35 years

No complaints here.

Our little song bird

 

Ada, reading and singing Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes out loud to the rest of us. She does it nearly all day, every day.  The list of memorized nursery rhymes grows every week.

Enjoy!

Ada & Quentin

I am happy we made the decision to have me home with the kids. It is difficult -- patience, finances, isolation. All of these things make it difficult, but I have been reminded lately why it is worth it, or more, why I need to be grateful for it.  Just look at these faces.

I see her changing. It is hard when you are with someone everyday to notice the subtle changes, but this week I have noticed them.  She is growing, changing, moving on to the next big phase. 

The best part of it is her needing to feel secure while she moves through this transition. That she comes to me a dozen times a day and asks me for a hug, gives me a kiss or asks that I hold her. You betcha!


He is growing too. The endless eating, the independent play, the way he turns himself inside out when he wakes up first thing in the morning because he is just so stinkin' happy to see his mom, his dad and his sister.

And my favorite part -- the crazy way that the two of them together are developing the sweetest, safest and incredibly special relationship with each other. I know they will bicker, tattle and get on each others' nerves someday, but for now it's the highlight of my day listening to the two of them laugh out loud at each other. Love it.

 

The Artist

...and her pallet

I will never purchase another toy. This box has provided endless entertainment for two weeks now.

Ada practicing her letter "Q" in Blue

Daydreaming about her own blue picket fence someday

Home, where my music's playing...

It is here.  The post-visiting-home-funk.  

It sneaks up on me every time we return from Oregon.

It usually sets in about 1 day before we leave, actually.

There was no time for that this trip, what with the wedding, and prepping 2 kids for travel, and 4 connecting flights from Eugene to Richmond.  There was work to be done.

So, here it is. A week later. The funk has arrived.

Blech.

Fortunately there is this, 

and this,

to make the funk go away.

Back in the groove

We are back in the groove (kind of) from our fabulous 2 week vacation in Oregon, enjoying farm fresh Virginia peaches and contagious laughter.  

Enjoy!

Summertime Fun

Games with the neighbor kids

Ada and her friend, Nixie Fae

Duck, Duck, Goose!

Guess who is the Goose

Genuine joy

Getting in on the action with his big sister

This one makes me smile every time I look at it

Fun on the 4th!

Eight Months

 

Madly in love with this one, I tell you.

Happy Father's Day!