Just because....

Emmie and Papa had a date with Granddad yesterday- a trip to the Agricultural Fair at Delaware Valley College while Momma got a much needed rest. Apparently the animals were a hit and the excitement tuckered Emmie out. She fell asleep before they pulled out of the parking lot.  She wore her hedgehog shirt in honor of the event but I am told her favorite animals were not the sheep or horses (usual highlights) but the bug display. As we inch towards May and baby's due date, life's activities are winding down because baby keeps trying to make an early appearance.  This 18 month old seems so grown up somedays but when she sleeps she's still my little baby girl and will always be I think. 

Happy faces

Just a quick post to share some happy photos from the last few days: Miss Emmie in her Easter finery and some happy playtime outside with water and measuring cups.  Who needs fancy toys when you have any sort of container to put things in and take things out. This little girl loves being outside and so do we.  How can she be so big already? 

Happy Birthday Mom

Dear Mom,

Today would have been your 63rd birthday. It seems almost silly to think of birthdays in the perspective of eternity. For your joy and celebrations now are beyond anything I could've wanted for you here.  But still, I think of you as I do each day and rejoice in you, remembering and wanting to tell you so many things.  I wonder if you know that your second granddaughter is due the day you went to heaven, or that all three of your grandchildren have your blue eyes.  I wonder if you know I still can't fold sheets or sew or knit properly. I can't duplicate your iced tea, potato salad or coleslaw.  Jam season is coming and I think of picking together on my birthday. I think of you when I read nursery rhymes to Emmie, when I sing to her as you did to me. I think of you as I teach her about Jesus, and show her the flowers by name.  I think of your gentle heart and listening ears, of your love of the beautiful and true. I think of you as I stay up reading late (my fellow night owl), when I drink my tea and when I work on my research.  Dearest Mom, I will love you always. Happy Birthday.

Glorious Weather

 We've enjoyed some lovely evenings on the perkiomen trail, afternoons in the sunshine and time with the horses at 'Bit by Bit Farm'.  Spending time in the sunshine, spotting yellow wildflowers, bluebell buds, daffodils and green grass makes us all so happy.  Our spirits heave a great sigh of relief and thanksgiving.  Emmie has learned new words: sky, grass, flower, stick and is very happy to provide any animal sound you ask for.  She also likes to sit at the piano most mornings to "play" and makes up her own music.  She has a few new dance moves as well that make us laugh.  Here we are with an 18 month old Emmie and in Week 34 with little sister! How time flies by.  Its going to be a fun summer.

Sweet Emmie B

Our little Emmeline is such a paradox of baby and toddler just now. For instance, she is still 

hopelessly attached to her pacifier. But she is also busy preparing to be a big sister and

practices with her own baby in the swing and carseat, changing many diapers, rocking and nursing

her baby.  Reading books has evolved into reading them out loud to us. Although our interpreting skills are quite limited (so she says), we catch a few words throughout.  This week we've had some fun times with a huge box baby sister's crib came in.  We've read so many books after organizing them and we've made lots of silly faces during bubble time.  We also took a goofy picture of the cat because, well, it was goofy. Who can resist laughing at it! In other news, Momma's belly is growing large.  Emmie likes to inspect it most mornings.  Baby sister is running out of room but we are so thankful to have reached 32 weeks! Woo hoo- just a few more weeks until we get to meet you baby girl! Guess we'd better finalize your name.

30 weeks

32 weeks