--Don't forget the rest of the blog circle! After you read my letter, click the link to see Tiffany's letter to her children.--

Mason & Rylan

Two months have passed since my last letter to you, and our home was filled with one more tiny person since then. Both of you love Elli, and although you're not as gentle and timid around her as you were in the beginning, you're both very sweet with her. Rylan, a lot of the time you talk to her in a sweet baby voice. And Mason, you try to give her her paci or make her happy whenever she cries. Both of you seem proud to be her big brothers.

We spent the first few days of September getting ready for the baby to be born- cleaning the house, making a couple extra meals, etc. (stuff that I knew would be hard for me to do coming back after a c-section.) Sunday night was a church picnic for Labor Day, which would normally have been uneventful, but Rylan, you decided to liven it up by giving us our first emergency room experience with any of our kids (technically it was Med Express). You were running on the sidewalk at church when you tripped and fell on your face, biting two holes in your lower lip- one below the lip on the outside and one inside close to the top of the lip. At first we couldn't tell if the holes went all the way through, but eventually we could tell that they didn't seem like they did. However, the nurses that were there at the time still thought we should probably take you in just to be sure that you didn't need stitches- the cuts were definitely deep. You were super tough, especially after getting the first of what ended up as three popsicles for the night. The nurses at Med Express loved you and said they wished all their patients were like you.

Your sister was born on September 6, and since Mommy and Daddy had to be at the hospital really early, Aunt Michele came to stay with you when we left; she watched you for most of the day. You spent that night (Tuesday) and Wednesday night with Nonni and Poppy at their house. Then Thursday night, Grandma and Aunt RuthE came to stay with you at our house before Mommy, Daddy, and Elli came home Friday afternoon. You also had your first night of Awana (Cubbies for Mason, Puggles for Rylan) that first Wednesday. Daddy was off of work for the first week that we were at home together, so that was very fun for both of you - and helpful for Mommy. Lots of people from church brought us meals those first couple weeks at home too! Daddy was off again on vacation the first week in October, so we spent more time together at home then.

There were lots of doctor appointments between all of us in the past two months, which is not super exciting for you two, but it's one of the few times we've been going out recently. I had to go twice to get iron infusions since my iron was very low, which they discovered when Elli was born. Mason, you went to get your legs checked out last week. And Elli and I have had a few routine check ups too.

In September we had several visitors come to our house. Grandma Sollenberger, Aunt RuthE, Nana, Grandma, and Pap all came to see us. And later in October, Grandma Lois came by Nonni and Poppy's, so we spent one evening with her. Mommy started going to a Bible study with some other mommies every other Monday night, which has been a good thing for her. Daddy has been driving in feeders more recently, but he has also spent a few weeks in delivery. This fall has been unseasonably warm, so the trees took a lot longer to change colors, and outdoor playing weather has lasted a lot longer than usual.

You've both been enjoying Awana, although you have both had nights where you didn't have the best behavior. Last night was Trunk or Treat at Church. Mason, you were dressed as an outlaw- "Stick 'em up!" - but your bandana kept falling down, and you ended up looking more like a sheriff or cowboy most of the time. Rylan, you were in a too-small monkey costume, but you still looked adorable. Elli went as a baby doll....I think she pulled it off.

This past weekend we drove to Morganton, North Carolina for Daddy, Poppy, Mr. Gary, and Mr. Mike to run the Peak to Creek Marathon. They all had good races, but some of them enjoyed the downhill race more than others. We weren't able to watch them running until the very end, but it was a really pretty area where they finished. I was a little worried about the hotel-room stay with all of us in one room, but it actually went very well and I think everyone felt rested the next day. On the way home after the race, we stopped in Mt. Airy to see if we could find any Mayberry things. We didn't end up seeing much since the time of day we were there wasn't the best....although there was a Zombie 5k going on right when we got there. :)

The past few months, my phone has gotten full of quotes I've written down from the two of you. Some of these things have already passed in phases and you don't even say them anymore.

