Brush your teeth *ch-ch-ch-chhhh ch-ch ch-ch*

A new addition to our bedtime routine, we brush our teeth. 

Climbing the steps

Attison just crawled up the back stairs from the kitchen to the 2nd floor.  Down the hallway and up the small steps and then the big steps to the 3rd floor where he obviously had some toys he wanted to play with. I called Sarah to brag and she wanted to see.  So we went back down to the 2nd floor and crawled up again.

here it is:  (excuse the awkward narration, I was on the phone with Sarah)

Have spoon, will travel.

Why does he crawl into the bathroom?  Who knows...

Wait, Jenny, I thought you were coming? 

These pictures were taken down a dark hallway with a flash.  I think it is interesting to see where the carpet is worn.  To the right there is first a bathroom, then the back stairs, the front stairs, and the stairs to the 3rd floor.  You can see where the carpet is rounded in kind of a sideways M pattern from the staircases into/out of the bathroom. 

The dinosaur that stands, growls and waves

This looks like a lot of work.  It's a wonder he didn't get some leg cramps after all that squatting.

Linda and John came

They came.  They stayed for like 5 days.  They did a lot of laundry and housework.  John mowed the grass that was so high we had to borrow a gas powered lawn mower that even then wouldn't cut it all on the first swipe.  I thought I had more pictures, but alas, I can't find them. That is what happens when you take pictures, upload them, post SOME to the blog (but not all of them) and then go on a hiatus for 3 weeks.  

hellooooo? anyone out there?

Yep, you're still there.  Ever faithful, even though I've been lacking.

But good news, I've got 3 weeks of pictures for you.  They are uploading right now.  As. I. Type.

I walked up 34 steps to get Tim's camera cord (because I lost mine), walked back down (stopped to go to the bathroom on the 2nd floor), and plugged it in.  I have to walk back up and down those 34 steps to take it back when I'm finished, lest I get the "everything has a place and every place has a thing" lecture for the 4, 689th time.  (Which, well, obviously has some truth to it or my computer cord would be in the bag with the camera and not 34 steps and approx. 35 vertical feet away form me in someone else's desk drawer. Meh...)

We've been busy.  Everyone is busy.  Everyone is tired.  This is America.  But I believe that we are busier and tireder than most others.  Wah, wah wah...I'm not here to complain.

Attison is a Champion.  He eats everything and lots of it.  He crawls like he is racing towards the finish line.  He pushes his lawnmower guitar across the entire house (transitioning from carpet to hardwood with success).  He opens the back door for Jenny.  Not really, but almost.  It is funny to watch him push it and her step forward only for the door to shut, surprising both of them.

"You shouldn't let your 9 month old play with a glass storm door Steph." you say. "Shut up." I snark-ily respond. "It's tempered glass" theoretically says Tim. (Here in America in 2013, mom gets child rearing criticisms. Or maybe he just lets them go in one ear and out the other without feeling the need to defend himself. )

Well, without further adieu (except I'll probably add some more words and thoughts and stuff with these photos to document my child's life, cause' that is what we are here for anyway...)

C.A.M.P.

Each August, we go to the Finley Family Reunion C.A.M.P. at the Mckeesport YMCA camp T. Frank Soles in Somerset.

C.A.M.P. stands for the Cousins & Acquaintance Maintenance Program

Tim's grandpa Hank initiated camp many many years ago as a way to take his family on vacation (Hank & Terri have 11 kids) and also to welcome and invite anyone else to join them.  In Hanks words "Tell em' we don't care if they come and we don't care if they don't come!" Which is a saying that has gone down in infamy but was really intended to mean "We'd love for you to come, but understand if you aren't able to make it."

This was Attison's first CAMP (aside from when he attended prenatally).  We didn't do much sleeping there, so had to come home and go back, which was pretty disappointing for me, because I love CAMP as much as the next Raufer. Next year though we're going to try again and hopefully make it work!

Here was one successful nap that Attison had at camp.  It only lasted about an hour and a half, but that was a long stretch for that weekend.

