olivia – Skies of Parchment

March 20, 2014

Hello Spring!

spring fever quote

Ahhh, yes, hello Spring!
We’ve been seeing hints of your arrival for the past month, but this week especially we knew you were near.

This morning we woke up to beautiful warm sunshine, and it was the perfect start to springtime. All winter I was jealous of the snow in the north. But now? The north can have their snow. I’m happy to take Spring. :)

This little southern town is simply wreathed in dogwoods and Bradford pear trees and azaleas. It is the most beautiful time of the year here, and I always anticipate all the lovely blossoms everywhere.

There are little bursts of sunshine all over the house, and little touches that say,
“I’m happy spring is here!”

// In the kitchen //

Tulips in silver pitchers – I do the same thing every year, just cheap grocery store tulips in a an elegant thrifted pitcher. I love it so.

spring in the kitchen

// Dining Room //

First blooming Dogwood branches! They are my very very favorite springtime blossoms.
I just cannot get enough of them! They are dainty and soft, they are elegant and beautiful, they are unique and dazzling.

spring world

lovely spring

// Living Room //

Springtime mantel. It’s done very simply this year, with an oversized chalkboard with my favorite quote at present. It’s something I saw online, and I wish I could remember where, but I knew it must be in our home. Truly, the Gospel is all I have. Without it, I am nothing, and have nothing.

the gospel is all I have

spring mantel with fresh blossoms

// first bouquet //

Zoe is a little flower girl, always bringing in little ~~weeds~~ blooms and blossoms she finds. Then she carefully arranges them in vases and bottles of her choice. I love this about her. I found these two sitting right here on the patio table.

Zoe's first bouquet

// gardening //

Perhaps it’s more rightly called, “hopes of gardening” because there is no garden at present.
But, husband buys lots of tomato plants anyway. :)
And I am excited right along with him.
This post has me dreaming and planning… at least in my mind.

young tomatoes

// new discoveries //

On one of the first 80 degree days we had, we abandoned the house and spend the whole afternoon outside. It was glorious! Fresh sunshine does wonders for a human soul!

This little guy discovered the water hose, and I spent at least an hour just giggling at him. He was being such a little BOY, turning the hose on his sisters and hearing them shriek, and then he’d had to stop and LAUGH and laugh to himself at how much fun it all was.
Oh goodness, he just melts me in a puddle!

my darling son

hello spring!

spring beauties

// twirl //

There is something about little girls, sunshine, and twirly skirts that speak of innocence and delight, of how the world was meant to be.

One night after supper, when the evenings were getting longer and daylight stayed close to bedtime, Zoe and Olivia were running about the yard. They had chosen matching dresses earlier in the day “Because we want people to think we’re twins!!”. I looked out the window to see them laughing and twirling, arms stretched out wide, spinning until they tumbled, and then back up again, doing it all over.

I was mesmerized. It was so carefree, so uninhibited.
It was living fully in the moment, simply delighted with sunshine and each other and skirts that spin wide.

It was worship.
I want to live like that.

spring twirlers innocent happiness

Happy Spring, my friends!

Let yourself be loved of God today, and twirl.

May 24, 2013May 26, 2013

Someone Had a Birthday….

… and that someone is Olivia Caroline!

Our little monkey turned four. FOUR.
I really don’t know how it happened.
It seems like it really wasn’t that long ago that we were making a frantic trip to the birth center and she popped out in the car instead!

It really is funny, because a car-birth really does fit her personality!
Lively, spontaneous, spunky ~ to name a few. :)
She asks every morning, “Are we goin’ anywhere?”
She’s asked that for the past 2 years.

Olivia's 4th birthday! 033

Before her, I really didn’t know a little kid could have so much personality!
Before her, I didn’t know you could adore someone and be so exasperated at the same time!

