*primera fiesta

Vera turned 4 yesterday!!!! We had a little party with the family last weekend, since Marie has a birthday this weekend too [she's 7 now, canyoubelieveit?] Vera has been SO EXCITED about it all - pure joy.

Marie after reading her parents' card saying she can get her ears pierced :)

*

We got back last night from Tahoe and are slowly unpacking and organizing [a little procrastinating too]. I've had a few requests for updates, but in the meantime here's a little one of Edie before we left, signing "all done." She is starting to sign it at the appropriate time, at first she would at the beginning of the meal. Anyway, I just want to eat her up. ♥

*Edie crawls and climbs

Edie is crawling now - a little wobbly and awkwardly, but moving nonetheless. She's also just started signing "all done", waving bye-bye [once in a while] and playing peek-a-boo [holding something up to her face or ducking her head and popping up again]. It's all pretty cute, hopefully I can get a video.



**Does anyone know how to post a youtube video without it cutting off the side?**

*el otro día

Edie loves Vera's baby doll. Every time she sees it she says what sounds like a sweet "Hiiiieee" and touches her face and holds her close and then chews on her toes. She also really loves Bunny, but rarely will Vera let her be touched.

Vera posing too with Bunny and "Bunny's cousin," a half-painted wooden figure.

Then I tried for a little sister photoshoot - not very successful, but cute. I'm not as happy with our camera as I used to be. I don't know if it got on some weird setting, but the quality doesn't seem as good as I remember it...

♥

*

I have to remember this one:

At Edie's appointment yesterday, Dr. Katie let Vera use her stethoscope. Vera put it to Edie's chest, listened hard and then commented that she didn't hear Jesus. Because, you know, Jesus lives in our hearts :) It was really cute - I loved how seriously she said it, not in any way trying to be 'cute'. In the past she has asked if Jesus is really tiny, and if he gets to our hearts by going down our throats.

It's really fascinating how a little child is such a blank slate - you have to explain everything! On the 4th we tried to explain that it was our country's birthday - first having to explain what a country is [I should scan and upload Ben's cute hand-drawn map :)] Yesterday in the car we had a fun little conversation. I remember my sister-in-law lamenting that her older daughter said less and less of these cute, innocent things - I want to savor it!

V: Why do cars go fast?

Me: Well because we want to get somewhere fast. If we had to walk, it would take a really really long time. A long time ago, like when Jesus was alive, there weren't any cars. They had to walk or ride donkeys or horses.

V: Well they could take a train!

Me: No, no trains.

V: Schoolbuses?

Me: Nope.

V: Well they could take a plane then!

Me: No, no airplanes either. They weren't invented yet.

V: How about a fairy house?

Me: Ummmm I don't think so.

V: Well they can fly.

*el cuatro

We had a really fun 4th of July weekend! On the 4th itself we had our friends over for a little bbq. The weather was perfect - warm, but a little overcast. We could hear the big concert going on at the park and lots of fireworks going off all over the place. The kids were so excited and had a great time playing together. I meant to have Vera take a picture of us moms and dads at the table, but forgot.

Amelia preferred to watch some of the fireworks from inside:

*sparklers are so much fun!*

Saturday night we went to a church potluck/bbq which was really fun too. Good company, good food, perfect weather. We didn't stay for the fireworks, however, knowing there would be some near our house Monday night. Again, no pictures of the grown-ups. I will be sorry when we eventually move and don't have pictures of our friends!

Vera and Jack:

*los guisantes

We loved fresh peas from our garden so much last year that I made a note to plant a lot this year. I did plant about 4x as many, but will do even more next time! I wanted to make a sweet pea risotto or something, but they all get eaten right there in the garden. So sweet, fresh, wonderful: nothing at all like the frozen peas I grew up hiding in my pockets or throwing under the table at dinnertime.

I tried to recreate the pictures from last year, but Vera of course wasn't wanting to cooperate. They're still sweet - she is such a grown-up kid!

*la nena

Still not fully crawling, but mobile enough to get stuck in corners:

She can pull up on a few things - still hasn't learned that she has to hold on though! There have been a few sideways crashes.