A day off to go to the pumpkin patch

Brenden got to skip school on Thursday so we could go pumpkin picking! The weather has been sooooo lousy we didnt get to go yet. We had a great time (in inches and inches of mud) ! Happy Halloween (yes, it's supposed to rain....AGAIN)

A day missing Conner!

Lynette sent me this picture a few days ago as she gave a presentation to a group of women interested in photography. We are so delighted that she chose to have Conner's image which she took in April 2006 displayed. Lynette is an inspiration and a remarkable women. the way she gives back with everything she does is truly remarkable, and I hope to be more like her one day! She has given me personally so much, not only the beautiful portraits of our son, but because of her, I now am able to give this precious gift of photography to other families who are suffering through a fatal illness with their child. Thank you Lynette!!!

Please visit her blog.... www.Soulumination.org Her latest entry features a newly diagnosed little girl from Seattle. Sadly her family is beginning their journey with Tay-Sachs. Thinking of you sweet Elliott!

Brenden's fall photos -we do these instead of school pics :)

A fabulous photo shoot with Brenden today!!! He was so cooperative I could barely believe it! Poor tike got the flu mist on friday (after much deliberation and call to the pediatrician) and is feeling crappy tonight :( I feel like he has been sick for a month straight. For anyone that knows him, this is totally unlike him! First strep throat, the a virus, now sick from the flu mist - ARGH!!!!!

Avery 14 months 1 week

Another rainy weekend here in MD - argh! Was hoping to make it to the pumpkin patch today, but the weather says otherwise :( The above pictures were from an inpromto trip to the nursery down the street, just incase the weather was not cooperative. Brenden played his last football game today and had a fab game!! Lots of great blocking and two great tackles! his team even had 2 completed passes - that's a HUGE accomplishment for this group of 5 and 6 year olds - it was very cute!

Avery is really really getting around - she is almost walking all of the time now and she is about to get her first pair of real shoes (she has had some before, but not walking baby shoes). I would say she is walking about 80% of the time now - and getting in all kinds of trouble. In fact today she was playing with Brenden's toys in the toilet - what fun! She is also now able to get up all by herself to stand and able to bend down to get something and stand right back up - all in the past week. She's getting soooo big!

2 posts in one day..... WOW

This is Brenden's first grade class after the golden shoe race. Brenden didnt come in 1st - but Im pretty proud of him for getting out there and running when he shouldve been home in bed. He was devestated that he may have had to miss the race because he was sick - he was up at midnight last night - still with a fever :( I though for sure today would be a sick day! He woke up again at 6 and proclaimed - all was well - and he could go to school and run in the race. So against my better judgement, I let him go and race. He was super excited and really glad he was able to do it! Even sick - this kid amazes me! There was probably about 120-140 kids - Brenden came in about 25th or so :) WOW. Now we look forward to homecoming on Saturday for the hurricanes!!!! This should be really really cute! He gets to run through a banner at the start of the game (with his team) - how cute is that?

The tooth journal...

The cutest little thing - Brenden has been talking about the tooth journal all year long and finally got to bring it home. Our little guy has lot 2 teeth total so far :)

Avery's 14 mos and Brenden's sick again :(

Boy, Avery is a tough one to photograph these days - this is all she game me in 45 minutes - we had this routine of walking off the backdrop, mommy putting her back, walking off again.....repeat about 25 times. Brenden came home sick from school - fevers, cough, sore throat - Im thinking this time it really might be the dreaded flu... The golden shoe race is tomorrow and he is sooooooooo upset that he may have to miss it. He told me "OK, but in the second grade if Im sick, Im still running" He has been looking forward to this race since last years, and the poor guy gets sick the night before :(

Oh, and Brenden lost another tooth!!!! He was VERY excited - details later...

What a couple of weeks...but...AVERY IS OFFICIALLY WALKING!!!

Geez - we have had a sick couple weeks.....ARGH! Both kids, mommy - yuk! I have had a low grade fever for 8 days - hoping today is fever free - so far so good! Avery is officially walking, thats right folks - she is tottling all around the house. She follows me all over the place - it's so weird to see her walking. She looks so small walking - but very very cute! We are sooooo excited for her! She is growing up so fast. She is weaned completely and now just taking whole milk, and now she's walking...Carl better hope I dont catch the baby fever - lol It looks like the weather is going to continue to be crappy for the next few days - so Im glad I got out and snapped a few pics the other day.