 The pack n play under the deck of the mess hall with Papa John keeping watch. 

 I'm awake! Get me out of this jail!

I see you John, do you know I'm awake? 

I'm in my tent

Grandma got me this tent and she was happy to see that I was using it outside of the living room!

King Swing

At CAMP we don't just go in the woods and have a cookout and chat for a few hours and go home.  CAMP starts Saturday afternoon and goes until Wednesday morning.  The days are full of activities (if you are into that kind of thing) or relaxing (if you aren't).  Sometimes, if you are into relaxing, you get convinced to come up and help with the activities, like hoisting up your cousins 30' into the air on the king swing.  

This is the king swing.  The kid dangling in the middle is William.  He is tied to the pole to on the right and to the rope above him.  The rope above him is suspended from the top of the pole to the right to the top of the rock climbing wall to the left.  

Then you get some of these - adults you might call them, to pull on the rope.  Then the swinger has a little rip cord that they pull to release themselves so they can go for a ride!

I think this is a video of Victoria and she is only about 1/2 way up. 

 For the 2nd year in a row, I was unable to ride the king swing.  This is terribly disappointing for me. 

When the kids or done (or we run out of the allotted time for this activity) we head back to the central gathering point, which is typically the mess hall. Clearly Christine was nominated to carry the tent, Sarah snatched up the baby. 

Who knows where I was.  Probably the bathroom for the 15th time that morning. 

This is my "but, I really can't ride the king swing?" face. 

Random camp photos

Aunt June, the manager of the world, with a cup of coffee.  

I can't explain in words how powerful this picture is.  

Carolyn.  (random camp counselor distracting you in the background.)

I don't know who took this shot, but good work.  And good work to Carolyn for being so good looking :)

Aunt Patti and Uncle Mark going antiquing.

Carolyn, John, Tessa (the ratdog), Linda, Steph and Christine hanging outside. 

Attison petting Jackson with his Aunt Sarah. 

Christine and Matt doing the Sunday crossword.  They are so photogenic.  It's probably because they are newlyweds and madly in love. 

The lunch rush.  I'm not going to name people in this picture.  Some are there, some not, it's a busy place. 

This year we weren't allowed to have alcohol.  In the 20+ years this reunion has been at Camp T Frank Soles the management has changed dozens of times.  Sometimes we have camp to ourselves, sometimes we share with a soccer/football/women's volleyball team.  The "family reunion" plaque for the table was new 2013.  So were the water bottles.  There is no alcohol allowed, but at the same time, no one was checking cabins and sniff checking your "water bottle" so...happy reunion to you!

Waterfront at CAMP

The Waterfront, equipped with capable lifeguards and rules. 

(which is not an every year occurrence...)

This is my "Tim you said you'd be right behind me and you weren't" face. 

The boy loves being in the water.

The other kids.

Sal, the biggest kid of them all.  Sal likes to give hugs to people who didn't go dive into the "blue section for advanced swimmers" and get soaking wet. 

I'm not sure what is happening here, but if I had to guess, Linda is giving us a "suggestion".  She likes to be helpful. Love you ma. 

Baby pool and baby dogs

Here is the "Tim and Steph" extension of the CAMP guests on the "other" porch relaxing. 

I forgot to mention that these turds came.  They aren't turds, they are little dogs, even though Jackson is lovingly called "big" and Tessa "little."  They don't get to spend much time near Jenny, who is actually big, because then the little dogs would just be called "lunch" and "snack" respectively.  Dogs aren't really allowed at Camp T Frank Soles, so we had to sequester ourselves out of the public eye. 

Jackie wants to get in the pool with Attison.

This guy.

Uncle Andy relaxing.

Andy and John with their pups.

Baby's first CAMP

Vera, Finley and Attison.

Finley was about 2 weeks old during CAMP last year, so he and Attison both came for the first time this year.  Vera is Finely's older brother. 

Attison jealous that he can't walk like the other kids.

"But I can stand up holding on to this chair!"