The pups don’t get in as many photos as they did before Griffin and Reid. These two really get along pretty well. Brutus is the one to go up to Lily and snuggle. He’s also typically the antagonistic one who tries to get Lily to play, but not always. Lily gets sassy with him every now and again and plays keep away with their nylabones. They are fun to watch together.
Tuesday this week Reid had his 15 month check up with Dr. Wilde. The appointment went great though I didn’t snap a single picture. He is growing really well and weighs in at 24 pounds 7 ounces (74th percentile and up 2 pound 6 ounces from his 12 month check up), 30.75″ (34th percentile, 1.25″ taller than his 12 month checkup), and his head continues to grow well too coming in at 49.5 cm (98th percentile, up 1.1 cm from his 12 month checkup). He is a late walker, having just begun walking about 11 days before this 15 month checkup. The doctor also says 2-5 words is typical for this age, though Reid is currently at zero. Dr. Wilde was explaining that by 18 months he’ll be able to point to his body parts, etc., and I replied that he’s already doing that. Then Reid demonstrated by pulling up his shirt and pointing to his belly button. Dr. Wilde said that was great, his responsive listening is awesome – to which I replied he understands everything and does what you ask, unless of course he is demonstrating his stubbornness. He does babble a lot, but he doesn’t regularly say any words. He typically squeals or screams and points if he wants something (and then someone gets it for him, hence he hasn’t had to use any words). He does use a bit of sign language, as he holds his arm out and opens and closes his hand, which is his way of saying “more”. Though he doesn’t use words yet – he is the best mocker. He can mock eye movements, lips or faces, and many sounds. He regularly gives us a good chuckle when he’s being silly and imitating any sound we make or things like liking a finger he will do the same. After his appointment I had the rest of the afternoon off so I took it upon myself to take out Reid’s infant car seat base and carrier and replace it with his big boy Diono rear facing seat. I also took Griffin’s out and adjusted his shoulder straps and reinstalled it too. No small feat, but I’m glad to have Reid in his new digs. His new seat is a bit more spacious and easier to get him in to for sure. He certainly was too heavy to carry around in his car carrier seat anymore anyhow! Brutus wanted to join me at the end and really was campaigning hard for a ride around the block as he refused to get out.
This boy chased a squirrel or something and then just sat perched like this forever and wouldn’t listen to me as I called him inside. It was really kind of cute. He was just sitting there waiting and observing. 
Griffin continues to have fun at his weekly soccer lesson. He has two coaches this session, Steve Locker (the founder and owner who has collegiate coaching experience and Ivy League titles) and coach Kyle. It’s a smaller class with only 9 kiddos so that also makes it fun. 
Griffin is learning sight words at school this year and is getting so good at reading the artwork in his room of Family Rules. 
Daddy has been home a couple times in the afternoon to get Finn off the bus. This particular day he took Reid out while they waited and they kicked around the soccer ball. This reminds us both of when Griffin was about a year old and walked around our back yard dribbling the soccer ball. Reid’s not quite there yet, but he does like kicking it! We started and finished our donut puzzle pretty quickly this week also. 
On Friday evening we headed to the annual St. Joan of Arc Festival just down the road in Powell. We were suckers, of course, for all the cheesy carnival games and came home with various plastic swords and footballs. Griffin also rode several rides and I tagged along on the fast circular coaster and Kevin rode the fast twister with Finn. 
Hannah, our new short-term nanny started on Monday. She is the summer nanny of my friend Kim, and the sister of Kim’s long-time nanny Lindsay. This is a win-win for both of us as we needed someone, her job with Kim was ending as summer is over, and she is in a transition period with her college/career situation. She was scheduled off on Wednesday and Thursday this week while she worked her last days at Starbucks so Jim and Pat graciously came and watched the boys for us again. The kids had a fun time and we’re thankful for their help, of course!
I love in the mornings after Griffin gets on the bus and it continues down our street that after they go around the turnaround and come back I can always see Griffin peering out the window as they turn up Southfork :). Do you see him?
On Saturday we attended the Grace Marriage program at church from morning to early afternoon and then returned home to regroup and then onward to Ten Pin Alley in Hilliard to celebrate Rowan’s 7th birthday. There was laser tag, arcade games, pizza, and cake!
And here are a couple from Sunday morning in the nursery where Kevin and I volunteered in the giraffe room. Griffin has moved up to children’s worship which meets in the other wing of the church, but he loves to help us when we serve in the nursery. He actually has been staying with us during the service for awhile and coloring with all of the things he’s brought in his coloring bag. 
We had our first Landscape Professionals Educational Day at Millcreek this week too. We had 4 different seminars, tours of the nursery, breakfast and lunch as we continue to build our base of landscape clients. 
And then Facebook and Google show me these photos from years past and it gives me all the tears! Look at our sweet baby – I remember the day this photo was taken. And the next photo when he was such a big boy as he began sitting in a high chair. Whew, now he’s riding a bus!
We began the week on Monday with his Elementary Open House. Upon arriving at school we found his classroom and got to check out his new space. We found his name on the table he would be sitting at and met a couple of his new classmates (Mason and Jackson). We found his school supply kit (I did the convenient pre-order through the PTO) and unpacked all of his supplies into the various bins and organizers. We spent some time walking around his room and finding where he puts his folder each day, his book bag and coat, lunch bag, and so on. We were in his room for a long enough time that we barely had time to find where the bus arrives and how he gets to his classroom from the bus drop off! Five o-clock came quickly and we had to rush out of there to get home and changed in order to get to swim lessons! Sadly, we missed the popsicles on the playground – so instead we had a sweet treat at home later that night. 
