. ARGH! We knew the change would be difficult, but this has been especially painful. He has not had paci at nap time at school since January… I guess it is just harder to give it up at home. We are trying to be supportive and loving during this difficult transition time for him… The hermit crabs are cute but they freak Jonah out when they crawl on him. He prefers to watch them. We get them out of their cage and let them walk around the floor. We also do a lot of “checking on the hermit crabs.”

Andrew and Ella have started participating in the Y Princess Program. It is a YMCA program that encourages interactions and bonding between father and child during 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. The program follows a native American theme. Each participant has an Indian name. Ella is Graceful Owl and Andrew is Silver Hawk. They are the bead bearers and feather bearers for their tribe. They will meet twice a month with the other members of their tribe (including two of her friends from the neighborhood).

We hope you are all doing well and enjoying fall!
Sarah, Andrew, Ella, and Jonah