A picture share

The kids have lovingly shared their germs with me - so now Im home sick with fevers and sore throat - hoping it's not the swine flu! Not feeling too fab since Thursday - but did manage to tote my camera out for a few pics last night. Brenden had a fab game today - lots of great blocks and one wonderful tackle! The top picture is my new antique beach window - a little project that turned out great! I love it!

Avery 13 1/2 months

A reshoot yesterday afternoon - got me these :) Avery had infant and toddlers yesterday and she is right on track. She is behind in a couple things, but ahead on others - so I will take it! She is still not saying any "words" - though we swear she says dog. They said not to be concerned - she is still little - and many kids focus on the physical stuff and the language comes later. This would make me nervous, but.... she is following in big brother Brenden's footsteps - he did not talk until 2 weeks before he turned 2 and now.....well, now.....we cant get him to stop talking ;)

She is climbing and moving all over the place! And I would say that she is walking 25% of the time and crawling 75% - so she is on her way!!!! It is the cutest thing to watch her walk! She has also learned to make a popping noise with her mouth. She sucks her cheeks in and looks like a fish (attempts at pictures proved unsuccesful)

A try at a mini shoot - but Avery said no way!!

Avery would sit still for about 1 mili second :( She looks SOOOOOO cute and this is all I could get!

Avery 13 mos 2 weeks - adjusted 1 year !

A couple quick pictures of the kids cuddling with the dogs! I can say for sure that our kids LOVE dogs!!! Simba who is nearly 10 - isnt too crazy over Avery - but the puppies (who are two) just love her. Im trying to get a picture of Avery and them on the floor. They cuddle so close and she gets right in there with them - it's very very sweet. The top picture of her is her "walking" - Im trying to get some better ones, she is really on the go!

Oct 3rd - Today Avery is technically 1 :)

Tonights full moon - beautiful!

So yes, today is 1 year from Avery's due date - so she's officially 1 now :) She is getting closer and closer to walking every day - I suspect any day now I will be posting that she's "officially walking" She is now walking across a room - maybe 10-15 steps - WOW. She has also discovered how to get on and off her little Dora car - it's very very cute.

Well - we have had an interesting few days in the Hopf house (and not the good kind of interesting) Brenden hit his head on monday when he was rolling around on the floor (dont ask - lol) - then on wednesday I got a call from school that he was complaining of a bad headache - also had a low grade fever and sore throat. Well - I went to pick him up, and he looked terrible - sooooo off to the ER we went. Now Brenden does like to make a habit of making a total ass out of me, so keep that in mind... Im so worried about him - he sees the triage nurse - she gives him motrin. Well - that must be some great stuff, because immediatly he is smiling, bouncing off the walls - no more headache. So at this point Im thinking - if he doesnt have H1N1 already - he will have it for sure when we leave the hospital - YUCK!!! The waiting room was filled with hacking kids and people in masks! Now that the miracle drug has done it's trick - I am convinced that the headache is a fluke - and not related to his knock on the head on Monday - ARGH. This little event cost us $150 - way to go Bren!

He had a fine evening Wednesday - some fevers still, but no more headaches :) Thrusday - well Thursday brought the stomach pain - crying stomach pain - holy hell - whats wrong with this kid. Off to the pediatrician - again, if he doesnt have the swine flu yet - he surely will when we leave this place. Long story, seems that the belly pain was really just achy pain from the fevers. Friday we decided he should not play in the football game - then right before the game - he is all better and running around the house like a loon. Begs to play - so we cave and say yes. On the way to the game - I get a call that his throat culture came back as Strep - ARE YOU KIDDING???? All this drama for strep throat? -ARGH! So now - between the ER and the pedi - we are at $2oo - the joys of parenthood. Truly I shouldnt complain - he has been soooo healthy the past 6 years, we are almost never making extra doctor visits for him - but boy, when he does it, he does it!

He played the whole game - and played hard ! In fact his only complaint was when he had to come out of the game for the substitutes to go in - funny guy!

Now all things are looking up at our house - then Avery spikes a fever to 104 - here we go again... She has had a fever all day - so Im hoping to get someone to see her tomorrow. Good thing is that when we get her fever under control - she is just as pleasant as can be - smiling, talking (Avery language that is) and getting into stuff!

Carl's off to New England in the morning for the big game - Go Ravens!!