Brothers!

Above: Oliver reads to Sebastian during sunshine time.

Below: Sebastian sports his first gift from Oliver. Will I have another lefty? Or is the left hand the counter-balance for the right hand that has just thrown?

Welcome to the outside, Sebastian Charles!

Sebastian Charles Windham-Hughes was born on Sundy, August 8th, at 2:56 a.m. He weighed 8lbs. 10 oz. and measured 20&1/2 inches.Proud and loving big brother Oliver "pets" Sebastian for the first time. "He's so soft and warm!"
My boys--now a 3 pack.
First Family of four portrait.

Mama's Turn

I've said for years that it takes a family to get a PhD, and I can tell you now that I'm almost the other side of it that I still find it to be true. My boys have offered support and made sacrifices for a long time to get me across the stage with my Medieval academic garb. Thank you, my boys! I love you!

Kindergarten Graduation

Oliver and his principal, Mrs. Maglione, pose for a photograph at Kindergarten graduation.
They wore caps. "Pomp and Circumstance" played. Nearly 90 kindergarteners and their various family members squeezed into the kindergarten playground to see the children receive their first diplomas. It was a long time to wait. Periodically Oliver waved to me from his seat.
Above he poses with his teacher, below with me. Interesting that he chose his new "Cal Lutheran" shirt to wear for today's proceedings...
Here he happily passes on the cap to me: "My mama's graduating." Sweet boy. And yes, it's true--the graduation I mean. Then I'll finish the dissertation.

Last Lesson at South Coast Karate

It's true: we really are moving...in about a month. So it's time to start having some lasts before we start having some firsts a little farther south. Here is OP at his last lesson with South Coast Karate. He has loved the energetic, fun setting of this karate dojo. Though he lost a bit of his discipline for practicing during baseball season, he did not lose any excitement for attending lessons. They have helped with his balance and his willingness to try new things in front of others. Up this week: last day of kindergarten.

The "creative artist"

OP's school is getting ready for the Multicultural Fair--an all-school evening event in which each grade level hosts an area of the school campus that offers a flavor of somewhere in the world. As the tiny print suggests, Oliver's class is helping to host the India section. They'll have food and henna tattoos, and, beyond that, I'm not quite sure. In preparation for the event each class drew/painted chalk images of their countries on the sidewalk in front of the school. Here is OP showing off his Bengal tiger. It's the best work he's ever done--made him feel like a "creative artist." Three cheers for that!

England Supporters

What handsome boys I live with! You can tell that one of them is a cheeky monkey. Don't be fooled by the calm exterior of the other--he is more than able of gettin' your goat (what does "gettin' your goat" mean, anyway? we'll look it up and report back. yes, it is possible to be both cheeky and nerdy; ask any of us ;o)

At any rate, recently Philip's school had a sport fan day, so he came out dressed in an England strip, only he had originally chosen the red side (I know--a reversible sport shirt; what does that do to the work of laundering stains and odors?). OP promptly said, "It's a shame I don't have a red England shirt." "You have a red England hat," we said. "Papa, wear your white England shirt like mine." Philip does not have a white England shirt and OP's is very stained, so they settled on blue. And aren't they the devilishly handsome pair?