"I Be-member"

As the kids get older, they are beginning to develop traditions based on their recollections of events in the past. It's really neat to see this develop as they associate certain locations or times of year with particular activities. There's nothing cuter than the pensive, slightly quizzical look on Ryan's face as he launches into a memory with, "I be-member..."

Many of these traditions are associated with the upcoming holidays, such as a trip to the pumpkin patch to pick out this year's Jack-o-lantern or a desire to buy advent calendars at Christmas. Lucie and Ryan each remember their favorite details of these experiences from last year, and when this memory is triggered, they'll talk, talk and talk about repeating the same this year.

A tradition they've developed with their grandparents is apple picking in September. When we've visited around the kids' birthday, they've enjoyed helping Grandma and Grandpa pick from their backyard tree, and then munch on their pickings during a photo with Grandpa. The top photo is from this year, with the previous two years below. And so a tradition begins.