Like Father Like Son

America's Next Top Model

Since we don't have any of the major networks and limited (I mean limited!) Red Sox games with our wonderful DirecTV subscription (don't get me started!), I have been watching episode after episode of America's Next Top Model. One morning this week when Eric was still in bed and Sophia was in a happy mood, I was inspired by the show and broke out the camera. After just a few minutes, I was surprised that I had taken over 50 shots of my little girl. Here are some of my favorites.

Can you believe how much she has grown? ;O)

(The progression of a baby yawn..is there anything cuter?)

Pioneer keeps pulling the Lohses back in...

Timing is everything. While Grandpa Lohse is getting ready to retire and hang up the Pioneer hat in the not-to-distant future, his grandson seems interested in the seed business.

While Eric would love to be a sales person, he can't speak in complete sentences yet, which makes it difficult to talk to customers at the Alto Fair. So he is focusing on a different career path - truck driving.

Conveniently, Eric's Mom & Dad had to go to the DMV this week to get NY state licences. Eric took that opportunity to apply for a commercial drivers license. We are awaiting the results and hope to hear back this week.

Lohse Lawnmowing Inc.

Now that Eric has moved into a new neighborhood, he has decided to employ the entrepreneurial lessons his Grandpa Lohse has taught him - he has started his own lawn mowing business.

To get into the game, he had to borrow $15 from his mom to purchase the necessary supplies at a local garage sale which include the lawnmower, tractor, and wagon. He is pretty excited about the prospect of making some money, although we are worried his clients may go another direction when they see that his lawn mower lacks both an engine and blades.

On a side note, Eric had inquired about naming his business Lohse Services, but we told him the name was already taken and his piggy bank did not have enough in it to pay the royalty fees to the owner back in WI.

You should have seen the other kid...

Highs and Lows for Eric's Sunday....(Auntie Dena LOVES this game!)

Low...
Tough guy Eric fell down his first flight of stairs today. The good news is that it was only 3 stairs. Bad news was that there was a cement floor at the bottom. After assessing the damage and concluding they were only superficial wounds, we were able to stop the tears with daddy's grape popsicle.

High...
Eric enjoyed his first solo ice cream cone (before dinner even!). Mom just couldn't resist that pitiful face! While we couldn't get him to crack much of a smile, I can assure you he enjoyed it.

Happy Father's Day!

No Fear!

Funky Chicken

Auntie Dena hand made this wonderful hat for Eric when he was a baby. And while I always appreciated the hard work and talent it took to knit it, the hat freaks me out a bit. When it was just Eric, I blamed it on its color; pink just wasn't meant for boys. However, now that Sophia has had her turn to wear it, I still am a bit freaked out by it. Honestly, it is a cross between Yoda and a chicken...never a good thing.

But of course, we still thank Auntie Dena for the one-of-a-kind gift. We love you Dena!! ;O)

Eric before he saw himself....


Eric after he saw himself...

Ready, Aim, Fire!

Big Brother

Sophia is turning out to be a pretty tolerant little sister. Her big brother has two new hobbies...hitting his sister and kissing his sister. Unfortunately, the kissing usually comes after he gets a lecture about not hitting. But we are still working on it...and probably will be for another 18 years or so. ;O)

High and Tight

Doug and I tag-teamed Eric's first haircut this weekend and I have to say it went pretty well. I was in charge of the cutting and Doug was in charge of the clippers. I forgot to take a decent "before" picture, but here is one that I took a few hours earlier when we were making cookies. Lucky for us Eric's hair grows really, really slow so we have a while to work on our skills.

(Before)

(After)