Yummy Bears

We were eating dinner the other night, when something very exciting happened- we heard a big truck pull up, it was dark outside, and the doorbell rang! And if that's not exciting enough, it was the UPS man, with a package for us. We opened it right up, and what should we find, but the most adorable chocolate bears for Valentines Day! I'll give you one guess who sent it........Grandma and Papa, of course! Not only are they always thinking of us, but they have a knack for knowing just the perfect surprise that will put a smile on our faces.

Self Soother

I've never had a self-soother before. We've always been a binky family. Both Lizzy and Peter loved their binkies! I do mean truly loved them in a rub-all-over-your-face because even the scent is delightful, kind of way. The trouble with binkies is, they fall out.......in the middle of the night and you can't find them so you have to yell for your mom. They drop out of the stroller and get lost along the way. On long car trips, the fall down and you can't reach them so your mom has to pull over and fish them out of the crevices of the car so you'll stop having a tantrum. And lastly, it takes soooooo long for kids to be able to bink themselves! Now the thumb.....ah, the thumb........it is just lovely. And yes, I'm going to go officially on the record saying that it's lovely, and when Catherine is 21 and still sucking her thumb and everyone is laughing at me, I'll read this post and remember how awesome it is that she sucks her thumb. When Catherine is tired, she just sucks her thumb, and out she goes. When she's fussy in car, or in the stroller, in goes the thumb. I can lay her down in her bed in the middle of the day, eyes wide open, and come back a few minutes later and she'll be out, her little thumb in her mouth. It's the best! Sure, I better start putting my money away for all the braces and head gear we'll need in the future, but for now, I'm a fan of the thumb, big time!

Strong Stuff

Look at Catherine! She is getting so strong, that now, during her tummy time, she can lift up her head. This is amazing for two reasons: 1. Do you see the size of Catherine's head compared to the rest of her body? Man, that things got to be pretty heavy! 2. Usually during tummy time Catherine just coos, rests her head to the side, and lodges her thumb into her mouth. Looks like Catherine is getting to be one strong little lady.

Everyday Blessings

It never ceases to amaze me how much Lizzy notices the tiniest miracles around her. Her appreciation of nature always warms my heart. When we visited the park the other day she was having a lot of fun playing on some rocks. Suddenly, I saw her stop, crouch down, and stare intently at something she had discovered. She soon called out, "Look, Mom! There's a little flower growing right here in this rock! Isn't that amazing? Can you take a picture of it?" Sure enough, right there, a teeny, tiny yellow flower had somehow managed to grow in a shallow patch of dirt amongst some rocks. Leave it to Lizzy to find a small miracle right beneath her very own feet.

Sweet Surprises

The other day when I walked by Catherine in her swing, I noticed there were a few extra friends hitching a ride with her. I knew right away that sweet Lizzy had found some snuggle buddies for Catherine. My darling big girl is always thinking of subtle, thoughtful ways to show how much she loves you.

Day Out

When you have a new baby, it can be tricky to be out-and-about. It takes a while to get the confidence to hit up some of your old hang-outs. Chasing after Lizzy and Peter can get dicey under the best of circumstances, and now with Catherine, it can sometimes feel down right impossible (at least if we want to maintain some degree of safety and supervision). That's why I was very thankful when Grandma and Papa agreed to go with us to Happy Hollow. I love getting to go on adventures with the kids, and it felt like ages since we got to do something really fun. Lizzy had the day off from school, so after Peter's soccer class, we made the trek down to an old favorite spot. What a great day! The weather was so gorgeous, it wasn't crowded, and the kids loved running around and exploring. Catherine even got to take her first ride on our favorite circle swing. Maybe I'm starting to get this three-kid thing down (at least when I've got some back-up).

All Thumbs

After much effort, Catherine has finally found her thumb. Having gone through two kids who loved their binkies, this is totally new territory for us. I always wished for a self-soother, so here we go. Whenever anyone sees her sucking her thumb, the typical reaction is a knowing smile, accompanied by, "Uh oh, we'll see how much you like this in five years!" I'm not going to listen to the neigh-sayers, because right now, in this moment, I find it totally adorable. I love the way Catherine works so, so hard to get it in there, how calm and happy her thumb makes her, how her eyes almost instantly start to droop, heck, even the way she almost pokes herself in the eye each and every time! Sweet dreams, sweet baby!

