Sep 24 2009

Playing catch up on the blog – let’s start with Fammily Vacation

Posted on 9/24/2009 by April

Hi Baby Girl –

This summer we decided to go local for famm-ily vacation (aug 18-22) – we rented a cabin on Seneca Lake for a few days. Highlights from the week included:
* eating ice cream for breakfast
* boating on rocky waters in the morning and tubing in the afternoon
* early morning and later evening swims
* a beautiful hike
* building a snail habitat
* our first morning run together
🙂

You were thrilled to jump in the water more than ANYone else – any time, many times, often nakedy. You bring so much JOY to this world – I cannot begin to tell you. You remind the rest of us how much we stress out about stupid things unnecessarily – including, for example, the temperature of the water or the presence of algae. You see extreme beauty in rocks!! You cannot help yourself from picking and adoring every flower you see. You nurture all forms of life – including building a beautiful habitat for a snail! Thank you, Peanut. Thank you for all you do for all of us.

One morning I went for a run and you wanted to come with me. We were jogging next to each other. You were saying the sweetest things about wanting to be with me. Then your explorer side of you took over – next thing I knew you had fallen in a drainage ditch. 🙂 Oh well, it was a great first attempt. Can’t wait for next time.

Anyway, here are some pictures

Can I even begin to tell you how many of these flowers you picked?

Last day – boating fun!

Sep 14 2009

oma and opa’s visit

Posted on 9/14/2009 by April

At the end of August, Oma and Opa came to visit. Every morning they took you to YMCA camp, and at 1pm each day they picked you and played until I was done with work. You did a lot of swimming, jungle gyms, A LOT of coloring and puzzles, many stories – new and old. We all wished they wouldn’t go home. Here are some wonderful pictures from the week… Come back again soon, Oma & Opa!! We love you!!

Aug 17 2009

Our past month…

Posted on 8/17/2009 by April

Who knows what our past month has held…. I can hardly remember yesterday.

BUT what I DO remember is how much FUN I have had with you. You are growing LEAPS and BOUNDS!!! In language. In athletic ability. In wit. In thoughtfulness. In artistic ability. And just in pure length… your arms, your legs. Actually on the way to school the other day, you said “Mama, look how big I’m getting! Look how long my arms are” (and you put your hands on the top of the car). “Look how long my legs are!” (and you push your feet against the car seat in front of you). “Even my hips, Mama! Look how big my hips are getting.”

You surprise me almost every day. Today, I had the roughest morning ever (long story, details don’t really matter, but boy, was it rough). To top it all off, I knocked into a cup of coffee Daddy Jim had set next to my laptop, and the coffee spilled all over the computer and the counter. I panic… yell a little (at least a big UGH) and frantically and desperately try to clean it all up. You watched the whole thing and after everything had calmed, you quietly said, “I’m sorry that that happened to you Mommi.” Who cares about a stupid computer when I have such a wonderful daughter?!?!?

You LOVE to tell me stories and share what you’re thinking. Almost everything you tell begins with one of these:
“Mama, I am thinking something silly in my head.”
“Mama, I have a funny story.”
“I have a great idea!”
“Want to hear it?”

Last week, Daddy Jim, you and I headed out after dinner to a small park in our old neighborhood to hear our good friend Bill play his saxophone with his band. Our very good friend Dave Lewis was there with his bride Sharon. (Dave, Sharon and Bill are in the Gospel choir with us.) Dave is a photographer, and he snapped these pictures from the night and shared them with us!

Thanks Dave!!

Bill and his band played. You danced. We marveled at both of you!! We are so blessed!!

You dance with me. You dance with your Dad. One day when I picked you up from Cobblestone Camp, you wear dancing a beautiful elegant dance with a long scarf in your hand to classical music. Juliana, the counselor, said you do that regularly… and she, like I, is amazed by your awareness of your fingertips and toes as well as the spirit and rhythm of the music!!

You can go hand over hand over hand across the monkey bars and back and back and back… seemingly forever.

You and Daddy Jim have a new trick (it scares me to death)… You basically use HIM as the jungle gym. You jump, holding his hands, fly up in the air and do a complete circle in the air. It looks like you’re going to tear your arms out of their sockets, but you don’t. And the 2 of you LAUGH and laugh… and you say “AGAIN!”