She adds so much fun and so much life to our home.
Coming in 21 months after Zoe, it sure made me busy those first two years.
But now? I wouldn’t trade it for the world. They are the best of friends (most days! :))

Turning four was a BIG DEAL for Olivia. She talked about it for weeks!
Turning four meant being able to go to Sunday School.
It meant getting BIGGER (something she talks about several times a day).

So we were excited to make it a special day for her,
even though her last day of being three I was boo-hoo-ing, “You’ll never be three again!!”

For birthdays, instead of the focus being gifts, we like to focus on doing things together, making memories.
We give some gifts, but we don’t do big parties every year.
We had planned to do a zoo day but the weather wasn’t permitting.
So we stayed home and did fun things… like tea parties and treasure hunts!

Olivia's 4th birthday! 046

I did a tea party with the girls for lunch. They were involved in the preparation, since it was a spontaneous thing and I didn’t have anything planned beforehand. But goodness, was it ever a fun morning!

They pulled out their dress-up box, full of princessy things and sparkles and accessories.

Olivia's 4th birthday! 003

My sisters laughed me out of town for my ‘grandma dress.’
What can I say? It was a goodwill find that I stuck away for “someday”.
How was I to know my own daughters would think it was a nightgown (how do they even know what a nightgown is, anyway??) ?!
I was thinking it would portray a Grecian look. Seriously, guys, use your imagination! :)

Olivia's 4th birthday! 035

The menu:
Petite Stacked Pancakes
Chocolate Crescents
Strawberries
Tea with milk and (lots of) sugar lumps

Olivia's 4th birthday! 004

Drinking tea, kiddo-style.

Olivia's 4th birthday! 052

Zoe tries the graceful pinkie approach, a bit wide-eyed.

Olivia's 4th birthday! 045 Olivia's 4th birthday! 041

We had a treasure hunt at lunch time when Ben came home ~ a fun FUN tradition my parents always did with us as kids! We included auntie packages sent all the way from Pennsylvania in the hunt, and it was such high excitement!

The day was finished out with a cake. I was planning to make a rainbow cake, you know, those fun layered ones?

I showed the picture to Olivia and she shook her head ‘no’.
“I want a candy cake!”

Of course. I should have known. She’s a sugar baby.
We searched, and found this gumball machine cake.
She loved it.

It said, “No experience needed.” Whew.
We made it.
She loved it.

bubblegum machine cake 2 bubblegam machine cake 1

Happy birthday to our little fire-cracker! The one who makes us laugh, who wakes up early, who loves to be with people and go away, who lives with passion and excitement! You are such a gift to us, and we love you soo much!

signature

April 24, 2013May 16, 2013

“is it fun bein’ a mama?”

You’d think the question would have been asked during a most wonderful day.

Maybe a day when I was dancing about the kitchen in a pretty little apron, singing a ditty while cooking food like Paula Deen.

Or maybe at a time when it was a picture-perfect moment that Norman Rockwell would have painted, like all three kiddos piled around me on the couch while reading “Little House on the Prairie.”

Or perhaps on a walk down a country lane, lined with canopy-like trees on all sides, all of us in pretty frocks and knickers, holding hands and singing, “Skip to my Lou!”

staycation 105 staycation 106 staycation 107 staycation 108

But the question was asked at the end of a rather long day by my three-year old Olivia, after I had flown into the bathroom in great exasperation. The girls were bathing and started calling, no, screeching, for me. If there is one thing I cannot handle, it’s screeching, or screaming, or whatever you may call it. High decibals coming from small children causes high blood pressure in me.

So after calming the screeching and finishing the hair washing, Olivia asked, “Is it fun bein’ a mama?”

And, quite frankly, the question threw me off guard.

In that moment a hundred images and memories and moments went through my mind…

… The week before when all three kids caught the stomach bug, and were throwing up like geysers. Several times I was in direct line with the geyser, and boy, it was not pretty.

… The many many times when it feels like the training just isn’t sinking in, and how many times does it take before a child learns the lesson?

