brookfield zoo

Today we spent the day at Brookfield Zoo for Charlie's Saturday off. The weather was beautiful! Boy were we exhausted when we got home - and I mean me and Charlie! We saw pretty much every animal including visiting the Dolphin Show and the Children's Zoo. The boys slept the whole way home. I took a half-hour nap after putting Logan down when we got home and then Charlie snoozed while I got dinner ready. Here are some snapshots from our day...

Our family at Brookfield Zoo.

Logan is a little bit smaller than a six month old dolphin.

At the Dolphin Show with Daddy - sitting in the SPLASH ZONE!Carter pretending to be eaten by a big fish.
Logan loved the living coast!

He walked along the shiny fishy wall

and over to the glass to be face to face with the fishies.

Carter chased after goats and brushed a few

including "the biggest goat in the whole-wide-world!"

Logan talked and talked his "gibber-jabber" to the goats as he pet them.

Logan also adored the baby chicks. "This! This!"

I love this...I have a few pictures from other trips taken in past few years of Carter's hand on the daddy gorilla's. I like to see how he's grown!

Two little wolf boys. "Ooowwww-ooo!"

Hop on!

We had to sit on the lion...It's tradition!

Great Granny in Ohio will love this giraffe snapshot!

logan

Ready...

Go!

Using something to hold onto every once in a while.But Mom, crawling is FASTER! Taking a break.

little drummer boys

Carter and Logan have started a band! As Carter pounds away Logan wiggles, claps and dances and tries to bang along! This, my friends, is how I manage to get dinner made and on the table...

logan's walking

Well, I've got big news...Logan started walking! I mean REALLY walking! What a milestone! Not cruising, no fire truck or walker push toy! Yep! Last night he took a couple steps from letting go of Charlie's hands just like he's done every once in a while this past week. But then all of a sudden he'd take 4, 5, 6, then 7 steps across the hall from Charlie over to me and Carter. We cheered and kissed him and shouted hooray as he walked back and forth for 20 minutes! It was unbelieveable! When he'd plop down onto the floor he'd laugh and laugh and clap his hands. He even started getting up onto his hands and feet and without using anything to pull himself up, he'd stand! Like he'd been doing it for months! He's almost 14 months old and I bet by the end of next week he'll be walking independently even more. Of course an hour or so later when the cameras were all charged up I couldn't get a good digital shot (hint hint: charlie, I need a new camera!) and eventually I found a tape for the video recorder but he was too tired and wanted nothing to do with it! Anyway, here's our attempt - not good looking pictures but it's something!

five steps in carter's room

getting ready to stand up...

about to tumble...

down again!

baby shower

Waiting for Evan...

We had a baby shower for Jamie and Matt today. Everything went great--the food, the decorations and the favors were perfect! We had lunch at Biaggi's and then went over to Jamie and Matt's to help organize all of the baby's new things: clothes, boppy, books, bouncer and all! Jamie is due on October 12th and we can't wait to meet Evan!

babies, babies, babies

Three little miracles and new friends for Carter and Logan arrived this past week! Charlie's cousin Lisa and Shannon had a baby boy, Vincent, on Tuesday, August 28th. Vincent is the third great-grandchild on Charlie's side. All three great-grandchildren are boys and all three are in Chicago! (Charlie's grandparents, Lisa's parents and the 11 other aunts and uncles and their families live in Ohio.) Cory and Jeff are proud parents of a perfect little baby girl! Grace was born on Monday, September 3rd. We're still waiting to hear more about Jen and Eric's new baby boy!

Vincent

Grace