For a while, Rylan, you used to say "thirty" as the answer to any time question. (eg. "When did you do that, Rylan?" -"uh...thirty.") You also used to put the word "ever" randomly in sentences very emphatically. (eg. "Watch Ry Ry's jump EVER!") You used to always go up to Elli, no matter what she was doing, and say, "Elli, what's wrong??" in a sweet baby voice. You say "she's" instead of "her" and "he's" instead of "his." (like "What's she's name?") When you're fighting with someone over something, you skip the name of the object and just say "Mommy, Mason's fighting OVER!" in a frustrated voice. When we ask you why you were doing something, you say, "uh....uh...i-cause...." Your new favorite word is "Why?" and you ask it all the time. Whenever you jump- especially on something bouncy- you say "Jump for joy!!" You pronounce tractor trailer like "tracka-wailer." And when you're frustrated and want to be independent, you say, "I can do it Ry Ry's self!!"

Mason, you used to say that Elli was shooting fireballs at people when her sleeve was covering her hand. You also started being very sweet and meals and saying "This is yummy, Mommy. Thank you for making it." (which Rylan will usually repeat to me in his sweetest voice). You've also started putting your plate/bowl in the sink after eating.

Now here are some extra fun quotes from both of you...

“I feel sort of boring without the Gator.”

— Mason

“I want you to stop talking. Ry Ry want to talk. Ry Ry have an idea.”

— Rylan

“Long time ago Ry Ry tackled that guy.”

— Rylan, said while pointing to the Steelers game on tv

“Mommy, if you were me, would I still be Mason?”

— Mason, said after I stated, "That's what I would do if I were you."

“Mommy!!! Taking for EVER!!”

— Rylan, said as soon as he woke up from his nap

“When I grow up big like you, Ry Ry want to go to Kings Da-Burger.”

— Rylan, talking to Nonni (and getting Kings Dominion and Burger King confused)

“Trucks that have mouths are strange.”

— Mason, while watching a kids show with trucks that talk

“It’s ok bout Ry Ry eatin it?”

— Rylan, while holding food up to his mouth

“Tell me ‘mark....ready....GO!’ in da MEAN voice!!”

— Rylan, when giving me directions for how to tell him when to jump off the couch

I think that just about summarizes the past two months for us! The two of you have more energy than ever, which sometimes doesn't result in great behavior, but you're also both super sweet and kind when you choose to be too. (Literally as I was writing that sentence, Mason, you came in from outside to give me a flower you had picked for me.) :) I love you both so much!!

Love, Mommy

"Now that the weather is so beautiful, our favorite place is outside: our patio, the garden, our outdoor chess set, or [anywhere else] around the property."

It was the middle of June on a Sunday night when I spent a few hours with this family, but I still remember the feeling I came away with: that it was so refreshing to hang out with a family that was just enjoying being together.

Life gets so busy that it makes it hard to remember that feeling, right? The feeling of enjoying your family without distractions. It seems that there's always a phone or iPad pulling attention away from those we love. And if it's not technology, then it's the responsibilities of home or work nagging at us. I'm guilty of getting caught up in always being ready to move on to the next thing, rather than being in the moment with my kids or husband. It's almost like we need to have a scheduled time to break ourselves out of that never-stop-moving mindset and force ourselves to focus on the people around us.

That's (one of the reasons) why I love documentary-style photography sessions for families. You get the chance to block off a small chunk of time to be together as a family, with no requirements weighing you down. You don't need to anxiously look at the photographer, waiting for direction on how you should stand. You don't need to wear something that makes you feel overdressed or uncomfortable. And you don't need to worry about how cooperative your children or husband are being. (Remember, there are no requirements for them either, aside from being there!) You can choose an activity that you love to do, or you can just hang out in your house, following your normal schedule. The time is for your family; it's not about me or the camera. I want you to be able to look back and remember your life and how you interacted with each other.

It's a time carved out for your family where the goal is simple: to be together.