Babymania

Loyal Beast

Toboggan

You would not believe the workout you get pulling these kids along.

R2-D2 Snowman

Chicago is totally making me suspicious this Winter. With very little snow, and mild temperatures, I have nothing to complain about. Which is rare. Just look through the archives to see me whining my way through January, February, and March.

So, when it does snow, the kids are all over it. Here are Rowan and Brooke with Cormac and a snowman they made my shoveling all the snow on the block, packing it into buckets, and making a little R2-D2-shaped snowman.

Snow Man Buddies

Best Snow Fort Ever

I can take no credit for helping Finn build this. His awesome nanny, Eva, did this with him on one of his days off. Complete with flags and everything!

Santa's Lap

I took the boys to visit Santa this weekend at Navy Pier. I thought that, if they are going to charge you $20 for a picture, this is likely the most convincing Santa money can buy in the Chicagoland area. Finn remained skeptical. It appears that his beard was not affixed convincingly and his elves had some suspicious ears. But doesn't Finn look so earnest here?

Finn's School Picture

He told me that he was trying to give his "best look" in this photo. Success! Look at my big little man!

School Photos are In

With that smile, is it any wonder that he gets anything his dear little heart desires?

Back when Cormac was only two and a half

Nana's Fun Thanksgiving Visit

We squeezed in a photo before dinner. You have to act fast with a squirmy kid like Corm.

He knows how cute he is...

... and that makes him dangerous.

Halloween 2011

Halloween is always a big deal around here. And it makes me love our neighborhood even more. The streets are just teeming with kids, most of them whom we know. We've been blessed with really nice weather the past few years. We usually head out and hit the streets until our feet hurt.

This year, Cormac was TOTALLY into it. In the days leading up to Halloween, we would coach him, asking, "When you knock on someone's door in your costume on Halloween, what do you say?" His response? "Happy Birthday!"

He absolutely could not believe that people just give you candy for dressing up like Superman and asking for it. As I type this (a week after Halloween), Cormac is wearing his Superman costume, which he insists on doing as long as it is clean. ("No pee in it?")

Fall

I love Fall in Chicago. Here we are at a Pumpkin Patch with my pumpkins.

Our Canine Boy

All of this is not to forget the first male Hazen to join our home--Santos L. Halper. Santos is now nine years old and as Finn says, "The best dog in the world, universe, solar system, and Milky Way."

Best Friends

The boys do spar frequently. But they play together constantly and really are one another's best friends.