October and November Update

Our only decent excuse for not updating everyone sooner is the obvious one - having a newborn baby is exhausting. We have actually had quite a nice few months, especially considering that we are a group consisting of two grumpy, sleep-deprived zombies, an arts-and-crafts obsessed, sweet and sassy little girl, a rambunctious but too cute to punish properly 2.5 year-old, and the sweetest little baby boy ever. Below are some of our favorite highlights and moments from the last couple months.

It only seems right to start off with the baby.  He's easily the biggest and strongest baby we've had.  He loves to smile and say "oooh."  And luckily he likes to be tickled, so he and his dad are getting along great.  The kids are also doing really well with him.  James has got us all calling him "Benry" and "Bennery" because he thinks it goes well with his sister "Bear-oline."  Any and all bodily noises (even sneezes) leave Caroline in stitches.  And of course he loves his mom more than anything.

We have been spending a lot of wonderful time in Culpeper recently.  The kids cry every time we leave Grammy's house, even if it is just to go to town.  Besides the previously documented Bounce House, below you can see why we have such a great time.

 Free baby holders.  They're good-looking and full of love as well.

Henry is starting to get ticklish, and Grandad isn't shy about testing it out.

 Caroline playing in the leaves was something special to watch - a perfect picture of childhood joy.  She outlasted everyone out there, and would even continue by herself.

She was scooping them up and throwing them.  Over and over.

The Lach leaf monster lurks.  He was Caroline's partner for much of the fun.  

Henry ends up getting one of us to sleep underneath him quite a bit  - almost always his mom.  However, Granna was his victim on this day.

"Let me show you how this works, buddy."

Aunt Beth always does the best crafts with the kids.  Caroline is that kid that sits as close as possible to the teacher and never stops asking questions.

She isn't afraid to show the results of her craft making skills.

Our sweet and funny blue-eyed cousin Mabel came with aunt Mimi to meet Henry.  She was toy-sized to Caroline.

 The kids really liked having her around.

Not to be out done in the blue-eyed cousin department . . . our Olive is getting so big.

Sometimes a brother has to get his snuggles, despite objections. 

James has also taken quite a liking to his little brother.

For Halloween, we had a Construction Man, Tigger, and a Burrito.  I'll let you decide who is which.

We would like to eat him up.

 

My wife loves to make a great costume.

 

We Johnson's love a good baby stretch.

We all try to encourage Henry's exercise.

I don't think he enjoys it quite as much as the rest of us clearly do.

Despite protests from the rest of us, Brie dressed us up after Thanksgiving for some pictures.  She (correctly) decided that we needed some family pictures without: our messy house in the background, stained clothes on the kids, James with food on his face, or crazy post-nap hair.

"I know you're cold.  Give us your best smiles and you can go in the warm house and drink hot chocolate."

That's my girl.

Everyone look at the baby.

We'd like to end with a special thanks to all of our friends and family that have been helping us recently while we travel back and forth to Virginia.  We can't properly express how great you all are, and how much your support has meant to us.  We can only say a sincere "Thank-you", and hope that you'll let us reciprocate in the future.