On Tuesday night, the eve of Kindergarten, I created Finn’s yearly first day of school sign. Nothing spectacular, but a sign to record all the details of the year :). 
We surprised Finn with a scrumptious breakfast for his first day. Daddy made Tiger paw pancakes and Griffin had the biggest one!
We headed out a bit early before the bus to get our annual first day of school photos. Jim and Pat spent the night as they’d been helping with the kids the past couple days so thankfully they were able to take some family photos. Griffin looks so excited and SO grown up. I still just can’t believe it. 
Our driveway has always been the bus stop for elementary, middle, and high school bus runs. We love it! Cooper, Cole, and Abbie got to hang out for a short bit and we snapped some group photos of all the kiddos. Seems hard to believe these kids have been best pals for the last 3 years. They have assigned seats on the bus and Griffin and Cole sit right behind the bus driver, Mrs. B, whom by the way seems awesome! Getting on the bus we tried to get Griffin’s attention but he was so intent and focused he didn’t even turn around! I snapped a pic once he got on his seat – he had a rather unsure look on his face. But by the time the bus went down the street and came back through to leave the neighborhood we could see a slightly happier face through the window (at least for Cole, who was sticking his tongue out!).
Kevin ran an errand after the bus left and swung by the school so he capture the first day of school sign 🙂 We were both able to be home to get him off the bus – and he was SO EXCITED! He got off the bus and was so happy to see Reid and tell us that he loved school! We went inside and he scarfed down a snack of pretzels with nutella and his celebratory School Bus cookie. He brought home some coloring pages, artwork, and a booklet about his first day of school – where he chose the “excited” emotion to express how he felt about his first day. We figured since it was early and we were all home we’d go out to Griffin’s favorite place to celebrate his milestone day so off to Rooster’s we went. 
Since we are in between caregivers again, we’ve been enlisting the help of both of our parents, which we are super thankful for! On Friday, Grandma and Grandpa Beilstein arrived in time to spend a short bit with us in the morning before Griffin got on the bus. He was excited that he got to see both sets of grandparents this week and that everyone got to see him get on the bus. 
Here are a couple of pictures Mom texted to me from their day home with Reid. It is SO quiet during the day with just Reid around. He babbles some but isn’t yet talking, and when he’s taking a nap it’s super peaceful around here! And a bit strange. 
And before long it was the end of day 2 of Kindergarten! Since Reid has just begun walking he enjoys having reign outside while we all wait for Griffin to arrive. 
I snapped this shot off Facebook which details the enrollment for Olentangy for the 2018-2019 school year. It will be fun to see how this compares to when Griffin is in High School (which is currently the largest high school in the district, by enrollment – Liberty). 
I was so happy to receive an email from Griffin’s teach which was sent to all parents. It detailed things about the first day of school and included photos! How neat to see Griffin in his classroom with his classmates. 
There’s never a dull moment around here and the second day of school is no different. Once Griffin got home we did a fast change into our wedding reception duds and headed downtown with Griffin for Lisa and Brian’s wedding reception party. We left Reid at home with Cameron so he could enjoy sleep and we all could enjoy a more pleasant evening not chasing him everywhere! Griffin had so much fun dancing and hanging with the kids. It was a really fun reception with a live band, lots of dancing, drinks, and fun with several of our neighbors. Oh, and the succulents in the flowers came from Millcreek. Fred’s wife’s company, Madison House Designs, did their flower arrangements. The food was tasty and I love that Griffin devoured his salad. 
On Saturday, Griffin and Kevin joined Lisa, Brian, Cole, Cooper, Bill, and Tammy (Brian’s parents) for some fun at Pins Mechanical in Dublin for a couple hours. Reid and I joined them later and then our family headed for pizza at Tommy’s in Dublin. 
These kids. They play together all the time when the boys are at Brian and Lisa’s. This night I went outside and they are all suited up in play outfits running like crazy from each other on separate teams playing spy. 
We purchased our first family puzzle and put it together pretty quickly! We’ve begun to enjoy sitting down together at the table and putting them together. Griffin is really quick at finding matches!
This week was our first school function at Tyler Run with Meet the Teacher night on the playground. We met Mrs. Menary, picked up a kindergarten info packet, and met a few friends on the playground. It was a warm one that night too – but Griffin had so much fun checking out the playground!
We tried our best to get Reid to walk before Jenn left on Friday, but he wasn’t having it!
Here are a couple video’s from Jenn and the last one we captured later on Friday evening – it was the sweetest moment of Reid walking to Finn and giving him a great hug.
After the weather cleared we headed to the zoo for a brief evening trip where, amongst other things, we rode the dinosaur boat ride and the carousel. 
After church on Sunday we had lunch with the Mannings. Totally unplanned and last minute and it was the best time! We talked about many things, but the main thing was small group and how ours will no longer be. The Mannings and Conrads both are stepping back from leading C-group as they are investing their time in other ways at church right now (Kara heading Stillwater in the interim until we find a new youth pastor and Sarah helping with Middle School stillwater). While I find it sad that we no longer have our group, we’re also in a stage of life that seems so busy it may be nice to have less on our plate. Time will tell. While we were at the Mannings Reid took a nap on Kevin, which is super rare, and Kevin really loved the snuggles.
And here are some succulent babies that we picked up at Mom and Dad’s (after the Corso’s trip we stopped there to visit their gardens and pick up vacation stuffs) and took back to Millcreek to propagate. They are growing like gangbusters. 