… The coffee spills on sofas, the bathwater all over the floor, the nail polish smeared over the bathroom, the crumbs that marry and multiply under the table.

… The early mornings when I wonder, “Are you even serious. How can you be up already!?”

… The umpteen times of hearing, “Somebody wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipe me!”

… Also hearing umpteen times, “I’m huuuuuuuuungry!”

… The exhaustion at the end of a day, and falling asleep within minutes of dropping into bed

Fun? It’s not all fun. Sometimes it’s downright exhausting and can someone please just give me a hug?

But then I also remembered…

… Those sunlight images in my mind of little girls running at the speed of light, messy hair trailing behind them, wearing princess outfits and strings of pearls. All is right in their little world, and its a lumpinmythroat moment.

… Receiving an unexpected hug and a kiss on the cheek, and looking over to see a little mischievous dimpled smile. xo

… Seeing the affection between the sisters and brother, and realizing even now they are building precious relationships.

… Trying to bake or cook very very quietly in the kitchen, but within seconds there is a little blue chair perched beside me, right in front of the very cupboard door I need to get into, and a little girl who always tells me, “Whenever I hear someone in the kitchen, I ALWAYS want to come help them!” and I can’t help but laugh.

… Laying beside the girls at bedtime, and listening to the endless chatter, and “Oh mama, did you know….” and praying that we’ll always be such great friends.

… Being humbled at how God can work in the hearts of such small children, and hearing them talk about Jesus with each other. Melt me, just melt me.

… The countless times a day that I laugh at my kids, because they are just too funny and cute.

And in that brief moment, in the middle of the end of the day exhaustion and looking into the bright expectant eyes of my daughter, I found centre again. I needed that question to remind me of what really matters, of how much I really DO love this mommy-job, of how precious these moments really are, and I answered,

“You know, Lovies, it’s actually sooooo fun being a mommy.”

And in that answer my exhaustion didn’t seem so consuming, and it was a thankyouJesus moment that I get to be a mommy to these three children…

~ Clarita

children quote

September 20, 2012March 19, 2013

The Shaping

The Shaping.

“Our natural reason looks at marriage and turns up its nose and says, ”
Alas! Must I rock the baby? wash its diapers? make its bed? smell its stench?
stay at nights with it? take care of it when it cries? heal its rashes and sores?
and on top of that care for my spouse, provide labor at my trade?
take care of this and take care of that? do this and do that?
and endure this and endure that? Whey should I make such a prisoner of myself?”
What then does Christian faith say to this?
It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant,
distasteful and despised duties in the spirit,
and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval
as with the costliest gold and jewels.
It says, “O God, I confess I am not worthy to rock that little babe
or wash its diapers,
or to be entrusted with the care of a child and its mother.
How is it that I without any merit have come to this distinction of being certain
that I am serving Thy creature and Thy most precious will?
Oh, how gladly will I do so.
Though the duty should be even more insignificant and despised,
neither frost nor heat,
neither drudgery nor labor will distress me
for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in Thy sight.”
[Martin Luther]

“There is no nobler career than that of motherhood at its best.
There are no possibilities greater,
and in no other sphere does failure bring more serious penalties.
With what diligence then should she prepare herself for such a task.
If the mechanic who is to work with “things” must study at technical school,
if the doctor into whose skilled hands
will be entrusted human lives must go through medical school…
how much more should the mother who is fashioning the souls of the men and women of tomorrow,
learn at the highest of all schools and from the Master-Sculptor Himself, God.
To attempt this task, unprepared and untrained is tragic,
and its results affect generations to come.
On the other hand there is no higher height
to which humanity can attain than that of a converted, heaven-inspired, praying mother.”
[unknown author]

