Our family album is not complete without Calli. Our good friend, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever who joined our family seven years before the arrival of the first baby, and who has had to make the most adjustments of all.
Poor Calli. Gone are the lengthy walks at dawn, the trips to a nearby field for hours of retrieving and the spontaneous visits to Lake Wilcox. But hey, now she is even better fed (if that's possible) with the additional hand-outs of cheerios, goldfish, and whatever else Liam has decided he has had enough of.
Calli is ten now and starting to slow down a bit, but she's still faster than the midget who chases her and I hope she always will be.
Calli with infant Liam, Feb. 2005, and imploring Lily to kick the ball May, 2007.
This summer we were glad to spend some with Markus while he was on school break and between the kazillion different camps and sports that he took part in. He taught Liam a lot of important boy things, like how to climb a tree and how to kick a soccer ball. But I think he saved his best moments for Lily. He is a great big cousin. 
Liam and Lily are incredibly lucky to have four excellent lifetime friends within a short driving distance -- their cousins. What a bunch. Each child has his or her own unique look and personality, but there's no mistaking they all come from the same stock. One common thing being their love for family, which is being instilled in them by their excellent parents.
Alright, I know all parents say that but, seriously, this little girl is unbelievable. She sleeps through the night and gets a couple of solid naps in every day. She is often so quiet you almost forget she's there. She hardly ever cries, only when she's hungry or has a tummy pain. She smiles at everyone. She loves to cuddle and wraps her little arms right around your neck. She giggles on cue when you sing or bounce her on your knee.
