Happy Birthday to my Man

Happy Birthday, Jim!  I know you’re not a fan of my “mushy” blog posts where I go on and on about how wonderful someone is.  You wouldn’t want me to dwell on your incredible parenting skills, your devotion to God, your amazing provision for our family, your unfailing kindness to me, your dedication to our daughters, your great sense of humor, your uncanny ability to cheer the girls (and me) up, your tireless and admirable pursuit of all things motorized…so I won’t dwell on my utter adoration of you, because that would be too “mushy.”  I won’t dwell on the fact that it was nine years ago today that I first set eyes on you, and I’ve loved looking into your eyes ever since.  I’ll just end by saying I’m so thankful that the Lord brought you into this world, and into my life.

That wasn’t too mushy now, was it? :) 

Happy Birthday, love. 

IMG_5719

Two Scoops

Okay, pop quiz, blog readers: Where would you find Becky and Susie on a beautiful, warm Friday night?

Answer: At the ice cream shop, of course!

(Here they are with Jim’s mom on the ubiquitous pink bench outside the shop that seems to appear in so many of our photos.)

IMG_4473 

And we even had reason to celebrate with copious amounts of ice cream, because the girls passed their two-year check-up with flying colors.  The doctor was especially pleased with the improvement in their verbal skills since their last visit (Becky now speaks in 3-4 word sentences and has an extensive vocabulary that exceeds what I can count, and Susie speaks in 2 word sentences and has an age-appropriate 50-100 word vocabulary).  The girls’ physical measurements have jumped along with their vocabulary.  Susie now weighs in at 23 lbs 2 oz, and is 33-1/4” in height, and Becky is 26 lbs 7 oz and 34-1/2” in height.  That puts Susie at the 10th percentile for weight and 50th for height, and Becky at 50th for weight and 75th for height. 

Hooray for growing girls – and hooray for the ice cream that most likely caused their healthy growth! 🙂

IMG_4471

A Rockin’ Good Time

The girls new favorite activity is to collect rocks.  The bigger, the better. 

Today we went for a “hike” in the woods (what I call a hike, others would probably call a leisurely stroll), and the girls proudly showed me each and every rock they came across.  Then they would carry the rock until they stumbled upon (often literally stumbled upon) the next rock that caught their fancy. 

IMG_4463

We eventually came to a spot with a picnic table overlooking the lake.  The girls had worked up an appetite hauling all those rocks around, so we happily munched on our PB&J sandwiches.  I had hoped they would appreciate the scenic lake view, and they did, although for a different reason.  While I was admiring the beautiful expanse of water, they were paying rapt attention to the group of middle school-aged kids that were splashing happily around the shore.  It wasn’t quite the peaceful communion with nature I had expected, but it was enjoyable all the same.  The girls were thrilled to be around big kids, I was happy to be outside by the water, our tummies were full, and there was a whole trail full of rocks just waiting to be discovered on our trek back – life doesn’t get much better than that!      

IMG_4465

Library Ladies

We tried out the library near our new house today.  I was a little nervous about bringing the girls to a new library, because they often aren’t the quietest patrons in the world, and I wasn’t sure if these librarians would be as understanding as our last ones.  However, the girls behaved very well, so we didn’t encounter any frowns or scowls or shushes (yet).  And the library even features two matching child-sized chairs, so we fit in perfectly!   

IMG_4460

Taking Sides

In an effort to convince the girls to play more soccer (and to convince Jim that soccer is a worthwhile sport despite his objections that it is a low-scoring, frequently-tied, feet-only game), Gabe got the girls their very own soccer net for their birthday.

Susie’s not quite sure whether to side with Gabe or her Dad when it comes to soccer.  She likes the net, but so far the only thing she’s put into the goal is herself.

IMG_5700  

And a purse.  And a rock.  And a rubber ducky.     

IMG_5702

I fear Susie may grow up to be one of those girls who will be more focused on whether her ponytail holder matches her jersey than whether it’s her turn to kick the ball.  Her Dad will be so proud!      

Plugged In

You know your child was born in the 21st Century…

IMG_5695

…when she tries to plug in her book.

Farewell to Friends

Our friends’ visit ended all too soon today.  We loved having a houseful of guests, especially ones as adorable as these.  I mean, look at those cheeks! 

IMG_5690

Becky tried to wake Liam up for just one more playtime before they left. 

IMG_5692 

The girls got in one last Gabe-tackle before their departure.

IMG_5688

Jim decided we’d just hold Liam hostage.    

IMG_5698

Alas, we had to let them go on their way, baby cheeks and all.  We hope it won’t be long before we can see them again!