You can tread water forever, and you are starting to do a real back stroke. You can make your way (doggie paddle) across the pool. It has been so long since you have worn a floaty of any kind, that I don’t even remember. You fearlessly jump into the waves in the wave pool… even the ones higher than your head.

Tomorrow we leave for our family vacation… I’m certain I will have many more stories for you soon. I love you Peanut Butter! To pieces!
*Mommi

Jul 10 2009

the 4th of July in our nation’s capitol

Posted on 7/10/2009 by April

Hey Baby –

Here are some pictures from our adventures in DC over the 4th of July. I had to give a talk at a conference on Thursday, so you and Daddy Jim played in Museums and such for a couple days – and then I got to join you and we all played for a couple more days. The fireworks were SPECTACULAR!!!!

Our flight was delayed, so in our spare few hours, you and I got our nails done together – how fun!! What a special treat – certainly a brand new adventure for you… you quietly took it all in – every once in a while shooting me a huge, surprised smile. As a bonus, Amy did a beautiful french braid on your hair… Life is so fun with you.

On our first day, we went to see “Orack Obama’s” house – “It’s White!”

Day 2, The Zoo
The NATIONAL ZOO! What a treat!!

Day 3 was the 4th of July!!
An amazing parade and some incredible fireworks

After the parade, we spent some time on the Mall

Finally, fireworks next to the Washington Monument

Day 4 – The final day
Our final rides of many Metro rides – this time to the Aquarium, and then an airplane ride home… Thanks God for a wonderful adventure!

Jun 26 2009

“But Mama….”

Posted on 6/26/2009 by April

So here is a funny story –

2 nights ago, Daddy Jim and I awoke at 3:30am in a painfully startling manner – to a BAT flying around our bedroom!!!! Sigh. I now know MUCH more about how harmless (in general) bats can be, what a VERY IMPORTANT thing it is to CATCH and save a bat you find flying around your bedroom, and what the county regulations are for getting vaccinated after such an event (i.e. Daddy Jim and I have to, but you, Madeline, Daniel and Grandma Judy are THANKFULLY off the hook).

Anyway, we are guessing our little friend joined us by way of the open chimney. The person we will pay $900 to secure our home from future adventures can’t come to our house until Saturday, so until then, we need plan B. After you went to bed last night, we moved the couch in front of the fireplace and lined the whole opening with blankets…. Our living room looks quite a bit different – a bit messy and in disarray…

When you woke up this morning, you groggily walked down the stairs… I scooped you up like i always do, and you nuzzled your little head into my neck. (I have the AMAZING gift of getting to snuggle with you almost EVERY day!! A gift I never forget to totally treasure.) I walk with you over to the newly-placed couch and sit down. You slowly pick up your head and look around – trying to figure out what happend to our living room… after a good 30+ seconds, you look at me most sincerely and say…

“But Mama, how will Santa get in?”

Jun 18 2009

“don’t want to miss even one song”

Posted on 6/18/2009 by April

Stephen Curtis Chapman sings a beautiful song called “Cinderella.” It makes me cry every time I hear it. It’s message is this “Treasure EVERY minute you have with your beautiful little girl.”

I so do – at least I do my best.

Do you know how I GOT TO START MY DAY TODAY?!!? You won’t believe it!! I am SOO Blessed.

After playing and eating and singing and giggling with you, I gave you a kiss goodbye at daycare, and Marlie yells “Me too!” So I got a slimy watermellon kiss on my cheek from Marlie. Then, you guessed it, Olivia says, “Me too!!” ANOTHER slimy watermelon kiss!! And then Kennedy and all the rest of your friends… ending with Natalie.

You ran to the door and gave me one more sweet, slimy watermelon kiss! It doesn’t get any better than this!

(These pictures were taken at our home a couple weeks ago, but the watermelon kisses reminded me of them.)

I love being your Mom, Peanut!

(p.s. I told a random guy about the wonderful start to my day at the coffee shop on the way to work, and he gave me an “ewww” look and directed me to the bathroom to wash my cheek. I don’t think he gets how wonderful slimy watermelon kisses can be.)

