Towne Family Blog

Playing at the park.

Liam loves playing with water. Having him wash his hands in the sink after dinner could be a 45 minute task.

With nemesis, Max.

Sorting.

Liam's third birthday.

Being silly.
"I'm not your little boy, I'm Grandma Laura's little boy". Mariama looks comfortable.

Another of Liam's favorites: Playdoh.

Liam got to do the little poster for "A" week.

Taking a break. I imagine that he was playing with the cars. This year has been an exciting one at daycare because of the Lyndale Avenue construction project outside of daycare. Liam loves the diggers, bulldozers, steam rollers, and other trucks.

Liam likes throwing balls around too, often with disastrous consequences.

Liam caught being nice to his little sister.

I have no idea what to think of this one.

Happy. Probably a good snack.

Wet again.

Two more happy pictures. I wish he were happy when we drop him off at daycare.

Labels: Daycare, Liam

Helena's toenail a couple of days before it fell off. It finally fell off in the pool at Bryant Square Park. Its whereabouts is unknown. She was a little upset that she couldn't find it because I told her that the toenail fairy would have come and left a peanut-butter sandwich under her pillow.

What it looks like now.

My cute daughter.

My other daughter (sigh)
Ada finally is sleeping in her crib.

Liam is turning into an artist. He can write his name now as well.

Labels: Ada, Helena, Liam, toenail

I was going to take portraits of the kids for the wall in the entrance to our house but it didn't go well. I accidentally deleted Helena's pictures, and Ada wouldn't cooperate.

Labels: Ada, Liam

The kids like to "go see the flowers". Unfortunately, about half of them will have to make way for a new housing development. In the meantime, we'll go two or three times a week.


Helena sees a bee.


Helena at Lake Calhoun.


It looks like Liam is looking the wrong way, but he's watching Helena play at the playground.


Helena learning new tricks.

Liam not learning new tricks.

Labels: flowers, Helena, lake, Liam, park

This is the Chinese Zodiac as done by Helena.
Mommy doing something.

Dad and Ada.

Liam's goofy face.

A rare moment when Liam is just being cute. Yes, I took him to get a haircut.


Ada the Tormentor.

What Ada will look like if she smokes cigars.

Labels: Ada, Artwork, Helena, Liam

Labels: Ada, dalen, family, Helena, Liam

Helena takes good care of Ada, and Ada loves Helena. We have to keep Liam from Ada quite a bit.
Helena in one of her cute moments. Her hero is Pippi Longstocking. When she gets mad at us, she'll tell us she was like Pippi and wouldn't have to have parents. That's my kid!

Liam is pretty shy of the camera, but often poses with Helena, who he looks up to.

Helena likes being outside. Here she is taking it upon herself to shovel.

Here is Liam after another daycare accident. Max threw a truck at him.

Ada has learned to sit up. She has to have a pillow behind her, but she can usually sit by herself for awhile. Now she is getting used to being on her stomach. Crawling isn't too far away.

A portrait of Ada.

Helena wearing a hat that she had when she was about Ada's age, but fits better at 5 years.


Gravity defying snow.


Car caught in a snowdrift.

Labels: Ada, Helena, Liam, snow

Daycare calls Dalen, who calls me, and tells me that Helena is sick. It is a Friday and the secretary can't find a substitute. So I go get Helena during lunch and go back to school to find people to finish my day for me. While sitting at my desk playing PBS Kids, she pukes all over my desk with 34 teenagers in the room.

Well, it is easier to get the secretary to find me a sub once a kid throws up in class, so I get to go home. By Saturday, all three kids are sick.

Labels: Ada, Helena, Liam, sick

Liam likes his train cake.

Blowing out his candles while wearing the official Towne Birthday Hat

Mmmm. Cake is good.

Helena thinks so too.

Ada....not so much.

Liam arranging the presents....just so....

Dinosaurs!

Here was the favorite gift of the night. A microwave. As he was opening it.....

....it made noise!

Liam got a new Thomas shirt. After dad spent an hour and a half putting his tractor together that his aunts and uncle got him, Liam decided to do a little redecorating.

Labels: birthday, Liam

Helena and Liam can get a little carried away with silliness at the dinner table. On two occasions I told that one of them would have to go sit in the kitchen to finish eating. The second night was Liam's turn.

I'd go in to check on him every couple of minutes. As usual, he isn't touching his vegetables. But Dalen and I insist that they eat them. So I tell him to eat his carrots, and I leave. I come into the kitchen a couple minutes later and he's done with the vegetables, so I tell him "Great job!" Little did I know.

The kids get cleaned up and go to play. I'm doing the dishes. For some reason I open up the drawer with the washcloths in it and find the following (click on the picture).

I had to show my disappointment with Liam while he cleaned them up, but it was impossible to keep a straight face because I was laughing so hard. I had to go stand on the stairs to the cellar while he cleaned them up in perfect Liam form...one carrot at a time to the trash.

Labels: Liam

Helena after painting her horse that she got as a gift.

She's proud of it.

Maestro!
Ada's vocal arts. Sounds a little like Yoko Ono.

Helena's Play-doh sculpture.

Once again, pretty proud of it.

Puzzle makers.

Helena got a little mad at Liam because she didn't want Liam in the picture. Poor Liam.

Labels: Ada, Artwork, Helena, Liam

Sammy did get a time out.

Day 0

Day 1

Day 2
Day 4

Labels: injury, Liam

Liam looking cute.

Liam and Pop-pop playing with trucks.

OCD Liam.

Labels: Liam

The calm before the storm. Singlehandedly, we've kept America's economy moving forward.

And they're off!
Decisions, decisions.

Oooo! Trains.
Liam, what did you get? Good boy!

Helena liked her comfy pants.


Just like his father, Liam wonders why people get slippers.

The onlookers.

More of them.

Helena's "favorite present".

Ada gets in on the action.

And begins to eat her gifts.

Aaron with Ada.

Liam takes a break from opening presents to play with his favorite new toy. Aaron 1, Santa 0.

Labels: Ada, christina, christmas, dad, dori, Helena, Liam, libby

Liam threw snow all around the back yard.

Helena and I made a snowman. It didn't last too long, because Liam knocked it over. Helena cried, and we put it back up, but then the weather got warmer... the warmest December on record.

Labels: Helena, Liam, winter

Labels: Liam, Milestone

Labels: Ada, Helena, Liam