Thursday, April 14, 2011

Little Hugs

Nora is our resident comedienne.  I really believe she seeks to do and say things that will make us laugh.  And she's pretty good at it!  I am not naturally funny, and it's pretty difficult to make me laugh -- but Nora succeeds often.  She does and says some pretty ridiculous things.


Back around Christmastime, we watched Frosty the Snowman a few times.  When the children are naming Frosty, one of the suggestions is "Oatmeal".  Well, somehow Nora really remembered that and now, out of the blue, she'll say "Oatmeal" in this high-pitched, precious voice.  She literally cannot say that word without trying to be silly with it; just last night she requested oatmeal for breakfast, just so she could say her funny little word.  She'll even occasionally do it on command for Pops. Over four months later, it just keeps getting funnier.

Nora also loves to take notice of Mommy's hair.  If my hair is in a ponytail (which is pretty often, since we walk daily and, well, I do have three small children...) Nora will look at me with her concerned little eyes and say, "Mommy, why is your hair not pretty?"  Every time.  Although I've tried to explain that a ponytail doesn't necessarily mean icky hair, she's pretty spot on.  But the precious reward is that, if she notices that my hair is down (even if it isn't exactly pretty!), she'll say, "Oh, Mommy!  Your hair is so pretty!"  And I pretty much want to eat her when she says that.

When we tuck our little Nora in at night, she's also come to request different-sized hugs.  There are little hugs (where we barely touch her little arms) and big hugs (which are the biggest hugs we can give that tiny little body).  She wants one of each, and she often isn't content to be tucked in until that request has been filled.  I secretly crack up every time I give her a little hug.  We often try to make the little hug as little as possible.  She thinks this is a grand arrangement, and it keeps us lingering at her bed just a little longer.

I am so thankful that God saw fit to give us such a funny little person.  Nora is a delight, and she is an expert at making us all laugh. 

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Ruthie is Thirteen Months Old

This past month, it seemed like Ruthie changed drastically!  She's starting to communicate more, play more games, and is just generally even more fun.  Ruthie is a delight to all of us, and I feel like she has such a rich, delightful little life.  Oh, to be as adored as our Roo is!


At thirteen months, Ruthie is...
  • still sleeping really well.  With few exceptions, she sleeps for about twelve hours at night.  She is also still taking two naps, with a shorter (45 minute) morning nap and a longer (2 hour) afternoon nap.  I thought it would be wise to try and skip her morning nap the other day, and that proved to be a really poor decision.  This sweet little needs her sleep!
  • pretty much off the bottles, and completely off formula.  Ruthie has decided she will tolerate milk, although she's pretty finicky about it.  Thankfully, she is my third-born and I am incapable of obsessing over this.  She occasionally will take a bottle at bedtime, but she appears to be way more indifferent about the bottle than I am.  She prefers to drink water out of a cup.
  • still holding strong with three teeth.  There may be a fourth in there, but woe to the Mommy who sticks her finger in that mouth.
  • sure that she can do anything her big sisters can do.  Roo loves to run, climb, and keep up with her siblings.  She can make it to the top of the "stairs" at Chick-fil-A, and I've found her sitting on top of the picnic table on more than one occasion. 
  • talking some, although most of it is unidentifiable.  I've heard "all done", "Dada", "banana", and probably some other sweet little words on occasion.  She definitely is making more attempts to communicate.  Mousie and her pacifier are both "nay-nay", and she will shake her head "no" to indicate that she does not want something.
  • now really into books.  She'll bring us the book she wants to read, and she'll usually read a few at a sitting.  She loves to kiss puppies in books, and her favorites are still the ones with "real" pictures.  
  • delighted to play in the dirt.  Tasting adds to the experience.
  • always in the middle of the action. 
  • literally crashing when she begins to crash in the late afternoon.  Especially if her naps have been off, Ruthie will quite literally run herself into the dishwasher or washing machine in a frustrated little tizzy.  Bless her little heart.
  • delighted to carry things in bowls or bags.  One of her favorite kitchen toys is a colander and some play food, and if one of her sisters will relinquish a purse, Roo will carry it with pride.
  • also delighted to wake her sisters up.  She LOVES going to get her sisters up from naps, and has been known to crash through the door unassisted if she thinks Mommy is waiting too long to wake them up.
    We do love our happy little Mouse!  Happy Thirteen Months, Roo!

      Friday, April 1, 2011

      Tenderness

      We've had a rocky week.  I'm not at liberty to go into details here, but would you pray for our family? 

      Last night, we were coming in late from community group.  It was nearly nine, and Michael and I were anxious to tuck the girls into bed so that we could tuck our weary selves in as well.  We rushed through our bedtime routine with the Bigs, only to remember that Lamby was a little wet -- I think from Ruthie's sippy losing its valve.  We pretty much told Phoebe that she was going to have to deal with it; Lamby wasn't wet enough to warrant a trip to the dryer, and we didn't want to wait on Lamby for the rest of us to get to go to sleep.  Phoebe wasn't thrilled with this arrangement. 

      So Michael tenderly took Lamby and swaddled her in a lightweight blanket so that Lamby would no longer feel wet to his little girl.  As he gingerly placed Lamby in Phoebe's arms, I wanted to weep.  This is a Daddy who loves his little girls deeply.  And watching this tenderness, I was reminded that my Heavenly Father loves us so much more than we can even imagine.  He is infinitely more tender, infinitely more loving, and infinitely more good.  I am so thankful that we can call the God of the vast universe our Abba - "Daddy".