*the lake

A *few* more pictures from Tahoe....

Edie's first time on the sand. I was worried she would eat big mouthfuls, but she mostly picked it up and held it high, watching it fall, ran her hands through it. I did have to watch closely [I only actually laid down or closed my eyes on the beach like twice] or she'd eat a rock, feather, pinecone or piece of trash.

Vera and Marie are exactly 3 years apart:

Dad/Papa Sam/SamWard:

my handsome husband:

poor thing couldn't move:

on the way to Emerald Bay [saying that just got the M.S. Dixie song in my head]:

my Grandma Kay came up for the day, it was so nice to see her with all the great-grandchildren:

Vera and Eliot. They had a LOT of fun together - playing [and bickering :( ] like brother and sister. Ay, every year she learns a few new bad habits.

Liz and Sarah:

on our 7th anniversary - the little bday party for Vera and Marie. We're hoping to go out somewhere fancy this week or next...

the two biggest cousins - they were so sweet with both Vera and Edie!

Vera loved blowing up the inner tubes. The first day she blew it up all by herself and was so so so excited to float on her own. "Look I'm floating!!" over and over and over. I then went up to the house while Sarah watched her - they came up about 30 minutes later with Vera wailing because she'd "sunk." It was pretty cute listening to her story of how it happened :)

Cute mom+daughter:

cutie patootie. I loved looking at her cute little diaperless bottom in her swimsuit :)

We had a no TV policy and so Spitfire and Speed became the games of the day:

Dana, Tim, Ellie, baby Edie (barely 3 weeks! Dana is amazing) and Maiga came to visit for a day which was so great! Maiga came up for another day the next week - so fun to see her. I hope we can go visit someday - she lives in Hamburg just a 4 hour drive [according to google] from Stella in Holland ... maybe we can arrange it. If everyone reading this sends me $25.

cookies! Olivia was so kind and patient with a very eager helper:

*bebita y perrito

Rooney is George's new beagle puppy. How cute are they together?! Over the 2 weeks Edie really started noticing/loving the dogs. She would even always seem to say "bah" when she wanted to see them and makes an attempt at "woof" when you ask what a doggie says. Vera, on the other hand, was scared of Rooney like he was a little monster or something. The first day Gegi had told her to be careful because he likes to jump and bite - Vera wouldn't take a step out the door after that :)

*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.

*el dedito

Edie has been sucking her thumb for a couple weeks and it is so freaking adorable - at least I think so :) She mostly does it when she's tired or hungry and when we [usually me, since I'm associated with food] pick her up or lay her down in bed. Ahhhh!! I love it how she snuggles into my shoulder, overcome with comfort.

*

I just found my camera cord after a week or two of it missing - here's a few random pictures from the last couple weeks:

Edie loves her jumper more than ever. I get worried sometimes she's going to get shaken baby syndrome!

Vera and her little buddy, Graham:

making lemonade with Amelia:

a beautiful day at the park:

the double swing:

*

Vera just came out of quiet time holding four bean bags: "These are to kill the Elians [Aliens] that are in our house! There are real ones - in my room! The bean bags are for shouting at them and saying go go go away! Then when they are gone we will have a party and Mom, you'll make a strawberry cake. Two of them! The Elians are going to die, so that's why we have to shout! and kill them!" She even showed me one of the Elians - a baby my little pony hidden in a rainbow slinky. There was even more about swords and spikey bodies and bean bags knocking them over, I lost track and can't transcribe that fast.

*Dad-o

These two girls are so blessed to have the daddy they do. When I met him he couldn't even remember meeting a small child, and now to see him so natural, comfortable, FUN and LOVING with his daughters is just amazing. Vera loves him so so so much, you have no idea. Even little Edie's love for him is apparent and I just love to see her light up when she sees him. Fatherhood suits you well, Ben!

*

Our zoo has a special exhibit going on right now with pretty realistic, moving, roaring, spitting dinosaurs scattered around the park. Vera had already been there with Ben, and so the whole ride there she assured me that they are just pretend and not to be scared. Well she was pretty scared! We had a fun morning checking them out with our friends. Thankful for the zoo membership my brother's family got us for Christmas!

I bribed her to take this picture with me:

Sam's not scared! Or at least doesn't know quite what to think...