Sunny Saturday

What a beautiful day to spend outside!


Watching us work!




A picnic dinner b/c she's too covered in dirt to go anywhere inside but the bathtub (she didn't mind)!

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A Sampling of Events Around These Parts

The drama mama practices her fall from chair (yes, on purpose). When she makes it to Hollywood this picture will be priceless.

As of today, A's on the roll (photo captures yesterday's forward progress... stopping for a knuckle sandwich snack)! Now if only we could slow her spit-up frequency/volume. Let's just say more time on her tummy = more spit-up facials (and laundry).

E's first mani/pedi compliments of Aunt Katie. How she got her to hold still is beyond me.

Another first... though no actual swinging yet. Just trying it on for size.

Even city kids can't resist...

Mama's return to work (this marks the 4th week back...) = (among other things) Miss Heather's back!!!

Friends

We are blessed with some fab friends... Which means the girls are too. Here are a few recent shots of E & her peeps.










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Like a Siren's Call

...the lazy boy (or, in our case, girl) swing beckons Elynor...

Patiently waiting

Completely chill

Since the weather has warmed we make our way to the playground at least a few times/week. Most days it's right around A's mid-morning feed... Meaning Mama & A sit on a bench and observe for the first 10-15 mins. Though E could technically run amok with this limited supervision, she instead plays with one eye on the lazy boy swing. And as soon as it's free she makes a b-line to claim it, then patiently waits for me to come push her.

Honestly, I don't think there's anything else in this 2-year old's world that garners such attraction or holds her contented attention for so long. She does not tire of swinging on that swing. And except for when she's sleeping, she's never as chill as she is from this perch.

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Happy 3 months Annikah Kate!

Wow, how time flies! We marked A's 3 mo. mark this week. Me by returning to work (good, for the most part). A by:

- Laughing! Especially when tickled under the chin.

- Rolling from back to side and even to tummy a few times (yikes).

- Sleeping through the night (praise God!!!). Actually, this happened the week before, as if she knew I was returning to work. We moved her to sleep in the basement to let her cry a little longer at her standard 5am wake time (deep down, I just felt like she was ready, but we didn't feel comfy letting her cry too much at that hour in the room w/ E). And sure enough, after 2 nights of a little crying, she slept through it! She now eats at 8 or 8:30pm and wakes around 7 (sometimes 6:30 or even as late as 8). Our big dilemma now is putting her back in the room w/ E. We hate for E to wake too early and she's in her lightest sleep after 5am. Hmmm... We might try it this week?!

- Sucking on her hands & fingers like crazy!

- Officially moving up to 3-6 mo. clothes (this started a few weeks back, but now it's everything) - which is exciting b/c we have even more cute stuff in this size.

- And a little photo shoot (thx Heather, and welcome back!):

Cute

Cute

... And more cute

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MN Adventures

What a fab long weekend we enjoyed visiting rye's fam (siira's & Westrom's) in MN! We celebrated Grandma Westrom's 90th b'day on Sunday (seeing most of the extended fam) and gathered with much of the Siira fam on Sunday. It was A's coming out party. Other than feeds I hardly held her. It was if she was on a cuddle time conveyor belt. These girls are so blessed to have such loving family! Huge thanks to all who welcomed us.

Our air & ground travel - the first as a fam of four - went better than I dreamed (even continuing E's potty training - though my hands are dry from all the public bathroom stops/washes). Infact, I told rye it may have been the easiest trip we'll experience for 10+ years. A's days of uuber-portability are no doubt numbered. But hopefully her easy-going personality will remain.

Here are the only pics I snapped all weekend. Please share photos, all you other family photogs!



Excited about her first plane ride!



Airport adventures...



A little less enthused about her first cab ride.



E, on the other hand, is in toddler heaven (no car seat + window down + McDonald's).

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Conversations with Elynor

While waiting for our plane to take off -

"Who will you see in Minnesota, Elynor?"

Without hesitation -
"COWS!"

Uh, yea... Glad to see some of our prep was effective. Sorry, fam... ;)


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