This week in Sluiter Nation, summer officially arrived.

Now, I know…summer isn’t officially here via the calendar until June.

But in Sluiter Nation? It’s summer.

May 20: first boat ride of the season.

*May 21: Squishy faced Charlie Bird

May 22: First stitches

May 23: Jamming on the new blankie from miss Melanie

May 24: Angry Birds band-aids make boo boos better.

May 25: How YOU doin'?

*May 26: At the car wash!

We have boat rides and outdoor play.

Boo boos and car washes.

Crocs and rompers.

Flowers planted and bark spread.

It’s summer in Sluiter Nation.

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Speaking of summer…I wrote this piece about what teachers do with their summers: It Must Be Nice…

Welcome to our first full week as a family of four!

March 18: The weather was nice, so I "got out" and blew bubbles with my little ninja.

March 19: This is how we roll.

March 20: Photo shoot day. And he handled it like a rock star. You know, peeing on stuff.

March 21: A little Lego time with my oldest.

March 22: My buddy comes home from daycare with a fever. Sick is not fun.

March 23: Brothers playing cars

March 24: First "real" bath in his "tub boat" (as Eddie calls it).

A big week of awesome!

How was your week?

This week was it.

Charlie’s arrival.

March 11: Playing outside in the sunny weather while Cort takes down the Christmas lights

March 12: The night before...goodness look at that belly! Time to come out!

March 13: Happy Birthday, Charlie!

March 14: Hello, World.

March 15: I really love seeing Cort with a bundle on his chest. happy sighs...

March 16: Going home!

March 17: Eddie reads his baby brother one of his favorite books.

Our week has been filled to overflowing with joy.

But I would be lying if I said the transition has been easy.

Cort and Eddie have felt the strains of a new baby and a recovering mommy/wife.

And I have been having a really difficult time with the new mommy tears.

That being said, things will be quiet from me on the interwebs for a few days or more.

I need to worry about what is happening in the moment and put on my blinders to future moments.

I am just too fragile right now.

Thank you so SO much for all your support and love.

Hopefully this week’s round up of photos can be drama-free.

Sheesh.

Although it does have my son using a knife and a bumper on a crib.

I guess I am just setting myself up for the trolls.

February 19: Eddie helps daddy make banana pancakes (with a butter knife)

February 20: Day off for midwinter break...so I got my hair cut and colored.

February 21: I have another day off for midwinter break so I tackle the itty bitty clothes.

February 22: Mommy/Eddie night = popcorn and jammies

February 23: "play cars with me?"

February 24: unexpected snow day and unexpected gifts in the mail

February 25: A baby will live here again soon.

There it is.

My 2-day work week.

And smothering Eddie with love.

And preparing for Charlie.

Goodness.

Who would’ve thought an innocent weekend filler post of photos could cause such a ruckus.

People were up in arms about pacifiers here last week.

I must thank you all for all the support of Eddie’s beloved “pipey”.

This week Sluiter Nation got it’s first glance into the nesting bug that has bit me.

It was met with mixed reviews.

February 12: Eddie and I make Valentine's for his daycare friends

February 13: Sluiters share Valentine's goodies because we don't want to wait until Tuesday night!

February 14: Happy Valentine's Day

February 15: Wednesday night treat..."green choc-o-yat i-keem" YUM!

February 16: My need to get out the itty bitty clothes takes over all logic that says there is no place to put them yet.

February 17: We buy the big boy bed. It is quite well-received.

Feburary 18: After a day where I was pretty sure my head would explode, Cort brings home Chinese food. I love that man.

There were many battles this week about how Baby Charlie’s things do NOT fit Eddie.

About how Eddie is TOO BIG to sit in the bouncy seat.

And about how no, that onsie will NOT fit on you, Eddie.

There were tears and dysfunctional listening ears.

But at the end of the week, we had a Big Boy who peed and pooed on the toilet…

and then asked to sleep in his big boy bed.

I am so proud.

Even though my heart hurts with these growing pains of his.

How was YOUR week?

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Other places I wrote things this week:

My first post over at Borderless News and Views: Could You Live Without TV?

And a new review on Katie’s Bookcase: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (a must-read, by the way)