School Girls

Lizzy's school had an open house on Sunday. All the kids were asked to wear their uniforms to church to help advertise the school. Now it's pretty tricky for me to get Lizzy into her jumper on a regular school day. She doesn't mind wearing her pants, or shorts, or her P.E. sweats, but the jumper really throws her for a loop. Lizzy is the most fascinating combination of girly-girl and tomboy. She loves girly stuff like princesses, and jewels, and fairies, but then also loves to dig around in the garden and get dirty with bugs, play lots of sports, and she never backs down from a rough and tumble boy. I think she's the most perfect combination of sugar and spice with lots of confidence, independence, and focus sprinkled on top. I was so glad she agreed to wear her jumper to church. She was very excited when she saw her classmates there, also all dressed up. I think little girls in their school jumpers are the most precious sight.

Flower Power

I'm cute......and HAPPY........and I'm getting really, really big. Oh, and I can pull off wearing a flowery shirt like nobody's business. The sun-shinyness of my shirt matches my beaming grin:)

Casual Napper

Naps are getting pretty tricky around here. Peter really does still need a little rest after lunch, but he never wants to take one. He asks me first thing in the morning, "Am I going to take a rest today?" And when I tell him yes, he starts in with his protests. I get a lot of, "I'm not tired, Mommy!" and "I don't want to take a rest!" and of course, "NOOOOOO!" When I can actually wrestle him down, Peter does enjoy a short rest. The other day this is how I found him in his bed. How amazing to have mastered such a casual pose!

Sweet Tooth, Sweet Boy

We try to eat healthy around here, but........we're not always totally successful. Lizzy has actually gotten pretty good about it. She will usually try new foods, she's pretty good about fruits, and I've even seen her choke down a vegetable or two. Peter, um.............I'm not sure he's eaten a vegetable willingly any time recently. Peter is a connoisseur of treats, and he won't let you put him in a box. You could say he's a salt guy, always loving his chips and fries. But he's also a sweet guy, loving ice cream, cake, and candy. The other day we went out to lunch with Peter's friend, Charlie. I think you can guess which was Peter's favorite part of the meal.......

Tea for Three

One of the sweetest things about Lizzy is that she is always thinking about other people. I can't tell you how many times I'm surprised by sweet notes or little presents hidden around the house. Peter, an adorable sweety in his own right, is often her willing accomplice. The other night after dinner, Lizzy planned a spontaneous tea party for me. She set the table beautifully, and even made a treasure spot in the corner of the living room with a thoughtful "I love you" note in the middle. I'm so thankful for Lizzy's huge, generous heart. I'm so thankful for her loving spirit, and her constant kindness towards others. Her tokens of love mean the world to me.

Happy Girl

I may have mentioned this, but Catherine sure likes to smile. And there is perhaps nothing more contagious than a baby smile. Once you see one, you can't help but break out in smiles yourself. That is one of the numerous gifts of babies: they spread such joy to everyone around them. When Catherine smiles, it's with her whole body. It starts as a sparkle in her eye, then you can see her lips begin to curl upwards, then her mouth opens into a huge grin, and her arms and body give a quick jolt of joy. I think it's the most amazing thing. Imagine a smile that encompasses your whole body, really your entire spirit. Imagine if we felt that joyful every time someone glanced our way. The world would surely be a much more blissful place. I think Catherine has the right idea. The next time I smile at someone, I want to really mean it, both for them, and for myself. I want to have a "Catherine smile." A smile that lights up the room.

Getaway

This was so fun! We had a long weekend, and on the spur of the moment, we decided to get out of town and spend the night in Monterey. We love the aquarium there so much, and hadn't been in a long time. What made this trip extra special was that our cousins decided to come too! What could be better than a sleepover trip with our favorite people! Now clearly there must be something wrong with my organizational skills, but packing for a trip, even a short one, feels like swimming through molasses. Everyone is so excited and ready to get going, and I'm left remembering all the tiny details like diaper cream and road trip snacks. Once we finally got on the road, we were all so excited. We got to visit a wonderful park, have take-out together in our hotel, and explore the aquarium. I wish we could do this every weekend! We had such a fun time:)

Getting Big

I love this sweet picture of Catherine! She is getting so big now. She is so alert, loves to look all around, and is full of smiles. The kids love to "play" with her by getting close and talking with her. Peter gets so excited and will say, "Mommy, Catherine gave me a smile!" Catherine gets mad when she's by herself. She's happiest when she gets to watch all our controlled chaos and be a part of the action.