Falling into Fall

The Sluiters are beginning to embrace the fact that fall is on its way. Ok, maybe embrace isn't the right word. We are grudgingly accepting the fact. There...that is a better description. Anyway, despite the impending change of seasons, we are still busy here in Sluiter Nation.

Per doctor's orders, Eddie is still getting his tummy time in. Remember how in this post I said he hated it? The doctor suggested we use his boppy (that is the cushion thing he is on in the pictures below) to prop him up. He was a MUCH bigger fan of that!
I even propped him up on his forearms so he could get some practice stregthening his arms. He seems like a natural! With a bit more practice this one could be rolling around within the month! Yikes!
Maternity leave is doing its job to make me quite domestic too, I might add. With only a week and a half left, I have started to realize I have more time on my hands during the week. Since Eddie is so much more independent than he used to be, I am freed up to do other things. Things like baking bread! Yup, I baked two loaves of white bread this week. I had never tried it, so I thought I would make a go of it. And it tured out pretty darn yummy, if I may pat myself on my back!
We are also starting to think about Christmas. I know, I know...boo to that so early! But we--along with my brothers--wanted to get my parents and updated family picture. I think the last one taken of all of us was for church probably about 10 years ago; we've gained four more members of the family since then! So my wonderful (and extremely pregnant) friend, Missy, was called in yet again for a photo shoot! We headed up to her territory: Grand Haven. We spent about an hour and half frolicking in the sand and water and getting some great shots of the Riemersma family!
After the photo shoot, we all gathered at the Clover Bar in Grand Haven for birthday dinner for Mike and Ashley, who both have their birthdays within a week of each other (it was Mike's actual birthday on Friday). Gifts were exchanged, pizza was eaten, beers were drunk. It was a great time!
Saturday was no relaxing day at home either! Since I am a teacher, my materninty leave isn't totally work-free. I spend my week with Eddie, but on the weekends I have to get lesson plans and copies together for my sub. I am teaching three different classes this semester: English 11, Honors English 11, and Applied Writing--and I need to have lesson plans for each. Yesterday I spent about 6 1/2 hours at school getting things ready for the upcoming week and gathering all the grading I will need to do during the week. Eddie and Cort stopped in to say hi and to bring me lunch. I think Eddie likes school!
Today we finally slowed down, turned on the baseball game, and...well, did more school work. Cort tackled and essay he had to write and I am thinking about getting some of that pesky grading out. At least today we were able to sit in our sweat pants and be together as a family--which is really what it is all about, right?

Ah, the fall into fall...our first time at it as a family of three!