Apple picking

It's not fall in New England until we've been apple picking. 

And it was Mr. 9's idea to carry Mr. 1.

Mr. Destruction

Mr. 1 is doing his best to outrank his brothers in the exploration and destruction category (or perhaps we're just that much more distracted by his 3 older brothers).  He isn't walking yet but he's close and he's certainly mobile.  We recently realized exactly how long his arms are when he reached up onto the table and pulled off my coffee mug (luckily the coffee was cold and the cup was mostly empty).  Today he managed to pull down the Chutes and Ladders box while Mr. 3 and I were playing.

Luckily the countertop is still safe - at least for this week...

5K Fun

Mr. 9 started running with me this summer and has surprised me with how much he enjoys it.  He often reminds me before he goes to bed to wake him up to run in the morning.  So last weekend we ran in our first 5K together.  It was on our home turf, actually running much of the route we often run together.  He did a great job, kept a good pace, and made a new friend (another 9 year old who loves computer programming and running and lives in our neighborhood - what are the odds!).  It was great to see what he's accomplished and I really enjoy having a running buddy.

The many faces of Mr. 3

Mr. 3 has recently rediscovered the costume trunk and is often found sporting some disguise.  His favorite is to combine multiple costumes to become a "Pooh cow" or a "Cow knight" or a "Pirate astronaut."