The three of us....

This week it's just the 3 of us. Casey had to go take care of some things in Georgia, so since we have a fun upcoming beach trip later next week, well, traveling this week was not appealing. So the next couple days we're on our own, eagerly awaiting his return!

We've managed to keep busy in this nice warm weather we've been having. And I'm sure also entertaining not so many things Daddy would LOVE to see!

Like dumping sand from the sandbox onto the deck, and in our hair, isn't that nice!

While happy girl here enjoys chewing on the puzzle pieces!

She also has been loving her swing that Casey hung up outside for her!

A little "Tiger" in the making; I'd have to ask our "professional" in the family if he has good arm position!

Here are some of how my free moments have been spent lately, more practice in the sewing department! Well, these are not necessarily since Casey has been gone, I've really been so tired I'm sleeping or vegging on the couch when the kids are! These are more from the past several weeks. They are the beginner jobs for sure, so just don't look too closely, as I know there are many mistakes!

Pillowcase dress, which I think I made the armholes not quite deep enough. But on her it still seems to fit ok, so I suppose it works.

Reed's train shirt. Already a favorite, as everytime he sees it he asks to wear it! I told him I would try to make car and airplane shirts too, and he has yet to stop asking when when he gets those!

Some ruffled pants and applique shirt for Emery-Claire. And a bubble, also full of mistakes I know! But being the first, I know that is expected! I have some other fabric that I may try and make 2 girl matching ones for later this summer---gotta start collecting/creating some matching things! So fun to make the girly stuff for sure! And I have more fabric to try and see if I can create another smocked dress--yikes! At least I won't feel so rushed this time, so we'll see how it goes the second time around.

Our House, for now....

Outside view...

Family room....


Reed's room when nice and tidy :)

but normally looks like this....they love to play in there :)

Dining room.....

Emery-Claire's room....yeah curtains from the fabric from her bedding I made over a year ago are finally complete and up!!!

It's a nice and tiny quaint room as you can see...but works for a nursery

I thought I'd post these pictures of our house, 3 months after we are moved and settled. I say our house, for now, because it being a rental, well, we're not sure how long we'll stay put....ohhhhhh (big sigh). But for now we are here, and it works, but I'm sure it could only be a matter of time before we try to find something more permanent. In the next few months we could all start to feel a little more cramped in here, so I'm sure that may play a major factor in how long we stay put. So here it is (most of it except our bedroom----which is very big and roomy, but always seems to be a diaster, so I've yet to take pictures of it; and the bathrooms).

Almost to the one year mark.....11 months now!

Fun at bathtime above, and this past weekend at the park below....it was so warm and beautiful and both had a blast!

Here are the typical 11 month posed pics. Though they are not as posed as before, with such a little wiggle worm! But she sure had fun being all over her chair!

Well, one month from today our girl turns the big "1"! It's been way too fast of a year, as it feels like the other day we were still awaiting her arrival. But maybe it's just the deja vu I constantly feel since I'm pregnant again! Anyways, she is definitely busy these days and such a wiggle worm. Some fun new things we've observed......

• Pulls to standing
  
• Cruising, and trying so hard to move from one piece of furniture to another while standing
  
• Definitely a talker! We've heard "uh-oh", "dada", "mama", maybe a "hi" with a wave


• Loves fruit....eating all kinds of fruits in tiny pieces; I think we're finally over the pureed stuff for the most part--yeah! And loves bread! She'll eat veggies, but definitely prefers the other two more.


• Seems to be very friendly and smiley with most people, not too bad with stranger anxiety; though I felt we experience that more a few months ago, so maybe we're past it. But Reed went through after he turned 1, so I won't be surprised if it shows back up.


• Loves to be out and about...riding in the car, stroller walks, shopping carts, high chairs at restaurants....she does so well to be along for the ride.
  

These are the biggest things that come to mind. I still can't believe that in 3 more months she'll be a big sister, wow! She is still just the baby to me! Such a joy and a blessing always to our family. And so sweet and precious to continue to watch her relationship with Reed emerge more and more every day. They do seem to adore one another, and I continue to pray that it will stay that way and they will truly love and care for one another!

The Wave

Well, after months of working on it she finally seems to have picked it up this week....so here is Emery-Claire's social attempt to say "hi" to everyone!

More Easter Pics

In the middle of the table are the flowers my sweet husband, just for no reason other than to be sweet, brought home Friday afternoon....what a fun surprise!

Our silly girl! I can't believe she held these up to her face and I actually caught it on film!

