And again... another new cousin!

We just wanted to take a second to congratulate Uncle Chris and Aunt Kelly on the arrival of Paul and Adam’s newest cousin. Sophie Marie Clayburn was born a few days ago, May 5, 2010 and (to the best of my knowledge) weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces, and was 21 inches long. Her big sister Brooke will be two years old this July, so it’s going to be a busy house around there in the years to come with those girls! Best of luck to them!

Ah yes... Uncle Andy

Last weekend, Uncle Andy and Aunt Theresa showed up after a long drive from Clarksville, TN where he is currently stationed in the Army. He ships out later this month to spend a year in Afghanistan, so it was awesome that they were able to visit for a few days. We’re very grateful for the wonderful things that Andy was able to teach Paul while he was here, and we can only imagine what Paul would learn if he spent more time with him. Such valuable things like how to fist bomb and blow it up, and how to tell the world about Uncle Ted’s alleged bowel control problems. I thought it was funny. Uncle Ted was not amused.


Hanging out in Dupont Circle in downtown DC. Paul had him running a few circles around this fountain. Just a few.

Andy actually holding the younger nephew for a minute, and Paul not wanting to cooperate for a photo.

Two Uncles and Two Nephews.

Surviving the humidity. It was pretty muggy on this day, even without much sunlight.

Paul paused for a minute to check on his little brother.

It's difficult to get a family photo when one of your children tends to never close his mouth.

Just Dad and the boys.

Take the photo just like this...

So we're thankful they made the trip and we wish him well on his journey to the middle east. We'll tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree and Uncle Ted will keep a shotgun behind the door for him in the merry month of May. I'm sure the time will pass quickly, and Paul and Adam will look forward to seeing him again before we know it.

April fades away...

Well it’s been a while, so I need to catch up. The last few weeks have been kind of busy, pretty much since Adam was born. But now that the visitors have cleared out, it’s back to normal, or as normal as it can be with a newborn in the house. But we had some good times in April. Granny G was here for most of it, and we were able to go out and around a few times. Here are a few pics to prove it.

We went back up to the National Arboretum to check out the trees and plants. There were also some giant Japanese Carp, otherwise called Koi, and Paul thoroughly enjoyed throwing them food. But he made is grandmother slightly nervous when he got a little aggressive with his Koi feeding and got dangerously close to toppling into the water. Thankfully he stayed dry.

Mom and her boys stopped along the bridge to check out the giant frogs in the swamp. Paul wouldn't stand on the other side next to the rail, for fear of one of the frogs jumping out to eat him. Always a legitimate concern.

Always with a blunt object trying to poke or wack somebody. I had to carry him to the tree after I told him to watch out for snakes.

Anytime there's water to be found, Paul is usually getting into it, or trying to splash himself or anyone else with it. Uncle Ted is often a victim.

And here are the boys taking a break along the path with Granny G. They had a good time with her while she was here, and we even got a lot of work around the house done. She's probably back visiting here Granddaughters in Idaho at the moment, but I'm sure it won't be long before she's planning her next trip out here!

Laboring under the sun...

We had a few beautiful days last week, so we spent a lot of time out in the yard. It seemed like a very Spring-like thing to do. We got a little landscaping done. We went to Home Depot, planted a few flowers, worked on tearing up a tree stump, burned some dead grass, mowed some dead grass, hedged some dead grass, watered some dead grass, trimmed a tree, trimmed some bushes, went back to Home Depot, planted a few more flowers, did some stone work under the window to plant a few more flowers, went back to Home Depot again, and then planted a few more flowers. A few of the neighbors came out to check it all out. They seemed impressed. Overall, it turned out pretty good. But while we were all laboring under the heat of the sun, the boys were enjoying the warm weather.

Paul and Adam kicked back in the shade of a tree... no sweat or hard work for these two.

Oh to be two weeks old... if only we all had it this easy...

Paul got himself a swimming pool for the back yard, but he figured he'd better test the water in case it was a little cold.

Yep, the water was a little cold.

After all the flower planting, Adam and his grandmother opted to kick back in the lawn chair.

Almost opening his eyes for a moment, but that sun is still a little bright.

Still more yard work to be done, but it's unlikely that it will ever really end. But for now, it's already come long way, so they're making progress.

It's been a week...

It took just a little encouragement, but Becky took a few more pictures of the newest member of the Maryland Sellers. He doesn’t do a whole lot yet, so it’s not hard to keep him still long enough to take a photo. Basically he sleeps, opens his eyes to look around, then goes back to sleep, wakes up to eat, then goes back to sleep, wakes up to eat again, and then sleeps some more. It’s rough being a week old. And that’s another thing, already one week old today! Before we know it he’ll be off to college. Ok, maybe not, but time does fly by.

Oh Brother.

Dreaming in the morning... dreaming all through the day.

What time is it? Doesn't matter, it's nap time.

There's nothing wrong with eating your fingers from time to time.

Ah! Bright light! Bright light! Why'd you wake me up?!?

Ok, maybe it's not that bad to wake up for a while.

Just a little couch time. So many exciting things ahead for the Sellers boys, another Grandma shows up tomorrow! Should be plenty more picture opportunities next week!

Another day in the life...

Tody was yet another day of firsts for Adam. Today was his first Monday, he wore his first pair of pants, and took his first trip to Target and the Children's Place! Yet another exciting, very eventful day for a little boy!

All tuckered out on the couch. He's been doing a lot of sleeping lately. Funny how that is.

Stretched out on the floor, with lots of brown apparently.

Just kicking back with Big Brother. But only for a moment. One of them likes to lay around a lot, the other does quite the opposite... a lot.

Actually awake for a little while. Brown eyes to match the outfit!

And then there's the other one. Still the same! Been running around outside spraying everybody with water guns and blowing bubbles. Oh to be Paul...

Just another day...

What's just one more day? Well, when you're only a day old, I guess it's a lifetime. Adam spent his second day in this world doing pretty much what he's done his entire life: sleeping, whining a little bit, getting tested and probed by nurses, eating, and filling his diaper. Oh, to be a baby.

This right here is how I would spend my days if given the opportunity. Laid back, just kickin' it.

What happened to his nice warm blanket wrap?? It's far too cold outside in the real world!

Well, check that out. He actually decided to open his eyes for a second to see what the heck was going on. Bright lights and strange looking people! Anyway, he comes home tomorrow! And nobody is happier about that than his mother, because that means she gets to come home too. Nothing like hospital beds and hospital food to make you homesick.