All You Care About These Days

Perhaps not the BEST title since Toby's picture is not here. But some good shots anyway. Sweet, sweet Ranne.

Dear Tremaine:

Free Fun and Sad Parting

Betty just left us for Montana. She was very ready to return to her beloved and home. We are grateful for all she did: converse with me!, talk with boys, smile at boys, pat on boys, hold Trey, sew and mend, change Trey, bathe Trey, cook, clean bathrooms and dishes, watch boys while I got out a little to walk and shop,.... What a gift that was! We're all sad to have such a breezy, happy person leave us.

Ranne continues to listen closely to conversation. After Scott, Betty and I were talking about people taking adventures in poor weather, Ranne said, "Ethan and I were hypothermic in class Sunday."

Toby still doesn't speak super clearly. He was continually 'hanks'ing us for helping him and spoke of his newly discovered slippers this morning as his 'flippers'. VERY sweet.

Trey's first bath was a sweet adventure. Both Ranne and Toby were there to help, so apart from the startling noises, he seemed to enjoy it. He does look a bit unsure, though.

Betty gave him his second bath. As you can see, he seems much more at ease. It was precious to see him studying her as she washed him.

The Saturday after Betty arrived, I was invited to watch Mama Mia with some family who had an extra ticket, my cousin's wife's ticket. She was stuck in Colorado and unable to go as planned. Here is the group. Everyone looks great, though I was very undressy, wearing maternity clothes still:

Here are Ranne and Toby just enjoying her presence as she sewed our curtain panels together. What a gift that was! We bought less expensive curtains, meaning they are sold in generic sizes so we had to purchase multiple pieces. Now it's great, the way we can open and close them without the gaps to adjust.

Cute boys: Ranne needs a new super hat now that he's grown out of the Superman hat Toby is sporting.


Ah, his favorite way to be held at the moment.


The real Frees.


The Scott Frees (it's an honor).


So, Betty left. I cried. Scott took her to the airport with the elder boys. When Toby discovered, in the parking lot by the car, that Grandma was not returning with them, he sat down right there and wept. Ranne, then, admitted he would miss her. Toby came home, found his blanket and nursed it on his bed in a very sad spirit. Ranne hugged on me. We read books. Now, I'm off to nap. Might as well since everyone else is snoring.