3.5 years/1 year, 4 months, 1 week.

Busy day today.  First, the boys built a "house" in the hallway.  Next, Connor showed baby Zelda how to get stuck in unlikely places.  Then, Graham asked if he could take a nap with me, which, it turns out, meant pretending to sleep and actually taking selfies.  Finally, we visited our favorite climbing tree where Graham very prudently insisted on wearing his helmet for the climbs.

3.5 years/1 year, 4 months, 1 week.

Next up, Mt. Everest!  

Thanks for the cool tee, Auntie Spice!  It seems appropriately tough for a kid with 2 goose eggs and a V-8 juice can shaped bruise on his forehead.

3.5 years/1 year, 4 months, 1 week.

Graham just hit the "watch me" stage in which he wants a witness for all his accomplishments.  He particularly loves being given assignments, like running as fast as Superman through the sprinklers, and then being applauded for his good work.  Nothing wrong with being task-oriented!

3.5 years/1 year, 4 months.

If you look closely, you can see a rainbow-colored blur of a necklace around Graham's neck.  He made it at camp today out of fruit loops.  Presumably with tongue-in-cheek, the camp counselors told the kids something like, "Don't eat your necklace.  It's made with lots of sugar and will hurt you."  Graham totally believed them and refuses to even try the cereal.

3.5 years/1 year, 4 months.

Today was a big day of firsts: Graham went to his first professional sporting event (a Brooklyn Cyclones game) with Daddy while Connor and I took his first bike ride.  Good times were had by all, though Graham wasn't impressed with cracker jacks and Connor had some health food of his own in the form of several large bites of chapstick.

3.5 years/1 year, 4 months.

Day 2 of the beach!  Graham had an amazing time boogie boarding with Daddy.  Poor Connor got so tuckered out from playing in the sand and surf that he actually fell asleep while swinging.  We borrowed baby Penelope's sleep tent (which he doesn't fit at all--look how far his legs are sticking out) so that he wouldn't get a terrible crick in the neck.

3.5 years/1 year, 4 months.

Day 1 of the beach!  We drove up to Connecticut to spend a couple days at Aislinn's cousin's beach house with Sam, Hazel, Phoebe, and Penelope, and everyone's families.  The big kids had an amazing time playing together and are suddenly old enough to play for long stretches of time without much parent intervention.  Of course, it helps when you're staying at a giant house with a grassy knoll, playground, and beach within a few feet of the back door.

3.5 years/1 year, 4 months.

Our neighbor Ella gave the boys some important tips about playground etiquette under the jungle gym today.

3.5 years/1 year, 3 months, 4 weeks.

Bravely holding worms at the botanic gardens!

3.5 years/1 year, 3 months, 4 weeks.

The boys gamely decorated a piece of cardboard which we plan to use as a temporary way of keeping Connor off of the death trap, aka stairs to the loft, in Graham's room.

3.5 years/1 year, 3 months, 4 weeks.

We realized the summer was almost over and no one had had a corn dog yet.  Off to Coney Island to fix that situation!

3.5 years/1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks.

Graham worked on his teamwork skills today, negotiating a huge box of trains through the narrow twists and turns of our apartment with Noah and coloring the trees with Annika and Hadley.

3.5 years/1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks.

Uh-oh.

3.5 years/1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks.

Part two of the series.  I don't blame Sam for being alarmed about this situation.

3.5 years/1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks.

Part 1 of a two-part series entitled "Somewhat unnerving pictures of a boy and his cats."

3 years, 5 months/1 year, 3 months, 3 weeks.

Daddy and Connor, reunited after a weekend away.

Thank you, Nana, for taking such wonderful care of the boys and giving all four of us a vacation from our usual routine!  We really appreciate it.

3 years, 5 months/1 year, 3 months, 2 weeks.

Don't worry, Nana.  Connor has been doing his homework to make sure he's a good boy for you this weekend.

Happy anniversary to the love of my life!

3 years, 5 months/1 year, 3 months, 2 weeks.

Snuggle buddies on the roof.

3 years, 5 months/1 year, 3 months, 2 weeks.

This is Graham's favorite spot for a little reading.

3 years, 5 months/1 year, 3 months, 2 weeks.

School doesn't start for a month and it's already paying off.  When Graham saw his new school friend Juniper swinging in the big kid swings, he bowed to peer pressure and ditched the baby swings!

3 years, 5 months/1 year, 3 months, 1 week.

While Connor spent the afternoon cheerfully eating broccoli with Daddy, Graham and I were off to less wholesome pursuits--watching the movie "Planes" in the theater!  This is Graham's first movie since he went to see the "Croods" over a year ago.  He didn't make it past the previews that time, but wasn't scared at all and loved it this time.