Jun 17 2009

may 31 – a pretty random family day

Posted on 6/17/2009 by April

Hey Baby Girl –

I’m trying to play catch-up, so here are some pictures from a pretty random family day.

After church, we all went out to eat at the Cheesecake Factory. Then Madeline joined you and me for “Pinkalicious,” a musical based on the famous book. The actors are professional, off-broadway performers. They are always very good – today was no exception. Before the play started, Madeline re-read the book to you. At intermission, they sold VERY LARGE, VERY PINK cupcakes – neither you nor Madeline could finish yours 🙂 (which was fine with me!)

THEN… we joined up with the guys and headed over to the Strong National Museum of Play – CLEARLY a great time for all!! It was Madeline, Daniel and Daddy Jim’s first time there since the renovation… so none of them had experienced the butterflies before – What a GREAT blessing to have in our town!

We just happened to bump into Marlie and her Mom as they were headed out… just time for one quick ride.

You’re dancing with Daddy Jim… can you tell?

Madeline had hurt her ankle… she’s all better now…

Jun 17 2009

Memorial Day weekend – way back in May

Posted on 6/17/2009 by April

Okay – looking back to Memorial Day weekend (around May 23rd I think) – Daddy, Grandma and Papa took you to a family wedding in Connecticut… Here are some pictures from your time there! It’s clear you had a blast as did they!! Again, you bring JOY everywhere you go!

Instead of going to the reception, Daddy, Grandma & Papa took you to the PLAYGROUND!! Do they rock or what?!?!?!

And while you were away, we headed to Letchworth Park to watch an amazing thing – a major hot air balloon launch! It was really fascinating…

We really missed you!!

Jun 17 2009

treasuring you…

Posted on 6/17/2009 by April

“I’m four (holding up four fingers). But I’m about to get five.”
When someone asks you how old you are, this is your standard response.

Four is SUCH a fantastic age! You melt my heart at the most random times. You are unbelievably sincere, crazy passionate, super energetic and wonderfully tender. I can’t possibly predict how, but you surprise me in some wonderful way every time I get to spend some focused time with you- like every night at bedtime. Tonight, after books, you stand up quickly and announce “Tonight I’m going to say my bless-you’s this way” and you walked over and knelt next to your bed and started your prayers, “Dear God, Thank you for Mommi, Daddy Jim… ” ending with “and the whole wide world.” I asked about a sick friend of ours, and you said matter-of-factly, “I did. She is part of my whole world.”

We had the sweetest rocking time, and after having our normal whisper conversation about random things, you fell sound asleep on my lap. That hasn’t happened a while… I continued to rock for a very long time… treasuring the moment, treasuring you.

I so love you Peanut Butter!!

I took this picture of you sleeping on my lap tonight… at the end of our day. I love spending my days with you.

May 30 2009

camping with madeline and friends

Posted on 5/30/2009 by April

Wow – What an incredibly fun time we had!! I wasn’t sure whether or not it was the best idea to take you on Madeline’s field tirip that Daddy Jim and I were chaperoning because a) it was supposed to rain both days and be cold; and 2) I wasn’t sure if I would be able to focus on Madeline enough while also making it fun for you… but I knew I REALLY wanted to take you camping and the teachers were very encouraging…. so I gave it a shot – and I am SO GLAD I DID!!!

WE HAD SUCH A FANTASTIC TIME!!

The kids in Madeline’s class – including Madeline – embraced you with big, open arms – including you enthusiastically in so many of the activities, games or crafts, swimming or meals. And we were surprised and blessed with WONDERFUL weather!!

Here are some pictures from our wonderful time!! Thanks God!!

A few times during the 2 days, you stopped what you were doing and said, “Mama? This is such a fun trip!!! Thanks SO MUCH for bringing me!” (I melted each time.)

Excited to be here!

Played many team-building games

Some of the games were better for the big kids, so you and I just escaped and played together!!

A first experience with a tire swing!! Wow!

Althea’s Boots

You and Althea became FAST friends – you hung out together a lot over the two days! At one point she said to me, “April? You are SO lucky!! Maya is SO GREAT!” I told her that I totally agree – I feel so grateful for you every single day!