Having three kids… I’ve really been conscious of how much kids have to be taught.
They come into the world as a blank slate, and have to be taught everything!
Obedience,
how to respond cheerfully,
how to be kind.
How to hold a fork,
how to cut with a knife,
place the napkin in your lap.
Remember to include your younger sister,
sisters should be great friends.
Manners, phone etiquette, even polite voice inflection!
“Yes ma’am” “No sir” and “I don’t care for that” instead of “eewww! that look gross!”
How to hang your clothes up neatly.
Place the spoons with the spoons and forks with the forks.
How to put the pillows back on the sofa as they were.
How to hold a pencil.
Please don’t throw your clothes on the floor.
Pick up the toys after your bath.
God is One God, but He is a Trinity.
We can’t be good enough on our own; that’s why we need Jesus.
God is in Heaven, He holds the world in His hand,
and yet He wants to live within us.
Please apologize to your father for being disrespectful.
Oh, and did you know your knees are ticklish?…….

It it really an endless list! But it’s actually been rather exciting to me.
Rather than becoming frustrated by things, I want to take the opportunity to teach.
There is an exciting world out there to learn about!
And in character training, not to become exasperated so easily,
but show them the better way of doing things.
Goodness, how being a mother is refining!
Patience? Gentleness?
It takes on a whole new meaning when, instead of one, there are four of you! :)

I’ve recently read The Shaping of a Christian Family by Elisabeth Elliot,
and it is one of the best books I’ve read on intentional parenting.
The teaching/training encouragement I’ve felt is due to that book,
and the quotes are all from there.

“It’s much easier for the parents to pick things up themselves than to call the child,
show him what he has left lying about, tell him where to put it,
and see that he puts it there – and remind him the next time.
“Much easier” only at the moment, I mean…
It is a sort of ‘severe mercy’,
for the parents are sparing themselves endless pains when they take the trouble to teach,
and, far more importantly,
are sparing the children the frustration and confusion of disorder for the rest of their lives…”
[e. elliot]

Hudson, pictures at 3 months [though he is now 4.5]
Stats at 4 months:
-15 pounds -26 inches (so therefore grew 6 inches since birth)
– is the biggest eater we’ve had, since 1 month he’s drinking 4-7 ounces of milk at a time,
every three hours
– loves guacomole, rice & beans, salmon, mashed potatoes…
let’s just say he completely skipped the baby food stage and went straight for the real deal.
He cracks us up
– the girls were never even interested in food until at least 6 months.s
– rolls over from tummy to back and is extremely frightened by that ability
– goes into fits of laughter when his sisters talk to him
– recognizes his bottle and a spoon coming toward him, and is almost beside himself with excitement
– still goes by “HUT-son”
with emphasis on the “HUT” according to his two sisters, from birth to now.
They sounds like they’re either
a) from Holmes County, Ohio, or b) African-American.
Neither is a bad thing, I guess. :)

I can’t believe that he was still inside of me 4.5 months ago.
That we didn’t know him, we wondered what gender he was.
Now he really is a part of our family, and we absolutely adore him!
I never knew a boy could be so much fun.

SO MUCH FUN.

Hudson - 3 months 118

My husband’s take on his outfit: “We’re rednecks, and you make him look like he’s an Englishman!”
My take on the outfit: “I don’t mind bringing some class.”
:)
Hudson - 3 months 117

Zoe and Olivia.
Summer of Twenty-Twelve. Turned 3 and 5.

Olivia Caroline.

Dimple Girl.
Recently discovered she loves to color.
Has a mischievous sparkle in her eyes at almost all times.
Is a snuggle bunny. Is also like the energizer bunny.
Has a personality that is full of drama.

DREADS naptime so badly all morning she has a hard time focusing on the present joy at hand.
“Is it time for my nap yet?” she’ll ask multiple times before noon.
Naptime is only okay when I lay down beside her and we pretend:
one day we’re cats, the next we’re birds, the next we’re bunnies.
“Now Baby Bunny, we have to be quiet in our little nest so the foxes don’t hear us!”
And then mostimes the joy of pretending overshadows the dullness of naptime.