We are all about suckers these days! Thanks Robyn (ha, ha :), it's been that way ever since he got one from you! He still mentions "Robyn and the kids" and how he got a sucker that day!

Happy Easter!!

Resurrection

Today we celebrate the hope in the glorious truth that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, died and rose again! As much as we daily talk about the Gospel, read Scriptures, pray, it amazes me how impacting this day always is each and every year for me. The powerful chorus and church body singing praises to our Great and Almighty God never cease to humble my heart at what a wretched sinner I am, so undeserving of such mercy and grace.

But as we sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" this morning and my eyes filled with tears, I couldn't help but think to the other special meaning of today, April 12.....1979. For many of you who know about my sister born 3 years after me, this was the day of her birth. She was born was severe brain damage, and lived an amazingly 22 years of life. This June, will be 9th anniversary of her death. Being a sibling, especially the oldest sibling, to a child with special needs I know has sculpted and molded me in probably many ways. I was never the one to "need" to talk much about it all, I mostly kept it all to myself. My younger two sisters were definitely more verbal and vocal with their thoughts and feelings about the impact of her in our family. But I've realized being a mother and having my own children, well, it impacts me in more ways than I've known over the years. And today focusing on the Lord Jesus' perfectly restored body as He rose from the grave, truly filled my heart with joy to picture so many broken bodies restored perfectly one day to the way God intended them to be! What a sacrifice we have to rejoice in, to think to the day when we too will be risen to live and be with God the Creator forever!

May this Easter impact each and every one of you as well!

Easter is coming!

This week I thought we'd try some fun things for Easter, or fun for a 2 1/2 year old that is. We've been "hiding" the plastic eggs almost daily, and yesterday we colored the eggs. Reed was so excited, though I don't think the colors turned out very well, but oh well, the activity itself was exciting to him, and he sat at the table forever while we did them and made Easter cards too!

So proud of his eggs!

Not at all Easter related, but one of our friends gave us some new bows that actually would stay in our minimal hair....so here she is first bow in all her glory!

And so excited to be eating her banana!

Here it is.....the smocked dress.......don't zoom in too closely because I'm sure you'll see all my mistakes. But all in all I have to say I am pleased at how it turned out considering it is my first one. And we had pictures made this week, so they turned out pretty cute too....so here is the finished product! I'm now working on some little pants so hopefully those will turn out as well, if so I can post some more. At least I'm having fun doing it all!

Our long week!

We took a trip this week to visit the fam.....lots of unexpected happened along the way, of course! There was definitely more that I would have liked to do and several other friends I would have loved to have seen (sorry guys, I have the hardest time fitting everyone in) and the unexpected always seems to creep up and kink my plans too!

Having fun playing some sort of "game" with Gigi.....between his time with Gigi, Nana came up from Georgia too, and Grandpa, Reed was entertained with all the constant attention.

The little miss had her fun too....she was full of smiles and laughter all week as well!

What could be more fun than bathtime with your cousins! They all three were in there at one point and had a blast! This is the more modest picture of our girl outside the tub; I figured I shouldn't post the other--though her little bare bottom standing there is as cute as it can be!

We got to go see Grandpa and Grandma one evening and see their new house they have been building. We can't wait to see the final product once it's completed in the next couple months!

Our one day friend adventure we were able to fit in....as you can see the sickness was starting here. Reed starting running a temperature that day and did so for the next 2 days. Everytime Robyn and I plan to get the kids together someone is sick, and even though we managed to actually do it this time, someone still managed to get sick.

All three in the yard with their matching bunny glasses, of course none of them would leave them on for the picture but at least they are holding them.

When we got home Reed's fever finally was gone, but we still are having lots of runny noses and coughing...I think allergy related. And now Emery-Claire has the eye thing Reed had about a week ago and double ear infection! Neither of them have ever had an ear infection, so the fun times in sickness keeps coming for us I suppose. And it's supposed to get back into the 30s-40s this week---yuck! Why is Easter week always so cold and rainy every year, I just don't get that?! Hopefully we will all be well and able to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord! And I have basically finished Emery-Claire's smocked dress! What an accomplishment! I suppose it doesn't look half bad for being my first attempt. I'll post a picture of her in it soon; I still need to finish the hem. And Tuesday the kids are having a spring picture made, so I need to do it before then! Not sure how often I will do something like that as it is such a long process with lots of steps, though since I put so much time into learning I feel I should at least try again soon to not let what I learn be wasted. So hopefully I will suceed on my own, without a class and instructor, and not become too terribly frustrated! So we shall see.