Happy Birthday Audrey!

2 sets of ears for the 2nd birthday.

Such a sweet little girl.

at. the. lake.

The saga continues...

Day one of balloon creation at Aurelio's with Grandpa!

By day 4 it has morphed into this bean. Roman carried it with him all day. Well, it was in his jacket pocket, but STILL.

We decided to walk back from the Field Museum.

Which seemed like a grand idea.(Empty Buckingham Fountain....C'mon, sing it with me "love and marriage, love and marriage...")

...considering what we found

playground!

Maggie Daley park - whoah!

Oodles of energy is found...

...and released...

Too bad it wasn't a little warmer (but than again it might be a little more crowded if it was)

Onward.

Another "Bean" (officially Cloudgate)

Continuing on our way back.

There we are!

Cousin Lucas!

We finally go to meet little Lucas.

Such a cuddly, happy little guy!

Happy Halloween!

From Mr. Hotwheels Driver and Frankie Stein from Monster High.

 

You guys got dressed up for a Halloween Party at the Community Center this past Saturday.

Games.

Prizes. Candy. Oh boy, it's SO EXCITING.

And then a visit to the other side of town...

 

To Jannie and Gordon's house.

A favorite haunt around Halloween.

Entertainment by Jannie.

Kisses from Matisse (it used to be Roman that got the attention, this year it was Zoe!) 

Quite the place to be :)

And one of my favorite spots to take a picture on Halloween, maybe because we took one of my favorite Halloween picture here when you were just over 1 year old.

Matisse wanted a solo portrait.

Okay, you got it!

Welcome to the world cousin Audrey!

Miss Audrey, Roman and Zoe's baby cousin!

She's 3 weeks old today.

I stole this photo off Aunt Laura's Facebook page :) 

Dad, Roman and Zoe got to meet her about a week ago.

"Don't get any ideas" I keep hearing.

Don't worry.  A niece is plenty fun for me.

I got to meet her a day after she was born. 

So small. So tiny. 

Precious.

"Don't get any ideas!"

And R & Z are plenty excited to be the 'big' kids.

Although I do like the fact that the big kid is sucking her thumb in this photo. She swears she isn't giving it up. Although she did admit to me that during naptime at preschool she faces the wall so no one can see that she sucks her thumb. Coping mechanisms for the coping mechanisms.

I told Roman and Zoe (not Zo, she informed me recently she doesn't like that!) they'd be like their uncle Jared and aunt Amanda for Audrey, and that got a great response.

Wow?! Really?!

Yep.

Michigan - Jacob's Falls

Jacob's Falls.

Near the Jampot.

A kindly woman asked if we wanted a family picture "mom's are never in the pictures".

Your dad is a criminal.

Or not.

Just the son of an officer of the law.

the law?

The law.

These are from our visit in May

(behind the times am i?)

With Barb, Ashley and Jake.

and Shannon (in the middle).