[and please don’t laugh at my amateur attempts at sunflare. ;)
I thought of all the amazing photographers I’m friends with
who would have made this perfect lighting even more perfect, and groaned within myself… ]

Zoe Grace.
Deep thinker.
Is Mama #2 to baby boy.
Began Kindergarten this year, and most days loves it.
Loves to draw, to write, to do anything involving paint or drawing.
Has began to like putting outfits together.
Has a very sensitive heart to the things of God.
Is very happy to graduate from Naptime to Quiet Time within the past year.
Is extremely ticklish and LOVES to be tickled.
Daddy’s Girl.
Very athletic, and can run as fast as the boys.

The Sisterhood that is my Daughters.

Some days the best of enemies. Most days the best of friends.
I’m so glad they have each other.

credits:

Hudson
hat: H & M
outfit: gift from friend, Ralph Lauren
basket: junk store
old quilt: Goodwill
baby: straight from Heaven

Zoe and Olivia
boots: Goodwill and re-use-it shop, one given from my sister Claudia
dresses: gifted from my sister Ervina
gumball machine: husband bought at an auction in February
headbands: My Faire Lady (facebook)
little girls: straight from God’s heart to ours

~ enJOY this day!
clarita

May 25, 2011March 20, 2013

An Ocean Birthday

We celebrated a birthday over the weekend!

Olivia Caroline turned TWO

I must admit, I was hoping for a rather uneventful day! Her birth date being very memorable, her first birthday including a doctor and hospital visit because of a double ear infection, and her second birthday… well, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this little monkey! I actually did pray for a peaceful, uneventful (as in catastrophic uneventful!) day. :)

And it was lovely!

Soon after Zoe joined our family, Ben and I decided that instead of big huge parties for every birthday, we are going to spend time together on each birthday, making it special and making memories. There are times for parties, but that will be more for certain ages, probably, than to be expected every year.

So that’s how we do it, and we ALL look forward to birthdays around here because of how fun it is!

[Zoe waking Olivia at 9:30 am! You would have thought they were giving me a treat for MY birthday with that kind of glorious, sleeping-in kind of morning!]

The day before, Zoe and I had made pink cupcakes – I thought that would be more fun for her than a cake [and a lot easier for me!]!

We did this same thing together over Valentine’s Day, and Zoe absolutely LOVED it. She can actually help quite a bit [granted, we used a cake mix and bought frosting, so that’s a big time saver/easy-for-a-kid-to-help right there], and takes great delight in mixing the batter, helping to spread the frosting, and especially the sprinkles, choosing each of the four kinds very carefully. This is the part where she is sure is more like 13 than 3. :)

And then, we were off to the ocean! That is one thing I absolutely love about where I live – being so close to the ocean. It’s a good hour’s drive, but still, so easy to do in a day. We picked Ben up at work around noon and ate our little lunch on the sand!

And nothing makes little girls happier than sand, buckets, and water. :)

I can hardly believe my baby is TWO! And on the other hand, she’s only been in our family for two years. What did we ever do without her?!

Out of the two girls, Olivia is the most like me. She is exactly what my parents’ and their friends say I was like as a baby – unending energy (sure wish I still had that!), and always running, climbing, falling, trying again, never deterred by a fall, playing and smiling, and with a steely grit of determination!

She is so much fun, so fiesty, and motivates Zoe to be more brave and aggressive!

Olivia Turns Two! 131 - Copy

Ben and I traded out sometimes with watching the girls… He – mainly so I could take pictures! Sadly, I set my light meter setting too high, and a lot of these are blown out. :(

These little girls have THE best daddy they could ever wish for!

This was a day where my heart hurt from the love I felt for my precious little family…

There was time to sit and watch them, and just notice every little minute for several hours. I think I need to stop and do that more often (the beach, yes! but I mean the noticing), because it helps me see the true them so much more. And I enjoy them so very much…

It feels like I just have the most wonderful little family. Not perfect as in we never mess up or do anything wrong, and never have issues.

