Auntie Tara is sending this big birthday month off with a bang (there have been a lot you know). Oh how we wish we could be there to celebrate with you! We hope you are having a fun filled birthday and that you are getting spoiled right now as we type this. We actually took a video just before this one, but Rowan went on and on about a certain birthday day cake you made him, the one with a certain green colored frosting that...well you know. Although the first video did make us all laugh, I thought it not appropriate for this here blog.

Meanwhile, enjoy this (there's a surprise at the end- wink wink):

Untitled from Ellen Greenaway on Vimeo.

We love you! Happy Birthday!!

xoxo

PSS - What up with the new look Hamish is sporting?!?

Not at all appropriate for the first day of Fall, but here it is anyway. We've got a lot of catching up to do after all. And as Rowan and I snuggle up on the couch to do this, I realize how nice it is to revisit the lazy days of early summer. Hopping on a ferry to go island hopping in Casco Bay with Miriam was definitely a summer highlight.


Dear Miriam,

Won't you please come back and visit us soon? We have more beaches to take you to! Thanks for coming all the way from one Portland to the other Portland just to visit us. Rowan asks that you please bring your kids with you the next time you come.

xoxo,
The Greenaways

PS- Nick can come too if he wants.

Remember how Rowan said he wanted to ride his bike to school?



And then there is this GORGEOUS gem:



and don't forget this little dude:

Today was Ro-dog's first day of school. Can you believe it? Oh yeah, it happened alright. This morning he practically rolled out of bed discussing the possibility that he might become a little sad at school. This went on for a good hour before we hit a break through.

Rowan: I might be sad when I go to school and you're not there.
Me: Well, that's okay. But maybe you'll be having so much fun you won't notice I'm not there.

(Repeat the above exchange for about 60 minutes but with about 100 different ways of saying the same thing). Until finally the boy comes up with something new.

Rowan: How long will I be at school?
Me: Not that long. You'll come back and have quiet time with Heath and then we'll still have time to go to the beach!
Rowan: Will I be gone half the day?
Me: Not even. Less than half the day.
Rowan: Oh! Well I can do that!
Me: I know you can! It's going to be great!

Whew! He had me worried for a while there that he might have a meltdown with the way the morning dialog was surrounding how sad he was going to be. Disaster averted! He seemed fine as we drove to the school. The kid even came up with a new word to describe his excitement about the development of attending a school so close to our home. See if you can catch the phrase from the video below:


All was well until it was time to hang up his coat and back pack in his new little cubby. That's when he began to cling a bit closer to me and insist that I not leave just yet. When I couldn't convince him to go play with some of the other kids at the "water table!" or "how bout the play kitchen! Look at all the kids playing with fruit and pans!"...he wanted none of it. His final request was that we "please hug and kiss goodbye out by the car". Nice try kid. I did feel pretty bad for the little guy when he melted into tears and had to be torn away from my legs.

I have to admit my heart was breaking a wee bit. But I came prepared to do what I myself have told other parents of pre-schoolers to do. It's like ripping off a band-aid, rip it off quick and it doesn't hurt nearly as bad as when you fool yourself that slowly pulling the awful thing off is somehow better. So that's what I did. I got the "h" outta there as fast as I could!

Apparently he cried for about 2 minutes and then was off having fun - just like I was hoping he would!

When we got home this is what he had to say about things (his answers are a little hard to hear, so turn up your volume):