Another milestone this week – Reid’s first hair cut! We figured at 15 1/2 months it was time to get a big boy hair cut. He has wispy bangs and long hair in the back that could use a trim so we took him to Cookie Cutters. To be honest I was a bit nervous as he is a particular one – not wanting to have his teeth brushed or wanting to sit still in restaurants in his high chair/seat for longer than 10 minutes! He did surprisingly well as he watched a few minutes of a show (he’s also not nearly into tv shows like Griffin was/is – he loses interested and moves along to something else) and then I distracted him with toys in a basket. We were in and out in less than 25 minutes! He looks super cute 🙂 
For comparison, here is Griffin after his first haircut at 12 months old. 
This face cracks me up. He has been making this face a lot lately, especially if I ask him to show me his teeth. He crinkles his nose and does a little snort sometimes. Silly little man. 
Friday was the annual Open House at Millcreek. I was super bummed this year that Griffin had school, so he wasn’t able to be there. It was the first one he’s missed! Kevin was able to come and bring Reid though, so everyone watched his walk all around before we sat down and enjoyed a tasty BBQ lunch. We had 2 seminars and a “40 years of Memories at Millcreek” segment that George presented in the afternoon. It was one of the most well-attended open houses we’ve had, along with great weather – which was a treat as it had been horribly hot earlier in the week.
A few others from this week: Hannah and Griffin made a tasty Fall Chocolate cake this week. He was really proud of his decorating. One weeknight when it was raining Kevin was outside mowing and had to cut it short. It had been awhile since he stopped mowing but he hadn’t come in yet, so I went out to check on things and discovered him playing football in the rain with the kiddos. They had a great time – they didn’t come in until dark and were all soaking wet! I really enjoyed watching that. They were all having so much fun. 
Griffin has been working on sight words at school and he brings home a sight word ring in his reading bag each day. He also has a sight word booklet that we work on at home and when he’s ready to be assessed by his teacher we sign it and send it to school with him. This week Finn “passed” his first list in his green booklet. Way to go Finn! He was so proud and happy when I we went through his bag that night 🙂 
Hannah and Griffin have also been working on this puzzle and finished it this week. Yay, finally one with no missing pieces!!
On Saturday I had to go to Millcreek for several hours to get ready for some consultants visiting next week. Griffin begged to come with me so we packed up his “work” bag and headed to work. As an added treat we enjoyed the leftover bbq from the open house the previous day. He got to enjoy the tasty treats after all! 
These two. They lay on anything that is soft and cuddly. Griffin loves putting his pillows and blankets on the floor and making various designs. Each night at bed time when we all parade into his room these guys settle right on to everything – despite the entire rest of the room being available for them to lay down. 
Naked baby with hulk hands, lol! I’ve realized that I hardly ever take pictures of Reid without his clothes on and he has the biggest and cutest belly! He was loving running around the loft wearing Griffin’s huge hulk hands. 
September 9, 2018
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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.
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!