But perfect and wonderful as in the most absolute precious children ever! Two girls are just sooo fun. There are probably many parents that think that way about *their* children, and that’s God-ordained and rightly so! My children feel like my greatest treasures, and I love them so much!

Daddy and the birthday girl!

With his 2 & 3 year olds! They are 21 months apart, but I like to say it like this so it sounds really close. :)

This is a typical Olivia face – she is so dramatic with her facial expressions in calm or frightening situations! We call her our little monkey because she is such a clown!

I just love little bare feet and toes!

My kids have an imagination to beat the band. Every little stick, car, food item, whatever, becomes REAL. I’d be embarrassed to tell you some of the stories from around this house. :}

After playing for a while, I brought out the dessert of swirly pops! :) Ben says they were mostly for pictures. He was only half right. :) I was saving them for some special occasion, and this was it! Even he had to admit they looked pretty stinkin’ cute…. :)

I felt like mama-paparazzi. :) “But she’ll only be have a second birthday ONCE in her whole life!!” I said to Ben, as though that would explain my constant clicking.

^^ notice Olivia’s tongue just hanging out in the first picture! It just tickled me, because there is no concept of “how does this look?!!” !

And below!

I am so thankful to God for the gift of Olivia Caroline.
For the beaming smile,
the priceless dimples,
the energy,
the beauty,
the sweetness,
the petiteness,
the innocence,
the purity, of her precious little life…

This was a joy-ride for kids, this day at the beach PLUS the swirly pops. Even if they couldn’t even eat half of them!

I edited a couple in black and white. I really like the bright contrast of the color pictures, but the black and white brought out the details really well.

And other than skinned toes from a fall on the boardwalk and a cut lip in the process, Olivia went through the day unscathed! Was I ever relieved!!

We returned home to eat leftovers :) and pink cupcakes!

And it was a happy, happy day!

Jesus, I ask for the blessing of heaven and earth to be upon Olivia. May Your hand of blessing guide her and protect her from all evil. May her heart be tender toward You even now, and may she come to know and love You at a young age. Keep her from the evil one, Jesus, and may she grow securely and confidently in the shadow of Your hand, trusting Your Sovereignty and wanting nothing more than to please You and bring You glory.

May she grow not only in the knowledge of God, but in the love of God; that her heart would learn to trust You even when her head does not understand. May she be real, honest, and full of grace and love. I ask for Your strength in advance for all the trials and difficulties she will face, the misunderstandings, the heartaches.

Thank you, Jesus, for my precious little girl!
~clarita

June 21, 2010March 20, 2013

Blueberry Eyes Turns One

Olivia Caroline celebrated her first birthday a few weeks ago. Actually, more like a month ago. I’m still trying to play catchup from the past half year so there are no birthday pictures yet. Actually, not sure if there will be.

But I had been wanting to take her one year pictures sometime. You know how that is – always thinking the next day will be a better time, etc. etc. etc. I really didn’t know when I was going to do it, since I’ve hardly taken pictures all year and all. And I just got done telling a friend that I’m coming to terms with my amateur photography-ness, and realizing that while I enjoy taking pictures, I sure can’t go professional with it.

[At the same time, I have a lot of PROFESSIONAL photographer friends on xanga and elsewhere, which is somewhat intimidating. But not really. Because if I do it for fun, surely you all are okay with that, right? Me not pretending to be that great and all. And me knowing that you guys really ARE. :) But if you ever have any tips for me, like if I do too much editing, or not enough, or too much sharpening, or too much coloring, blah blah blah, I REALLYwould like to have your input. I really won’t be offended. :)]

And on top of it all lately, God has really been convicting me of taking TIME with my kids.

The quote, “GOOD IS ALWAYS THE ENEMY OF THE BEST” keeps running through my mind.

