Return to Inwood

Silas had a couple days off from school, so we made a brief visit to our Inwood friends.

And gave the kids a dose of winter.

Silas and Rosemary were thrilled by the snow and were outside multiple times each day.

Tess could take it or leave it.

Ulysses, Miranda, Silas and Rosemary hurled frozen snow in Inwood Hill Park.

In twelve degree weather, Silas and Quinn were the only ones at the Anne Loftus Playground.

Here's Silas joking around with some of the P.S. 278 gang -- Daichi and Teun.

Many more pictures from our trip (including indoor photos) are here.

Valentines

Valentine's Day did not go unnoticed in our house.

Silas wrote out valentines for all of his classmates.

Rosemary made this valentine for Grandma Charlotte -- because what grandma doesn't love the Incredible Hulk?

Rain

As you probably know, California is facing one of the most severe droughts on record, which may just be the new normal.

So when it rained today, I got the kids outside to enjoy it.

We raced origami boats...

 played in the drainpipes...

 and collected worms.

Silas built a "worm house" out of mud.

Tess did not want to go inside.

Beresford Playground

Another playground post:  Couple of pictures from Beresford Park today.

Silas found a new play structure.

Silas and Rosemary scooting on the skatepark.

Laurelwood Playground

Pictures from a recent trip to the Laurelwood Park playground.

Both Silas and Rosemary do a lovely job of playing with Tess.

Rosemary shared her favorite crocodile with Tess.

Rosemary also made pancakes for Tess.

Hmm.

Farewell Old House

Come February, the Grandparents Keithley are moving to a smaller, one-story home across town.

Blair and I made a farewell tour of the house we grew up in, and brought our kids along.  (Our doctor wives both had to work!)

The cousins hadn't seen one another since July.  They had a ball.

Talia held Tess often.

Mom and Dad cooked every night we were there.  I will miss this kitchen!

Don't worry, the piano is coming to the new house.

More pictures from our trip to Olympia are here.

Christmas 2014

Christmas in California!

Our kids had many new experiences this year, such as making gingerbread cookies, in our large (relative to New York) kitchen...

sledding on imported snow...

and chopping down our own Christmas tree, rather than buying one off the Broadway sidewalk.

More pictures from Christmas are here.

Here is the scene Christmas morning...

... and here are the kids Christmas afternoon, before going to the grandparents' house for dinner.

One!

Our sweet Tess has turned one!

We celebrated with grandparents and, wonderfully, a visit by Charlene.

We like to joke that Tess is the perfect #3.  She is our most easy-going child, a good thing when there are two older siblings constantly fighting to be at the front of the line.

Tess is patient, laughs easily, eats well, and falls asleep quickly.  She doesn't cry much, except to express her desire to be held -- she does prefer to perch in her parents' arms.

Her brother and sister adore her, and she adores them.

Silas likes to come up behind Tess, reach around her chest, lift her off the ground, and lug her around the house.  Tess loves it.

Rosemary likes to put her head right next to Tess's and shout "Hey you baby!"  Tess just laughs.

Tess is a happy kid who has immeasurably increased her family's happiness.

Charlene flew out for Tess's birthday, and of course to see her other two babies.

Silas and Rosemary have been more excited about Charlene's visit than about Christmas.

We weren't entirely sure this would be the case, but Tess definitely remembers Charlene.

Tess was shy for about five minutes, and then was happy to have Charlene hold her the rest of the day. 

Here's Tess giving Charlene the "why don't you pick me up" look (Charlene took this picture).

Laurelwood Park

Silas never misses much.

He noticed this stairway in our neighborhood, disappearing between two driveways.

Silas thought it might go somewhere interesting.

On inspection, I realized that it was indeed a public stair.  So we set off to see where it led.

Turns out Silas had found a back entrance to Laurelwood Park.  After about half a mile, we came to this spot.

More pictures from our hike are here.