September

 September always brings back-to-school for us.  Since this means that most of the children plus Dave go back to school, it is a bit of a colossal undertaking.  Truthfully, I find it quite hard when they all leave.  I really enjoy the summers.  However, I imagine that my enjoyment is significantly aided by the fact that my husband is a teacher and is here full-time in the summers.
This year, Isaac requires a family photo for the bulletin board outside of his classroom.  The last family portrait we had taken was three years ago.  I tried to find an adequate photo, but all I could come up with was the above.  Not knowing how to photoshop, I also printed off a photo of Mariana and cut her out in an attempt to add her in.  Unfortunately, I chose a photo of Mariana that, when printed, made her the same size as Isaac.  (Except she was wearing a onesie and looked like she was flying.)  We tried all sorts of positions, but Dave wouldn't allow a flying baby emerging from behind the van to be displayed on the gr. 1 bulletin board.

 This was far too sad for me.  How did Sarah get to school-age?  She is so happy and excited to be attending school; although she tells people that she sometimes stays home because Mommy misses her too much.  I asked her whom I would play princesses with when she was gone.  She sized up Mariana and then suggested that "someone at some house somewhere" would maybe play with me if I asked.  I have a good friend in Cobden who told me I could bring my tiara with me when I come for tea.

 More growing up.  She can stand on her own and take five steps.  She is only ten months.

 And she is so incredibly proud of herself.  Let me tell you, having seven children doesn't mean that any of this grows old.  The first smiles, laughs, crawls and walks seem to get better with every child.  I think this is partly because the older siblings are equally delighted by the progress made by the baby.  Beautiful.

 Amazingly, this is only our second broken bone in the family.  The first was Jacob's six years ago.  Somehow it doesn't surprise me that the second broken bone belongs to Joseph.

 That's right:  oops.  Maybe flipping off of monkey bars isn't such a great idea.  I told him that he could have done a lot worse than just a broken arm.  Joe is a bit of a dramatist, so when he arrived home with a slightly swollen and painful arm, I told him that we would wait and watch.  I couldn't see any bruising or find a bump, so I really thought that he had just strained it.  24 hours later when I was blessing him at bedtime, I checked again.  This time the swelling had gone down enough that I could feel a bump just above the wrist.  Dave grabbed a Coke and took Joe over to the ER at 9:30pm. We anticipated a long night.  However, there were no other patients and Joe was home by 11pm with a cast - even earlier than his sister who babysat until after midnight.  But that's another story.

 Grandma Anne's headstone finally arrived.  We stopped in for a visit the other evening.  Ben and Jacob were sleeping over at the farm, so we only had five children with us.  This headstone makes me smile:  neither Dave, his sister or his father could ever tell me the date of Mike and Anne's wedding.  Instead they would say that it was the May long weekend.  But, now, here it is immortalized on their gravestone.  I never have to wonder again!  As an aside, can you spot the grammatical error?

Batgirl.  Yes, I know she looks a bit boyish, but her brothers are always delighted when I put her in this shirt.  I think we know what she will be wearing for Hallowe'en.  I'll make sure to pair it with pink pants.