It has come to my attention that some people are, um, actually reading this blog. No time like the present to update the three (?) of you on the past 15 months in the Chesser family!

To say life has been crazy would be an understatement -- and I have a very low crazy tolerance, so I have been working overtime to stay on this edge of sanity. Our third child, John Paul, was born at home at 11:45 pm on November 21, 2007, with our amazing midwife Ruth Cobb and our doula and friend Melissa Morrill in attendance. John Paul has brought the gift of unity to our family from the moment of his conception. I'll never forget the first time our oldest child, Peter, saw him. His eyes got big, his face lit up in a smile, and he said, "I love my baby brother!" Audrey, who was then 20 months old, took a little longer to warm up. As I recall, she fell dead asleep at the dinner table that night ... that's her way, though, to check out of a weird scene altogether until she gets her bearings. The three of them are a team now, for better or worse, with John Paul regularly sidling up to one or the other of the big kids and trying to imitate whatever they're doing. (This morning it was to Audrey, sitting on the heating vent on the kitchen floor.) As an only child, I'm fascinated to watch these sibling relationships develop, and to see that they really are relationships unlike any other we might have. I'm thankful for my only-child childhood in many ways, but so very happy that my children have each other.

Now for some pictures, and a really genuine promise to spend more time posting here instead of futzing around on Facebook. ;)