Have you met Miss Amy?

Allow me to introduce you to our son...Miss Amy. You may be wondering, why the feminine nickname? We are too. But I think if we have learned anything over the past five years, it is that there is no explaining how these children's minds work. Anyway, Joshua picked this nickname (I don't know how he even knows the name Amy) and likes to refer to himself this way when the mood strikes him. I'm thinking he doesn't understand that "miss" is a girl because they also have this game they play where Joshua is "Miss Bakery" (because he puts his little snuggy blanket on his head and then splats the "dough" onto the floor. They think it is quite hilarious.).

While we're on the subject of Joshua, he is one pistol of a brother lately. !!!!!! He is the biggest tease! My mom says I was the same way when I was little so I'm sure she's laughing the loudest about this. He is just constantly tormenting Hannah. She came to me the other day upset because Joshua was teasing: Hannah is a recipe! Hannah is a recipe! Is that even an insult? Apparently it is in our house. The other day he took one of Hannah's toys and threw it out the front door -- you can probably tell where this is going -- and when she ran out to get it he shut the door and locked her out! She was traumatized of course (she came in crying, I was worried about you, Mommy!) He has been so naughty at bedtime lately we finally ordered a crib tent to keep him locked up...he stays in bed now, and sometimes goes to sleep...if Hannah happens to be asleep and he's not, he'll scream at her to wake up. It's nigh unto impossible to put the baby down for a nap because as soon as I leave the two of them alone together he starts pestering and she starts screaming and baby wakes up. Over and over and over again. It's a good thing that Miss Amy is so cute because his behavior is driving me up the wall.
We have had a very busy summer since Eli's birth...starting the week after he was born we had a wonderful Crandall family reunion, and blessed Eli at the end of that week (see adorable picture above), went to Disneyland with my family, had a fabulous Nielsen/Wright family reunion (luckily both reunions were here in SD), and I can't even remember what else. Except our series of disasters in between the reunions...we locked the baby in the car at the library, got staples in Hannah's head when she whacked it on the headboard of her bed (see nasty picture below), had a weevil infestation in our food storage, I got an infection, and we started potty-training Joshua for real this time. We have been busy!
And Eli is just the cutest little man. He is a super good, happy, sweet and lovey baby. I am beyond thankful for his wonderful personality. He has been such a smiley little baby ever since he was born and he is just SO CUTE! He sleeps pretty well and is just happy to lie around and watch us when he's awake, and it makes his day when one of the kids stops to talk to him and play with him. Joshua in particular loves to "babysit" him when I am busy, and Hannah has lately taken to helping to change diapers. It's pretty cute.

See what I mean? Mister Cute Dimple-chin. Love this face!!!!!