Six Months!

Dear Lena,

Dearest girl, you are half a year old and we marvel at God's goodness to us in sending us our second daughter. We can't imagine our life without you.  This last month you have fallen deeply in love with Emmeline. She is your sunshine and your face lights up when you see or hear her. You are rolling and scooting and grabbing and pulling.  You are eating lots of foods and don't seem to dislike anything! You are around fourteen pounds and 25 inches tall. Your eyes are still blue and your hair, well, what we can see, is light brown.  You have the tiniest little features and a sweet little mouth. You like to sing and coo, shriek and cry.  You like things that crinkle and have tags. You love light through lace curtains and prisms that send rainbows over our kitchen.  You love Papa's beard and face.  You like to grab cat ears and fur.  You are starting to enjoy baths and splash enough to scare yourself.  You do not like loud noises or the carseat, lying on your back for long or getting dressed.  You love the piano and start to calm down if we listen to music. Happy Half Year Birthday baby Lena! How we love you!

Nature Walks, Great-Grandchildren and Tea

Our days have been simultaneously so full and yet so normal.  We don't really go many places. Yet with a two year old, the day has so many diverse activities in order to keep routine and joyful learning happening.  Add in a five month old and activities are a blessing and way to keep from insanity. Today the girls seemed to melt down in the afternoon. So we did our standby nature walk and everyone was distracted from teething and tiredness.  We had fun visitors this week (all four of Nana's great-grand children together) and tea time in the morning.  

The Beginning of Fireplace Season

We've had our first few fires on cold evenings and I must say, somehow it makes the darker nights and colder mornings more tolerable.  If we must migrate inside, then we may as well be as cozy as possible. Tea pots, warm socks, blankets and indoor games have all emerged from hidden corners.  Emmeline has a decided love of cooking (please note that a hat was required) and tasting each evening. This week we spent a few nice afternoons in our backyard, sliding, swinging and piling up the last of the golden leaves.  We watched the squirrels and woodpeckers, went to Necessity Farm and Dairy and chatted with the goats.  Lena's enjoying some real food now and Emmie is appalled by the mess she makes.  Ahem. Quotes from the week include:  'Poor Emmie- new boo boo', 'Papa is stinky' (he wasn't), 'Nina not tall', 'Moon is hiding', 'Maggie is not obeying' (the cat), 'Emmie want to shut her eyes'.  We've all been up around 5 most days thanks to the time change. Woo hoo. 

These girls!

Lena is crawling and Emmie is drawing A's and smiley faces. I can't keep up with these two girlies! Here are some pictures to remember these days: 2 years and 5 months! 

Golden Days

It has been a whirl of birthday festivities, appointments, lessons and outside time as we try to savor the sunlight and warm air before the weather changes.  Seasons seem so black and white to a toddler.  When Emmie asked to go to the beach the other day I responded by saying that it was too cold now and we'd have to wait until next summer.  She then asked for snow since the beach seemed to be turned off.  I told her it wasn't quite cold enough for snow and she just scowled at me.  If it is rainy then Emmie assumes we can still go out if we wear enough hats and ask 'Itsy' (the spider) to go away. With a hospital visit for Papa, a kidney stone for Momma and two teething babes lets just say we're ready for a fresh week. Still, there is much to be thankful for: two sweet sisters who are beginning to discover they are playmates, sunshine days, warm cups of tea in the morning and a gracious Heavenly Father who holds us all in His hands. Here are some pictures from our week.

Four girls: 3 days apart and 5 days apart, 2 years apart. Ha!!

Great-Grandmother (Nana) who turns 90 this month is such a good sport! Emmie said 'Nana drive' and so she did.