Because right now, there are a million good things that I can be doing.

Things like fixing up my little house and making it cozy… Projects, projects, projects. I have an endless list of ideas that I would love to do.

But in just the 3 weeks that we’ve been living here in what was a bare-bones house, I already have found myself short-tempered with my children and soooo exhausted when my husband comes home that I don’t feel like I have energy left for him. NOT GOOD.

I’m trying to learn when those good things are okay (I’m talking projects & doing things) and when I just need to let it go and spend time with my family. Maybe it even means taking a rest in the afternoon so I have more energy for Husband… Today it meant staying home from the pool when a lot of my friends were going. :( That was sad, and I reeeeeeally wanted to go, but I knew my girls needed this afternoon at home because of how our week is planned out after this…

Anyway, all that to say, these pictures were taken on an evening when I was sooooo tempted to stay inside and work on a sewing project – panels for my dining room windows. But it was one of those choices where I knew I had to decide between my family or my projects. And because this has been such a big battle for me lately, I decided to go outside with my girlies and husband.

Was I ever glad I did! These pictures are priceless now. I’ll always have them. And I wouldn’t have remembered the evening if I would have stayed inside with my sewing machine. What kind of companionship is a sewing machine anyway?

The photo-shoot was spontaneously done because of the lovely evening light…

And here is Miss Blueberry Eyes herself… such a precious Lovey.

Does she have killer eyes or what?!

The blue chair wasn’t exactly the prop I was thinking inititally. I was thinking “girly-victorian-y” sort of look. But I don’t have anything like that, and this chair fits her personality much better.

Very girl, loves playing with her baby doll and giving it a little bottle, hugs and kisses, but loves to tear around and be such a monkey. She is a tease, and loves to have a good time. Perhaps more of a tom-boy, as was her mother?

[Yes, I am aware of the grass on her mouth. But tell me, what one-year old does not put grass in their mouth?]

At one:

-still crawling, although walking comfortably around furniture

-has 3 teeth

-can still fit into size 1 shoes (!!!!!!!)

-on her birthday she weighed 17 pounds, 15 ounces. She is our petite little one!

-talks a little bit: mama, dada, bye-bye, all duh (all done), da-doo (thank you) tee-ta (kitty cat). Started this darling little thing: “Maaaaaa-ma! Mama! sadfkdhlgk asdnhlkj asldkfjlkdfjd fa GA GA GA.” Calls my attention, jabbers in an unknown tongue for a while, then always ends, “GA GA GA.” I just want to eat her up when she does that. :)

Blueberry Eyes for sure… Both girls have blue eyes, but Olivia’s are much darker blue than Zoe’s.

And there is our Sweet Baby. How we do love her!

You may wonder why there are no pictures of Big Sister. Like I was ignoring her or something mean like that.

Well, there are Reasons. Yes, there are.

I thought she was doing this:

[We have a huge dirt pile in the front yard for beautifying purposes to the yard. Not to the child.]

When in fact, she was doing this. IN THE FRONT YARD. Did I ever mention we live in town? Well, now I mentioned it. Busy mother so engrossed in Baby #2 that she is completely unaware of Baby #1.

Yes, the picture is small ON PURPOSE. Blurring is not intentional although photo quality is not the point in this picture. This mother is still mortified. WHAT must the neighbors have thought??

I can just see the headlines in their mind:

“New family moves to town! Mother sprints about the yard that is mostly dirt – not grass (notes that grass is VERY unmowed as well) – taking pictures of one child from strange angles while her other necked child races up and down the dirt pile, making sliding boards and jumping gleefully from top of it to the grass below. Make sure to keep a close eye on this new family…”

Sigh.

But goodness, how I laughed after I got over some of the embarrassment… MY CHILD – doing this in the city?? OMW….

Oh, the life with two kids two and under… :))))))

How I love it
[most days at least!]

Happy Monday!